Sunday Snippet: Wires Crossed
Had a super busyweek between work projects and personal projects and, whew, I'm exhausted.Also, the weather is being contrary with lots of rain and chilly temperatures.I don't think we got above sixty degrees with the exception of Thursday when wetopped out at seventy.
I'm still jugglingsix work projects but two are in a state of simmering on the back burner, whichisn't optimal, but it does help manage the load.
Had a slow viewingweek and didn't quite make it through my usual round of shows. Too much goingon that needed my full attention.
I did end upcatching an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. It's one of myfavorites with Phyrne showing off her flying skills.
Also watched anepisode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. A holiday episode that I thoroughlyenjoyed. I'm kind of bummed there aren't any new episodes until the nextseason.
Death inParadise kind of blew mymind. I knew what would happen and it still caught me a little off guard. Ithink because Neville acted so out of character. I have a really good idea ofwho killed the professor, and I hope I prove myself right.
Got another episodeof Return to Paradise viewed and I'm really enjoying this show. I'm veryon the fence with Glen's engagement to Daisy. I really think things could get verymessy.
Finished out theweek with another Poirot episode. I kind of pegged who the kidnapper wasfrom the beginning, and I loved the razor-sharp way Poirot called the guy out.
That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Wires Crossed,a novella that pulls a couple who don't see eye to eye together to work theirissues out before someone gets hurt.
Here's theminiblurb:
Vanessa Twill and Justin Hardwick don't always see eye toeye and the tension between them is thick and taut. When a training exercisegoes bad, the duo is grounded until they get their act together. Forced tocommunicate, they work out some issues and realize they didn't have their wirescrossed … a saboteur did. Literally.
And a sneaky peek…
Chastised and humbled, Vanessanever wanted to face another stinging rebuke from the CO. But she needed toknow what the hell happened? Staying angry obviously wouldn't help.Justin didn't offer any discussion,but he couldn't be happy with being grounded either. One of them would have tobreak through the wall of silence they'd erected between them. And waitingwouldn't get them any closer to being back out in the black.Vanessa ventured a comment first."Why did you change the plan?" She kept her tone quiet and non-accusing."I honestly thought you followed orders to a painful level." Whichoften annoyed her.Justin stopped a moment. "Ididn't change the scenario. And I tried to tell you before the CO grounded us."He raked a hand through his hair. "I mean, think about it. When would Ihave had the time?" He started forward again. "I thought youaltered the game plan." Frustration came through his voice but no heat.She stopped and grasped his arm."If you didn't and I didn't. Then…" Her stomach churned withsomething nasty and bitter.Justin frowned. "Whodid?"Vanessa gave a nod. "Obviouslysomeone and that's a problem." A big, huge shiny one.She ducked into a small conferenceroom and dragged Justin in behind her. They didn't need an audience right now.Or eavesdroppers.Her voice lowered. "Look,we've had our wires crossed in the past … are you sure you didn't decide weshould run option C?" Justin folded his arms over hischest. "I'm sure. You said A. I didn't agree, but I let it slide. Like yousaid, I follow orders." His eyes narrowed. "No matter how painful thelevel is."Yeah, okay. She probably deservedto have her words handed right back to her.Vanessa sighed. "Well, Ididn't like option B so no way would I have changed it—not even to spiteyou." And definitely not to put their recruits in danger.Justin lifted his chin. "Whichbrings us back to who did and how we ended up with such a cluster fuck?"Yeah, she wanted to get whoever tamperedwith their scenarios alone for five minutes. But they had to figure out the whoand how part first.Vanessa met his gaze. "How doyou wanna go about this? Should we work together?" It would save time, butshe wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to be anywhere near her.His eyebrows arched. "You'reasking?" He relaxed his stance and propped a hip against the conferencetable.Vanessa nodded. "Well, yeah.This affects both of us. I mean, I want answers now, but that might not happenif we're both poking around on our own … so…" She shrugged. "If wecoordinate our efforts…"Justin finished her thought."We'll smoke out whoever made the change, and hopefully do it before theycan cover their tracks." His head bobbed up and down. "Yeah, wefigure it out together." He thrust his hand forward.Vanessa's lips quirked and sheclasped his palm. "Together." She squeezed his fingers then let go."I have a maintenance shift to get to, but I'll be free later." Shehoped he'd have time to get started today.Justin grunted. "I'll findyou. Since I'm free, I'll ask around and put some feelers out." He pushedaway from the table and headed for the hatch but paused before leaving. "We'llget to the bottom of this." He held her gaze a long moment then exited theroom.Vanessa had a new appreciation forJustin. Because she believed they absolutely would solve the puzzle of whathappened.Here's to thebeginning of a new path forward for Vanessa and Justin. This one is very fun towrite.

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.
ML Skye