Lashell Collins's Blog, page 11

#8Sunday – Jagged Addiction

It’s sunday once again, and that means it’s time for another Weekend Writing Warriors post – the blog hop where writers share 8 lines from something they’ve written. And in preparation of my Jagged Ivory Boxed Set releasing in just a few days, I’ve been working my way through the five-book collection. This week’s 8 comes from book three, Jagged Addiction, and in this scene our hero, Jagged Ivory bassist, Benji Staffon, is returning home after a three-month stint in rehab and wondering how he’s going to make it through his first sober rehearsal…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would he even be able to play without the chemical assistance? Maybe his musical talent wasn’t even really his. Maybe it had been the drug all along and he would actually suck without it. Benji closed his eyes took in a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. I can do this, I can do this. He repeated the phrase to himself a few times before opening his eyes once more. He could do this, he had to. The guys were counting on him … his brothers. They were so important to him, and he couldn’t let them down again.

 

Jagged Addiction will be re-released as part of The Essential Jagged Ivory boxed set, coming in early August. You can check out the My Books page for more excerpts and reviews of Jagged Addiction, and all of my books.

And be sure to check out the other writers of the Weekend Writing Warriors HERE!

 

#8Sunday – Jagged Dreams

It’s Sunday, and that means it’s time for another Weekend Writing Warriors post – the weekly blog hop where writers share 8 sentences from something they’ve written. Last week, I began with 8 sentences from book 1 of my Jagged Ivory rockstar series, Jagged Hearts, in preparation for the upcoming release of the Jagged Ivory boxed set. So, this week here’s 8 sentences from book 2, Jagged Dreams.

In this scene our heroine, actress Donna Devlin, is backstage at a Jagged Ivory concert as she watches her husband, Cory Dutton doing his thing onstage. And she’s talking to her friend, Mercy, about one of the many problems that come with having two high-profile careers in one hollywood marriage…

 

 

 

We date rockstars, Mercy, sometimes we even marry them. But there are a million girls out there,” she said, motioning to the crowd. “All of them ready, willing and able to be here when you can’t. You’ve never had this worry because you’ve been traveling with Noah since your romance began. You know … I don’t know if you’ve worked it out yet, but your daddy was really looking out for your relationship when he gave you this job, giving you the opportunity to stay by Noah’s side at all times. Mike knew what he was doing; you should thank him for it. But for the rest of us … well, we don’t have that luxury. And sometimes the wondering gets the best of you.”

Jagged Dreams will be re-released as part of The Essential Jagged Ivory boxed set, coming in early August. You can check out the My Books page for more excerpts and reviews of Jagged Dreams, and all of my books.

Check out the other writers of the Weekend Writing Warriors HERE!

 

Weekend Writing Warriors – #8Sunday

Today, I’m participating in Weekend Writing Warriors, a blog hop in which authors present 8 sentences from something they’ve written. The way I understand it, it can be 8 sentences from a work in progress, or 8 sentences from a book that’s already published, or a poem … whatever. So, since I’ve got the Jagged Ivory compilation coming out at the start of August, I’m featuring 8 sentences from book one of that series, Jagged Hearts.

 

 

 

In this scene, our heroine, Mercy Holland, has just watched a Jagged Ivory concert from the wings of the stage and has followed the band down into the dressing room where she proceeds to stalk guitar god, Noah Ivory…

 

As usual during a show, he had long discarded his t-shirt under the heat of the lights and the exertion of the performance. It was customary for him to remove it onstage and toss it out to the crowd about halfway through a show. Mercy stood timidly in a corner of the room, frozen to the spot as everyone bustled around her, and she watched him. To her, it felt as if he were the only other person in the room. The towel he held in his hands glided slowly over the medieval dragon tattoo that snaked its way from the right side of his back around to the right side of his chest and abdomen. God, he was perfection, and Mercy could feel herself drooling. He had been magnificent onstage, wolfish and sexy. His every movement had excited her like foreplay. She wanted him.

Jagged Hearts will be re-released as part of the 5-book Jagged Ivory boxed set, The Essential Jagged Ivory, coming August 4th. The set will be on sale for just $.99 the entire month of August!

Check out the My Books page to read other excerpts and reviews for all 5 books in the series.

Visit the other authors of Weekend Writing Warriors here!

 

How to Be Alive by Mary Chris Escobar

So, I’m not hosting a blog tour today, but I do want to talk about a book I read recently. It’s called How to Be Alive by Mary Chris Escobar, and it is fabulous! If it’s not already on your TBR list, it should be. So here’s the details:

 Blurb: College sweethearts, Jen and Tanner, have big plans laid out for themselves. World travel and the next great American novel are surely just within their reach, as soon as they escape Parktown College and its small town life. Their engagement, as graduation looms, seems like the perfect end to their college career and the start of their adventure together.

Fast forward eight years and everyone is achieving their dreams, except Jen. Still unmarried and stuck in the same small town, the only thing she’s writing is course recommendations for the students she advises at her alma mater. As Tanner toils away in the family business, their old dreams fade.

With all remnants of the old plan stripped away, Jen is forced to figure out exactly what she wants in life and how to move forward. Through a series of unexpected turns and old flames reignited, Jen finally learns the one thing they didn’t teach her at Parktown…

Buy Links:

Amazon || B&N || iBooks || Smashwords

Add it to your Goodreads TBR list HERE!

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Mary Chris was kind enough to agree to answer a few questions for me about How to Be Alive, so here’s that interview:

Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions today, Mary Chris. I enjoyed How to Be Alive so much, and I especially loved the little twist at the end. Where did the idea for the story come from?

How to be Alive was a complete novel, titled Mile Zero, that I had decided was not working at all. I set it aside and moved on to write other things and focus on my blog.  Believe it or not, way back when I started the original story the inspiration came from my love of the 90′s television show Felicity.  I had this flicker of an idea that I wanted to write a story about characters that met in college, specifically about a character who dated her Resident Assistant.  It snowballed from there.  When I decided to take another pass at the story and see if I could salvage it, the plot really started to take shape. That’s when the idea for the twist at the end came.

I think the reason I enjoyed the story so much is because Jen is really just like a lot of us – we go through life with all these big plans but then, life happens and we look up years later and nothing looks exactly the way we planned it. Have you ever had a similar experience in your life or in your writing career?

I do think this idea of “best laid plans” that never come to fruition is a universal truth for most of us at some point in our lives. While I can’t say that I have ever had a plan as detailed as Jen and Tanner’s in How to be Alive, there are certainly many, many twists and turns that my life has taken that I never would have guessed it would.

One big one that comes to mind was my decision to return to graduate school nearly eight years after I finished my undergraduate degree. I had vehemently declared that I was done with school when I finished college.  However when presented with a career change that required another degree, I found myself back in the classroom.  Similarly, years ago when I wrote that first chapter in a writing class, I was just doing it for fun, I had no idea I was going to go on to write another novel and a novella.

I have a favorite part of How to Be Alive, but I don’t want to mention it because I don’t believe in giving away spoilers. But do you have a favorite part of the story, or maybe a part that was more fun or more difficult to write?

Now I’m really curious — you’ll have to tell me what your favorite part is after this interview!  The beginning of this story was really tough to get right. I had a hard time figuring out where to start.  I think there were like 15 versions of the first chapter.  Then randomly, one night, I looked up at the emergency assistance button in the car and the beginning came to me.  For those who haven’t read the book, this will make more sense if I explain that the novel begins with: “S.O.S in glowing red letters on the cars console. One touch assistance in case of an emergency.  I wondered what would happen if I pushed it and screamed.”

Conversely, some of my favorite scenes to write were the the travel scenes in Italy and Key West.  I’ve been to both places and it was fun to mentally re-visit them.

What’s next on the horizon for you? Any current or future works in progress you’re working on?

I am toying with writing a novella featuring Jen’s friends Zach and Sarah. Zach is a the lead signer of a band that is just gaining popularity on the national scene and Sarah is a tenured professor at a large university.  There are so many interesting dynamics here to explore: the fact that they spend a great deal of time apart, the idea that for many years she was the primary breadwinner, the concept of a working musician who makes his living through music but isn’t a “big name.”  I’ve had some interest in this story line from early readers, and I loved writing the characters so I may give it a go.

I love the Books and Brews segment that you do on your blog sometimes, and I had great fun when you featured one of my books there, so I’m curious … what brew would you pair with How to Be Alive?

What an awesome question!  I think I would pair How to be Alive with Dogfish Head Brewery’s Raison D’Etre.  The first reason for this pairing is super literal.  The name of the beer is a French phrase which translates to “reason to be.”  Obviously this is a perfect tie in to the title of my novel.  My second reason for choosing this beer is because it is brewed with raisins — clearly not something you typically think of adding to beer. It deviates for the “norm” (or plan, per se) and deliciously carves out it’s own unique niche.

So here’s My Two Cents:

I loved this author’s first novel, Neverending Beginnings and was so excited for this one. It did not disappoint! Mary Chris Escobar is quickly becoming one of my favorites!

Ok, so I want to jump right in and tell you about the twist in this book, but as a firm believer in spoiler-free reviews I will never do that. BUT … let me just say there is a twist at the end that had me shouting out loud, “Are you kidding me?!” But don’t worry, it’s a twist you’re going to love!

How to Be Alive is a sweet tale of one woman’s journey to that place we all search for – that world we all want to build for ourselves where we’re happy and fulfilled, both in our professional and our personal lives. Jen is so very relatable because she is me. She is you. We have all been there, we’ve all been at those crossroads wondering which way we should turn and wanting desperately to avoid making a wrong decision. And when fate steps in and gives Jen a small nudge in the right direction, you won’t be able to put this book down. You will laugh out loud, you will cry, and as usual when reading a Mary Chris Escobar novel, you will get hungry! In fact, you might want to make sure you have the ingredients for your favorite lasagne recipe in your kitchen and ready to go before you start reading.

How to Be Alive is an amazing story with truly likable characters. You can’t help but root for Jen and Andrew, but you also really want to learn more about their best friends, Sarah and Zach. Here’s hoping we get a book about their relationship in the future (that’s a big old hint, in case you missed it, Mary Chris!). Loved this story!

You can find Mary Chris here:

Website || Facebook || Twitter

 

The Train Never Stops Rolling

I’ve recently realized that this writing train never stops a rolling. What I mean is, I feel like I’m constantly moving from one writing project right into another and then back again. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not complaining. In fact, just the opposite. I sit in awe of it, this writing thing is mysterious and magical and I’m loving every single minute of it. I truly do feel like I’ve finally stepped into my calling. My destiny, my passion, the thing I was always supposed to be doing all along. I’m just sorry that it took me twenty years to figure it out. But the train I’m talking about is the muse, I guess, or maybe just the will to keep writing. It’s an intricate dance, writing two different series at the same time while still pushing a third. It never slows down, and sometimes I feel like I’m getting whiplash between the Kelly Family, and Lunar Falls, and Jagged Ivory. But I wouldn’t have it any other way; I love what I’m doing. I love writing their stories, and I love sharing those stories with all of you. Here’s a very rough, unedited excerpt from my WIP, Lunar Falls. It’s from chapter one where Carly meets Gabe for the first time. Enjoy!

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Across the diner, sitting in a booth, he sat staring into his coffee cup. He felt like his entire world had just been rocked to its core. This couldn’t be happening. He didn’t even know who she was, he had never seen her in Lunar Falls before. And yet, he couldn’t ignore what his senses were telling him.

He couldn’t stop himself from looking again, turning to his right and studying the back of her form from across the room. She was beautiful. Light brown skin and big hazel eyes. Long raven hair that hung past her shoulders. And that scent! She was driving him crazy.

His companion looked toward the counter and smiled. “Who’s the chick? She a friend of yours?” he asked with an amused grin.

“What?” Gabe said, looking at him with a distracted frown. “No. I don’t know who she is. I’ve never seen her before.”

He turned back to his steak and eggs, ignoring the smirk on his friend’s face.

“Never seen her before, huh?”

“No, Joe. I’ve never seen her before,” Gabe repeated.

“Well, you haven’t taken your eyes off of her since she walked in,” Joe said. “In fact, I think your nose opened up before she even neared the door, man.”

Gabe smirked at him, but rolled his eyes and stuffed another piece of the rare meat into his mouth.

“Nice try changing the subject, Joey. Now, back to you and Jessie,” he said, fixing his friend with a serious expression as he swallowed his mouthful.

“Gabe, there’s nothing else to say, man,” Joe sighed. “I mean really. She’s either going to keep running or she’s going to finally stop and let us be happy. And honestly … as long as Rose and Henry are whispering in her ear, I don’t think she’ll ever even slow down and consider us.”

Gabe let out a tired sigh as he thought about the situation. And as much as he wanted to tell Joey that he was wrong, and that his sister would come to her senses, he knew that he couldn’t. Jessie was stubborn. And she always seemed very comfortable being under their mother’s thumb. Something he and his sister did not have in common.

“Well, I’ve got to get to the office,” Joe said, stuffing a last piece of steak into his mouth as he glanced at his watch. “Sick people hate to be kept waiting.”

“How very rude of them,” Gabe joked, pulling out his wallet.

“Thanks for breakfast,” Joe said standing up.

“Yeah. Next time it’s your turn,” he said with a smile, and Joe laughed.

“Deal,” he said. Then he gestured to the counter. “You should go introduce yourself to your new girlfriend over there.”

Gabe looked over at the stranger once more and then back to Joe. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“From what I saw when she walked in, I don’t think you have much choice in the matter.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gabe countered, pulling out a few bills and laying them on the table before he stood up.

“Oh, I don’t know what I’m talking about, huh?”

“No, you don’t.”

Joe nodded his head in response. “Well, I know you scented her about half a block away,” Joe said quietly so that they weren’t overheard. “I know your heart rate spiked when she walked through the door. Even now, I can smell your anxiety.”

“Go to work, Joe. You’ve got sick patients to see,” Gabe said, looking him in the eye.

Joe nodded again, lowering his gaze slightly. “Yep.”

They both turned and started toward the door of the diner, and as they passed by her seat, Carly grabbed her bag and stood, bumping into Gabe’s side and then falling into his arms as her purse and wallet hit the floor.

Joe heard the yelp, and he looked back and tried unsuccessfully to hide his smile as he continued out the door.

For one endless moment their eyes locked, and Carly felt as though she were drowning in his deep gray pools as his strong arms held her tight.

Gabe’s nostrils flared and he inhaled deeply as he held her steady. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, sending his blood rushing through his veins so forcefully he could feel it pulsing through his limbs – a sensation that only increased when he heard hers doing the same. His eyes burned and he shut them quickly as he gently set her back on her feet.

“I’m sorry,” he breathed, looking back at her as he pulled himself together.

“No, I … it was all my fault, I’m sorry,” she replied, feeling extremely confused as she stared into his eyes as if searching for something. “I wasn’t looking at all where I was going.”

“Here, let me help you,” he mumbled as he bent down to pick up her fallen purse and wallet. Then he stood, rising to his full height as he handed them to her.

Carly was momentarily speechless as she gazed up at him. The man had the physique of a professional athlete, tall and muscular with powerful arms and thighs. Gray eyes, black hair, rugged chiseled features beneath a short dark mustache and beard. Up close, the word ‘handsome’ seemed so inadequate somehow.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome,” he replied, holding her gaze. “You’re, uh … you’re not from around here.”

“No. I, um … I just moved here. I’m sorry, I’m Dr. Carly Tipton,” she said extending her hand.

“Oh, yes, of course,” he said, taking her hand in his and feeling the heat course through him as they touched. “You’re the new veterinarian Steven Birch has been waiting on.”

“Yes. How did you know that?” she asked.

“Well, my name is Gabriel Masters. I’m the sheriff here in Lunar Falls. I try to make it my business to know who’s coming and going,” he answered. “I’ve found it’s the best way to stay on top of crime. We have a very peaceful community here, and I like to keep it that way.”

“I understand,” Carly said softly. Then she flashed him a wicked smile and said, “I’ll think twice before inciting any riots around here.”

Gabe looked at her pointedly, studying the flecks of gold in her warm hazel eyes as he tried not to think about that intoxicating scent. He smiled slightly at her joke. “See that you do,” he said. “Well, I’ve got to get to work. But it was nice to meet you, Dr. Tipton.”

“You too, Sheriff.”

“You let me know if I can do anything for you,” he said, looking into her eyes, and Carly felt her skin begin to tingle.

“I will do that,” she promised.

He gestured toward the door, allowing her to move in front of him, and when they neared the entrance he reached around her and pushed, opening the door for her as they stepped outside.

“Thank you again, for catching me in there,” she said.

“It was my pleasure,” he replied.

She smiled nervously at him before she turned and walked away. And as she crossed the street and headed back toward her car she couldn’t help but think about those amazing gray eyes of his. She shook her head as she thought about them, telling herself that it had just been her imagination. His eyes were gorgeous, just like the rest of him. But they had definitely not been glowing. Had they?

 

Kelly Family Reader Contest Extended

Because I have a book blitz tour going on this week for the Kelly Family series, I’m extending the dates of the Kelly Family Reader Contest. You now have until July 7th to get your entries in! 

Have you read the Kelly Family Series? If so, you could win a $50 Amazon gift card, just by posting a review. The winner will be chosen by Random.org, here’s how it’ll work:

How to enter the Kelly Family Reader Contest:

Read any (or all) of the books in the Kelly Family Series.
Post a review of the book(s) on Amazon – by July 7, 2014 – and email a link to the review to lashellcollinsauthor (at) gmail (dot) com and put Kelly Family Reader Contest in the subject line.
Each review will get you a separate entry into the drawing, so to gain additional contest entries and increase your chances of winning, post a review for each of the Kelly Family books on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and/or your blog, and email me the links. You will receive one additional entry for EACH review, but remember that posting on Amazon is the qualifier for entering the contest.

Each novella is only about 20K words (around 65 pages), and the novel is 52K words (145 pages). But what if you read them, and you don’t enjoy them? Then what? Post your honest review anyway. Yes, saying that scares me half to death, but it’s a gamble I’m willing to take. So, don’t forget the date: July 7, 2014 is the deadline! I’ll announce the winner on my blog, FB, and Twitter accounts on July 8.

The Dead Tree by Lori L. Clark

I’m trying something a little different today, something I’ve never done on this blog before. I’m hosting a stop on fellow author, Lori L. Clark’s blog tour for her new book The Dead Tree, and I’m really excited about it! So without further ado, here is the pertinent info on The Dead Tree by Lori L. Clark. Love the cover, by the way!

 

Blurb: The town of Steele Grove, Missouri sits high along the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Legends run rampant around town about crazy Blythe Fountain, who discovered her beau hanging from the oak tree in the family’s front yard. A short time later, two of her friends mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen, or heard from again.

Eighty years later, Ariel Fountain has inherited the property, and after catching her boyfriend cheating on her, decides she needs a change of scenery and runs headlong to a place shrouded in superstition and family mysteries which may be better off left unsolved.

Ariel sets out with the help of a local man, Grady, to uncover the truth behind the hanging and the girls’ disappearances. What Ariel discovers is a secret so horrific she wishes she would have left it buried.”

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Lori was kind enough to answer a few questions for me about The Dead Tree. Here’s that short interview:

Thank you Lori, for taking the time to answer a few questions about your new release, The Dead Tree, which I thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you so much! It’s a little bit different from what I’ve written in the past. I hoped that I made the right decision in venturing down a road less traveled. 

I’m always curious to hear about other authors’ writing process, so my first question is, are you a plotter or a pantser?

Both, really. I have a general idea who my characters are and what their story is. But often when I sit down to write, the book takes on a life of its own. I do very rough outlines, chapter by chapter. And by rough, I mean like a paragraph or two of what happens next. If the characters are cooperative, it all works out. If not, well… 

What is it that draws you to writing YA/NA?

They say to write what you enjoy reading. I have loved YA/NA for a long time. Lately, my characters have grown up, and I’m moving more into category fiction. I just need to find my category. Ha! 

There was so much about The Dead Tree that I loved – including the friendship/attraction between Ariel and Grady, and I enjoyed Great Aunt Blythe’s recollections from her memoirs. What is your favorite part of The Dead Tree?

Honestly, I started the book with the main character being Ariel, but as I got more into it, I actually enjoyed writing from Blythe’s POV the best. Her character was the most fun to write for me. So, I would say the chapters from her POV are my favorite. The twist and turns at the end of the book were a little planned and a little surprise — even for me. 

I love the mystery element of The Dead Tree, so I’m curious to know, where did the idea for the story come from?  

I thought about the memorials that people put on the side of the road when they have had a loved one pass in an automobile accident. You know, the crosses, the flowers, the stuffed animals along the highways. I wondered what it would be like to be a woman in love with a man who was killed — she makes the trek every week to leave something new at the site of his accident. Soon, she starts to discover other people are leaving things, as well. It made me wonder what would you do if you were in this woman’s shoes? Would you try to find out who was leaving the other gifts? Would you confront the other individual? What if it were more than one other person? What if the man you thought you were in love with — the man whose heart beat only for you — wasn’t the person you thought he was? What if he was seeing someone else at the same time and you thought he was being true to you? 

That was the original idea. Bits and pieces of that original idea crept into the final copy of the book. But it took other twists and turns along the way.

What’s next for you in terms of writing projects? What are you working on now?

The next book is about a young woman trying to come to terms with her sister’s murder. She meets a man, he helps her cope with her sister’s death. She falls in love with him, only to learn something completely unforgivable about him.

It’s a little bit along the lines of how well do you really know the person sleeping beside you? And what would you do if you found out they aren’t who you thought they were?

A lot of family dynamics.

So here’s My Two Cents

I don’t often read a lot of Young Adult/New Adult Romance, but something about this one just jumped out and grabbed my attention. Let me back up a little … in the interest of full disclosure, I want to tell you that Lori L. Clark and I both work with Stephanie Biedlingmaier of Promotions by Stephanie. So I had been seeing these really gripping teasers that Stephanie would post to her Facebook page for a book called The Dead Tree, and I was so intrigued – to the point where I wanted to ask if I could read it, but I didn’t want to seem like a total dork. I mean, I didn’t know this author, and she didn’t know me, and I didn’t want to seem presumptuous, yada, yada, yada. And then Stephanie asked if I’d like to host a stop on Lori’s blitz tour for the book, so I jumped at the chance, offering to review the book! (Little did they know how much I really wanted to read it anyway!).

The Dead Tree is the tale of a confident young woman named Ariel who gets sucker punched in the gut by love, and then learns she’s inherited a fortune from her Great Aunt Blythe. Well, since love dissed her (in a major way) she really has nothing tying her to California anymore, so she hops on a plane and heads for Missouri to meet with her Great Aunt’s lawyers to find out what’s what. Once there, she learns that not only did her Great Aunt leave her the money and the mansion, but she also left behind a totally engrossing mystery to be solved. Standing on the property in front of the mansion is a large dead tree, one that all the townspeople have a plethora of legends and superstitions about – What’s the real story behind the young man who was found hanging from that very tree? And what about the two girls who went missing just days after and were never heard from again? And most shockingly … did Ariel’s Great Aunt Blythe really murder all three of them?

I would LOVE to fill you in on the details, but I’m a firm believer in spoiler-free reviews, so I can’t. But suffice it to say that I was thoroughly entertained by The Dead Tree. I love the friendship that develops between Ariel and Grady, the sexy landscaper she hires to help her get rid of the dead tree, and the romance that starts to simmer for them. I love the fact that Ariel is not a damsel in distress. When love knocks her down she doesn’t lay there and take it, she gets up and takes charge. I also love that Grady feels like a real twenty five year old young man who’s trying to build a career for himself while navigating the always tricky waters of dating and finding that special person to share your life with.

The Dead Tree is an engaging read, once I started it I didn’t want to put it down until Ariel found all the answers she was seeking about the mystery and legend of the tree and it’s connection to her Great Aunt. My jaw dropped on the second page and it was full steam ahead from then on! This is the first book I’ve ever read by Lori L. Clark, but I can promise you it won’t be the last. If you like your romance served with a side of mystery and a pinch of suspense – whether you read YA/NA or not – you will enjoy The Dead Tree.

Meet Lori

 Lori L. Clark was born in Iowa, where she spent the first forty-six years of her life. In 2007, she loaded up a moving van and relocated to Missouri, where she currently resides. Lori’s only child is a very spoiled Min Pin named Barkley. When not writing, she reads and runs. She completed her first half marathon at the age of fifty. In 2009, after participating in NANOWRIMO, she began to take seriously the voices in her head. Two New Adult contemporary romance novels, Different Roads, and I Breathe You, were published in 2013, and showed early success. The Heart Knows What the Heart Wants is set to release in March 2014, and has her venturing into the realms of Romantic Suspense. Lori is a member of Savvy Authors, the St. Louis Writers Guild, and Romance Writers of America.

Here are Lori’s links: Facebook  Twitter  Personal Blog  Book Review Blog  Goodreads  Pinterest  Amazon Author Page

 

Confessions of a Closet Badge Bunny

My name is Lashell Collins, and I’m a Badge Bunny.

There. I said it. I’ve admitted the not-so-well-hidden truth. I have a thing for hot cops! I don’t know why exactly, it’s just part of my makeup. I know for most women it’s the hot firefighter, and granted, you don’t often see one of those guys who’s out of shape and portly. There are no coffee and doughnut jokes about them. But give me a choice, and I’ll take a hot cop over a hot firefighter any day of the week!

What is it about a hot guy with a badge and a gun? I’m not really sure but, it’s a combination that I personally can’t seem to resist. Perhaps it’s the uniform? Admittedly, that was part of the initial appeal when I first met my husband, who was a Police K-9 officer (he’s now retired). We had something of a whirlwind courtship, and just three short months later, we were married. It was all very crazy and very romantic at the time. Very much like a romance novel. That was almost 14 years ago now, and he’s still my best friend and knight in shining armor.

So is it any wonder then that most of the heroes in my books wear a badge for a living? I tend to write in series, and so far I’ve created three – the Pierced Trilogy, the Jagged Ivory series, and the Kelly Family series. And of those three, two of them have cops at the center. Even the hero in my current WIP is a small town sheriff. I don’t do it on purpose, I swear! I don’t even know how it happens, but these are the characters who introduce themselves to me and tell me their stories. All I do is write them down.

What exactly is it that makes a hot cop so deliciously swoon-worthy for me, and so difficult to pass up? Maybe it’s the air of authority that most cops seem to have. Confidence can be a very sexy thing. There’s nothing like a man who knows what he wants and he goes after it. Cops are like the ultimate Alpha. Or maybe it’s the aura of mystery that they project – that feeling that they know things and have seen things that the rest of us will never understand. Or maybe it’s that sense of honor that they seem to carry so effortlessly on their broad, muscular shoulders, and the assurance that the good guys will never give up, no matter how bad it gets. Or it could be that unselfish willingness to go above and beyond to protect the safety of others. Knowing that he’ll be there to protect you in any situation. After all, women love to feel protected and nurtured by a man. At least, I do. The thought that he would go out of his way to ensure that I feel safe and protected. Treasured even. That’s heady stuff.

Real New Jersey cops, posing for a calendar. They could protect me anytime!

Win a $50 Gift Card!

Where There’s Smoke is Out!

Where There’s Smoke: A Kelly Family Novel is now available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iBooks and Smashwords! The first full-length Kelly Family novel features all the Kellys you met in the first 4 novellas (Ethan, Storm, Frankie & Marina), bringing them all together to solve a case that threatens each of their lives. And reader favorite couple, Storm and Nina, play a big supporting role in this one, so don’t miss it!

 

Amazon || B&N || iBooks || Smashwords

 

KELLY FAMILY READER CONTEST

Have you read the Kelly Family Series? If so, you could win a $50 Amazon gift card, just by posting a review. The winner will be chosen by Random.org, here’s how it’ll work:

How to enter the Kelly Family Reader Contest:

Read any (or all) of the books in the Kelly Family Series.
Post a review of the book(s) on Amazon within three weeks of the release date of Where There’s Smoke – by June 20, 2014 – and email a link to the review to lashellcollinsauthor (at) gmail (dot) com and put Kelly Family Reader Contest in the subject line.
Each review will get you a separate entry into the drawing, so to gain additional contest entries and increase your chances of winning, post a review for each of the Kelly Family books on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and/or your blog, and email me the links. You will receive one additional entry for EACH review, but remember that posting on Amazon is the qualifier for entering the contest.

Each novella is only about 20K words (around 65 pages), and the novel is 52K words (145 pages). But what if you read them, and you don’t enjoy them? Then what? Post your honest review anyway. Yes, saying that scares me half to death, but it’s a gamble I’m willing to take. So, don’t forget the date: June 20, 2014 is the deadline! I’ll announce the winner on my blog, FB, and Twitter accounts on June 21.

And one more thing…

I’m Looking For Street Team Members

If you enjoy reading my books and you’re interested in receiving ARCs of my upcoming releases before anyone else (and getting the occasional perks & swag), and are willing to help spread the word on social media (or to your neighbor who loves to read romance), let me know! Email me at lashellcollinsauthor (at) gmail (dot) com

 

Nerves and Excerpts

So, as the title suggests, I’m feeling a bit nervous at the moment. It’s that time again. Release day is fast approaching. I recently had a conversation with my Write Club sisters about this very thing – all the nervousness, the anxiety … the outright fear that comes with hitting the “publish” button, and how it never seems to get any easier no matter how many titles you get under your belt. Self-publishing can be a scary business.

Where There’s Smoke, the first full-length novel in the Kelly Family Series releases in just a few days – Friday, May 30th to be exact. This story features all the Kellys you met in the first 4 novellas (Ethan, Storm, Frankie & Marina), bringing them all together to solve a case that threatens each of their lives. And your favorite couple, Storm and Nina, play a big supporting role in this one, so don’t miss it! In anticipation of the big day, here’s the prologue and first chapter of Where There’s Smoke. Enjoy!

 

Excerpt from Where There’s Smoke

 

Prologue

Maybe it was because he was so damn tired. Or maybe it was just that he’d had a really bad day at work. Hell, maybe it was the fact that his case – the one he had been working for over two weeks now, and finally had a decent lead on – had completely fallen apart, taking him all the way back to square one. Whatever the reason, Levi felt drained. Just complete mental exhaustion. He sighed heavily as he left the station and slid behind the wheel of his car. Quitting time. And it could not have come one moment too soon. 

As he drove he thought about his case. Stewed over it, to be more precise. Why couldn’t he just let it go? He had to just let it go, just for the night anyway. He couldn’t take the job home with him tonight. He had promised.

Tonight was special. Tonight was all about Stacy, and he intended to make her birthday a night she wouldn’t soon forget. He had already started by sending her roses, and he had made reservations at her favorite Italian restaurant, and for her gift, Levi planned to give her the pretty half-carat diamond ring he had purchased at the jewelry store last week. 

Thinking about the engagement ring in his pocket gave him an annoying ripple of anxiety in his stomach. Levi knew that he was nervous, but he also knew that he was anxious about Jeremiah. About everything he had said, all the reasons he had given to explain his position. And it wasn’t as though Levi didn’t understand that position. Actually he understood it only too well, and Jeremiah hadn’t said anything that Levi hadn’t already told himself. But he loved her. God help him, he was completely in love with her, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. 

But he couldn’t blame Jeremiah because he knew that his brother’s reservations were coming from a place of love and concern. And he couldn’t deny that his brother had sufficient reason to feel the way he did. After all, he and Stacy had been through some pretty difficult times during their nearly four years together, and while she was the one who had cheated, Levi knew that he had played his part in their troubles too. He had never cheated on her, but he wasn’t totally innocent either. He had been guilty of shutting down and shutting her out. Whether that had caused her to stray or it had been the result of her infidelity, Levi couldn’t remember anymore. It was a dance they had done twice now. Which had come first?

It didn’t matter now, he supposed. It wasn’t important. The only thing that mattered now was that they had reconciled, and they had agreed to put it behind them and move forward. And moving forward was exactly what Levi planned to do, starting tonight. And for the rest of their lives.

He was smiling ear to ear by the time he pulled into the parking lot. And when he got out of the car and made his way inside the apartment building, there was a noticeable bounce to his step. He was happy. He was in love, and he was about to pop the question to the woman he loved!

The ride up to the third floor on the elevator seemed to take forever, and Levi shifted anxiously. He couldn’t wait to get her to dinner and to see the look on her face when he proposed. 

He smiled to himself as he came off the elevator and pulled out his key. Slipping it into the lock, he let himself in expecting Stacy to greet him at the door with a big “thank you” smile for the roses he’d had delivered to her job that afternoon. But when he closed the door behind him she wasn’t there. Probably still getting ready for their evening out, he thought.

He walked past the kitchen and into the living room, setting his jacket down on the chair. And as he did, he nearly tripped over a discarded shirt on the floor. He chuckled to himself as he bent to pick it up. Stacy was always dropping her things right where she stood, and they often joked about how terrible she was at keeping house. 

His soft laughter came to an abrupt halt when he looked at the shirt in hands and realized that it wasn’t hers. In fact, it wasn’t a woman’s shirt at all, and it certainly didn’t belong to him.

He felt sick as he held the shirt in his hands. This wasn’t really happening, was it? She wouldn’t do this to him again. She had promised. She had told him that it was over for good this time. 

Still holding the shirt in his hands he turned and walked out of the living room, venturing down the hallway with measured steps. He almost felt as though he were in a dream. And when he heard the familiar moans coming from the bedroom at the end of the hall, he knew that he was actually living in a nightmare.

The door was open, and when he walked into the room and saw her in their bed with another man Levi fought the urge to vomit.

“Stacy?”

Chapter One

He reached out and clobbered the damn thing, whacking it hard with one clumsy swing, but it wouldn’t shut up. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he reluctantly opened his eyes. Then he reached over and turned off the alarm clock, finally stopping its blaring tirade. Mornings. He always hated mornings.

Rolling onto his back, he stretched, extending his body as his muscles tightened and then relaxed. And he smiled when his foot met with the large, immoveable mass at the foot of the bed. If he’d had anything smaller than a king-sized bed, he knew there was no way they would all fit. The dog was the size of a small pony, and he was always such a bed hog, turning onto his back and sprawling out as if the bed were his own personal property.

Levi rolled over again and wrapped his arm around his girl, nuzzling her neck as he pulled her closer and spooned. Gently, he began planting soft kisses down her neck.

“Mmm. Oh, no you don’t, Detective Hawks,” Marina whispered, stopping his traveling hand from reaching its intended destination between her thighs. “We don’t have time for that.”

“Oh, we always have time for that, my angel,” he said, taking her earlobe into his mouth and pressing his manhood into her backside as she giggled. Marina turned over in his embrace so that they were face to face.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said softly, smiling at her.

“Good morning yourself, handsome,” she whispered back. She reached out and caressed his face with her palm, feeling the dark brown manicured hair on his jaw with her fingertips. He was so freaking handsome with his rugged, pretty-boy chiseled features and those dark blue eyes of his. “Do you know how much I love waking up to this face?”

“Oh, yeah?” he smiled.

“Mmm hmm,” she mumbled, letting her thumb trace over his bottom lip before she moved even closer and kissed him.

Levi’s arms closed around her as his tongue gently caressed hers. And just as his lips left her mouth and traveled to the soft skin of her neck once more, the giant dog moved, standing up at the end of the bed and coming over to plop down on top of them, eager to bid them both good morning. But Levi had come to learn that Bernese Mountain Dogs were generally not known for their gracefulness, and he groaned in pain when the huge animal landed on his side.

“Ow! Good morning, Bear,” he said with an amused frown as he scratched the dog’s head. “I trust you slept well. Now will you get off of me, you big oaf. I love you, buddy, but sometimes you’re like a bull in a china shop!”

He turned back to Marina and smiled as he stared at her. God, he loved the sound of her laughter.

“Oh, you think this is funny, Ms. Kelly?” he asked, and she nodded her head, still giggling. “Yeah? I’ll give you something to giggle at,” he said, reaching out and proceeding to tickle her. A move that elicited squeals of delight from her, and excited barks from the dog.

Marina wriggled her way out of his clutches, and then out of the bed completely as she made a beeline for the bathroom, giggling all the way.

Okay, maybe mornings weren’t so bad anymore, Levi thought as he got out of bed himself, smiling as he thought about how much his life had changed since he met Marina Kelly. Since she had agreed to give them a chance, even though she had firm convictions about never getting romantically involved with a police officer – the result of growing up as the youngest in a family full of cops with a strict, domineering father. But from the moment he had first seen her across a crowded bar, Levi had been completely smitten with her. And when her sister, Frankie, informed him about Marina’s “no cops” dating rule, Levi had actually resorted to subterfuge in order to change Marina’s mind. He purposely lied to her about his occupation in order to get her to agree to a date. It had been a huge gamble, but one that had paid off in spades, and he was so grateful that she had been willing to overlook his little white lie and continue to go out with him once the truth came out.

As he and Bear left the bedroom and made their way down the staircase to the kitchen, he smiled as he thought back on how their relationship had begun. It had only been a couple of months, but in that time they had grown as close as two people could possibly get. When they weren’t working, they spent every waking moment together, and Marina and Bear could normally be found here at his place instead of at their own across town, even though his house was slightly further away from her store. But his place was bigger, which afforded them room to spread out and relax more, and Levi loved having them in his space.

They entered the kitchen and he grabbed the dog’s dish from the cupboard and dropped two scoops of the gourmet dog food into it.

“Eat up, big guy,” he said as he set the bowl down on the kitchen floor. And he smiled as he watched the dog chow down. Levi had never really thought of himself as the dog type before he started dating Marina. Not that he didn’t like animals, because he did. But he simply never thought about it. He and his brother had a pet turtle, and a guinea pig named Darth Vader, when they were kids, but that had been the extent of their foray into the animal kingdom. But Marina’s world was filled with pets. Dogs, to be specific, both her own and other people’s. They were her business, and she was making quite a name for herself with her unique store, Bear’s Barkery. Not only did the store itself stay busy, but her gourmet dog treats could now be found for sale in three of the local pet stores as well, and Marina was rightly proud of that.

When the dog finished his breakfast, Levi let him outside into the small fenced-in yard. Then he ran up the stairs and into the bathroom. He could hear the water running even before he walked in, and he wasted no time pulling off his briefs and stepping into the shower.

“You can’t get away from me now,” he smiled, wrapping his arms around Marina’s wet body and kissing her shoulder.

“What took you so long?” she asked as she turned around.

“I was feeding your dog,” he said, smiling at her.

He kissed her lips, letting his tongue stroke hers slowly as he tightened his arms around her. He loved this. Waking up with her, laughing with her. Making love to her. She had been like a breath of fresh air when she stepped into his life, bringing the blue skies and sunshine back into his sad, gray existence. She had brought him out of the self-imposed solitary confinement he’d placed himself in after being betrayed for the hundredth time. And she was so smart and funny and sexy. He loved talking to her, no matter what the topic, whether they were discussing serious issues or something completely silly and off the wall. She made him laugh in a way that he hadn’t done in a long, long time. She made him remember not to take life so seriously all the time, and he loved that about her. He loved everything about being with her. Marina made it all so easy, and Levi had never experienced that in his past relationships. Especially not the last one. She was his angel, and he had simply never been in love like this before.

Lifting her in his arms, he kissed her passionately as her legs closed around him. He turned and wedged her between his body and the wall of the shower as his mouth left hers and moved over the soft skin of her jaw, and down over her neck. He kissed her lips again as he entered her slowly, the warm water cascading over them as he began to move.

His pace was languid and unhurried as he took great pleasure in feeling her warm, succulent depths draw him in with each deep plunge.

Marina squeezed him tighter with her legs, pulling him in deeper with every slow, delicious thrust, and her fingers ran through his dark, wet hair as she moaned.

“Oh, Levi.”

She felt her body beginning to soar as he moved in and out of her with long, slow strokes, quickening his pace ever so slightly as he gently pounded her into the cold tile wall behind her. And Marina screamed as her orgasm ripped through her like a wildfire, consuming everything in its path.

Hearing her scream triggered Levi’s own orgasm, and he groaned loudly as he felt himself detonate deep inside her. They struggled to breathe, the steam impeding their endeavors as they clung to each other beneath the steady stream of water. And when he finally released her, he gave her a long, tender kiss, full of passion and desire.

“I love you, Marina,” he whispered.

It wasn’t the first time he had said those words to her, but for some reason they felt so different this morning … so real. And Levi felt a sliver of fear slide along his spine as he stared down into her eyes. He meant those words. He knew that he meant them. He loved her completely, and it scared the shit out of him.

Marina stared up at him, and the look in his eyes took her breath away. She smiled slowly at him. “I love you too, Levi.”

She kissed his lips before turning to wash up quickly. And a second later when she left the shower, Levi stood under the flow telling himself that this wouldn’t be like the last time. That he wouldn’t end up a broken man again. He had finally gotten over all the betrayal, hadn’t he? He was finally ready to move on with his life, and he wanted to move on with Marina. And he knew in his heart that she would never hurt him the way he had been hurt in the past.

He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he picked up the shower gel and began to lather up. He needed to purge his mind of the memories of that betrayal. He had to. All it was doing was anchoring him to the past, and he needed to just lay it down and walk away from it for good, so that he could give Marina his full attention and his whole heart. He wanted that, and he knew that she deserved that.

As he washed, he let his mind wander from the past to the present. Life was good. He had the job he had practically been born to do; he had his brother, Jeremiah, his other half. His twin. The grandparents who had raised them were both still in relatively good health and very active, and now he finally had the girl of his dreams to complete the picture. His life was good. He smiled to himself as he began to wash his hair.

By the time he got out of the shower and finished dressing, he could smell the wonderful aroma of Marina’s coffee as it mingled with the bacon and eggs, and his stomach began to growl. And he smiled to himself as he thought about the extra five pounds he had put on since they’d been together. But that was okay with him. Spending an extra half an hour in the Eastwood PD’s gym each workout session was a small price to pay for the love of a beautiful woman with mad culinary skills.

“Hey, I thought I was going to have to come drag you out of that shower,” she said, smiling at him as she set a ham and cheese omelet and bacon on the table for him. “We’re going to be late if you don’t get a move on.”

He kissed her quickly on the cheek as he sat down and cut into his breakfast. And Marina sat down across from him with a plate of her own.

“So how are the repairs to the barkery coming?” he asked, taking a sip of coffee. “It’s not interfering too much with business, is it?”

“Well, yeah, actually it is,” she answered. “I mean, it helps that the damage to the kitchen wasn’t more severe than it was. Getting the appliances replaced and repairing the damage in there first was definitely the smart thing to do, ‘cause at least I’ve been able to fulfill my orders for the pet stores. Now it’s just a matter of getting the rest of the place cleaned up. But at least I’m still able to open up the shop and bake and sell a few treats, even if no one’s dining inside. The workmen are so loud that nobody wants to sit inside and linger over coffee and cookies. Not that they could anyway since all the tables and chairs have been moved out for the repairs.”

“I thought you brought a couple of those back in already,” he said.

“Yeah, I did, but I don’t know why. If anyone tries to sit for a while the dogs just go nuts barking at the noise and the workmen.”

“I’m sorry you’ve had to go through this headache. I feel like I’m not doing my job,” he said swallowing another bite of his omelet as his mind worked over the weird burglary at her shop two months ago. The perps had broken in after a very busy night at the barkery expecting to find two overflowing cash registers. But when they found the registers empty, they got angry and smashed up the place instead. It had taken Marina and her two employees a couple of days to get everything cleaned up. And that was with Levi and her brother, Ethan, and her cousin, Nate, helping out.

“I just don’t understand why someone would go through the trouble of tunneling through a concrete wall at the barkery. At a bank maybe, but why my little store? I’m just baking gourmet dog biscuits, for heaven’s sake!”

“I know. And it still bugs me that we really have no leads to go on,” he said with disgust. “There are hundreds of customers in and out of your store each week, so finger printing the place would have done us absolutely no good. Frankly, the K-9 track was our best chance in a case like this and all it told us was that whoever did this got into a car and drove away.”

“You still think it was someone who had been watching the place?” she asked, popping a piece of bacon into her mouth.

Levi took a swallow of coffee and shrugged his shoulders. “Right now, it’s the only thing that makes any sense. The burglary happened after a particularly good night for the store, one that happens on a regular monthly basis. If this was about money … and we have to assume that it was at this point, it makes sense that the perps would wait to strike after a busy night when they thought they could get the biggest payoff.”

“Well then why not go for the safe once they found the registers empty?” she asked.

“They probably didn’t even realize there was a safe on the premises,” he answered. “You keep that safe locked in your office, a room that most customers probably don’t even realize exists. You can’t see it from the dining area.”

He took a glance at his watch and then finished off the last bite of his omelet. “We need to get going if I’m going to drop you off,” he said.

“Well, I don’t want to make you late. I can just take my car today,” she said, finishing up.

“No, I like riding in together,” he smiled. “I like anything that lets me spend a little more time with you. You know that.”

He gave her that devilishly sexy smile that had stopped her in her tracks the day they met, and Marina couldn’t help her answering grin. He was such a charmer!

He pushed his plate away, purposely dropping a small piece of bacon onto the floor, where Bear snapped it up.

“I saw that!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he smiled, standing up and walking around the table to kiss her lips.

“Mmm hmm,” she murmured, narrowing her eyes at him.

“You know, you should make some bacon-flavored dog treats for the store. They’d probably go over really well,” he said as he gathered up his gun and placed it into the holster at his side.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she giggled as she took their plates to the sink and went about loading them into the dishwasher.

Moments later they had piled into Levi’s Ford Explorer and he dropped Marina and Bear off at the barkery before he headed to the station.

Once he got there, he sprinted into the building and clocked in, checking his unit box for any inter-departmental mail. Then he hurried down the hall and into the detective’s bullpen.

“Rushing in late once again, Hawks. You and my sister need to stop eating those big farm boy breakfasts in the mornings, you know? Cuts into your time,” Storm Kelly said dryly as he took a sip of coffee from the small paper cup in his hand.

Levi smiled at him. Storm always had this really intense scowl on his face, sort of like his old man, Mike Kelly. But it hadn’t taken Levi long to figure out how to chip through his icy exterior to get to the goo underneath. He slapped the man on his shoulder and leaned in close.

“Breakfast is not the activity cutting into our time in the mornings,” he said with a sly grin.

“Aw, come on man,” Storm said with a truly grossed out, almost mortified expression on his face as he pulled away from him. “I told you to stop doing that shit! I don’t need to hear about my kid sister’s sex life!”

Levi laughed out loud. He had quickly grown to love messing with Storm’s head. The guy had this gruff, macho exterior. Definitely not the type you would immediately think of as a people person, that’s for sure. And at first Levi had thought it was all just an act to try and intimidate others. But as he had gotten to know Marina’s siblings better, he quickly realized that it wasn’t an act at all, that was just Storm Kelly’s personality. He was a hard-edged, hot-tempered bruiser with an attitude. Not at all who Levi would normally gravitate to for friendship. But he admired the way Marina’s eldest brother endeavored to look after his sisters. And he discovered that he enjoyed Storm’s dry, dark sense of humor.

They headed into roll call then, and Levi took a seat near the back of the room. Glancing around, he took in the faces of his coworkers, the brave men and women of the Eastwood Police Department’s first shift as they prepared to take to the streets. He smiled slightly as he watched Storm laughing with his cousin, Sergeant Ryan Kelly. There were a total of six Kelly family members currently on the roster at the department, and three of them were Marina’s sister Frankie and their two brothers, Storm and Ethan. The other three were their cousins, Ryan, Nate, and Spencer. And there were two more, Payne and Colin, on the Eastwood County Sheriff’s Department. The family’s patriarch, Mike, had retired just a few weeks before after over 35 years of service, and Levi always marveled at the fact that his girlfriend’s family was just as steeped in the job as his was. The Hawks family had a history of police service that traced back five generations – something his grandfather, Matthew Hawks, was extremely proud of – and Levi took it as a sign that he and Marina were a match made in heaven. It was part of the reason he had taken to calling her his angel.

He sat in roll call and listened as the lieutenant called them to order, launching into his usual information dump about what had gone on in their city and the surrounding areas overnight, and what things they needed to be on the lookout for as they went about their day. And at the end of his fifteen-minute session, he said something that got Levi’s full attention right away.

“Also, just a heads up,” Lieutenant Andre said. “There was a robbery overnight in Benton at a small pawn shop. The perps made off with a few thousand dollars worth of cash, jewelry and other merchandise. Of course, that in and of itself is nothing too unusual. But it caught my attention because the MO of the crime is very similar to one that happened in our city several weeks ago. The perps entered the building through a hole that was knocked out of the back wall of the pawn shop. If you will all recall, this happened at a local specialty bakery in our city to virtually one of our own. The bakery in question is owned by a member of the Kelly family. In that case, the perps vandalized the business pretty good after their robbery attempt got them nowhere, but we came up empty handed on any leads. So just keep your eyes and ears open for any word on this one. If you have any CIs especially, try to find out if they may know anything about this one.”

Levi frowned at the mention of Marina’s store and the similar crime in Benton. Breaking through the back wall of a business took a lot of time and effort. A whole lot of work for something that may or may not pay off big, from a criminal point of view. He just didn’t understand why anyone would go through all the trouble. But then again, criminals did a lot of things that Levi simply didn’t understand sometimes.

After roll call, he went about his day, concentrating on clearing his current load of cases – a burglary in the affluent Lakeshore neighborhood where several pieces of the wife’s jewelry was stolen, one down on Freemont Street involving stolen computers and cellphones, and the theft of some expensive exercise equipment from a small local gym. He had just come back from questioning a person of interest in the gym heist when his work phone began to ring, and he picked it up distractedly.

“Detective Levi Hawks,” he answered.

“Hi Levi.”

Every muscle in his abdomen tightened uncomfortably as Levi reminded himself to breathe. He hadn’t heard the voice in almost two years, but it hadn’t changed at all, and it apparently still held the ability to affect his mood in crazy ways.

“Are you there?” she asked.

He hesitated as he tried to swallow. “Yeah, I’m here.” His mouth was dry, and he could hear the erratic beating of his heart in his ears.

“I know you’re probably surprised to hear from me. But I was wondering if we could talk,” she said.

“Stacy … it’s been a long time,” he said with tight words and a little bit of bite. “What could we possibly have to talk about?” There was a long pause, and Levi began to wonder if they had been disconnected.

“I would just like to see you, Levi,” she said softly. “Could you meet me for lunch?”

“I’m working,” he said flatly.

“Well, you still have to eat,” she said, and Levi could hear the smile in her voice. “I know they give you a lunch break at some point.”

“I am in the middle of working a case, Stacy. Several cases actually. I can’t just drop everything and come running at your whims. But then you never understood that, did you?” he asked bitterly.

“Please, Levi,” she said softly. “It’s just one meal.”

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Jeremiah had asked him once before if he was still in love with Stacy. And at the time, Levi had been adamant that he was not, and that he was ready and eager to move on with Marina. He had been certain of his feelings. But he hadn’t laid eyes on his ex-girlfriend in close to two years, and suddenly the anxiety coursing through his body had him questioning everything. Everything except his love for the beautiful brunette with the bright blue angel eyes he had made love to in the shower that morning.

“I can’t meet you for lunch, Stacy,” he said after another long pause. “But if you want to talk to me, you can meet me at Beans. Five thirty.”

“Beans? You mean that coffee shop downtown?” she asked.

“Take it or leave it,” he said bluntly. He had no clue what Stacy could want to say to him after all this time, but he wasn’t about to allow her to call all the shots. If she wanted to speak with him, he was going to choose where and when.

“Okay. I’ll meet you there,” she agreed.

“Fine.”

They hung up then, and Levi remained unsettled and distracted for the rest of the day. He couldn’t get the call out of his head. What did she want? She hadn’t had much to say to him two years ago, so what could she possibly need to see him for? And why now? The questions plagued him as memories of that horrible night played over in his head.

When his work day finally ended and he pulled into a parking spot outside the coffee shop, his eyes couldn’t help but drift over to the marquee right next to it. Bear’s Barkery. He had chosen to meet Stacy at Beans because he needed to pick Marina up when the barkery closed in half an hour. And while he was more than curious as to what Stacy wanted with him, he couldn’t wait for this meeting to be over with so that he could be done with it.

He got out of the car and walked toward the building, his feet feeling like lead bricks with every step. Before he got halfway across the lot he saw her sitting at one of the small café-style tables just outside the coffee shop. She was wearing a yellow sundress and a short denim jacket, and her eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. She smiled slightly and waved as he approached, but Levi didn’t return either gesture. Reaching the table, he pulled out a chair, inwardly wincing at the jarring sound of the iron chair legs scraping against the concrete, and sat down across from her.

“Hi,” she said, smiling timidly at him.

He nodded his head as his eyes darted anxiously around them. “Hi.”

“No kiss for old times sake, huh? Not even a friendly hug? I won’t bite, you know,” she smiled, and that brash attitude of hers that always excited and angered him sprang forth with ease. He shifted his weight in the chair, feeling extremely uncomfortable. A waitress suddenly appeared beside them.

“Can I get you something, sir?” she asked, and Levi glanced to see that Stacy already had a cup of something in front of her.

“No. Nothing for me, thanks,” he said.

“Now you have to order something, Levi” Stacy said. “If you don’t, I’ll feel like you’re trying to get away from me.”

Levi sighed heavily, still looking at the waitress. “Nothing, thank you.” The waitress smiled and walked away.

“I’m beginning to get the distinct impression that you don’t really want to be here,” Stacy said with a slight smile.

“You said you wanted to talk, Stacy. So talk,” he said, folding his hands in his lap and finally looking directly at her. The large sunglasses covered half her face like a mask, but from what he could see she was unfortunately still as pretty as ever. Her normally long brown hair had been lightened a few shades and was now cut into a stylish bob that hovered just above her shoulders. The style appeared to suit her, and as much as he hated it admit it, she looked like a million bucks. But even though she was still easy on the eyes, Levi found it difficult to let his gaze linger for too long because try as he might to move past it, all he could picture when he looked at her was the way she had looked at him that night. The way she had smiled at him like she was enjoying it. That memory always cut so deep that it stung.

“Why are you being so cold, Levi?” she asked, her voice sounding hurt, and almost accusatory.

“Stacy,” he sighed.

“I thought we said we were going to be friends,” she said.

“No. You asked if we could still be friends, and I told you it was unlikely,” he corrected.

“You said ‘maybe in time.’ Well, it’s been over a year and a half,” she replied.

“Yeah, well, I don’t know if that’s enough time or not,” he said honestly.

He watched as she looked down at her coffee cup and let her scarlet-tipped fingers play around the rim of it. And suddenly it occurred to him that though they were sitting outside, they weren’t sitting under the glare of the sun. The coffee shop’s large, green and white striped awning strategically shielded each of the outside tables from its harsh rays at all times of the afternoon. And yet, Stacy had made no attempt to remove the shades that covered half of her face. And Levi couldn’t mistake the rancorous ache that began growing in the pit of his stomach.

“Why did you call me, Stacy?” he asked, trying unsuccessfully to lose the bitterness in his voice.

“I told you on the phone,” she said softly. “I just wanted to see you. To talk to you. I miss your friendship, Levi. I mean … you and I were friends before we ever fell in love, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember,” he answered after a pause.

She suddenly smiled at him. “Do you remember how much fun we used to have? The way we used to be able to talk for hours about the silliest stuff. We used to make each other laugh. I miss that. I miss you,” she said softly. “Do you ever miss me, Levi?”

He didn’t respond for the longest time. Did he ever miss her? Slowly, he began to nod his head.

“Yeah. I used to miss you, Stacy. I used to miss us. But you know what? Every time I would start to miss you … you know what would happen? What still happens. Whenever I try to think about the good times we had, somehow I always just end up reliving that day in my head. Coming home and finding you in our bed with Dan. The same guy you cheated on me with twice before. The same guy you swore to me was out of the picture, once and for all. The image is burned into my memory.”

“That’s not fair, Levi …”

“Not fair?” he questioned, cutting her off. Then he shook his head as he stared at her. “You cheated on me three times, Stacy! Three times that I know of, and I kept taking you back because I loved you and I wanted to make us work. Don’t talk to me about being fair. Trust me, you don’t want to go there with me.”

Stacy said nothing as she lowered her head and stared into her coffee cup once again. “I know how badly I hurt you, Levi, and I’m sorry. I truly am. Hurting you was the last thing I ever wanted to do.”

“But yet, you did it. Over and over again.”

“It just happened, Levi! I tried to explain that to you back then, but you …”

“It didn’t just happen,” he snapped angrily as his palm hit the table. His eyes darted around the outdoor café area to the other patrons as he collected himself. Then he looked back at her and said quietly, “Maybe the first time, it ‘just happens.’ But by the third time, Stacy, it is a chosen pattern of behavior. A chosen pattern of disrespect. At the very least, it was a clear decision between him or me; and you chose him. And it sure as hell wasn’t anything that felt like love! So if you came here to try and sell me some more bullshit, don’t bother!”

“I loved you, Levi,” she said softly. “I know that I hurt you, but you were my best friend, and I loved you. I still do. That’s not bullshit.”

He shook his head as he stared at her. “I don’t think I believe that anymore,” he said calmly.

He watched as she wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks, never lifting her shades. And suddenly Levi couldn’t take that vile ache churning in his stomach any longer. Without a word he leaned forward, reaching across the table to gently pull the dark sunglasses from her face. And although he was expecting it, he physically winced at the sight of the bruise on her right eye. He set the glasses on the table and stared at her as Stacy attempted to shield the bruise with her hair.

Levi sat back in his chair as he continued to stare at her in disbelief, and he could feel the bitterness boiling just beneath his skin.

“Did he do that to you?” he asked through gritted teeth. “The dirtbag you cheated on me with? Is this how he treats you?” Stacy said nothing as she focused on the table. And Levi smiled bitterly, taking a deep breath as his eyes reached toward the sky. “I sure hope the sex was worth it,” he muttered. “Oh, but then … it was never really about the sex, was it? It was about his money. So, the rich fucker thinks he owns you and that he can slap you around whenever he sees fit,” he said quietly as he looked back at her. “I’m sure this is a stupid question, but did you press charges?”

She slowly shook her head. “No.”

“Is that why you called me?” he asked, suddenly feeling more than a small measure of compassion for her. “You want me to file a report and get the ball rolling for you?”

“No! I don’t want you to be a cop right now, Levi,” she said, suddenly looking into his eyes with alarm as she snatched up her sunglasses. “I told you why I called. I just needed a friend, okay?”

He looked at her with wide eyes, a sudden incredulous smile on his lips. He had been on the Eastwood Police force for over ten years now, and he would never understand the women who refused to stand up for themselves in domestic situations. He didn’t get it.

“Stacy … I can’t be your friend if you’re not going to stand up for you. Maybe you’ve forgotten who and what I am, but I am not the type of man to do nothing and just hold your hand while I listen to you lament about this asshole who clearly cares nothing about you,” he said, looking at her with a disgusted scowl on his face. “And let me tell you something else … if I had agreed to meet you for lunch earlier today, I would’ve had no choice but to report this myself because I would have been on duty at the time!”

His voice was slightly raised, and he could feel the anger coursing through him. Stacy said nothing as she sat softly crying, and Levi rolled his eyes at the situation.

“Is that why you really called me, Stacy? Did you want me to meet you for lunch because you knew that I would be bound by law to report this for you?”

“No. I don’t want to file a report, Levi. I don’t want to get Dan into trouble, that’s only going to make him angry, and that’s not what this is about,” she insisted.

“Is this the first time he’s hit you?”

“Levi …”

He huffed out a disbelieving breath, shaking his head with a bitter laugh. “It’s not, is it? He’s thumped on you before, and you never do anything about it! This is what you left me for?”

“I didn’t leave you. You kicked me out,” she corrected.

“You were having sex with this jackass in front of me! What the hell did you expect me to do? Propose?” he practically yelled, feeling foolish because he knew that was exactly what he had planned on doing before he caught them.

“Please stop it! This is not about him. I just … I wanted to see you again. I wanted to know if you had forgiven me. I realize that you don’t trust me anymore, okay? I get that. But I was telling you the truth when I said that I miss our friendship, Levi. That’s all I wanted. I …”

She didn’t finish her sentence, and as she wiped the tears from her cheeks with her hands, Levi offered her a handkerchief. Her fingers brushed against his as she took it with a grateful smile. “I was so stupid,” she whispered, holding his gaze as they both held on to the handkerchief. “I should never have cheated on you. I ruined everything.”

Levi let go of the handkerchief, pulling his hand away from hers as he said nothing.

And a few dozen yards away, Marina stood in the doorway of her store, watching the scene play out as the space between her eyebrows wrinkled into a knot.