Page 42 of The Friend

She’d always been lousy at keeping secrets; unless she counted the one where she’d hidden her feelings from Judd for the last eight years.

Tara folded her arms and grimaced. “You’re looking way too smug, and I have a feeling it has nothing to do with you being hooked on our resident dream-boat photographer.”

“Humour me, okay? Judd and I want to say thanks for making the wedding shoot so easy.”

Abby turned back to the mirror for one final check, hoping Tara bought her trite story. The sooner they all shared a drink, the sooner she could abscond with the dream-boat and have her wicked way with him.

They only had two nights left on the island and she intended to make the most of them. Having Judd walk out on her to take his precious business call this afternoon had given her some valuable thinking time and she’d come to the conclusion that no matter how she felt about him she had to focus on the here and now.

Judd wasn’t a keeper.

As a friend, yes. Anything more? Hell no.

It was the only reason she’d agreed to this fling in the first place, knowing it couldn’t go anywhere, knowing no matter how she felt once he left for Timbuktu again, she’d have plenty of time to get over him and resume a normal life, as his friend.

“Okay, so now I’m really curious. Whatever you two have concocted, how bad can it be?” Tara’s eyes twinkled as she picked up a silver evening clutch. “On second thoughts, don’t answer that. Let’s go.”

Abby hid a triumphant smile. “Great. I’m ready.”

As they strolled through the lush gardens, following a path lit by flickering torch-lights, Abby inhaled, knowing the heavy scent of frangipanis perfuming the air would forever act as areminder of the incredible time she’d had with Judd on this island.

Who would’ve thought they’d have an island fling, when for years the only thing flinging between them had been the constant teasing barbs they fired at each other?

Now, thinking about the night ahead made her pulse race and her heart respond in typical staccato fashion.

“The Lagoon Bar? This is a couple’s hang out. Tom will probably pick up some poor unsuspecting woman and I’ll be a third wheel.” Tara pulled up short as they reached the entrance to the dimly lit bar, digging her stilettos into the sand.

“This’ll be fun,” Abby said, propelling Tara towards the thatched door before she could flee.

Thankfully, the door swung open at that moment and Judd held it, a naughty glint in his eyes as he locked gazes with her for an endless, loaded moment, before nodding to Tara.

“Good evening, ladies. We’ve been expecting you.”

“We?” Tara eyes narrowed as she followed them into the bar.

“All set?” Abby whispered to Judd as they fell in behind Tara.

“Yeah. They’re going to love this.”

Judd’s subtle jerk of his head pointed towards a small table situated on the lagoon’s edge, screened from the rest of the bar by lush palm fronds and trailing fuchsia bougainvillea, where the staff had laid out a tapas style feast, along with an ice bucket containing the most expensive champagne on the drinks menu.

Tom sat at a nearby table, nursing a beer, a pensive expression on his face.

“Here we go,” Judd murmured, placing a hand in the small of Abby’s back and setting her pulse skyrocketing with the barest of touches.

Tom looked up at the precise moment Tara caught site of the table, and his face lit up. Tara stopped and whirled towards her,a shrewd glint in her narrowed eyes. “Is this a set up? Because if it is, forget it. I can get my own dates.”

Before Abby could respond, Judd stepped in quickly. “Tom’s done a great job this week too, so when Abby told me about having a celebratory drink with you for your hard work I only thought it fair I invite Tom along. There isn’t a problem, is there?”

Abby stifled a laugh at Judd’s faux innocence, especially when Tara melted beneath his lop-sided smile.

“No problem,” Tara said, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a determined flick before striding towards the table.

“Nice save, Romeo.”

“Anything for you, Juliet,” Judd said, sliding his hand up her back to caress the bare skin between her shoulder blades, sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine as she silently praised her choice of strapless dress for this evening.

“You look beautiful, by the way,” he said, as if reading her mind. “And those red shoes are beyond sexy.”

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