The Wives of Beverly Row 1: Lust Has a New Address Read Online Free PDF

surface and began to heat it up with a little butter. She stirred the sugar over a low heat until it began to melt into a delicate caramel. As it melted she grabbed half a dozen eggs from the fridge and cracked them into a mixing bowl. She beat them lightly with a whisk, folding in some more sugar, whole milk, and a special vanilla essence that her mother had brought from Mexico. She grabbed an orange and grated a little zest into the mixture and leaned over to smell it. The orange mixed with the vanilla always reminded her of her childhood. This was the recipe her mother had used to make flan on her birthdays as a child. Something about it made her feel happy and safe. She took the skillet from the heat and poured the caramel into a molded pan and swished it around, coating the mold. She poured the egg mixture in on top of the carmel and put it in the oven.
    *
    Z OLA FELT A LITTLE NERVOUS as she walked up to Ariel’s front door with the flan on a tray in front of her. When Ariel opened the door, Zola just stood there, looking up at her.
    “Zola,” Ariel said, “I wasn’t expecting you.”
    “I know,” Zola said, “I just, I wanted to bring you something.”
    “Oh,” Ariel said, taking the tray, “You didn’t have to do that.”
    “Yes, I did,” Zola said.
    Ariel looked at the flan and inhaled the fragrance of it. “This looks really delicious. You have to come in and have a slice with me.”
    “Oh, I didn’t want to intrude,” Zola said. “I just wanted to drop this off and say thank you for what you did the other day.”
    *
    A RIEL WAS SO SURPRISED AND relieved she almost burst into tears. She’d felt certain that she’d blown her chances of having any kind of friendship with Zola and her other neighbors after what she’d done at the party. Now, here was Zola with a fresh flan, thanking her for what she’d done. Ariel felt so much relief it overcame her.
    She gathered herself and led Zola through to the kitchen and put some water on for coffee.
    “I’m really sorry I created that scene at your house the other day,” Ariel said.
    “Don’t apologize,” Zola said. “I’ve been married to Jake for two years. I couldn’t tell you the amount of times he’s tried to humiliate me in front of people. He’s done some things that would really shock you, Ariel. And do you know how many times someone said something to him about it? Exactly zero.”
    Ariel nodded. “Well, I’ve been feeling horrible about it. It’s really not like me to create a scene like that, especially at someone’s home. I’ve had knots in my stomach over it.”
    “Well, you really shouldn’t. You did the right thing. It’s the others who should feel bad. You stood up for me and that took a lot of courage. My husband’s a bully and he’s never been an easy man to live with.”
    “And I was afraid I might have made that worse by what I’d done.”
    “Nonsense,” Zola said. “It did Jake a world of good to hear that. He might not have liked what you said but I’ve noticed that he’s been a little bit easier to live with since you stood up to him.”
    “Well, that’s good.”
    “Not completely better, but enough to make a difference.”
    “I’m glad.”
    “I’m glad too,” Zola said, smiling.
    Ariel got up and made the coffee and served it with two slices of Zola’s flan.
    “Thank you so much for bringing this over.”
    “My mother’s recipe.”
    “It’s delicious,” Ariel said, and it really was. “Was the party ruined after I left?”
    “Sort of,” Zola said, “but that wasn’t your fault. It was my husband’s. And besides, I hate it when his buddies come over.”
    “He said they’re business partners.”
    “They’re not business partners,” Zola said, a serious look crossing her face. “They’re anything but that.”
    “Who are they, then?”
    “Well, let’s just say, they’re involved in the same sort of practices that my husband likes to get involved with.”
    “What sort of