Sunday Snippet: Going All Out

Whew. It's been a week. I won't comment on the political spectrum at the moment but it's mentally draining to say the least. The good news is I got a couple of projects finished up and I'm taking that as a win because of the whole brain drain.

Our weather last week was very fall-like and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We're back to higher temperatures again but that's pretty typical. We definitely need some rain. I'd even take a nasty thunderstorm to get some at this point.

As mentioned, I finished up two projects and have a small break before the next one begins. I'm taking advantage to dive deeper into a couple of my manuscripts. It's fun to revisit what I've already completed.

Had a decent viewing week. Even if a little distracted. I made it through my usual stable of shows for the most part. Did not get to either backburner shows.

Started with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. One of my favorite episodes for Jack and Phryne chemistry. I also love how deep of a hole Hugh digs for himself.

Began a rewatch of a favorite comfort show with Foyle's War. It's been years since I've seen any of the episodes and I'm looking forward to diving back into this show.

Caught another Death in Paradise and I have to say I love Darlene so much. Her interactions with Patterson blew me away. The mystery ended up being pretty interesting also. Kind of a heartbreaking moment with Wilson but I think there's more to the story of his mom's death.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. Fun to see the FBI show up to work with Japp and very fun to see Hastings think fast on his feet when creating a diversion for Poirot.

Elementary had a very interesting episode. I'm so intrigued by Moreland's journey this season. I haven't quite figured out if he's genuine or not and I kind of feel like he's not completely sure either, which I like. A lot.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond and it's one I have vague memories of, mainly because it was a fun episode. Nice to see Howard back also.

Finished the first season finale of Lower Decks and after a rough start rather enjoyed the episode. And it left off with enough of a what just happened vibe that I'm interested in season two. My one hope is Mariner won't annoy me so much in season two. We'll see what happens.

Still hoping to get season two of Reacher underway this week. A lot will depend on what the work calendar ends up looking like. I have two client Zoom meetings and have no idea how long either will last.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Going All Out, a novella that explores a couple finally getting together after dancing around their attraction.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lance and Xola work together and have a solid friendship, but there's always a little something more between them. Lance proposes a date, something other than a movie or grabbing a bite to eat at the same time. Xola accepts and the fun—and nervous tension—begins.

And a snippety peek…

Lance knocked on Xola's door and blinked when she opened it. "Wow. You're perfect." He winced, mentally chastising himself for sounding stupid.

Xola raised a brow. "You sure?" She turned and stuck her butt out. "Does my ass look okay in capris?" She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing.

Her ass would look good in anything.

He tilted his head to one side and went for a cheeky response. "Good enough to eat." He loved bantering with her.

Xola grinned. "Tempting, but you promised me dinner." She grabbed her phone and a slim wallet, tucking both into her pocket.

He gave a nod. "So I did. Hope you like Italian." He really didn't have a backup plan.

Her eyes brightened. "I do." She closed the door behind them and slipped her key in another pocket.

They chatted about work on the way to the restaurant. Neutral topic and a safe zone. Especially when both were trying to pick their way around the whole work-life boundaries.

When he pulled into the parking lot, her mouth dropped open and she got excited.

Her head whipped around. "Pangrazios! How did you get a table?"

He shrugged. "My godfather owns the restaurant." He cut the engine and popped his door open. "I worked here growing up. Dominic always has a table for me." He shuffled around the front of the vehicle and crooked his elbow with Xola stepped out of the car.

She flashed a wide smile. "See … that sounds like a lot of fun. And way more dangerous than being a lifeguard, which is what I did as soon as I passed the test." She leaned in closer to him. "And by dangerous I mean having the opportunity to eat my weight in pasta and pie."

Lance laughed. "It was one of the perks. The trick is loading up on the house salad first." He pulled her chair out and got her seated.

Xola gave a slow nod. "Probably wouldn't have had the willpower to do that. Not when the heavenly scent of garlic, oregano, and everything else wafted all around." She rolled a shoulder. "And being a lifeguard is what got me interested in taking the paramedic course."

Lance arched his brows. "I didn't know that's how you decided to become a medic." His head bobbed up and down. "I like this. An opportunity to discover more about you."

They gave their drink orders and decided to split a basic pie with pepperoni and extra parmesan. Not quite ten minutes later, they had their food. And Lance had to confess he'd called ahead to have them start a pizza.

Xola chuckled. "Okay, points for that one." She helped herself to a thick slice. "What else do you have planned for the night?"

Lance blew across the top of his piece of pie. "Well, I picked a few things I thought you'd be interested in." He took a large bite and quickly chewed and swallowed. "There's an art festival on the riverfront, a pops concert with the city orchestra at Menlow Park, and a blues night at Chadwick's bar. Your choice." He really didn't care what she opted for because he'd enjoy himself no matter what she decided.

Xola took her first bite and closed her eyes. "Oh, man, this is so good." She pondered a moment. "All the options sound fun, but let's do the pops concert. It's a gorgeous night for it."

Lance agreed. "Great pick. Should be a lot of fun."

Xola met his gaze. "Yeah. I'm glad we're doing this…" Her lips curved in a tentative smile.

Lance lifted his chin. "Me too." Any leftover nervous tension drained, and he tucked back into his food.

I love diving into a friends-to-lovers story. Xola and Lance are fun to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin