Meet Tara Mason from LOVE, LOST & FOUND - Part 2

This is a continuation of our first post about Tara Mason, heroine of Love, Lost & Found. 

 While attending a journalism conference, she discovered her fiance, Paul, was cheating on her and now she's on her way from Philadelphia to New York to confront him. On the two hour train ride back to New York City, anger boiled up in Tara’s chest. Sadness crept into the back of her mind as she kept hoping there was a logical explanation. Breaking up didn’t feel like an option, yet she couldn’t see a way around it. If Paul was cheating, then she’d leave him …and be alone.

She felt a squeeze on her heart, like a strong hand, killing her slowly. Paul and her job were her life for the past two years. Her job…she smacked her forehead. She’d quit to write a book review column for Paul’s company. Oh, God, Al, will you take me back? She erased those thoughts from her mind and tried to sleep on the train, but sleep wouldn’t come.

Before long she was in a taxi headed to the Gotham Arms hotel. At the front desk she marched up to the clerk and asked for Paul. The desk clerk asked her who he should say was calling and the only name coming to mind was Wanda Ferguson, Paul's assistant.

“Room 512, fifth floor, turn right, the end of the hall,” he said, after talking to Paul.

Tara couldn’t breathe for a moment.  She turned and walked to the elevator as thoughts of all the ways she could kill Wanda raced through her mind. When the elevator doors closed, Tara smiled an evil smile, imagining Paul’s face when he opened the door, expecting Wanda. She hurried down the hall to arrive before he had a chance to open the door, see her first and hide.

Her hand shook as she made a fist and knocked on the door.

“Hey, Baby…” Paul said as he opened the door, dressed in only boxers.

“Hey yourself…” Tara responded, frowning.

Paul stood, speechless, staring.

“Tara…what are you doing here?”

“Nice greeting for the woman you sent a text to. You told me to meet you here, Paul.”

            “I did?”

            “Un huh. That picture I texted…the…uh…sexy one? That was from me, not Wanda, Paul.”

            “Oh my God,” he said, staggering back and sinking down onto the bed.

            With trembling fingers, Tara yanked the engagement ring off her finger. She walked up to him and slapped him across the face as hard as she could and placed the ring on the dresser before leaving.

            “Tara, baby…”

            She kept walking, holding back tears with all her strength.

            “Honey, I’m sorry…it’s a mistake…please,”

            “Yeah, a big mistake…and I almost made it.”

  to be continued...
            Love, Lost & Found to be released, September 25, 2012 
            Click here to go to my website

FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAY - THE RENOVATED HEART

Can a broken heart be renovated like an old house? Kit’s life came to a halt when her husband slapped her with a divorce. Finding herself without a job or a place to live, she’s forced to take Tunney Nichols up on his offer of cheap rent for his parent’s house.The catch: she must allow him to renovate while she’s living there. Out of fear, Kit tells a lie she soon regrets as she is drawn to the sexy man plastering and painting his way into her heart. 

 Can Sarah forget the abuse from her late husband? Can she fix her heart and the hearts of her children?  With her two children in tow, Sarah relocates to be near her sister, she meets Jim, a neighbor and English professor. A mutual interest in writing, paves the way for a friendship that blossoms into romance. But is Jim the right man for Sarah or does another man from her past still light her fire?

       CLICK HERE TO READ THE FIRST CHAPTER FREE! 

        CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE.

 

Pick up The Renovated Heart here:

AMAZON 

SECRET CRAVINGS PUBLISHING

BARNES & NOBLE

ALL ROMANCE eBOOKS

BOOKSTRAND

 

Tuesday Tales, Picture Prompt - 300 Words

This is a scene from a new book, coming in 2013, a sweet romance titled, Under the Midnight Moon -- third in the Moonlight Series.

 “Cheers, Mindy.” Albert raised his wine glass, clinking it with the glass of the young brunette sitting opposite him at his dining room table.

“Cheers, Al.” He took a sip.

“I have a secret…”

She grinned at him. “Give.”

“Can’t tell yet. But one day…probably soon, your dreams are going to come true.”

“Right, Al. Someone’s going to die, leaving me their theater on Broadway so I can write and produce plays to sold-out audiences.” She cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Not so very far off. When I go…well, there’s something special for you.”

“Don’t talk like that!”

“I’m not going to live forever, Mindy.”

“You’re the closest thing to a father I’ve got, Al. So just…shut up, will ya?”

Mindy put her wine glass down and toyed with her fork.

“A special place…somewhere you can express yourself, put on your plays, sweetie.”

He patted her hand.

“You’re scaring me, Al.”

“The news at the doctor’s wasn’t good. You’ve known that. I want to make you happy…give you what you’ve been working so hard for.”

“You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, Al. That’s good enough.”

“It’s the only way I know of keeping you from being sad when I’m gone.”

Mindy stood up.

“If you’re going to talk like this, I’m leaving.”

“You can’t. It’s my birthday.”

She felt the prick of tears behind her eyes. “Then stop it.”

“Sit down, sit down. This isn’t going to happen tomorrow.”

Mindy sank back into her chair.

“Good. Because I’m not ready.”

“You’ll never be ready, child. I get it. Still…we all have to face our mortality someday. I need to know you’ll be cared for after I’m gone, since your Prince Charming hasn’t arrived yet.”

Mindy glanced at her watch.

“Dammit, he is late, isn’t he?” She cracked a smile.

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO TUESDAY TALES.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE.