Weekend Wedding Deception (Dangerous Millionaires Series)

by Debra Andrews

He narrowed his eyes. “How can you say such a thing about your friend? She talked about including you in our wedding, how even though we had dated she’d consider you for her Maid of Honor. Under the circumstances she thought you might not want to do it.”

  “Monica thought of me? Well, yeah, she’s right. That wouldn’t be appropriate at all. And to be truthful again—even though I shouldn’t share with you how I feel—it would be asking too much of me to expect me to be in your wedding,” she blurted. “And instead of being friendly with me… If you must know Monica—”

  “So you’re saying she was mean to you? She said you would probably cut her down.”

  “No! I’m not saying it was her fault that we weren’t friends. It was mine with her. I always felt inferior… I thought she was judging me, and that I came up short. So Monica and I were never really close.”

  The song ended. He gave Abby a long, hard look before he glanced around the ballroom. “Ah, it looks like another one of my cousins has cornered Monica. Would you care to dance one more?”

  “Okay...but darn, I can’t believe it’s another slow song. Are you okay with that?”

  He nodded, his green eyes gleaming.

  Although bitterness swept through her, Abby let him swing her around in his arms again.

  Abby had always thought Monica was kind of a cold fish. There was something not right about her. Then Abby rolled her eyes at herself. What woman wouldn’t feel that way about another woman who ended up with the love of her life?

  After a few minutes, Jack swore under his breath. “I want to forgive you, Abby.”

  Abby couldn’t believe her ears and gaped at him. “Forgive me?” she blurted. “If anything, I’m the injured party here.”

  His eyebrows drew together. “That’s not the way I see it.”

  They stopped dancing.

  Abby lifted her chin and boldly met his eyes. “How can you say that, Jack?”

  “Because it’s true.”

  “You couldn’t wait to dump me for her. You didn’t care what I went through. You were cruel and…and heartless.”

  “But the choice was yours. You chose what you went through—”

  Abby crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh, I guess I should have returned immediately from Switzerland. From the trip my family had planned for years?”

  People turned and stared at them.

  “Let’s discuss this somewhere else.” He pulled her by the hand into a nearby room and closed the door. He glared at her.

  “You didn’t even know how far along you were. What kind of level-headed woman screws up something like that?”

  “I guess you think I’m irresponsible. And you didn’t want the baby. You told me so.”

  “I didn’t say it that way?”

  “Yes, you did! You said ‘I don’t want a baby.’ You said the timing was bad. Admit that you were glad that I didn’t have the baby! I was terrified—I went through all of that alone, Jack. I nearly died. And you didn’t even call me.”

  “Nearly died?”

  “You couldn’t wait to rush off and get into a relationship with—”

  Speak of the devil. The door opened and Monica stepped into the room.

  With her hand on her hip, Monica surveyed them. “I heard you were in here. It looks like you and Abby are in a serious discussion. Is everything all right, Jack?”

  Tears burned Abby’s eyes. “The discussion is over. I’m leaving.” She strode toward the door just as Sam popped into the room. Her stomach clenched.

  “I’ve been looking for you, Abby. Would you like to dance?”

  “Yeah, sure, Sam.” Shaken from her conversation with Jack, Abby exhaled in relief and let Sam lead the way.

  As they stepped onto the dance floor, Abby wondered why Jack’s words hurt her so much…

  * * *

  Jack watched Abby leave the room with Sam. She didn’t look back so he had no clarification of what the conversation they’d had was all about.

  What the hell had she meant? Why was she trying to turn this all around on him? He’d been the one betrayed.

  Even though she’d argued the breakup wasn’t her fault, he disagreed. In addition, he hated the barbaric way he had wanted to shove Sam into a wall just for clasping Abby’s hand.

  Monica put her hand on Jack’s jacket sleeve. “What did she say?”

  Jack stiffened. “Nothing.” He was still unsettled, conflicted, over the disagreement and about how good Abby had felt in his arms.

  “Nothing? I don’t believe it. I don’t like what she’s doing to you, Jack. I think she’s trying to get close to you again. Can you understand that I don’t like it? Now that you’re even more successful as a multi-millionaire, she must want you back.”

  “Abby’s not trying to get me back,” he grumbled.

  “She might be loyal for a while, but it wouldn’t last.” Monica crossed her arms over her chest. “She’s like your mother, Jack. Women like that can’t be changed.”

  He knew the truth of that statement more than most people. His own beautiful mother had repeatedly promised his father she’d change, and then she’d go back out and have another affair. His father had been weak and forgiving, and after a while, just turned a blind eye. Well he wasn’t going to be taken in by someone like that.

  Jack’s stomach felt like it was filled with rocks. “Let’s don’t talk about Abby.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  After her unsettling discussion with Jack, Abby returned to the ballroom with Sam. Though her legs felt shaky, she danced to one song before saying, “I’m going to bed.” She wanted to get away and mull over her conversation with Jack, which had made little sense.

  A smile edged Sam’s lips. He picked up her hand. “Is that an invitation to go with you? I have a long drive to my apartment, and you do have a room.”

  Abby gave him a sideways glance. “I thought Mr. Farrington gave every guest that didn’t get a bedroom at the house, a room at the nearby hotel. That’s not more than a quarter mile from the gates.”

  Sam cocked his head and his lips curved up at one corner. “So, he did. I do have a room there, but I’d still rather stay here at the house with you.”

  She tried to tug out of his grip, but he squeezed tighter.

  She gritted her teeth. “I’m saying good night here, Sam. Have a nice evening.”

  Sam released her hand. “All right. I’ll let you go, but only if you promise to play tennis with me in the morning.”

  Abby sighed. “Okay, tennis it is.”

  “Nine on the back veranda.”

  Not only did she have to worry about crushing Sam’s hopes, but the guy with the comb-over hair who she was certain had been about to ask her for a dance, crossed his arms over his chest and watched her as she strode across the ballroom to leave. The way he looked at her with lust in his eyes, sent an unpleasant shiver up her spine.

  * * *

  At nine a.m., with her tennis racket in hand, Abby met Sam on the back porch of the mansion.

  “I hope you slept well?” he asked, stepping closer.

  She stiffened and edged back. “Yes, I did.”

  “I hope you were dreaming of me.” His smile sent an uneasy feeling through Abby.

  Although she felt like retreating further, she stood her ground. She decided, after last night she had to tell Sam she didn’t want to date him, even if her reason for that was because Jack was around. Sam and her dating, just wasn’t going to work.

  “You could have let me stay with you in your room last night,” Sam drawled. He ran his fingers up her arm, sending a shudder through her.

  Abby stepped back and realized her repulsion with Sam had nothing to do with Jack being here, but it came from deep within her. She didn’t want Sam in the way he wanted her to. She had to tell him today, and clearly, that they could never be more than friends. Sheesh. And why was it, the more time she spent with Sam, the more he creeped her out? She just had to figure a way to let him down easy and not hurt him, an
d she decided that would be at the end of their tennis match.

  She gripped her racquet and stepped off the porch. “Let’s go to the courts.”

  As Abby strode in front of Sam down the steps that descended the hill to the tennis area, Sam said to her back, “Really Abby, I was too tired to go to the hotel last night. I ended up sleeping on a sofa in the pool locker room. And I wasn’t the only one crashing overnight after the party. The tall, balding guy staring at you last night crashed there, too. He said he had a hotel room, but he had drunk too much to drive. We weren’t the only ones. I was lucky to find a place.”

  Abby frowned when she heard that even Sam had noticed that man watching her. She’d have to ask Carly who he was, but she really needed to deal with Sam right now. If Sam expected her to take pity on him because of where he spent the night, she was not taking the bait.

  “Let’s just play the game, Sam, okay?”

  When they approached the courts, another couple was already having a match on one of the two courts, so they headed to the second. To Abby’s chagrin, Jack and Monica were strolling in the same direction. Abby muttered under her breath, “Can this morning get any worse?”

  “Huh?” Sam asked.

  Abby shook her head. “Never mind.”

  Monica looked pulled together in her designer tennis outfit, with a ruffled pink skirt, sleek hair, and perfect makeup. In comparison, Abby who had applied minimal makeup, wore an orange t-shirt and faded blue jean shorts and had pulled her long hair back in a ponytail.

  Abby’s gaze snapped to Jack who was as handsome as usual. Her heart raced, and she smiled, but realized it was an unfriendly gaze he pinned on her. In fact, the look was deadly, as if she’d done something wrong.

  Her shoulders stiffening, Abby dropped her smile. He had no right to look at her like that, and why did he make her feel like she had to apologize? “We were just coming to play, too.”

  “We?” Jack cocked a dark eyebrow up at her and then threw a cold look toward Sam. “Enjoy your night?”

  Abby jutted her chin in the air. This was ridiculous! How dare Jack act as if he were jealous that she danced and played tennis with Sam—Jack was marrying someone else! Let Jack think what he wanted.

  “Yes, Jack,” Abby answered through tight lips. “Sam and I are enjoying our time here this weekend.”

  Sam smiled at her as if she’d just given him the keys to her bedroom. Her stomach knotted, making her wish she hadn’t said that. She ground her teeth together in frustration.

  “Since there is only one court available, care for doubles, Jack?” Sam challenged. And so it began.

  The first game, Jack and Monica won.

  Monica had a cheesy grin on her face. “We’re good, Abby,” she said over the net. “You’ll have to do better than that to beat us.”

  Whenever Abby looked Jack’s way, he gave her a stony look. Puzzled, Abby was trying to read his expression when a ball whacked the side of her head.

  Monica smiled like the Cheshire Cat. “Your turn to serve,” she said in a sweet voice.

  Abby gritted her teeth. After that, she pretended the ball was Monica’s head. That really helped pick up Abby’s game. She pummeled Monica with the balls every chance she got, and Monica usually missed. Abby and Sam won the tennis match, which left Monica pouting.

  Jack strode up to the net, a steely gaze in his eyes and determination on his face. “Good game. A rematch?”

  Mr. Farrington’s English butler, Beasley, hurried down the stairs to get to the courts. “Mr. Jack, Mr. Farrington says he needs to see you right away. Your cousins are already in the library.”

  “Excuse me,” Jack said to Abby and Sam. “We’ll have that game some other time.”

  Monica hurried behind Jack as he headed up the steps, leaving Abby alone with Sam.

  Abby wondered what was going on when Jack rushed off as if it were something important.

  Watching them go, Sam chuckled. “Jack didn’t like us winning a game against him. He is so competitive,” he said in a reflective and satisfied tone. “He didn’t like that you were with me either. That is rich.”

  “Jack? Trust me, Sam. Jack doesn’t care about me.”

  “You’re right, Abby, he doesn’t care about you at all. He went after your roommate.”

  Although the truth was a jab to her heart, Abby just shrugged her shoulder.

  Sam gave her a knowing look. “He doesn’t want you, but he doesn’t want me to have you either.”

  Abby fiddled with her racket. “I have something to tell you, Sam...”

  He looked away. “I have something to tell you, too. My stepfather needs to see me, so I have to leave today… I hope everything is all right with him. He’s been acting strange,” he said in a puzzled tone. He glanced back at Abby. “My stepfather and I will be back on Saturday for the wedding. Will you be here for me? I know where your room is. If we spend the night together, that will burn the shit out of Jack. You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

  She reared back. “No!”

  “You mean you don’t want to get back at him, Abby, for what he did to you with your own damned, stuck-up roommate?”

  Abby winced. “Sam, this is what I wanted to tell you. I’m not going to date you, or do anything else with you. I’ve always thought of you as a friend. I can’t help it, but I still do.”

  He gripped her arm, hurting her. “A friend, Abby? That’s not how I want you to think of me. If you’ll give me a chance—”

  “No, Sam! And let go. I’m not going to change my mind.”

  “Damn. Jack gets everything. This has always been about Jack. Get over him. He’s with her now.”

  Sam’s face reddened. He took his racket and whacked it against the net, almost hitting her.

  Abby gasped and stepped back. She had never seen Sam angry, but this did it for her. “I told you upfront that I didn’t think it would work with us dating.”

  “There is no reason you shouldn’t like me, except for him.” He spit out the last word. “He dropped you for her, Abby. I’ll be back on Saturday. By then you’ll be sick of seeing them together, and stop being a loser.”

  Her cheeks burned.

  Sam whirled and stalked off the tennis court.

  * * *

  After dinner, Jack stood talking with his cousin, Trent, in the ballroom, while Monica returned to their room to freshen her makeup.

  When Abby walked into the room wearing a short, elegant blue dress, with a lacy overlay at the top, Jack couldn’t keep his eyes off her. The dress hit a few inches above her knees and displayed her fabulous legs. Her hair was arranged in a pretty style and flowed down her back.

  Jack couldn’t deny the effect Abby had on him. He blew out a deep breath, realizing that with his attraction for her he might actually have a hard time working with her. If they were close...

  “She’s beautiful and you like her, don’t you?”

  Jack turned to Trent in horror. “What did you say?”

  With a knowing look, Trent grinned. “Of course, I’m talking about Monica—not Abby. You’re planning to marry Monica, aren’t you?”

  Jack shrugged. “That’s what she’s pushing for, but to be honest I haven’t asked her yet.” It was the furthest thing from his mind since he’d arrived. After seeing Abby again, he found his mind filled with thoughts of Abby and remembering what they had shared. The good times seemed to overshadow all that had gone wrong with them...

  “After our meeting today, Grandpa told me he discovered that someone on the guest list might be behind the threatening call he received earlier. He said to tell you to keep an eye out. Last night someone was rifling around in his private office upstairs and it could be the same person.”

  Trent left to speak with other guests.

  Monica entered the ballroom and linked her arm with Jack’s. Together they walked across the room.

  It was not lost on Jack that he couldn’t remember the dress Monica was wearing this evening, while he had noticed
Abby’s and every curve her blue dress had emphasized.

  Carly and one of her bridesmaids walked across the stage and Carly took the microphone. “We’re instituting a few games.”

  After the girls stepped down, they drove the couples together in a line. “This is how it goes,” Carly said as she pushed Abby next to Jack and Monica. “Boy, girl, boy, girl.”

  “But, Carly,” Abby said in a helpless voice, “I don’t have a partner.”

  Carly smiled. “I’ll find someone for you.”

  “Too bad Sam left,” Monica said with dry sarcasm. “He’s the perfect match for you, Abby. What a great couple you two make.”

  Jack caught the conflicted look that passed over Abby’s face. Maybe Abby wasn’t into Sam as much as Monica alleged she was.

  Grasping his elbow, Carly pulled Jack’s cousin Chris over. Jack gave him a sharp, warning glance and Chris’s shoulders drooped. “Looks like I’m wanted elsewhere. Sorry, Abby.”

  The tall guy with the comb-over stepped up to Abby. “I’ll be glad to be your partner. How about it, sweetheart?”

  This was the same guy who had approached Abby yesterday. Jack didn’t know about his connection to Carly or Miles, but that wasn’t unusual with the number of guests here this weekend. However, one thing was certain, he didn’t like the way the guy eyed Abby as if she were a piece of candy.

  Jack frowned as jealousy ripped through him again, but he realized he’d be jealous no matter who partnered with her. It hadn’t been his feelings for her that broke them up.

  “On second thought,” Chris said, stepping up again. “I will be Abby’s partner.”

  “Okay,” Abby agreed, obviously relieved.

  Chris gave Jack a lopsided grin.

  Jack gritted his teeth. He didn’t like that Chris would be with Abby one bit, but perhaps Chris was better than this stranger.

  Jack whispered to Chris. “Who is this guy?” Chris shrugged and shook his head. “Maybe a relative of Miles?”

  Carly explained the rules of the game. With everyone lined up, man-woman, each person was to pass the orange to the next person in line, without using their hands.

  The contest began to whoops of laughter as in every row there were funny incidents in passing the oranges, and even more hilarious was how close one had to get to successfully pass the orange.