my drift?’
‘Somewhere else?’ Abby suspected she knew what he was getting at but she decided to let him go on.
‘Yeah.’ Edward scowled. ‘Making nice with—Alejandro.’
He pronounced the other man’s name just as Lauren did, and Abby’s stomach tightened unpleasantly. ‘But he’s her cousin,’ she protested. ‘Cousins don’t get involved with one another in this country. I read it somewhere. It’s considered too close a relationship.’
‘Tell that to my wife,’ retorted Edward dourly. ‘In any case, he’s not her cousin. Not exactly. He’s a distant relation of her mother’s.’
Abby sighed. ‘Even so—’
‘Even so, I know what I’m talking about,’ snapped Edward irritably. ‘I might have known you wouldn’t believe me. It’s Kenyon, isn’t it? He’s poisoned your mind against me.’
‘Don’t be so ridiculous!’ Abby gasped. ‘Ross couldn’t do such a thing. I just—’ She paused. ‘What proof do you have?’
‘What more proof do I need? You saw them together. Can you honestly tell me that you didn’t think they seemed pretty close for distant cousins?’
Abby pushed herself up from the bed, feeling incredibly weary suddenly. It had been a long day. It might only be early evening in Miami, but it was after eleven o’clock back home. And, after all the upheaval, she’d forgotten to phone her fiancé as she’d promised. Would he understand that she’d had other things on her mind?
But breaking a promise to Ross was the least of her worries, she thought heavily. When she’d agreed to come here she’d hoped to avoid any mention of the man who’d caused such anguish in her life. Now it seemed he was an integral part of Edward’s reasons for contacting her. And she so much didn’t want to have to think about Alejandro again.
She’d done all her thinking and regretting two years ago, she thought bitterly. Even if, as it appeared now, he hadn’t been as black as she’d painted him in her own mind. But he’d still behaved quite heartlessly. She didn’t think she’d ever forgive him for that.
‘Abbs?’
Edward was gazing up at her with a look of hopeful expectation on his face and she guessed he wasn’t thinking about her. Had it ever occurred to him that she might have a life of her own? she wondered. As far as Edward was concerned, she’d only ever been there for him.
‘I’m tired,’ she told him now, glancing longingly towards the large colonial bed. But as that evidently wasn’t the right answer, judging by his sulky face, she tried again. ‘I just don’t know what you want from me, Eddie. I’m only going to be here for a couple of days. If you’re expecting me to spy on your wife for you, then—’
‘Hey, I didn’t ask you here to act like some kind of private eye,’ exclaimed Edward impatiently. ‘I doubt if you’d be any good at it anyway.’ He grimaced. You’re not exactly the inconspicuous type!’
Abby caught her breath. ‘You know,’ she said tensely, ‘I’ve a good mind to phone the airport here and now and ask how soon I can get a flight home. I realise you’re upset about Lauren, but that doesn’t give you the right to insult me.’
‘I’m not insulting 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.