small, curved, gravel drive and grass so green it looks painted complete the picturesque setting. As soon as Jared pulls the rental car into the drive, the front door opens and Talley Monroe steps onto the porch. We get out of the car.
“Hey, Miss Firecracker!”
“J. D.! You bastard, c’mere!”
I will put Talley in the tall, blonde, Scandinavian goddess category. She wears flat shoes but stands nearly eye-to-eye with Jared. Her long, sand-colored hair is pinned into a loose roll. Two platinum- blonde highlights frame her face and complement her tanned skin.
The soft pink blush on her cheeks comes from a healthy complexion and not artificial means. Her eyes are pale blue, almost gray, but not icy, they exude warmth similar to the kind I get when Jared looks at me.
She wears a white scarf around her neck, loose white pants, and a pale yellow tank top showing off well-toned arms. I make it a point to appear confident in my navy-blue pedal pushers, pinafore top, and espadrilles, but I feel all that’s missing is an all-day sucker stuffed in my mouth as I meet the darling of the country club set.
Jared and Talley make an attractive pair. They hug and kiss, but it’s Talley who notices me first.
“This must be the poor girl who has to put up with you now.”
She nudges away from Jared to reach out to me. Her large, soft hand envelops mine and it’s cool despite the sticky weather.
“How do you do?” I smile.
“‘How do you do?” she teases. “You’re just so proper, ain’t you, girl?”
“I try to be.”
“Yeah. In public, at least.” Jared snorts. “Get her in a dark theater and she goes wild.”
Talley grins. “Well, there’s no need for all that. Here in the South we just say, ‘hey.’ Hey, Eva.”
“Hey, Talley.”
“The girl catches on quick. I like that.”
“She’s a doctor.”
“You can’t be a doc of psychology; otherwise you’d steer clear of him.”
I give a small chuckle, not really sure whether to take her seriously or not.
“You two come inside before we all melt.”
Jared shakes his head. “No, Talley, I can’t. I got a meeting at the Prestonwood Country Club in about thirty minutes.”
Talley’s delicate lips turn into a frown. “For God’s sake, Jared. It’s Saturday. You bring this pretty lady all the way down here and you have the nerve to go do business?”
She gives my hand a squeeze and pulls me close to her so we present a united front against him.
“Yeah,” I chime. “The nerve of him.”
“Honey, you’ll find Jared has more nerve than a bad tooth.” She casts a disapproving glance at him. “But we’ll forgive him this time.” She wags a finger in his face. “I’m surprised you’re not locked up in the hotel making this girl ride that monster of yours.”
My heart stops and I feel the tops of my ears get warm with embarrassment. It’s bad enough to have Jared’s ex-girlfriend as my chaperone for the day without her referring to him and me in bed.
“Aw, c’mon, Talley. Leave me alone. It was she who begged me to stop.” He winks at me.
I can’t hide my disbelief, but he continues.
“You’re right, though. If it was up to me,” he says, pulling me to his side so unexpectedly I feel like a rag doll, “we’d still be joined at the hip.” He looks at his watch. “I gotta leave.”
He tilts
“Hey, Miss Firecracker!”
“J. D.! You bastard, c’mere!”
I will put Talley in the tall, blonde, Scandinavian goddess category. She wears flat shoes but stands nearly eye-to-eye with Jared. Her long, sand-colored hair is pinned into a loose roll. Two platinum- blonde highlights frame her face and complement her tanned skin.
The soft pink blush on her cheeks comes from a healthy complexion and not artificial means. Her eyes are pale blue, almost gray, but not icy, they exude warmth similar to the kind I get when Jared looks at me.
She wears a white scarf around her neck, loose white pants, and a pale yellow tank top showing off well-toned arms. I make it a point to appear confident in my navy-blue pedal pushers, pinafore top, and espadrilles, but I feel all that’s missing is an all-day sucker stuffed in my mouth as I meet the darling of the country club set.
Jared and Talley make an attractive pair. They hug and kiss, but it’s Talley who notices me first.
“This must be the poor girl who has to put up with you now.”
She nudges away from Jared to reach out to me. Her large, soft hand envelops mine and it’s cool despite the sticky weather.
“How do you do?” I smile.
“‘How do you do?” she teases. “You’re just so proper, ain’t you, girl?”
“I try to be.”
“Yeah. In public, at least.” Jared snorts. “Get her in a dark theater and she goes wild.”
Talley grins. “Well, there’s no need for all that. Here in the South we just say, ‘hey.’ Hey, Eva.”
“Hey, Talley.”
“The girl catches on quick. I like that.”
“She’s a doctor.”
“You can’t be a doc of psychology; otherwise you’d steer clear of him.”
I give a small chuckle, not really sure whether to take her seriously or not.
“You two come inside before we all melt.”
Jared shakes his head. “No, Talley, I can’t. I got a meeting at the Prestonwood Country Club in about thirty minutes.”
Talley’s delicate lips turn into a frown. “For God’s sake, Jared. It’s Saturday. You bring this pretty lady all the way down here and you have the nerve to go do business?”
She gives my hand a squeeze and pulls me close to her so we present a united front against him.
“Yeah,” I chime. “The nerve of him.”
“Honey, you’ll find Jared has more nerve than a bad tooth.” She casts a disapproving glance at him. “But we’ll forgive him this time.” She wags a finger in his face. “I’m surprised you’re not locked up in the hotel making this girl ride that monster of yours.”
My heart stops and I feel the tops of my ears get warm with embarrassment. It’s bad enough to have Jared’s ex-girlfriend as my chaperone for the day without her referring to him and me in bed.
“Aw, c’mon, Talley. Leave me alone. It was she who begged me to stop.” He winks at me.
I can’t hide my disbelief, but he continues.
“You’re right, though. If it was up to me,” he says, pulling me to his side so unexpectedly I feel like a rag doll, “we’d still be joined at the hip.” He looks at his watch. “I gotta leave.”
He tilts
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