THE GOOD: Yesterday was a great day for the contest. Lots of entries! Thanks to everyone who played! I hope you'll visit back all week. Leave a comment if you'd like. I love doing stuff like this!
THE BAD: A) I visited the doctor yesterday and I have tendonitis in my right arm. Greeeaaattt. What every author (who happens to work full time as a data entry clerk) wants to hear. So I'm on meds to see if that'll stop it. AND then I got home and my desk top decided not to let me onto the internet. My DH checked it out briefly, ran a virus scan and has no idea what happened. I hope there's a way to fix it, even if it means scrubbing it out and starting from scratch with it. So I'm on my laptop now.
And now for the contest.
TODAY IS RELEASE DAY FOR SWEET FOREVER IN PRINT!!!!
Todays excerpt is going to be from Finally Home which is currently available from Whiskey Creek Press in both print and e-book format. **********************************************
When she was younger, Torie had never felt comfortable in the master suite. Whether it was because her father shared it, or she feared knocking one of the priceless statues down, she didn’t know. Even today she tucked her arms in tight to her sides and held her breath.
Her mother, dressed in an ivory silk robe, sat at her large mahogany Edwardian desk, gold pen in hand. The graceful and elegant Lillian Barron had returned. Even the dark circles under her eyes, like shadows against her pale skin, looked regal. Someone had done her hair. A diamond-and-ruby hair comb winked in the soft light. Her mother wore tragedy well.
The woman looked up as Torie approached, a frown marring an otherwise perfect face.
"I’ve been wondering where you’ve been." Her eyes still had a flash to them, the same emotion Torie had seen the night before. Cold and accusing. Not one ounce of forgiveness for the previous night’s supposed transgression.
"I’m sorry. I needed to go out and clear my head," Torie whispered, knowing a powerful storm brewed behind her mother’s calm façade.
"Oh, and were you out ‘clearing your head’ with that man you were with last night? What’s his name? Alex Carmichael?"
Blood rushed to Torie’s face. She beat away the anger that built in her chest. How in the world did she know about that? She remained silent, afraid she might say something she’d regret.
"So, apparently I’m right, or you’d deny it." Lillian’s voice rose several degrees. "Oh, Victoria, how could you?"
"How could I what, Mother? Talk to a man?" Torie shrugged her shoulders, trying to appear indifferent, when inside she shook with indignation. She knew, just by the way her mother scrutinized her, she knew a whole lot more than she was letting on.
"Don’t try that with me, young lady," her mother snapped. "I got a phone call this morning from Helen Worthington. She and her husband were at the club last night. Driving home, they saw two people at the side of the road going at it like animals. Was this how I raised you to behave? I cannot tell you how humiliating your behavior is. And after what he did to Gabriella Marino. He should be in jail."
"Mother, you don’t know what you’re saying," said Torie. Even she knew quite well, when her mother got on this kind of rant, nothing would soothe her. And there was no way in hell she’d believe the truth about Alex.
"Don’t I?" Her voice raised another octave. "He’s no better than a rapist, Victoria. A good-for-nothing who took advantage of a young girl so he could get ahead and get her family’s money. He should thank his lucky stars Frank Marino didn’t press charges. I just want to weep to think he’s trying to wheedle his way into this family."
Lillian’s tirade threatened to take on the proportions of a major storm. Torie tried to put it down to the fact she was understandably overwrought over her loss, and that Torie was the most convenient outlet. Arguing the point that her mother was just plain wrong would be futile. So Torie stayed silent, and like a twelve-year-old, took the scolding.
"Things are going to change around here, Victoria. You’ll not have anymore to do with that man." She pounded her fist on the desk. "Absolutely nothing."
"Mother, you’re wrong about Alex. Gabriella and her father are full of hot air. The only thing he’s guilty of is trusting the wrong people. I’m a grown woman and quite capable of choosing my own friends."
"Things will change here," Lillian repeated, her voice dead calm. "I will not have someone like that sniffing around my daughter or my money. You will not have any contact with him from this moment on. You will go change your clothes and go downstairs, and you will treat Kendall with the respect he deserves to make up for your disgraceful behavior last night."
Torie mustered up every ounce of courage she could find. "No. You won’t order me around like I’m a child. I can’t help what other people say about Alex, but I know him better than that. So far, he’s shown more character than Kendall."
Lillian stood and blazed across the carpet to her, her blue eyes flaring with anger. "How long have you been seeing him, Victoria? A week? Less? Certainly a pitifully short amount of time to be throwing yourself at him like a common whore."
Torie’s hand flew out, landing straight and hard against her mother’s cheek. Both gasped in unison. Lillian touched her cheek, which fast turned pink, her eyes wide with disbelief.
******************************************************** There we go. So, todays question is: Who saw Torie and Alex on the side of the road? Easy! Just email me the answer to cerihebert@comcast.net to be entered into the contest to win a FREE SIGNED COPY OF SWEET FOREVER! I look forward to everyone's responses! Have a great day! Labels: aches and pains, computer woes, Contests, Finally Home, Sweet Forever |
