Page 36 of Don’t You Dare Marry Me (Love in Massachusetts #3)

twenty-eight

“Uh… Abagail?” Ivy knocked on Abagail’s door, a concerned look crossing her features.

Looking up from her computer, Abagail frowned. “What?”

“Your nephew is here, and he’s… making the office uncomfortable.”

“Bloody hell.” Abagail stood up, making her way quickly around her desk and toward the door.

When she got to the main office, Abagail froze.

Warren was leaning over her secretary, finger in her face, and anger in his.

His cheeks were puffed up, eyes wide and red, and he looked like he was ready to take everyone there down.

“Warren Kerrbox!” Abagail’s voice rang through the room. “My office now or I’m calling the police.”

Warren stood up straight, his anger dropping now that he was thoroughly scolded.

“Now,” Abagail added, just in case he didn’t understand how pissed off she was.

She waited as he walked in front of her toward her office, and as soon as they were inside, she shut the door and glared.

“If you wanted me to give you back access to your funds, this was a poor way to convince me that you’re ready for it. ”

“What?” Warren shook his head. “But I need that money.”

“What you need is to grow up.” Abagail crossed her arms across her chest and continued her glare. She was over this petty, immature behavior. “And I’m tired of waiting for that to happen.”

“Aunt Abagail!”

“No. You shut up and you listen to me.” Abagail shook her head at him, not quite sure what to say or do next.

This should be a conversation for Estelle to have with him, but all she’d done over the years was coddle him.

Abagail had been nothing more than an enabler along the way, and she was tired of it. “It’s time for you to grow up.”

Warren shook his head and scoffed. “I’m an adult.”

“Yeah, you are! That’s the point.” Abagail pursed her lips. She was going to have a lot of damage control to do when it came to her office that day, and if Warren dared to step foot in her office again, she really would call the police.

“Dad left me that money.”

“No, he didn’t.” Abagail sighed heavily, moving toward her desk to sit down in her chair.

She was tired of this, and if no one had told him how this worked, then it was high time she did.

Even if it wasn’t her job. “You have a trust from your father, yes, but that’s it.

That trust doesn’t provide you with much income. A thousand a month at most.”

“What?” Warren frowned, wrinkles forming in his forehead. “But we’re well off. Mom always said?—”

“The family is, yes. Individually, we’re not rich.

” Abagail squinted at him. No one had really explained this to him, had they?

“Historically, our family has made good choices when it comes to businesses and finances. That’s how we sustain ourselves.

You don’t have to work if you don’t want to, but you need to understand the value of what you’re taking. ”

“I don’t understand.”

“That’s the point.” Abagail had never been more frustrated with him, but at least he seemed to be listening this time. Unlike before. “I’m not going to reinstate your income from the family funds until you learn the value of a dollar.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Get a job!” Abagail said loudly. “And you can’t get a job at a company that we’re associated with or own. I want you to actually have to work hard to get it. Interview, keep it, earn an income, pay your own bills for a while.”

“You can’t do this.”

“I can and I have. You’re already cut off.” Abagail gave him a hard stare.

“Chaya left me, you know.”

Abagail’s eye twitched. Was he seriously two engagements down and had nothing to show for it?

“Without the money…” he trailed off.

“She didn’t want you.” Abagail finished for him.

Warren nodded. He seemed genuinely upset by that.

But was he upset because it fractured his male ego or because he actually liked Chaya?

Maybe even loved her. Is that how Nicola was?

Without the money would she even be at Abagail’s house?

Perhaps she wasn’t all that different from her nephew. That thought alone churned her stomach.

“I’ve been thinking about Nicola lately,” Warren said, staring down at his shoes.

Abagail wanted to vomit.

“Do you think she’d take me back if I got a job?”

Oh God, she didn’t actually have to answer that, did she?

Abagail picked up a pen on her desk and started to flick it between her fingers.

Nicola’s smiling face came to mind, the laughter and joy they’d shared a few times in the last few weeks.

Nicola had given no indication that she’d want to go back to Warren.

In fact, from what she’d seen that wasn’t even a possibility.

Then again, Nicola wasn’t even sure that was a thought in Warren’s head.

So would she?

“Aunt Abagail?”

“I don’t know,” Abagail answered honestly.

She couldn’t look at him. She just kept staring at the pen in her fingers.

Nicola would be so much better off with someone her age, someone who could keep up with her shenanigans, who would be there when she grew old.

Someone who could actually provide a relationship for her.

Because Lord knew Abagail couldn’t do that.

They weren’t compatible at all. Why was Abagail even trying? She shouldn’t be.

“I love her,” Warren murmured.

But Abagail wasn’t sure about that either. He loved that Nicola was there, that she wasn’t the one to break it off with him. And he definitely loved that she needed him. Beyond that? She wasn’t sure. And she had no idea how Nicola felt. It wasn’t something they’d discussed.

“Nicola doesn’t care about money.”

Abagail frowned at that. She didn’t believe it. All she’d seen from Nicola was her caring about money. Perhaps Abagail had been wrong to think there was anything else there. She’d gone from Warren, who supported her financially, to Abagail, who was doing the exact same thing.

“I want you to get a job,” Abagail said, trying to change the topic. She wanted to stay as far away from Nicola as she could, especially when she was talking to Warren. “Get a job, keep it for six months, and then we’ll talk.”

“But Aunt Abagail, how am I supposed to do that?” He looked like he was going to cry.

Abagail shook her head. “Figure it out.”

“But how?—”

“Warren,” Abagail said in a warning. “That’s the point. Figure it out.”

He stared at her in disbelief. Abagail wasn’t going to give on this one though. She didn’t say anything as she waited for him to give up and leave. It didn’t take long—after a few more attempts to get her to change her mind, Warren left the office.

Thirty minutes later and Abagail still couldn’t clear her head and focus. She threw her hands through her hair and packed up her bag. Walking directly to Ivy’s office, she popped her head in. “I’m leaving for the rest of the day.”

“Everything all right?”

“Fine. Just taking a personal day.” Abagail started to turn away.

“You don’t take personal days.” Ivy’s voice stopped.

Abagail turned around slowly, facing Ivy again.

“What’s going on? That’s the second time he’s come in here to terrorize you.”

That was a good word for it. And neither time had Abagail backed down.

This time she’d actually call it a win. Abagail’s shoulders dropped in defeat.

Who was she kidding? Warren had taken something from her when it came to the persona she liked to have in the office, and he’d made it impossible to keep it.

“Family drama. Something you’re very familiar with.

” Abagail stared at her directly. The implication was that she didn’t want to discuss it.

She’d never truly pried about Ivy’s divorce.

She’d taken what information Ivy had given her, but she’d never tried to get more than what Ivy was willing to give.

“He won’t be in again. And if he is, I’ll file trespassing charges. ”

“Seriously?” Ivy stared at her in awe.

“Absolutely.” Abagail left then. She wanted to go home and escape the mess that Warren had made.

Once inside her house, Abagail relaxed instantly.

The house was quiet, it was hers, and it was exactly what she was looking for.

Immediately, she walked up the stairs to her bedroom.

By instinct, she walked to the small safe in her closet, opened it, and pulled out the ring that Warren had wanted.

It still sat nestled in the box, winking at her in the light.

He did deserve to find someone who actually loved him and whom he loved.

She just didn’t think that Warren was anywhere near that.

She snapped the lid shut on the ring and shoved it back into the safe, locking it.

When she walked out of her closet, she spotted Nicola standing in her doorway awkwardly.

“Did you want to talk?” Nicola asked.

Right.

That.

Abagail had insisted on a conversation, but after her run-in with Warren that day, she wasn’t so sure that she wanted to do that anymore. It’d be better if they went their separate ways now, wouldn’t it?

“I didn’t think you’d be home this early,” Nicola went on when Abagail didn’t immediately answer her.

Was she nervous? Abagail shut the door to her closet and stepped closer.

Her brain was working slowly, moving at a snail’s pace.

She walked directly to Nicola, cupping the back of her head and pulling Nicola in for a kiss.

Nicola grunted, her teeth gnashing against Abagail’s lips before she parted her mouth and opened for the kiss.

Abagail turned her, pushing her into the doorframe and closing her eyes. She focused on sensations, on touches and fingers, on Nicola’s hands against her back, her ass. On the way Nicola’s breasts pushed into her own each time she took a breath.

“No,” Abagail whispered against Nicola’s lips, “I don’t want to talk.”

Without hesitation, she dove back in. Nicola joined in her fervor, the touches and tastes increasing. Abagail kept Nicola pressed tightly against her. She trailed her hand down Nicola’s front, over her breast, to the edge of Nicola’s short skirt and started to slide her hand up, but she stopped.

Abagail went back to playing with Nicola’s nipple, flicking the edge of her thumb across the small little pebble and loving the way Nicola moaned against her. Nicola’s hand was in Abagail’s hair, tugging lightly as she tried to push Abagail backward.

“Should we go to the bed?” Nicola asked.

The question sounded so odd, like Nicola was as unsure of this as she was.

Abagail broke away, taking a step back and looking over Nicola’s disheveled appearance.

She was stunning, not just because she was young but because she was confident in who she was, she was full of sunshine and joy, and she deserved to get what she wanted.

Love.

Family.

A spouse.

Abagail shook her head and took another step back. “No, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Nicola asked, a deep line forming in the center of her forehead.

“I can’t do this.” Abagail put her hands out to her sides.

“But this is why I’m here!” It wasn’t quite a whine, and there was a definite undertone of fear there. “What am I supposed to do if you’re not letting me fuck you?”

“Nic…” Abagail shook her head. “We have an arrangement.”

“Exactly!” Nicola groaned. “And I can’t uphold my end of the agreement if you don’t let me.”

“Is that all this is about for you?” Abagail straightened her back immediately.

“Y-yes,” Nicola answered, but there wasn’t that confidence there that Abagail was used to.

She was lying. Abagail had never seen her do that before, in all of their interactions. Every retort that Abagail had come up with before was gone, and she had nothing to say. The words just left her. This was about money. It had to be. There was nothing else between them. It was impossible.

“You’ll still get your money.” Abagail’s lips moved into a thin line. “I don’t break my promises.”

“Abs.”

“Go to work, Nicola.” Abagail walked into her bedroom and turned her back on Nicola. She couldn’t do this. Not right now. Maybe not ever.

“Abs!”

“You don’t want to get fired from your only other source of income.” Was that too cold? Probably. But Abagail was hurting. She’d been smashed on all fronts in the last few hours, and she couldn’t bring herself to be better than she was right now.

Saying nothing else, Abagail started to take off her jewelry and drop it into the small bowls and containers where it belonged. Nicola stayed by the door for another few minutes before she timidly walked away and left.

Abagail shut the door and locked it.

She just needed time.

Time for herself.

Time to decompress.

Because this wasn’t what she wanted.

None of it.