Page 1 of Landry

Chapter 1

Camille Catoire flung herself into the empty chair beside her best friend, Gisele, and grabbed the cocktail napkin from beneath her empty wine glass. The Crawdad Hole Bar and Grill was hopping with live music in celebration of the first day of the parish fair.

If not for Gisele getting Shelby’s sister, Chrissy, to babysit Ava, Camille wouldn’t have been there and wouldn’t have danced five songs without a break.

She patted her face with the napkin. “I’d forgotten how strenuous dancing could be.”

Gisele grinned. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dance. Girl, you’ve got the moves.” Her gaze slipped to the tall man at the bar. “You need to hang onto that man. There aren’t many who like to dance and are good at it.”

Camille smiled as she used the napkin to absorb more perspiration from her forehead and cheeks while hoping her deodorant hadn’t totally given up. “It’s just a dance. I don’t need to hold onto any man.”

“Maybe not, but you shouldn’t give up on dating. It’s nice to have another adult to talk to.”

“I have you,” she said.

“Now that I’m married, I go home at night with Rafael.” She leaned into her husband, who was deep in conversation with his team of Brotherhood Protectors, talking about football. “Don’t you miss having someone to hang out with at night?”

“I have Ava,” Camille said.

“Of course, you have Ava. She’s an amazing little girl. But don’t you miss talking with an adult?”

“When you’re not around, I have Amelie, Shelby, Bernie and Ouida Mae.” Camille spread her arms wide. “What’s better than our girl squad?”

Gisele’s lips twisted. She leaned closer to Camille. “Okay, do I have to spell it out? What about sex? How long has it been since you’ve gotten laid?”

Camille glanced past Gisele to the men on her husband’s team, her cheeks heating. Thankfully, they didn’t even look in her direction. “I have a battery-operated boyfriend. I can have S.E.X. anytime I like,” she whispered.

Gisele’s brow dipped low. “It’s been since your dirtbag ex was arrested, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Camille lifted her chin. “So? I don’t miss it.”

“Because it wasn’t good with him. But that’s been five years. You’re a young woman in the prime of your sexual life. Why aren’t you dating?”

Her lips thinning, Camille recited her mantra. “I never want to be dependent on another man for anything. Been there, done that and ended up losing everything but my daughter and what we could carry in one suitcase.”

“You don’t have to give over control of your life to a man to have sex with him.” Gisele sighed. “You should date, dance, have sex and fun.”

Even before Gisele finished her sentence, Camille was shaking her head. “I don’t want to parade men past my daughter. She deserves a stable home. It’s bad enough that her father is a convicted felon serving time in prison. I don’t want her or any of her friends to think her mother is slutty.”

“You’re not slutty just because you date men,” Gisele said. “But I get it. You don’t want to introduce random men to your daughter. She could get attached, and you might want to move on. But you can date without bringing the men around Ava. Any one of us would babysit. We love Ava.”

Camille’s gaze went to the man at the bar. “He is a good dancer, but that doesn’t mean I want to sleep with him.”

“You won’t know unless you spend more time with him.” Gisele touched her arm. “What will it hurt to go out on a date?”

The mere thought of getting back into the dating scene made Camille’s stomach roil. “I don’t know if I’m ready to be alone with a man.”

“You won’t know if you’re ready unless you let yourself be alone with a man. You could choose to meet in a public place. Drive yourself there. That way, you can leave when you want to.”

“It’s all so complicated.” Camille shoved a hand through her thick hair. “And who wants to date a divorced woman with a child? Or worse, a woman who was married to a jewel thief.”

“When a man gets to our age, the chances of finding a single woman who has never had a child are pretty slim. Men have to know that.” Gisele patted Camille’s arm. “And you didn’t steal the jewels. You can’t hold yourself responsible for Richard’s crimes.”

“Well, it’s all a moot point,” Camille said with a wave of her hand. “There isn’t a line of men waiting to ask me out.”

“But if one does happen to ask you out, promise me you’ll be open-minded and consider it.” Gisele held her gaze until Camille caved.

“Fine. I’ll consider it,” Camille said. It wasn’t going to happen, so why argue?

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