Risky Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page A

you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to my friend. Otherwise, he’ll think
I’m some rude bastard.”
    Once
outside, Jayne took a deep breath and heaved a huge sigh of relief. That wasn’t
the right way to make a good first impression. She’d screwed up majorly. She
nearly smacked herself in the head for being so damned stupid. It was too late
to do anything about it. She’d have to suck it up and move on.
    ****
    “It
isn’t funny,” Keith said.
    “It
so is! I bet she got an eyeful when she opened that bedroom door.” Tom laughed
and patted the spot on the bed next to him. “Come back to bed and forget about
it. You’re taking this much too seriously.”
    “I
take my reputation very serious. I live here all year around. You’re new and
most likely just passing through.” He sat on the edge of the bed. Tom didn’t
understand his predicament.
    “First,
you don’t know my plans for the future. I might stay, and I don’t think you
have to worry about her. She’s not going to say anything about us.”
    Tom’s
reassuring words did little to comfort him, but it was a nice gesture. He hoped
that Tom would stay around. “Let’s hope you’re right about that.”
    “Have
faith. What would she gain by blabbing?”
    “Nothing at all.”
    “Exactly. Now come back
to bed.”
    As
good as Tom’s offer sounded, he couldn’t. “I can’t. I have to shower. I have
things to do.” Keith pulled off his clothes. “You can join me if you like.”
    Tom
grinned. “Now that’s an invitation I’d never refuse. Lead on, sexy!”

Chapter Four
     
    Everything
around Jayne was pretty much as she’d left it since the last time she’d been
there. The upkeep on the place was well worth the money she paid from what she
saw.
    Jayne
walked room to room before settling in one of the two bedrooms to pack her
things away. The air was a tad stale, but she solved that by opening a nearby
window to let in a cool breeze.
    Back
in the living room, she placed her laptop on the desk and turned it on. A brief
check of her email revealed nothing other than a few messages in her spam
folder. Much to her delight there were a couple of emails from fans too. This
made up for the crappy spam. She loved hearing from readers, and she valued
their often constructive feedback. After dinner, she’d get to work on the book.
But for now, she had to head back into Pine Bluff. If her property manager was
going to come around at some point today, she needed to be back at the house
before his arrival. He’d looked so flustered with that whole mess at his house.
Jayne wondered what it was like for him having to hide his true self like that.
Keeping secrets was hard for anyone. She pitied him.
    The
ride back into Pine Bluff helped clear her mind, and in less than twenty
minutes, she was dead center in the middle of town parked in front of one of
two supermarkets located there. The building was small and certainly a
throwback to a much simpler time. This was small-town America at its best.
Green’s Market carried a mix of just about everything. It’s was perfect for
Jayne’s one stop and shop plan.
    Inside
a myriad of smells overtook her senses. Jayne pushed a small shopping cart down
each aisle as she selected what she needed, but it was the bakery that caused
her to stop and browse the glass display case filled with many cakes, cookies,
and cupcakes.
    “Well
now, look who’s back in town,” Miriam Jenkins said
greeting her. A smile formed across her red painted lips as she straightened
her crisp white apron over her more than ample bosom.
    “I
arrived today,” Jayne replied. She’d met Miriam just after she’d bought the
house up here. She liked the older woman even if she did tend to pry at times.
“I’m in desperate need of something decadent with chocolate. You know how much
I love everything you have here.” It was the truth. Jayne had an extreme
weakness for sweets of all varieties.
    “Everything
is fresh, but I recommend these.”