The Eleventh Commandment Read Online Free

her head. “Besides, I like our one-on-one routine.”
    â€œThat’s just it. The routines I’ve designed for both of you are very similar; it would be less work for me and more fun for you. I’d even give you a discount. So what’s the story?” Yvette asked when Hope continued stretching in silence.
    â€œYou don’t want to know and probably wouldn’t believe it if I told you. Millicent and I have known each other for a long time and while we’ve learned to coexist quite nicely, we’ll never be BFFs, okay?”
    â€œOkay.” Yvette knew when she was coming close to a line she dared not cross. She walked over and placed her iPod on the dock. Soon, Adam Levine and Maroon 5 were talking about moving like Jagger. “Let’s get to work.”
    An hour later Hope had finished her workout, showered, helped the housekeeper and part-time nanny dress the kids, and had made sure they were settled in for their Spanish lesson followed by lunch and their daily “wear them out so they’ll take a nap” romp in a nearby park. Ironically enough, her housekeeper Rosie was a member of Open Arms, the church pastored by Cy’s business partner, Jack. Jack was also her former nemesis Millicent’s husband, and she had been the one who, after Hope had mentioned her desire to have someone help her with her growing and increasingly rambunctious children, suggested Rosie as a perfect fit for the job. She’d been right. The forty-five-year-old mother of four grown children had melded into the Taylor household right away and quickly become invaluable to Hope’s running of it. In addition to housekeeping and babysitting, she taught the children her native language. These days in California, and increasingly in other parts of the country as well, knowing Spanish was not an option, but a necessity.
    Hope was in the kitchen and had just downed a bagel with her daily superfood smoothie when her cell phone rang. “Hey, cuz! How’s the doctor’s wife?”
    â€œBored as hell,” Frieda grumbled. “Gabriel has me at this vanilla-ass breakfast with some snooty-ass women flaunting their husbands’ millions. I had to come out for some air before my face fell into the eggs Benedict.”
    â€œIt’s probably a very nice breakfast.” Even as Hope said this, she could barely keep from laughing. Her ride-or-die former hood rat cousin wasn’t much for high-class hobnobbing.
    â€œPlease,” Frieda responded, proving Hope’s point. “There’s enough silicone and bleach in this room to open up a business on the black market. Wish I’d known what kind of paper would be in here. I could have had one of my former neighbors jack this joint and walk away with diamonds worth at least five mil!”
    â€œFrieda, you don’t mean that.”
    â€œHell, if I hadn’t stopped carrying my piece like you told me, I could have robbed these bitches myself!”
    â€œHa!” Hope knew her cousin was playing, mostly.
    â€œThe best part of the whole morning was the mimosas. I know my man Dom when I taste him.”
    Hope could hear that Frieda had brought “her man” out with her and was now taking a healthy gulp. “We’re not drinking and driving are we?”
    â€œWe’re not. I am. But don’t worry. I’m not driving far. Heading back to the house as soon as this is over so I can get my groo—Never mind.”
    â€œSince when have you been coy about lovemaking? You’se married now,” Hope continued in her best Shug Avery voice. “Sex is allowed.”
    â€œWhat are you doing?”
    Hope didn’t miss that Frieda was changing the subject, a red flag since it was one of her cousin’s favorites. “Wait. Why do I feel there is something you’re not telling me?”
    â€œNothing, girl.”
    â€œFrieda . . .” She heard her cousin taking another