Page 67 of Already Home

Violet raised her eyebrows. “Seriously? You’re going to try tosell that to me?”

“Maybe not.” She sighed. “One second I tell myself that it wasjust one date and so what? The next I want to ask you if you think some woman isgoing to steal Ellington away from me.”

“No, and if someone does, then you’re better off withouthim.”

Jenna sucked in a breath. “Thanks for being rational. It’simportant that one of us is. I don’t usually have trouble with it, but there’ssomething about that guy.”

“He’s gorgeous.”

Jenna grinned. “I know. Wasn’t that surprising? I nearlyfainted when I opened the door. No wonder he’s a local celebrity—he’s probablyvery telegenic.” Ellington being well-known still made her uneasy. After all,Aaron had been charming at the beginning of their relationship, too.

Violet’s cell phone chirped. She pulled it out of her apronpocket and glanced at the screen, then put her phone away.

“Cliff,” she said. “He’s heading home from work and wanted meto know he was missing me.”

Jenna wondered if that had really been the message. “Things arestill good between you?”

“Yes, they’re great. He’s sweet and caring.”

Jenna could think of many descriptions for Cliff, and neitherof those came to mind. “I’m glad you’re happy,” she said instead, then glancedat the clock. “It’s nearly time.”

Over the next fifteen minutes, people arrived for the class.She handed out appetizers she’d made. Of the three samples, two were recipesshe’d made before, but one was tiny cups of the soup she’d been playing with.She watched anxiously as people tasted the soup and relaxed when nearly everyoneasked for more.

The need to create was coming back to her. Like an itch shecouldn’t reach, it dogged her, appearing when she least expected it.

Jenna was on the lookout for Ellington and still managed tomiss him when he showed up. One second she was handing out recipe cards, thenext, someone tall and male was beside her.

“You look busy,” he said. “I just wanted to say hi beforeeverything started.”

She turned to him and quickly got lost in his blue eyes. Yikes.He was better-looking than she remembered. His smile flashed, effectivelyblanking out her brain and leaving her unable to speak.

“Jenna?”

“Yes?”

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. The class... We’re expecting a lot of people. I’mglad you could make it. Here.” She thrust out a recipe card. “What we’re makingtonight. Of course Serenity isn’t happy. Nothing vegan about our meal. So don’texpect her to taste anything. She said you give a great massage.”

Jenna clamped her lips together and wished for a mini tornadoto whisk her into another reality. She hadn’t just said the massage thing, hadshe? Maybe she’d just thought it.

Ellington chuckled. “I’m glad she approves. Is it all right ifI stay after class so we can talk? Or do you have somewhere to be?”

“I don’t have anywhere to be,” she squeaked.

“Good.”

She managed to pull herself together enough to start the class.She let the students divide themselves up into groups, then assigned themstations and explained how to make the pasta. She’d brought in bottles ofchardonnay to be sampled during the cooking process. Soon the store was filledwith the smell of simmering garlic, onion and Italian bacon and the steam fromboiling pasta pots.

Serenity said she was tired and left about halfway through theclass. Beth went with her, while Violet manned the cash register. Jenna movedfrom station to station, demonstrating how to whisk the eggs, showing how muchsalt and pepper to add.

She was aware that Ellington was in a group comprised of himand three women. The females in question were about her age, all pretty andobviously interested in him. They jostled each other in an attempt to be the onestanding closest to him and kept up a running conversation.

Violet was right, she told herself. If he was the kind of guywho was easily distracted by other women, then she didn’t want him in her lifeanyway. But saying the mature thing and believing it were two differentthings.

As the cooking continued, the sound in the store rose. Jennanoticed Ellington’s group seemed to be having the most fun. The women hadprogressed to practically hanging on him.

She ignored the knot in her stomach and demonstrated how topour the eggs into the pasta and stir until the eggs were cooked. She poured inthe bacon, garlic, onion mixture from the frying pan and tumbled the entrée ontoa serving dish.

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