Page 24 of Until I Have You

Lourdes’s eyes dart over to the bar.Her cheeks flush the tiniest bit.

I’ve never seen her flush.

“Um, I think he was just being friendly.”

“Yeah, sure, well, let me give you some advice.”I move to stand next to her so we both have a view of him at the bar.

Christ, he’s got a nice little ass.

That’s irrelevant of course, but those slacks are perfect on him.

And his back looks broad and strong underneath his dress shirt.

What’s going on?Get a grip, Abigail.

“Theodore Wallington.One of the heirs of the Wallington banking fortune which no longer exists because him and his twin brother got into so many shady business dealings they lost the company.”

This isn’t insider information.These are articles you can see on Business Insider and in the New York Times.The financial ruin of the Wallingtons was front page news a couple of years ago.Messy, messy, messy.

“Well, everyone makes mistakes,” Lourdes says with a husky laugh.

“Lourdes, don’t tell me you ignore red flags.”

“I don’t, but if he’s a member, he must have the bank account for it.”

I smile at her sympathetically.“He’s dad’s best friend.”

Lourdes rolls her eyes.“Abigail, I know how to hold my own, you really don’t have to–”

“His wife left him for his twin brother,” I blurt out.“Crazy, right?”

Lourdes’s face contorts with horror.“That’s terrible!”

“Okay, yes–”

“Who would do that to a person?”

This is backfiring.“Yes, you’re right.What kind of person would leave a man for his twin brother, but also… What did he have to do for her to make that seem okay?”

Lourdes opens her mouth to respond but stops short.“Look, Abigail.It’s not worth anything to speculate on someone’s personal life.”

“I just want to make sure you don’t get hurt, Lourdes.Friend to friend.”

“Abigail, I’m a decade older than you.I’ve been around the block, okay?I know how to hold my own.And besides…” Her eyes travel over to Theo, and her mouth forms a thin line.

She might be able to hold her own, but I can sense he surprised her.

Theo enamored her just a bit more than she’s used to.

Her eyes come back to mine.“I don’t mix business and pleasure.”

I nod.“I know you don’t.I just wanted to warn you.I did the same to Bridget a while back when he was flirting with her, you know?He’s chasing after younger women too.That’s always a red flag.”

“That’s good of you.”

“And you know, if you see something, now you can say something too.”

Lourdes’s expression is unreadable.“I’m not sure I’ll get involved but thank you for the intel.”

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