This is my latest work, a military romance short story. It's only $.99. Here's a bit about it:
Blown apart by a heart-rending tragedy, Matt and Perri
Jessup went their separate ways; he to Afghanistan and she to New York City.
With loss, acrimony and heartbreak coming between them, was there any reason to
stay together? Would a chance meeting five years later bring back old
recriminations and accusations? Could they build a bridge between them or was
the gulf to wide to cross?
Here's a sneak peek at the first chapter.
Chapter One
“Get
out of the car.”
“What’d
I say?”
“Get
out.” Perri shifted the car into drive.
“Look,
Perri, the kid’s been gone for five years already. When are you gonna let go?”
Ike closed the door but leaned on the open window, in no hurry to leave.
“Mike.
The kid’s name was Mike,” Perri said as she peeled out, depressing the gas
pedal almost to the floor. “Asshole.”
Perri
slowed down when she crossed the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey. She
forked right onto the Palisades Parkway, then leaned back against the rich leather
seat of her BMW. The drive to Pine Grove was so familiar she could do it in her
sleep.
You’d be five today, Mikey. If you had
lived. It’s five years since we scattered your ashes in Cedar Lake.
June
twenty-second, the day before Mikey’s birthday, was the day of Perri’s annual
trip to Pine Grove. She took a shaky breath. SIDS took four-month-old Michael
Jessup. The son of Perri and Sergeant Matthew Jessup…once her husband, now her
ex.
Perri pulled
into the driveway of the Pine Grove Guesthouse facing Cedar Lake. She had a
standing reservation for the same week every year. Lacy Ryan, gray-haired owner
of the guesthouse, had Perri’s room ready. She took a freshly baked cookie off
the plate Lacy was holding.
“Room’s
ready, Perri.” Lacy hugged the pretty brunette.
“What’s
all that lumber in old Doc Branford’s yard?” Perri munched on her cookie.
“Doc
moved to Florida. Somebody bought the place. Fixin’ it up too.” Lacy took the
plate into the kitchen. “Coffee’s still hot.”
Perri
felt a twinge in her gut. Doc Branford’s house was the house she and Matt
stayed in on their brief honeymoon. He was on leave from the Marines when they
met. Every year Perri peered at the old place from next door, watching it get more
dilapidated and seedy. She couldn’t bear to stay there. Too many memories…it’s
where Mike was conceived. They stayed there again when they brought his ashes
up…when they had that brutal fight. Perri shook her head to get rid of the
memory.
“He wouldn’t have died if you’d been here
instead of Afghanistan!” she screamed at him.
“You…you let my son die!” he hollered back.
The shouting
match echoed in her brain as if she was hearing it for the first time. Her
stomach knotted as the horrible words they exchanged knifed through her gut.
“You
all right? Ya look kinda pale,” Lacy asked. She put her hand on Perri’s forearm
as she guided her into the kitchen.
“Do
you know who bought Doc’s place?” Perri took a sip of her coffee.
“Nope.
Haven’t seen him yet.” Lacy fumbled with her cup, nearly dropping it.
“Think
I’ll take a look after I unpack.”
“Oh, I
wouldn’t do that. Trespassing. It’s somebody’s property…he probably don’t like
people snooping around.”
Perri
shot Lacy a quizzical look, but the older woman avoided her glance.
To read the rest, you can buy it here:
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