Lizabeth Scott's Blog, page 3
April 2, 2022
Faire Island Town Meeting
FROM GOING ALL INN
Among the raised voices, one speaks louder than the others. “Hershel, as mayor of this town, it’s your responsibility to come up with a solution.”
Mayor Hershel Young raps his gavel on the podium until the crowd quiets. “That’s why we called this meeting to discuss our options.”
I lean against the back wall of the hall with my arms crossed, listening to my family and friends debate the town’s needs. The emergency town meeting was called when one more family, fourth-generation islanders, packed up and moved off-island with their four sons. That gave our population count a huge hit. Not to mention, we no longer have a bakery in town. I’m going to miss my weekly fix of chocolate cannoli. And where are we supposed to get birthday cakes now? Order them from Wilmington and ferry them out, I guess. Which is a pain and puts a lot of faith in the cake being delivered in the same condition it left the bakery.
Faire Island is dying out. What had once been a thriving town of over three thousand now has less than six hundred permanent residents. Just a walk down Main Street is a perfect example of how times have changed. For every business you find open, there are three others closed.
My father, Blake Murphy, stands. “All of our businesses are hurting and we have nothing to offer tourists. We don’t even have accommodations anymore since the Inn closed. Where would people stay?”
Steven Harrison, the pharmacist, adds, “Tourists are the answer to our situation. The root of our problems stems from our population leaving to find better opportunities on the mainland.”
Wyatt Donahue, a farmer, stands and removes his cap. “That’s not our main problem. We have no women of marriageable age. I have three sons and after Suzie Bradshaw and Melissa Hart married, there’s nobody left for them to marry. My daughter Brandy was the last single woman and she’s been married for two years.”
At this point, I can’t keep up with who says what, the responses are coming so fast. “Yeah, that’s right. We need women. But not just any women. We need women that are easy on the eyes and aren’t married.”
Another voice pops up and adds, “And they need to move here, not just visit. Long term is the only way we can match her with an islander husband.”
I laugh out loud; this meeting is becoming more ridiculous with each passing minute. The murmuring of the crowd stops, every head turns, and all eyes narrow on me.
Hershel speaks up, “Bode, do you have something to say? You and your brothers are in the same predicament as the rest of the single guys.”
My eyes travel around the room over the people I thought I knew. Desperate times and all that, I suppose. “Don’t you hear how crazy you all sound? Faire Island isn’t an app where you swipe right to find a bride. I’m not even sure what you are talking about is legal.”
David Caldwell, a guy I went to school with, comes to his feet. “How are we going to repopulate the island without wives?”
Olivia, the mayor’s wife, says, “We need women, but what can we offer them as an incentive to move here, stay long enough to fall in love, and then marry?”
Agatha, the wife of the president of the Merchants Association, points out, “The only thing this island has a surplus of is empty buildings and closed businesses. That’s not much of an incentive.”
Olivia shoots from her seat. “That’s it! Hershel, you’ve been trying to get rid of the Inn that the McMillians donated to the city. Why don’t we have a contest? We can advertise the Inn at a reduced rate to the winner of the contest.”
Hershel scratches his scalp in thought. “It would have to be significantly reduced with the condition it’s in.”
Homer Brockton laughs and says, “I wouldn’t give you more than a buck for it.”
Agatha stands. “Olivia has a good idea there. Anyone interested can fill out a questionnaire that we would come up with in order to lead us to the right type of woman. I imagine we’d have to weed out more than a few.”
“But you are only talking about one woman.” Homer shakes his head and frowns. “We need dozens of women to make a difference.”
Hershel snorts. “We have dozens of empty buildings. If the first one works out, we can do it again and again. It’s like a renewable resource.” That gets a chuckle from the crowd.
I think the town has really lost it when eighty-year-old Dexter Long raises his hand. “I say we form a committee. I need a wife before I’m dead.”
Hershel raps with his hammer until there is silence. “All those for an Inn contest, raise your hand.”
Everyone in the building raises their hands, all except one sane man at the back of the room—me.
I push off the wall and clearly state, “I think this is a terrible idea that is going to blow up in your faces. I want no part of it.”
David looks down his nose at me and seems pleased. “Fine, that will be one less man vying for the first woman.”
I brush my hair back with one hand and pull my ball cap on with the other as I turn to leave, muttering, “It’s a damn fool idea.”
***
A month later as I walk into the town hall with the mail run for the day, I hear, “What do you think of this one, Livie?” Agatha hands the applicant’s folder to Olivia.
After perusing the page, Olivia shakes her head and hands it back. “No. She’s a bit long in the tooth, wouldn’t you say?”
I roll my eyes, glad neither lady sees me doing that. They are both older than my mother and wouldn’t hesitate to rap my knuckles. That’s one problem with growing up in a small town. Agatha and Olivia have known me since I was in diapers. “Ladies, I’ve brought you a new box of applicants.”
Olivia looks up and over the top of the glasses perched low on her nose. “Oh, dear. More? We’ve already gone through two thousand.”
Whereas Olivia looks weary at the idea of more, Agatha’s eyes shine with eagerness. “Who knew there would be so many to apply?”
I set the box on the table and give them a pointed look. I know there has been more than that. “Only two thousand?”
Agatha nods and explains. “Well, two thousand women. We sorted the men out.” Olivia at least looks ashamed.
“You know that’s all types of wrong, don’t you?” I still can’t believe the people of Faire Island are actually following through with such a harebrained idea. Even my own parents are excited at the prospect. I did shut down any idea they had of me marrying the unfortunate woman. I pulled myself off the marriage market long ago. I have three brothers they can harass.
“Well, we may be fudging a little. We’re only narrowing the field; the decision of the top ten will be made by the town council,” Agatha explains like that makes it okay.
“And then the town will vote to decide the winner. There is nothing fairer than that. And who knows, Bode, she may be the love of your life.”
I snort, head to the door, and call over my shoulder, “That, Agatha, is never going to happen.”
***
Two weeks later, I’m back in front of the town hall.
“Here ya go, Bode.” Mayor Hershel says as he hands me a red ticket. “Just drop the ticket in the box in front of the picture of the woman you want to vote for.”
I grimace at the offending ticket and hand it right back to him. “No, thank you. I just came to help my mother carry stuff for the refreshment table.”
Hershel puts his hands in his pockets without taking the ticket back. “We are asking every citizen of Faire Island to vote. You can’t be the one holdout.”
I take the ticket and stuff it in my pocket without any intentions of voting. Carrying a box of my mother’s offerings for the meeting, I glance at the pictures as I walk by them. How degrading to only put up pictures instead of each woman’s educational and business background. That would be much more vital than how she looks.
I stumble and stop by the next to last picture. She’s gorgeous. A riot of blonde curls and shining blue eyes that say she’s a confident, intelligent woman who knows what she wants. All of the other photos look like a professional headshot, but this one isn’t staged and looks like it had been snapped by a cellphone. She has a cute upturned nose and full, pink lips that are pulled upward into a secret grin. I want to know what caused that comfortable, carefree look on her face.
“Ahhh, I see you like Kimberly,” my mother says from beside me.
“Hmmm.” I shrug, unwilling to admit just how interesting I find Kimberly. I’m not giving Hannah Murphy any hope. She’d have us married before the summer’s end.
My mother goes on to explain, “She has a degree in business and marketing and her grandmother ran an inn for over thirty years. Her job history is impressive too. She’s worked for the past seven years managing a very successful non-profit organization.”
My eyes widen in stunned disbelief. “She’s actually qualified?”
My mom’s laugh rings out and a few heads turn our way. “Of course, dear. Every one of these ten women meet the qualifications we feel would make a success of the Inn. The fact that they are single and available is just a bonus. Now, hurry up, I need those cookies and cakes.” I turn back to Kimberly’s picture as my mother walks away. I don’t want to be a part of it, but Kimberly is qualified. With a shrug, I dig the ticket out of my pocket and drop it in Kimberly’s box.
The post Faire Island Town Meeting appeared first on Author Lizabeth Scott.
March 30, 2022
TWO MORE DAYS!
“I want you, Rod. Only you. What if we don’t label it for now? What if we just are?”
“But those assholes that think they stand a chance with you…”
I put my finger over his lips and he nips it with his teeth causing a shiver. “They don’t. I don’t want any of them, Rod. I only want to be with you. I love you. If you don’t trust that, then we don’t have a chance.”
“I love you too and I do trust you unconditionally. It’s the other jackasses being a nuisance I have issues with. You can trust that I want you, Jenni, nobody else but you and you can believe that because it’s the honest truth.”
Rod stands and holds out his hand. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get cleaned up so we can get dirty again."
Only TWO DAYS AWAY from the release of GROUNDS FOR LOVE!!!!
US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
#comingsoon #newrelease #steamycontemporaryromance
Two Days Away!
We are cautiously at the beginning stage of something that could be extraordinary.“
I want you, Rod. Only you. What if we don’t label it for now? What if we just are?”
“But those assholes that think they stand a chance with you…”
I put my finger over his lips and he nips it with his teeth causing a shiver. “They don’t. I don’t want any of them, Rod. I only want to be with you. I love you. If you don’t trust that, then we don’t have a chance.”
“I love you too and I do trust you unconditionally. It’s the other jackasses being a nuisance I have issues with. You can trust that I want you, Jenni, nobody else but you and you can believe that because it’s the honest truth.
”Rod stands and holds out his hand. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get cleaned up so we can get dirty again.”
Only TWO DAYS AWAY from the release of GROUNDS FOR LOVE!!!!
US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
#comingsoon #newrelease #steamycontemporaryromance
The post Two Days Away! appeared first on Author Lizabeth Scott.
March 23, 2022
#WIPWednesday!
You can preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HR79BYW
This is a bit from Crew's POV in Chapter 4. To say that Crew and Lola clash is an understatement. LOL
.
UNEDITED EXCERPT
She sounded like she was used to giving orders. Not around here sweetheart. “You’ll do as you're told.”
This time she chuckled and the sound did funny things to his resolve. “Mr. Stockton, that line has never worked on me and believe me it’s been used by the best there are.”
#booktoker #enemytolovers #steamyromance
#WIPWednesday Failure To Seduce
It’s #WIPWednesday and do I have a treat for you! This is a small clip from my current WIP #FailureToSeduce and will be coming out May 6th.
You can preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HR79BYW
This is a bit from Crew’s POV in Chapter 4. To say that Crew and Lola clash is an understatement. LOL.
UNEDITED EXCERPT
She sounded like she was used to giving orders. Not around here sweetheart. “You’ll do as you’re told.”
This time she chuckled and the sound did funny things to his resolve. “Mr. Stockton, that line has never worked on me and believe me it’s been used by the best there are.”
#booktoker #enemytolovers #steamyromance
The post #WIPWednesday Failure To Seduce appeared first on Author Lizabeth Scott.
March 22, 2022
#TeaserTuesday! Grounds For Love
I've teased enough about this book that I know you're curious about Rod & Jen. Right? Don't worry, I'm going to do it again. Here's a little #TeaserTuesday to get you through the next 9 days.
UNEDITED EXCERPT
Our smiles falter and slowly our focus changes to charged sexual tension. She gives a shuddering breath and I can feel her rapid heartbeat against my chest. I don’t know what she’s asking and I don’t want to get it wrong. I’m still not sure she’s ready for more. “Jenni…”
She touches my cheek and I close my eyes reveling in her touch. It’s both incredible and terrifying. For years I’ve discouraged women from touching me or even talking to me, other than my infrequent hookups with Marley.
“I don’t want to live in the past anymore, Rod.” Her gaze lands on my lips.
With my own heart beating double time, I cup her cheek while keeping my gaze on her to gauge her reaction. I lower my mouth to hers. I stop when we’re no more than a breath’s width apart. “Say you want this, Jenni.”
She shudders and nods. “Please, Rod. Kiss me.”
PreOrder Grounds For Love, a heart-exploding romance, today!
US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
#TeaserTuesday Grounds For Love
Only 10 more days until #GroundsForLove is live!
I've teased enough about this book that I know you're curious about Rod & Jen. Right? Don't worry, I'm going to do it again. Here's a little #TeaserTuesday to get you through the next 9 days.
UNEDITED EXCERPT
Our smiles falter and slowly our focus changes to charged sexual tension. She gives a shuddering breath and I can feel her rapid heartbeat against my chest. I don’t know what she’s asking and I don’t want to get it wrong. I’m still not sure she’s ready for more. “Jenni…”
She touches my cheek and I close my eyes reveling in her touch. It’s both incredible and terrifying. For years I’ve discouraged women from touching me or even talking to me, other than my infrequent hookups with Marley.
“I don’t want to live in the past anymore, Rod.” Her gaze lands on my lips.
With my own heart beating double time, I cup her cheek while keeping my gaze on her to gauge her reaction. I lower my mouth to hers. I stop when we’re no more than a breath’s width apart. “Say you want this, Jenni.
”She shudders and nods. “Please, Rod. Kiss me.”
PreOrder Grounds For Love, a heart-exploding romance, today!
US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09DDJXDPZ
The post #TeaserTuesday Grounds For Love appeared first on Author Lizabeth Scott.
March 15, 2022
#TeaserTuesday!
This excerpt is from Smith’s POV. Smith is a ER doctor. He’s new in town and one day he walks into an exam room and finds…
“Hey, there. I understand we’ve had a bit of a bang up tonight.” I bypass the handshake since her hand is occupied applying pressure to her cut, and put all the compassion I can on my face.
Her infectious smile thins with concern as she asks, “You, too?”
Huh? “Me too, what?” I ask, confused by her question.
Her brows squish together at my lack of understanding. “Did you get hurt, too?”
Why would she think… I chuckle. I get it now. I casually glance at her chart for mental issues. “Well, I guess my bedside manner stinks. What I should have said was you’ve had a bang-up night.”
She shakes her head, wincing when the movement causes her pain. “No, Doctor, it wasn’t fun. At all. My bum is still sore.”
What? Again, I flip her chart back open—I didn’t see any sexual injuries listed on her chart either. “Okay. Let’s start over. Tell me how you were injured.”
She nods and readjusts the towel on her face before beginning her tale. “We’d just gotten inside my apartment door when Alex started rubbing himself on my legs then Oscar wanted to get in on the fun, and that’s when I fell backwards. Right on my bum. I didn’t even have a chance to catch my breath before they were both all over me.” She smiles sweetly.
I blink, and it’s entirely possible I may be in shock. Two men…at once? I try to keep my face neutral and doctorly. I never would have taken this sweet woman as being into kink. “So how did you get the cut and black eye?”
She pauses to think. “Oh, that was from my phone,” she nods as if that explains everything. It doesn’t.
I look back to her chart to see if there’s been a psych eval. Nope. None noted, but can this story get any crazier? “Your phone?” I ask, prompting her to elaborate.
She rolls her one good eye and I have to wonder if I’m being set up? You know. New doctor being punked to see what I’m made of. It’s a rite of passage, really. But I don’t see any cameras and nobody is jumping out and saying ‘Gotcha!’
“Right,” she says, and I’m back on her train to Loonyville. “It was on the kitchen counter. When my legs went up in the air, my foot hit my phone and it landed on my face. But hey, the screen didn’t break,” she remarked with relief.
Her phone. That’s a first. “Well, that is good. So, what did Alex and Oscar do then?”
She giggles and the corner of her eye crinkles. “They licked me all over because they thought it was a game.”
Perverts. “What did they do when they saw the cut and the blood?” I ask, trying to contain my rage at the men who would do something like this.
With a dumbfounded look in her eye, she shrugs in indifference. “Nothing. As long as they get all their itches scratched, they’re good.”
GRAB IT HERE!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
#bookish #readersofromance #LizabethScottAuthor #spicyromance #smalltownromance #Carolinaromance
#TeaserTuesday YAY!
Happy #TeaserTuesday! I loved writing these characters. You met Baylee earlier in the Billionaire’s of White Oaks series. Her innocence and kindness was so much fun to write in #Hothead. I’ve thought about writing another in this series. I left lots of characters open for romance. Who would you like to see get a romantic HEA from this series?
This excerpt is from Smith’s POV. Smith is a ER doctor. He’s new in town and one day he walks into an exam room and finds…
“Hey, there. I understand we’ve had a bit of a bang up tonight.” I bypass the handshake since her hand is occupied applying pressure to her cut, and put all the compassion I can on my face.
Her infectious smile thins with concern as she asks, “You, too?”
Huh? “Me too, what?” I ask, confused by her question.
Her brows squish together at my lack of understanding. “Did you get hurt, too?”
Why would she think… I chuckle. I get it now. I casually glance at her chart for mental issues. “Well, I guess my bedside manner stinks. What I should have said was you’ve had a bang-up night.”
She shakes her head, wincing when the movement causes her pain. “No, Doctor, it wasn’t fun. At all. My bum is still sore.”
What? Again, I flip her chart back open—I didn’t see any sexual injuries listed on her chart either. “Okay. Let’s start over. Tell me how you were injured.”
She nods and readjusts the towel on her face before beginning her tale. “We’d just gotten inside my apartment door when Alex started rubbing himself on my legs then Oscar wanted to get in on the fun, and that’s when I fell backwards. Right on my bum. I didn’t even have a chance to catch my breath before they were both all over me.” She smiles sweetly.
I blink, and it’s entirely possible I may be in shock. Two men…at once? I try to keep my face neutral and doctorly. I never would have taken this sweet woman as being into kink. “So how did you get the cut and black eye?”
She pauses to think. “Oh, that was from my phone,” she nods as if that explains everything. It doesn’t.
I look back to her chart to see if there’s been a psych eval. Nope. None noted, but can this story get any crazier? “Your phone?” I ask, prompting her to elaborate.
She rolls her one good eye and I have to wonder if I’m being set up? You know. New doctor being punked to see what I’m made of. It’s a rite of passage, really. But I don’t see any cameras and nobody is jumping out and saying ‘Gotcha!’
“Right,” she says, and I’m back on her train to Loonyville. “It was on the kitchen counter. When my legs went up in the air, my foot hit my phone and it landed on my face. But hey, the screen didn’t break,” she remarked with relief.
Her phone. That’s a first. “Well, that is good. So, what did Alex and Oscar do then?”
She giggles and the corner of her eye crinkles. “They licked me all over because they thought it was a game.”
Perverts. “What did they do when they saw the cut and the blood?” I ask, trying to contain my rage at the men who would do something like this.
With a dumbfounded look in her eye, she shrugs in indifference. “Nothing. As long as they get all their itches scratched, they’re good.”
GRAB IT HERE!https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G3L5XCZ#bookish #readersofromance #LizabethScottAuthor #spicyromance #smalltownromance #Carolinaromance
The post #TeaserTuesday YAY! appeared first on Author Lizabeth Scott.
March 9, 2022
Time for #WIPWednesday!
I love this scene between Rod and his sister Barbara. Rod has been trying to get Jen to go out with him and she keeps shooting him down. Insecurities he's not used to begin to rise to the surface.
☕Preorder Grounds For Love today!
https://lizabethscottbooks.com/ground...
EXCERPT
“Really? That’s the last time you’ll think of her. You’ll just conveniently wipe her from your mind and move on?”
If only I could. Why the hell can’t I stop fixating on her? What is it about Jennifer that I can’t let go?
“Rod,” Barbara says gently and I look up to find her gaze softening. “I don’t know Jen’s whole story, but it’s possible that she’s just as afraid as you are. You more than anyone can understand that, right?”
I stare at my sister. Why hadn’t I thought of that? “She lost someone too?”
Barbara nods. “Yes, her husband. Don’t give up on her. She needs to get to know the real Rod so she knows you’re a safe first step.”
MAY I ASK...
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