Cat is there to give support - http://www.wewriwa.com/2014/08/weekend-writing-warriors-8sunday-082414.html

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

  

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Welcome to a snippet from Within the Law. The protagonist, Tom Hughes, was created in His Lucky Charm (formerly called Forgotten). Tom is cousin to the female main character in HLC. I fell in love with Tom, I think he might be my favorite hero from all of my books. His character and his history was so compelling that I HAD to write his story, one in which he has his own HEA.

Earlier in the story Tom called his cousin, Caitlyn (Cat for short) about the trial. Despite her advanced pregnancy she gets on a plane and comes to support him. Cat just arrived in town and meets Tom at the courthouse. Staying apart as they had agreed, Alli is in the lobby with the senior defense council, she watches and wonders who the pregnant woman with Tom is.

(I think I will continue with this scene for the next 2 weeks, there are some very pivotal moments...)

Caitlyn put her hand up to Tom’s cheek, “Tommy, how is it going?”

He shook his head, “It’s not good, I think this guy is going to get away with it. His lawyers have made mincemeat out of all the witnesses.” Tom sighed, “Cat, they practically had me exonerating him.”

She put her arms around his middle and hugged him, “Whether he pays or not, it’s not going to change what happened - in the long run, it doesn’t even matter anymore. If he receives a sentence, will you finally stop blaming yourself?” 

He hesitated and then shook his head.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Within the Law

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.

Amazon (print)

Amazon (Kindle)

.pdf E-Book (Payloadz)

multiple ebook formats (Smashwords)

Apple iTunes

Kobo

~~~~~~

Download Chelle’s audio story NOT ALONE

from this short story collection [FREE]

http://store.payloadz.com/go?id=1901650

(narrated by Wendy Tremont King)

 A fifteen minute short story in a FREE Audio-book

A Clandestine Relationship ~ Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 08/17/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

  

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Welcome to a snippet from Within the Law. The protagonist, Tom Hughes, was created in His Lucky Charm (formerly called Forgotten). Tom is cousin to the female main character in HLC. I fell in love with Tom, I think he might be my favorite hero from all of my books. His character and his history was so compelling that I HAD to write his story, one in which he has his own HEA.

Tom brings Alli back to her place and they spend the night talking. They agree to keep their friendship outside of the courtroom a secret and to just remain good friends... there are too many complications. She tells him about her ex-husband, her family and her job. Tom can't resist kissing her, but when the kiss deepens he pulls back.

His breathing was stilted. “I’m so sorry,” he barely mouthed the words.

“No... don’t stop,” Alli tried to hold him there, “Tom, it’s been so long since a man has touched me like this.” She looked fragile, she looked as if his next touch would either break her or fortify her.

He mumbled more to himself than to her, “my timing sucks.” Why now, he thought, why now when all his memories of Joyce had been stirred up? Tom sat up on the couch; he pulled her to him and held her against his chest while he stroked her hair.

He thought about what she had just said to him, “have you been with anyone since your husband?”

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Within the Law

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.

Amazon (print)

Amazon (Kindle)

.pdf E-Book (Payloadz)

multiple ebook formats (Smashwords)

Apple iTunes

Kobo

~~~~~~

Previous Within the Law #WeWriWa snippets:

• Introducing Tom in Within the Law
• The Acceptance
• Tom meets Alli
• The next time he sees Alli
• Tom is called to the stand
• Tom "licks his wounds"
• Tom can't avoid his attraction to Alli

Oneida County Courthouse, Rome NY

• 
  
• 
  

Tom can't avoid his attraction to Alli - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 08/10/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

  

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Welcome to a snippet from Within the Law. The protagonist, Tom Hughes, was created in His Lucky Charm (formerly called Forgotten). Tom is cousin to the female main character in HLC. I fell in love with Tom, I think he might be my favorite hero from all of my books. His character and his history was so compelling that I HAD to write his story, one in which he has his own HEA.

This picks up just a few paragraphs after last week's snippet... Tom wavers between his anger at what he feels is Alli's duplicity and his attraction to her. Finally his anger wins out and he storms out of the diner in anger. BTW, Cat is his cousin, the heroine from His Lucky Charm. (Sorry, I went 9 sentences this week)

Years ago, his mother had said to him that Joyce had died, he didn’t. He felt like giving up on life back then; Tom didn’t want to leave the house or see his friends, it was just too painful. The only one he ever let close to him was Cat, he didn’t want to talk to anyone else; he just wanted to build a wall around himself and keep the outside world away. It hurt to admit it, but his mother was right, it had taken some coercing and the help of a few friends pushing him, but he’d dated since then and even had a few very satisfying relationships. He didn’t feel like he was cheating on Joyce, he was just trying to live.

He briefly had thought about showing up on Alli’s doorstep sometime just to see where things might go, when he had left her apartment last night, he was amazed at how many of his senses felt alive again, but, after today...

“Tom,” he stopped and let her catch up to him, “if we had met under different circumstances, do you...”

He took her in his arms and kissed her, she kissed him back without hesitation. Finally, they stepped apart, “Does that answer your question?”

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Within the Law

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.

Amazon (print)
Amazon (Kindle)
.pdf E-Book (Payloadz)
multiple ebook formats (Smashwords)
Apple iTunes
Kobo

...coming soon, the audio-book of Within the Law
Listen to the Samples

Tom "licks his wounds" - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 08/03/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

  

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Welcome to a snippet from Within the Law. The protagonist, Tom Hughes, was created in His Lucky Charm (formerly called Forgotten). Tom is cousin to the female main character in HLC. I fell in love with Tom, I think he might be my favorite hero from all of my books. His character and his history was so compelling that I HAD to write his story, one in which he has his own HEA.

The Senior Defense Attorney (Justin) grilled every witness and even tried to lay some of the blame on Tom in order to cast doubt about the defendant's (Roy Dunlop) guilt. Alli couldn't look at Tom in the courtroom. Later after court is recessed for the day and after he calls his cousin to talk and calm down, he goes to the motel's diner for a quick bite. While he's there, Alli approaches him and apologizes...

“Tom, I am sorry that Justin grilled you like that today...”

“He was just doing his job, get the scum buckets back out on the street, that was nice investigating work you did by the way, did he really have all that information about my cases or was some of it just lucky guesses?” He sounded cynical.

“I try to do my job thoroughly,” Alli sat back while the waitress poured her coffee and put the salad on the table, “I really can’t discuss the case, I just wanted to say that I had no idea who you were last night.” She chuckled, ”I guess I wasn’t as thorough as I thought, I never had your photo ID pulled.”

He couldn’t help but wonder if she would have smiled at him the way she did if she had known who he was the night before. “Well, I guess you were lucky that I wasn’t another Dunlop, who knows who else is out there walking the streets after some smooth lawyer got him off?”

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Within the Law

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.

Amazon (print)
Amazon (Kindle)
.pdf E-Book (Payloadz)
multiple ebook formats (Smashwords)
Apple iTunes
Kobo

Chelle Cordero's Cousins Suspenses

   

Tom is called to the stand - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 07/27/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

  

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Welcome to a snippet from Within the Law. The protagonist, Tom Hughes, was created in His Lucky Charm (formerly called Forgotten). Tom is cousin to the female main character in HLC. I fell in love with Tom, I think he might be my favorite hero from all of my books. His character and his history was so compelling that I HAD to write his story, one in which he has his own HEA.

I'm continuing in the courtroom. The defendant, Dunlop, was found with Tom's high school ring, a key piece of evidence regarding Tom's fiance's (Joyce) death. The senior Defense Attorney isn't showing any compassion for the witnesses, he is doing his best to put doubt in the jury's minds. Poor Tom has no idea what he is in for when he is called to the witness box.

The District Attorney’s office called Thomas Hughes to the stand.

As Tom walked to the witness stand, he noticed Alli was giving the senior attorney a folder. Then she looked up and saw him. It was impossible to mask her surprise, but it didn’t take long for her to try to cover up her recognition of him for the benefit of the jury. He gazed at her as he was being sworn in, she looked away.

Tom never expected to feel the emotions he did as he was handed the clear plastic bag containing his high school ring.

“Was this the ring Joyce Keller was wearing on a chain around her neck the day she went on an outing with some girlfriends?”

He had to clear his throat in order to answer, “Yes. I gave this ring to Joyce, she wore it on a chain.”

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Within the Law

Series: Chelle Cordero's Cousins Suspense, Book 2. 

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.

Amazon (print)

Amazon (Kindle)

.pdf E-Book (Payloadz)

multiple ebook formats (Smashwords)

Apple iTunes

Kobo

Tom first made an appearance in His Lucky Charm, a story about  Caitlyn Smythe (Tom's cousin) and Brandon Price. Caitlyn and Brandon are back in Within the Law. Here is a small piece from that first story with background on what happened to Joyce ...

     When Tom left the night before, he warned them that he would be back on his way to work to find out if he was going to be an “uncle” or not. Tommy had been clearly thrilled that Caitlyn had accepted Brandon’s proposal. He had even begun to ask about wedding plans and dates.

     Brandon had admitted to Caitlyn that he was surprised that Tom was single. It was obvious that the man treasured family, liked the thought of kids and certainly had a lot of solid relationship advice to offer.

     That was when Caitlyn told Brandon about Tom’s lost love. The high school sweetheart he had proposed to on graduation day was killed during a random act of violence. She had been on a shopping trip to a nearby big-city mall with some girlfriends. Their vehicle had been carjacked and she was abducted. Her assailant had never been caught and Caitlyn thought that might have been Tom’s inspiration to become a police officer.

     She didn’t know if Tom would ever again allow his heart to be so vulnerable. The tragic story made Brandon realize even more how fortunate he was. He planted tiny kisses on Caitlyn’s closed eyelids and was only slightly disappointed that he hadn’t woken her.

     About an hour later, Caitlyn stretched in his arms, yawned, opened her eyes and smiled. Brandon felt like he was ready to melt.

     “Good morning.” She whispered to him.

The Acceptance - Weekend Writing Warriors / #8sunday / 07/06/14

Hi! Welcome to another Weekend Writing Warrior round. Every week writers post 8 sentences on their blogs from a published or unpublished book. Then we "hop" around and leave comments on each other's snippets. Whether our work is already published or in progress, the helpful comments help us become stronger writers on our next WIP. We welcome EVERYONE's comments.

  

See more at the WeWriWa blog

Welcome to a snippet from Within the Law. The protagonist, Tom Hughes, was created in His Lucky Charm (formerly called Forgotten). Tom is cousin to the female main character in HLC. I fell in love with Tom, I think he might be my favorite hero from all of my books. His character and his history was so compelling that I HAD to write his story, one in which he has his own HEA.

In the following snippet, it will become a little clearer why Tom is so lost in his memories. I've skipped a few paragraphs and this is in Chapter 1. I had to use a little bit of creative punctuation to make it fit.

The courthouse was already closed by the time Tom had driven into Rome, New York; he knew it wouldn’t have made a difference anyway. The district attorney’s office had been very specific about what time they wanted to see him. All they wanted him to do was identify the Tupper Lake High School ring with his initials engraved in it; all he wanted to do was get a look at the guy who had changed everything in his world. Tom had an almost masochistic need to put a face to the lowlife who had turned every dream he had into a nightmare.

Tom looked at his wristwatch and decided that as tempting as it was to drink himself into total numbness, he wanted to be aware enough the next morning to really get a good look at this guy. He’d been waiting eight years. Throwing a couple of bills on the counter, he paid for his last drink and stood. He took his car keys out of his pocket and weaved his way through the crowd towards the door.

 For more WeWriWa snippets, go to www.wewriwa.com

Within the Law

Series: Chelle Cordero's Cousins Suspense, Book 2. 

Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.

Amazon (print)

Amazon (Kindle)

.pdf E-Book (Payloadz)

multiple ebook formats (Smashwords)

Apple iTunes

Kobo

Within the Law Book Club Extras

Almost every novel published by Vanilla Heart Publishing has a Book Discussion Packet available. These packets are filled with discussion starter questions, printable bookmarks, and other valuable information - and best of all they are FREE. Libraries and book clubs love to get these packets as they really help to facilitate lively discussions. The packet for Within the Law is available for download here. Here is a sample discussion starter:

Tom Hughes’ character was created in a previous book by Ms. Cordero, 

His Lucky Charm (formerly called Forgotten) along with other characters 

Caitlyn, Brandon, Sylvia and Walter. Even though the books are stand 

alone stories, how does it make you feel when a character “lives on” 

beyond the place you first met them? What are your expectations when a 

character makes repeated appearances in several stories? 

page 69 Theory - Within the Law

There is a theory that if you pick up a book and turn to page 69, you will know if the book is interesting or not

so we are putting it to the test...

~~~~~~
p 69

Brandon stepped back. He caught his breath. “Now, Tom, I need you to leave. Go see your niece and then leave. Please.”

Tom looked crushed. “Brandon... I’m sorry.”

Brandon shook his head. “This has nothing to do with what happened. Caitlyn came here to be by your side. It’s where she wanted to be. It’s where she needed to be. Trust me, even if I had been home, I never would have tried to stop her from coming to you. I couldn’t have anyway. We don’t blame you for anything.”

“Then why can’t I stay?” He was choked up.

Brandon clenched his jaw and finally broke down. “Her chances are much better but... they still can’t be sure.” He held on to Tom. He spoke between his tears. “If you stay, it will be like we’re waiting for something to go wrong. It’ll be like we’re waiting to say goodbye.” He had to compose himself. “If you go, then I can believe everything will be okay.” He had to take a moment before he could continue. “And if something were to go wrong... We can’t make it easy for her to let go.”

Tom looked lost. He couldn’t argue with Brandon. He understood. Alli took a business card from her purse and handed it to Brandon. She put her hand on Tom’s arm. “We’ll be just a few minutes away. Here’s my phone number.”

Brandon pocketed the card and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Can I come back in the morning? Please?” Tom felt like a child asking for permission.

Brandon nodded. “Yes. She’ll be asking for you.” They hugged again. “Please come back tomorrow.”

Set your browser to the Book Roast of Within the Law today for lots of fun and a chance to win a book.

Within the Law
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Alpha, Beta or Gamma - My Heroes

I recently read these definitions on an online message board -

The "Alpha Male" a.k.a. "Dukes of Slut", tends to be dominant, aggressive and in control.

A "Beta Male" is generally the "boy next door" and is more submissive to his female partner. Maybe more in touch with his "feminine side"?

And finally, the "Gamma Male" is an Alpha with a dark side.


I was curious where each of my story heroes might fit in. Please feel free to chime in at any time (or atleast to leave a comment below). I like to think that my characters are "real" so they are really multi-faceted; I will try to label by the most predominant traits.

Lon Bartlett (Bartlett's Rule): Alpha. But is Lon an Alpha because he believes that is what society (& his publisher) expects? When Lon meets Paige, his bed-hopping seems to come to a screeching halt. But then Lon claimed that it was all media-hype to begin with. He is tender and definitely passionate with Paige and caters to her needs and comfort level. His chosen career is a writer.

Brandon Price (Forgotten): Beta. He tends to be reclusive and a bit shy in his personal life. Caitlyn draws him out socially. But in business he is an agressive go-getter and is able to handle himself well. He was born into wealth but is determined to pay his own way. His chosen career is an Information Technology Specialist.

Tom Hughes (Within the Law): Gamma. He's an authority figure and doesn't let you forget it. And he's got a temper that gets him into trouble. Tom also has a wild side and in his own words, he hasn't always done the right thing. He is a very physical man at work, around the house and in bed. He is not threatened by Alli's independence. His chosen career is a New York State Trooper.

Now my real-life personal hero, my hubby, he's a little bit of all three (but that's another story).

~~~~~~~~

Within the Law - an excerpt

from Chapter One:

The courthouse was already closed by the time Tom had driven into Rome, New York. He knew it wouldn’t have made a difference anyway. The district attorney’s office had been very specific about what time they wanted to see him. All they wanted him to do was identify the Tupper Lake High School ring with his initials engraved in it. All he wanted to do was get a look at the guy who had changed everything in his world. Tom had an almost masochistic need to put a face to the lowlife who had turned every dream he had into a nightmare.

Tom looked at his wristwatch and decided that as tempting as it was to drink himself into total numbness, he wanted to be aware enough the next morning to really get a good look at this guy. He’d been waiting eight years. Throwing a couple of bills on the counter, he paid for his last drink and stood. He took his car keys out of his pocket and weaved his way through the crowd towards the door.

Tom knew he was comfortably buzzed enough not to drive, but he also knew he had to get out of the bar before he lost total control of his emotions. He figured he’d see how he fared once the outside air hit him and if he had to, he’d just roll the car down the street to the empty parking lot of a closed supermarket and sleep there for the night.

He stood on the sidewalk outside of the bar and let the cool night air absorb him. The Subaru was parked just a few car lengths down. He decided that if he managed to put the key in the lock on the first try, he’d be okay to drive. When he first heard her, he thought he was imagining the sound. Then Tom was sure that he heard a woman sobbing. He continued down the block until he saw her.

She was on her knees and he could see that she was trying to stand but what looked like a broken shoe and a bloodied knee wasn’t helping.

The woman, an attractive blonde, seemed scared when she first saw him approaching from out of the shadows. She tried to stand again and he watched as her ankle turned in and she groaned. Her knee-length tan skirt showed dark smudges from the dirty sidewalk.

“Don’t come near me.”

Tom stopped where he was. “Hey lady, it just looked like you needed some help.”

“I’m fine.” She managed to get to her feet. She was tall, maybe about five-foot-eight, he thought. Her stockings were ripped over her knees, one knee was bleeding and the contents of her pocketbook were spilled out over the broken sidewalk where she had tripped. “Thank you, but I don’t need your help.”

“Okay.” Tom leaned against a parked car, crossed his arms and watched as she struggled to remain in an upright position and pick up her belongings at the same time.

The woman almost fell again and Tom lost patience. He came to her side.

“I’ll scream for help.” She looked frightened by him.

“Go ahead.” Tom stared at her for a full minute. Finally after nothing more was said, he bent to pick up her spilled possessions and put them back into the wayward purse. “Do you live around here?” He handed her the pocketbook.

She hesitated. “No. Why?”

“I was just wondering what a woman alone was doing out on these streets at this hour.” He raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t like your insinuation.” She looked around and seemed to realize how dark and isolated the streets were. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I had an appointment.”

“Okay, let’s get you home.” He surprised her by cradling her in his arms.

“My car is right over here.” She was a lightweight to carry.

“Put me down.”

“Yeah... sure.” He walked over to his car and put her down next to it. “You have your choice. I can drive you home. Or you can try to hobble along these dark streets by yourself. I can assure you I have no interest in attacking you. I can’t guarantee anyone else you might run into in this neighborhood at this hour.” This was an older part of town with lots of alleys and shadows to contend with. It was down near the courthouse and jail and had a forbidding feel to it in the dark.

She turned her head to look around. A few men stumbled out of the bar and headed in the opposite direction. “I don’t live far from here.” Their raucous laughter seemed to unnerve her. He noticed her slender hands which seemed much more suited to typing at a desk than defending herself on a dark urban street.

“So it won’t be a long drive.” He unlocked the passenger side door of his car and was pleased that he got the key in on the first try. He uttered silent thanks that his hands were steady enough and he wasn’t really feeling any of the affects of the alcohol. “By the way, my name is Tom.”
She sat in the car and just before he closed the door, she cautiously smiled. “Thank you Tom.” He couldn’t explain why, but he knew that was the kind of smile he would remember and enjoy.

It wasn’t far to her home. She gave him directions as he drove. Their path took them just past the local hospital to a small garden apartment complex. He parked in front of one of the Tudor style buildings.

“Thank you again.” She opened the car door and stepped out. She had to lean against the car when she found her ankle wouldn’t support her weight.

Tom got out of the car and came to her side of the car quickly. He cradled her again ignoring the gasp of her surprise. “Would you like to go to the hospital to have this looked at?”

“No.” She seemed to relax in his arms. “No thank you. I’ll just stay off of it tonight. I’ll be okay.”

“What floor?”

Resigned to the fact that she did need help after all, she told him. “Second floor, rear apartment.” After a moment, she added “thank you again,” and loosely put her arms around his neck.

“Okay.” He carried her into the building and up the stairs. “Do you mind if I ask your name?” He really wanted a name to call this ethereal wisp of a woman.

“Alli”

“Nice to meet you, Alli.” He brought her to an apartment door. Tom stood there with her in his arms, enjoying the feel of her arms around his neck. Finally he looked at the apartment door. “Do you have your key?” There was a tinge of amusement in his voice.

“Really, I can manage...”

“I’ll just put you on your couch, get some ice for your ankle and then I’ll leave. Boy Scout honor.” Tom grinned. It was for his own benefit, he thought, to get in and out as quickly as possible. He was enjoying the feel of her in his arms entirely too much.

Alli thought about it before she pulled a key from her purse and unlocked the door. The door opened onto her living room. As he bent to put her on her couch, she started to chuckle. “Gee, if I had realized you were a boy scout, I wouldn’t have given you such a hard time.” He put a throw pillow behind her head.

Tom pointed towards what appeared to be the kitchen. “Ice, that way?”

“Yes.”

He went into the kitchen and noticed it was immaculate. All the appliances matched with brushed metal finishes. The surfaces were pristine. The room looked like it belonged in a magazine layout. A hot and cold water dispenser sat in the corner of the room, no simple tap water for this lady. It was certainly not like his place at home where his mom had picked out a stark white fridge and he relied on well water for drinking. He came out a few moments later carrying ice wrapped in a kitchen towel and a plastic grocery bag. “Here, put this under your foot so the ice doesn’t get everything soaked.” He put the bag under her leg and then wrapped the towel and ice around her ankle. “Okay, I’m out of here...:

“Tom, thank you. I’m sorry I was being so difficult before.” He liked the way his name sounded when she said it.

He smiled at her. “Don’t worry about it. I understand.”

“I just never expected to find a truly nice guy...” He hid his disappointment at her words. A nice guy wasn’t the way he wanted her to see him. He would have preferred a handsome guy, an attractive guy, a sexy guy... Nice was just so bland.

“Don’t sweat it.” He looked around the room. She had a delicate collection of spun glass figurines on display in the living room. He thought of how the type of collection suited her, very beautiful, very intricate, very fragile. Probably very expensive. “Can I get you anything else before I leave?” He noticed that she had a few photos on display, probably family pictures. The frames were all highly polished chrome and silver. Except for an older man next to an older woman, she didn’t seem to have any pictures of a special man in her life.

It looked like she wanted to say something else but changed her mind.

“No thanks.”

“Bye Alli.” Discouraged, Tom left.

“Bye.”

~~~~~~~~~~

coming this November!

It's Tom's Turn...

Readers met him in Forgotten - now, it's Tom's turn...

Prologue

He put his hand on the bartender’s wrist as she moved the open bottle towards his glass to refill.

“That’s going to be it for me, I’ve got an early morning.” He removed his hand from her wrist and watched as she pulled her slender hand away, noting the bright red of her nails. He remembered seeing red nails like that before. It was the same red as the cherry that topped the ice cream sundae you took your girl out for on a hot summer night. It was the same red as the Ruby stone that sat in a high school ring.

It had been more than eight years since he had seen that high school ring. She had been wearing it on a gold chain around her neck as she kissed him and told him she’d see him later. He waved as she got into the car with her friends and they drove off. Even though it had been a girls’ outing, he was supposed to drive them that day. One of her friends was planning to move into the dorm at the university in Syracuse later that summer and they all had wanted to help her make purchases for her room. But the restaurant manager had a last minute opening and he was grabbing all the work he could. So he stayed behind. He stayed behind and worked so they would be a little bit closer to being able to afford getting married.

His high school ring was never supposed to replace her engagement ring. He had been planning on buying one. But they wanted to move the wedding date up. They needed the money so buying the diamond was put on hold. Tom was still working the busboy job that had carried him through his senior year of high school. He had applications in at lots of other places for full time jobs, but the summer wasn’t the best time to get hired. His dad had wanted him to go on to college, but college wasn’t in his plans. Not anymore. He proposed to Joyce on their high school graduation day.

Joyce’s parents tried to convince them each to go to the local community college. They kept telling them that a two year engagement wasn’t all that long after all. Tom and Joyce knew they couldn’t wait the two years. So he worked as many hours as he could as a busboy. He managed to pick up a few extra hours pumping gas at the local station also. Joyce babysat and she was going to start selling plastic kitchen containers to all the area housewives. She wasn’t planning to buy anything that day. She was just going along for the ride. She was just going to enjoy the day with her girlfriends. He wanted her to have fun.

He was dead on his feet after the shift at the restaurant and he just wanted to go home and watch TV. His mom called him before he left work. His fifteen-year old cousin had run away again, something she did an average of twice a week since coming to live with them when she was twelve. Tom always knew where to find her and he picked her up on his way home that night. They were sitting in his car while he once again lectured her about her behavior when the police car pulled up.

Tom knew that his world was about to end when he saw Joyce’s father get out of the back seat.

Within the Law

~~coming in November 2008~~