Sunday Snippet: Quitters Never Cheat

It's been a rough week where my brain wants to do anything but focus on work. We also got eight inches of snow on Friday and the temps dropped way down again. My sinuses are not happy at the moment.

Not a bad week of viewing television. The whole distraction thing kind of kept me from getting a full slate watched. I did get through most of my normal shows.

I started out with My Life Is Murder. I kind of like the new assistant but I'm wondering what's going on the Maddie. I also love seeing actors from other shows pop up on this one. I didn't realize how much Australian and New Zealand shows I've been watching.

Caught another episode of Agatha Raisin and finished up the two-parter. Kind of wigged out that James is getting married to someone else. But I loved the interactions in this one.

Continued the eight-part, I think, Silent Witness. This season is very intriguing with a lot of twists and turns. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise and didn't remember seeing any of this one. Happy to have it in the watched pile.

Watched another episode of Elementary. The introduction of Moriarity is something I've looked forward to. Not sure how I feel about Joan lying to Sherlock, but I'll reserve judgment until I see how it rolls on screen.

Caught another episode of The Batman. Enjoyed seeing Scarface again. Also liked peeling back the layers of Hugo Strange. He's an intriguing character.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of them from the original run and liked both. Such a fun show.

Also watched another episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Very interesting twist with Maggie coming back. I can definitely see how the books this series is based on would captivate readers. I do think there's a little loss of translation from the page to screen, but I really love this series a lot.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Quitters Never Cheat, a novella that reunites a couple after a bad breakup.

Here's the miniblurb:

Robbin Rhayne, a talented sculptor, believes she has to suffer for her art. Ewan Arthur makes her almost reconsider the concept—sex has never been better with anyone—until he wants more and she won't commit. Several years later she runs into Ewan again and the spark is still there … too bad they're both in relationships with other people.

And a snippety peek…

Robbin sat at the bar. She'd signaled Stan over an hour ago, ready to leave. Of course, he ignored her.

Fine. I'll get drunk and solve the world's problems with Lois the bartender. As long as she didn't have to think about hers particular set of challenges right now.

"Can I get you another?" Lois nodded toward the almost empty bottle of wine.

Robbin shrugged. "Sure, why not?" She slid her glass over.

Lois quirked an eyebrow. "You're not driving home, are you?" She uncorked the bottle.

Robbin rolled her eyes. "Not sure I'm ever going to get home." No doubt Stan would stay until the bitter end.

Lois poured, topping off Robben's goblet. "I can call a cab or a ride share." She put the empty container in the trash bin.

Robbin almost asked Lois to make that happen but shook her head. "Nah, that's okay. I'm good here—unless you're ready to see the last of me." She wouldn't blame Lois if she were.

Lois flashed a smile. "No way. You've livened up what would normally be a boring shift." Her gaze dropped and her voice lowered. "Incoming at your left shoulder." A grimace marred her face.

Robbin turned and almost slid off the bar stool. She'd definitely had more than a little wine. But … she didn't really care at the moment.

Stan frowned. "What the hell, Robbin? Do you plan to sit here all day?"

She blinked. "I plan for us to head out. I signaled you over an hour ago." And she really wanted to be anywhere but here.

Stan snorted. "Sorry, babe. Not gonna happen. I'm not ready to go."

Robbin sighed. "Look, Stan, I'm tired. If you can't be bothered to take me home, I'll call a cab." She dug her phone out of her pocket.

Stan snagged her arm. "Are you kidding me? You can't spend one damned afternoon with the people I work with?" He snarled the words.

Robbin sent a glance upward to the darkening sky. "In case you missed it, it's almost evening. I did spend the afternoon with your coworkers." She slid off the stool and only wobbled slightly. "And it's not like I ever ask you to hang out with my work crew." They'd eat Stan alive.

Stan barked out a laugh, drawing a few stares. "Why would you? They're nothing but a bunch of low-rent welders who talk shit and guzzle beer."

Lois gasped behind the bar. Robbin's face flamed red-hot. She'd had more than enough of Stan's snobbish crap.

She folded her arms over her chest. "It's good to know how little you value what I do for a living." Especially when she worked her ass off.

Stan rolled his eyes. "Please, you only work that job to support your habit of buying junk for your so-called art."

Robbin's mouth dropped open. So-called art? The thing he supposedly loved the most about her? What happened to the crazy-awesome connections he could make from being in her orbit? Humiliation burned along her skin.

Lois came out from behind the rattan counter. "Look, you two should take this somewhere else. You're drawing a crowd." She put a hand on Robbin's shoulder. "Want me to call that cab?" She leaned in closer to Robbin. "You don't need this moron tearing you down."

Robbin wanted to heave. From the wine or from Stan's outburst, she didn't know. But her stomach roiled.

Stan took offense. "Stay out of this." He grabbed Robbin's arm and whirled her around. "Let's find a spot where you can sober up." He dragged her alongside him into one of the cabanas—a different one from earlier.

Robbin stumbled to keep up, making an effort to maintain a calm demeanor. Her fingers itched to slap Stan for being an absolute jackass. Her shoulder knocked into the frame of the small enclosure.

Once inside, Stan spun her around to face him. "What the hell are you trying to do to me?" He hissed in anger.

Robbin's head spun and her stomach pitched sideways. Two Stans hovered in her line of sight. She tried to pull away, but Stan's grip tightened on her forearm.

He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "I asked you a question, Robbin. What are you doing?"

She tried to tug her arm away again. "Right now, I'm trying not to throw up all over the place." If he didn't let her go, she'd aim for his shoes.

This story is coming together in a way I didn't expect and that makes me so happy.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin