Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 27

Behind the story: Hailey

Have you talked to an eight-year-old lately? My niece is eight. My daughter is about to be seven. So, I'm pretty up on this age. And let me tell you--it's more than a bit precocious.

She's finding her legs, learning what she can get away with, and yet still very much a little girl.

Let me introduce you to Hailey. She's Charlie's daughter, and she is a big part of my novella Mistletoe Make-believe.

Because who can resist a romance that includes a cute child, too?
Hailey loves spending time with her dad and family at the beach each Christmas, but she isn't at all sure about things when her dad suddenly has a new girlfriend there, too. So, she fires all guns, pushes all buttons, and even snoops around a bit.

Think she'll come around before Charlie and Sam end their pretense? Will she complicate things or make them sweeter?

Just a few more days until you can find out!
Buy it on pre-order below--save two dollars through 9/27!

Behind the Story: Sam

Samantha Arwine loves her job as an author, but since her last breakup, the muses have been silent. On a suggestion from her agent and cousin, she heads off to a romantic beach for the holidays--and what could be more romantic than where her parents honeymooned almost thirty years before?

Little does she know that a story idea will literally drop into her lap the first Sunday she's on the island. A pretend romance? She's never written one before, but it sounds like fun. And Charlie looks so desperate, how can she say no to his slightly crazy idea?
The problem with being an author is it's like giving your imagination permission to constantly run away with you. And you start seeing things that may or may not be all in your head. Like a look of appreciation or affection from your pretend boyfriend.

But she's been down that road before. So, she needs to get a grip before she loses her heart in the pursuit of inspiration.

Do you think she'll be able to convince her heart it's all pretend as she spends the week on St. Simons in Mistletoe Make-believe?
Available for pre-order now. Click the image below and save a few dollars!

Behind the Story: Charlie

Charlie Hill is the instigator in my story, Mistletoe Make-believe. You see, his family has been after him for a while now to find someone to date and marry so his daughter Hailey can have a mom.

Since he's spending Christmas with his family, he dreads hearing the advice once again, so he decides to find a pretend girlfriend. If only he hadn't waited until the last minute! Seriously. The first Sunday they're all together on St. Simons Island, Georgia, he's stuck guessing which women in the church building are possibly single--and picking one to ask the biggest favor he's ever requested.

It's all his family's fault he's asking someone to lie with him. And he's making the request in the church building, no less.
Charlie is a good guy. A good dad. A businessman from the Atlanta area. And he loves his family.

He just doesn't want to spend another Christmas hearing them egging him on to find someone to date.

What do you think? Could you fall in love with such a book boyfriend? Pretend or otherwise?

Behind the Story: St. Simon's Island

As soon as I knew my Christmas novella had to be set on a beach, I knew where it was going to take place.

St. Simon's Island.

It's a little spot of paradise off the Georgia coast. And it's where I had my honeymoon.

Gnarled old oaks, limbs bent every which way and some even resting on the ground, all dripping with Spanish moss. An old lighthouse that has a fascinating story. An old fort. Quite a few ancient church buildings. And a beach full of shells and waves and salty air.

​Want to go?
My biggest hardship with setting my story here was the both times I've been, it's been summertime. And my story is set at Christmas. Just a bit different.

I had to do some research, but of course a trip wasn't in the budget or timeframe. So, the internet helped a lot. As did some neighbors who traveled down with their son over the holidays last year and confirmed a few details.

It's a bit cooler, with highs usually in the 60s. The trees probably won't have all those bright green leaves. And the dolphin tour on St. Simon's is closed for the winter, but the one on Jekyll, which is just south of there, is still open.
They also have some fun additional options during the holidays which don't happen in the summer. Like a trolley to go see Christmas lights. Or extra activities at the big resort. And even a themed mini golf and ice skating over on Jekyll. Needless to say, I think you're going to enjoy your visit to St. Simon's in my new story coming out on the 28th as much as I enjoyed writing. Add in a little romance, and what more could you ask for?

​What do you think? Would you enjoy Christmas on the beach? Which beach would you choose?

Author Interview: Sarah Anne Crouch

Every now and then, someone super special comes into your life, and four years ago, that's what happened to me. I met Sarah Anne Crouch when dropping my daughter off for Bible class one of the first Sundays we visited where we worship now. Our daughters became immediate best friends and Sarah and I followed suit. Although I'm not happy that she's moved to a different state, I am thrilled that she's just released her first book. And I know you're going to enjoy getting to know this special author, too.


Hi Sarah. Congrats on your first book. Can you tell me what first inspired you to be an author?

I've always loved stories. When I was a kid, I devoured any book I could get my hands on, and I wrote all kinds of terrible poems and mysteries and even one horror comedy. About ten years ago, my husband, who was probably sick of hearing me just talk about wanting to write, bought me a copy of Writing the Christian Romance by Gail Gaymer Martin. A few years later, I only had a partially completed manuscript, but I met a very nice lady at church (named Amy Anguish!) who encouraged me to keep writing. And I'm so glad she did!

What made you choose Northwest Arkansas as your setting?

I consider Arkansas, specifically Northwest Arkansas, my home. There just aren't enough books set in Arkansas, in my opinion. Shady Springs is loosely based on the town I grew up in, Prairie Grove, Arkansas. The real town has a State Battlefield Park, an abundance of antique shops, and a popular craft fair every Labor Day weekend. The fictional town has a few changed details, but I tried to bring the real-life charm of Prairie Grove to the page.
Of all the characters in your book, which one was the hardest to write and why?

Nancy Jones, a woman who hurt my main character and her mother, was the hardest to write. To Madeleine, she'd become the embodiment of all the reasons why Madeleine and her mother left Shady Springs in the first place. If my book had a villain, it would probably be her. It was important for Nancy to have logical and believable reasons for her actions. But the more I got into her head, and the more I fleshed out her story and her personality, the more everything fell into place.

And which one was your favorite?

Aunt Clara is my very favorite. She's smart and spunky and a bit of a schemer. She knows just what to do and say to push my main character in the right direction.

Besides writing, what other hobbies or activities do you do?

My full-time job is being Mommy to three small and very wild children. As you well know, they can be a handful. =) In addition to wrangling kids, I always make the time to read, both for my personal sanity and to become a better writer. When I'm able, I also like to play piano and crochet.

Got anything exciting coming up? What are you working on next?

Why, yes! I have a novella coming out September 2022 as a part of a collection called Love in Any Season. My story, titled "A Sweet Dream Come True," is about an ice cream man who falls in love with a chocolatier. The best part is, the other authors are Heather Greer, Regina Merrick, and the lovely Amy R. Anguish!

Hmm. I think I've heard of that collection. ;-)
And the last question I ask everyone: what can you tell us about yourself that very few people know?

My grandparents are authors, too! My grandfathers and my dad (Flavil Yeakley, Don Vinzant, and Gene Vinzant, respectively) have all written or co-written books on church growth and leadership. And my grandmother Carol Vinzant wrote a novel about her own grandmother living in Texas in the early 1900s called Meet Me in the Gloaming. I like to think I learned a bit about the business from them. =)

That's such a cool fact. Thanks so much for sharing with us today.

If you'd like to know more about Sarah and her new book, keep reading. The last place Madeleine Mullins wants to be is back in Shady Springs, Arkansas—the town where her whole world fell apart. But when her beloved Aunt Clara begs her for help, Madeleine reluctantly takes a job painting a mural at her aunt’s church. Her plan is to finish quickly and leave her bad memories behind. But the more time she spends with the handsome youth minister and the more she reads her Bible, the more she wonders if she has been wrong about God and the Church all along.
Three years out of college and A.J. Young still doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up. He knows he wants to settle down and build a family but hasn’t found the wife he’d like to share his life with. Then Madeleine comes to town. Their friendship buds quickly, although it can never be anything more as long as she isn’t a Christian.
​An undeniable attraction grows between A.J. and Madeleine, but she’s only in town for a few weeks, and he can’t date someone who doesn’t share his beliefs. How can Madeleine help A.J. discover a passion for the career he’s always wanted? And how can A.J. convince Madeleine to give God and Shady Springs a second chance?
Sarah Anne Crouch grew up in a small town much like Shady Springs. She cherishes the close relationships and beautiful memories from her hometown. Though she’s lived everywhere from Malibu, CA to Nashville, TN, Sarah now resides in Arkansas with her husband, three children, and thousands of books.

Links:
http://www.SarahAnneCrouch.wordpress.com
http://www.Facebook.com/SarahAnneCrouch
http://www.Twitter.com/SarahAnneCrouch
http://www.Pinterest.com/SarahAnneCrouch

Short Story--Easy Peasy--Day 5

Thanks so much for joining us this week. This is the final part of my birthday gift to you, a fun short story. I hope you loved it, or that it at least made your week a bit brighter.

If you need to catch up, the first day is here, Tuesday is here, Wednesday is here, and Thursday is here. Enjoy the end! “Okay. Just a bit more.” Chris wedged his shoulder under the microwave while Tyler screwed it in above. “There.”

“That’s it?” Chris stepped out but kept a hand underneath it, just in case. The memory of the microwave taking a nose dive earlier was still fresh in his mind.

“That’s it. Let’s see.” Tyler pushed the plug into the wall and the screen flashed four green zeros. “Ta da.”
​
“I wish I’d called you in the first place. You might have kept me from almost getting electrocuted.” Chris stepped all the way back and admired their handiwork. Jane had been right. This one looked much nicer.
“From now on, just call me before you start anything else dealing with electricity.” Tyler smacked him on the back before helping move the stove back in place.

“Especially if you’re going to bring Mandy, too. That was just the distraction Jane needed. Earlier, she was hovering, watching my every move. It definitely didn’t help things.”

“I can imagine.” Tyler set his tools back in the box he’d brought. “You know I’m always glad to help. Especially since it means I can call in favors from you down the road—like painting the rooms Mandy has her eye on ‘refreshing.’”

“I’m in. I’ll even bring Jane to distract Mandy.”

“Perfect.” Tyler pointed toward the hallway the girls had disappeared down. “Speaking of which. Think we should let them know we’re done?”

Chris thought about enjoying the quiet for a few more minutes, but then the excitement of seeing Jane’s face won out. “Jane!”

Heavy footsteps pounded the hallway and she rushed around the corner, her ponytail whipping around her face. “Is it—?”

“Voila!” He motioned to it like a host on a game show.

“Yay! And it works?” Jane gave a little skip as she moved over and opened the door to look inside. “It’s so clean.”

“Well, it’s new, so ...”

“You know what I mean. Think we can keep it this clean?”

He let out a snort.

“Well, I think we’re about done here.” Tyler hefted his toolbox and grinned at his wife. “Have a great birthday, Jane.”

“Bye, Jane.” Mandy waved as she followed Tyler out.

“What should we cook first?” Jane leaned against the oven.

“I don’t know. Can you do a cake in that thing?”

“Not a good one.” She rolled her eyes. “But I know a place that sells a great piece of cheesecake. And good dinner, too.”

“I thought we bought this thing so you could cook at home?”

“A girl doesn’t want to have to make her own birthday dinner.” She propped her hands on her hips. “Besides, you’ve been working on this all day. I’m sure you don’t want to have to cook, either.”

“I never want to have to cook.” He hooked his hands around her waist and pulled her tight. “Okay. I guess I’ll take you out to eat ... again.”

“I’m spending lots of our money today, huh?”

“You’re worth it.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Just remember all this when my birthday rolls around in a few months.”

“You want a new microwave for your birthday, too?”

“I hope I never have to install a new microwave ever again.”

She frowned. “Guess it wasn’t such an easy request after all, huh?”

“Like I said.” He smoothed out her brow. “You’re worth it. All the projects to make our house a home and try to kill me in the process. Whatever you want, Jane.”

“Thank you.” And she rewarded him with a kiss that would keep him agreeing to projects for years.
Well, what do you think? Was it everything you hoped? As I said on Monday, part of this was based on my husband and I having a similar disaster this summer when we went to replace our microwave. But I'll let you guess which parts are true and which are made up.

Wishing you could give me something for my birthday? You can, and it only takes a few minutes. Reviews are the best gift you can give an author, so if you haven't already left a review for one of my books, go drop a few lines on amazon, goodreads, bookbub or anywhere else you find them to let others know what you thought.

And thanks to all who have already blessed me that way. I'm glad I could share this birthday week with you!

Short Story--Easy Peasy--Day 4

Thanks so much for joining us this week to read my birthday gift to you, a short story. If you need to catch up, the first day is here, Tuesday is here, and yesterday is here. Have fun! Jane leaned against the bathroom counter and rubbed her hands over her face. What had she been thinking? She knew better than to suggest a project as a birthday present. Not that she didn’t want the microwave. But Chris wasn’t her dad.

He’d reminded her over and over again that he wasn’t as handy as the men in her family. Had brought up the ceiling fan fiasco from a year before whenever she came up with these ideas. But she just couldn’t help herself.

“Jane?”
​
Chris’s voice outside the door had her straightening and blinking. He didn’t need to see how upset she was. After all, it had been him who had almost gotten killed over this stupid plan.
“Jane?” Chris knocked. “Hey. I talked to Tyler and he’s going to run by this afternoon to look at that wire and see if he can help us get it taken out.”
​
Jane opened the door and blinked at her husband. “That sounds good.”

“Yep. Because I’m not putting that new microwave in with a live wire sticking out of the wall. It’s a miracle something hasn’t caught on fire the way that old one was wired in.”

“No wonder those under-the-cabinet lights didn’t work, huh?” Jane toed the space where the carpet met the linoleum.

“Hey.” Chris pulled her to his chest and wrapped her up tight. “It’s okay. Not our fault the homeowners before us were idiots.”

A giggle merged with a sob and choked up her throat. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?”

“For suggesting this. I should’ve just been happy with the microwave I had.”

“No.” He pulled back just enough to be able to look into her eyes. “You were right. It should’ve been an easy fix. And it would’ve been if the people who put that thing in hadn’t considered themselves electricians. Neither one of us foresaw that disaster. And at least I had moved the stove out of the way, so all we broke was the already broken microwave and a couple of the tiles that will be under the oven anyway.”

“I feel like we’ve changed places. You’re usually the one looking for all the bad things and I’m the one trying to see the bright side.” Jane cocked her head to the side. “Did getting zapped with electricity switch our personalities?”

“I don’t think so.” He pressed a kiss to her head. “I think it’s just my turn to comfort you.”

“Well, I appreciate it.”

“Tyler won’t be by until later. Want to go out and grab a bite to eat since our kitchen is in a shambles?” Chris motioned toward the door.

“Let me guess. You want a cheeseburger.” Jane’s lips twitched in amusement.

“Even microwave repairmen have to eat.” He rubbed his belly and grinned.

“Let’s go, then. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back so Tyler can get that wire out of the wall. I’m still a bit nervous leaving it there.”

“I don’t think it will do anything right now. I have the switch off. And nothing else will be around to touch it until we get back.”

“Okay.” She cast one more glance over her shoulder before allowing him to escort her out into the early afternoon heat to grab lunch.

She still sort of regretted asking for the microwave for her birthday.
Do you think Jane will get her new microwave? Will there be more problems? One more day to find out! Come back tomorrow and see how it ends.

Short Story--Easy Peasy--Day 3

Thanks so much for joining us this week to read my birthday gift to you, a short story. If you need to catch up, the first day is here and yesterday is here. Have fun! If Chris had half the faith in how easy this project would be that Jane did, he wouldn’t have read the instructions three times. But he’d never been very handy at fixing things. Not like Jane’s dad and grandfather. And yet, she kept coming up with these “easy” projects she wanted them to tackle.

The idea of letting her down in any way tore him up inside. So, here he was again, trying to live up to her expectations. And wondering how he was going to fail this time.

The screws on top came out easily enough. He worked them all the way up and then lowered himself to where Jane held up the appliance. Now, to lift it off ...

“Okay. I’m going to try and lift it away. Ready?”

“Got it.” She stepped back, allowing him room to maneuver.
​
He gripped each side and jerked it forward, but it barely moved. 
Strange.

He tried wiggling it side to side and then forward, but it still hardly budged.

“What’s wrong?” Jane stood, hands outstretched, as if to catch the microwave should it fly away from the wall.

“I’m not sure. It’s not coming loose.” He grunted as he pulled again. This time a cracking sound came from the top.

Jane’s eyes widened.

“Well, that’s not right.” Chris muttered as he motioned Jane back under the microwave and he climbed up to examine the tiny crack between cabinet and top of the appliance. “Looks like someone wedged a piece of wood under the cabinet itself to brace the top of this thing.”

“Huh.”

“I’m not sure I can get it out, but maybe if I do, we can work it the rest of the way free.”

“Okay. Let me know if I can help.” Jane’s voice was slightly strained and he felt sorry that she was holding the weight of the microwave, but he didn’t know anything else to do to make it work better, either.

Five minutes later, he finally got the broken chunk of wood out. But the microwave still wouldn’t move.

After quite a few more grunts and mutters his mom probably wouldn’t approve of, he worked it far enough away from the wall that he could shine a light in the back to see what it was caught on. “Is that a wire?”

“What?” Jane peeked over his shoulder, blocking some of the light he was using to look.

“There’s a wire running from the wall into the back of the microwave.”

“But why?” Jane’s eyes scanned everything around the kitchen. “It was plugged in up top just like a microwave is supposed to be. There was no reason any other wire would need to be coming out of it.”

Chris got it to move another inch and just about gave up right then and there when he realized what had happened. “Jane?”

“Hm?”

“Know those lights under all the cabinets that have never worked?”

“Yes.” Her voice was wary and he didn’t blame her.
​
“I think they ran the wire for them through the back of the microwave.”

​“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

If only he were.

Tentatively, he stepped away and let the appliance hang to see what would happen. It shifted maybe a millimeter, but then stayed. Okay. He needed to figure out what breaker this was all attached to so he could go flip it. Because there was no way he was messing with a loused-up home-electrician job before the wires weren’t live anymore.

“Where are you going?” Jane followed as he headed back to the garage.

“To try and find the right breaker. You stay and tell me when things go off or stay on.”

He moved a stack of boxes that should probably be recycled and opened the metal door. Of course, few of the switches were labeled and the ones that were didn’t mean anything to him since he had no idea who Andrew was or which room had belonged to him. Guess he would just start at the top.

“Okay. Let me know if the stove goes off. I’m hoping it’s on the same breaker since they’re on the same wall.”

“Okay.” Jane hollered back from the kitchen. “Go.”

He flipped the first switch. “Anything?”

“Nope.”

Four switches later, he still hadn’t found it. Fifth time the charm? Here went nothing.

“Now?”

“That did it!” Jane’s voice was way too excited.

“Okay, God, I’m trusting you to not let me get electrocuted.” Chris sent up the semi-prayer and then started unscrewing the plate around the light switch they’d never figured out what it went to. It probably hadn’t worked because the wire had been through the back of the microwave. Which didn’t help much now.

He’d barely touched one of the wires when a loud zap sounded and he jerked back right as a bright flash filled the kitchen. Jane screamed and jumped. He wasn’t feeling very stable either.

“You okay?” Jane’s question came out rather breathless.

“I think so.” He stood and backed up a few more inches. “Won’t be touching that again anytime soon, though.”

“I don’t blame you.”

Then the microwave shifted.

And crashed on the tile floor, the sound of breaking glass almost as loud as Jane’s second scream. Oops? Did that end the way you thought it would? Don't worry. You have two more days of story for things to be made right. Come back tomorrow to find out what happens next.

Short Story--Easy Peasy--Day 2

​Thanks so much for joining us this week to read my birthday gift to you, a short story. If you need to catch up, the first day is here. Have fun! Jane shouldn’t hover. But much as she tried to convince herself to back off, she remained seated at the table, watching Chris unbox her new microwave. Maybe hooking up appliances wasn’t romantic or fun, but ever since they’d moved into their house two years before, the microwave already installed over the stove had deteriorated with a rapidity that led her to believe its demise was imminent.

She was simply being proactive.

Chris gave an extra-loud grunt as he lifted the thing from its Styrofoam cushion and plunked it onto her grandmother’s dining table. Jane bit back a groan as the possibility of scratches in the antique oak zipped through her mind. Not worth it. He was doing this for her.

“Okay. Now what?” Jane rubbed her hands together.

“Now, you let me look over the instructions.” Chris glanced at her above the new appliance and then returned to perusing the paperwork spread out in front of him.
​
“Right.” She plopped back into her seat.
Every time he shifted, she readied herself to help, but then he’d resettle and read some more. The YouTube video had only taken ten minutes to watch, tops. How could the written instructions take seven minutes longer?
​
“Give me time, Jane. I want to make sure I do it right.” Her husband of five years startled her out of her mental complaining. Chagrin settled in her belly. He was doing this for her. And she was being less than helpful.

Six minutes later, he stood, but held up a finger. “Hang on. I’ve got to go find some screwdrivers.”

“Garage. Top shelf to the left of the door. In the red toolbox.” Jane called after him.

He waved over his shoulder. Several more groans and grumbles sounded through the open doorway, but she stayed where she was. No telling what had been stacked up in front of those shelves, considering how they tended to use the garage as a catch-all. Another project that hadn’t been accomplished this summer.

Chris walked back in, a screwdriver in each hand. Jane jumped up, ready to do whatever he needed, but he motioned her to stay seated.

“It was my idea. Why can’t I help?” Jane’s voice came out petulant, but she couldn’t help it. Sometimes he turned into a bit of a caveman when he was working on projects she’d suggested—as if she needed him to do it by himself since she was just a girl.

“You will help when I get to a step that needs more than one set of hands.”

She sank into the chair as he started fiddling with something on top of the new microwave, maneuvering a metal plate over an opening. Then, he meticulously cut the edges off a large sheet of paper that was supposed to help line up the bracket. Just when she thought he was finally ready, he headed to the garage once more, returning a few minutes later with a level and a roll of painters tape.

Now?

He scooted the stove out of the way and then climbed up on a chair to empty the cabinet above the microwave. “What is all this?”

“Wedding gifts.” She accepted the crystal pitcher and a couple of vases as well as the Christmas china someone thought they’d love.

“And why do we still have it?”

“I might need a vase someday.” The rest of it ... she just hadn’t decided what to do with yet. She was always afraid those family members might visit and be upset if they found out she’d gotten rid of a gift they’d wanted her to have.

Chris offered a noncommittal sound and yanked the plug out for the current microwave. “Okay. Think you can brace this while I unscrew it?”

She tucked a shoulder under it and grinned up at him. “I’m ready. Let’s do this thing.”
How's it going so far? Any of this sound like your house?
​Stop by tomorrow for Day 3 to find out how things progress.

Short Story--Easy Peasy--Day 1

For the last few years, I've shared a short story here on my blog, one piece a day for the week of my birthday. And once a person starts a tradition like that, she can't really stop, can she? So, I've written one for you this year based on something that really happened to my husband and me this summer. I'll let you guess which parts are true and which are made up. Enjoy!

​Here's part one. “I don’t want a bunch of stuff for my birthday.”

Could there be any scarier statement than that? Chris could almost hear the threat between the words. He lowered the book he’d been reading and waited for Jane to drop the bomb.

“What? Don’t give me that look. It’s true.” Jane’s pretty lips took on the pout that always made him want to kiss her, no matter what crazy plot she had brewing.

Best to get it out at once instead of letting her torture him with all sorts of imaginings. “So, what do you want?”

Please don’t say a puppy.
​
“Well ...” A certain look entered her blue eyes, telling him what was coming might be worse than a new pet. “Know how we’ve been talking about replacing the microwave over the stove?”
He tried to contain the groan, but evidently didn’t keep it all in because her eyebrows furrowed and her fists landed on her hips.

“Christopher Blake, you know I’m right. You can’t even open the thing without the handle flying off. And the three button only works about a third of the time so I can’t ever cook something for only thirty seconds. It’s time.”

Chris set his book aside and ran his hands over his face. “I know. I’m just not sure it’s going to be as easy as you seem to think it’ll be. We might need to go ahead and pay to have someone do it.”

“Oh, I’ve been watching YouTube videos. See?” She held her phone screen out where several videos were queued, ready to go. “It doesn’t look that hard at all. We just unscrew the top in the cabinet, then lift it off the back piece. Then, we’ll just need to make sure the new one fits on the frame and put it up in reverse order. Easy peasy.”

“Easy peasy.” His voice didn’t match the optimism in his wife’s. Nothing was ever as simple as she thought it would be. Especially nothing involving electricity. Hadn’t the ceiling fan incident of the year before been proof enough he shouldn’t be allowed to touch things that plugged in?

“Come on. Think about it. My birthday is the week before Labor Day which means everything should be on sale. We’ll get a good deal, trade it out, and I’ll be able to cook without having to pry the microwave open without a handle.”

“It’s great in theory.” Chris knew the microwave needed to be replaced. Had needed it for a while now. And Jane never made things this easy when asking for a gift.

Normally, she made him guess.

He blew out a huff of resignation. “When do you want to go shopping?”

Jane squealed and pounced on the sofa beside him. “I’ve already been checking out models at two local stores to see what’s in stock. I’ve narrowed it down to this one or this one or this one.”

Her nimble fingers quickly flew through the pictures on her phone. There was no way he’d be able to tell her a single thing about any of them, but honestly, he didn’t care what the microwave looked like so long as it could reheat a cup of coffee or some leftovers. He shook his head and reached for his shoes he’d kicked off less than an hour before.

“I’m guessing you want to see them in person before you decide?”

“Don’t you think it’s better that way?”
​
He stood and pulled her up, too. “Let’s go shopping.”
Stop by tomorrow for the next piece of this story. Do you think things are really going to be as "easy peasy" as Jane says they will?