Driftwood Cottage

Blake's Blues

"No, it's not the sex," Blake murmured, blushing and pushing back a wave of tousled golden hair while frowning fiercely at all the wealthy tourists. "It's the way he's so possessive, so controlling. Like he not only has to pay for everything, I mean my new clothes and shoes and all the rest, he also has to keep an eye on me."

"Mm. Maybe the problem is he can't keep his eyes off you." Virginia Carter chuckled, looking over the frilly menu while blonde, blue-eyed Blake slouched against the cushions in sulky silence. Derek Hamilton was out of town for a few days, away on important business. And it was only natural that he'd asked sensible Virginia to keep an eye on wild young Blake. But there was no reason to stir things up by spilling the beans. Sweet little Blake might become quite unmanageable if the wild child knew the truth about the thick roll of bills in her worn-out leather purse.

"Is Madame ready to order?" The waiter was quite polite, giving out information on the food and wine and behaving as though Virginia were visiting royalty to be treated with the utmost respect. But when he glanced at Blake his dark eyes gave off sparks.

"And for the very attractive young man?"

"I'll just have what she's having, thanks. And some more wine." Blake didn't like the way the bald waiter with the shiny black eyes kept looking him over while he ordered food and drinks. Lately it felt like being with Derek had left some sort of brand on his flesh, a mark of sin and fiery sexual desire that everyone could see. When the sly waiter took his order he made a little kiss-kiss sound, as though picturing Blake with Derek, or some other guy.

"This is one of Derek's favorite places," Virginia commented, after the waiter had bowed to her a final time and left them in peace. "It's good to have a place where you can be yourself and relax."

"Well, I'd like it better if he was here!" Blake felt that Derek was always going off and leaving him, taking trips to places like Washington D.C. and New York City. It got very lonely when he was gone. Sometimes Blake even wondered if there was someone else, someone in the city with more education and style. No! Thinking about it made him drink the rest of his wine in a big hurry, coughing and sputtering. He choked a little as it went down.

"Don't have a cow, sugar plum. Derek will be back before you know it!" Tough old Virginia could always make Blake laugh. She poured more wine into his glass, her gray eyes sort of twinkling. "In the meantime, let's drink to true love, and no more blues!"

"No more blues," Blake replied, struggling to banish his gloomy thoughts. Virginia had taken him out because she really cared. It was time to stop being such a baby and show her he wasn't all wrapped up in himself. For the rest of the night he tried to keep up with the conversation, asking about her paintings and the cottage.

"Derek's got me a slot at the new gallery in Asheville," she confided eagerly. "Just wait till we all drive up there together!"

"I can hardly wait." Blake pictured Derek taking him to a bed and breakfast, the two of them alone together all weekend. But then he thought of the gallery, and all the rich fancy art people looking at him in his new clothes and knowing he didn't belong.