Free Paper Hearts by Courtney Walsh

the room. She hadn’t been sitting around   —these weren’t self-inflicted troubles.
    “Get out of the box,” Ursula said. “Who do you know that might be able to help you?”
    Abigail scanned her mental database, running through names of customers and city officials. Despite the fact that her great-great-grandparents had founded the town, she didn’t really have any more pull than anyone else. She’d settled into her place as part of Loves Park’s middle class quite nicely. She didn’t need much in her simple life   —even if what she wanted was a different story. When she came up empty, she shrugged.
    Ursula practically shrieked. “Me! You should’ve come to me the second Harriet decided to retire.” Ursula folded her arms over her chest, covering the long, beaded necklaces she wore around her neck.
    Abigail frowned, resisting the urge to point out that other than taking her coffee order, this was the first real conversation she’d ever had with the woman. “What good would that have done?”
    “I’m rich! Don’t you know that with enough money, you can buy anything?” She flung her hands up over her head.
    Abigail knew her expression matched the way she felt   —confused.
    “Don’t look at me like that,” Ursula said.
    Abigail turned away.
    “Look at me.”
    “I’m sorry I’m   —”
    “You’re a little girl. And it’s time to be a woman.”
    Abigail chose silence.
    “Ursula, maybe   —” Evelyn began.
    But the old woman’s hiss of a shush ended Evelyn’s thought before she could finish.
    “So ask me.”
    Another quick glance at the others, none of whom offered even a hint that they knew what she should do.
    “Ask you . . . ?”
    Ursula let out an annoyed sigh. “Ask me to buy the building.”
    “I don’t think you understand, Mrs. Pembrooke. The doctor bought the building.”
    “I don’t think you understand, Miss Pressman. I will buy it back.”
    In her mind, Abigail replayed the events that had brought her here tonight in the first place. If only she hadn’t spilled that coffee and felt the need to confess at this meeting, she’d be safe in her house, sanding and painting that beautiful armoire she’d picked up last weekend at the flea market. Instead she was here, serving as a human punching bag for someone she now realized was one of the toughest women in Loves Park.
    Gigi finally came to her aid. “Forgive me, Ursula, but how does that help dear Abigail?”
    “She can buy it from me.” Ursula turned to Abigail. “I would’ve cosigned your loan application, but you never bothered to ask.” She walked away, grabbed another cookie, and shoved the whole thing in her mouth.
    Gigi met Abigail’s gaze with raised brows. “That could work, right?”
    “You haven’t talked to this man or his   —” she searched for the word   —“his Kelly. Oh, he seems kind and charming, with his ridiculous good looks and those cheekbones, but I’m not buying it. Not for a second.” Abigail turned to find them all staring at her with accusing eyes.
    “Good looks?” Doris’s eyes widened.
    “Cheekbones?” Tess practically exhaled the word.
    Abigail faced Ursula, who’d returned to the armchair and now sat like a queen on a throne. “He won’t sell it to you,” she informed the older woman.
    “How good-looking?” Gigi’s brows were still raised.
    Ursula shook her head. “Fight or die, Miss Pressman. Fight or die.”

CHAPTER

9

    G IGI OPENED THE DOOR for Abigail, who looked even more horrified than when she’d come in. Returning to the living room after saying good-bye to the young woman, Gigi shook her head at Ursula, who nibbled a crunchy cookie Tess had brought. Gigi made a mental note not to allow Tess to supply refreshments for these meetings anymore.
    “You can come out, Teensy,” she called toward the bedroom.
    Teensy Pressman emerged, wearing a pair of black dress slacks and a sparkly sweater. Her hairdo always reminded Gigi of a newscaster’s,