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Then perhaps turn Birdie over his knee... though he didn't truly believe in corporeal punishment.
Because any chance he had to get Abigail back had disappeared.
ABIGAIL HAD JUST enteredthe country club, feeling prettier than she had in years, when Cal grabbed her arm and pulled her out onto the stone patio.
"What are you doing?" she said, jerking her arm away.
"Trust me," he said, his breath forming a cloud in the dark night. "You don't want to go in there."
"Why not? What's wrong?"
Abigail pulled her thin wrap tighter around her shoulders and tried to figure out if something was really wrong or if Cal was playing at something.
''Do you really trust this Leif guy?"
"What in the hell are you talking about? That's none of your business. It's mine."
"No, I don't think it's just yours anymore," he said, looking as if he'd run over a puppy or broken her mother's best china. ''Your business is very much out there."
''Tell me what you're talking about or get out of my way. Hilda wanted me here by seven-thirty for the committee introduction."
"Abi, there's a-"
The door opened and a few people came out reaching for cigarettes. One was a guy from the bank who looked stunned to see her. "Oh, hey, Abigail."
Was the man blushing?
"Hi," Abigail said, giving him and two other men with him a smile. They literally raked their eyes over her.
Inside a little thrill shimmed up her spine. She'd looked good in her bathroom mirror and they'd just validated the reflection.
"See you later," Abigail said.
Cal gave her a pained look but nodded.
The warmth of the club along with the hum of conversation greeted her as she moved inside. Cal trailed behind her. As she walked through the hallway toward the main ballroom, people stopped their conversations and stared.
Abigail discreetly looked to check that her boobs hadn't tumbled out or that she didn't have her dress tucked into her Spanx. A terrible feeling unwound inside her as she walked into the room.
About 70 percent of the people inside turned to look at her. At least the band didn't stop playing.
She spied her brother Matt at the bar. He set down his drink and walked over to her. Dropping a kiss on her cheek, he said, "You look pretty tonight."
''Thanks. Why is everyone looking at me?" she asked.
"Come with me,"her brother said, sending a fierce glare to those staring at her, making conversations resume as if on command. He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. "Have you seen Leif?"
''No. Not yet. Is something wrong?"
Matt made a sympathetic face. "Look, Sis, I want to prepare you for something-"
"This feels familiar, Matt." She tugged her arm from her brother's grasp. Something was up and she didn't need a man to lean on. Whatever it was, she could handle. Maybe.
She moved to the boardroom which would hold the silent auction. When she stepped inside, it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the space. Her smoking hot heels sank into the new plush carpet right when she saw it.
The painting Leif had done of her.
Her first thought was how absolutely gorgeous it was.
