Can I borrow your phone?" she asked.

I frowned, unsure what she would do. "Sure." I pulled my phone from my pocket, handing it to her.

She fingered the buttons for a moment, and then dialed, closing her eyes as she waited.

"I'm sorry for calling you so early," she stammered, "but this couldn't wait. I . . . can't go to dinner with you on Wednesday."

She had called Parker. My hands trembled with apprehension, wondering if she was going to ask him to pick her up - to save her - or something else.

She continue, "I can't see you at all, actually. I'm . . . pretty sure I'm in love with Travis."

My whole world stopped. I tried to replay her words over. Had I heard them correctly? Did she really just say what I thought she had, or was it just wishful thinking?

Abby handed the phone back to me, and then reluctantly peered up into my eyes.

"He hung up," she said with a frown.

"You love me?"

"It's the tattoos," she said, flippant and shrugging, as if she hadn't just said the one thing I'd ever wanted to hear.

Pigeon loved me.

Author: Jamie McGuire