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“That’s a big list. Why don’t you take it one item at atime?”

Which sounded reasonable but she just knew he was going to bring up Serenity first.

“Despite her faults, Serenity genuinely cares about you.”

“I knew it!” she said between gritted teeth. “It’s always abouther.”

“Maybe it should be. You’re not seeing things clearly,” hecontinued. “Your blind loyalty to Beth...”

“Blind loyalty? Are you serious? Beth—Mom—raised me from thetime I was an infant. She has always been there for me. I’ve known Serenity afew months. Don’t you dare compare those relationships.”

“I’m sorry,” he said stiffly. “I shouldn’t have said that. Butmy point is valid. You’re missing the big picture.”

You’re so sensitive. You don’t know what’sbest. Variations on a theme, she thought, fuming with rage. Just likeAaron. What was it about men that they thought they knew everything? Maybe itwasn’t all men. Maybe it was just the ones who had been given too much a littletoo easily.

“Not to take away from what you have with Beth, but Serenity isyour mother,” he said.

“Biologically.”

He stared at her as if silently pointing out that was therelationship that was most significant.

“We’re going to have to agree to disagree,” she said stiffly,doing her best not to hit him on the head with a nearby sauté pan.

“I didn’t come here to argue with you.”

“Why did you come?”

“Because I was glad you were home.” He studied her for a longminute. “My mistake.”

He walked out before she could say anything else. She staredafter him, angry at him for being difficult and angry with herself for beingstupid. None of this was Ellington’s fault. He had known Serenity first, so ofcourse he would be loyal to her.

Fine, she thought. Let him leave. This wasn’t a good time forher, anyway. Better to not get involved. At least then she could avoid gettinghurt.

* * *

Jenna spent the next couple of days trying not to thinkabout Ellington. She told herself she didn’t need a man in her life, and most ofthe time she believed it. Robyn from Only Ewe dropped by on Wednesday.

“Violet missed class,” the other woman said as she walked in.“I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

Jenna hesitated. “She’s doing better.” She wasn’t sure ifViolet wanted her to share what had happened but figured Robyn would see thetruth when Violet returned.

“Her boyfriend beat her up,” Jenna said quietly, so the othercustomers wouldn’t hear. “She was in the hospital overnight and is staying withmy parents for a few days while she starts to heal.”

Robyn’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. That’s so horrible. Can I help?Or go see her?”

“I’m sure she would enjoy company, but I don’t know if shewants everyone knowing what happened.” She wrote down her parents’ address andgave her Violet’s cell number.

“I’m glad you told me,” Robyn said. “I’ll know to play dumb ifany guy comes asking about her. I’ll leave it to her to tell me what happened.How are her hands?”

“Fine.”

“I’ll take her some yarn and a simple pattern,” Robyn said. “Itmight help pass the time.”

“I’m sure she would appreciate that.”

Robyn excused herself and went back to her store.

Jenna helped a few customers, answered questions about the nextlow-salt class and worked on a couple of recipes. When it was time to close, shelocked the door, then walked through the aisles, straightening stock and makingnotes of what needed to be ordered.

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