slam?” She giggled at her own joke.
“Mickie and I were at Derek’s house decorating his tree when that big storm moved in Sunday night.” Had it really been only three days ago? “When we realized the roads would be impassable, he insisted we stay.”
“Fast forward to the juicy part.” Impatience underscored Mary Karen’s words.
“And what juicy part would that be?” Rachel asked, discovering playing dumb could be, well, fun.
“The part where you got naked,” Lexi called out from the stove where she stood pouring the melted chocolate into a baking dish.
“Lexi,” Mary Karen hissed, gesturing with her head to almost three-year-old Logan. “Little ears.”
Rachel hid a smile. “Are you telling me to keep it G-rated?”
July’s lips formed a pout. “What fun is that?”
“If you could just avoid certain…words…in the telling I’d appreciate it.” Mary Karen glanced at her youngest son. “Otherwise I’ll hear them for weeks to come.”
“Just give us the basics,” Lexi said. “We’ll fill in the blanks.”
“Actually nothing happened,” Rachel said.
“Uh, sorry.” July shook her head. “Not buying it.”
“It’s the truth.” Rachel wondered why she suddenly felt so regretful. “Derek was sitting next to me on the love seat. We were talking and drinking wine. I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up, he was right there.”
“And then…?” July prompted.
“We got up and had breakfast.” Rachel saw no reason to mention that she’d wanted him to kiss her. And, God help her, make love to her.
The intensity of her physical desire had shocked her. Although Mickie had been in no hurry to leave, she’d had to get out of there before Derek saw through her.
“Having a man in your life can be a beautiful thing,” Lexi said, her eyes dreamy.
“If it’s the right man,” Mary Karen said.
“I had the right man,” Rachel said, reminding her friends and herself. “I’m not looking for another.”
“We’re not saying you should marry the guy.” July pulled the bottle from her son’s mouth and gently lifted him to her shoulder.
“But you do enjoy his company,” Mary Karen pointed out.
“And he’s wonderful with Mickie,” Lexi added.
“She adores him,” Rachel admitted. “But I can’t be with him because of her.”
Lexi covered Rachel’s hand with her own. “Since Tom died, your feet have been planted in the past. Why don’t you try living in the present for a couple weeks?No worries about yesterday. Or tomorrow. Simply enjoy the right now.”
“You wouldn’t be betraying Tom by having a male friend,” Mary Karen said, her blue eyes dark and intense.
July offered a reassuring smile. “Nothing will happen that you don’t want to happen.”
They weren’t saying anything Rachel hadn’t told herself. Still, hearing the words from women she trusted made her feel better. Especially Mary Karen’s comment.
Seeing Derek at the grocery store had been brutal. She hadn’t known what to say without giving her secret yearnings away…so she’d said as little as possible.
“There’s no reason we can’t be friends,” she said almost to herself. “I’ll just have to make sure he understands there will be no kissing…or…anything else.”
July tilted her head. “Has he tried to kiss you again?”
Rachel shook her head. Derek had been a perfect gentleman. It troubled her that the thought was more depressing than comforting.
“Well, when he makes a move, you can decide what you want to do,” Lexi said. “After all, lots of friends kiss. Some even hop into bed with each other every now and then.”
“Isn’t that right, Mary Karen?” July’s gaze settled on her sister-in-law. “You and Travis kiss sometimes, yet you’re just friends.”
Rachel turned to the young mother of three, not bothering to hide her surprise.
“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a littlefriendly kissing,” Mary Karen said in a cavalier tone, even though two
“Mickie and I were at Derek’s house decorating his tree when that big storm moved in Sunday night.” Had it really been only three days ago? “When we realized the roads would be impassable, he insisted we stay.”
“Fast forward to the juicy part.” Impatience underscored Mary Karen’s words.
“And what juicy part would that be?” Rachel asked, discovering playing dumb could be, well, fun.
“The part where you got naked,” Lexi called out from the stove where she stood pouring the melted chocolate into a baking dish.
“Lexi,” Mary Karen hissed, gesturing with her head to almost three-year-old Logan. “Little ears.”
Rachel hid a smile. “Are you telling me to keep it G-rated?”
July’s lips formed a pout. “What fun is that?”
“If you could just avoid certain…words…in the telling I’d appreciate it.” Mary Karen glanced at her youngest son. “Otherwise I’ll hear them for weeks to come.”
“Just give us the basics,” Lexi said. “We’ll fill in the blanks.”
“Actually nothing happened,” Rachel said.
“Uh, sorry.” July shook her head. “Not buying it.”
“It’s the truth.” Rachel wondered why she suddenly felt so regretful. “Derek was sitting next to me on the love seat. We were talking and drinking wine. I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up, he was right there.”
“And then…?” July prompted.
“We got up and had breakfast.” Rachel saw no reason to mention that she’d wanted him to kiss her. And, God help her, make love to her.
The intensity of her physical desire had shocked her. Although Mickie had been in no hurry to leave, she’d had to get out of there before Derek saw through her.
“Having a man in your life can be a beautiful thing,” Lexi said, her eyes dreamy.
“If it’s the right man,” Mary Karen said.
“I had the right man,” Rachel said, reminding her friends and herself. “I’m not looking for another.”
“We’re not saying you should marry the guy.” July pulled the bottle from her son’s mouth and gently lifted him to her shoulder.
“But you do enjoy his company,” Mary Karen pointed out.
“And he’s wonderful with Mickie,” Lexi added.
“She adores him,” Rachel admitted. “But I can’t be with him because of her.”
Lexi covered Rachel’s hand with her own. “Since Tom died, your feet have been planted in the past. Why don’t you try living in the present for a couple weeks?No worries about yesterday. Or tomorrow. Simply enjoy the right now.”
“You wouldn’t be betraying Tom by having a male friend,” Mary Karen said, her blue eyes dark and intense.
July offered a reassuring smile. “Nothing will happen that you don’t want to happen.”
They weren’t saying anything Rachel hadn’t told herself. Still, hearing the words from women she trusted made her feel better. Especially Mary Karen’s comment.
Seeing Derek at the grocery store had been brutal. She hadn’t known what to say without giving her secret yearnings away…so she’d said as little as possible.
“There’s no reason we can’t be friends,” she said almost to herself. “I’ll just have to make sure he understands there will be no kissing…or…anything else.”
July tilted her head. “Has he tried to kiss you again?”
Rachel shook her head. Derek had been a perfect gentleman. It troubled her that the thought was more depressing than comforting.
“Well, when he makes a move, you can decide what you want to do,” Lexi said. “After all, lots of friends kiss. Some even hop into bed with each other every now and then.”
“Isn’t that right, Mary Karen?” July’s gaze settled on her sister-in-law. “You and Travis kiss sometimes, yet you’re just friends.”
Rachel turned to the young mother of three, not bothering to hide her surprise.
“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a littlefriendly kissing,” Mary Karen said in a cavalier tone, even though two
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