Chapter 40: Stealing Away

Abigail found Mark standing by some rocks, not bending over anything, not studying the ground, simply standing there.

“Abigail,” Mark breathed a sigh of relief, as he came towards her and engulfed her in a hug. “Thank god. I tried calling and messaging for two days and nothing worked. I didn’t know what else to do so I just came here, hoping you would come.”

Abigail’s heart softened as she realized Mark had been trying to get hold of her, and she almost melted when he said he’d just been outside, waiting and hoping she would come out and meet him.

Abigail frowned, she hadn’t felt her phone so much as vibrate in her pocket, and she normally checked it whenever it did.

“Oh!” Abigail exclaimed into the hug, remembering. “I went to my mom’s house, but I didn’t take a charger with me and she doesn’t have one that would fit my phone. I mean, she would now, but she didn’t when I was there. My phone must have died as soon as I left your place.”

“Look,” Mark said, pulling back from their hug. “I know you were upset when you left my place the last time, don’t even try to deny it,” Mark cut her off, silencing her objections with a finger on her lips. “I know you were upset. And I realize that it must have been what I had said. I realized afterwards how it might have come across, and I am so sorry.”

Mark took both her hands in his, and held them close against his lips.

“I never, never, meant to imply that you should consider marrying Lyall,” Mark told her. “We were in bed together, and we had just slept together for the first time. The absolute furthest thing from my mind was you marrying someone, anyone, else.”

“Oh,” Abigail breathed. Though she had forgiven him for what he had said, it was heartwarming to know that he hadn’t meant for his words to have that meaning behind it at all.

“I literally meant what I had said,” Mark continued, pressing kisses to her knuckles in answer. “That marrying a businessman might not be the worst thing. And with that I would literally mean any businessman that wasn’t Lyall.”

Abigail giggled softly, then she brough his knuckles to her lips, returning the gentle kisses.

“And I’m so grateful for the advice, really,” Abigail told him. “But I don’t see myself marrying a businessman,” Abigail glanced down, avoiding his eyes bashfully. “I think I’d prefer someone a bit more down to earth, maybe a more non-traditional job, too. I think theres just way too much drama in the business industry.”

Abigail glanced up, just in time to see Mark school the disappointment and sadness of his face, into something more happy and neutral. She wasn’t sure what to make of it, but in all honesty, it only lasted a moment, so she wasn’t sure if it had really happened or if she had imagined it.

“Of course,” Mark told her. “That’s me, just here and happy to help whenever it may be.”

Abigail laughed at the lighthearted tone in his voice, and she knew that the disagreement and tension that had been between them had dissipated into nothingness.

“So, if you just came all this way to see me,” Abigail said, drawing out her words suggestively. “That means you’re free, right?”

Mark smiled broadly, “What did you have in mind?”

Abigail jumped a little in happiness, “How about lunch?” she suggested. “Or, if you already ate, I think I could really go for a dessert right now?”

“Why do we have to choose?” Mark asked her. “Lunch and dessert sounds like a great date idea.”

Abigail answered with a blinding smile, and followed Mark to his pick up truck, as they drove off the family estate.

____________________________________


Over the next few weeks, Abigail split her time between living and working at her father’s house and company, and often visiting her mother in her new apartment and new life.

Abigail had left her mother with enough money so that she never needed to work again in her entire life.

So Emma had quit the jobs she’d been working, and took over at the flower shop that Abigail had used to work at, citing that she actually enjoyed spending her time there.

Emma also used some of the money to enroll herself in classes. She was studying business economics and administration. She hoped to buy the flower shop and take it over as her own.

Abigail found her life had a nice balance, now, sharing her time with her parents and her work.

But the time she gave her parents paled in comparison to how much time she spent in Mark’s apartment. They would often cook together or order in, and then they would watch movies until late at night. Abigail was careful not to spend the night, though.

If she came home late, she knew her father wouldn’t bother about it too much. God knows every hour Olivia came in sometimes. But if she didn’t show up at all some nights, that was bound to cause suspicion. And she had finally gotten on good terms with him, with Adam actually glad and excited to teach her the ropes of the business.

There was no way she was going to mess that up. At least right now.

So she did her best to simply try and enjoy her time with Mark.

Sometimes it was hard, though. Sometimes it was like his mind was everywhere all at once.

“Do you want water?” Mark asked, as he finished the final touches of the seared salmon.

“Yes, please,” Abigail answered from her place on his couch.

Mark hummed an answer and placed the seared salmon on two plates. He then transferred the roasted asparagus, broccoli and Brussel sprouts onto the same plate.

He brought the two plates over to the sofa, along with a knife and fork for each of them, and then Mark sat down beside her and started to eat.

Abigail bit her bottom lip and got up; she poured two glasses of water and brought them over the sofa.

“Oh,” Mark said, looking up at her. “Why didn’t you say you wanted water? I would have gotten it for you.”

Definitely distracted and all over the place. He had asked her if she wanted water at least three times. It was a miracle he hadn’t burnt the salmon.

“It’s fine,” Abigail assured him, placing glass down in front of him.

They ate in silence for a few moments. Mark was really an amazing cook, Abigail mused, she wondered how she had gotten so lucky with him.

There had been something on Abigail’s mind that she’d been wanting to ask Mark since the night of the Lyall comment, but she’d been a bit hesitant to ask immediately after their first time together. Now though, she thought it would be more appropriate.

“So, I know you said your parents died when you were really little,” Abigail said slowly. “But, do you have any other family?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer, and continued with where her thoughts were heading. “I was thinking, I’d love you to meet my mom, and maybe I could meet some of your family, too.”

“Yeah,” Mark said non-committedly. “We should talk about that some more.”

Abigail bit her lip; that wasn’t a negative, but it wasn’t exactly a good answer, either. She wasn’t sure what to make of him wanting to talk about it some more first; it was a lunch, possibly. Nothing extravagant. But she decided not to press the issue any further.

After a while, Mark picked up his phone and started scrolling through the news, commenting about each of the pieces to Abigail, small little insights she found entertaining. Mark had a strange view of the world around him. But she supposed a landscaper was supposed to see something different than what it was.

“Hmm, Taneka Incorporated just bought new equipment,” Mark said, not really speaking to Abigail. “But they’re supposed to merge with Ascot soon. Buying new things before a merger is never good. Oh, unless they’re trying to throw everyone off the scent.”

Abigail listened to each thing he said with rapt attention, she wanted to show she was interested in his thoughts. She wanted to reassure him that even with their lives so different, they had space for each other in them, still.

After a few more news articles, Abigail and Mark carried their dirty dishes through to the kitchen, cleaning everything as they went. Abigail packed up the rest of the left-over salmon and stuck it in the fridge.

Mark washed the dishes and they kind of moved around each other in tandem. And Abigail could imagine them doing this for the rest of their lives, possibly three little sets of feet scooting around them as they worked.