Page 46 of Entirely Yours
I can’t help the excitement that bubbles up. And also the strange, warm feeling I get in the center of my chest knowing that Jules supports me in this dream.
I sigh. “When I had Chloe, I thought my life was over. All I had known for my entire life was ballet. I knew my career would look vastly different after having a baby, but I could only dream I would be able to continue dancing in some capacity. This studio is… it’s an opportunity for me to take a chance on myself. It’s completely terrifying. I think that’s why I haven’t been able to come up with a name for it yet.”
Jules listens intently, his fingers are magic in the way they massage, and I’m sad when he switches feet. After a few minutes of silence, he says, “I get that. I feel the same way about the coffee shop. Maybe when we open, we can do some sort of promo—sign your kid up for dance class, get a free cup of coffee.”
“That is… maybe the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.” Truly, I might cry. Which is probably the hormones. “When are y’all planning to open by the way?”
“The million dollar question.” He shrugs his shoulders. “We signed papers right around the time you moved here. I need to finish out the school year, and Gabe has a full-time job too, so it’s really Ben that’s managing everything right now. Once I’m off for the summer, I can help him more, and we can get the renovations done before opening.”
“It’s kind of convenient that we’ll be next door to each other,” I say.
He furrows his brows and quirks his lips. “Convenient is one word for it. How do your feet feel?”
A contented breath leaves me. “I’ll let you do that anytime you want.”
“Deal.”
“Thea, dear! Come join me in the kitchen!” Elaine calls from the nearby room.
My eyes widen in Jules’ direction. “I’m being summoned.”
He smiles at me, knowingly. “Don’t worry, she doesn’t bite. She also doesn’t have any boundaries so just signal if you need rescuing.”
“Signal how?” I panic-whisper as Elaine pokes her head around the corner to make sure I’m coming.
“Can you whistle?” he asks, deadass serious.
“No, oh my God! I’m doomed.”
“How about I come and check on you in about ten minutes.” He squeezes my calf in an effort to calm me. It helps—sort of. I haven’t had a mother figure since Grandmother passed when I was fifteen, and I desperately want to make a good impression on Elaine.
I hope she doesn’t think I tricked her son into impregnating me. I walk into the kitchen with that wild thought running through my mind.
“Hi, Mrs. Bardot, thank you again for a lovely dinner. Sorry about the burgers,” I add.
“Call me Elaine. And don’t even worry about it, I quite prefer a veggie burger anyway.” She smiles, and I can picture her raising four kids. Always with a comforting glance at the ready. I relax just a bit as she pulls out a kitchen chair for me and slides over a plate of cookies.
Seems a bit like bribery, but it’s working.
“Everything went well with Dr. Mitchell?” Elaine asks.
I’m mid-bite of cookie already, so I finish chewing before answering. “Yes, she was very… blunt. But kind. Thank you for recommending her.”
She waves me off. “Of course, we go way back. She was actually in one of my courses years ago, and I’m glad she ended up back in Sassafras after med school.”
“Oh yeah, Jules mentioned you were a professor.”
She hums. “Have been for a while now, yes. I still practice part time but most of my focus is on my work at our local university, Hawthorne.”
“Practice? Are you also a gynecologist?” I must have missed that memo.
Elaine’s boisterous laugh fills the room. “No, dear. I’m a sex therapist. My courses at Hawthorne focus on gender and sexuality.”
Oh. Duh. “That makes the whole oral sex lecture thing make sense,” I mumble.
“I was hoping to get to know you better before giving you that lecture, however, it seems I would have been too late anyway.” She glances pointedly down at my stomach.
My face blazes. “I was never very good at the birds and the bees.”
