Page 34 of Until I Have You

“Your intelligence and your skill do not exist in a vacuum.”The hand on the back of my chair drifts to my back.“It’s about the connections you make too.The way you make them.You understand?”

His fingers coast across my skin.

I want to throw up.

“I thought we were on the same page back then, Abigail.”

I bite down on my lower lip, trying to recoil from him.

I knew I ran this risk, inviting him here tonight.I thought I could handle his advances, thought I could maybe even let my integrity bend.

But I want to cry.My career isn’t worth my dignity.

“And then we weren’t, and you know, that confused me.”

“I know, I’m sorry about that.”

You’renotsorry.Why are you saying you’re sorry?

“It’s all right.You’re a smart girl.But you’re sweet too.When you want to be,” he says with a smile and resituates himself next to me.“Your sweetness is important too.Can get you where you…want to go.”

Derek inhales.Like he’s trying to…

No.No, no, no.This was a mistake.A huge mistake.

His eyes are on mine.Trapping me.“What if we took this conversation somewhere more private, hm?”

Except it doesn’t feel like a question.

Someone bumps into my back.

I turn quickly, gripping the bottom of my stool so I can move it if they need more room.“Sorry, I–”

My mouth goes dry.

Theo Wallington is sinking into the chair next to me.He smiles, eyes bright with surprise.“Abigail!Fancy seeing you here.”

For once, I’m happy to see him.“Oh, my goodness, what a–a–” I turn to Derek.“A shock!”

Derek does not look pleased, his tiny mouth puckered.“Is this a friend of yours, Abigail?”

“He’s–uh–” I turn back to Theo.“What are you doing here?”

The woman behind him gives me an answer before I even finish the question.

She’s a beautiful woman with braids wrapped in a coil on the top of her head.She carries herself like a queen, lips pursed in an ever-present looking smile, eyes thin as she appraises me.

“My date and I were just coming here for a nightcap.”Theo gestures toward the woman.“Abigail, this is Helene.”

We exchange greetings, the woman’s French accent dripping off every word.

Helene excuses herself to use the bathroom, her hand stroking Theo’s bicep before she asks him to order her a glass of rosé.

I can’t tell how well they know each other.

Is this a first date?Is it going well?

But Theo smiles, says he will, and watches her go.

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