Page 79 of The House on Blueberry Lane

He laughed. “Yes, that one is much better. Now come over here so I can give you something to make that smile even brighter.”

“Brighter? Is that possible?” She moved toward him.

“Not sure, but I’d like to try.”

There was no way she would stop him from trying, and figured she would appreciate his effort. When she stopped before him, for moment he just stared into her eyes. When she’d become mesmerized by his gaze, he swept her into his arms and headed for the bedroom.

SOMETIME BEFORE DAWN, Jaye climbed out of bed after detangling their bodies. He’d gotten a text earlier from his brother Dean saying there was a hiccup in Birmingham. Colfax Construction was ready to begin but there seemed to be a mix-up regarding a prior agreement with the city’s restructuring of the roads around the bank. The restructuring was needed for smooth access to the bank.

That meant when he left Florida tomorrow, instead of returning to the cove, he would fly to Alabama. He sent a text back to Dean, letting him know of his plans. Moments later, he eased in bed beside Velvet, hoping he didn’t wake her. She muttered his name in her sleep and snuggled against him. There was just something about the feel of her naked flesh touching his.

Jaye would miss this island and the time he had spent here with her. He hoped this week had shown Velvet he was capable of wanting more from her than just sex and eventually realize that he loved her.

“ARE YOU SURE about that, Angie?”

“I’m positive, Cassie. The papers came across my desk at the property appraiser’s office. I’m telling you the truth. Our new banker, Jaye Colfax, purchased waterfront property costing over a million dollars in that new area being developed by Mr. Lacroix. Instead of putting it in his name, it’s in the name of Velvet Spencer.”

Allen Bourdeaux, who was in the waiting room of his dentist’s office and flipping through a magazine, overheard the conversation between the two women, although they’d tried whispering. Angie Boston worked as a cashier at the pharmacy and Cassie Kirkwood worked in the property apprasier’s office. He continued listening, interested in what they were saying.

“Velvet Spencer, the teacher?” Angie asked Cassie.

“Yes.”

“Umm, I didn’t know the two of them were an item.”

“Neither did I,” was Cassie’s response. “Considering the cost of that property, it appears they’re more than just an item. Of course, what they’re doing behind closed doors is none of our business. I’d heard Webb Crawford was rather smitten with her. No wonder she didn’t give Webb the time of day. She was holding out for someone even richer.”

“There’s nothing wrong with a woman wanting to better herself,” Angie said.

“I agree and it looks like she struck gold, no pun intended.”

Allen had heard enough. So the teacher who thought she could flunk out his son was sleeping with the banker and had managed to get property worth over a million dollars out of him?

Just like the two women had said, Webb Crawford fancied himself smitten with the woman. Obviously, she was playing Webb for a fool the same way Allen’s ex-wife, Cheryl, had played him. Others, including his teammates, had known the type of woman she was, yet no one had seen fit to tell him. More than anything, he wished they had. It would have saved him a lot of heartache and misery. In the end, the only thing he had to show for their one year of marriage was Lenny. His son meant everything to him.

He tossed the magazine aside. He didn’t consider him and Webb friends, but they had attended school together. Maybe he ought to enlighten him about what the teacher was doing behind his back to save him the pain that he’d gone through with Cheryl.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“HOW WAS YOUR VACATION?”

Velvet, who was sitting in a booth at the Witherspoon Café, glanced up and saw Sierra looking simply radiant. Marriage agreed with her.

“It was wonderful. And how was your honeymoon?”

Velvet really didn’t have to ask. The huge smile on Sierra’s face said it all. “It was amazing. There are times I think that I need to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”

“Well, I am happy for you. Are you here with Vaughn?”

“No, he had an early meeting at the office. I just finished walking Teryn to school and had a taste for Ms. Debbie’s blueberry muffins. May I join you?”

“Of course.” Debbie and her husband, Chester, owned the Witherspoon Café. Everyone loved her blueberry muffins, which made the café a popular breakfast place.

Sierra slid into the seat across from her and leaned over the table to whisper, “What about you and Jaye? How did your week in the Keys go?” Sierra was one of the few who knew where she’d gone and who she’d been with.

Velvet sighed. “Of course, we had a great time and I appreciated getting away but...”

“But what?”

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