Page 33 of Flirting in Traffic

“Oh my God!” Carla exclaimed, scandalized. “Was it a guy?”

Esa did a double take. “A guy? Why would you say that?”

“I don’t know,” Carla replied, wide-eyed. “You made it sound like it was the most bizarre, humiliating experience ever.”

“It was worse than a guy. His former live-in and fiancée is Julia Weatherell.” Esa gave a smug look when Carla gasped loudly.

“Julia Weatherell? That bitch who used to try to blackball Kitten all the time and then hide that trench mouth of hers with all those superior looks, like she was too high and mighty to have even heard those words before let alone have said them?”

“Yep.”

“She dropped out of the scene at around the same time you did,” Carla mused.

“Must have been during the time period she was involved with Finn,” Esa surmised. “You remember how jealous she was about her men. She wouldn’t want

to go public with a man as gorgeous as Finn Madigan. No, she’d love keeping that secret all to herself. Not that I believe for a second Finn would have gotten into squiring her around to nightclubs and charity events. I get the impression he’s a very private person.”

“And now she’s involved with that rich guy, Graves, and she’s popping up on the scene all over again, now as a society matron instead of a player,” Carla continued. “Please. Julia Weatherell is about as matronly as Marie Antoinette. She’s about as caring for the poor and downtrodden as old Marie, as well. So…what’s Gavin Grave’s new girlfriend doing showing up in Finn’s bedroom? As if I have to ask.”

Esa definitely didn’t need to ask. Knowing what she knew about Finn’s lovemaking skills and Julia’s lack of morals, the fact that Julia was eager to get back in Finn’s bed didn’t surprise her in the least.

A prickle of panic went through her when she saw how close they’d drawn to the Madigan Construction trailer. She’d changed lanes twice now unconsciously while she had this annoying conversation with Carla.

“He was passed out in their hotel room at the time Julia paid Finn her little visit,” Esa explained grimly as she deftly got over in the right lane, earning a scowl from the guy she’d cut off the first time. “Apparently she’s miserable and regrets nothing more than leaving Finn. Or the sex, anyway.”

“I’ll bet,” Carla muttered snidely.

“What are you doing?” Esa asked sharply when Carla grabbed her cell phone.

“Calling Rachel. She’s going to die when she hears about this. You know the hell Julia has put her through in the past. Rachel’s always hunting for some dirt on Julia for Metro Sexy but that woman cleans up her tracks like a real pro. Until now, anyway.”

“Don’t you dare!” Esa shrieked as she grabbed the phone and hit the disconnect button.

“What’s your problem?” Carla asked in open-mouthed disbelief. “Since when do you care about what happens to Julia Weatherell?”

Esa gritted her teeth and stared out the window. They were in the midst of practically standstill traffic and almost directly parallel with the white trailer with the green letters that read Madigan Construction. The fact of the matter was she couldn’t care less about Julia. But she would do just about anything to make sure Finn’s name wasn’t dragged through the mud. She felt silly revealing her protective instincts for a weekend fling to Carla, however.

“I told you that in confidence,” Esa said.

Carla made a hissing sound of disgust, grabbed her phone from Esa’s hand and tossed it into her purse. Esa exhaled with relief. That was the end of that. Carla may annoy the crap out of her at times but she was a true friend. She would never betray a confidence.

“So what are you going to do about all of it?” Carla demanded after pouting for all of three seconds.

“Do?”

“About Finn Madigan?”

Esa directed her gaze to Carla. “I’m not going to do anything.”

Carla sighed. “I knew you had a thing for him. I hate Julia Weatherell. I knew she’d eventually leave scars on one of the Ormond sisters.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Finn was a fling, you know that. I hardly had enough opportunity to be scarred, either by him or his connection to Julia.”

Carla sat up slowly, her face intent as she stared out the window. “A one-night stand, strangers in the night, ‘I had a little too much to drink last night, did you notice where I left my panties’ kind of thing—is that what you mean?”

“Exactly,” Esa replied, confused by Carla’s manner.

“Well then you’re gonna love this.”

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