Catherine Edward's Blog, page 18

BLOG TOUR: The Bride's Trail - Book 1 by A.A. Abbott [Excerpt Included]

BLOG TOUR: The Bride's Trail - Book 1 by A.A. Abbott  

BlurbThis great story, packed with twists and turns, begins in London’s smart Fitzrovia and ends in secret tunnels below central Birmingham.
Ross has a swanky penthouse and a high-flying job in the City. When he meets Kat, a glamorous blonde croupier, he starts to plan a future. Now she’s disappeared, he’s devastated.
Casino boss Shaun realises it’s not just Kat who’s vanished -  £20,000 is missing too. He wants his money back and he’s after Kat’s blood.
Young graduate Amy has discovered Kat’s stolen her ID for a sham marriage. She can't stand Ross, but only he will help her find Kat and clear her name.
High stakes, twists, action and suspense keep the pages turning in A.A. Abbott’s crime thriller, the first in the Trail Series.
Author Information
English thriller writer AA Abbott’s real name is Helen Blenkinsop, but like JK Rowling, she wanted to . She loves city life, having lived and worked in London, Birmingham and Bristol. Her crime thrillers, set in Birmingham and London, sizzle with suspense, twists and the evils of office politics.
Helen’s books are available in a dyslexia-friendly large print as well as standard paperback and Kindle editions.
Her Trail Series follows the fortunes of glamorous blonde Kat White, a party girl who finds her purpose making vodka, shrewd businessman Marty Bridges, and manipulative East End crime lord Shaun Halloran
Buy Link https://amzn.to/2Dvp6Su

Twitter Handles@AAAbbottStories#LoveBooksGroupTours 

Excerpt:“Who to? Jeb?” It was the first name that sprang to mind, although he was the last man that Amy herself would choose for a mate. There was a hint of evil about him, a calculating gaze that chilled her. Even his roguish smile, smooth coffee-coloured skin and abundant charm couldn’t compensate for that. What was he to Kat, exactly? Once, she’d called him a gangster. She’d always denied he was her boyfriend. He never stayed the night. Despite that, Kat often disappeared with him.

BOOK BLITZ: In to Her by J.A. Huss

In to Her
J.A. Huss
Publication date: February 19th 2019
Genres: Erotica, Romance

When AJ and Logan walked into Yvette Nightingale’s bar they didn’t expect to be there long. They certainly didn’t expect to be dancing with her, or having sex with her, or spending the night with her.

Because they were sent there to kill her.
Not fall for her.
Not feel sorry for her.
Not want to take care of her, or protect her, or be in to her.
But sometimes people enter your life for a reason. Sometimes they even enter at the very moment you need them most. And Yvette Nightingale needs AJ and Logan.
She needs them even more than they need her.
CAUTION: In To Her is 320 pages of dirty smut, fantasy scenes with erotic toys, MFM and MMF ménage, and an angst-y HEA that will leave you guessing until the very last page. (This is not a love triangle).

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo—EXCERPT:YVETTE
“She didn’t get off,” AJ says, looking at Logan.
“What?” he says, with some confusion.
“She’s pissed because we came without her.”
“No. Look,” I say, pushing AJ away with two firm hands on his chest. He takes a step back, but just a little one. “I’m fine, OK? I’m good. You guys can sleep down here and—”
“No,” AJ says, grabbing the edges of my partially buttoned shirt again. “We gotta make things right.”
“Really,” I say, trying to be firm. “You do not.”
But now Logan has come up behind me. “Oh,” he says, his tone somewhat softer than it was just a few seconds ago. “Shit. Well.”
“Seriously,” I start. But Logan is already reaching around my waist to slip his hands in my still-unbuttoned jeans.
“Relax,” he says, leaning his face into my neck. “It’s the least we can do.”
I close my eyes when his fingers slip between the lips of my still slick pussy.
AJ leans in and kisses me on the mouth. And even though every fiber of my being is telling me to put a stop to this—make them stop right now before it goes any further…
I can’t.
I just can’t.
I was so worked up a few minutes ago, so ready for the explosion that never happened, that my body reacts the exact opposite way my mind is telling it to.
I stop talking. I stop protesting. I kiss AJ back. I lean in to Logan’s chest to give his fingers better access.
“See,” Logan whispers into my ear. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
I don’t reply, but my answer is yes.
Which is so fucked up.
So fucked up.
AJ’s fingers are busy unbuttoning my shirt. But he gets frustrated halfway through and just—
“No!”
—rips it open.
He laughs into our kiss. “Sorry, but I don’t like those buttons.” And then he grabs the top edge of my bra and yanks it down, freeing my breasts so he can play with them. “You won’t be needing it after today, anyway.”
OK. Weird. But…
Well… maybe…
Fine.
I’m in. This wasn’t at all what I wanted before they came into the bar. And for sure, it’s bizarre. Everything about this encounter is fucked up and strange.
But I’m here. And they’re here. And we’re…
Yeah.
We are doing this.
Again.
So I say, “OK.”
And they… holy shit. Everything the last time wasn’t, this time is.

Author Bio:
JA Huss is the New York Times Bestselling author of 321 and has been on the USA Today Bestseller's list 21 times in the past four years. She writes characters with heart, plots with twists, and perfect endings.
Her books have sold millions of copies all over the world, the audio version of her semi-autobiographical book, Eighteen, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award and an Audie Award in 2016 and 2017 respectively, her audiobook, Mr. Perfect, was nominated for a Voice Arts Award in 2017, and her audiobook, Taking Turns, was nominated for an Audie Award in 2018. Five of her book were optioned for a TV series by MGM television in 2018.
She lives on a ranch in Central Colorado with her family.
Bookbub / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Amazon / Website

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Review: Leo and the Lightning Dragons

Leo and the Lightning Dragons by Gill White

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm new to Children's book.

The book highlights the strength of family and importance of sticking together. Also it showcases how Leo overcame the war with the lightning dragons inside his head. The dragons Leo fought is the problems one would face on their day to day life. The family and people around him, who was trying to help was heart warming. While he was glad people are there to support him, he must have belief in himself to overcome the war. The end was good. It had a moral, "One should always have faith in themselves," which I appreciated a lot.

This is an entertaining and inspiring read. It's definitely a story I'd love to read and buy as a gift for children. Highly recommended for children. A perfect gift for birthdays

Review: Dark Alpha's Awakening

Dark Alpha's Awakening by Donna GrantMy rating: 5 of 5 stars


Holly Molly! How come I never stumbled across this author before? That was my thought while I read through this book.

Dark Alpha's Awakening, though it was 7th in the series, I picked it up because of the intriguing blurb and I'm glad I did.

Cael serves for Erith, the death or otherwise called the Mistress of War. Someone is stealing the Death's magic along with her life source. Cael is focused to track down the enemy and stop him before he can succeed in killing Death herself. Cael had been serving Death for thousands of years, but she never let anyone close. He is secretly in love with her, but he was in no position to tell her that. But with her life at stake, things might take a turn.

Cael... is just wow! He's tall, dangerous and handsome. And the romance between the main characters will set your screens on fire. I don't know what was more appealing, the bad ass heroine or the male that renders her speechless with just a look. Their forbidden romance has so much fire to it. It'll make your toes curl.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Though I read from the middle of the series, it served as a standalone on its own. I was able to follow the plot without feeling lost and I loved the author made it that way.

The action scenes were so good and the magical elements are a treat to a fantasy lover. This book had all the element I expect in a book. I'd soon be hunting down other books in the series.

I highly recommend this book if you love a mature dark fantasy.



View all my reviews

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

COVER REVEAL: The Year I Left by Christine Brae

The Year I Left
Christine Brae
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: July 30th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary

Carin Frost doesn’t understand what’s happening to her. A confident businesswoman, wife, and mother, she begins to resent everything about her life. Nothing makes sense. Nothing makes her feel. Maybe it’s the recent loss of her mother in a tragic accident. Or maybe she’s just losing her mind.
Enter Matias Torres. As their new business partnership thrives, so does their friendship—and his interest in her. Carin is determined to keep her distance, until a work assignment sends them to Southeast Asia where a storm is brewing on the island. In the midst of the chaos, Matias asks her to do something unimaginable, exhilarating, BOLD. Carin knows the consequences could be dire, but it may be the only way to save herself.
An honest look at love and marriage and the frailties of the human heart, this is a story of a woman’s loss of self and purpose and the journey she takes to find her way back.

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Author Bio:
Christine Brae is a full time career woman who thought she could write a book about her life and then run away as far as possible from it. She never imagined that her words would touch the hearts of so many women with the same story to tell. Her second book, His Wounded Light was released in December, 2013.
Christine's third book, Insipid, is a standalone that was released in June, 2014, and her fourth book, In This Life, released in January 2016.
Her latest work, Eight Goodbyes was released on August 28, 2018.
When not listening to the voices in her head or spending late nights at the office, Christine can be seen shopping for shoes and purses, running a half marathon or spending time with her husband and three children in Chicago.
Christine is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin Literary Management.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Grab these Hot Romance novels for just $0.99 this Valentine's Day!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Hello lovelies,

This Valentine's Day, I'm so excited to announce that your favorite romance Getting Over Him will be available for sale for only just $0.99 from 14th to 17th February.

Getting Over Him by Catherine EdwardBuy from: Amazon US


Anything Once and Meant To Be Kept are two books I enjoyed reading this month. And they are on sale along with GOH. Grab then when you have the chance!
Meant To Be Kept by Amelia FosterBuy from: Amazon US



Anything Once by Meka James                                  Buy from: Amazon US



Don't forget to check out FYER V-day Promo. They have some awesome books on sale right now. Also, grab a few freebies from here.



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BRICK is a hot new release I enjoyed so much reading. If you're a lover of Mafia or Thug romance, you should definitely check this out! 

Brick by Jen DavisBuy from: Amazon US

Review: Brick

Brick by Jen DavisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is the first book I read on thug romance. I never read books on mafia or other related plots before. Not because I don't like it, I don't have time with all the books piled in my TBR.

Brick is the story of a henchman. He works for a ruthless drug dealer, Sucre. Sucre loves to taunt his men. He loves dangling their loved ones in front of them and watch the men suffer as he slowly tortures them to do his bidding. Brick thinks he has no hope. People fear him. But when Olivia walks into his life, he sees hope. Now the problem is Sucre can never know.

Brick...

What can I say? The story hooked me right away. Brick and Olivia are poles apart. But the attraction is immediate.

Olivia is a cancer survivor and a very sensible character. She's understanding and supportive of Brick. One of the top qualities I loved about her. She doesn't whine or run for the hills. She thinks things through and handle it in a mature way.

But all good things don't last forever. The story never lacks the speed and it keeps the anticipation growing deep. I found myself tense and biting nails, wondering when Sucre was going to find out. The tension lasted until the end and it was satisfying.

Sucre was a character I hated the moment I met him. I ended up plotting thousand ways to kill him as I continued to read. He's everything a villain should be. Though he isn't present in most of the scenes, you can feel his presence, hanging around like a ghost. If you get what I mean. His presence was always there. Like making you feel the weight of the situation. That's what I loved the most.

Every character in this book is great. They did their part and it's not easy to forget them. This story has everything-Family, romance, action, emotions etc., I also must warn you that this shows the ugly side of the underground life, so it's not all hearts and flowers.

I'm really glad I read this book. Heart felt thanks to the author for giving me sensible characters. They are intelligent, realistic and relatable. So excited for the sequel and the sneak peek is just so good.

Highly recommend this read.

View all my reviews

BOOK BLITZ - Fool’s Paradise by Ophelia Bell

Fool’s Paradise
Ophelia Bell
(Fate’s Fools, #3)
Publication date: February 5th 2019
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Deva Rainsong never expected to find a soul mate, now she has two and is on the run from Fate. The elusive divine entity has it out for her and has begun terrorizing the bloodline Deva has sworn to protect. Yet the young chimera and her five lovers still have no idea what it is Fate wants, or why she is so important to it.
The only thing she is sure of is that she needs a complete soul in order to have a chance at standing up to Fate, but for that to happen, she needs her human lover on board.
Bodhi Dylan is still getting used to the unusual, yet intriguing customs of the higher races. He’s fallen head over heels for the beautiful dark-skinned chimera, but doubts he can measure up to the prowess of his higher races counterparts. Besides, he can’t quite wrap his head around how the whole “harem” thing works. Because if he agrees to Deva’s proposition, that’s exactly what he’ll be part of.
But when he learns his participation is the key to her happiness, he’ll have to make a choice. Agree and risk inviting more of Fate’s wrath, or deny her to keep her safe.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks—EXCERPT:When you met the father of the woman you loved for the first time and half the people in the room knelt, it was probably a good idea to follow along. So I wasn’t sure why I didn’t.
Keagan, Rohan, and Willem all rested on their knees, heads bowed in front of one scary-looking dude. It still hadn’t quite sunk in that Deva had just introduced him as her dad. Mom had just given him lip—leave it to her to stand up to him. He seemed like someone who kept attack dogs around just to snuggle with, if a guy like him even snuggled.
Nikhil was well over six feet tall—probably not as tall as Willem, but he made up for the difference in sheer, domineering presence. His simple black cotton T-shirt and jeans might have been unassuming, but they highlighted how fucking intimidating he was. Even the glowing tattoos around his neck and wrists made him seem more menacing. His black hair was trimmed high and tight, and his steel-gray eyes glinted like sharp daggers as he took in the room.
He barely glanced at the three men on their knees, passing over them quickly. His eyes narrowed as they reached Ozzie, and his jaw twitched when his gaze landed on Llyr. Neither Llyr nor Ozzie had knelt. Ozzie leaned casually against one wall, completely unfazed by Nikhil’s arrival, but Llyr . . . Both his hands were clenched into fists so tight his knuckles were bone-white.
“At ease,” Nikhil rumbled down to the trio on the ground, and they immediately stood. Shit, had Deva told me he was military? Then Nikhil’s attention slipped to Deva and his entire demeanor shifted. His face lit up in a huge smile and he stretched out his arms. “Baby girl, I missed you.”
Deva squeezed my hand as she passed and gave me a reassuring look, making me feel a little less like a jerk for not bowing to her dad. I still wished she’d prepared me a little better for this, but feeling out of my element had kind of become my natural state lately.
She slipped into her father’s arms, the tension slipping away from her as he held her tight. His eyes grew glassy and his brows twitched for the briefest second before the show of tenderness disappeared so completely I wondered if I’d imagined it.
“You should have come to us before it got to this. We’d have helped,” he said.
“I needed to prove I could take care of myself,” Deva replied.
“We never thought you couldn’t.”
“I needed to prove it to myself, Dad. And I honestly don’t believe there’s anything any of you could have done to help the bloodline. I’m the only one who can find them, and I’m the only one . . . or I was the only one who could see the fate hounds. Now I have help, so you don’t need to be here.” She glanced back at the rest of us, and I straightened as Nikhil’s gaze landed on me. His dark eyebrows lifted the tiniest bit before he glanced at my mom and smiled.
“Who are your friends? I know those two fuckers already.” He jabbed a thumb at Ozzie and Llyr. “And I remember Willem from the Haven War.” He clapped the big man on the shoulder and Willem nodded.
“They’re our replacements.” A jovial male voice filtered in from the entry to the suite as three more people entered. Didn’t this place have locks on the goddamn doors?
But when I saw who it was, I finally did have a sudden urge to drop to my knees, because I was in the presence of fucking greatness.
“Holy motherfucking fuck,” I murmured when Lukas North appeared, followed by his brother Iszak and then Belah, who I’d only seen with the band a handful of times, but whose face was unforgettable. “Fate’s Fools, in the flesh.”

Author Bio:
Ophelia Bell loves a good bad-boy and especially strong women in her stories. Women who aren't apologetic about enjoying sex and bad boys who don't mind being with a woman who's in charge, at least on the surface, because pretty much anything goes in the bedroom.
Ophelia grew up on a rural farm in North Carolina and now lives in Los Angeles with her own tattooed bad-boy husband and four attention-whoring cats.
If you'd like to receive regular updates on Ophelia's publications, freebies, and discounts, please subscribe to her mailing list: http://opheliabell.com/subscribe/
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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BOOK BLITZ: Black Blade by H.G. Lynch

Black Blade
H.G. Lynch
(Reaper Born Trilogy, #2)
Publication date: February 8th 2019
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Having moved country, fallen in love, and killed the demon responsible for his father’s death, Ruairidh could do with a break.
Instead, he’s being arrested for his girlfriend’s murder, being stalked by demons, and seeing a Fetch that indicates the death of someone close to him.
This time, Ru isn’t just failing Maths and fighting demons – he’s going to the demon realm to bring back the soul of his loved one, and it’s going to take more than his sword and his wits if he wants to make it back to the living world.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:Ruairidh reached out and took my glass from me, setting both glasses down on the coffee table. Then he held out one hand in an elegant request. “May I have this dance?”
“You may.” I slid my hand into his, and he bent low to kiss my knuckles like a proper Victorian gentleman. I giggled as he straightened.
He flashed his cocky grin, and pulled on my hand, yanking me forward, so I stumbled against his chest. “Much better,” he purred, circling his arms around my waist.
Breathless, I splayed my hands on his chest and slid them to his shoulders, so my body was pressed down the length of his. His forest-green eyes burned into mine, so close that they were all I could see. The music was smooth and slow, and I was surprised when Ruairidh began to move to the rhythm, his steps careful and familiar.
“You can waltz?” I asked, startled that this rough-edged man could dance so beautifully.
He winked. “I have many hidden talents.”

Author Bio:
H.G. Lynch is a Paranormal Romance author from Scotland. She is an avid reader, and cat-lover. She spends most of her days writing, while wrestling her cat off her laptop. She loves horse-riding, Star Trek, and snow.
Her books are dark paranormal romances.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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BOOK BLITZ: Something About Tuesdays by Barbara C. Doyle

Something About Tuesdays
Barbara C. Doyle
Publication date: January 29th 2019
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

They say nothing exciting ever happens on a Tuesday, but that’s far from the truth in my life.
It’s a Tuesday when I almost hire a male escort to attend my brother’s wedding with me.
It’s a Tuesday when I get brutally dumped by my boyfriend.
Annnnd it’s a Tuesday when I catch my dog impregnating the neighbor’s mutt.
Needless to say, it’s also a Tuesday when I meet the silver-eyed Chase Newman—who is none too pleased with how I come crashing into his life based on the sexy scowls he sends my way.
But that doesn’t stop me from getting more than puppies in our sudden involvement.
Because behind those angry eyes is lust, and if I’m going to get a date before desperation has me calling a 1-800 number, I need to convince him to help me.
And if sex is the language he speaks, I am more than happy to become fluent.

Goodreads / Amazon—EXCERPT:One
Chase
If the redhead leans any further across the bar, her tits are bound to pop out of her shirt. I’ve been bartending long enough to know that’s exactly what she wants, along with a free drink and a quickie in the backroom. While I’ll probably take her up on the sex at some point before the sun rises, my shift doesn’t end for another two hours and the Black Oak is packed.
She waves a manicured hand in the air to get my attention like my eyes haven’t been plastered to her chest this entire time. We both know where my mind has gone as I poured everyone else’s round.
“What can I get you, sweetheart?” I shoot her the same crooked grin that gets me a jar full of tips and phone numbers every night.
Red straightens and lets her green eyes rake down my front like I’ve been doing to her tiny frame since she strutted up to the bar. From up close, I realize her hair isn’t natural. Shame. I have a thing for redheads.
“What do you recommend?” she purrs.
The smart thing to do is let her have more time to decide, because the line hasn’t subsided since rush hour started. College kids from Oakland University are here to get screwed up and make stupid choices, and they’re not patient about it since they just got back from Thanksgiving break where they pretended to be good little kids for Mommy and Daddy.
But nobody said I’m smart.
“Depends on what you like.” Leaning my elbows on the edge of the bar, I prop my chin on the back of my hands. She doesn’t seem like a beer type of girl. I’d guess martini or one of those shitty fruity drinks that I spend half my shift making.
She bats her overdone lashes at me. “What if what I like isn’t alcohol right now?”
Someone from behind her yells, “Then move out of the fucking way,” and gets a reaction from at least three other people that makes me chuckle.
Her full lips pull into a tight scowl as she glances over her shoulder.
“They’re right,” I say, shrugging.
The green eyes once narrowed at the other patrons shoot back to me. “What?”
I gesture to my side of the counter. “Do you see any other help right now? Even if I wanted to fuck you in the stock room, I’ve got nobody to cover me.”
Her lips part at my bluntness. Guess my reputation for being an asshole didn’t make its way to her like the one about me being easy.
I grin. “So, alcohol?”
The lust drains from her hopeful eyes once she realizes I won’t be peeling that tight dress off her. I’m ninety-nine percent sure she’s not wearing panties under it, since it clings to her hips without showing any sign of the scrap.
Her throat clears. “I guess my table will just have tequila shots. Five of them.”
My eyes wander over to the back corner where she sauntered from. There were only four of them when they came in, all dressed to impress in skimpy dresses and knee-high boots that demands most of the male attention.
There’s now a fifth girl with her back to me laughing at something the others say. My eyes narrow on her short blonde hair that stops just above her shoulders. It’s not straight or slicked with products like the others seem to be, and she’s not dressed up like them either. Her tight jeans cling to her long legs, flared hips, and perky ass, and the coat she’s still wearing makes me wonder if she’s sticking around.
When she turns her head to glance over at the bar for her friend, I suck in a sharp breath.
“Emily?”
Red’s brows pinch. “Who the hell is Emily?”
Her bitter tone makes me want to roll my eyes, but I’m too stuck on the blast from the past to pay her attitude any attention. It’s hard to find similarities between her and my not-so-distant memory from this far away. It could be Emily, but the lighting in here sucks. After how she left almost eight months ago, it wouldn’t surprise me if we both found ourselves in a new town while still avoiding each other.
My chin tips toward her table. “Who’s the girl that joined you?”
Busying myself with the shots so she doesn’t get pissy (well, more pissed than she already is for turning her down and asking about her friend), I glance up to see the blonde already focused back on their group.
Red crosses her arms over her chest, which is probably for the best. It may be warm in here with all the bodies crammed together, but it’d be a shame if they caught frostbite when she steps outside since none of them felt jackets were necessary in twenty-degree weather.
“Why do you want to know about Sam?”
Sam. Not Emily.
Tension rolls off my shoulders as I place the shot glasses onto a tray. “Just curious.”
She produces the money from some unknown part of her body that I don’t care about so long as it’s in my hand. Passing her the change, I let myself shoot one last look at the blonde. She’s a good couple inches taller than the girls she stands beside and she’s not even wearing heels. Normally, tall chicks don’t do it for me. But her laid back demeaner is refreshing to see in a room full of people willing to sell their soul for cheap liquor and one-night stands.
When Red makes it back to their table, she whispers something to the blonde that makes her tense. Neither one looks back at me as they take their shots. Someone calling out for a drink snaps my sudden infatuation in two.
A hasty look from Red tells me she won’t be waiting for me to finish my shift like she planned to.
In my short six months in Mayfield, I’ve been deemed the town Grinch from my lack of enthusiasm over the events they host for the holiday season. Despite feeble attempts to get me to join in on the fun, the only time anyone sees me is if people come to the Black Oak to get drunk, laid, or vent their frustrations like I’m part of the clergy.
Probably a good thing, because some of these people would shock even a priest.
The weekend following Thanksgiving started the initial town frenzy with its annual Christmas decorating competition. Once Black Friday was done and over with, people got crazy over the cash prize and media coverage that comes with winning. It’s why the row of businesses stretching across Main Street and Central Avenue are covered in lights, fake snow, and wreaths, with trees displayed in their windows.
Mayfield looks like Chris Cringle just barfed all over it after a bender. But I’m not the only one who doesn’t have lights strung up based on the neighbor’s house. I’ve seen a car parked out in the driveway when I leave for work at night and a dog barking from behind the fence attached to the backyard. But no human that belongs to either.
Once Chris finishes hiring more bartenders, I won’t be stuck working from three in the afternoon until two in the morning six days a week. The entire town is asleep by the time I get home at three, my mystery neighbor included.
I have theories of who they are. The car is gone from the basic nine to five job period, which means the person works fulltime. And it’s not a particularly nice car, in fact I want to hold it hostage in my garage and fix the shit out of it. It’s a mechanic’s wet dream, so I assume the owner doesn’t have a lot of money since the Nissan has rust coating the bottom and dents rutting the side.
They’re a pet person, based on the dog I hear yapping every so often. Probably patient, since my dog drives me nuts with how much she wants to go outside and play in the snow. Whether it’s a man or woman is beyond me, but based on the single car, I’m guessing it isn’t a couple. That little nugget of information interests me the most.
Something wet licks my face, pulling me out of the Guess Who mystery game. Normally, I don’t mind wakeup calls that involve warm, wet things first thing in the morning. But I never left the bar with anyone after closing last night, which means the culprit isn’t a sexy redheaded vixen, but an oversized pooch.
I try pushing Bailey’s mouth away from me and flop onto my side, but she doesn’t relent. For someone who knows she’s not supposed to be on the mattress, she finds herself up here more times than not. Then again, I never shove her off whenever she demands attention when I get home at stupid o’clock from work.
“Bails,” I groan when her cold nose burrows into my neck. Cursing, I peel my face from the pillow and adjust my eyes to the brightly lit room.
Bailey is usually good about letting me sleep in. Lately, she hasn’t been acting herself. I’ve woken up twice to vomit on the kitchen floor over the past two weeks, and she sleeps more than usual. But when I called my old vet, they told me it was just a stomach bug and not to worry since she was still eating, drinking, and using the bathroom regularly.
She nudges my neck again.
“Do you really need to go out?”
Her soft whimper is all I need to hear before I throw my blanket off and stand up reluctantly. Hissing when my bare feet touch the cold hardwood floor, I rub Bailey’s side and pull on a shirt and pair of socks.
Glancing at the time on the microwave when I follow Bailey out of the bedroom, I all but curse her name. It’s not even eight in the morning, which means I’ve only been home five hours and sleeping for less than three.
Being a dog owner with no roommates means letting her out when nature calls. I just wish nature had respect for the do not disturb sign I obviously taped to my forehead when I dragged myself inside smelling like tequila and bad decisions early in the morning.
Does that bitch care? No.
As soon as I chain Bailey up so she can do her business, I slip back inside. For it being so early in the winter season, it’s been a consistent bitter mid-twenties. The flurries we’ve gotten produced heavy, wet snow that sticks to everything and becomes a pain in the ass to clear off. Despite that, I love winter. Living in New York my whole life means being used to the bipolar fifty degrees one day and ten the next. I swear Mother Nature hits the bottle more than some of my regulars do.
Scrubbing a palm across my tired face, I scan over the truck calendar my dad gave me that hangs on the fridge. We’re supposed to be getting more help at the tavern in the next week, which means my schedule will be open to picking up more projects for what I want to be doing—jumpstarting my automotive business.
The vehicle repairs I do on the side currently take place in my garage until I can build a larger client list to apply for a business loan. It’s the only means of getting a bigger place to work out of, because the small workbench in my add-on doesn’t offer much room to get shit done.
Every day is a step closer to that dream when I’m not stuck bartending at a place barely any better than a rundown dive bar. I just need to work on gaining more people to get out of there. The clients I do have are steadily growing by word of mouth. Unlike the last garage I worked for, I don’t play games with anyone. When people see the difference between me and Todd Crenshaw, they make the shift.
It’s why I refuse to work part time in a different garage after leaving Oakland. Bartending isn’t what I want to be doing, but it’s better than working for a grade-A asshole who only cares about the money instead of getting a job done right. At least where I work now gives me time during the day to get my projects done before getting groped and bitched at.
Thoughts of the Crenshaw family makes my blood boil. Not just because of Todd’s fucked up business methods, but her. Emily. My best friend since childhood. And ex-girlfriend.
We weren’t proud of ruining a perfectly good friendship by succumbing to everyone’s belief that we’d be perfect for each other. Turns out, just because two people make good friends doesn’t mean it translates to dating. We stopped confiding in each other when we smacked a label on it and found excuses to stay out late until we were nothing more than strangers.
Instead of walking away from each other while we had the chance to mend our old friendship, we chose to settle. I thought we were both too afraid to lose each other if we decided to end it, which is why we stayed. Why I stayed. Emily didn’t think the same way.
It’s why she left a note at her brother’s garage for me to find when I came in to work nearly eight months ago. I’m sorry. That’s all it said. There was no explanation or anything else scripted on the ripped paper she tore from my billing ticket.
Todd told me Emily left town with some guy she met months before the split, which explains why she distanced herself from me leading to the breakup. Honestly, I was relieved when she ended it. I didn’t have the balls to hurt her by admitting I was miserable, so I stuck it out and busied myself with work to cope. But when she ran off and cut me out of her life, going as far as blocking my number, her name became a bitter pill to swallow.
I can deal with her moving on, even deal with her brother kicking me out of the garage I liked going to every day. But being ghosted by the only true friend I had for most my life still hit me hard. It makes me glad I got out of west bumfuck and away from the memories we built there.
Seeing Sam, the blonde look-alike, last night brought back memories I don’t want to have anymore. Moving to Mayfield and starting my own business is supposed to be my fresh start. I just hope she doesn’t become a regular.
Bailey barks at me to let her back in.
“Come on,” I call. “It’s time for bed.”

Author Bio:
Hey! I'm Barbara Celeste Doyle, although my middle name should be awkward. My life is a romantic comedy gone wrong, so I've become obsessed with four-legged felines and chocolate--not necessarily in that order.
My love for the written word led me to obtain a bachelor's degree in English and soon a master's in education to teach college classes.
I love connecting with readers so find me online!
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