Tempting Janey

“So cool, too. All the kids like him lots.”

“I’m glad.”

“You don’t sound like it.”

“That’s not true.”

“You should see your face, Mom. When I mention him, you look like you’ve just bitten into something sour.”

Clearly flustered by her daughter’s astuteness, Janey cleared her throat and peered at the menu. “You’re imagining things.”

“I don’t think so. After all, he and Elaine used to be your and Dad’s best friends. Why don’t you like him anymore?”

Janey tempered a sigh before she raised her eyes back to Robin. “I like him just fine, okay?”

“Whatever you say.” Robin grabbed her cola, which the waiter had just set down, and took a sip. “But I still don’t get it,” she added.

“You don’t have to get it, okay?” Janey’s tone was testy, but she couldn’t help it. Enough was enough. She was glad that Robin was happy at school—delighted, in fact—but that didn’t mean she wanted her evening inundated with Dillon’s praises.

To Janey’s relief, her daughter’s eyes dropped to the menu.

“Good evening, ladies.”

Janey groaned inwardly. His deep voice and his up-close-and-personal nearness could no longer be avoided. At least he hadn’t brought his woman friend with him. Janey forced herself to look up and say in a pleasant tone, “Hello, Dillon.”

His gaze settled on her a tad longer before switching to Robin. “So how’s it going?”

“Uh, great.”

Dillon smiled warmly at Robin. “I’m glad. I hope you two enjoy your dinner.”

“We plan on it,” Robin said, giving him a huge smile in return.

His gaze included both of them briefly before he turned and walked back to his table.

“That’s the first time he’s actually spoken to me since we’ve been back,” Robin said, her voice filled with amazement.

“Unfortunately, the good students like you get lost in the shuffle. While that’s too bad, it’s the truth.”

Robin glanced at Dillon. “I know. You can bet he knows the jerks on campus.” She paused. “I wonder if he’s in love with that woman.”

“I haven’t the foggiest idea, nor do I care.”

“I still don’t know why you don’t like him anymore. Did he do something to piss you off?”

“Robin, don’t push it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Janey cleared her throat and smiled at the waiter, who had reappeared to take their orders. Once he was gone, she turned that smile on Robin, thinking again what a smart and lovely young woman she was and how proud she was of her—although at times she could certainly try a mother’s patience. This evening was one of those times. Janey knew she’d made a mountain out of a molehill when it came to Dillon. In her own defense, she had been caught off guard, first by his appearance, then by Robin’s enthusiastic response to him.

But she shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, Robin was right: they had been neighbors and friends for years before she and Keith had broken up and she and Robin had moved away. And Robin didn’t have a clue….

“Mom.”

“What, darling?”

“Are you all right?”

Janey gave her a bright and reassuring smile. “Of course. How could I not be? I had a great day at the shop, and I’m having dinner with my most favorite person in the whole world.”

“You don’t miss Dad at all, do you?”

Janey clamped down on another sigh. “No, I don’t. I have to be honest.”

“That’s too bad, because I do.”

“I know, darling, and I’m sorry, for your sake.”

And she was, though she had to admit that Robin’s strong tie to Keith was a nagging worry. While she realized she had no choice but to share her daughter with her ex-husband, she wasn’t thrilled about it.

The two men she least wanted to discuss or have anything to do with—Dillon and Keith—seemed suddenly to have become the dominant topics of conversation.

“Speaking of Dad, he wants me to spend next weekend with him.”

Janey’s chest tightened. “But, darling, that’s the first home game. I thought we could celebrate together.”

“But what about Dad?” Robin asked, a stubborn look on her face. “He feels the same way you do.”

Janey tried to hide her hurt. “If that’s what you want to do.”

“I just wish I wasn’t pulled between the two of you all the time.”

Janey’s heart wrenched. “I know, and I’m sorry about that, too. But that’s the way it is.”

Their food chose that moment to arrive, for which Janey was grateful. She wished things could be different, but they weren’t. Sooner or later, Robin was going to have to accept that, as painful as it was.

They ate in silence for a moment, then Robin looked at her with another grin on her lips. Relieved, Janey answered with one of her own. “So what’s up?”

Robin giggled. “What makes you think there’s anything up?”

“I know you, especially when you get that certain look on your face.”

“I met someone—or, at least, I saw him again.”

“Ah, a him.”

“Come on, Mom, give me a break.”

Janey forced a straight face. “Sorry, I’ll be good.”

“His name is Chad Burnette. And talk about a side of beef…”

“Robin!”

“Well, that’s what he is. He’s to die for, and he paid attention to me.”

“Tell me something about him.”

“I met him at Beverly’s. He’s a friend of her older brother. And he’s our team quarterback.”

“My, my, that is a coup.”

Robin squirmed in her chair. “Oh, my gosh, Mom, you have no idea how many girls would give one of their boobs to date him.”

“I doubt that,” Janey said, trying to hide her dismay at her daughter’s choice of words. Would her own child never cease to amaze her? Or shock her?

“I’m assuming he hasn’t called yet?”

“No.” Robin’s face lost some of its animation. “But I’m praying he will.”

Janey smiled, reached over and squeezed Robin’s hand. “Stop fretting. He’ll call. After all, you’re drop-dead gorgeous. How could he not go for you?”

“You’re just biased.”

“Who, me?”

They both laughed, then went back to eating. After finishing a bite, Robin said, “Look, Mom, Mr. Reed and his squeeze are leaving.”

Janey forced herself not to react, though her gaze did unwittingly drift in that direction. For a split second her eyes and Dillon’s met and held. Dillon’s appraisal of her seemed deliberate, she thought. What was he trying to prove?

Then he nodded, breaking the link. She flushed before turning away.

“I can’t wait to tell Bev I saw Mr. Reed.” Robin made a face. “I hate calling him that. It sounds too funky.”

“Funky or not, start loving it,” Janey snapped, then returned her attention to her meal.

Her mouth slid over his penis.

Keith Mayfield groaned as he grabbed a handful of her dark hair, urging her up and onto her back. Once there, he used his fingers to spread her legs, then shoved his dick hard and high into her.

She gasped, digging her fingers into his buttocks.

While looking down at her, he thrust and kept thrusting until her moans coincided with his. He buried his head in the fullness of her man-made breasts and let go of several deep breaths.

Once their breathing had evened out, he rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

“Have I ever told you you’re the best?”

“Every time we fuck,” Keith responded in an impatient tone.

She chuckled, apparently taking no offense. “And that’s a lot.”

“That it is.”

Keith crooked his elbow then and braced his head on his hand. Sabrina Goodness was already staring at him when he peered down at her.

She was pretty, even though she was a little too much on the chunky side to suit him. He preferred his women thin, like Janey. Why had he thought about her, especially now?

Hell, who was he kidding? She was all he’d thought about since he had found out she’d returned to Hunter, though he hadn’t seen her yet.

“What are you thinking about?” Sabrina asked, running a long red fingernail around his nipple.

“You don’t want to know.”

“Of course I do,” she said, leaning over and tonguing that same nipple.

His response was instant. Dipping her eyes to his erection, she laughed, then surrounded it with her hand.

For several moments their grunts of satisfaction were the only sounds in the room.

Afterward, Keith got up and walked across to the window, where the blinds were open. He stared out into the inky blackness, but he couldn’t see a thing, not even a star.

“I know something’s bothering you, so you might as well get it off your chest.”

He swung around and faced Sabrina. The lamp burning in the corner of the room allowed him to see that her attractive features were marred by a frown.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to move in with me.”

“Why?” she demanded bluntly.

“Robin, for one.”

“She’s grown, Keith. She’ll understand.”

“No, she won’t, nor will her mother.”

“Ah, now we’re getting to the crux of the matter.”

He jammed his jaws together, not liking her sarcastic tone one iota. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He knew, of course, but he was stalling for time before saying what he’d needed to say for a long time but simply hadn’t had the guts to. He still wanted to ball Sabrina, but he wasn’t interested in her continuing to monopolize all his time. He was ready to spread his joy around.

“You know what it means,” she snapped. “Your daughter’s becoming more important than me.” She paused. “I thought we were in love.”

“Don’t make me choose between you and Robin.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “You can be a first-class bastard when you want to.”

He merely shrugged.

“What brought this change about? You haven’t always been so high on your bratty daughter.”

His eyes narrowed. “I suggest you watch your mouth.”

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll boot your ass out of my life so fast it’ll make your head spin.”

Sabrina scrambled off the bed and glared at him. “It looks like you’re already doing that.”

He shrugged again.

“This sudden interest in your daughter doesn’t by chance have anything to do with your ex being back in town?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Oh?” She laughed a hysterical laugh, then fumbled to put on her clothes and stormed out.

Five

Somehow she had survived the past week, as well as the weekend.

It wasn’t the candy shop that had her in a snit but the fact that Robin had indeed spent the weekend with her dad.

But in truth, it hadn’t been quite the traumatic ordeal she had expected. Perhaps it was because the drill team had performed on Friday evening and Robin had been perfect, or at least Janey had thought so. She had sat with several other mothers whose husbands weren’t available for various reasons.

Still, Janey had been relieved when Robin had walked into the house last night. Thank goodness Janey hadn’t had to see her ex-husband. In fact, she hadn’t seen him since she’d returned to Hunter, which was more than fine with her. That wasn’t the case, however, with her daughter.

“Dad asked about you,” Robin had said the second she dropped her satchel on the sofa.

Janey had kept her voice even. “That’s nice.”

Robin pursed her lips. “You don’t intend to cut him any slack, do you?”

“Robin, please, this is not the time to discuss your dad and me.”

“Just when is the time, then?” Robin asked. “You never want to talk about him.”

“That’s right, I don’t.”

“I just don’t understand why you ever split up. I thought you were happy.”

“We were, in a lot of ways, but…” Janey’s voice played out but her determination did not. “Sweetheart, we’ve already been over this subject and nothing has changed. Sometimes things just happen and two people stop loving each other.”

“I think Dad still loves you.”

“Trust me, he doesn’t,” Janey said, unable to contain the bitterness. Then, changing the subject, she added, “By the way, you were the best Friday night. You didn’t miss a beat.” She smiled, then walked over and hugged her daughter. “I was so proud of you.”

As if Robin realized the subject of her mom and dad was closed, she pulled back and smiled. “You really think I did good? And looked good?”

“Absolutely, to both. In fact, I wanted to stand up and yell to everyone that you were my daughter.”

Robin groaned. “Thank heavens you contained yourself.”

Janey’s lips twitched. “And your friend Chad was good, too.”

“Man, was he ever. He’s the reason we won the game.”

“Actually, all of you did your part to bring about the win.”

“Even Mr. Reed was pepped up. He came onto the field as excited as I’ve ever seen him.” Robin’s face and voice suddenly turned anxious. “Darn it, I just wish Chad would call me.”

“He will, darling. You’ll see.”

Robin grabbed her stuff and headed for her bedroom. “He’d better, that’s all I can say. ’Night, Mom.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Janey placed a finger against her cheek.

“Sorry.” Robin crossed back to Janey and kissed her where the finger had been. “See you in the morning.” She paused. “Oh, by the way, Dad wants to take me to dinner one night this week.”

Now, as Janey flipped the shop sign to Open, her thoughts remained on Robin and Keith. She was beginning to question her good judgment in returning to Hunter.

The thought of her daughter spending too much time with Keith made her crazy. It wasn’t that Keith had been a bad parent to Robin, because he hadn’t. He had simply been a bad husband, which had left Janey embittered. She would admit that. And, she was jealous of Robin and Keith’s relationship. She would also admit that.

If Keith had wanted to continue to be with his daughter, then he shouldn’t have broken up the marriage.

The buzzer sounded as the door opened. Relieved that she was rescued from her thoughts, Janey smiled and said, “Good morning, Penny.”

Penny Giles didn’t return her smile or her greeting. Uh-oh, Janey thought as the rail-thin woman walked up to the counter and plopped down a sack. “I’m returning this candy.”

“Why is that?”

“It wasn’t the right kind.”

“I have no problem taking it back, as long as you didn’t open it.”

Penny gave her an incredulous look, then snapped, “Of course I opened it. I ate a bite, too. That’s how I knew I’d bought the wrong kind and that I didn’t like it.”

Janey didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Dealing with the public could be a nightmare. But, on the other hand, it could also be a hoot. She never knew what a day would bring. However, a few customers like this one made her want to put a permanent Closed sign on the door.

“Penny, you know I can’t return your money under those circumstances.” Janey’s tone was firm but gentle.

Penny’s lips tightened. “Well, I don’t see why not. You’re supposed to stand behind your product.”

“And I do. If the candy itself was bad, then there wouldn’t be any question, but—”

“Forget it!” Penny grabbed her sack and headed for the door.

Just as she flounced out, another lady walked in.

“Oh, boy, this is going to be one of those days,” Janey muttered.

Hazel Bishop, her part-time helper, gave Janey a perplexed look. “What was that all about?”

“I’ll tell you, but you won’t believe it.”

“When it comes to the public, honey, I’ll believe anything. I’ve worked in retail longer than I care to admit.”

It was that expertise that had landed Hazel the job in the shop. Besides that, she was a neat lady. Though gray haired and round as a silver dollar, she never seemed to run out of energy. She was a widow in her early sixties who needed a little extra cash to supplement her income. When she’d applied, Janey had known instantly that she was the right one.

Janey hadn’t been wrong.

“So tell me,” Hazel said into the silence. “I can’t wait to hear.”

When Janey explained what had happened, Hazel merely shook her head. “This world has more nuts in it than this candy shop.”

Janey laughed out loud. “I doubt that particular nut will ever come back.”

“Ah, forget her. The likes of her are not worth worrying about. Besides, we have too much work to do.”

And work they did. While Janey ran the front, Hazel unpacked several cartons of candy in the back room, then filed the invoices.

The day passed without further incidents. However, Janey couldn’t say that it had been a lucrative one. Business was slow all the way to closing time.

After sending Hazel home, she was about to lock up when another car drove up. It was her old friend Gwen Hopson.

“Get in here, lady,” Janey said, giving her an enthusiastic hug.

It seemed as if she’d always known Gwen, although they hadn’t spent much time together since her return. She couldn’t have made it through her divorce without the woman. Divorced herself, Gwen had managed to cross that minefield with surprisingly few wounds. But then, she hadn’t had children.

Gwen was short and thin with dark hair. And while she wasn’t pretty in the conventional sense, she had an infectious personality and grin. She was a social worker for the local hospital, a job to which she was perfectly suited.

“I’m not even going to come in,” Gwen said, standing just outside the door.

“Pray tell, why not?”

“I want to avoid temptation, but I heard something at work today I thought you ought to know about.”

Janey frowned. “Bad news?”

“Well, it could be—let me put it that way.”

“Shoot,” Janey said.

“Word has it that a candy store’s opening in the mall.”

“Oh, no,” Janey cried, feeling her spirits take a nosedive.

“Now, don’t push the panic button yet,” Gwen advised. “You know how rumors are.”

“Don’t I ever,” Janey said bitterly.

“Hey, don’t let it get you down. If it happens, just consider it another bump in the road that you have to get past.”

“But I’m getting awfully tired of those bumps, my friend.”

Gwen gave her a hug, then said, “I know. Look, I gotta run now. I’ll call you.”

Thirty minutes later, Janey was upstairs in her bathtub, surrounded by lavender-scented bubbles. But she couldn’t relax, despite the tranquil atmosphere. Her insides were wound tighter than a spool of wire.

What next?

Since she had moved back, her life had been anything but easy. If Gwen’s news turned out to be fact rather than rumor, then she was in trouble. As it was, Sweet Dreams was barely turning a profit. If it hadn’t been for Robin’s child support, she would be dipping into her sparse savings. And if business didn’t pick up, she would soon have to do that, anyway, because Robin’s child support would stop when she turned eighteen.

Still, Janey was determined to count her blessings and not her disasters. Robin was well-adjusted in school, making good grades and having a ball to boot. As long as that was the case, Janey could continue to tread her troubled waters and survive.

Thinking of Robin and school suddenly brought Dillon Reed back to mind. While idly scooping a handful of bubbles, Janey admitted to herself that his lean, hard body as he’d strolled into the shop that day had caught her attention.

And seeing him again at the restaurant had apparently kept it, she realized now, recalling how he’d looked and smelled. Suddenly Janey fought the urge to sink her head under the water to cleanse her mind of such craziness.

Thinking about Dillon Reed in those terms could turn into a real problem—a problem she didn’t need.

“Okay, what do you think?”

Janey angled her head. “Mmm, let’s see.”

“Mom! You’re supposed to tell me I look smashing.”

“Okay, you look smashing.”

“But you’re supposed to mean it.”

The teasing glint in Janey’s eyes increased. “Oh, honey, you look better than smashing. You look breathtaking.”

Robin blew out a breath. “I just hope Chad thinks so.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. This is just a date to get a cola, a date that I should have said no to. Even now, I can’t believe I didn’t.”

“That’s because you’re a good mom.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Janey said with mock severity.

As a rule, Robin never went out on school nights unless it was to a school function. But when Chad had asked her out yesterday for tonight and Robin had begged to go, Janey had caved in.

“So mind you, young lady, this is an exception. Don’t let midweek dates become habit-forming. School before play.”

“Speaking of school, have you heard?”

“Heard what?”

“About the break-in. Two guys practically destroyed the chemistry lab the other week.”

“Oh, dear, I hadn’t heard. Do you think they were on drugs?”

Robin lifted her shoulders. “Who knows? But I’m here to tell you that Dil—uh, Mr. Reed was hopping mad.”

“I’m sure he was.”

Robin faced the mirror again and fiddled with a piece of hair. “And since then, he and the assistant principal have been stalking the halls.”

Janey sighed. “It’s getting to where I’m afraid to even let you go to school.”

Robin rolled her eyes, her trademark gesture when things weren’t to her liking.

Just then, the doorbell chimed. Robin’s hand flew to her heart. “Oh, my God, he’s here. Are you sure I look all right?”

Janey hid a smile, then shook her head. “Calm down or you’re going to hyperventilate.”

“I’m calm. I’m calm.”

The instant Janey opened the door and Chad Burnette walked through it, something about the young man put Janey on the defensive.

As Robin had said, he was good-looking—model material, endowed with a body made to play any sport. And he was polite, too, extending his hand to Janey immediately and saying that he was pleased to meet her.

Still, there was something about him that didn’t sit well with Janey. Maybe it was the look he gave her daughter, followed by the arm he slung around her shoulders. Both actions appeared territorial, as if he were staking a claim.

Janey strove to override those feelings, but she couldn’t. She could always count on her gut instincts; so far they hadn’t failed her. At the moment, they were screaming at her. She considered telling Robin she couldn’t go. But she couldn’t embarrass her daughter that way, even if Robin would forgive her—which she wouldn’t.

She would just have to tough it out and pray that this one time her instincts were wrong.

“You kids have fun,” she said, trying to hide her anxiousness. “But be careful.”

Robin took her adoring eyes off Chad and faced Janey. “We will, Mom.”

“Be home by nine o’clock and not a minute later,” Janey added.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Mayfield. I’ll have her back.”

Chad’s words should have reassured her, but they didn’t.

Six

Dillon patted his mare on the neck. “Come on, girl, let’s head back to the barn.”

He’d been working with Dandi all Saturday morning, something he did most every weekend and on the rare afternoons when he could sneak away from his office a little early.

On this particular morning, he was really enjoying his outing. Since the unsolved break-in at the school and other teacher problems heaped on top of that, he’d been tense. Now he felt some of the stress ease out of his body, leaving him relaxed.

Dismounting at the barn a few minutes later, Dillon shoved his hat back, wiped his brow, then lifted his head heavenward. He was ready for fall. Here it was the beginning of September, but so far no cool weather or rain. Both were needed, but as far as the eye could see, there were no clouds.

Soon, though, summer would ease into fall, and the huge oaks, maples, and sundry other trees would flaunt their foliage like bright pieces of ribbon flowing gracefully in the wind. A sight to behold.

And, cooler weather went hand in hand with football, his favorite sport. The home game last weekend had gone off without a hitch. In fact, he couldn’t have asked for it to have gone smoother. On the whole, the kids had been well behaved. Only a few minor incidents had cropped up, which his assistant had taken care of. Not only had the football team done exceptionally well, but so had the cheerleaders, band and drill team.