The Pleasures of Winter by Evie Hunter Read Free Book Online Page B

voice came from in front. ‘He’s running for the Honduran Congress. Charming, wealthy and dirty as hell.’
    Abbie was surprised that Jack had heard of him. Tabora was being courted in the States as a new hope for Honduras.
    ‘And did you find it?’ said Zeke, only vaguely interested.
    ‘I found enough,’ she said. ‘DEA agents have been working alongside the Honduran security forces to stop the trans-shipment of drugs. The State Department has put helicopters at their disposal to trace illegal landing strips funded by the Barrio18 and MS13 gangs. But I’m picking up hints of a leak in the State Department.’
    The lawyers for the paper were probably going through her stuff with a fine-tooth comb at the moment. Suddenly she missed the newsroom. The other reporters, the lousy coffee and the occasional ‘princess’ jibe. What would they do when she failed to arrive in the office? Would they assume that Tabora’s men had taken her?
    And her family. Her dad would go crazy and her sister, Miffy, would let loose a big refrain of ‘I told you so’. Abbie’s style of gritty journalism wasn’t feminine enough for Miffy. If she had to be a journalist, why couldn’t she write about the art scene or fashion? Or better yet, stop parading the Marshall name through the papers and find some nice charity committees to sit on. Yada yada yada. That was what most of the women in their circle did – got a nice, undemanding job in a gallery or PR company before landing an investment banker or a lawyer and then embarking on a merry-go-round of charity fund-raising and competitive parenting. From the age of sixteen Abbie knew she would never be able to follow that path. Still, Miffy got on her case at every opportunity. She could just imagine the uproar when they got home after this escapade. If they got home.
    Kevin came up behind her. ‘You OK, Abbie? Jack’s daily special staying down?’
    ‘They were delicious.’ She raised her voice enough for Jack to hear. ‘Best I’ve tasted since I last ate in Chinatown.’ She smiled at Kevin. He really was a charmer. ‘What about you? I get the impression that you and Jack do a lot of double dating.’
    ‘For sure. We’ve been friends since Trinity.’
    ‘Trinity?’
    ‘College.’ He shrugged. ‘Back in Dublin.’
    ‘So, he really is from Ireland? I thought you just put on the accent to pick up women.’
    Kevin kicked a tangle of vines out of their path. ‘Nope, it’s real, and Jack never needed to fake anything to pick up girls. Like flies around –’
    ‘I am not deaf,’ Jack shouted. ‘And if you’re interested, Abbie, you only had to ask.’
    She cringed. She had let her curiosity get the better of her. Wouldn’t make that mistake again.
    Kevin grappled with an overhanging branch. ‘He’s not so bad, when you get to know him.’
    ‘I have no intention of getting to know him,’ she said primly.
    Kevin gave her a sly grin. ‘Well, you did sleep with him last night.’
    ‘I did not sleep with him.’ She could feel her face beginning to flush. Maybe she should have stayed with Zeke.
    ‘So, you were awake, then. All night …’ Kevin whistled.
    Her right hand itched to punch something. ‘I was not –’ His snort of laughter brought her to her senses. ‘You’re a sly, underhanded …’
    ‘Keep it up, I love compliments. And I’ll tell you what else I’d love, Abbie –’
    ‘You’d love a dig in the head from my fist.’
    Abbie hadn’t realized that Jack had returned. A large patch of sweat covered the front of his T-shirt and the damp fabric clung to his abs like a second skin.
Will you stop with the abs fixation. You’re turning ab-normal
. She dragged her eyes to his face. His skin was flushed from exertion and his blue eyes could cut through her like a laser.
    Jack handed the knife to Kevin. ‘Your turn, bro.’
    ‘That’s what I was kind of hoping for.’
    Kevin whistled as he took his place at the front. Abbie thought it was some Irish