A/N Thank you PerryLovesDella for beta checking. Any remaining errors are because I went back and tinkered some more.

Return to Castle Cove

Chapter Five

"Thanks for the home cooked breakfast, Mrs. F. I tell you, I don't understand people. Ever since that book came out, everybody and Tim Mulligan's mother are calling me looking for help getting their cat out of a tree and Adele still has me sleeping on the couch."

"Was it reading the book that got you banished to the couch or your asking Adele where she was during the time of Sybil's murder?"

"I couldn't not ask her just because she's my wife. I had to ask her - you know, for the official record."

As she began to clear the table and fill the sink with soap bubbles, leaving his hat behind on the table, Mort carried over his empty plate. "After all the times she defended me when other people took offense at me asking them, you would think she would be a little more understanding."

Mort pointed out. "Besides, I know it wasn't Adele. If it was Adele, Sybil wouldn't have just taken a tire iron to the back of the head. She would have been torn limb from limb."

Mrs. F. acknowledged the validity of his words with a slight nod, but didn't seem amused by his joke, which wasn't really a joke. Fair enough given Sybil was one of her former students.

Having tried to ease into it by talking about Adele's reaction, Mort broached the topic of the real issue. "How are things between you and Doc?"

Primly, Jessica responded. "I have no idea what you are referring to."

"You two are avoiding each other like he avoids me when I start to bring up all of his unpaid parking tickets."

A flustered Mrs. F. didn't have time to come up with a response before the kitchen door swung open with a bang.

Before he could take in that they weren't alone in the room, Doc started demanding. "Jessica, we need to talk! This ridiculousness has gone on long enough!"

"And on that note … I should be heading out." Mort told them both.

Handing over the drying towel and with it the drying duties to a now even more agitated than when he had arrived Seth, Mort went out the still open door.

Wringing the towel he suddenly found in his hands, Seth waited a moment before asking. "Are we ever going to talk about this?"

Turning back towards the sink, she told him. "I don't know that there is any need to. I'm seriously contemplating moving to New York on a permanent basis."

"No, you are not!" Seth told her.

Fuming, her gaze out the window, Jessica complained. "Now, because of that book, the whole town thinks that we are sleeping together!"

Seth couldn't keep his voice from raising as he responded. "But damn it, woman - we are sleeping together!"

Dropping the dish she had over vigorously been scrubbing back into the soapy water, Jessica turned back to be facing him. Her tone making it clear that she thought he was being ridiculous, she told him. "That's hardly the point!"

"Then … what is the point?" A confused Seth asked.

Jessica told him. "She had no right to tell people that!"

Feeling a bit wounded, Seth asked. "What's so horrible about people knowing or thinking that they know that we are sleeping together?"

Clearly irritated that she had to spell it out for him, an exasperated Jessica told him. "I don't want people thinking that I stole some other author's idea!"

Seth thought about it a minute and then confessed. "I've got nothing."

He asked. "Is that the only reason you are upset about Sybil writing that and people finding out about us?"

Turning back to the dishes in the sink, Jessica [grumbled]. "I cannot believe that you didn't notice Sybil at the door!"

"My attention was otherwise occupied!" Seth admitted.

Approaching, tentatively, Seth put his arms around her from behind. She didn't protest. In fact, she relaxed against him. Taking advantage of the angle, he began working her neck with his lips.

Jessica gasped as she always did when he got just the right spot under her ear.

From the doorway, sounding more disbelieving than disapproving, Mort commented. "What? Sybil outs the fictional versions of you two so you're just not even going to try to hide it anymore?"

Picking up his forgotten hat, he headed back out before either could put together a response.

tbc

A/N If you are reading & enoying I would love to know.