TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT - UNPREDICTABLE LOVE

Welcome! Skipping the Tuesday Tales logo this week because it's picture prompt week. I'm continuing with Jory's story, Unpredictable Love. Don't forget to go back and read all the fabulous stories by the TT authors. Link is below.

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At midnight, Jory sat cross-legged on her bed, holding her pen in her teeth. She looked out her window, pondering what to write to SSGT Trent Stevens. A storm was coming, clouds curled around the moon.

She gave a short laugh.

“A romantic setting and the closest thing to a man for me is at the other end of this paper.” She took a deep breath and let it out, taking the ballpoint in her right hand, then returning it to her mouth. Words didn’t come.

“Write about what you know. That’s what they say.”

                  

Dear Trent,

I love scary storms. Spooky nights with clouds rolling in make me want to curl up with a bottle of wine, a fire and a good man. Am I crazy? What floats your boat?

What are the storms like in Afghanistan? I’m sorry if that’s a stupid question. I guess all storms are the same. I’m staring at the moon and

feeling sorry for myself that the only man here with me is you, on paper.

Sorry again! I’m a downer tonight. I hope you’re not down. But you

probably are. None of this is coming out right. Wish you were here

with me. Then you’d be safe and I wouldn’t be alone.

                                      Wishing you a safe journey,

                                      Jory

I shouldn’t send this. But she signed it, folded it and put it in the pink envelope. She addressed it by heart, this being her seventh letter to Trent.

She slid between the sheets and turned on her side. Closing her eyes, she imagined what it would feel like if Trent was in the bed, right behind her.  He was much taller than her, making it hard to visualize. How can I imagine a man I’ve never met?   

THANK YOU FOR COMING. 

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TUESDAY TALES - UNPREDICTABLE LOVE 2

Welcome to Tuesday Tales - word prompt "hardy". We are continuing with the story, "Unpredictable Love." Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to click on the link below to return to the great authors at Tuesday Tales. 

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As soon as her sister turned on the supportive heat, Jory melted. She always did and knew her little sister was manipulating her. But she was powerless to resist. Ever since their parents were killed in a car crash ten years ago, Jory had taken her silly sister under her wing. They had moved in with their widowed aunt, Nan Edwards, leaving their old world behind.

Jory snatched the envelopes from her sister’s hand with a snort of disgust and returned to the house. Lily waved goodbye and slid behind the wheel of her car.

The sisters moved from New York City. It had been traumatic for the much younger girl, Lily, but Jory's hardy, she had adjusted well. She loved Pine Grove, a small town on Cedar Lake in upstate New York. Lily was a different story. She had dreams of beauty pageants and Hollywood.

Jory, thirty, wrote for the Pine Grove Independent, the local bi-weekly newspaper. It didn’t pay much, but she used her journalism skills learned at Kensington State. The job didn’t take up all her time, giving her time to plant a garden and read. 

Lily worked for the local pharmacy, doing makeovers and hawking makeup for the small store. She didn’t make much money, but had access to tons of new products. She loved her job.

Jory tossed the envelopes on the kitchen table, in front of her aunt, who sat sipping her second mug of coffee.

“She’s done it again. Damn it.”

“Done what?”

“Roped me in.”

“How?”

“Remember Laura’s drive to get penpals for guys in Afghanistan?”

Nan raised her gaze to Rory.

“Lily signed up.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“She had no intention of writing more than one letter to this guy, Staff Sergeant T. Stevens.”

“That’s not great but not the worst crime either.”

“It is when she signs my name.”

Her aunt sprayed coffee on the table. Her eyes bugged out.

“Oh my God! She signed your name?”

“Yep. And here are three letters from this poor sap, probably wondering why I never answered his first one.” Jory shook her head and tossed a sponge to her aunt.
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TUESDAY TALES - UNPREDICTABLE LOVE

Welcome! This week, I'm starting a new story, actually the continuation of a story I started here some time ago. It has a new title and a few new twists. It's called "Unpredictable Love" and it will be the first in my small town romance series. 

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Jory Walker headed down the flagstone path to the mailbox. She took out three letters. Two bills and one envelope that looked like it had been through a war. It had. The return address said:

     “SSGT. T. Stevens”

Anger bubbled up inside her. She made a beeline for the house, only to collide with her sister, Amber.

“Amber! What the hell?” She waved the envelope in her sister’s face.

“I just sent him one letter.”

“This is the fourth you’ve gotten from him. When are you going to write back?”

“It was a mistake…”

“You can say that again. Especially the part about you signing my name!”

“Laura was so convincing. I thought she meant one letter. Only one letter.”

 “She asked people to sign up to write to guys in the military. Not write only one letter and include a lewd photo?”

“It wasn’t lewd, whatever that means. Just me in a bikini. I’m not good at letters. Much better at pictures.”  Her beautiful redheaded sister with a Miss America figure grinned at her.

“And the reason you signed my name?”

“I always liked your name better. Besides, if he wanted another letter, I knew you’d write it for me. So it might as well have your name on it.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit smile. I’m on to you. And the answer is ‘no’.” Jory shoved the envelope from T. Stevens into Amber’s hand.

“Please? Pleeeaassseee, Jory. You’re the writer. Not me.”

“That’s right. You’re the pretty sister and I’m the smart sister.”

Amber nodded. “I don’t mean it like that. You’re so much better than me.”

“Than I.”

“See?”

“Forget it.”

Amber’s jaw jutted out. “Okay. Disappoint some poor guy out there at war." She waved a photo in her sister's face. "Look at his picture. He’s hot, even with a buzz cut.”

Jory brushed the snapshot aside, but not without glancing at it.         
“He’s expecting you not me.”

“Yeah, the picture I sent. But he’ll never know. He’s in Afghanistan somewhere. Just write one or two letters, then tell him you got engaged.”

“What a mean thing to do. I’ve no plans to get engaged and I’m not going to lie about it.”

“That creep, Archie. Why do you go out with him?”

“He beats what’s on tv.”

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DEVON DRAKE, CORNERBACK, TAKES THE 20-QUESTION QUIZ!

Meet Devon Drake. Oops, we're interrupting him while he's getting dressed. Didn't think you'd mind that, he certainly doesn't!

I gave him the 20-question quiz. Here are his answers:

   1.      Chocolate or vanilla? Strawberry, actually. 

  

   2.     Airplane or train?    Airplane. Love the take-off, kind of like sex. Can I say that?

   3.     Walking or driving? Driving. Preferably a Maserati.

   4.     Red or Blue?              Blue, like the ocean.

   5.     Country or Rock?     Rock. 80’s rock.

   6.     Dog or cat?                 Pug – Brodie. Smart, obedient pup. 

   7.     Lemonade or Iced Tea?  Texas Iced Tea.

   8.     Vodka or Whiskey?    Gin. Or vodka.

   9.     Mounds or Almond Joy? Who’s mounds? (laughs)

   10.   Action movies or Thrillers? Bruce Willis or Will Ferrell movies.

   11.   Men – brunette or blond?    Brunette, that’s brown hair, right?

   12.   Women – brunette, blonde or redhead? Redhead, nice boobs, not huge. A nice handful. Yeah. Blue eyes, too.

   13.    Steak or lobster?  Lobster. Steamed, boiled, broiled, in a lobster roll, in an omelet. Lobster for sure.

   14.    French fries or Salad? Fries, but I eat salad. Have to keep my weight down. Stormy makes the best salad.

   15.    Pistachios or Peanuts?  Peanut butter but pistachios in nut form.

   16.    Beer or Wine? Beer. Ice cold.

   17.    Beach or Mountains? Beach. Love the waves. Great place for sex, if you’re careful.

   18.    Oatmeal or scrambled eggs? Eggs. Oatmeal sucks.

   19.    Sausage or Bacon? Bacon and sausage. Why should I have to choose only one?

 20.    Pretty or Witty? Both – Love a funny woman. If she makes me laugh, she’s got my heart.

Here's his childhood friend, Stormy. She's his sister's best friend. Is she dating him? You'll have to read the book to find out. 

A bit about the book

Devon Drake, star cornerback, has it all: hot super model girlfriend and pro football career, or does he? A childhood friend wanders back into his life, upsetting his ideal existence. Is it finally time to 

tell her the truth about what happened fifteen years ago?

Stormy Gregory is on the run from an abusive man. Her best friend offers her a safe place at the shelter for abused women and children. Grateful to be out of harm’s way, Stormy helps with a charitable event, not expecting to run into Devon Drake, her friend’s brother. Will she run again rather than face rejection?

Cracks in his perfect world threaten the cornerback’s starting lineup status. An unwelcome surprise short-circuits Stormy’s attempt to build a new life. Can they pull together or will the secret that separates the former friends keep them on a downward spiral?   

RELEASEING 8/24 - PREORDER IT HERE:

SECRET CRAVINGS PUBLISHING

AMAZON

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

BARNES & NOBLE

FIRST REVIEW IS IN -- ON GOODREADS!

Sometimes you don't know what you had until you lose it. Devon Drake made a mistake when he was a teenager and hurt someone he cared about badly. Stormy Gregory has been in love with Devon Drake since she was a wide eyed little girl with her first crush. 

When their paths cross unexpectedly again, will they be able to see what is in front of them and go for the touchdown or will there be a penalty on the play. This was a surprising storyline, even though it was centered around the current couple Ms. Joachim gave us a small section on each of the past couples keeping us up to date on what is going on in their lives. 

It was well written, easy to read and flowed smoothly from couple to couple. I enjoyed the easy camaraderie of Drake, Stormy and Drakes sister Sam. The bickering, bantering and yelling between the three of them not only was amusing but showed a realistic closeness that would be present between good friends and your sibling. 

I found Drake to be a real interesting character, even being a big football star he was not all about the publicity and more of a homebody. As a brother he was the typical overprotective jerk but he did really care about his sister and wanted to protect her. This is a great series and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
                                    
N.D.

TUESDAY TALES - MAGGIE'S STORY - LAST INSTALLMENT

Welcome! The word prompt this week is "writing". This will be the last installment of Maggie's Story until the novella comes out. Thank you for stopping by and reading this emotional story. 

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 Maggie slipped her hand into John’s as the Judge asked Penn to take the witness stand. The magistrate turned to face the boy. He asked questions and scribbled notes. Maggie was sure she had broken John’s hand, she squeezed so hard.
          After Penn stepped down, John, then Maggie took the stand. She twisted a hanky when she answered questions, but wasn’t able to hold back tears.

          She gripped the railing for support as she pushed to her feet. Uncle Alfred followed her. There was a brief recess. John and Maggie flanked Penn.

Though he was taller than she, Maggie slipped her arm around him.

          They were called back into the courtroom. The judge cleared his throat.

          “I have your statement in writing, Penn. I’ve read it carefully and heard the answers of all the parties. It may be unorthodox, but I’ve decided to let you stay with Maggie and John for the next year. Your uncle will manage your financial affairs and provide an adequate income for you to live on. After a year, the court will revisit your living situation. If, at that time, the court finds that you are not receiving proper supervision, your custody will be transferred to your uncle.”

          Maggie gasped and reached for John.

          “Do you understand, young man? If you seize this chance to live with these caring people as an opportunity to run wild, the court will put a stop to it. They will be dismissed and you will be moved to your uncle’s home.”

          “I do, Your Honor.”

          “You’re willing to abide by their rules?”

          “I am, sir.”

          “Keep up with your schoolwork, stay away from drugs and alcohol?”

          “Yes, sir.”

          “And you, Maggie and John? Are you willing to take the duties of parenting seriously? Are you willing to be available to Penn?”

          “We are, Your Honor,” John said.

          “Be with him day in and day out?”

          “Yes, sir,” Maggie said, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

          “Take full responsibility for Penn, as if he were your own flesh and blood?”

          “We gladly accept that, Your Honor,” John said.

          “Very well. Then it’s is the opinion of this court that Penn Roberts shall remain in the custody of John and Maggie for one full year –at which time custody will be re-evaluated based on the boy’s progress. Court is adjourned.”

          Maggie let out the breath she had been holding, and the tears as well. Even John misted up as he grinned broadly.  Penn joined them in a group hug. His eyes were full. Arthur stopped on his way out.

          “Good luck raising a teenager,” he harrumphed.

          “Thank you, sir. I’m sure we’ll need it,” Maggie replied.

          The older man frowned. “Don’t know how I’m going to tell your aunt, Penn.”

          “You’ll figure out something, Uncle Alfred. You always do,” Penn responded.

          The threes piled into their car and John drove them home. Once inside, Penn went to his room and closed the door. Maggie started dinner while John poured them each a glass of wine. They clinked glasses.

          “Our boy. He really is our boy now, old girl.”

          “That he is.”

          “Of course, when he’s eighteen, he’s his own man. No custody then. Is three years enough?”

          “The court’s only giving us one. But they’ll see. Yes, three years would be heaven. Parent teacher conferences. Mother’s Day. Oh, John, three years is a dream come true.”

          She wiped her eyes before raising her glass.

          “To Penn. Our boy. Our son. Even if only for a little while.”

“Amen, my lovely.”

To be continued. Watch for Maggie's Story, the novella.

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