Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
A Lesson in Forgiveness
A Lesson in Passion
Jennifer Connors
A Lesson in Passion
Published by J Connors Publishing, LLC
Gilbert, Arizona
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law.
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2009 by Jennifer Connors
Cover design by Darren Connors
ISBN 978-0-9824655-0-9
www.jenniferconnors.com
This book is dedicated to my husband, Darren. Without his encouragement, which bordered on annoying at times, this book would never have been printed. I love you dearly.
A Lesson in Passion
* Chapter 1 *
M en. The bane of every woman's existence. What did they say? Can't live with them, can't live without them. Or was that what men said about women? Did it matter?
Ginny kept contemplating her latest failure in the dating department as she drove to work. Eric was at the bottom of a long list of men she considered her “failures.” Perhaps she was too picky, as some of her friends kept telling her. Of course, they wouldn't have to live with Eric's constant need to quibble every thing she said, so she didn't care what her friends thought.
She had become the “Three Date Wonder.” Ginny was adept at knowing a man was completely wrong for her within three dates. Actually, she could tell after one date, but she was always willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, maybe they were just nervous.
And so, like Eric, there were a string of men with a string of reasons why they were totally wrong for her. John picked his teeth at the dinner table in a restaurant. Mike was a bad tipper and a little too forthcoming about his politics. Murray spoke a little too fondly about his mother. Altogether, they were probably really good guys, but Ginny just couldn't cultivate any feeling about them. She was beginning to think of her love life as one big Seinfeld episode.
Ginny never considered that she had high standards. A good job, self-sufficiency and a decent sense of humor topped her list. Some compatibility would be good, but she loved to listen to a different point of view. She certainly didn't want a lap dog, needy and begging. It wasn't the perfect man she needed, just the perfect man for her.
No one would call her beautiful, but certainly not plain or ugly. No horrible disfigurements, no huge scars across her body. She was tall for a girl at 5 ft 9 in, with a medium build and decent size breasts. Ginny would often remark on how she planned on losing those last ten pounds, but the lure of the vending machine in the late afternoon was often too great. Her brown hair had blond highlights since the early part of the century and was currently cut in a stylish A-line, like Posh Spice.
And yet, here she was, thirty and alone. Some of her friends, her married friends, would say she had no one to blame but herself. Her only non-married friend, Lisa, would say that all men are evil and to not waste her time anyway. Of course, her being a lesbian, it was not wholly unexpected. So who was right? Ginny didn't think it mattered... because she was unhappy.
Ginny pulled into her usual parking spot at Tinesdale Emergency Hospital in Mesa, Arizona. The hospital was named after Dr. Albert Tinesdale, founder and long time resident of Mesa. In his wisdom, he developed the glorified urgent care to alleviate real hospitals from having to deal with those smaller problems plaguing society, such as minor stitches and phlegmy colds. The hospital also saw it's share of larger problems: broken bones, concussions and an occasional birth.
She was a physician's assistant and worked most of her day stitching and wiping. Her parents couldn't understand why she didn't go to medical school and be a real doctor. Her mother was always fond of emphasizing the “assistant” part of her job title. Ginny was quite content in her choice of careers. She had the fun without the responsibility. Well, not quite, but at least she didn't have to pretend to be God.
Ginny walked into the lobby and made her way past the reception desk. Holly, good friend and receptionist, winked at her while she answered one of the never ending questions of the hospital's clientèle. Behind the last exam room was a door leading to the staff lunch and locker rooms. Ginny went into the locker room and bumped into Dr. Fielding. He was her mentor and favorite co-worker. He always had a kind word and wanted desperately to make everyone feel better. Today was no exception.
“You're looking very pretty today, dear,” Dr. Fielding said with enormous smile.
“And you are looking quite handsome yourself, Dr. Fielding,” Ginny replied. Dr. Fielding was old school, before political correctness would allow such a statement to be uttered. Ginny never minded, since she considered it a genuine compliment. Dr. Fielding was both happily married for over forty years and more grandfatherly than man. Of course, many of her other co-workers would receive a tart reply were they to give her the same compliment.
“Only a few days left before the big vacation, huh?” Dr. Fielding asked as he walked out of the locker room. He started singing the Beach Boys song Kokomo in honor of her upcoming vacation in the Caribbean.
Ginny started her day, which was much the same as every other day. A baby with a bad cough, a man who had taken a bad fall at work, an elderly woman with open sore from her diabetes. She always tried to make everyone feel better, much like her mentor did. Her mind just kept wandering back to her pathetic love life and her “old maid” status.
During a rare break, Ginny met Holly in the lunchroom. Holly was happily married to her high school sweetheart. They lived in a beautiful home in Gilbert with their 2 beautiful children. Holly was what Ginny would describe as “pert and perky.” She was short, only reaching Ginny's shoulder and had a blond pixie cut. She had big brown eyes that when applied with makeup were smoky and alluring. Her husband, a real estate agent, was pure schmooze and someone Ginny could see cheating on Holly, who would probably be none the wiser.
“I have something for you,” Holly said handing a large plastic grocery bag to Ginny.
“Oh, you shouldn't have,” Ginny said. Then she looked in the bag. “Really, you shouldn't have,” Ginny remarked sarcastically.
“Come on. You're going on a beach vacation. You'll need something to read.”
Ginny began removing the paperback books, one at a time. Desire in the Highlands, Lover's Cove, The One Perfect Love . There must have been at least fifteen romance novels in the bag. Ginny quickly put the books back in the bag before someone came in and saw them. How embarrassing would that be?
“Not my th
ing, Holly, but thank you for thinking of me,” Ginny said trying to hand her back the bag.
“You are not going on a nice vacation, sitting on the beach reading work stuff. You're going to have a fun, relaxing time. These books are perfect.” There was that word again: perfect.
“I've never really been into romance novels. I would much prefer history or biography or better yet, gory serial killer stuff.”
“I can't understand why you don't have a boyfriend," Holly said with her own measure of sarcasm. "Consider these books instructional. How to be a damsel to catch the perfect husband,” Holly smiled.
Dear God , Ginny thought. Is she kidding? Romance novels instructional? Ginny began to consider that maybe Holly was a serial killer on the side. No one could actually believe that the “romance” in romance novels ever happens in real life. She was going to become part of some adventure where a bare chested mega hunk would sweep her off her feet and beg for her hand in marriage? Ginny didn't think so.
“This is one of my favorites,” Holly said as she pulled out one of the books. “The heroine is saved by her one true love. Oh, it's so romantic. And the sex parts are really hot!”
“You know what these are, don't you?” Ginny asked jokingly. “These books are girl porn, pure and simple.”
“Ewwww. What are you talking about? They are romantic and fun and elegant. They are set a long time ago when life was simpler. They're about aristocracy and lords and ladies. How is that 'porn'?”
“It's well documented that men are visual while women are emotional. These books feed the female imagination with ideas of far off lands and singularly perfect men. Regular porn shows men boobs. It's the same thing but appealing to a different audience.”
“You really are insane, Ginny!” Holly looked close to slapping Ginny. “These books show you that life can be as wonderful as you hope.”
Ginny stared at Holly intently. For the first time, she considered the possibility that maybe Holly's life wasn't as perfect as she led everyone to believe. Maybe Holly needed the escape that these books provided, because her life was as tedious as the rest of theirs.
“Take them with you. You'll see they're easy to read and enjoyable. I know you won't be disappointed,” Holly said as she left the lunch room.
Ginny would be polite, bring them home and forget about them. Holly would only hear that “Oh no, I forgot to bring them.” She took a few out and stared at the covers. Do men like this really exist? Not the Fabio types who pose for the covers. She wondered if any of these guys ever quibbled about every little thing you said.
* * *
Ginny was always a stickler when it came to packing. She loved to travel, so she had gotten quite good at packing over the years. This trip was an easy one, just a week at a beach resort in Jamaica. She was going with her best friend Lisa. The best part of going on vacation with a lesbian was they never fought over the same love interest. If anything, Ginny was often jealous with how easily Lisa found love interests. Lisa got to pick the locale this time, since Ginny had dragged her up to Machu Picchu last year and was still listening to Lisa complain about it. Make a girl climb one mountain and it was bitch, bitch, bitch.
She rechecked her bags to make sure she had everything she needed. The essentials were all there: bathing suits, razor and sunscreen. Was there anything she forgot? Oh yeah, reading material. Ginny went to her pile of books, but realized she had read everything there. Crap , she thought. She didn't have time to stop at the bookstore or library.
She could pick up some books at the airport, but Ginny was notoriously cheap and hated paying a premium for reading materials. Suddenly, she was staring at the pile of books given to her by Holly. She didn't have time to get anything else and these were free. They were also small paperbacks, so they wouldn't take up that much space in her carry-on.
Ginny grabbed the bunch and stuffed them into her beach bag. She thought about what Holly had said about the books being “instructional.” She started to look forward to ripping them apart. “Oh, Gerald, could our life be anymore perfect?” “No, my darling, it couldn't!” Should be a blast!
Just then, a car honked in her driveway. Lisa was usually late, but Ginny had gotten into the habit of always telling her to be at her house a half hour earlier than necessary. Worked like a charm, Lisa was on time. Lisa was what Ginny would call “the pretty lesbian.” She was almost as tall as Ginny, but much more buff. Hours at the gym had defined every muscle on Lisa's body to perfection. Her hair was long and the most beautiful shade of chestnut, natural of course. She had pretty blue eyes and a heart shaped face. Most guys tripped over her when she walked into a room. Lisa loved taunting men... it was her favorite game at parties.
The drive to the airport was uneventful. With the 202 clear straight to their exit, it only took minutes to get there. They decided to park off site since Ginny had a coupon. Lisa was always amused by Ginny's cheapness. Lisa liked to live in the moment, where Ginny was a planner and saver. Again, it was a wonder they were such good friends, but they shared some pretty hairy moments growing up that cemented their relationship.
On the shuttle to the airport, Lisa kept talking about her latest failure in the romance department. It was always refreshing to know that Ginny wasn't the only one who couldn't hold onto a lover for very long.
“She was so clingy. And she always insisted on making the bed. Who gives a crap if the bed is made or not. I'm just going to mess it up later that night anyway!”
“I don't know what to tell you and I'm certainly not the one to go to for advice on love. Oh, and I never make my bed either,” Ginny said.
“Good for you. Let's make a vow, right here and now to never make our beds!” Lisa stated triumphantly while holding her hand over heart.
“Here, here! To never making our beds and to not settling for crappy relationships!” Ginny dutifully placed her hand over her heart as well.
“Let's just try to see how many times we can get laid in one week while on vacation. Do you remember your special name?” Lisa asked referring to their secret identities for lustful one night stands. Not that Ginny had ever had the chance to use the name, nor could she even remember the last time she'd had sex.
“Was it Lola?” Ginny asked.
“I was Lola because it was close to Lisa. You were Penny,” Lisa said.
“I don't like Penny. I want something new and exotic. How about Sheila?” Ginny asked, trying to keep a straight face.
“Sheila, huh? You kind of look like a Sheila,” Lisa stated matter-of-factly.
“What exactly does a 'Sheila' look like?” Ginny wondered aloud.
* * *
They arrived at the airport and checked in their luggage, then waited for twenty-five minutes in the Post 9/11 TSA party zone. Ginny always worried that Lisa would do something to get them pulled aside and strip searched. Once she asked Lisa if she would request a male officer to search her so she wouldn't get turned on during the search.
After arriving at the gate with thirty minutes to spare, Lisa went off to buy some magazines and a snack. Ginny gave her money for a bottle of water. While Lisa is gone, Ginny pulled out one of the novels Holly gave her.
Desire in the Highlands was the first one she grabbed. She was reading it as Lisa walked back with her booty.
“What... the hell... is that?” she asked, spotting the overly sexy couple on the cover.
“Holly's idea of relationship advice. She thinks that these will cure my desire to be alone. I will never again find something wrong with any man,” Ginny replied tartly.
Lisa just stared at her. Ginny knew she had a litany of things to say on the subject of Holly and the “perfect marriage,” but decided that it was better to refrain. She knew that Holly was a close friend of Ginny's, although she couldn't figure out why.
“I understand why Holly reads those, but I never took you for a 'romance novel' type.”
“I forgot to pick up something else and these were free,” Ginny knew what was
coming next.
“You make a good salary, Gin, you can pluck down ten dollars for a goddamn book that won't embarrass me on this trip.”
“These embarrass you? Oh, well, now I'm going to read the whole lot while basking on the beach next to you,” Ginny was really enjoying this. “Anyone who asks is going to hear that you authored them.”
“You suck so bad!” Lisa was not someone you wanted as an enemy. Her ability to humiliate and shock was way out Ginny's league.
Not long after, the airline announced boarding. Off to the perfect beach vacation. Ginny couldn't wait!
* Chapter 2 *
Ginny had never been to Jamaica before and Lisa swore that the resort was both beautiful and boasted the best nightlife. They arrived at Montego Bay without any issues only to be carted onto a bus for their resort in Negril. This was probably one of the most harrowing bus rides in her life. Much of the road was along a high cliff above beautiful crystal blue water. Unfortunately, some of this same road was practically one lane, so the bus driver would honk to let any other traffic know he was coming. Ginny wondered what would happen if the other traffic didn't hear their warning.
It took nearly three hours to reach their resort. The ride could be both breathtaking and heartbreaking. The views of the ocean and high cliffs were incredible, a real testament to God. That was overshadowed by the extreme poverty of some of the small towns along the way. When the bus would stop for a red light, people would crowd the bus to sell their wares or children would beg for money. Ginny, always the champion of the underdog, immediately would buy something and turn around and give some change to the kids.
Lisa could never understand how Ginny would fight over being overcharged fifty cents at the grocery store, but then turn around and give anything she had to anyone who would ask. Lisa had to admit it was one of the things she loved best about her friend, even if she didn't get it.
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