Page 31 of Reunion With Benefits

Eight

Abby’s brain had clicked off. Just seeing Eldrick pushed her into a killing rage. He stood there, smiling while he acted as if everyone around him should jump to his command. When he said her name, her brain snapped. All those months of seething backed up on her and she grabbed the drink. Not her usual move but she refused to regret it.

She’d heard people whisper about his good looks. They hadn’t faded as he’d aged. He still possessed that country-club air. The salt-and-pepper hair matched his trim frame. The Champagne dripping down his shirt and stuck in tiny droplets in his hair, not so much.

She hated every inch of his smug face.

She looked around the room. No one seemed angry, but Eldrick sputtered as he wiped his hands down his shirt. His wife patted her hand against his chest, as if that would somehow dry the material.

Well, they could all stare at her or be furious—even kick her out—Abby didn’t care. Eldrick deserved to be drenched. That and so much more.

“What in the world was that about?” Jackie-Now-Beth asked.

“Ask him.” Because Abby wanted to see if he would say it to her face. Spew his lies with her standing right there, ready to pounce.

“Okay.” Jackson put out both hands as if trying to calm down the room. “Let’s all relax for a second.”

“Jackson is right. Let’s not get excited. It isn’t as if that’s the first time someone doused Dad in a drink in this house.” Carter shook his head. “I can think of at least two other wives who used that trick.”

Abby liked him.

“Carter, not now.” Spence issued the order without moving his gaze from her.

He still didn’t get it. That realization moved through Abby, nailing her to the floor. After the sex and the flirting, even the fighting, he didn’t see the truth. He still believed she was a willing participant in that kiss with his father back then.

Some of the fight ran out of her at the thought but she would not back down. Eldrick could not weasel out of this confrontation by throwing his weight around or running away to get married. She stood right in front of him because he needed to face her. He owed her this moment.

“That was unnecessary.” Eldrick kept his voice even as he threw a scowl in Abby’s general direction.

That ticked her off even more. “You made my life miserable.”

“Who are you?” Beth asked. There wasn’t any heat in her voice. More like a mix of confusion and concern.

Abby didn’t know what to think about Beth. In her shoes, if she were married and in love, she’d go ballistic if someone attacked her husband. Then in private, she would shake him until he told her the truth.

But she asked, so... “I’m Abby. I work at Jameson Industries and—”

“Not if you keep behaving like that.” The anger edged Eldrick’s tone now. The threat hovered right there but he didn’t drop it. “Do you understand me?”

He talked to her like she was a child. Dismissive. The man was completely annoying. She had no idea how he’d produced or had any part in raising his otherwise decent sons.

“No one is firing her.” Spence’s tone was clear and firm. The underlying beat of don’t-test-me rang in his voice.

Abby couldn’t figure out if that was aimed at her or his father...or both. She tried to ignore the part of her that cared what he thought. She had to block every memory of his touch and the way his mouth felt against her skin to get through this. Fury fueled her now and she couldn’t back down. She needed all of her focus now. She’d waited for so long for this moment. It was happening.

She turned to Beth, not sure if the woman was an ally or not. “Your husband, on those occasions when he bothered to come into the office, would corner me. He talked about how we should have private dinners. Commented on my skirt length.”

Carter’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“When was this?” Beth asked as she shifted a bit. One minute she was tight up against her husband’s side. The next she put a bit of space between them.

Abby had expected the other woman to lash out and aim all of her disbelief right at Abby, not believing any accusations. But Beth looked engaged. Maybe she’d always suspected her husband could cross the line. Abby wasn’t sure. Beth’s eyes had narrowed but she wasn’t yelling or shouting about Eldrick’s imaginary good points.

That was enough to encourage Abby to keep going. “It happened right up until the time he left to marry you.”

“That’s not true.” Eldrick took a step in Abby’s direction. “You stop this.”

Spence blocked his path. “Let her talk.”

---