Free The Wives of Beverly Row 5: Lust Has a New Address by Abby Weeks

mean helping your friend out.”
    “You’ll do it?”
    “Whatever you want,” Gabe said. “I’m in. I know you wouldn’t ask if it didn’t mean a lot to you.”
    “It does mean a lot to me,” Ariel said.
    “Alright then.”
    “Gabe,” Ariel said, the tone in her voice changing slightly.
    “Yes?”
    “Thank you.”
    “It’s the least I can do,” Gabe said.
    Ariel put down the phone. She couldn’t believe it. Gabe was in. Now all she needed to do was iron out the details of her plan. She knew she’d be able to lure Jake into anything. All she had to do was have sex with him and he’d trust her about anything. He didn’t know Zola had a problem with the way things were. He didn’t even know Zola had told her friends how desperate she was.
    “Becky,” she called down the stairs.
    Becky came up immediately. “So?” she said. “Can I go?”
    “Your dad said you wouldn’t be missing any school.”
    “Yeah, I won’t. I promise. We have a day off that Monday.”
    “And you’ll get all your homework done?”
    “Every single bit of it,” Becky said.
    Becky was clearly getting more excited by the second. Now that she knew she was allowed to go to the concert she was thrilled.
    “Well then, I don’t see any problem with a girl spending a few days with her father.”
    Becky ran over to the bed and gave her mother a huge hug. “Thanks, mom.”
    Ariel hugged her back. She loved making her daughter happy. It felt so good. If only everything in life was as simple and pure as the love she felt for her daughter.
    “Becky,” she said.
    “Yes, mom.”
    “Can I ask you something personal?”
    Becky looked at her a little skeptically. “Depends,” she said.
    “Are things over between you and Kyle?”
    Becky looked at the glass door leading to the balcony. She’d have been able to see Kyle’s house from the balcony if she went outside. “I think so, mom.”
    “How come?”
    “Things were moving a little too fast. We decided it would be better if we were just friends.”
    Ariel gave Becky another big hug. “I’m so glad to hear that,” she said. “I wanted you to be my baby for a little bit longer.”

X
    T HE NEXT DAY WHEN ARIEL got out of the shower she was as determined as she’d ever been about anything in her life. She shaved her legs and armpits and took extra care shaving her vagina. She was leaving nothing to chance. She put expensive lotion on every part of her body, her best perfume, she even colored her hair. She spent over half an hour on her makeup. She put on the sexiest underwear she owned, a pure black silk bra with matching panties. Then she picked up her phone and sent a message to Jake.
    —Busy?
    She pressed send and waited for the reply. It didn’t take long, just a few minutes.
    —Not too busy to see you.
    She replied immediately.
    —Want to buy me a cup of coffee?
    Thirty minutes later she was entering the coffee shop Jake had suggested. It was on the UCLA campus. Jake was already there and when she walked in he stood up to greet her. He kissed her on the cheek and helped her into her seat.
    “You look ravishing,” he said.
    “You’re such a flirt,” she said, blatantly being a flirt herself.
    “I’m just being honest.”
    She looked up at the chalkboard containing the menu.
    “What can I get you?” Jake said.
    “How about an Americano?”
    Jake got up and came back a minute later with two Americanos. Ariel watched him. She didn’t like his demeanor. He was cocky, self-assured, arrogant. Apart from that though, she did have to admit that he was a very good-looking man. She could see why Zola would have fallen for him. He was rich, confident, attractive. That combination could have a powerful effect on a girl like Zola, someone who was seeking to make a better life for herself.
    “So,” Jake said as he took his seat, “to what do I owe the pleasure of this little date?”
    “Is this a date?” Ariel said, playfully. She looked around the cafe. Students were