Sunday Snippet: Sparkle and Boom

June kind of flew by in a rainy, chilly, dreary kind of way. I'm kind of looking forward to July. Not the heat so much, because it did finally get hot, but mainly in a new month clean slate deal.

Not a bad week for television. I'm staying somewhat caught up on everything. Started out with an episode of In the Dark and I'm happy Murphy and Dean are on speaking terms again. I also love how much Max messes up with her.

Watched another episode of Classic Roswell and enjoyed it a lot. I'd forgotten Michael became an emancipated minor in the first season. For some reason, I thought that happened later.

Caught Frankie Drake Mysteries and loved this one. I thoroughly enjoy seeing historical characters woven into the storyline. I also still want the detective and Mary to hookup but have a feeling Frankie is in his sights. Bummer.

Man… Riverdale truly embraces the batshit crazy. And I love it. I still want Hiram to go down hard. And Alice… oh, Alice. What the hell happened to you? I guess I better keep watching to find out.

Watched an episode of Arrow and it's one I've been looking forward to. I enjoy the future flashes almost as much as I loved the flashbacks. How awesome is having Nyssa train Mia? Seriously.

Caught the next episode of Krypton and didn't really see Brainiac possessing Seb coming. A cool twist though. I'm also quite enjoying having the multiple storylines unfold. So glad to see Lyta's mom back on the screen.

Painkiller Jane had a solid episode even for a clip show. Series television doesn't do those much anymore, which isn't a bad thing, but when they're done well, it's fun to watch.

Watched another episode of Durham County, the first season finale, and wow. Kudos to the actor who portrays Ray Prager, Sr. Watching him unravel was seriously compelling. I'm so curious about the actual… original… serial killer though. Maybe that line will be picked up again?

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and I'm still enjoying this one.

Also watched the next episode of Midsomer Murders, which ended up being terrific. The mix of themes with Romeo and Juliet and Sleeping Beauty worked out better than expected.

Got two more episodes of Peter Gunn in and also two more of Classic Who. Not a bad way to round out the week.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Sparkle and Boom, an Organic Nature short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Eppie Collins and Vin Derbish head back to the city for another fireworks extravaganza. Margie comes through with comping the VIP suite again, but right before the thrilling show, the couple is interrupted by the last minute arrival of the registered occupant, much to Margie's dismay.

And a snippety peek…

Eppie Collins finished wrapping her latest batch of hand-milled soap. "I love this fabric. Gotta let Dani know she picked a good one." Her sister bought several bolts of tropical-themed material at an estate sale.

The side door popped open and Vin walked into the house. "Hey… glad I caught you here and didn't have to go searching for you." He toed his boots off and shucked his jeans, which were covered in a combination of drywall dust, wood shavings, and… metallic flecks. "Is anyone here? Do you have customers?" He snagged a pair of shorts from the railing in the laundry room.

Eppie grinned. "Not at the moment. Never know who might walk in though." She made her way around the island Vin had built for her while he shrugged out of his T-shirt. "What brings you home so early in the middle of the day?" The weather had been hot and dry, usually perfect conditions for construction.

Vin huffed out a harsh breath before draping a clean shirt over his shoulder. "Gotta wait on an inspection before we can move on to the next phase of building." His lips quirked in a grin. "And that won't happen until the fifth." He waggled his eyebrows. "So I'm all yours for the next three days. Check that. After I shower, I'm all yours." He started toward the stall he'd tucked into the corner of the laundry area.

Eppie followed him, her gaze riveted to his sculpted ass. "What are the guys going to do?" All of his crews were working on the big project, a discount convenience store.

Vin turned the water on, barely letting it warm up before he stepped under the spray. Considering how hot it had been lately, she didn't blame him. She couldn't do the cold shower thing though.

Vin squirted some shampoo in his palm. "I'm giving them two days off paid at their regular pay scale. Their holiday pay will be the prevailing wage." The bid for the store construction had been at union rates.

Eppie loved how much Vin looked after his employees. He had a good group of guys who showed up day after day and did terrific work. Vin rewarded them when he could with paid time off and bonuses.

"Eppie? Did you hear me?"

She shook her head. "What? Sorry, I was adding to my running list of epic Vin moments." She laughed. "I'm listening now."

Vin repeated his earlier question. "Do you wanna maybe get away for a day or two? Can you get someone to cover the farm on short notice?" He rinsed off and cut the water.

Eppie nodded. "I'm sure I can. What did you have in mind?" Even if Lily had already made plans with Ken, Eppie wouldn't mind shuffling things around to have a few days with Vin.

Vin toweled off. "I was thinking we might head to the city for the fireworks show. Gonna be hard to top New Year's Eve but we can try." His lips curved in a wolfish grin.

Eppie shuddered. New Year's Eve would go down as one her absolute favorite getaways with Vin. Maybe Maj could work her magic again and find a room for them.

Eppie fished her phone out of her pocket. "Let me make a call. See if Maj has anything available." She swiped through her contacts and found the hotel.

Vin quickly dressed. "If she can't, we'll wing it. Drive in for the day, watch the show down by the river then head back after. We can stop at that waffle place you love."

Eppie quirked a brow. "You mean the one you introduced me to? Because I distinctly remember you raving about it." Vin made a who-me gesture and Eppie laughed but quickly sobered when her friend answered. "Hi, Maj. It's Eppie… would you have anything available over the holiday…"

I have so much fun with this series. Eppie and Vin are a terrific couple!

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: A Simple Thing

It's been a crazy week. Our county had severe flash flooding in the far eastern end and many of the people affected are still trying to dry out. Then there was a terrible barn fire that took three teenagers, most a little younger than my daughter. And to top it off, a beloved coach and teacher lost his battle with cancer. So… yeah. Rough and crazy week. Also… it can quit raining whenever it wants to.

A little light on television fare, but I did get some shows watched. Caught an episode of Durham County and, honestly, it's insane how dark this show goes. Not in a bad way either. But it's super-twisted and seriously messy. I can't wait to see how Ray Prager, Sr. tries to keep the upper hand he gained this week. I also can't wait to see him go down really hard. Please make that happen.

Midsomer Murders had a great episode featuring astronomy. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and figuring out the why and how.

Watched two more episodes each of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I'm nearing the end of the first doctor's tenure and should be starting Two's in the near future.

Caught another episode of Painkiller Jane and enjoyed it. I like the episode the first time around because it opened up some questions about whether all neuros really needed to be chipped. I think this show was a little ahead of its time.

Blade had a decent episode where Krista needed to detox and Blade had to find a serial killer vampire. Not a bad hour's worth or so of entertainment.

Started another episode of Blue Heelers. I'm still enjoying this Aussie drama.

Watched another episode of Banshee. It took me three days to get through the entire episode due to several interruptions and a number of work deadlines. But I loved this one from the original watch and didn't want to miss anything.

Caught Chicago Fire penultimate episode of season seven. Excellent showing. I kind of love where all the characters are right now… which means they'll all be upended in the finale. LOL

Started Daredevil's third episode of season three. I'm really liking this final season. I'm so disappointed with all the consolidation and shifting of assets and how it affects terrific television. I'm not a huge Disney fan because they keep snapping everything up.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from A Simple Thing, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

River Cyd loses a bet and has to have a lip lock with Gus Berkeley. No big deal—they've shared them before. But the simple kiss goes from zero to smokin' in less than a second flat and River isn't quite sure when complicated became the norm between her and Gus.

And a snippety peek…

Gus huffed out a breath and willed his dick to stay down. "Hell of a way to start my m morning." The blatant interest in River's gaze almost woke his spent cock up again. "Good thing I took care of my morning wood in the shower." He whipped the towel off and strolled to his bedroom, grabbing a pair of jeans. "Damn good thing I didn't have company." He shoved his legs into the denim and snagged a t-shirt from the back of the chair.

He'd been known to bring a patron or two up to his apartment after closing. Usually didn't have them stick around after the sex but, occasionally, the sheets didn't stop tangling until just before he officially started at one. If that happened, the female companion might get a second look, but he rarely offered a second night. Didn't make him relationship material but he didn't bring women to his apartment for a lifetime commitment.

Heading for the door, he shook his head. "She did get a good eyeful though." Too bad he steered clear of hooking up with his help.

Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice… well, I'm not that stupid.

Then again… River… man. She fit the epitome of his perfect woman. Not that he'd ever tell her that. Smoky, dark beauty with raven hair and silvery eyes. Guh.

He twisted the doorknob harder than necessary and flung the door open. "Nope. Not gonna happen." Even if he might be willing to make an exception to his no work hanky-panky rule.

He didn't want to lose her as an employee… not until he had to. She handled herself well—flirty without making it a come-on. She did great with male and female customers. And she worked her ass off, going the extra mile when needed.

Like this morning. He'd give his left ball sack to have more employees like her.

And would probably need two to replace her when she finished her master's degree. She only had a semester or two left. No doubt she'd heed the call of a "real" job when she completed her studies.

He met Joe at the bottom of the steps and signed off on the beer delivery.

Joe tucked the board under his arm. "You know if River's got a boyfriend or dating anyone right now?"

Gus shot him a sharp look and tamped a twinge of jealousy down nice and tight. "Not that I know of. She's knee-deep in her studies right now and works a ton of hours here." Gus didn't like the idea of his help hooking up with the delivery people.

That's all it is, right?

Yeah… a headache waiting to happen. If things went south, he might have a problem getting the alcohol he needed when he needed it. That's all. Nothing more.

He spent a few more moments catching up with Joe and asking him to congratulate Stan and his wife on their new arrival. Gus entered the bar to find River unloading the crates and stocking the bar with the craft beer. He didn't even have to ask… she just carried out the task because it needed doing.

He stepped in to help. "You didn't have to do this, but I appreciate it." He emptied the last case and she put the bottles into the cooler.

River shrugged. "Might as well get them chilled now. These sell out quick." She paused in her task. "I'm really sorry for barging into your apartment this morning." Her face turned a nice shade of pink.

Gus chuckled. "It's really not a problem. I should probably start making sure I'm dressed before I leave the bathroom. Especially since I live so close to the bar." Remembering the interest in her gaze, a change of subject might be a good idea. "Joe asked about you… if you're dating anyone." He quirked an eyebrow.

River waved a hand between them. "Joe's not my type." She finished stocking the cooler and slid the door closed.

A kick of something dark and dangerous hit him. "Not your type? Is he too blue-collar for you?" Stupid question and none of his business.

So why ask, shithead?

River frowned. "Uh, no. I don't care what he does for a living." She pinned Gus with a point-blank stare. "He's too married for me. I don't do the other woman thing." With that, she picked up a towel and started wiping the already sparkling bar.

Gus held up his hands. "You know what? I'm an asshole. A rude one." He took the rag and nodded for her to sit on one of the stools. "I'm sorry for being a dick. Let's start over here." He tossed the rag onto the back bar and settled beside her. "What are your plans after you finish up your degree?"

River rolled a shoulder. "I'm not completely sure yet. I've got a job lined up at the VA but I've also got student loans out the ass." She met his gaze. "I'm hoping I can keep working at the GoGo, if you don't mind me cutting back to part-time."

Gus ignored the relief sweeping through him. "I'm very okay with that." His lips quirked and he shared a smile with River.

Kat Thorp, another employee, walked into the bar from the kitchen. "Geez, get a room, guys. Or go somewhere else to do your eye-fucking." She moved behind the counter and tied an apron on.

River blinked then laughed. "Kat! I can't believe you said that."

Gus believed it. Kat dumped her most recent boy toy almost a week ago. She'd be jonesing for a fix right about now.

Gus slid off the stool. "Kat… I suggest you find someone hard and hot tonight… or don't come back until you do." He added a flash of a smile to indicate his lack of seriousness.

Kat winced. "Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry. Be as cozy as you want. I'll get back in fine form soon… just watch me."

Gus gave her a one-armed hug. "We'll be rooting for you." He shot River a quick look. "Thanks, again. I've got two errands to run. Can you two get the bar opened if I don't make it back by one?"

Both women nodded and he left the GoGo in good hands.

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. River and Gus are chatty characters and have definitive ideas of what they want, which makes my job a joy.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Severing Ties

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, father figures, and mentors out there. The weather has been wet and chilly and, honestly, I'm okay with that. When it's ninety in October and I'm complaining… remind me how the temperatures were in June.

Not a bad week of television. Had some deadlines to meet so a little lighter than usual.

Caught Banshee's fourth episode and loved the interaction with Job and Hood. Also liked entire theft scene and Carrie's rescue of Lucas. Very cool visuals there.

I've watched about three more episodes of Blue Heelers and still enjoy the show. I'm a little frustrated with Roz and finding a job. First, she did the mobile beauty thing, which was terrific. Then, when she lost her license, she was offered a job with a cosmetics firm but turned it down to supposedly take a job in the city. When Wayne got shot, she decided to stick around and now she applied for the office staff job at the station. I'm aware that's how things work sometimes, but it's a little whiplashy for me.

Caught Chicago Fire and loved the episode. I've got two more left of season seven and I'm really excited to see where things go. I'm very interested in how the situation with Casey and Brett plays out.

Episode two of Daredevil delivered another solid viewing experience. Again, my favorite parts were with Karen and Foggy. But I enjoyed Matt's story a lot more this week.

Watched another classic Roswell episode. I'd forgotten how funny Max and Kyle were in the episode where Liz gets to go on a blind date with someone else. And I'd also forgotten how terrific Maria sounded when she finally got to sing.

Frankie Drake Mysteries had a good episode. I'm glad Trudy is sticking around and I loved Mary and Flo's road trip. Also like the mystery this week.

Caught another episode of Riverdale. Gotta say Gladys might be even crazier than Hiram. And, honestly, I'm this close to being done with Hiram. The best part of the episode was Archie and Fred and FP and Jellybean and Jughead. Seriously, loved those scenes. I also loved, loved, loved Betty and Ethel teaming up to brig-break the creepy sisters' home.

Watched another episode of Arrow and, I'll say it again, I'm going to miss this show so much when it's gone. No one does flashbacks and flash forwards better than Arrowverse.

The premiere of Krypton's season two ended up being awesome. I missed this show! Colin Salmon truly seems to be relishing his role as Zod and he's quite good at being smarmy yet evil. I like that about his character. I'm so excited to see what else happens.

Also caught In the Dark. Man… talk about a crazy episode. It's seriously messed up when I'm rooting for the drug dealers to win the day, right? Yeah, I love this show. LOL

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Severing Ties, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lucky Block and Booker Severn provide all the crazy antics their small town can take. But when they finally sever ties, the community pulls out all the stops to show the couple they belong together.

And a snippety peek…

Booker signaled the bartender to get another beer. "Hit me, Bart." He tucked his phone back in his pocket.

Bart ambled over and popped the cap off a longneck. "Thought you were waiting on Lucky." He placed the bottle in front of Booker.

Booker snorted. "Yeah, me too. She's stuck at work and can't make it." Again.

He got how important she made her job. She'd finally found her niche and wanted to succeed. But, damn, at least he made an effort to be where she asked him to be when she scheduled something for them.

Bart cocked his head to one side. "How long you two been together?" He picked up a glass and grabbed a towel to shine it up.

Booker took a long pull off the beer. "On and off? Almost ten years." Geez… longer than anyone else he'd ever been interested in.

He always came back to Lucky.

Bart picked up another glass. "Long time. Any plans to get hitched?"

Booker almost choked on his sip of alcohol. "No clue, man. She's hard to pin down. Wants to be established with her career before talking anything serious."

Bart quirked an eyebrow. "Bro, a decade is already pretty serious. What's she waiting on?"

Good question.

What are we really doing?

If she couldn't be bothered to show up… not much. Except exchanging bodily fluids on a regular basis. Which Booker enjoyed.

A lot.

Booker shrugged. "You know how it goes. I'm the hometown guy. Born and raised here. She's a transplant and feels like she's gotta make a mark. She's got something to prove." Even if it's only to herself.

Bart nodded. "Gotcha. Imposter syndrome all the way, man." He swiped the towel over another tumbler.

A new customer caught Bart's attention and he moved along the bar to get their order.

Imposter syndrome. Huh. Booker mulled the idea over a little.

He could buy Lucky thinking she didn't do anything but throw shade at people. She wanted what she wanted when she wanted it. Not selfishly… more along the lines of needing to be certain but not knowing if she made the right decisions.

He drained the beer. "Welcome to life, Lucky." Who didn't wonder if they'd made the right choices?

Hell, he'd been down that road before. Not with work or career stuff. But, god, his love life from his junior year in high school through his sophomore year in college resembled a snarled mess of wrecked beds and broken hearts.

Actually, not hearts. Broken possibilities. Women tended to want him for one thing—his prowess in the bedroom. Which, yeah, did wonders for his ego. Didn't do a hell of a lot for anything else like the little something more he wanted in a woman to settle down with.

He dug his keys out of pocket. "Until I met Lucky." Sliding off the barstool, he made his way to the exit.

Sure, they had ups and downs. Two breakups. Even a year apart when she'd moved two states away after she graduated with her degree.

But she returned… not just for him but because she liked the town.

And he kept coming back to her. He'd really hoped he found that something more with Lucky.

Opening his door to his car, he slid behind the wheel. "We'll never know if she keeps breaking dates." At least she's meeting you at home.

Because she wanted to or because he'd guilted her into it?

He'd find out soon enough…

I'm kind of fond of Booker and Lucky. They're a great couple even if they're not always on the same page.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Selling Tickets

Got a solid week of TV viewing in because the weather has been so back and forth it's easier to not plan anything. LOL

Caught another episode of Chicago Fire and, wow, it was terrific. The whole creepy buildup to the reveal played out really well. I have some thoughts on Brett and Casey but won't hold my breath to see what I want there. Loved seeing some good interaction with Kelly and Stella.

Watched the premiere episode of Daredevil's third season. Not a bad start at all. Enjoyed Karen and Foggy the most and liked seeing Matt try to come back. I'm not completely down with him being all pissy about everything but then again why wouldn't he be?

Enjoyed Frankie Drake Mysteries third episode. I kind of miss Frankie having different guys revolve in and out of her life, but she's got chemistry with the detective… even though I'd kind of like Mary to hook up with him.

Riverdale does batshit crazy better than just about any other show out there. As much as I like Mark Consuelos as an actor, I truly loathe Hiram and seriously see nothing redeeming in his characterization. That's usually when I start to lose interest. Here's hoping that doesn't happen with this show.

Watched several more episodes of Blue Heelers. I can't quite decide if I like the detective or not. And Wayne's wife Roz annoys me sometimes. That said, I love the show. Glad I picked it to watch.

Arrow managed to surprise me with the Brothers and Sisters episode. I'm very intrigued with Adrian Paul playing a bad guy. I can't wait to find out what his connection is to Emiko… I have several thoughts about how it might tie into how Oliver spent some of his time in earlier seasons and who he spent that time with. We'll see if I'm right.

Caught the finale of The Murders and it did not disappoint. I so hope this show gets another season and, if so, it needs to have Nolan. Just saying.

Watched another episode of Classic Roswell and enjoyed it again. I like how viewers can almost see the moment Valenti shifts his perspective on possible alien residency in Roswell.

Speaking of Roswell... New Mexico added the actress who plays Rosa as a series regular for season two. I admit this concerns me. Not because I didn't enjoy the actress; more because this is already a huge cast and I'd rather not have my favorites lose screen time. Maria was woefully underused and my hope is Rosa will help bring her into the fold. If not, I might be saying "so long" to Roswell, New Mexico… which actually saddens me because the first season is still eating my brain.

Caught another episode of Painkiller Jane and it's one I didn't remember. I liked seeing how Jane's situation ties into the whole neuro craziness while at the same time is a completely different beast altogether.

Durham County is so damn hard to watch sometimes. I mean that in the best possible way. It's such a raw emotional look at the big and little things that make people who they are. Ray senior has got to be one of the worst examples of humanity and I want to know how the hell he got to be such a waste of life. Hopefully there's an answer in the series somewhere.

Watched another episode of Midsomer Murders and it was really terrific. Sometimes, especially with a show that's been on so long, episodes feel like they're a rehashing of previous seasons. This one was definitely not.

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. There's something fun about watching black and white television. Maybe it's the nostalgia factor?

In the Dark ripped a huge band-aid off Murphy's life and, boy, did she react. Sometimes I get frustrated with her prickly demeanor but her flaws really are front and center and Jess always has the best way of presenting why it's easy to overlook some of Murphy's abrasive personality traits.

Last but not least, I watched another episode of Blade and I'd remembered it from the first go around. I can't say seeing Marcus's origin story really made me sympathetic to him but I can see how Krista got sucked into the scenario of maybe seeing some shades of gray there.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Selling Tickets, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Kurt Trevarthan owns a popular night club and trusts Winnie Clay, one of his oldest friends, to keep things running smoothly. He never dreams he'll have to rely on her when his old man shows up—after a decade away—on the anniversary of Kurt's mom's death, but Winnie comes through and keeps the Trevarthan men from killing each other.

And a snippety peek…

Maybe head out for a couple of weeks.

The words played on repeat in his brain.

"Are you leaving me, Win?"

Where the hell had that question come from?

Winnie rolled her eyes. "Of course not." She tilted her head to one side. "Why would you think I'm not coming back?"

Honestly? He had no idea. But once the notion hit, it stuck like fucking Velcro.

He shrugged. "You know what this date means to me. I thought maybe there was significance behind the timing." She'd been with him for the anniversary so many times.

Winnie's mouth dropped open. "Don't do that, Kurt. Don't pick now to read more into this." She gave him a pointed look. "You're the one who keeps telling me we are what we are and not to expect more." Her tone held no censure, only truth.

A kick of guilt hit him. He did remind her on a regular basis he couldn't—wouldn't—be more than a bed and business partner. Watching his parents pretty much throw away what they had and pretty much destroy the concept of love made Kurt wary of repeating their mistakes.

He couldn't walk the same path if he never let love rule him.

But… he relied on Winnie. Had for more than a decade. And she never failed to come through. He'd be a total ass to give her a rough time for wanting a break.

He cared enough for her to give her what she needed. Except the one thing she really deserves from you.

Pushing the thought aside, he tugged her forward and dropped a kiss on her nose. "You're right. You caught me off guard." Which maybe said more than he wanted to examine right now.

Draping an arm over her shoulder, he tucked her into his side then led her outside and down the steps to his office.

Okay… more like his sanctuary. Soundproof and outfitted with major indulgences, he could probably live in the seven room suite. In fact, he often stayed overnight with Winnie while they worked to make his dream nightclub a reality. He'd finished the renovations down here before he even started the place upstairs.

Keying in the entry code, he let her precede him into the space before he closed the door behind them.

She kicked off her shoes. "I love this place." The plush carpet practically swallowed her bare feet when she walked into the living area.

Pride filled him because he loved it too. "You outdid yourself here, Win. It's pretty much perfect." Her talent never failed to amaze him.

The flow started in the living area, which could double as a reception point if needed. His office sat to the left with a large window of frosted glass beside the door. Winnie included everything he could possibly want… a media room, full kitchen, a home gym, and a spa bathroom. Two rooms lined the back of the building, his bedroom and a space just for Winnie. She never slept on the daybed, preferring to share his, but she'd lined the walls with shelves and used the room as a studio where she puttered with different art forms.

He'd showcased her work in the other two clubs he owned. Clubs she helped get off the ground. Kurt encouraged her to expand her horizons and didn't put limits on her creative endeavors. Yet… concern over her requested time off kicked in again.

I'm going to miss her.

Surprise punched him in the gut. But when he thought about it, they hadn't spent a lot of time apart in the last twelve years. She'd been by his side for so long, he blindly expected her to always be there. Accepted she would be.

And he liked having her there.

Shaking off the wariness, he toed his boots off and followed her into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her. "We should call it day. Have some dinner." He hoped she didn't have other plans.

She would have told me, wouldn't she?

Kurt is about to get a much needed wake-up call and he's not going to like it. Here's to making that scene work on the page as well as it does in my head. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: A Rustic Affair

Well, hello there, June. To be honest, considering it's only the second day of the month, June isn't starting off too badly. We're actually having a spring in Ohio and it's oddly unsettling. LOL

Not a bad week of television viewing. Finished up the second episode of Banshee and started on the third of the first season. I want to search around and see if the mini-episodes of the origin storyline are available. Definitely filled in some blanks.

Caught two additional episodes of Blue Heelers and started a third. I really do enjoy this show a lot.

I'm almost finished with Chicago Fire's seventh season. I'm up to episode eighteen. I loved the focus on luck and also the interaction with Severied and Foster. Great to see Donna again too.

Gotta say, I'm actually pretty satisfied with Iron Fist's season finale. Well, I guess it's more of a series finale and I freely admit that disappoints me. That said, I'm thrilled with the potential for what could have been the third season's story elements. Misty ended up in a good place even if she's not completely certain where her career is going to take her. Joy and Walker could have some terrific potential for figuring themselves out. Colleen, quite simply, kicks ass no matter what she does. But the best part is where Danny and Ward ended up… on the adventure of a lifetime to figure out what their roles are in the big picture of life. So… I would have been thrilled and happy as hell to have a third season but I'm very okay with how the show ended this iteration of itself.

Caught the camping trip episode of Classic Roswell. I remembered this one and Kyle's snark coming out if full force was so much fun. I also enjoyed the interaction with Jim and his dad. Considering the episode is all about fathers, it was a great piece of the puzzle.

Watched the second episode of Frankie Drake and enjoyed it. The show feels different this season and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'll see how the rest of the season goes.

Caught another episode of Riverdale and, man, it's so… poignant to see Luke Perry on screen. Being behind like I am, I've had time to deal with the loss of the actor but I haven't had the chance to deal with losing the character on the show… because it hasn't happened yet.

Arrow's episode ended up being excellent! Nice to finally have Black Star's name and to know her relationship with Oliver, Felicity, and William. Have to admit, my heart kind of broke when William decided to leave with his grandparents. And… I'm going to miss this show so much when it's over!

Watched the penultimate episode of The Murders and it definitely didn't disappoint. I'm excited to see if this show returns. I'm crossing my fingers because I really love the cast and the storylines.

Discovered I didn't watch the penultimate episode of Painkiller Jane. I'd forgotten this had a full season of twenty-two episodes. I'm ready to see what else happens now.

Caught the third episode of Durham County and, yeah, still dark. I truly love the character dynamics and watching Mike kind of fail at holding shit together is compelling. There's a very fine line he has to walk to stay sympathetic and so far the actor is pulling it off.

Midsomer Murders had a good episode featuring Jones in a way I haven't seen him before. I like it. Looking forward to another episode this week.

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I started the Gunfighters arc and it's not bad at all.

Watched two episodes of In the Dark and both were excellent. Good to see more of Darnell's story and I really like the detective and the bartender maybe getting together. As usual, I'm on the fence with Murphy… just when I get so damn pissed off at her, she had a moment of clarity or remorse and shows her softer side. I'm definitely intrigued and can't wait for another episode.

Caught another episode of Blade and remembered it from the first time around. Watching Krista deal with her mom kind of kicked hard and watching Chase completely screw over the pureblood did not surprise at all. Just saying.

And that's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from A Rustic Affair, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt of "building a house". I put a small spin on the idea and made it renovating a house.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Necia Sands and Falcon Seaver, two mercenaries for hire who finally retire from the life, try to settle down. Being opposites draws them together, but it also makes them clash over simple things—like finding the right place to live.

And a snippety peek…

Necia Sands shot a sideways glance toward her companion. "Kind of off the beaten path, aren't we?" The jeep jostled over another rut.

Falcon Seaver lifted his chin. "Yep. All told, there's fifteen acres out here. Limited access but great to settle on." He bounced on the seat when he hit another deep groove in the road. "The basics are handled. Water. Sewage. Electric and solar hookups." He made a sharp turn and the road smoothed out a little.

Necia studied him a long moment. After pulling ten years apiece in the covert undercover world, retirement almost seemed surreal. Mainly because not many people in their line of work actually got to retire. Necia couldn't quite get a solid read on Falcon's mindset… and she spent her working years reading people like books.

Tilting her head to one side, she gave him another measured glance. "Don't you think this is a little too much like literally being put out to pasture?" Okay, the craggy landscape didn't resemble a huge field, but still…

Fifteen acres in the middle of nowhere? She couldn't quite picture them spending a long time here.

Falcon rolled a shoulder. "Maybe. But I like the solitude." His face went tense and dark for a moment before relaxing again.

Okay, Necia got his need for calm. They'd lived on the edge for a long time. Ate, breathed, and slept dangerous situations for a paycheck.

So… solitude soothed the soul and eased the heavy burden of doing shit normal people wouldn't dream of doing.

But…

Necia liked a little crazy in her life. Falcon fit the bill—especially in bed—but she craved noise and excitement out of the sack, too. Good thing she loved him with everything she had or she'd be running for the nearest urban area in a flash.

Falcon stopped the SUV and cut the engine. Necia cocked her head, leaning closer to the open window. The sound of crashing waves filled her ears.

She turned, facing him. "Is that the ocean?" A spark of interest caught fire and licked through her system.

He flashed a grin and popped his door open. "Yep." He stepped out, his booted feet crunching on the gravel surface of the road.

She scrambled out behind him on the driver's side. "How close?" She could practically experience the pull of the water.

Falcon grabbed her hand and led her down a path to the edge. "Pretty close" He wrapped his arms around her.

Huge rocks made up the shoreline and the choppy water ebbed and flowed, creating a chorus of crashing cymbal-like sounds. Necia breathed deeply, letting the salty air fill her lungs.

She leaned into his embrace. "It's incredible." Started to see the possibilities of being out here.

Falcon smiled. "Thought you'd like it." He stepped away and nodded toward the road. "The owner is a former client who owes me for an off-the-books job. I called in the marker and he offered this parcel of land as payment." Fishing a set of keys out of his pocket, he dangled them between his fingers. "The house is up that way about another mile. It's a modern design but pretty rustic. Hasn't been lived in for at least two decades."

Necia's head whipped around. "There's a house?" He should've led with that information.

Falcon pointed along the cliff edge. "I can show you. We've got access." The keys jangled in his palm.

Necia narrowed her eyes. "Two decades, huh? There's a reason you showed me the beach first, isn't there?"

Falcon's grin went wide and he started back toward the SUV.

Necia followed, shaking her head. "You don't fool me one bit, mister."

But the idea of a house, free and clear, kicked the spark of interest up another notch.

I'm having so much fun with this story. The outline is complete and I love where things are going.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin