Free Make it Hot by Gwyneth Bolton Page A

had a nice side yard with a swing and slide for the kids. Like the majority of the houses on the block, it was a Cape Cod–style house, and the inside was deceptively larger than it appeared on the outside. They had just upgraded their aluminum siding and the house was now a forest-green color that stood out among the white and yellow homes around it.
    “Girl, please, you aren’t even Madonna’s type, and you know I got dibs on Denzel as soon as Pauletta is done with him, so you best stick with Slim Shady.” Samantha laughed, and Jenny joined her after trying and failing to keep her irritated expression in tact.
    “So what has your mind? Did your mom call or something?”
    Samantha shook her head. “No, she didn’t, and it’s nothing really. You know how it is.”
    “Yeah, I know how it is, and the only time you’ll catch me staring into space and looking all crazy eyed is when I’m thinking about my man and the loving he put on me the night before.” Jenny shut her eyes for a moment as if she were having a memory, then she opened them with a teasing grin on her face. “And since we both know you don’t have a man right now, and you’re about to let one hell of a fine one slip away, what has your head all tripping?”
    “Nada.”
    “Nada, my behind. Come on and ’fess up.”
    “Did I say nada? I meant, nonna. As in nonna yo’ business….”
    “Oh, I got your nonna, all right. I’ve fed you and you’ve been ignoring me for the past half hour. You gotta give me something on general principle. It’s the least you can do.”
    “Mmm…whatever. The meals come high around here. Next time I’ll stay my butt home.” Samantha started laughing when she saw the sulking look on Jenny’s face.
    That woman knew she was nosy.
    Deciding she might as well tell her friend about the grocery-store incident, Samantha spilled her guts, strategically leaving out the part about the kiss. She could just imagine how Jenny would react to that morsel of information.
    “Girl! Why didn’t you invite that man to come over here with you to get some food? You know you ain’t right. Leaving that fine specimen to some frozen TV dinners. Plus, it would have given me an up front and personal seat to y’alls’ little soap opera.” Jenny actually pouted.
    “It’s bad enough I have to wait until Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to get recaps from you. The one time I could have seen the interaction for myself, you denied me.”
    “This is hardly about you, Jenny.”
    “Clearly.” She pursed her lips in contemplation. “Well, I can tell you this. I don’t want to have to plead and beg for any information come Monday. As soon as his appointment is over, I’m coming into your office, and I want the complete blow by blow. I can’t believe you could have invited him to the cookout and didn’t. You know you like the man. I don’t know why you’re tripping.”
    Samantha sighed. “What part of ‘it’s unprofessional to date your patients’ do you not understand?”
    “Oh, poo-poo to you and your professionalism. Your professionalism won’t keep you warm come winter. It might be a scorching summer now, and you might think you’re too hot to trot to put your heart on the line, but I bet you this winter you’re gonna wish you had a man as fine as Joel Hightower to snuggle up to.”
    “You’re so crazy, Jenny. I don’t see how Walt puts up with you.”
    “Mark my words. If you don’t give that man a chance, you are going to regret it. You’re regretting it now. That’s why you’ve been staring out into space all day. You were thinking, man, I should have invited Joel to come with me. ”
    Samantha twisted up her lips in a frown.
    “Mmm, hmm—” Jenny started.
    “What are you two in here scheming and plotting about now?” Walt came into the den with Cynthia and Walter Jr. in tow.
    The youngest, Walter Jr., went immediately to his mother’s lap, and the little diva Cynthia sat down next to Samantha on the