Sunday Snippet: Getting Schooled

Geez, August has been a brutal month. The last week in particular. Not sure why, but I struggled hard, couldn't stay focused, and generally feel like I didn't get anything accomplished. Bleh.

Weirdly, the weather has been amazing. We need rain in a big way, but the temperatures were mild, which is a blessing. Actually had to break out a jacket and leggings because it got chilly at night.

Work projects are in a weird state of flux. I have a lot on my plate, and I hopped around multiple projects because of the aforementioned struggle to stay focused. I really hope I can get back on task this week.

I didn't get to watch the season two opener of Reacher, but I did make it through most of my regular shows. The first week of September is a chaos monster so I'm not sure if I'll get to make it through my regular slate of shows. Fingers crossed.

I did start the week with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the rewatch. Always fun when Phryne and company go on trips.

Caught another episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. I liked the mystery and my heart broke for Dom and Jean. But Jean was spot on with telling Dom he might not be ready to be a couple.

Watched the opening to season fourteen Death in Paradise. Still not sure if I'm down with the new guy. He might grow on me, and I do like how Naomi and Darlene hold their own with him.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. Very fun to see him solve the mystery while not leaving his apartment. And I do think he quite loves to put Hastings in horribly embarrassing positions.

Caught another episode of Elementary. I really like it when Joan and Sherlock team up to help their extended group. Detective Bell's dilemma being resolved ended up being a lot of fun.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond. I didn't fully remember this one, so I enjoyed getting reacquainted with it.

The episode of Lower Decks I watched is hopefully a turning point. Mariner makes me absolutely bonkers, which I'm pretty sure is the whole point. Here's hoping she can dial it back about ten clicks and I can finally settle in and like the character.

I did almost make it through an episode of Peak Practice that I started a couple of weeks ago. Sam is headed for a very bad place, which makes sense since his run is almost finished. Hoping to get the rest of the episode watched this week.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Getting Schooled, a novella that features an enemies-to-lovers flavor.

Here's the miniblurb:

Tamsin and Ike are resident leaders at neighboring summer camps. Tamsin works with upper crust girls and Ike has underprivileged boys. When a grant program director suggests bridging the gap, neither is very excited by the prospect, but once they meet, both get schooled in by how well the kids get along.

And a snippety peek…

"Let me start by thanking both of you for your terrific presentations." The grant director, Allie Mayhew, met Tamsin's gaze then did the same for Ike. "You both put a lot of work into them and because of that … I'd like to offer a suggestion…" She got up and came around the small table she'd been sitting behind and propped her hip on the edge.

Tamsin held back a grimace. A suggestion lacked decisiveness. But Tamsin would listen with an open mind. She could do no less.

Allie folded her hands in front of her. "Why don't I split the funds between both camps?" Her eyebrows arched and a hopeful look crossed her face.

Tamsin bit her tongue to avoid a negative response. She slid Ike a sideways glance. Other than a balled-up fist, he showed no outward sign of thinking this idea sucked.

Tamsin tilted her head to one side. "How do you see your plan working? Will the funds be evenly distributed?" Half would be better than nothing but probably not enough to keep things afloat.

Ike added a query. "And how will the disbursement be handled? Do we submit requisitions or a budget, or will we be free to use the money at our discretion?" He pulled a legal pad out of his bag and flipped to a clean page.

Allie's head wobbled a little. "Well … both are good questions. And the answer is … I don't know yet." She pushed away from the table and walked back and forth. "I literally only thought of this possible solution." She stopped and faced them. "Let's start with pulling a budget together for each camp and assume the funds will be evenly divided between the two." She brightened. "If you can have something to me by the end of the day, I'll make sure to fast-track it on my end. My guess is we'll make a joint account because we can't actually disburse the amount into two separate accounts."

Tamsin stifled a growl of frustration and looked toward Ike. "Can you stick around?" As much as she didn't want to spend more time with Mr. Overgrown Juvenile Delinquent, she'd bite the bullet and get it over with. "Maybe we can hammer out the details and get Allie the information she needs." Not exactly the way Tamsin wanted to spend the rest of the day, but she'd do anything to help the owners.

Ike shrugged. "I'll need to make a quick call, but I can stay." He got his phone and stood, walking to the back of the room.

Tamsin focused on Allie. "We'll work on a budget and get it to you by day's end. Will email be okay?" She opened her laptop and pulled up a spreadsheet.

Allie gave a nod. "That'll be perfect." She leaned forward. "I wish I could do more. And I know this isn't the greatest solution, but hopefully, it'll keep both camps viable for the season."

Tamsin stopped just short of rolling her eyes. "We can definitely hope." Not much else they could do.

Ike returned. "I'm clear all afternoon." He tucked his phone back inside his pocket.

Allie smiled. "Excellent. I'll leave you two to crunch your numbers. Thank you for the amazing presentations." She gathered her purse and phone. "I'll look for your email later today." With a quick wave, she headed for the exit.

Tamsin waited until the door closed before she lobbied her first shot across his bow. "If I didn't promise to do everything I could to save Seneca, I'd be right behind Allie." She huffed out a breath. "But I did promise, and I plan to keep my word." She nodded toward her laptop. "Let's get busy." Not waiting for a response, she sat back down and clicked into her spreadsheet.

Having fun with this one. Ike and Tamsin have major assumptions about each other that aren't true, and the discovery process is a treat!

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Get Back to Where He Once Belonged

Man, I can't believe August is almost over. It's been a chaotic month between work, unexpected challenges, and other factors crowding each other out for attention. Geez. Between the road construction everywhere, my car needing a new alternator, and the dogs needing their check-ups but unable to go because of the car issue … yeah, wild week.

I did have a solid work week. I finished up some projects and started new ones. I got a surprise turnaround that happened a lot sooner than I expected. I'm filling September and some of October, which is great.

Had a pretty good viewing week. I made it through my regular shows and finished up one of my back burners. I get to start the second season this week!

Watched an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the rewatch. Again, this show is such a comfort view for me.

Enjoyed another episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. I've got a weird feeling all isn't great between Dom and Jean, and that makes me a little sad. I loved the split mysteries even if Gloria's dad irritates the crap out of me. So much fun watching the team take down the con artists.

Caught the holiday episode for season fourteen of Death in Paradise. Not sure if I like the new guy, especially since he, like the actor who played Neville, has already been featured on the show. We'll see how it goes.

Watched another episode of Poirot and ended up enjoying more than I thought I would. It's fun to see Hastings get a moment to shine.

Elementary had a very fun episode. Thoroughly enjoyed Sherlock going head-to-head with the imposter. Also quite liked Joan and her stepdad's interactions.

Caught another Batman Beyond and it's one I didn't remember much, but I ended up enjoying.

Enjoyed another episode of Lower Decks. One thing I absolutely love about the show is the theme song. I know. Weird. But it's actually perfect for the show.

Finally, I watched the season one finale of Reacher, and it did not disappoint. I'm very satisfied with the season overall. I'm thrilled Picard ended up being part of the counterfeiting ring because there's no other explanation for how Charlie and Roscoe were found. Also loved that Paul ended up not being dead. Basically, the first season rocked. And … great to finally see adult Joe, but I didn't quite get the whole brothers looking so much alike thing as grown-ups. The flashbacks to their childhood, I definitely saw how they could be mixed up. I would really, really like to find out why the brothers hadn't talked much. Who knows, maybe season two will have more on that.

That's pretty much if for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Get Back to Where He Once Belonged, a novella that puts a couple on track to reunite … after one has groveled enough.

Here's the miniblurb:

Barton Gress leaves his small hometown right after graduation to become a music legend and breaks Noss Allrider's heart in the process. He makes good on his dream but discovers life at the top gets lonely without the one he loves. Noss isn't interested in a reunion when Barton returns but he brings her something she can't resist—the chance to know her dad. Whatever Noss decides, Barton is finally back where he belongs and he's not going anywhere.

And a snippety peek…

Barton Gress scrawled his signature on the white denim jacket of the last fan in line for his autograph. "There you go, Misha. Thanks for coming out tonight." He capped the metallic copper marker.

Misha gave him a wide smile. "Thanks for signing." She hugged the jacket to her chest, and her gaze turned speculative. "Are you staying here tonight? Want some company?"

Barton's lips quirked. "Nah, we're heading out in about five minutes. We only stuck around to make sure everyone got their autographs." He took a step up inside the bus. "You be safe getting home now." He glanced toward her group of friends waiting by the line of cars leaving the VIP parking lot.

Misha lifted her hand in a wave. "See you at the next concert." She turned and jogged over to her crowd of gal pals.

Barton didn't have the heart to tell her he wouldn't be touring for a while. He nodded at the driver—shorthand for him to close the door—then made his way back to his section of the charter bus. The horn honked twice, the signal to let the band members know they were underway. T minus twelve hours until he'd be back where he belonged … home.

Barton kicked his boots off then yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it into the laundry bin. His pants followed, and he stepped into the tiny shower he made sure the custom bus got outfitted with. Nothing like the huge shower he had in the condo he'd purchased with his first big payout, but he didn't need the luxury of spa quality right now. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than the pulsing spray of hot water to wash and soothe the exertion of a two-hour show from his body.

And he'd use the quiet time to ponder his return home. "I've got a lot of making up to do and a lot of giving back to accomplish." Starting with his gram.

Since she'd retired a year ago, he'd taken over paying her bills and made sure she had whatever she needed. Yet what she wanted—time with her grandson—he couldn't give her until now. At sixty-eight, she got along pretty well on her own. She had a group of friends she traveled with, and they'd come to see him several times on the road.

His lips quirked. "And caused quite a stir backstage." The gaggle of five ladies browbeat security until they allowed the women to bring in all their goodies. "Browbeat. More like they bribed them with a box of cookies." He cut the water and grabbed a towel.

His backup band would crawl over fiery coals to have more of the home-made pastries his gram and her friends provided. And they'd get their chance … once they all had time to visit their families or take vacations. If everything went well, they'd reunite around Halloween and launch the grand opening of the pavilion venue. Until then … Barton would split his time between his gram and facing his biggest challenge.

Because the one person he owed the most would be the hardest one to approach.

Noss Allrider.

He'd done her wrong all those years ago. Left without saying a word … mainly because he feared not being able to leave if he tried to explain or say goodbye. Noss got under his skin but at eighteen, he didn't believe they'd last. At twenty-eight, he wondered why the hell he hadn't asked her to come with him to see if they could.

Throwing on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, he flopped down on his bed. "Ten years of trying to forget her … epic fail." Not that he hadn't done his best to forget about her.

The first five years of paying his dues consisted of a string of one-night stands with fellow musicians or industry people. The last five involved several relationships, which ended up being false starts because he'd known, deep down, who he wanted. Noss.

Tucking his arms behind his head, he exhaled slowly. "If she'll even talk to me…" He had so much to tell her, show her, and catch up on.

If all else failed, he had an ace up his sleeve. At least he hoped it would trump the way he left her…

And give him the winning hand.

Not a bad title for my next hit song.

I'm enjoying this story so much. I love a good second-chance romance and Barton and Noss have a lot of ground to cover.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Get a Room

Whew. Very long week of scorching temperatures and tinder-dry conditions. We need some rain in a big way. Also, the end of my street is closed, which is kind of inconvenient but not terrible. It's the height of construction season and it shows with multiple road projects going on.

Super busy week with work projects and shifting my schedule around a little. I'm very happy to have a full calendar even when it overwhelms me a little.

School starts this week and I'm excited for my husband, who really enjoys interacting with the students, teachers, and staff. Looking forward to hearing how his first week goes with the kids coming back.

Had a decent viewing week. Made it most of the way through my shows, including one of my back-burner ones. It also looks like a few of my faves are getting ready to return to my streamers.

Started season two of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed all the newcomers. Jack's former wife and his father-in-law along with Dottie's sister. Phryne doing a fan dance also ended up being fun.

Enjoyed the mystery on Madame Blanc Mysteries. Kind of fun having John back but I'm hoping it's not going to be a lot of him. Also wondering if there are some cracks in Jean and Dom's relationship. I'll be a little sad if there are.

Finished up season thirteen of Death in Paradise. I'm oddly sad to say goodbye to Neville. But I'm really thrilled he's leaving with Florence. A fitting end for the character.

Watched another episode of Poirot and quite enjoyed the mystery. Having the ongoing Monopoly game going throughout the episode was fun.

Elementary ended up being very interesting. Having Sherlock working with Moreland ended up being entertaining and I'm very interested and wary of why Moreland is really in New York. That ending hinted that all may not be what it seems, which isn't that surprising. I hope it gives Joan the chance to kick ass on Sherlock's behalf.

Caught another episode of Batman Beyond and loved how Terry and Max teamed up to handle Curare. This was a great episode.

Lower Decks once again charmed and annoyed me. That's the running theme for this show. That said, I enjoy it enough to definitely keep watching.

Got most of an episode of Reacher viewed. It's the penultimate ep so I'm paying close attention to the details. Because … details matter. Just saying.

Peak Practice is hopefully back on target for this week. I started a new episode but didn't get all the way through.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Get a Room, a novella that gives a couple a second chance at romance.

Here's the miniblurb:

Talon and Haim have a complicated past. When she returns and asks Haim for a favor, they're ready to act on their attraction again … except they keep getting interrupted.

And a snippety peek…

Talon followed Haim into the house, trying to figure out how to explain.

She opted to go with direct honesty. "Ben and I got divorced not long before he started his residency." That full year of internship at their university hospital exposed a lot of issues.

Haim's eyes widened. "That's been a few years ago."

Talon nodded. "Yeah, it has. But it didn't take me long after he started his internship to realize we'd never be truly happy…" And start to question if they ever were.

Haim narrowed his gaze. "Did he cheat on you?" A low growl entered his tone.

Talon stared at her hands for a long moment. "We cheated on each other. Ben with several of his colleagues and me … well … I cheated on him in a completely fucked up way."

Haim stayed silent, and she thanked mentally him for that. Because she needed a moment to figure out how much to say. The truth or a half-assed version?

She pushed onward, deciding to lay everything out. "I married Ben because he's a good guy and I knew he'd be a great doctor, but he sensed I couldn't fully commit with my whole heart." So he didn't either.

Haim blinked in surprise. "What? Why?"

She held his gaze. "Because my heart already belonged to someone else and always would."

Haim's eyes went wide again. "You mean … all this time…" He trailed off and ran a hand through his hair.

Talon lifted her chin. "Yeah. My heart has always belonged to you, even when I was too stupid to realize it wouldn't accept anyone else." Not her greatest moment.

Haim shook his head. "Can we sit a moment?"

An odd question considering they were in his house, but she nodded. "Uh, sure." She followed him to the sofa and settled next to him.

He turned toward her then shocked her by cupping her face with his hands. The warmth of his hands seeped into her skin. When he leaned in close, her breath caught in her throat.

A groan escaped when his lips caught hers. Ahhhh … she'd missed this. Him. Them.

Snapshot memories rolled through her mind. Why hadn't she trusted they could be happy together? Not a fair question. She needed to make her way and chase her dreams and couldn't do that from here. Not at first.

Haim eased away and rested his forehead against hers. "Can you stay? We've got lost time to make up for." His thumb brushed over her cheek.

Talon wished she could and almost caved to the idea.

But … she gently shook her head. "We do have a lot of catching up to do but…" She put some space between them. "If I'm going to pull this retreat off, I have to go. Now." She added regret to her tone. "Or I'll never leave. And I want to keep this group happy." Especially if she wanted to expand her offerings.

Haim stood and held out a hand. "Look, the camp is yours." He walked her to the door. "I'll get it ready." He fished into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "Here's my number so you can call me with details and updates and what you might need from this end."

Tucking the card into her pocket, Talon glanced up at him. "Can I call just to talk?" It would be nice to get to know him more … again … before the retreat.

Haim cracked a smile. "I'd like that."

I'm a huge fan of reunion romance and I'm having fun writing this one.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Game Night

The first full week of August kind of flew by. We had a power outage and mobile phone outage on the same night, which made for a long six hours. Also kind of weird since there wasn't a storm or anything that would be a normal reason for the loss.

Very busy week with work projects and September is looking like another busy month. I'm definitely not complaining. I miss having dedicated writing time, but I also squeeze that in whenever I can.

The school year starts next week, which means the husband will be at his new position in the elementary school. He truly wishes he'd had this job thirty years ago. I can't blame him. He drove almost an hour each way for twenty-plus years. The schools in our district are all less than five miles away and the elementary school is three blocks from our house.

Had my daughter home for several days this week and we had a great time catching up. She even had me cut her hair, which turned out really well. Always love it when she asks me to help with stuff like that.

Had a solid viewing week and made it through my whole slate of shows, including my two back-burner ones. Not sure what the upcoming week will bring but hoping to keep on target.

Started the week with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and finished up the first season. Can't wait to start season two. Another one of my favorite episodes is coming up.

Caught another Madame Blanc Mysteries and really enjoyed the twisty turns in this one. This season is shaping up to be a lot of fun. I like Charlie and Simone so it's good to see them again.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise and it's the penultimate episode before the season thirteen finale. So great to have Florence back, even if only for a brief time. Looking forward to the finale.

Enjoyed an episode of Poirot. This one was a lot of fun, especially having Poirot sneaking into a house and getting caught. And spending a night in jail to boot!

Caught an episode of Elementary and very much enjoyed Sherlock figuring out Alfredo needed some support. The mystery ended up being pretty interesting also.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond and it's one I remembered. Always fun to see Bruce and Barbara spar, and I loved Terry trusting Bruce to help him.

Lower Decks again charmed and annoyed me. I've come to kind of accept that's how this show is going to be for me. I did really like the teamwork in this one.

Finished up the episode of Peak Practice from last week and even started the new episode. Have to finish it this week.

Finally, Reacher. Man. This show. I truly get the hype around it. So many revelations. Finlay. Yeah, didn't see that one coming. Explains a lot. Roscoe. Badass. Seriously. I'm on the fence with Charlie's admission about Hubbel. I think there's more to the story there. And Reacher having the light-bulb moment with the last-standing professor was excellent. Here's hoping she stays alive. Can't wait to watch the next episode!

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Game Night, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

Newly retired from the military and first-time parents, Albany and Jiles Wright are spending their first night out without their little one. They've got great friends staying with the baby, they're going to their favorite restaurant, and both love hockey. They should be having a great time. But … while they each put on a brave face, Albany and Jiles take turns checking on their kid behind each other's backs then finally realize he's in great hands and they can actually have a good time.

And a snippety peek…

Jiles stood by the car, waving to Bryce. "See ya later, B-man."

Sharon held Bryce on her hip and used her free hand to help him wave to his parents.

Hawk lifted an arm. "Have fun, you two. Don't do anything Sharon and I wouldn't do." His lips kicked up in a smirk.

Albany laughed. "That gives us plenty of leeway." She popped the door on the passenger side and waved to the couple.

Jiles chuckled and got in, starting the engine. "Ready for Tuesday's on the Market?" They'd put four restaurant names in a hat and drew the casual dining establishment as their choice for dinner.

Albany nodded. "So ready. Can't wait to sink my teeth into one of their burgers." She side-eyed him. "You having one? Or maybe you're gonna eat your weight in wings?" Her mouth twisted in a grin.

Jiles shrugged. "Think I'll go for a burger too. And probably steak fries and slaw. Tuesday's has the best slaw." Creamy and just the right amount of sweet to balance out the tartness of the cabbage.

Albany moaned. "Oh, yeah. Excellent choice." She kept her gaze focused on the road in front of them.

Jiles resisted the urge to check the backseat from the rearview mirror, a habit he developed since they'd had Bryce. Seemed weird not to have him in the car seat. He reached over and clasped Albany's hand. That didn't seem weird.

She squeezed his fingers then let go so he could focus on taking the exit to downtown and then find a spot to park. He chose a lot between the restaurant and the arena and grabbed the ticket. After pulling into the space, he cut the engine.

Albany met him at the front of the vehicle and cupped his face. "A preview for later…" She tilted her chin up and meshed her lips with his.

Jiles sank into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Albany. He loved her so much. And Bryce. Having that little guy changed everything for them … in the best way possible.

Albany eased away and gave him a twisted grin. "Kind of makes you wanna skip dinner and hockey and head back home for the main event, yeah?" Her eyebrows waggled.

Jiles laughed. "Maybe a little. But … we've set our mission parameters. Let's stick to them." He laced their fingers together.

Albany made a low hum in her throat. "Mmm. There you go again … getting all ticky box on me." She shuddered and started dragging him toward the sidewalk.

I'm having fun with this one. It's been a long time since I had my kiddos, but I remember the first time leaving my oldest with someone else. So glad I got to use that for a book!

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Future in Play

Whew. Ended up being a long week between work, home, and other projects. The biggest and best one is helping my daughter edit her final paper for her master's degree. I'm so proud of her!

I made a small dent in the great cleanout project. Didn't get a lot accomplished but made a bit of progress, which I'll take.

Finished up two work projects and continued on with two more. I have another two in flux and two new ones coming sometime this week. Excited to stay busy!

Pretty good week for viewing. I got through my full round of shows and finished up one from last week. I'm still working on one of the others.

Started with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and it was one of my favorite episodes. I love a good masquerade or costume party.

Caught another episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries and enjoyed Gloria and Nick working together. Hope to see more of that in future episodes.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. The run-up to Neville leaving is turning out to be a lot of fun. And always good to see Dwayne back. Looking forward to the next episode.

Finished up the two-part Poirot and loved how the resolution came together. I like it when the infallible Poirot gets off on the wrong track for a bit.

Watched another episode of Elementary and quite enjoyed the mystery. Also enjoyed Joan handling her detractor and Sherlock acting as the support system afterward.

Enjoyed an episode of Batman Beyond. I remembered this one from my original watch. A lot of fun.

Caught an episode of Lower Decks and, again, ended up being equally charmed and annoyed. I think that's my standard for this show.

Finished up the Reacher episode from last week and wow. Gotta say I didn't see the ending coming, which is always a good thing. Hoping I can get a full episode in this week.

Almost finished an episode of Peak Practice. Things are getting very messy in the relationship departments for everyone, and Sam, whew, what a huge pile he's getting ready to step into.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Future in Play, a novella that got a start with writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nellie Finch is a little bored with her family's annual fall money-maker, the Apple Butter Festival. But when the village council decides to add a competitor to the yearly event, Nellie faces off against Mace Bigelow to see who makes the best mouth-watering spread and find out which challenger will win bragging rights and maybe the other competitor's heart.

And a snippety peek…

Nellie pulled into the drive at her gram's house and cut her engine. "Mane Bigelow." Wow … he'd filled out since graduation.

Grabbing her keys, she got out of the car and retrieved the leftovers from the backseat. She yawned and headed up the sidewalk to the house. The meeting started early, just after six, to accommodate one of the committee members' night-shift schedule. Nellie foresaw a nap in her future.

Nellie entered the house and found her gram sitting at the table, scrolling on her phone with a cup of coffee in front of her. "Hi, Gram. What's happening on your socials?" Mamie had more media accounts than Nellie did.

Mamie glanced up. "Eh, nothing interesting yet. But I've only checked Facebook and TikTok so far." Her eyebrows rose. "You're later than I expected. Did the meeting run long?" She set her phone aside.

Nellie stowed the takeout in the fridge then joined her gram at the table. "No, we were finished up by a little after eight." She propped her elbows on the table. "Ran into Mace Bigelow at the restaurant and gave him a lift out to Hannah's." She'd enjoyed talking to him … and hoped he did call.

Mamie narrowed her gaze. "Isn't he in the navy? Home on leave?" She got up and refilled her mug.

Nellie nodded. "Yeah. He didn't let Hannah know he was coming so he got to surprise her." Her lips quirked. "She was so happy to see him."

Mamie sat back down. "She loves that boy. And with Linc gone, I'm sure she gets kind of lonely out there in boonies."

Nellie laughed. "Gram, I hate to break it to you, but we're not exactly in the thick of it out here either." But they were just off the highway instead of buried out on a township road.

Mamie shrugged. "Nothing wrong with having your closest neighbor be a quarter of a mile down the road." She flashed a smile. "Besides, it makes skinny dipping easier when there's no one else around."

Nellie rolled her eyes. "You keep forgetting the Wilsons bought a drone. Don't know about you, but that rules out skinny dipping for me." Their neighbors loved to send the device out for aerial photography.

Mamie chuckled. "Fair point. I haven't actually skinny-dipped in the pond since I had your dad anyway." She leaned back in the chair. "But it's nice to sit on the little wharf with our feet in the water in August."

Nellie nodded. "True. Especially after trying out new recipes with apple butter." They almost had a perfect icing for cupcakes.

Mamie's lips curved. "You know, when I first started competing at the festival, I thought Lincoln might be some stiff competition." Her mouth thinned to a straight line. "If he'd been confident enough to enter his butter."

Nellie blinked. "Um, why wasn't he?" And why hadn't she heard anything about this?

Mamie shook her head. "The old biddies that started the festival were so scandalized a man could make better preserves than they could, they did everything in their power to gaslight Linc into believing he couldn't possibly be up to snuff." She snorted. "It worked. He ended up pulling his entry and never tried again." Mamie leaned forward. "And you know what? He'd have won. I haven't figured out what his secret ingredient was, but he made damn good butter."

Nellie settled back against her chair. "Wow. I had no idea. I wonder if Mane knows his grandpa could've been king of the festival." Maybe she'd ask if he called.

Mamie tilted her head. "You finally noticed."

Nellie arched her brows. "Noticed what?"

Her gram huffed out a breath. "Mane. That young man always had potential." She inclined her chin. "And you finally realize it."

Nellie rolled a shoulder. "It's not that I didn't realize … more like I had too many commitments and not enough hours in the day to pay attention." Her high school class schedule, extra curriculars, and part-time jobs kept her busy.

Too busy to really date anyone. Instead, her group of friends intermingled and did things like homecoming and the prom as a unit, pairing off but attending together. She wouldn't change anything … but sometimes wondered if she missed out on something.

Mamie finished her coffee. "I'm heading out to check the trees. Wanna come?" She rinsed her mug and set it in the drainer.

Nellie got up. "Sure. Let me change and I'll head out with you." Then she planned to come back and catch a nap.

Unless Mane called…

I'm in the beginning stages of this one and I'm having a lot of fun writing it.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin