SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY - THE RENOVATED HEART

Welcome to Sneak Peek Sunday. Thank you for coming. Something a little different this week. One of my favorite books, THE RENOVATED HEART.
Here's the sneak peek:

A man approach her table, she smiled at her husband, Johnny, as he plopped down in the empty chair across from her.

He ordered a beer plus another Cosmopolitan for Kit.

“You look great, Kit,” Johnny said, taking a swig of his beer. His gaze lowered to her neckline then returned to her face.

“A fresh look for a new start…tomorrow I launch a new life. We both do.” She picked up the second Cosmo and took a sip.

“We need to talk about tomorrow,” Johnny said, looking down at the silverware.

“I’m ready. I’ve crossed off almost everything from my to-do list.”

“You and that damn list. Always lists. Look, the trip…the trip is… Well. The trip is just for me, Kit.”

“What do you mean?” Her brow furrowed, her eyes darkened.

“I mean, I’m not taking you with me,” he replied, shifting in his seat, avoiding her stare.

“What?” she asked as her breathing became shallow, her chest tightening. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

“This is my big break. I’ve been playing in crummy clubs for ten years, waiting for this chance. I…I want to do it alone,” Johnny said, finally able to look at her.

“Johnny, you can’t be serious?”

“I am. I filed for divorce, Kit.” His hands toyed with his beer glass.

A bit about the book 

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? 

BACK TO SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY

MY WEBSITE

 

TUESDAY TALES -PICTURE PROMPT - THE SCENT OF LOVE

Welcome! Thank you for coming. Pressure came to bear, so I've posted another scene from this WIP. Here are my 300 words from my WIP:

The Scent of Love

Jory practically ran up the steps and banged open the door. 

“Aunt Rita?” She shouted.

“Up here.”

Jory smoked up the stairs to the attic. Her aunt stood in old clothes, her hair wrapped in a kerchief.

“Whadda ya think? Should we keep this old mirror? She bent down to dust the treasure. “Your Uncle Walt bought this for me in Turkey.”

“You put my perfume on my letters to Bryce.” Jory’s voice was barely controlled.

“So?” Her aunt knitted her brows and stared at the mirror.

“How could you do that? Bryce knew it was me, even though he couldn’t see. ” Jory placed her hand on her hips.

Rita let out a breath, turned slowly and threw a sharp look at her niece.

“Because enough is enough. You’ve got to stop hiding from life. I wanted Bryce to know it was you, not Jules, who wrote those letters.”

“Why? Who cares that I wrote them?”

Rita stepped closer, pulling Jory into a hug. “You deserve to be happy. I wanted you to have what you wanted…for a  change.

Instead of always putting Jules and everyone else first.”

Emotion formed a lump in Jory’s chest. 
 “It’s your time, dear. Your time. Not Jules, not mine –yours. Grab the brass ring, go get Bryce.”

Speechless, Jory clung to her aunt or a moment longer.

“That’s what you say. But what about him? What if he prefers Jules to me?” Jory shifted her weight 
“Then he’s not the man I think he is. Or you think his.”
 “I’m scared, Rita,” Jory whispered. 
“I know, sweetie. Make a play for him, woo him, cast your spell on him. He’s probably half in love with you already.”

“Think so?”

“Who wouldn’t be?”

“Who wouldn’t be what?” Juliet asked as she climbed the stairs.

Back to Tuesay Tales

My website

Whitfield Bass's Most Embarrassing Moment

 

A quick look in my newest book, SEDUCING HIS HEART, reveals a moment Whit Bass would like to forget:

  *******

Bess peeked through the peephole. Whit. She opened the door.

He stood in all his masculine glory wearing nothing but a fluffy, white terrycloth robe. He was barefoot as well. “This is most embarrassing. I took a shower and remembered I’d left my newspaper on the mat. Like an idiot, I have all my windows open, and when I came out, the wind blew the door shut. Now, I’m locked out. I was wondering if you could go down and get my key from the doorman. I can’t go down like this.” 

Despite her life being in the toilet, Bess laughed aloud. The more she did, the brighter red he blushed. 

“This isn’t funny.” 

“Oh, but it is. It’s hilarious.” She tugged on his sleeve. “Come inside. Don’t stand there like that.” He stepped in, and she closed the door, still chuckling. “Are you wearing anything under there?” she asked. 

“What do you think?” He arched an eyebrow. “Last time I saw you, you were practically comatose.” 

“Thank you for cheering me up. I’m having some hazelnut cocoa, would you like to join me?” 

“I have a date. Where’s my phone? Shit! It’s in the apartment.” That caused Bess to launch into a new round of laughter. Her sides hurt, so she gripped them and continued to guffaw. 

“It’s not that funny. Honestly. I’m going to get dumped for this.” 

As soon as he uttered the words, her laughter turned to tears. Pain shot through her, and water ran down her cheeks. 

************

A bit about the book 

Anyone would be a marriage-phobe, too, if they grew up in Whitfield Bass's house. After he was born, his mother deserted the family. Their father, a journalist, traveled extensively and left his four sons with relatives, or babysitters. Whit's closest brother hated him and blamed him for their mother's desertion. Whit told Bess he'd never marry, never trust a woman not to take off and leave him with a house full of broken children who couldn't be fixed. Can you blame him?
Return to Sneak Peek Sunday Here
SEDUCING HIS HEART. All buy links here: http://jeanjoachimbooks.com/the-manhattan-dinner-club/seducing-his-heart-manhattan-dinner-club-2/
My website