Past Regrets: Love and Friendship, Book 2 Read Free

questions.
    “What time does your mother’s club close?” Christina asked.
    “Normally around four in the morning, earlier if there are no customers. Why?”
    Christina’s eyes gleamed behind her glasses. “We should visit. It’s a perfect assignment for the Tight Five.” She referred to their group, the name taken from a rugby term where five players bound in a tight formation to face the opposition team. They were like that. Four women and one man—friends—who used to work together at the accountancy firm and who maintained the friendship away from the job.
    “A strip club?” Doubt skittered over Susan’s freckled face. “Oh no, I couldn’t.”
    “I think it’s a great idea,” Maggie said. “Christina’s right. This is a Tight Five situation. Well, four anyway since Connor isn’t here.”
    “Why?” Julia scanned her friends, studying their expressions. Christina continued to look mischievous. Clear excitement had Maggie beaming in a toothy manner while Susan’s brow knit with plain horror.
    Christina made a tsking sound at the back of her throat, as if it should be obvious. “So we can come up with an action plan to help your mother, of course.”
    “Before Connor gets back,” Maggie reminded them, jumping to her feet. “I’ll order a cab.” She rifled through the contents of her handbag. “Bother, where is my stupid phone?”
    “You just want to give Connor a reason to spank you,” Julia said.
    “He’s perfectly able to come up with reasons by himself,” Maggie said cheerfully. “I don’t have a single problem with our sex life.”
    “Please keep your satisfaction a bit muted,” Christina said in disgust, although naughtiness remained in her eyes. “Some of us don’t have a sex life.”
    “Yeah,” Susan said, taking a quick sip of her wine.
    “Is there an echo in the room?” Maggie taunted.
    “Hell, yeah,” Christina said. “We’re both plain jealous.”
    Susan gave an emphatic nod. “Damn straight we are.”
    Julia picked up a carrot stick and crunched down, not bothering to voice her opinion. A sex life was more trouble than anything. Every time she thought of sex, she thought of Ryan, and she didn’t need a reminder of the rat, thank-you-very-much. The last failure in a long line of sexy bad boys—man could she pick ’em.
    “Julia?” Christina waved her hands in an attempt to get her attention.
    Julia’s head jerked and she blinked. “What?”
    Maggie stabbed her cell phone with her forefinger. “The cab will be here in ten minutes. Drink lively, ladies.”
    Julia found herself swept from Maggie’s apartment in a determined storm of friends. They piled into the cab, a bit tipsy from margaritas and wine.
    “Give the driver the address, Julia,” Christina said.
    “Are we sure this is a good idea?” Susan asked.
    “Think of it this way, Susan,” Maggie said. “When you’re at the Farmer Wants a Wife interviews, you’ll have something novel to discuss with your farmer.”
    “I won’t get past the first round,” Susan said.
    “Then I’m gonna beat your ass,” Christina announced, almost crowing. “Because I intend to go all the way, baby. I’m gonna score me a sexy-hot farmer husband.”
    Susan opened and closed her mouth. “Dang, I’m slipping. I’m doing that negative, judgmental thing again.” She took a deep breath. “This will be a fun adventure. Does anyone have a notebook? I can take notes so we don’t forget anything.”
    “How long since you stripped, Julia?” Maggie asked from the front seat.
    “I haven’t done any since I finished my secretarial courses.” She glared at the driver when his gaze met hers in the rearview mirror. “I didn’t need to work for my mother once I graduated and found a job.”
    And she couldn’t wait to get away from the score of uncles who paraded through her mother’s bedroom. The touchy feely ones had scared her, but she was uncomfortably aware she’d inherited her mother’s appalling lack of