you,’ Edward snorted angrily ‘Dammit, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Okay, maybe I’m no good at choosing the right words. I’m not an English graduate, am I?’ he taunted. ‘What I’m trying to say is, people notice you. Hell, they’d notice any tall redhead around here. You may have noticed. They’re not exactly thick on the ground.’
Abby expelled a resigned breath. ‘If you say so.’
‘I do say so.’ Edward tried to reach out and grasp her hand but she evaded him. ‘Come on, Abbs. Lighten up. You could at least say it’s good to see me again.’
Abby shook her head. ‘I’d just like to know why you’ve brought me here,’ she said. ‘I mean, I am glad to see you again, but if it’s just my advice you want you could have had that over the phone.’
Edward’s hand dropped onto his thigh. ‘Well, that’s telling me straight, isn’t it?’
‘Eddie!’
‘Oh, all right.’ He levered himself up from the chair and, using the crutches, made his way out onto the balcony. ‘I want your help.’
‘My help?’ Abby followed him to the doorway, watching as he turned and propped his back against the railings. ‘How am I supposed to help you? Do you want to come back to England? Is that it? Do you need my support to get started again over there?’
‘As if!’ Edward looked incredulous now. ‘Abby, nothing could persuade me to come back to England again. I like it here. It’s my home. Not this house, of course, although with a bit of luck it will be mine one day.’ He grinned momentarily, and then, realising his sister was watching him with appalled eyes, he sobered. ‘No, what I mean is, I’ve got a good job at the restaurant. I’d be a fool to even think about leaving Florida and starting again.’
‘Then—?’
‘Give me time,’ he protested. ‘I’m getting there. But this isn’t easy for me, Abbs. I don’t want you to think I haven’t thought this through.’
‘Thought what through?’ Abby could feel herself getting edgy. ‘Eddie, if you expect me to try and persuade Lauren—’
‘Lauren?’ He pushed himself away from the railings and came back to where she was standing. ‘Lauren wouldn’t listen to anything you had to say.’ He pulled a face. ‘She’s blind and deaf to any criticism where Varga is concerned.’
‘Well, that’s good, because I was going to say I wouldn’t do it,’ retorted Abby shortly. ‘Come on, Eddie, get to the point.’
Edward hung his head, staring down at the plaster that encased his leg as if he hoped it would provide him with some inspiration. Then, when she was on the point of yelling at him, he said, ‘As a matter of fact I don’t want to you to talk to anyone.’ He paused. ‘I want you to use any means necessary to get Varga off my back.’
It was barely light when Abby opened her eyes. Her body clock was still working on British time, and even though she’d found it incredibly difficult to get to sleep the night before, she had no desire to stay in bed now.
Being tired didn’t stop her brain from working. It just added to the chaos in her head. She couldn’t wait to escape the turmoil of uncertainty that was gripping her. Dear God, what was she going to do?
Although it was almost twelve hours since Edward had exploded his bombshell, she still felt numb. No, that wasn’t true. If she’d still felt numb she wouldn’t be suffering such a sense of betrayal. Wouldn’t be wondering if she’d ever trust her brother again.
Had he actually asked her to try and use her influence on Alejandro? Did he really believe that the other man would care about anything she had to say? It was two years since she’d spoken to the Cuban; two years and many hours of heartache she couldn’t bear to go through again.
Besides, speaking to Alejandro was only a part of what he wanted. As Edward had implied when he was talking about his wife, words wouldn’t accomplish anything at all. What he really needed was for her to try and rekindle whatever interest Alejandro had had in her. He was asking her to jerk Alejandro’s chain. To do whatever was necessary to distract the other man’s attentions from his wife.
In other words to seduce him, if she could.
And what kind of a brother would ask his sister to do something like that?
Throwing back the covers, Abby thrust her feet out of bed. She had the distinct feeling she was dreaming all this. But when she accidentally stood on an earring that she’d dropped the night before, and it dug into the pad of her foot, she realised it was no dream.
A nightmare, maybe, she thought, bending to pick up the circle of gold and automatically threading it through her ear. Certainly last night’s dinner hadn’t been exactly what she’d expected, and it had been apparent from the Esquivals’ behaviour that they thought she’d invited herself here.
‘How long can you stay?’ Dolores had asked politely, passing her a bowl of rice and beans so that she could serve herself. ‘Edward couldn’t tell us what your plans were.’
I bet he couldn’t, Abby had fumed silently, noticing that once again Edward was avoiding her eyes. But, ‘I’m not sure,’ she’d responded, deciding he shouldn’t have it all his own way. ‘When Edward told me about his accident I felt I ought to come and see how he was for myself. I hope you don’t mind.’
‘Of course we don’t mind,’ Luis Esquival had assured her smoothly, his innate courtesy not allowing him to make any other response. ‘You are Edward’s sister, Abigail. You are welcome here at any time. I hope your brother assured you of that.’
Abby had managed a smile, but she felt uneasy at accepting their hospitality under false pretences. She’d hardly been able to swallow any of the rather spicy rice and fried beef, which Dolores had told her was a Cuban speciality, and when the meal was over she’d pleaded tiredness and retired to her room.
She’d hardly exchanged two words with her sister-in-law all evening. Lauren had seemed singularly reticent to get involved in what little conversation there was, and Abby wondered if she suspected why she was here. Surely not. Edward wouldn’t have told her. Though in retrospect Abby had to admit that Lauren had said very little to her husband either.
So what was she to gauge from that? Did Edward have some justification for his suspicions? He’d left her in no doubt that he believed his happiness was at stake. He’d even told her that he didn’t know how he would go on if Lauren left him. And, while Abby was sure that was an exaggeration, nothing could alter the fact that he was distraught.
She shook her head. The whole situation was unbelievable. Could he really have invited her here because of some fleeting interest he thought Alejandro had shown in her two years ago? How was she supposed to get a man who was virtually a stranger to her, despite their torrid history, to choose her company over that of his cousin? It was ludicrous. She was engaged to Ross, for heaven’s sake. Just because Edward didn’t like him that didn’t mean she could ignore her fiancé’s feelings and act like a—a tart!
Picking up the matching earring from the table beside the bed, she padded across the floor to the windows, securing it to her ear as she went. Then, drawing the blinds aside, she unlatched the balcony doors and stepped out into the comparative coolness of early morning.
A sliver of brightness
