The Wives of Beverly Row 4: Lust Has a New Address by Abby Weeks Page A

soon as she said the words she regretted it. She regretted sleeping with Jake and she regretted telling Veronica. She knew this was big news. This would change everything. Maybe Veronica wouldn’t even want to be her friend anymore. She realized all of that as she heard herself say the words. What had she been thinking, sleeping with her neighbor’s husband? There was no way it was going to go over well with the other women.
    She looked up at Veronica.
    Veronica’s eyebrows were raised. She was shaking her head.
    “Say something,” Ariel said.
    “What can I say?” Veronica said. “You know what you’ve done.”
    Ariel nodded. She’d ruined everything. She’d ruined whatever trust she’d gained with Veronica and the other women on the Row.
    “You’re shocked. You hate me now, don’t you?”
    Veronica shook her head. “Don’t be so dramatic, Ariel. To be honest, I’m not that surprised.”
    “You thought I’d sleep with someone’s husband?”
    “No, not at all. I’m surprised at you. I didn’t think you were like that.”
    “I’m not usually. Something’s just come over me lately.”
    “But Jake? Jake’s slept with every girl within a thirty mile radius. I know he’s into all sorts of perverted things. I’ve heard stories about him.”
    “What kind of stories?”
    “I wouldn’t even be surprised if Trudy’s slept with him.”
    “Veronica. What kind of stories?”
    “Oh, you know. Nothing I should repeat. Just kinky stuff.”
    “What kind of kinky stuff? You mean swinging?”
    “Oh God!” Veronica said. “So it’s true.”
    Ariel looked at Veronica and nodded slowly. Then she covered her face in her hands. She felt so embarrassed. She was embarrassed about Jake’s sexual habits! She wasn’t sure why she should feel responsible for those things, but having slept with him, she somehow felt as if she was a part of it all now.
    “What happened?” Veronica said. “Tell me everything.”
    “Well,” Ariel said, “I was in a bar having a drink after work. I wasn’t sure what I was in the bar for, I hadn’t planned to meet anyone there.”
    “And Jake was there?”
    “Yes, he was there and he was so charming. I guess I’d gone in there looking for some sort of trouble, and when I found Jake I felt relieved to know someone in the bar so I let him flirt with me.”
    “And one thing led to another?”
    “Well,” Ariel said, “not exactly. I mean, sort of, but he told me that Zola was in on it. He said he and Zola had a very open relationship. He told me she wouldn’t mind if we did something.”
    “And you believed what you wanted to believe.”
    Ariel knew she should stop talking. She knew that Zola’s private life deserved some respect, but she wanted to try and justify her decision to sleep with Jake in some way. “Yes, but he showed me a video.”
    “What do you mean?” Veronica said.
    “He showed me a video on his cell phone of Zola having sex with another man. She was having a threesome with this other guy and Jake at the same time!”
    Veronica’s hand flew up to her mouth. “You are kidding me!” she said. She said it so loudly that some of the other diners looked over at them.
    “I’m not kidding,” Ariel said. “I mean, I still feel horrible about it. I know I never should have done anything like this.”
    “But you figure if Zola’s into it, then where’s the harm?”
    “Well, I just sort of let it happen,” Ariel said. “I’m not proud of it, really I’m not.”
    “I should think not.”
    “But you don’t know what it’s like to be single after so many years of loveless marriage,” Ariel said.
    Veronica was quiet. Ariel felt bad then. She knew that Veronica knew only too well what it was like to be lonely, to be wanting for passion and intimacy.
    “I can see where you were coming from,” Veronica said.
    “I just let him have his way with me for the night,” Ariel said. “I know I shouldn’t have, but the video with Zola, the swinging, the