Page 25 of The House on Blueberry Lane

“Short notice, but yes, this weekend will be great since you know what weekend this is.”

Velvet frowned. She honestly didn’t have a clue. “No. What?”

“Super Bowl weekend. Every sports enthusiast will be glued to a TV, so this weekend is perfect.”

Velvet was glad to hear that. “Thanks. I desperately need to get away.”

“Why? Being so close to your sexy-hot neighbor is getting to you?”

Velvet drew in a deep breath. “If only you knew just how much.”

“Do tell.”

She knew that she might as well, or Ruthie would hound her until she did. She spent the next ten minutes telling her everything.

“Aww, heck. It would have to be my phone call that interrupted things,” Ruthie said, chuckling.

“Ruthie, did you hear everything I said? What part did you find amusing? Jaye and I were standing outside, in broad daylight about to kiss. Anyone could have seen us. And had we kissed, it wouldn’t have stopped there. We would have been rolling in the grass in no time.”

That visual got a laugh out of Ruthie. “Knowing how much sexual chemistry the two of you have, I’m surprised you two haven’t kissed already and been done with it.”

Velvet rolled her eyes. “Because there can’t be a done with it with a Velvet-and-Jaye kiss. It always leads to more.”

“Then do more. If you recall, I suggested you take him as a lover.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why? You claim you don’t love him anymore.”

“I don’t love him anymore.”

“Then what’s the problem? The way I see it, it will serve Jaye right by letting him think that you’re now the new more sophisticated and liberated Velvet. And since all those single men in Catalina Cove seemed to have been run off by that Webb guy, it’s up to you to show Jaye.”

“Show Jaye what?”

“That a man isn’t the only one who can engage in meaningless affairs. You can prove your point on that end while satisfying your need to get laid on the other. Stock up on all Jaye Colfax’s lovemaking so when he leaves Catalina Cove, at least he’ll be out of your system.”

Velvet frowned. “Who say he’s in my system?”

“I do. And don’t deny you are in dire need of a sexual fix. There’s no way a woman who was as sexually active as you and Jaye were, and who’s gone without sex for two years, isn’t.”

“I am not addicted to sex, Ruthie.”

“No, but you’re addicted to Jaye. Admit it.”

Velvet refused to admit anything. Ruthie’s suggestion to take Jaye as a lover was crazy. “Jaye will think I’m trying to get back with him and he wouldn’t want that.”

“Then spell things out for him. You control the narrative and make sure he knows this is the new you.”

The new her. Velvet kind of liked that. But still. “I don’t know, Ruthie.”

“Well, I do. Think about it and we’ll talk about it some more this weekend. So, what else had you in a bad mood today? The voice message you left indicated something about a parent who raised your blood pressure.”

Velvet blew out an exasperated breath. “Yes.” She spent another twenty minutes telling Ruthie about her meeting with Principal Dunning and then her meeting with Lenny’s father.

“I can’t believe your principal is taking that approach. The man sounds like he doesn’t have a backbone.”

“I agree and, like I told him, if he expects me to fall in line, he can forget it. I will resign first.”

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