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All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Design: Vivian Vincent

Love, Lust and Passion © 2009 Vivian Vincent

eXcessica publishing

All rights reserved

Love, Lust and Passion

By Vivian Vincent

REUNITED

My husband left me over a year ago, and I’m finally getting on with my life. I've had friends try to set up blind dates for me, but I always graciously declined. I simply wasn't ready to get into the whole dating thing again. A few co-workers called me up one night and coaxed me into coming out with them. They promised me they wouldn't try to set me up with anyone.

"I won't take no for an answer," Amy told me.

"Fine, I'll be there," I replied, not given any other choice.

Amy said dress was casual, so I threw on a pair of jeans, a nice shirt, and a pullover sweater. I figured if it was too hot in the place we were going to, I could always remove the sweater. I brushed out my long brown hair and touched up my makeup.

I headed out the door and slipped, but didn't fall, on a patch of ice in front of my house as I was walking to my car. I got in the car and started it to let it warm up for a few minutes. I ran back inside to get some rock salt to put down on the ice so I wouldn't slip again. My cell phone rang as I was walking back out of the house.

"Hello?"

"Hi, sweetie," the voice on the other end said.

"Oh. Hi Mom. How's it going?"

"Not bad. Your dad's got a cold and he's making me more miserable than he is." She let out a quiet chuckle. "Are you still planning to come up here this weekend?"

"Yeah. I'm probably leaving sometime tomorrow. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"Nope, just yourself. I have a surprise for you when you get here."

"Mom, don't tell me you tried to set me up with your neighbor's son again— "

"No. I promised I wouldn't interfere in your love life again. Trust me, you'll like this surprise."

"Okay, Mom. I gotta go, I'm meeting some of the girls from work." I heard my call waiting beep on my cell phone.

"Well, have fun sweetie. See you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you, too, mom. And love to dad. Bye." I pressed the send button on my phone to answer the other call.

"Hello?"

"Where ya at, girl?" Amy asked.

"Just leaving now, my mom called and you know how that goes."

"Yeah, I know. Okay, see ya when ya get here."

"Bye.”

I wasn't really too fond of bars, they were dark, noisy and smoky, but since Amy said she wouldn't take no for an answer, I had no choice. Despite my protests, she'd come to my house and drag me out. I walked in and it was pretty crowded for a Thursday night. I looked around for Amy and saw her over in a corner booth sitting with Debbie and Kim. There were two other women sitting with her who I didn't recognize. She waved me over.

"Andie, I'm so glad you made it!" Amy smiled and gave me a hug.

The other girls greeted me and said it was good to see me getting out with them. I took off my coat and hung it over the back of the chair and sat down next to Amy.

"Oh, this is Sue and Bonnie, they work with my brother." Amy motioned to the girls I didn't recognize. "This is Andrea."

"Nice to meet, you. Call me Andie," I said as I shook their hands.

Everyone but Amy had gotten up to go dance and the two of us sat there quietly sipping our drinks. I’d ordered a Diet Coke since I was driving and I’d heard the weather report earlier in the day had called for more snow.

I didn't really want to be there anyway. Amy and I talked for most of the time I was there—more like shouted—and after about an hour and a half, I was ready to leave. Debbie and Kim had returned to their seats table and were trying to coax me out onto the dance floor with them.

"There's some hot guys out there," Debbie said as she nudged me.

"I'm fine, I just don't feel like dancin' tonight."

She shrugged and headed back out to the floor with Kim.

A guy had come over and asked Amy to dance, so I was left by myself for a few minutes. My thoughts drifted to my plans with mom and dad this weekend. It was early November but already we'd had a good amount of snowfall and they couldn't get things done like they used to, so I was going up there for a few days to help them clear the snow off the driveway and get some things done around the house. I also wondered what exactly the surprise was my mother had waiting for me. I was snapped out of my daydreams by someone tapping my shoulder.

"Would you like to dance?"

"No, thanks." My refusal didn't seem to bother him too much, he headed to the next table and asked another girl.

A few more guys asked me if I wanted to dance and I politely turned them down. I wasn't really in the mood to get groped and fondled by a complete stranger. Amy came back to the table, fanning herself and by this point I’d pulled my sweater off, also. It was really hot in the bar and all I wanted to do was go home. I was getting a headache from all the loud music and my eyes stung from the smoke.

I pulled my sweater back on and started getting ready to leave as the rest of the girls came back to the table.

"You're leaving already?" Kim asked.

"Yeah. You know bars ain't my thing. I'm gonna head home.”

She got a pouty look on her face and said goodbye. She hugged me then headed back out to the dance floor. Debbie took a sip of her drink and got up to give me a hug, then headed back to the dance floor behind Kim.

"Thanks for coming out, even if it was just for a little while." Amy pulled me into a hug. "See ya at work on Monday! Have fun at your parents' this weekend.” She grinned and winked before she returned to her seat.

"Wait, what was that wink for?"

"When your mom called the office today and I talked to her for a bit before I transferred her over to you. She told me what your surprise is." Her grin widened.

"Oh great! Does everyone but me know?"

"You're gonna love it, trust me. Have a great weekend, Andie." She stood and hugged me again.

"Talk to you later." I turned and headed for the door.

* * * *

I got home and got undressed and slipped into my pajamas which consisted of a pair of my ex-husband's old boxer shorts and an old t-shirt. I wondered for awhile exactly what my surprise from my mother was. I really hoped she didn't try to fix me up with another man. I wish everyone would leave me alone about my love life. I'm happy the way things are right now.

I walked out of the bedroom and headed to the kitchen. I fixed some popcorn and popped a movie into the DVD player. I pulled the afghan up over me and before the movie was even half over, I fell asleep. I woke up a few hours later, took the uneaten bowl of popcorn and put it in the sink and went to bed. I woke up the next morning to my phone ringing.

"Hello?" My voice was groggy and I tried to get focused on the clock on the nightstand.

"I didn't wake you did I?" my mother asked me with concern in her voice.

"Yeah, Mom. What time is it?"

"It's almost noon. When are you coming up?"

"I gotta get a shower and pack. I should be there by about four.”

"OK, sweetie, see you later."

"Bye, Mom."

I got out of bed and went to the kitchen to fix some coffee. I pulled my coffee mug out of the cupboard and took the bowl of popcorn and dumped it in the garbage. I went into the bathroom and turned on the water for a shower. As I felt the water get warmer, I got out of my pajamas and stepped into the shower, pulling the door closed behind me. The steamy water felt good as it ran down my body.

I cleaned up and washed my hair. I pulled a towel off the bar and laid it on the floor before I got out of the shower and took the other and dried off, then wrapped my head with it as I walked into the bedroom to get dressed. I came out to the kitchen, set my suitcase by the door and poured myself some coffee and sat down at the table, staring blankly at the wall and started thinking about my life.

Jerry, my ex-husband, and I had met in college. We only dated a few times, but it was at a friend's party one night about a year after we met when we started to get serious and eventually fell in love and got married. We were planning on moving to Georgia to be closer to his parents, but that never happened. He'd fly out there almost every weekend to be with them and soon the weekend trips became week long trips.

He came home after one of his trips and said he'd ran into an old girlfriend and he wanted to pick up where they'd left off. We parted amicably, but the pain of our break-up was still difficult to deal with. I stayed in Michigan and kept the house and pretty much closed myself off from the dating world.

I found myself thinking more and more about my old high school boyfriend, Jack and wondered what he was up to these days. He was one of those guys everyone liked and never had a mean thing to say about anyone. When we dated in school, we'd never slept together, but I fell hard for him. We’d agreed since we were going to college in different states, it’d be best to split up. He’d met another girl while he was away at college and when he graduated, he came back to run the family business with his dad. After his dad died, he turned the business over to his sisters and moved out of Michigan.

When I called to invite him to my wedding, he declined saying he could never forgive himself if he said something to stop the wedding. He moved around a lot, never settling in one place for very long before he was gone again. He wrote to me constantly and finally settled in Boston where he started his own business. He'd told me one day he'd met someone and he was getting married, and while I was happily married myself, my heart was breaking knowing I once again let him get away.

For months, I didn't hear from him. Then I got a letter from him apologizing for not keeping in touch. I sent him back a letter with my cell phone number. Jerry was insanely jealous and if he'd known I was talking—even just friendly conversation—to my high school sweetheart, he would’ve divorced me on the spot. Jack would call me from time to time along with writing, and three years ago, we even met for coffee one day while he was in town, but afterwards, the phone calls and letters stopped abruptly and I lost track of him.

I finished my coffee, placed the mug in the sink and headed out the door. It was a long trip and I wanted to get there before it got too late.

* * * *

As I drove up to my parents' house, I found myself suddenly thinking about Jack again. His bright blue eyes always made me weak in the knees. When I pulled into the driveway, I noticed the snow had been shoveled and someone had applied rock salt to the sidewalk and porch. I parked in front of the old garage which’d been converted into a guest house and grabbed my purse and suitcase out of the backseat.