Madam of Maple Court (38 page)

"You're kidding. An enraged wife caused all this turmoil?"

Pam actually laughed. "Amazing. I came close to doing truly outrageous things and now, overall, nothing's really changed."

"Gary knows about you."

"Yeah. I'll call him next."

Gary was happy for her, glad things had worked out. "Now you can call it all off and get back to leading a normal life."

"Normal life?"

"You know. The country club, your charities, like that."

"You mean give up Club Fantasy."

"Of course," Gary said, not seeming to find any problem with that.

"I don't think so."

Gary seemed incredulous. "You mean you would continue with, with, with what you were doing?"

"I like what I do. I know all the downside, but the upside is wonderful and I feel great about it." She took a deep breath, words spilling forth. "I look at it as performing a service, one men want and need, and I'm well paid for it."

"But what about us?"

"Gary, I'm not going to change, at least for the moment. I care for you and for your children. I've had dreams of getting married, being a partial mother to your wonderful girls, but that's not enough for me right now. I'd like to keep seeing you but with no illusions on either of our parts. I like you, we have fun together, and we have good sex. We also have fun with your children and I'd be really heartbroken if I never saw them again, but I'd live with that. I can't be what I'm not, and I'm not ready to settle down and give up what's become an important part of me."

Gary was silent for a long time and Pam let him think about everything. "I don't know, Pam," he said.

"That's okay. I'm not as sure about things as I might appear."

She heard him let out a long sigh. "I'd like to get together for dinner and see whether we can sort this all out."

"I'd like that, too, but don't have any illusions. I am what I am."

"I'm not sure I completely understand, but I'd like to get together."

"That would be great. Why don't you chew it all over and call me in a few days. If you still want to have dinner, that would be great."

"I'll call you."

She called Rob and told him that he needn't continue to worry about her. "Darling, I was never worried. I know you well enough to know that you'll always land on your feet."

She hoped what he said was true.

Her last call was to Linc. She told him the whole story, then said, "Linc, can you come over? I need a friend to celebrate with."

Dear Reader,

I know you've enjoyed reading about the fun on Maple Court and I hope you will miss Pam and all her friends as much as I will. The second book in this series, as yet untitled, will appear sometime in 2009. Check my Web site for further details in the spring of that year.

If you like Marcy as much as I do, you probably want to read her story. Marcy's book is entitled
Night After Night
, but I would suggest that you first read her sister Jenna's tale in my novel
Club Fantasy. Hot Summer Nights
introduces a burned-out Club Fantasy employee named Leslie who stirs up the town of Sound's End, Connecticut, when she goes on vacation. You can also go all the way back to the beginning of all the enterprises and meet a delightful woman named Erika in
The Price of Pleasure
.

Phew. There are so many books for you to enjoy, and I've also written quite a few that don't include any of these characters.

Please drop me a note at [email protected] and let me know which character I should bring back in later books. In addition, visit my Web site at
www.joanelloyd.com for information about my books and lots of sexual matters, including questions and answers, and zillions of letters from nice folks like you who've added their thoughts over the years.