to return home almost immediately. And that was what she should do, she chided herself fiercely. If she just pretended that she’d made a mistake Ross need never know what Edward had asked of her.
Stepping into the pulsating stream of water, she wondered why she was even hesitating. Delaying her return was just giving her brother false hope. All right, she was prepared to accept that he and Lauren might be going through a bad patch. These things happened. But nothing she did was going to change things. It was up to him to make an effort, to do everything in his power to rekindle whatever it was that had attracted her to him in the first place.
There were bottles of shower gel and shampoo on a glass shelf to one side of the shower, and Abby chose a lemon-scented mousse to wash her hair. It was good to massage her scalp, to feel the cleansing fragrance refreshing her completely. She emerged feeling infinitely brighter, if no less certain of what she was going to do.
The long mirrors that lined the walls of the bathroom were barely steamed when she stepped out. Reaching for a towel from the rack, she dried herself quickly and then used the towel to rub the condensation from the mirror nearest to her. Surveying her appearance with a critical eye, she wondered why on earth Edward thought that Alejandro might prefer her to Lauren. It just wasn’t realistic, however she might feel about it.
She shook her head and the tumbled tangle of dark red curls sprayed water all over her dry shoulders. Reaching for the towel, she dabbed herself dry again, aware as she did so that her nipples were suddenly tight and hard. It was because she’d shivered, she assured herself, turning away from the mirror. But not before her eyes had made a swift appraisal of her narrow waist and rounded hips.
The realisation that what she was really doing was trying to see herself with Alejandro’s eyes irritated her. Did she really care what he thought of her now? Or was she naïve enough to believe Edward’s assessment of her appearance? A final glance at her backside convinced her. Her brother was desperate, and he’d say anything to get his own way.
SHE decided to ring Ross before drying her hair.
With the balcony doors open, heat was spreading into the room from outside, and she turned the thermostat down to warm the room. Then, wrapping the folds of the towelling robe she had found behind the bathroom door more closely about her, she seated herself in the chair Edward had used the night before and picked up the phone.
Discovering she had an outside line, she dialled the school where they were both employed. It was still early, but Ross should be taking his lunch at this time. One of the school secretaries put her through to the staff room and she was relieved when Ross himself answered the call.
‘Abby!’ he exclaimed, after she’d identified herself. ‘I thought you were going to ring me last night. I waited up until after midnight, hoping you wouldn’t forget.’
‘I know. I’m sorry.’ Abby wished he hadn’t had to begin with a complaint. ‘And I didn’t forget. Not exactly. It’s just—well, I’m staying with Eddie’s in-laws at the moment, and it’s a little—complicated.’
‘What’s a little complicated? Your brother’s injuries?’ Ross immediately leapt to the wrong conclusion and Abby sighed.
‘No,’ she said, knowing that he deserved a straight answer. ‘Eddie’s injuries aren’t complicated, but—’
‘But it’s going to take more than a couple of days to get him home again, is that it?’
Ross’s attempts to second-guess her were annoying and Abby wished he’d just listen to what she had to say instead of jumping in every few seconds with his own version of events.
‘I—Eddie’s out of hospital,’ she persisted, trying to explain that he was staying with the Esquivals, too. But Ross seemed determined to put his own interpretation on her words.
‘Oh, I see,’ he said, when he obviously didn’t see at all. ‘He’s back at the flat. I suppose Lauren’s looking after him. But that’s only a small place, isn’t it? Is that why you’re staying with her parents?’
Abby blew out an exasperated breath. ‘No,’ she said shortly. ‘Neither of them are at the—apartment.’ She deliberately used the alternative term. ‘They’re staying here.’
‘They are?’ For the first time her fiancé sounded less sure of himself. Then, almost as an afterthought, ‘So, how is Edward? Have you found out what happened?’
‘I know what happened,’ said Abby, trying not to be impatient. ‘A drunk driver slammed into his car. He was lucky he was hit on the nearside and that he wasn’t carrying any passengers. He could have been killed.’
‘Well, he evidently wasn’t very badly hurt if they’ve discharged him from hospital already,’ said Ross practically. ‘I thought as much. So when are you coming home?’
Until that moment Abby had been thinking about going home. She’d all but abandoned any thought of taking what Edward had said seriously, and, although she was worried about the problems he and Lauren were having, she’d had no intention of interfering in their lives.
But Ross’s casual assumption that if Edward wasn’t in any danger she’d be catching the next flight back to London caught her on the raw. He might show some concern for the man he was planning to make his brother-in-law. His annoying habit of always having to be right infuriated her.
‘I don’t know,’ she said now, deciding it served him right for being so unfeeling. ‘I may stay on for a few days.’
‘But why?’ Ross seemed insensible to the fact that he was treading on dangerous ground. ‘Surely he doesn’t need you to hold his hand. He’s got a wife, Abby. I doubt if she appreciates you turning up out of the blue.’
‘I didn’t come here because of Lauren,’ retorted his fiancée tersely. ‘You don’t seem to realise the emotional stress an accident can cause.’
But as she said the words Abby wondered who she was kidding. For heaven’s sake, if Edward was stressed it wasn’t because of the accident. She knew that.
‘Oh, right.’ Ross sounded irritated now. ‘I’d forgotten what a sensitive flower Edward is.’ He made a sound of derision. ‘Get real, Abby. Edward doesn’t need you. He’s just using this to get back at me. I bet it really ticked him off when you told him we were engaged.’
‘Is that what you really think?’ Abby was appalled at his hostility. ‘For heaven’s sake, Ross, I didn’t ring you to get a lecture about my brother’s character. He’s had a bad shock, okay? Is it any wonder if he needs some moral support?’
‘Moral support!’ Ross snorted. ‘Sometimes I wonder about you, I really do. You’re so easily duped. No wonder Edward can run rings around you. Well, after we’re married things are going to change. I’m going to let him know he can’t come running to you every time he needs a shoulder to cry on.’
Abby caught her breath. ‘We may not be getting married at this rate,’ she said, wishing she’d never made this call. ‘I’ve got to go, Ross. I’ll speak to you later.’
‘Well, where—?’
But Abby didn’t
