Page 19 of Save Me
“And I want you to meet her.”
“Really?” Excitement glints in her eye. “Okay. When?”
“I’m working on that.” Sloane never agreed to tonight, but she also didn’t say no. What am I going to find when I show up at her place? Her in a dress or a bikini? Or her not there at all. “Just know that when it happens, I’ll need you as backup to deal with Henry so he doesn’t fire my ass.” He’s not the type to keep giving people chances. I’m surprised he’s given me more than one, but I have a feeling my luck card’s about to max out.
“So you want to use me?”
“More like hide behind you, if I’m being honest.”
She giggles. “That’s okay. I understand. Okay, I’ll beyour shield against my husband, but I cannot promise anything.”
“He won’t be happy with me.” Again, I question my sanity.
“When is Henry ever really happy?” she mock whispers.
“When he’s with you.” I give her hand a final squeeze before letting go.
“Okay, so that’s one big piece of news. What about Mermaid Beach? Are you liking it here?”
“Loving it. I mean, how can you not?” I gesture out at the gulf. “Nothing beats this.”
“And the job? How’s that going?”
“Let’s see.” I stretch out onto my back. “I hate golf, and yet I spent two hours with our pro at the ass crack of dawn today, learning how to swing a club so I don’t look like an idiot tomorrow.” Marcus, the pro, said I was surprisingly good for a beginner, but he was likely blowing smoke up my ass.
“So, is this job something you can see yourself doing long term?”
“You know, I think I’m starting to. I’m still lost and relying on everyone else to figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do, but I don’t feel as dumb as I did a few weeks ago.”
“That’s promising.”
“It is.” I pause. “I know you had a lot to do with it, so thank you.”
She shrugs. “Honestly, it didn’t take more than a casual mention once to Henry. After that, it was all him, and you impressed him, Ronan. You earned the chance.”Her smile is encouraging. “How is working with Belinda?”
“How is working with Belinda.” I echo her question while choosing my words carefully. “She’s been great, actually. Training me. We’ve spent a lot of time together. There’s a chance she may want to fuck me again, but other than that …”
Abbi’s eyebrow arches. “A chance.”
“More like a definite.”
“Ronan—”
“I’m not going to. I swear. Even if Sloane wasn’t in the picture, I wouldn’t …” I let that denial trail off because it’s probably a lie.
We share a look and then burst out with laughter.
And that’s how Henry Wolf finds us.
“When I asked where my wife was and they told me she was meeting privately with my director, I wasn’t expecting this.” He sizes up our intimate and horizontal position. “Howcute.” Nothing in his tone matches that word.
“Hey, honey.” Abbi rolls onto her back to peer up at Henry, one hand smoothing over her belly. “We were just taste-testing your chef’s menu. This one is my favorite. It’s called a beignet, and it has rose petal jam. Here, try it.” She reaches the donut-looking thing and holds it up to him.
“I had one not long ago.” Henry studies it, then her and me. “That’s what you were doing in here?”
“Well, yes. And catching up. Why?” There’s the slightest edge to Abbi’s voice, the same edge that always appears whenever Henry’s tone hints at suspicion.
I stifle the urge to smile. How that jealous, controlling prick ever allowed that night in Wolf Cove to happen is beyond me, but I’ll be forever thankful for his momentary lapse in lucidity.
