by Trixie More
“No proof but my word against his,” Dorothy said. “I’m a pretty reliable witness.”
“That must have been what was going through his mind when he stuffed you in the trunk,” Carl said. “I’d like to stuff him in a trunk and pour a basement over it.”
“Gross, Carl,” Allie said cheerfully. “I think we could make him into meat pies and sell him like in Sweeny Todd.”
“Enough,” said Derrick gesturing to his plate. “Talk about something else.”
Ed finished his steak in silence, looking unsettled. She knew he wanted closure for the video, but she knew firsthand, people didn’t always get closure. Sometimes they just got to live their life.
She blew out a sigh. Whatever happened next with Doug, she’d figure out a way to keep Ed sane through it, even if she had to tie him to a chair to do it.
As if he could read her mind, Ed turned to her and gave her a look. “Whatever is going on in that pretty blond head of yours?” His voice lifted dramatically, making it less of a question than a lead up.
“Yes, honey?” she answered and gave him a smirk.
“Just remember it’s a buyer’s market up in here.” He waved his fork in the direction of his own head, indicating that he might not always go along with her. Well, she’d see about that.
“Don’t worry. I’m not afraid to take on a tough sell.” And she kissed him just to prove it.
~ Shameless Begging ~
Promises of Free Stuff
TrixieMore.com.
If you’ve read this far, thank you—“One hundert times.” This is the first book I’ve ever published, so if you are reading this before the second book in the series is out and you want more sassy, self-sufficient women and the men who love them, then there is really only one thing for you to do—head over to my website.
While you’re there, make sure to sign up for my email list so you can get a free read of Doug Lloyd’s part of this story from his point of view.
If you didn’t know it, reviews are the absolute best thing an author can get. I’m totally begging you, like Dorothy in chapter one … if you wouldn’t mind, because I am desperate, could you just pop over to the site where you got this book and put up an honest review?
You are, seriously, the best reader ever.
~ Acknowledgments ~
Back of the Book Stuff
My husband is sleeping in the other room as I write this. Today is Saturday and he worked a nine and a half hour day—his sixth one this week. Then he came home to a wife who was typing away all afternoon and night, so he steadfastly took care of our dogs, cleaned up the dinner dishes and settled in to watch football. He might be a tad cranky today. He is my one and only. My strong, silent type. My love.
My entire family agrees, it’s OK for me to write books with naughty bits if I promise to buy each of them a car. Good luck with that. Naughty bits are staying in regardless, because—duh! Thank you all for being fine with me being myself. I love you.
Olivia, my editor, CallOfTheWord.com, has interrupted her cinema day with her partner, to review all my fussing with the blurb, confirm that yes, this is a book someone might like to read, and offer support as I try to pick a cover. She is brilliant and fabulous and spent hours on the phone with me plugging plot holes. If there are problems with this book, they are mine. She can only do so much with me.
Adrijus, RockingBookCovers.com, read my insanely long outline and did a terrific job getting the cover to be as faithful to the story as possible. He’s a joy to work with. If you bought the book expecting a different type of romance, then the fault is mine. I tried my best to keep to the secret cover-code we romance readers live by.
Marla Esposito, ProofingStyle.com, did the line edit. I’m writing this acknowledgment before she sees this book. Here is what I know about Marla: she runs her schedule like a finely oiled machine, she is spot-on professional with her business, and on her website, you can find a listing of books she’s edited. It reads like a Goodreads bookshelf of indie romance. If you’re looking for your next book to read, you should check it out. I am absolutely certain she is going to make this book shine but, like Olivia, she will only be able to do so much. Any grammar annoyances are mine.
I might have texted a friend after her bedtime to have her look at covers. She knows who she is.
Inklings: Richard, Linda, Diana, Bill, Sue, you fabulous group of multi-genre writers, hidden in the most beautiful part of New Jersey, thank you for the years and years of reading my stories, in which nice people have bad things happen to them.
To Beth, thank you for loving me when I’m stupid and mean, and when I’m fabulous and kind, and everywhere in between. Right back at’cha. You always believed I had something to say.
To our hiking group: Kim, Deb, Sam, Kathy, Peggy and VK—thank you for patiently listening to the plots of story after story that never saw the light of day. On the trail, you are a captive audience and you’ve lovingly let me exploit that. You are the best.
If you are a member of Self Coaching Scholars, (TheLifeCoachSchool.com), thank you for being one of the many who shared their struggles, sorrows and successes. Nothing, I mean nothing, gets results faster than that group.
Totally Grateful,
Trixie
1/13/2018
About the Author
Why anyone would want to know more about me, flummoxes me. But, I do like to read about other authors, so here goes. I live in New Jersey, a state that is way more beautiful than TV makes it out to be. I work a day job and my favorite kind of weekend comes when one of the authors I love, releases a new book. I come home relishing the idea that from Friday night until hopefully very late on Saturday, I will be off living another life, having adventures and hot romance.
My house is never clean and my office looks like a recycle bin of old bills exploded in there. When I’m writing, I’m listening to a loop of sexy songs. If I’m not reading, writing or working, then if I’m lucky, I’m out hiking with my crew. Otherwise, I’m with my family or playing with our dogs—a pair of Doberman Pinschers. And yes, they sleep on the bed.
