“Well, don’t worry.” Abigail crouched in front of the canvas. “I’ve got this under control.”
She decided which section she wanted to start with, then concentrated as she worked, doing her best to ensure that every letter was filled in to the best of her ability. She wasn’t sure how Mark had ended up with a blank banner instead of one that had been colored in by a machine, but she decided she didn’t mind. She was having the most fun she had in ages, discounting three nights ago, of course.
Forcing the memory of Ryan kissing her while he tore her clothes off out of her mind, Abigail considered how long it was that she’d enjoyed painting. She supposed it was her dad who’d really gotten her into it. He’d always bought her those paint-by-number kits when she was a kid and she’d had a blast, coming up with her own ideas as to where the colors should go, instead of the ones the box suggested. One day she’d do projects like that with her students, where she would let the kids could make their own creative decisions without any rules, just as she herself had always enjoyed doing.
These were just the kind of thoughts she ought to be having on a regular basis, Abigail decided, the kind of things her dad would want her to be thinking about if he could read her crazy mind. He wouldn’t want her to think constantly about how he’d died, or about Ryan Newberry, a man who’d done nothing but make her miserable since the moment they’d met.
“That’s amazing,” Mark said as he stepped through the back door a few minutes later. “You made that look like it was done by a machine, Abigail, and you did it in less than forty-five minutes. I’d say somebody’s ready for a raise.”
“Really?” Her face was glowing.
“Well, not quite yet but play your cards right and review time could be very good to you. You’ve got quite an eye for color. Considering you weren’t given much to work with, I’d say this is a job well done. Where did you learn to paint like that, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“My father was quite the artist. He taught me to do all sorts of interesting things when I was a kid, painting being one of them. I’m sure I’ll never qualify as any sort of professional artist, but I never do get tired of playing with a paintbrush.”
“It’s nice that you and your dad were close,” Mark said with a note of sympathy in his voice. Glassy eyes pointed toward the woods behind the hotel, he said, “The only thing my father ever did for me was to make mine and my sister’s life a living hell.”
Abigail wasn’t sure if she was supposed to have heard that last part. But she was finding his statement hard to ignore. “I’m so sorry.”
“Life where I come from isn’t exactly the same as life in New Hampshire,” he said. “I’ll bet growing up for you was all sunshine and roses, right?”
“Not all the time. What was it like living where you grew up?”
“Like a swamp.” Mark shook his head. As though waking from a dream, he turned to her and said, “Great job today on the poster, Abigail. I think we ought to let this dry in the sun, but you can head back inside and I’ll have Joey clean up the paints. Thank so much for your help again.”
“No problem—I enjoyed it,” Abigail assured him, smiling to herself as she headed off to change. Painting was so much fun she almost hated for it to end. Maybe there’d be more projects like that one in the near future, now that Mr. Becker had seen what she could do.
As she came down the hallway Abigail collided with someone. She was about to offer an apology when she realized who it was she had bumped into.
“Hey, watch where you’re going,” Kimberly said. She adjusted the shiny gold bag she was carrying on her shoulder. “Oh, I didn’t realize it was you, Abigail. But, you should really be more careful.”
“Next time I will be,” Abigail said. Careful not to bump into you, that’s for sure.
“Abigail,” Kimberly said as she started to walk away.
“Yes?”
“Those are nice earrings. Really, very pretty.”
They were plastic. But Abigail didn’t suppose Kimberly had complimented them for the sake of being genuine.
“Thank you.” She turned to leave.
The taller girl’s high heels clanked against the floor as she stepped in front of her. “You and Ryan certainly seem to be getting close.”
Abigail inched back. After considering how she wanted to respond, she said carefully, “I’m not sure what you mean. Ryan and I are friends.”
“Friends who looked awfully cozy when they were closing up the other night.” When Abigail didn’t answer her, Kim pressed, “Sure you’re just friends?”
“Of course.”
“Good.” Her blue eyes narrowed. “Because Ryan Newberry will only break your heart.”
Abigail’s chest tightened. She was all too aware of Ryan’s ability to shatter her dreams, but why was Kimberly doing this? Could she somehow know about their rendezvous in the old wing? Flighty as the woman appeared, she was clearly quite smart beneath the surface. “I have no idea why you’re telling me this, Kimberly. But if you’re here, it means Julia’s alone at the desk, so I really have to get going.”
“I understand why you don’t want to hear this,” Kimberly said. “Men can be very charming when they think that they want something and let’s face it, Ryan is quite the catch. But he’s got a temper. And no matter which way his eyes turn, deep down he’ll always prefer a certain kind of woman.”
“Assuming that’s true, how would you know it?” Abigail asked.
Kim shrugged. “I told you. Ryan and I used to go out. We were close.”
Abigail had surmised as much. But she felt compelled to hear the whole story. “How close?”
“I’m not going to lie to you, Abigail. Ryan and I didn’t just date. He was my boyfriend for over a year. He told me things about himself he’s never told anyone.”
She’d assumed they’d been in each other’s orbits for a while. But Kimberly’s expression confirmed Abigail’s worst fear—that they’d slept together, too. And it was worse than that. If what she was saying was true, then Ryan had confided in his ex, let her in on his personal feelings and thoughts, the things he’d never told Abigail no matter how hard she’d tried to break through the ice. Maybe Ryan still had feelings for Kimberly, and had all along. Maybe it was the reason he had pushed her away.
“I’m still not sure why you’re telling me this,” Abigail said, trying as hard as she could to keep the hurt from showing in her voice.
“You’re not?”
She shook her head.
“Do you want me to spell it out for you, then?”
Abigail swallowed the lump in her throat. “Ryan must have had his reasons for ending things with you. Whatever those reasons are, I think you ought to respect them.”
“Respect them?” Kim licked the front of her teeth. “If you know what’s good for you, Abigail, back the hell off.”
The words shot through Abigail’s body like a blow to her backside. Filled with a sudden burst of adrenaline, she took three steps forward and said, “I won’t back off. I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, but I have no intention of backing away from anyone.”
Resisting the overwhelming urge to cry, Abigail held her head up high. She remained in place as Kim opened the back door and went outside. After checking briefly to make sure she was alone, Abigail drew a breath and screamed at the top of her lungs.
* * * *
At the sound of a piercing scream, Ryan raced from the main office. What the hell…He couldn’t be sure, but the scream he’d just heard sounded just like Abigail’s.
As he neared the back exit, he found Abigail pacing and running her fingers through her hair. She seemed uncharacteristically tense, like she’d just been in a brawl or something. Releasing a breath, he started toward her. “Abigail?”
Abigail’s brown eyes went wide. Clearing her throat, she met his gaze and forged a cold expression. “Mr. Newberry.”
He trailed behind her as she started toward the main office. �
�How is everything?”
“Fine.” Voice sounding strained, she asked, “What are you doing here? I didn’t think you were on the schedule for today.”
“I came to pick up my paycheck.”
“Oh. Well, since you’re here, do you need me to do anything special this morning? Restock the coffee bar? Polish the furniture in the lobby?” She glared at him. “Take out the trash?”
“Abigail, don’t be like this.” He clasped her arm. Lowering his voice, he said, “Come on. We’re friends, right?”
She jerked away. “I don’t know what sort of women you’re used to, but what you and I did isn’t something I do with my friends.” She turned and stormed off.
What was with her this morning? Ryan knew he’d been cold to her the last time he’d seen her, but that couldn’t have been what caused her to scream the way she just had. What the heck had happened since then to get her so upset?
Catching up to Abigail at the front desk, he said, “I think it’s time we get a few things straight.”
“I agree.” She lifted her chin. Taking several short breaths, she said, “I know you have secrets. But I also know—”
“I thought we had agreed you were going to drop that.”
“Change of plans. You’ve been keeping things from me since the day we met, and it’s going to stop. Now.”
The front door opened and a group of guests entered the lobby. A heavy-set woman wearing a bright purple windbreaker approached the counter.
“Abigail, this isn’t the time—”
“If you can’t or won’t tell me the truth, then it’s over.” Voice softening a bit, she said, “Please, Ryan. I’m not asking much. If you care about me, just tell me the truth.”
“She’ll be with you in just a moment, Ma’am,” Ryan said. Turning his back to the counter, he released a sigh. “Abigail, I…”
“The other day when you said that what had happened between us was a mistake, was that because of Kimberly? Because dammit, Ryan, I’ve seen the way you two look at each other.” When he didn’t answer her, she pressed, “She was your girlfriend, wasn’t she?”
A layer of sweat formed across Ryan’s forehead. He hesitated as long as he could before saying, “Abigail, whatever my relationship with Kimberly, it has nothing to do with—”
“Did you tell her things about yourself? Things that you won’t tell me?”
“I—”
She shoved him as he went for her shoulders. “Don’t touch me.”
“I don’t know what to say to you. All right! Yes, Kimberly was my girlfriend and yes, we met while we were working at the Red Fox Hotel. But that’s in the past now, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with why I told you that what happened between us was a mistake.”
The front door swung open. Coming toward Ryan and Abigail, Shane said in a loud voice, “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing of your concern,” Ryan said. “Abigail, listen to me—”
“I am done listening to you!” she exclaimed, hot tears pouring down her face.
Shane stepped behind the desk. Getting between Ryan and Abigail, he said, “Back the hell off, Newberry.”
“Get out of my way, Dempsey,” Ryan growled. “Abigail wouldn’t be upset at all if you and that prick of a manager hadn’t been manipulating things around here from day one.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right. And furthermore, I’m done standing by and watching all the shady things that go on around this place. My employees won’t be subjected to being in such an unstable working environment, not while I’m around.”
“Well that isn’t a problem anymore because you’re fired.”
The wind was knocked from Ryan’s lungs. He’d intended to keep shouting, but that last response had left his vocal cords frozen. How could he possibly be unemployed twice in less than six months? Trying to explain to future employers why that had happened would more than likely mean him being out of a job for a good long time. Worse than that, if he was let go, Abigail would be vulnerable to whatever happened over there. Being on the outside, he’d be powerless to stop it.
Unsure of what else to do, he started toward the hallway.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Shane got in front of him. “You’re not going anywhere, pretty boy. Your stuff will be mailed to you.”
Ryan held a drawn fist at his side. He thought of blowing right past the ass who’d just read him the riot act, but that wasn’t going to solve anything. Dempsey had him, and at the present moment there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it.
He glared at Shane Dempsey’s ugly face. Shooting Abigail a final glance, he stormed through the front doors, letting them slam behind him.
Chapter 21
Ryan blew through the hotel parking lot, making his way from the building he’d hated from day one through four rows of cars. Parked to the rear of the lot, in a space he’d all but claimed as his own was his own red sports car. It was the car of his dreams, the one he’d had to drive off the show lot even if it meant tacking a car loan onto the expense of getting his medical degree. Coming toward it, he lifted his leg and kicked the fender as hard as he could.
The car shook, but the fender didn’t break. Ryan considered kicking it again. The day he’d bought that car, he’d felt so powerful. He sure as hell didn’t feel powerful now.
For three months, he’d thought about nothing but safeguarding his own ass. He supposed that wasn’t so unbelievable, considering all that had happened to him during his previous period of employment. But now that he was essentially back on the street again, he realized that he had learned nothing from his mistakes.
Abigail was right in the crosshairs of that crime gang. She worked right below Dempsey now, and since Ryan was no longer going to be around to play defense, that meant he couldn’t protect her. Abigail would stop at nothing to learn who’d killed her father. Ryan didn’t blame her for that, but it meant she was about to find herself swimming in very dangerous waters without a life preserver. The fact that he could do nothing to keep that from being the case ate him alive.
He looked toward the lobby then at his car then back again. Swearing, he went back the way he’d come. He didn’t know what he was going to say to Abigail, or if he’d even be allowed inside the hotel. But he’d be damned if he was going to let Shane Dempsey have the last word.
Deciding to enter through the back door, Ryan went around the side of the building. He collided with someone, knocking them off their feet.
“Sorry,” he said shortly. Realizing it was Kimberly, he found himself helping her to her feet. “Are you all right?”
She smiled. “No harm, no foul.”
Ryan cleared his throat. Observing that she clearly wasn’t injured, he said, “I have to go.”
“Ryan, wait,” she said when he’d reached the door. “Look, I’m not sure why you came back, but I really don’t think you should go in there right now. Shane is furious. He just got on the phone with the regional manager, and he—”
“That bastard actually called regional management over this?”
“Ryan, please—”
“You know, I think I’d like to speak to regional management myself. I think they ought to know what sort of an assistant manager they’ve got running this dump of a hotel!”
“Ryan, don’t! You’re only going to make this worse than it already is. Just take some deep breaths and try to calm down.”
Ryan inhaled sharply as Kim’s hand touched down on his chest. He wanted to bust down the door and throw his hands around Shane Dempsey’s neck, but he couldn’t think straight with his ex stroking his body like she was revving him up for a night in her Jacuzzi tub.
“Shane told the regional manager what you said,” Kim explained as she caressed the upper portion of Ryan’s chest. “If you walk in there now, he’ll probably see to it that you never work another day in your life.”
Picturing Abigail fawning over Shane that day at the front desk, and
again that afternoon at the café, Ryan felt his blood boil. Abigail would only begin to trust Shane Dempsey even more if he was out of the picture. It was probably what the son of a bitch had wanted all along.
He grabbed Kim’s wrist, forcing her devious hand to a standstill. Thrusting his hand into her hair, he slammed his mouth down on hers. Wanting to feel nothing but the numbness of sweet sexual release, he forced his tongue inside her all too welcoming mouth. He had once been so concerned about protecting this woman, preserving her innocence. He realized now that she was anything but innocent. She was calculating with killer legs—exactly what he needed right now.
Slipping a hand down her back, Ryan grabbed one of Kim’s butt cheeks. Her warm body molded against his as he pressed her back against the side of the building. He was going to tear off her dress if he didn’t stop himself. Reminding himself that they were outside and in broad daylight, he ripped his mouth away.
Kim’s lips, which had been dark red before he’d kissed her, were now pale and raw. She smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth. “I get off work in an hour. Why don’t you meet me at my apartment?”
The last several minutes were jumbled inside Ryan’s fried brain. But the look in Kim’s eyes made everything clear. Noting the purple mark on her collarbone, which he definitely hadn’t put there himself, he said in a husky voice, “I’m going to take you to dinner. At that place on Main Street you love. Then we’ll see where the night takes us.”
“Ooh, that sounds like fun,” Kim exclaimed. “I’ll wear your favorite dress—the pink one, with the spaghetti straps?” Smiling from ear to ear, she stepped back. Blowing him a kiss, she turned and slipped through the back entrance to the lobby.
Ryan watched as the door shut behind her. Raking his fingers through his damp hair, he told himself that at least he’d have decent scenery. Because he had a mission to complete and he was going to see it through to the end.
Dangerous Secret [The Pinnacles of Power Prequel] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Page 18