Maddy Barone's Blog, page 8

Maddy’s Update

It’s been quite a while since I posted. I’m sorry about that. I’m still getting settled in my new apartment. I’m pleased to say it’s been a great place for me. The only noise I hear is people in the hall or going up and down the stairs. No loud music or rowdy kids. Color me happy!

My little office is about done. I will post pictures next time so you can see how cozy it is. The sewing room is back to being a disaster right now, and one of my brothers asked me to sew/quilt him a table runner. His house in Minneapolis was built in 1929 (I think) and he wants to keep the original Arts and Crafts feel to it. So I’ve ordered some 1930s feedsack reproduction fabric and I need to get the sewing room squared away so I can get to the sewing machine.

My local critique group, the Word Weavers of Fargo Moorhead, is starting something new. We’ll meet every Monday evening and spend an hour doing critiques, and then 30 minutes of writing sprints. No talking. Only typing. That means I hope next Tuesday I’ll have an actual teaser for you. I really have to get back to writing. We’re on overtime again at work, and I’m trying to get everything over here from Mom’s, and I’m spending time with mom, and church, and knitting, and SCA… Something has to give!!

I am planning to do my Annual Christmas Stocking giveaway in a couple of weeks. The stocking will be stuffed with books, gift cards, swag, and candy. I’ll be sending out a newsletter for people to enter to win in about ten days. If you are interested but don’t get the newsletter, there is a sign up at the right.

Pictures next time, and hopefully a little teaser. 

Tuesday Truth AND Teaser 11/13/18

Well, I’ve been in my new place for a little over 2 weeks and I am about 75% unpacked. I really like the place. It’s been amazingly quiet. It’s close to work, and close to the interstate so I can drive to mom’s. I have had very little time to sit and relax. Or do anything, really. Between work, going to mom’s, going to various evening meetings, church, knitting, writer’s group, etc. I haven’t gotten any writing done. This is it, the grand total of what I’ve written in the past three weeks:

Cole cast one last look around the river bank before turning and trotting back toward Omaha. He’d seen no men hiding, heard not a hint of trucks or other traffic, and hadn’t caught any unfamiliar scent carried on the night air. His patrol was over. With his paws heavy with mud, and his legs coated with drying goop, all he wanted was to be clean so he could bask in his mate’s warmth.

I was hoping to have at least a few hundred words for you tonight, but I am out of time. And energy. I volunteered to bring the dessert for the dinner at church tomorrow, and for some brilliant reason I thought I would bake something. (Somebody shoot me.) I managed to get the bakeware unpacked and washed, so I’m off now to mix up some cookies. Peanut butter blossoms since I have the ingredients for those.

I WILL get unpacked and be able to settle down to write soon. I just need to remember to breathe. 

Tuesday Truth 10/30/18: I’m Moved!

Well … Mostly moved. I still have my summer clothes, a bunch of knick knacks, books, rugs, bulletin boards (for plotting), cat toys, etc, over at mom’s. I just ran out of time and steam to pack all those, so I will need to get them over the next few weeks.

Kitchen

Living room

sewing room/guest room

As you can see, I have quite a lot of unpacking yet to do, and I am very busy this week. I work every day, plus last night I was out for my local critique group meeting, tomorrow I go to mom’s to help hand out candy, Thursday is my SCA meeting and I’ll be out of town all day Saturday. So I guess I’ll be living with this mess for a while. 

Tuesday Teaser 10/49/18 Gina’s Wolf Part 29

Happy Tuesday!
Life is getting a little more stressful as I get closer to moving. The move is set up for October 27, so it’s less than 2 weeks away. Part of me can NOT WAIT to move! Or actually, be moved, since it is so much work. But really, I am looking forward to being on my own again. Living in more than just one room. Cooking for just me. Cleaning up only my messes.  Oh, and the cats’ messes 

Tuesday Teaser October 2, 2018: Gina’s Wolf Part 27

October! Yay! My favorite month is here at last.

This month is very busy for me. There is the Northshield Crown Tournament on October 13.  I move on October 26-27. I don’t have the full amount of packing to do, since most of my stuff is still in storage. But I have plenty here to put in boxes and move., not to mention my bed, tv, computers, desks, sewing machines, etc.
And today Sammie the mommy kitty went to the vet to be spayed. Poor girl. That cannot be pleasant. And her eight week old kitten is wandering all around the house crying. He must miss his momma. She will come home tomorrow, and then she needs to be isolated from him for a while so he doesn’t hurt her.

Here is this week’s snip. Because this is an open blog and anyone can read it regardless of age, I am not posting the wedding night love scene. You’ll have to wait to read it when the book comes out! But there are some hints here about how things went for Cole and Gina.

Nasal Polyp Update–A New Hope?

I am having more trouble than usual with my asthma and breathing. I have had nasal polyps, asthma, and allergic reaction to aspirin for about 3 decades now. It’s called Samters Triad or AERD. I’ve had five sinus surgeries. Nothing cures it. If I had toenail fungus or erectile dysfunction I would have a dozen treatments to choose from. But breathing? Nah, that’s not important.

Three years ago, I underwent Aspirin Desensitization at the Mayo Clinic. I think it has been very helpful. Even now with my nose so plugged up I can still breath through my nose almost always. After years with breathing through my mouth, sleeping with my mouth closed is amazing. The sense of smell isn’t what I’d like it to be, but I do still get occasional whiffs of coffee or cinnamon pine cones. And I’ve had only three sinus infections in the past three years. A record!

Tonight I heard there may be a new and possibly effective treatment available in the next year. It is called Dupilumab. It is currently approved for dermatitis and eczema, but it works for polyps too. A two year long study was completed this summer. I’m so hopeful it hurts.

https://www.mdmag.com/conference-coverage/aaaai-wao-2018/claus-bachert-md-phd-dupilumab-for-nasal-polyps

 

 

Tuesday Teaser September 25, 2018 Gina’s Wolf Part 26

Today a book I’ve been dying to read for months has come out. Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven is a romantic fantasy. I’ve been reading and loving Grace Draven since she was published with Amber Quill. I like her heroines. They are strong without being feisty. They deal with difficult circumstances with dignity. The heroes respect them as people. If you have’t read Grace Draven, please do. This one is the first in a new series.

 

You can buy it here from Amazon


And now, here is this week’s snip from Gina and Cole’s story:

 

“Cole would lay down his life for you.” Patia’s tone was utterly sure. “You know that, don’t you?”

Gina clutched the bouquet with both hands. When she and Cole were pursued by her stepfather’s motorcycle scouts he could have left her and run ahead to safety. Anyone else she knew would have abandoned her. Cole hadn’t. He’d refused to even consider it. She swallowed, feeling tears press against her eyes again. Since the moment she had left Omaha on the train with him, he had done everything to protect her. Even after he had been nearly murdered, he continued to do his best to protect her.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I know that.”

“Would a man be willing to die to save someone he didn’t love?” Patia stood up and put an arm over Gina’s shoulders. “Cole loves you. Believe it.”

She did.  She really did.

Patia gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Bridal jitters over?”

Gina sniffed inelegantly. “Yeah.”

Patia handed her a hanky. “Uncle Sand?” she called, barely raising her voice. “We’re ready.”

The ceremony took almost no time at all. It seemed to Gina that she had taken Cole’s hand one minute and the next Mayor McGrath pronounced them man and wife. Cole’s kiss was light, a promise of what would come later. It curled her toes. Two dozen of her new in-laws howled like wild wolves, while Cole grinned and squeezed her hand. Gina smiled blindly, groping to remember the ceremony. Had she said any vows? Yes, she had said vows. Cole was warm and strong beside her.

Cole put his arm around her waist and pulled her toward his parents, who were standing only two yards away.  Her husband. He was warm and strong beside her. Like an immovable rock and a solid comfort.

That thought sank into her bones. Not a weight to drag her down, but an anchor to keep her from drifting. The smile that curved her lips was small, but real. Cole was her husband now, someone she could depend on. His arm dropped away with what Gina was sure was reluctance as the audience surged closer.

Patia gave her a hug. So did Mrs. Wolfe. No, her new mother-in-law had told her to call her Carla. Taye kissed the top of her head. Todd had never kissed the top of her head.

“Welcome to the Pack and the Lakota Wolf Clan,” Taye said loudly.

A fresh howl poured out from the men packed into the little chapel. The welcome made Gina blink back tears. Her tears seemed to alarm her new family.

“Are you alright?” her new father-in-law asked urgently.

“Yes. Just happy,” she managed.

Mayor and Mrs. Madison congratulated them and stepped back to allow others to come forward. Rose gave her a hug, and then a dozen strange men crowded around her, patting her arm and beaming at her as if they were truly glad to have her marry Cole and become part of their tribe. Clan. Whatever. They told her their names, but she was sure she’d never be able to keep them straight. After a few jumbled minutes, Cole came back to her and put his arm around her waist again.

The men around them parted to allow Mayor McGrath to approach them. He shook Cole’s hand and smiled at her. “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe. I wish you many happy years together.”

“Thank you,” Gina said.

McGrath looked over her head at Taye and nodded, his smile fading. “Tomorrow, at eight?” Taye must have nodded, because McGrath stepped back. “Good evening.”

Gina watched the mayor of Omaha leave the little chapel with a frown. “Tomorrow?” she murmured to Cole.

He shrugged. “War planning.”

That unwelcome intrusion of reality made Gina sigh.

Cole leaned close. “But we’re not going to think about that tonight, are we.”

It wasn’t really a question. “I don’t know.” She gave him a wide-eyed glance, hands folded primly at her waist. “That’s a pretty serious topic. Hard to ignore, really. Did you have something planned to take my mind off it?”

He leaned in so close his lips nearly brushed hers. “Yes, I do. I’m going to make it my goal to make sure you don’t think about it even once tonight.”

Gina swallowed, feeling a spark flare to heated life between her thighs. “Oh, really?”

She meant to sound sultry, but her voice cracked on the last syllable. Blushing, she noticed several of the Wolfe men had indulgent smiles on their faces. Her voice hadn’t been loud, but Cole had really good hearing so probably the other men of the Wolf Clan did too. She wanted to bury her blush in Cole’s chest.

She was saved from her embarrassment by Patia giving her another hug.

“I’m so happy for you,” her new sister-in-law told her. “You too, Colby.” The teasing note in her voice said she knew how much Cole hated being called his full name. “I’m going back up to Ray now. Save me a piece of your wedding cake.”

Wedding cake? Gina hadn’t even thought about a cake. Apparently, someone else had. Taye gave a nod and two of them men from his Pack followed Patia out of the chapel. Mayor and Mrs. Madison left too. Cole bent down so his lips brushed her ear.

“Let’s go back to the Limit. We’ll have supper and eat our cake and then …” His voice dropped to the merest whisper. “And then we can be alone at last.”

 

Cole set his fork aside. Supper had been good if simple. The cake was simple too, just a butter cake with whipped cream frosting flavored with dried strawberries. His wife –yes, his wife!—seemed pleased with it. He watched the smooth line of her throat as she swallowed a bite. A tiny smear of frosting clung to her lower lip. He hoped fervently it would still be there when they went upstairs to their room so he could lick it off.

Wife. He loved that he could call her that now. She sat beside him at the table in The Limit’s private dining room, her thigh pressed like a hot iron along his own.  Sky and Aunt Rose were across from them. Ms. Mary was at the head of the table. His parents were at the foot. The wolf warriors who weren’t guarding Patia or running back to Kearney to fetch help were gathered around the table. Cole caught a few winks from his younger cousins.

Hid dad glanced casually at the wall clock. “Half past seven,” he remarked. “It’s been a long day, and tomorrow will be busy too. We better turn in early.”

Cole could have kissed him. He returned his dad’s grin. “Good idea.” He gave Gina’s hand a gentle pull. “Good night.”

Her cheeks blazed an adorable shade of red, but she stood up and gave the entire table a general nod. “Good night.”

A few of his cousins howled as he hurried his wife up the stairs to their room. He closed the door gently and turned to face her. Alone at last.

Tuesday Teaser 9/18/18 Gina’s Wolf Part 26

My life has been busy lately! Between taking care of little Cleo (his eye is still infected, so I wash it out a couple of times a day and put medicine on it) and apartment hunting, I haven’t had as much time to write as I’d like. But I found a nice place and I go on Friday to sign the lease. I move in on October 27. So just about 5 weeks to get ready to move. I love my mom, and my brothers are pretty good, but I am really looking forward to living in more than just one room. My brothers are both disappointed that I’m leaving. I guess they like to have someone home with mom when they decide to go camping or visiting friends, and have someone do the grocery shopping and cook supper five times a week. And maybe they just like me

Tuesday Teaser 9/11/18: Gina’s Wolf Part 25

Today is Nine Eleven. 9/11. In America it is named as Patriot Day in remembrance of the Twin Towers falling, the Pentagon attack, and Flight 93. There is so much tragedy in the world today. From personal tragedies like a friend’s mom passing away today to world wide tragedies like the fall of the Twin Towers 17 years ago. Hurricane Florence is barrelling down on America’s east coast, threatening millions of homes and people. Sometimes it seems like it’s too horrible to bear.
When I feel like that I turn to a book. I’ve gotten a TON of comfort and encouragement from reading, Yes, from the Bible and other inspirational books, but also from romance novels, science fiction stories, fantasy books. Because a book filled with characters I care about with a good story can take me away from whatever horrible thing has me down and bring me back to real life feeling better. I plan on re-reading an old favorite tonight.
Do books do that for you? I hope so.
I’ll post another day about my excellent camping trip on Lake Winnipeg. I had a great time.
Here is the next  snip in Cole & Gina’s story. Enjoy!

 

 

“And what about the ladies in the camp?” The mayor sounded apologetic. “Your mother and the other women?”

Taye let out a growl beneath his breath.

The mayor nodded at him. “I don’t like to use women in war, but we are outmanned and outgunned. We’ll use whatever advantage we can.”

“I don’t like it,” Taye said flatly. “I didn’t like it when I heard the President’s women were captured last week, and I don’t like it now. Women deserve to be respected and cherished.”

“They were treated with great respect, and Kansas-Missouri took your women first.” The mayor held up placating hands. “As a last resort only. My word on it.”

Gina cleared her throat. “They’ve probably been sent back to Kansas City. That was the plan when I, er, left, and that was a few days ago.” She paused, debating with herself, and finally cleared her throat. “One of the wives is pregnant. My stepfather wants a child very badly, so I’m sure the women have been sent home for safety.”

“One of the wives,” muttered Stone with disgust.

Taye shook his head. “Why bring a pregnant woman all this way? It’s dangerous.”

“Because of me.” Gina had thought about that too. “My mother probably wanted to be on hand when I was found, and my stepfather tries to treat all his wives equally. If my mother got to come, so would the other wives.”

“Huh. The other wives,” said Stone, clearly still disgusted.

Judge Case steepled his fingers and tapped them against his chin. “A man desperate to have a child might be willing to do anything to get his pregnant wife back.”

“Even walk away from a war,” McGrath agreed.

Taye stood up. “We’ll have nothing to do with it,” he said flatly. “We don’t steal women.”

McGrath arched his eyebrows. “Not married ones, you mean.”

There was a brief silence before Taye shrugged. “Only mates, and we never hurt them or force them to accept the mating. No wolf I know has ever stolen a married woman. We won’t start now.”

“Fine, fine.” The mayor stretched back in his chair, smiling faintly. “But is this woman really married? After all, Todd has how many wives? And is she his true wife?”

Taye’s brows pulled down, and he glanced at Gina. “Did he marry her first? Is she happy as his wife?”

“No, Shelley is his fourth wife.” She considered for a moment. “I think she is happy. She’s very proud of maybe being the mother of his heir.”

“Maybe?” said Cole, stroking a hand up and down her arm. He was focused on her, so her might not have even known he was caressing her. She did though, and she liked it.

“His wives have been pregnant before, but the babies never lived.”

Stone made a low sound of sympathy.

Taye turned to McGrath and said with steel in his voice, “She’s a woman and the mother of his child. We don’t hurt women for any reason.”

McGrath straightened. “Good enough.”

The judge nodded. “The women are probably out of our reach anyway.”

A knock sounded on the door.

“Come,” called McGrath.

A young man in the uniform of the Omaha City Guard stepped in. “Mayor Madison has sent word that his son Ray has come out of the coma.”

 

*

 

Cole stared through the glass wall at the man lying in a pristine white bed in the hospital room. He had known Ray Madison all his life. They were only a year apart in age. Their mothers were best friends. Ray was his sister’s fiancé. He’d never been a heavy man, having the lean, lithe body of a mountain cat, but now he looked wasted. His hair, usually a tawny gold, was dull blond. His face had a gray tinge to it. Even with a blanket drawn up to his neck, his body seemed to be nothing but bone. How could he have become so thin in such a short time?

Beside him, Gina squeezed his hand. He put his arm around her, thankful that he was out here and not in the hospital bed. Inside the room his sister perched in a chair only inches from the bed, holding Ray’s hand while a doctor listened to Ray’s heart with a weird contraption that hooked into his ears. Ray’s dad and mom, Eddie and Lisa Madison, stood on the other side of the bed, watching the doctor with anxious eyes. Ray’s eyes were open, but their color was dull like his hair.

A whisper of a sob came from Gina. She pressed her face into his shoulder.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

She kind of nodded and shrugged at the same time. Lifting her head, she sniffed. “That could be you,” she whispered. “It’s a miracle you’re even alive. When I saw you shot …” Her voice broke. “You were dead. I was sure you were dead. But somehow you’re alive.”

She sounded surprised? “I’m a wolf warrior. What did you feel when I was shot?”

She was silent for a long minute. “I was horrified and guilty and furious. I wasn’t very nice to you at first, and they killed you.”

“And you’re sorry you weren’t nice to me?”

Her head tilted to look at him. No smile. “Not then. Maybe I am now. Cole.” She paused to look around. His parents were a yard away, also looking into Ray’s room. “Let’s go sit down somewhere private.”

He followed her down the hall to a small room where visitors could sit. He thought he would follow her anywhere because he never wanted her to be alone and unprotected again. She took a chair and waved him to the small couch. No, he didn’t want her sitting alone, so he tugged her over to the couch.

“Cole, I accepted your, uh, mate claim and I want to be your wife, but I don’t know how.”

He stared. “How?” he echoed blankly.

“I mean, can we even think about that until this mess with my stepfather is done?” She blinked and looked away, biting her lip. She drew a deep breath and looked back at him, delicate pink shading her cheeks. “On the other hand, I want to be your wife.” The color deepened. “I want you. Before everything goes crazy when Todd does whatever he’s going to do, I want … That is… ” She coughed, looked away, looked back, pressed her hands to her brilliant cheeks, and looked utterly adorable. Her voice lowered to the merest whisper. Only a wolf warrior could have heard her next words. “I want to make love with you as your wife.”

Those words were the finest poetry he’d ever heard. “I want that too. Tonight?”

“Where?”

It didn’t matter to him, but it obviously did to her. “At the Limit. The room we have there is private. Do you want a wedding?”

“Yes.”

It appeared her embarrassment was fading because her voice was strong again. “Mayor McGrath can do the ceremony, can’t he? Is that okay with you?”

He couldn’t care less, but he would do anything to make her happy. “Sure. Let’s go tell my mom and dad. They’ll make it happen.”

Tuesday Teaser 8/28/18 Gina’s Wolf Part 24

Only a few days until September! In a way, September is my favorite month. It’s like a fresh start, with hot weather winding down and cool weather coming. Today is in fact downright cold. (I love it, of course!) It is 60 degrees right now, which is something like 16 in celsius. and the low is expected to be 47 (8c). But it will warm back up before the weekend.
Mommy kitty Sammie stashed her baby somewhere and we can’t get to him. I hope he’s in the back corner of the garage, under a graveyard of old furniture, planks, extra siding, etc. My brother said he would help me clean that out and see if Cleo is back there, but he hasn’t done it yet. Maybe tomorrow. The baby is probably just fine, but I need to see him.
One thing I DON’T like about this time of year is the allergies. Torture. I ran out of my zyrtec over the weekend and since my car is once again in the sop I haven’t been able to get more. Boy, I can tell I haven’t had any. My eyes water constantly, I cough, I sneeze. I blow my nose twice a minute! Man. This makes me realize how well the Zyrtec works! I had planned to write a little more tonight to get to a good ending place for the snip, but I am exhausted. Who knew allergies could wear a person out so much? So you are getting a very rough piece here. I hope you can enjoy it.
OK, enough whining. On with Gina’s Wolf.

She squirmed to step back. Reluctantly, he dropped his arms. “No, I’m alright.” She turned to his father. “Thank you,” she said fervently.

His dad lifted one brow with a smile. “For what?”

“Not letting them take me back.” She hesitated for a moment before continuing. “And calling me your daughter.”

The smile faded from his dad’s face. “You don’t need to thank me for that. Whether you ever accept my son’s mate claim or not, you are part of our Clan now. We will never let harm come to our women.”

Cole blinked. “She did accept me. You heard her.”

“Did she?” His dad’s eyebrow went up again. He looked inquiringly at Gina. “Did you accept my son’s mate claim?”

Gina’s face closed. A hint of uncertainty clouded her eyes as she looked from his father to him. What did she see on his face? She was going to deny him. Cole’s heart sank in his chest. The moment stretched until he was sure he would break.

She took a deep breath, her eyes suddenly clear and sharp. “Yes. Yes, I did just accept Cole.”

 

 

Chapter Nine

 

Gina closed her mouth, cold rushing through her. What had she just said? One look at Cole’s face showed her pure joy. His dad was smiling too, a quieter smile of pride and happiness. She stared, frozen, for the second it took her heart to beat once before Cole grabbed her and squeezed her hard against him.

“Gina,” he muttered into her hair. “Darling.”

Gina clutched his shoulders, not sure if she wanted to pull him closer or push him away. Why did you agree to accept him? she silently screamed at herself. It was too soon for her to make a decision that would change her entire life. She hadn’t known him very long. But … Gina caught her breath and let it out in a long sigh. It felt somehow right. She loved the way he held her. She loved his joy. No one had ever looked at her like that.

“Do you want to get married?” Cole asked eagerly, pulling away a few inches to look down into her face. “I mean, do you want a church wedding by a priest or would you like Mayor McGrath to perform the ceremony? Or would you rather skip any ceremony and just be my mate?”

There was a half-hidden note of dismay in his voice when he said the last bit. Gina looked up at him with the sudden realization that he wanted a formal ceremony. A formal wedding meant they were tied together for life. She couldn’t just leave him to be with another man if she found someone she wanted more. The wariness in his face melted her.

“I want a ceremony,” she said firmly. “But not, er, maybe not right now.” She glanced at Mayor McGrath helplessly.

The mayor gave her a boyish smile. “I’d be happy to do the honors. However,” he added, looking at Cole’s dad, “I do have a few pressing matters on my plate at the moment.”

Her stepfather. Gina’s shoulders sagged. Cole nudged her chin up to look into her eyes. “Don’t worry,” he whispered. “We’ll take care of it.”

Could they? Gina wanted to believe it.

“I’ll send you back to the den by Kearney where you’ll be safe,” he continued. “Dad, we need to send mom, Patia, and Gina home on the next train and call for reinforcements from the Clan.”

Gina laid her hand over his mouth. By the way his eyes flared wide, she must have shocked him. “No,” she said clearly. “Remember what happened last time we tried that?”

His eyebrows dove down, and he briefly touched his head where he’d been shot, so she thought he got her point. He took removed her hand from his mouth with a gentle grip on her wrist. “It will be safe this time,” he insisted.

“No, it won’t,” she told him. “By now he already has people out watching every road, the rails, the river, and everywhere else.”

Cole’s dad laid a warm hand on her shoulder. “She’s right, son. For better or worse, we are in Omaha until this is over.” He must have known who she meant when she said ‘he’. “Our women are safer behind the walls of Omaha.”

McGrath cleared his voice. “Reinforcements would be welcome.”

Taye nodded. “I’ll send a couple of men out in wolf form. They’ll have a better chance of getting through that way.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the other men of his pack and they nodded. Without a word, three of them slipped out, leaving the man called Stone to come stand next to Taye.

“I’m sorry to intrude on this happy moment.” Mayor McGrath ran a hand over his short hair before meeting her eyes. “Can you give us any information about President Todd and his forces?”

Gina shrugged helplessly. “I’d be happy to, but I don’t know how much help I can be.”

“Anything at all could be useful. Please sit down here.”

Gina accepted the chair vacated by the Captain of the City Guard. Cole, still holding her hand, sat on her left. Her father was on her right, and Stone stood behind her chair. The mayor was opposite her with the elderly judge beside him. The judge held a pen poised over a tablet of paper.

“Go ahead, young lady,” he said encouragingly. “Just tell us anything you can think of. How many men does the President have with him now? How many in his army can he call here? How long would it take for those to arrive here? Go ahead. I’ll write it all down.”

Gina blessed her rebellious nature. Because she knew her stepfather didn’t think women needed to know anything about armies or wars, she had paid special attention to those topics on the infrequent times they came up at the dinner table. She was able to give numbers with some assurance and name the various branches of the Kansas-Missouri army and who commanded which branch. When she mentioned the motorized forward scouts, Cole nodded grimly.

“Motorcycles,” he growled.

“And what about the ladies in the camp?” The mayor sounded apologetic. “Your mother and the other women?”

Taye let out a growl beneath his breath.

The mayor nodded at him. “I don’t like to use women in war, but we are outmanned and outgunned. We’ll use whatever advantage we can.”

“I don’t like it,” Taye said flatly. “I didn’t like it when I heard the President’s women were captured last week, and I don’t like it now. Women deserve to be respected and cherished.”

“They were treated with great respect, and Kansas-Missouri took your women first.” The mayor held up placating hands. “As a last resort only. My word on it.”

Gina cleared her throat. “They’ve probably been sent back to Kansas City. That was the plan when I, er, left.”

The mayor nodded.