“No way,” she muttered. She pulled over as far as she could without sliding down the sandy embankment. Looking in her rearview mirror, she saw something that made her heart skip a beat: a young, tall, handsome man, walking toward her car. Pull yourself together, she thought. She got her driver’s license and proof of insurance out of her wallet and had it ready by the time he reached her window. He ducked to look in and she handed it over while smiling.
“Good morning, ma’am,” he said.
“Good morning, sir,” she replied. He looked over her papers. “What’d I do?” she asked.
“I clocked you at thirty-five in a fifteen mile an hour zone,” he said. “I’ll be right back.” He walked back to his car and got in. She could see him typing something into his dashboard mounted computer. In a few minutes he came back and stood at her window again, ducking down again and looking in at her. He noticed her sweatshirt with Criminal Justice spread all over the front.
“Detective Zannos, are you related to Nick Zannos?” he asked. Jill grinned and nodded her head.
“My uncle,” she said.
“Are you here for personal business?” he asked. She nodded again.
“Just for the weekend,” she said. He handed her license back.
“Sorry to bother you, mam.” He tipped his hat in an old fashioned way and the gesture went right to her crotch. Woman, watch it! she thought. He swept his hand out in an ‘after you’ movement and she pulled out onto the road again, heading toward the lake. She got there before anyone else had claimed a spot on the beach and stayed there all day, moving her chair toward the sun as it floated across the sky. Occasionally, she thought of Alex, and when the pain became too great, she went into the cold water of Lake Michigan to splash and his image in her mind disappeared.
As dinner time approached, people leisurely began packing up their belongings to head for home, but she wasn’t going anywhere except to get her dinner from the concession stand. She planned on staying to watch the sun go down. She got up from her beach chair, leaving the book she was reading behind. Heads turned as she moved around her beach chair. She had a Tigers baseball cap on with her pony tail sticking out the hole in back and a pale peach, almost white, bathing suit. In spite of using tons of sunscreen, her olive skin was a few shades darker. As great as she looked, Jill was oblivious to that part of her, not noticing the admiring glances she was generating. She grabbed her wallet and started walking toward the parking lot where the concession stand was. When she stepped up onto the pavement, she saw him right away. She couldn’t help herself, but she smiled and almost laughed. It was the state trooper who had stopped her, but in madras shorts and a white t-shirt, leaning up against her car. He walked toward her with his arm outstretched to shake hands,
“Hi, I didn’t know if you got my name earlier,” he said. “Trooper Fredrick Cooper, or Fred to you.” They shook hands.
“My dog’s name is Fred,” Jill said. She couldn’t help it but started laughing. And then she controlled herself and got serious. “Do want to have dinner with me?”
“Yes,” he answered.
“Trooper Cooper?” She managed to hold the laugher in. They began walking up the dune toward the stand.
“Yes, unfortunately,” he said, but he smiled at her, offering her an arm to hang on to. “This slope is pretty steep.”
“Thank you,” she said as she grabbed on to him. “I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
<<<<>>>>
Also by Suzanne Jenkins
The Greeks of Beaubien Street is the first book in The Greektown Trilogy. Although it may be read as a stand-alone novel, character development is on the continuum of all the books in the series. Coming soon – The Princess of Greektown – click HERE to read an excerpt.
The following books are the Pam of Babylon Series, available on Kindle, in Paperback on Amazon.com and at your favorite bookstores. Follow the title links to preview and purchase from Amazon.
#1 Pam of Babylon Long Island housewife, Pam Smith is called to the hospital after her husband Jack suffers a heart attack on the train from Manhattan. It is the beginning of a journey of self-discovery and sadness, growth and regrets, as she realizes a wife and mother’s worst nightmare.
#2 Don’t You Forget About Me The family begins to sift through the evidence of a life of deceit, putting together the pieces left behind by Jack.
#3 Dream Lover A gritty, realistic portrait of the aftermath of deceit, more pieces of the puzzle come together as the women each attempt to go on living in the wake of despair. More characters are introduced, including Ashton.
#4 Prayers for the Dying Jack Smith’s victims attempt to move forward while grappling with the pain and horror that he left behind. Pam makes startling revelations about herself, while Sandra hopes for a future with exciting expectations. Marie is in a most unlikely place, with the happiest news in the bleakest circumstances. Ashton’s story of a lifetime love affair with Jack is finally told, with his heartache revealed.
#5 Family Dynamics Heartbreak and devastation move toward triumph in the fifth and final installation of the Pam of Babylon Series. Pam is at last able to overcome the pain of Jack’s rejection, and her own role in perpetuating his deviance, when she meets Dan and falls in love. Her children move on with their lives in ways Pam would have never believed. Sandra fulfills her dreams with Tom, and a gift from Marie helps to complete their life together. Ashton and Ted build a beautiful life, and new discoveries make it richer than they thought possible, but with a twist. But don’t be deceived; what you hope for is not what you may get.
Go back to Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Also by Suzanne Jenkins
The Greeks of Beaubien Street Page 25
