better when Damien was near. Her world seemed to make more sense and her doubts and fears lessened, even though she still felt off balance, but she knew that was because of the effect he had on her rather than her own uncertainties and insecurities. But she nodded, trying to project confidence as she listened to the speeches.
Mila took the microphone first. She spoke passionately about the aims of the Bright Hope Clinic and about Paulo, who had been the first joint-venture patient between the two clinics. After the success of the first operation Freya had plans to ramp up the cooperation between the two clinics but she needed funding. Her speech emphasised the success of the first surgery and encouraged the wealthy LA guests to contribute to the charitable organisation she and James were establishing. That would give Mila access to the funds she needed, as well as bring good publicity for The Hills.
Both of them spoke very well about their vision for the partnership but Abi knew it was easy to talk in public when you were invested in and knowledgeable about your topic, and while she was interested in the project she could listen to Freya without watching. There were other things that had caught her attention, like what was going on between Mila and James. James’s eyes were still glued to Mila. It was easy to see why, she was a beautiful woman, but Abi could feel that it was more than that.
‘Ready to go?’ Damien asked, as the speeches wrapped up.
He had his car keys in his hand. Abi could hear them jingling in his fist. They had agreed to leave as soon as possible after the speeches. Abi had known she would have had enough of the crowd by then, and Damien wanted to get home at a reasonable time to relieve the babysitter. Abi also wanted to get home to Jonty. Irma and George were away for the weekend, visiting their daughter, so Jonty was home alone.
She nodded. ‘Give me a minute to grab my wrap.’
‘I’ll get it for you, I have the ticket.’ Damien pulled the stub from his pocket. The storeroom behind the reception desk had been doing double duty as a coat check for the evening, manned by their regular receptionist, Stephanie, and Abi could see James making his way towards the desk and to Mila, who had just stepped off the platform at the conclusion of the speeches.
Curiosity got the better of her. ‘It’s okay,’ she said as she took the ticket from his fingers. ‘I’ll only be a second.’ She wanted another opportunity to examine Mila and James.
She headed for the coat check. James and Mila stood at one end of the reception desk, looking tense. Freya had disappeared into the crowd before James had crossed the room, leaving Mila and James alone. Not wanting to disturb them, she approached the desk from the opposite end but their conversation carried to her.
‘Mila, can I talk to you?’ James reached out a hand but Mila stepped back.
‘It’s not really a good time,’ she replied, and again Abi got the sense that if there was somewhere that Mila could run and hide she would do so.
Abi handed Stephanie her ticket. She kept her face averted from Mila and James as she waited for Stephanie to fetch her wrap but it didn’t stop her from being able to overhear their conversation. She didn’t like to think of it as eavesdropping but she was fascinated by the tension between them.
‘I’m sorry for everything,’ James said, but he didn’t elaborate on what ‘everything’ was and Mila didn’t question him; she obviously knew what he was talking about.
‘You want to apologise but you don’t want to explain?’ she said.
‘I can’t.’
‘Can’t or won’t?’
Mila waited for an answer but James was mute. Stephanie returned with Abi’s wrap as Mila said, ‘It doesn’t matter any more anyway. It’s ancient history.’ She brushed past James as she added, ‘Tyler is waiting for me. I have to go.’
Mila’s path took her within a couple of feet of Abi but she didn’t look at her. Abi thought she could see tears in her eyes.
Abi glanced at James. She couldn’t help herself. She wanted to see his reaction. He wasn’t looking at her either so Abi followed the line of his gaze. His eyes were on Tyler, who was on the other side of the room, chatting with Freya’s boyfriend, Zack. It didn’t look as if Tyler was waiting for Mila. Why had she made that excuse? And what was James apologising for? There was definite history between them but from James’s expression Abi was guessing that he didn’t want it to be history. He’d looked jealous.
‘Do you know if everything is okay between Mila and James?’ she couldn’t resist asking Damien as she sank into the soft leather of his car seat as he wound his way down through the Hollywood Hills and back to Pacific Palisades.
‘Mila and James?’ he queried. ‘Why?’
‘There just seemed to be a bit of tension between them and I wondered what it was all about. Whether there is an issue with the joint venture?’ She added a reason in case Damien thought she was being too inquisitive.
‘The joint venture was Freya’s idea but as far as I know James is behind it. They’re both very conscious of giving back to the community, even though Freya is the one driving it. I’m not aware of any issues.’
That didn’t mean there weren’t issues, it just meant that, as a man, Damien possibly hadn’t noticed anything.
But her own fabricated question made her wonder if she was mistaken. Perhaps it was simply a conflict over the joint venture. Perhaps it wasn’t jealousy but a financial issue. Not love but money?
Damien pulled into her driveway and as he killed the engine Abi could hear Jonty barking. She frowned. He wasn’t a noisy dog usually. He hadn’t barked when she’d come home from work this week but then he’d had George and Irma there. Perhaps he recognised the sound of Damien’s car and was excited to think he finally had company.
‘Is that Jonty?’ Damien asked, as he got out of the car and came around to open Abi’s door.
Abi nodded and as she stepped out onto the driveway Jonty came tearing around the corner of the converted garage and skidded to a halt by her side.
Abi scratched behind his ears. ‘Hello, boy. What’s got into you? Did you miss me?’
Damien walked Abi around to her door which was on the side of the garage and opened up to lead onto the internal stairway. Jonty was barking again as Abi pulled her keys from her handbag. ‘Shush,’ she said as she pushed the doggy door with her foot, thinking that perhaps once Jonty was inside he’d stop barking, but the doggy door didn’t swing open.
‘That’s strange,’ she said.
‘What is?’
‘The doggy door is locked. I’m certain I wouldn’t have locked him out.’ Jonty had stopped barking but he was pacing and whining at her feet as she slid her key into the lock.
‘Wait.’ Damien put his hand on her wrist and her skin thrummed with the heat of his touch. As she turned to look at him she heard a noise upstairs in her apartment. The sound of something falling over.
There was somebody in her apartment.
ABI
