remorseful. The second time I saw him, he was all about getting busy. He used all the same lines that won me over the first time!”
“Ouch,” Jake said.
“Nah, no ouch. I was angry. I don’t know if I was angrier with him or myself. But I’m glad that’s out of the way. He’s no longer tempting. There’s a lot of freedom in that.”
“I remember the feeling,” he said.
“Mary Ellen?”
“Sure. At first I was shocked, which I shouldn’t have been. Then I was hurt. Then I was depressed. And finally I was pissed off.”
“But were you tempted for a while? Even a little while?”
“No. Because she tried to get my business. Half of it, anyway. That just crushed me. And then it really pissed me off.”
“We’re a pair,” Adele said, sipping her wine.
“Tomorrow’s Sunday, not a workday for you. I go in for a while in the afternoon. I have an idea. Why don’t I meet you for your beach walk then take you to brunch? How’s that sound?”
“That sounds very nice, thanks.”
“Now tell me about Justine. Tell me why you were crying. I haven’t seen you cry in so long, I don’t know when. There were times I wished you would just cry. I cry easier than you do.”
“The Descaro women came without tear ducts,” she said.
Adele talked for a while about how fun and yet overwhelming her house was. She loved not being alone all the time, felt she was developing a real relationship with Justine, but at the same time she was crowded, things were always put away where she couldn’t find them, there was never complete quiet and they were four women in a two-bathroom house. Sometimes she thought she would explode. And other times she felt she was finally a part of a family. It was very frustrating and confusing.
She had a second glass of wine and Jake pulled a deli prepared chicken parmigiana dish from the refrigerator to warm it up.
“Is it expired?” she asked.
“Only by a day. Or so. Don’t worry, I have good insurance.”
By the time she was ready to leave, it was getting late. She had walked over so Jake drove her the few blocks home. He jumped out of his truck and went around to open the door for her.
“I had a really nice time. I can’t believe it took me so long to see the inside of your house.”
“Well, you were pretty occupied...”
“Now that I know the way, I may need to escape to your house regularly.”
“I’d like that.” Then he cupped her jaw gently with one of his big hands and brought his lips down on hers. This was not his usual chaste kiss on the forehead or peck on the cheek. This was the real deal. His kiss was powerful and delicious. All of him was. Had it been at any other time in her life, surely she’d have fallen in love with him.
But for a long time she’d been stripped of emotion. She didn’t know if she was ready for this. Before she could truly respond, he pulled away.
“I’ll see you on the beach at sunrise,” he said.
Chapter Fourteen
There was a place just up the coast from Half Moon Bay with an outstanding restaurant. Justine had made reservations for two for dinner. Adele was spending at least part of the evening with Jake, Amber was spending the night in San Jose at a girlfriend’s house where they were double dating to a school football game and then out for pizza or something. Livvie’s boyfriend was coming over to the house, and they planned to watch a movie.
Justine was having her own date, yet another date she didn’t tell anyone about. Having arrived at the restaurant a little early, she went to the patio to take in the nice ocean view. She chose a bench facing the ocean, and the moon cast a lovely glow on the water. The waitress asked her if she’d like anything, and she ordered a glass of pinot noir.