Something—some reason—always held him back from making a commitment to her. Seeing Abby today reminded him why…
“Okay, Jack, but she hurt herself just as you happened to be around to help her, didn’t she? Do you think that could have been deliberate or that she’s faking it? A bit too coincidental, isn’t it?”
Jack snorted and picked up the cooler. “You’re saying it was some kind of ploy?”
“No, I wouldn’t say that about Abby, as in that it was deliberate. I think she might have regrets and be pretty desperate seeing us together. You’re a catch, for sure, Jack. She always wanted what she couldn’t have and fought to get every man’s attention when I was her roommate. It was her own fault she lost you. She shouldn’t have slept with Vince or been so loose with other men. You were bound to find out eventually.”
Pain assailed Jack—pain he’d thought he buried with the past. “If I hadn’t stopped by the apartment while she was gone,” he said under his breath, “I would never have known.”
“Do you think Carly likes Abby all that much? Maybe Abby somehow tricked her way into being in the wedding party too.” Monica shook her head as if she couldn’t believe this was happening.
Jack reared back. “Monica, Abby and Carly have always been the best of friends.” Of all the things that he counted against Abby, questioning the sincerity of their friendship was not one.
He glanced up to see Sam loop his arm around Abby as they neared the boat.
Jack’s mood blackened further and he clenched his jaw. Abby had cheated on him. He’d seen the evidence with his own eyes. As much as it had hurt him to break up with her, he wouldn’t be played the fool the way his father had been.
Monica’s lips curved. “Looks like Sam will get lucky tonight, Jack. So, just please, accept Abby for the way she is. She has that fresh appearance, but beneath it, she’s not so innocent. She’s just a passionate person who likes to satisfy her passions wherever she can.”
Jack clenched his teeth. He knew intimately how passionate Abby was. Hell, it wasn’t something he’d ever forget. And he’d been turned on today just carrying her in his arms. He also knew every delightful curve of her body that she would share with Sam and whomever else she wanted this weekend. He almost growled with frustration.
“Jack, did you see the way she kept leaning toward Sam, to give him a hint of her cleavage?”
“I did not,” Jack retorted. He did notice the dip in Abby’s shirt, but it revealed even less than Monica’s. He narrowed his eyes on Monica. “I doubt Abby would say such things about you—even if they were true.”
“I’m not trying to make you mad at Abby. Deep down, she is still my friend, even though she’s angry with me. She knows she blew it with you. I’m just worried she’ll take it out on me this weekend because we’re together.”
Jack gave Monica a pointed glance. “I haven’t seen her angry with you at all. Abby would never do anything so mean.”
Monica raised an eyebrow. “Has she talked to me or made an effort to be friendly since we’ve been here?”
“No, but if she hasn’t, it is more about her past relationship with me, not because she holds anything against you.”
“Well, she is angry at me. I can tell by the looks she’s given me...behind your back.”
“Abby…?” he asked, frowning again.
“I shouldn’t say this, but she’s that way—sneaky. You were once close to her, but you don’t know how she really is.”
“I suppose a person’s character always shines through...”
Jack’s stomach clenched as he watched Sam help Abby into the boat. It would be like a kick in the groin if she went to bed with Sam tonight. Jack wondered if he would ever recover from her. It was as if she owned a piece of his heart, no matter what she’d done to deserve the breakup.
“Jack?” He turned to see Monica’s face harsh. “You’ve looked at her way too long. Will you show me I have nothing to worry about? I’ve missed you. You’ve been gone for so long... I need you.”
Had she missed him? Or was this another attention-grabbing maneuver? She hadn’t seemed to mind his other long trips out of town. Originally, he’d thought of their relationship as something more casual and that’s what she said she wanted. He certainly hadn’t wanted anything more. However lately, Monica had pushed for something more serious.
Monica threw her arms around his neck. “Jack,” she whispered, “if you keep staring at Abby, I might have to insist you fire her.”
His brow furrowed. “If I committed to you, you’d never have to worry about me being trustworthy, Monica. Abby could work at my company. She won’t affect me at all. I’ll never forget what she did to me.”
Monica beamed a smile up at him. “Okay, then let’s just get along with her this weekend, for my sake, because I want a pleasant weekend.”
“For your sake, Monica.” Jack understood her jealousy and squeezed her shoulders. Monica didn’t deserve to be hurt this week just because he had lingering feelings for Abby. He nodded.
However, seeing Abby with someone else reminded him that he should be grateful to have a trustworthy woman like Monica. Steadfast and loyal—so what was wrong with him?
Jack picked up the cooler and together, he and Monica headed toward the boat.
“Jack, you know I like Fort Lauderdale. Why don’t you sell the company or cancel the takeover? Then we wouldn’t have to move here at all.”
“I’ll understand if you want to stay in Fort Lauderdale. It gets really cold here...”
As Jack neared the boat, he paused. Annoyance shot through him when Sam lifted Abby’s leg to put her foot up on the back bench. Jack couldn’t see Abby’s face, but Sam smiled at her.
Jack barely heard Monica’s next words.
“Guess I’ll have to endure the cold, if we’re moving here,” she said, extending her arm around his waist. “You should really consider firing Abby though because I’ll be uncomfortable with her working for you. You know that she’s always going to think that I came between the two of you. She might want to get even with me. You don’t know her at all, Jack...”
CHAPTER FOUR
Later that evening, Abby stepped into the ballroom for dinner. Music played and voices carried across the crowded room. She heard familiar laughter and turned to see Jack and Monica sitting at one of the dining tables near the entrance. Wanting to avoid them, Abby headed to the opposite side of the room.
When Sam strode toward her looking like he’d been watching for her, Abby quickly sat down at a nearly full table to avoid sitting with him—and from the disappointed flash in his eyes, he didn’t miss it either. Sam reluctantly sat in a vacant chair at a table nearby and continued to stare in her direction.
He’d expected to sit with her… Abby blew out a guilty breath. She had not meant to mislead Sam earlier. Unfortunately, on the excursion, she’d discovered that her feelings for Jack were still too strong to lead anyone else on, particularly Sam.
In addition, whatever Sam wanted to explore between them could not be explored with Jack in the vicinity—possibility watching. Abby inwardly groaned at her stupidity. Jack probably had not an ounce of interest in watching her, yet it still mattered to her what he thought. She was pathetic to let Jack do this to her! Jack, her ex, was marrying her ex-roommate.
She should have sat with Sam and tried to enjoy his company.
Mr. James Farrington had planned another lavish entertainment for his guests and several bands were lined up to play after dinner.
Abby took a trip to the restroom. When she returned, she realized she was standing only a few feet away from Monica.
Sadness and acceptance washed over Abby. Even if he couldn’t be with her, she wanted Jack to be happy. She really couldn’t blame Monica for wanting him. In addition, Jack wanted Monica. In frustration, Abby blew out a deep breath. She had to get over him, once and for all. Whatever that took.
Abby’s shoulders stiffened as she was forced to acknowledge Monic
a’s presence with a nod.
Monica edged closer as if she wanted to have a conversation. “Abby, I’ve talked to Jack about his attitude. He has assured me that he can get along with you for the weekend, even though he said it will be difficult.”
Abby’s mouth dropped open, then she snapped it shut, feeling as if she’d been insulted by Jack—and he wasn’t even here. “Difficult? That’s very big of Jack that he thinks he can get along with me for this weekend. I’ll try not to be too difficult,” she said with bitter sarcasm.
“We’re to be engaged, you know.”
“So you’ve said,” Abby stated flatly. So many times.
“We’re happy to be here to get ideas for our own wedding.”
“I’m so glad for you, Monica,” Abby muttered under her breath.
Missing Abby’s sarcasm, Monica said, “I thought about asking you to be my Maid of Honor.”
Shock ran through Abby. “Me? I don’t think so...”
Jack walked up to them.
“On your plans, I’m happy for you both,” Abby said directly to him, while trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice. “And I’m sure you’ll both be very happy, but I don’t want any part of your wedding.”
His face looked angry—and he had no reason to give her that look.
This is ridiculous.
Abby sighed. “I mean it, Jack. I want you to be happy. You can’t make me angry anymore. Now if you’ll excuse me—”
“Abby,” Sam called out as he strode over to them.
Carly rushed up and clasped his arm. “Sam, would you please dance with Stella?”
She hauled him over to one of her female cousins, a shy-looking woman.
Then Trent arrived and extended his hand in invitation. “Monica, would you dance with me? You don’t mind, do you, Jack? We’d all like to get to know your future wife.” Those words hung in the air.
“Go ahead,” Jack muttered. However, it was Abby who Jack looked to after Monica and Trent walked away. “Having a good weekend?” he asked her, probably because some politeness was required.
“I guess so.”
“Why aren’t you dancing?”
“No one has asked me to dance—” She gasped and put her hand to her lips. “Oh no, Jack. I don’t mean for you to... I wasn’t fishing for a dance.”
“How’s your ankle?”
“It’s okay. Thanks for your help and the ice.” Abby smiled at him. “It was never really that bad.”
“Monica said it was just a ploy.”
Abby gaped. “She said that?”
Jack shrugged. “She’s worried you might want me back.”
“It’s a needless worry. By the way, I told you before—and it’s embarrassing—but here’s where I really got bruised, my ankle, not so much.” She put her hand on the back of her hip. “But I can still dance.”
“Then why aren’t you?”
“No one’s asked me.” She shrugged. “I even asked one of your cousins to dance, and he made a lame excuse that he had to go wash his car. Then I saw him two minutes later dancing with someone else. It’s like I’m a pariah with most of the single men around here.”
“I have no idea why,” Jack said blandly, brushing at a piece of lint on his jacket sleeve. Then he gave her a pointed look. “By the way, is Sam your new boyfriend?”
Abby wrinkled her brow. She didn’t want to tell Jack anything about her life. “Does it matter, Jack? Can we put our past behind us for Carly’s sake and her wedding—and more so now, since I’m an employee at McAlister Construction? I need and like my job.”
“I can be professional. And I won’t take our past relationship failure out on you at work.”
Abby sighed. “Thanks.” They didn’t speak for a moment. Finally, to make conversation, she raised her gaze to his. “I guess you’ll be buying a house around here?”
“Yeah.”
“That should be fun. Are you looking for the kind we always talked about?”
“Yeah, I’d like to buy an older two-story, one much smaller than this lavish estate, but something historical that I can renovate and grow into and add on to.”
“And with some land?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“Ah, I suppose you’ll have horses, too? And you’ll have all this with Monica?” She winced at an overwhelming ache in her heart as she remembered older dreams.
Jack shrugged. “I don’t know. Monica doesn’t like horses.”
“Are you still mad at me about your car?”
“Damn, Abby, I was never mad at you about the car.”
She flipped him a smile. “Yes you were. You’re just being nice now.”
“No,” he said with a straight face. “I’m not.”
“You were furious. And, yes, you are.” She gave him a wry smile. “It’s okay. It was stupid and I’m sorry I ran off the road and into a creek. Really I am. I know how much that made you hate me. I know it’s old stuff between us and you have another life now, but I ruined your car on the anniversary of the first day we met.”
“Abby, you had an anniversary for everything. First day we met, first day we kissed, first day that we—”
“That’s enough.” She blew out a deep breath. “I know you never cared as much about things like our special anniversaries, but they were important to me. I never told you, but the day I went off the road, I went to pick up champagne and your present. I’d painted you a watercolor and had it framed. It was ruined in the water.”
“I didn’t know.”
Abby raised her eyes. “I shouldn’t have used your car, but mine was in the shop. I just wanted to surprise you… Really, I’m sorry. I always seemed to be doing something wrong.”
“I suppose I did come across as angry afterwards. My laptop was in the car… There was client info I lost...and you could have been killed. That shook me up.” He shrugged. “But I got over it, Abby…really. If I was upset, it was because you could have been hurt in that accident. And once I knew you were okay, yes, I did rant about the car, but I didn’t stay mad afterwards.”
“You were worried about me? But the car was your pride and joy.”
“Insurance paid for most of the cost to replace it. I redid the week’s worth of work that I’d lost on the laptop, so we can forget all that. We’re both fine now. It’s all water under the bridge, like us.”
Those words stabbed at her heart. “Yes…water under the bridge,” she said with a sigh. “Okay, Jack, well...have a nice evening.”
She turned to walk away when a tall man with a comb-over hairstyle strode in her direction. The guy, probably in his early forties, looked a little creepy with pork chop sideburns that accentuated his long cold face. She’d seen him before, watching her, on the first night in the ballroom, but hadn’t given him much thought after that.
She tensed. He was definitely heading her way.
Jack must have seen him, too, because he stepped up to her again and caught her arm. “I don’t know who this guy is, but I don’t think you want to dance with him, do you?”
She shuddered. “No, not at all.”
“Since we’re putting this all behind us, why don’t we dance? And Trent seems to be keeping Monica occupied. We don’t have to hate each other, Abby, even though a lot of hurtful things happened between us.”
“You’ve got that right,” she muttered, but she was grateful to be saved from the creepy guy.
He gave her a puzzled glance.
“And I’m willing to be an adult about it and let all that go,” she said with a shaky smile.
“Then let’s bury the hatchet. Let’s dance.”
He held out his elbow to her and they stepped onto the floor just as the song ended. When she turned to walk away, he stopped her by reaching for her arm.
“We’ll still dance,” he said.
When the next song began, her heart raced. “Gee, just our luck… After all those fast songs now they’re playing a slow one.” She wrinkled her nose at him. �
�Are you sure you want to dance this slow song with me?”
“I’m not worried about it. I can handle it if you can.”
When he touched her hand and put his other hand on her waist, she inhaled his scent and liquid heat swept through her. She shivered. At one time, he had been her Jack, her lover, and she’d thought he’d also been her best friend…
“Are you cold?” he asked.
Heat rose on her cheeks and she shook her head. “No… Uh, it’s been a long time since we’ve been this close.”
His eyes glinted with a harsh look. “Any loves in your life—or do you have a lot dangling on the line?” he added dryly.
Abby’s head jerked up. “A lot? No! There is no one, to be truthful.” She blushed and dropped her gaze to his tie. Why had she just told him anything about her life? She hadn’t planned to—he’d broken her heart. He didn’t deserve any details on anything she did, other than about work…and only because he would be her boss.
“Is Sam just your latest conquest?” Jack asked again as they moved around the floor. She couldn’t believe the jealousy in Jack’s voice and was uncertain as to why.
“Sam wants to go out with me, but we’re not dating. We’ve been friends for a long time… I’m not sure that I’m ready for anything…permanent.”
“Yeah,” Jack agreed in a biting tone, “why settle for one, when you can have many?”
“Many?” she asked, frowning. “Well that’s not it at all...” She’d just never met another guy who affected her the way Jack did. “What about you? Is Monica the right woman for you? I’m just glad we found out that I wasn’t, before we wasted both of our lives.”
“Yeah, you weren’t the one,” he ground out. When she tried to jerk away, he tightened his grip on her waist and hand. “Don’t leave…please.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re with Monica now.” They danced for a moment.
“Monica is a good person,” he stated in a flat voice.
Abby glared up at him. “Is she? I really don’t know that, Jack.”
Weekend Wedding Deception (Dangerous Millionaires Series) Page 6
