Sunday Snippet: Mixed Signals

And our above normal temperatures are over for now. Most of the week ended up being kind of hot and humid. Friday brought some rain and cooler weather, like a twenty-degree drop. It definitely feels more like fall.

Busy with work projects and I'm getting closer to launching the new venture I've been working on. I'm not quite ready for prime time but I'm getting there. So excited!

Kind of a slow week for viewing television. I had some distractions and ended up being focused on other things.

I caught another episode of Agatha Raisin and thoroughly enjoyed it. Agatha might end up getting her man, but my big question is whether she'll want to hold on after she gets him. I kind of like the true to life vibe this show has.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness and actually kind of enjoyed the twisty turns this one took. Also enjoyed seeing Nikki and Matt try to work through a bumpy bit.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm somewhere in the middle of whether I like how the commissioner tries to nose in these early seasons. I love the character and I like how he interacts with the others even if I'm not completely sure if he's 100 percent legit sometimes.

Watched another episode of Only Murders in the Building. Lots of little shout outs to Broadway in this episode and I liked that. Also loved seeing Oliver's son so concerned about his dad. Kind of bummed there's a new detective, but holding out hope we'll see our favorite one later.

Started season three of my Battlestar Galactica rewatch. The opening episode ranks right up there with "33" for being so well done. The next episode is also stellar. Can't wait to watch it again.

Enjoyed an episode of The Batman. The Joker returned and wreaked havoc per usual, which is always fun. And Alfred's snark was on point as always.

Watched an episode of Classic Rugrats. Kind of fun to see some bumps in adjusting to having Dil in the mix. I'll always have a soft spot for the first five seasons because those were the ones I watched the most with my oldest kiddo, but I also enjoy the newer seasons because they have a larger dynamic, especially when two more characters are added to the mix.

Started another episode of VIP and should finish it up later today. I forgot how many dream sequences this show had whether it be sleeping or waking ones. They're always kind of odd but fun.

That's pretty it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Mixed Signals, a novella that reunites a couple under dangerous circumstances.

Here's the miniblurb:

Avery and Trigg, both undercover cops, can't keep their relationship going. Their work makes it hard to stay connected. When mixed signals results in Avery shooting Trigg in a friendly fire incident, she wants to set the record straight and maybe test the waters to pick up where they left off.

And a snippety peek…

In the driveway to Avery's apartment, Trigg questioned the whole idea of spending several days together. "You sure you really want to do this?" He fumbled with the seatbelt, trying to get it with one hand.

Avery shot him a narrow-eyed look. "Do you really think I'm going to change my answer? I mean you've asked the same question at least three times since we left the hospital." She reached over and pressed the release then carefully helped him get out from under the shoulder harness. "Should the question really be whether you want my help?" Grabbing her keys, she popped her door open but didn't make a move to get out of the car.

Trigg shook his head. "No, you're right. I'm going to need some assistance. Hell, you had to get my stuff because I'm still wiped out from the meds." He used his free hand to open the door.

Avery quickly got out, trotted around the car, and crooked her elbow, giving him her forearm. "Use me to keep your balance. The first couple of times getting in and out are the trickiest until you get used to only having one side free." She bent her knees a little and braced her legs.

Trigg grasped her arm, slid off the seat, and got his feet under him. "Thanks. Gotta say this sucks." He closed the door and went to open the back so he could get his duffel bag.

Avery shook her head. "Uh-uh. I'll get it. You head to the porch." She snagged his gear and followed him up the path.

Trigg made a low whistle. "Wow, you've made some changes." His gaze drank in the comfortable seating area and shade screens.

Avery chuckled. "Not the bare bones space you remembered, is it?" She unlocked her door and pushed it open.

Trigg took a moment, admiring the low maintenance greenery, the brightly colored mailbox, and sturdy welcome mat at the threshold. She'd made the outside space hers. He kind of looked forward to seeing what she'd done to the inside.

Avery popped outside. "You okay?" Swinging the door open further, she welcomed him inside.

Trigg gave a nod. "Yeah, I'm good. Porch looks fantastic." He entered her home and, yeah, she'd definitely added her unique touch to everything. "So does the inside." He cocked his head. "When did you find time to do all this?" An overstuffed couch beckoned, and he made his way over, sinking down onto the plush cushion.

Avery dropped his duffel next to his feet. "It's not hard to point and click for accessories. And whenever I got more than one day off in a row, I scoured furniture stores until I found what I wanted." She took a seat on the chair perpendicular to the sofa.

Trigg huffed out a breath. "Man, my place is spartan compared to this." He craned his head, looking into the next room, which she'd made into a study.

Avery laughed. "Yeah, early American single guy all the way for you." Slipping her jacket off, she went to hang it on the peg rack beside the front door. "Are you due for any of your meds? I'm going to get some water and bring it in, so you'll have it." She nodded toward the kitchen.

Trigg lifted his chin. "Sounds great. Thanks." He fumbled in his coat pocket and withdrew his pain killers and the antibiotic.

Leaning back, he closed his eyes and tried to wrap his head around this different version of Avery. The one who'd taken time to make her apartment a refuge instead of a place to crash between undercover assignments. Very different from when they'd dated. That Avery didn't have the roots this one did.

Which isn't a bad thing.

Part of the reason they'd ended things had been her volatile nature. Up, down, sideways, and inside-out, she never had off switch, which made her great at undercover work. Not so much with having downtime. He didn't help. When he finished an assignment, he left the persona behind and picked back up with regular life. Putting the assumed identity in a tiny compartment came easy for him. Avery struggled to regain hers. And sometimes her inability to quickly transition back to regular cop created friction.

Not that you're blameless, Trigg.

He could've helped her get centered back in the real world. Instead, he got frustrated when she wore the mantel of whatever character she portrayed for days after coming back in. Both had crazy schedules and his impatience to be with the true Avery before he had a new assignment got in the way a lot.

Trigg huffed out a breath. "So much for not digging into the past." He should've known better.

And the armor-coated protection around his heart started to dissolve.

I'm very happy with how this story is moving along. Trigg and Avery have some issues to work out and being in close proximity will be just the kick start they need.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Mixed Signals

We're entering the next to last month of the year… how did ten months already fly by? I got some scary news earlier in the week. My younger sibling had a major heart attack while at work and ended up having surgery to put stents in. He's actually doing terrific, considering it's one of the worst types of cardiac infarctions. I'm so very grateful I still have him around.

Needless to say, television viewing ended up being limited this week. The Last Ship killed off one my favorite characters and I’m still mourning that loss. Thankfully, The Flash had a pretty terrific episode and I love the introduction of meta-tech. Arrow is doing a great job of keeping me interested. I didn't know how I'd end up liking the whole prison angle, but I'm very satisfied with how it's playing out. Legends of Tomorrow remains excellent. I'm always surprised by how fast the hour flies by when I'm watching.

I caught another episode of The Sarah Conner Chronicles. I'm about halfway through the season and the end is being shaped. I truly forgot how much I loved this show. Also caught another episode of Birds of Prey. Stylistically, I love how this series plays out on the screen. Caught another episode of Lexx and completely forgot about Stan's trial. I actually enjoyed this one.

Doctor Who's episode with spiders ended up being pretty good. I'm never sure how I'll take to episodes with creepy-crawly things. Somewhat disappointed there won't be a Christmas special this year but having a New Year's show could be fun. We'll see.

Got another episode of Pensacola Wings of Gold in. Enjoyed seeing how that one played out. I'm almost finished with the first season and I'm not sure if I'll continue on because it seems like the second series has an almost entirely new cast. I'll watch a few episodes and see what happens.

Caught another Hallmark movie, Hannah's Law. Ended up being pretty decent. I watched mainly for Greyston Holt, a favorite actor of mine.

Rounded out the week with some classic television marathons. The Saint throughout the week and Burke's Law this weekend.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Mixed Signals, a novella that got a start with a what-if scenario involving friendly fire and an old relationship.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Avery and Trigg, both undercover cops, can't keep their relationship going. Their work makes it hard to stay connected. When mixed signals results in Avery shooting Trigg in a friendly fire incident, she wants to set the record straight and maybe test the waters to pick up where they left off.

And a snippety peek…

A knock sounded on the door and Trigg opened his eyes. The TV droned in the background, but the pain meds kept him drifting in and out of wakefulness. The wood slab pushed open and Dinah entered the room. His lips curved in a smile.

But only for a moment. Dinah wore resignation on her face and had reluctance in her step. She pulled her hand from her pocket and dangled the apartment keys from her fingers.

Trigg didn't need verbal confirmation. They were finished. Truth told, he didn't have it in him to fight for her right now.

He winced when he sat up straighter and dug his shoulders into the pillows behind his back. "You're cutting out?" Did he care?

He couldn't honestly say he did.

Dinah put the keys on the patient tray at his bedside. "I have to, Trigg. I can't handle this. You getting shot… just… it's my wake-up call." Her hands went back inside her pockets and her shoulders hunched forward.

Trigg made a stab at salvaging the relationship. "Dinah, I've been a cop for over a decade. This is the first time I've been injured on the job." Didn't mean it wouldn't happen again but a bus could him tomorrow, too.

Dinah shuddered. "You say that like it's no big deal. Once in a decade is still one time too many." She turned for the exit. "I'm sorry, Trigg. I can't do the be-strong thing and hope for the best." Pulling the door open, she lifted a hand. "Good-bye."

Heaving a sigh, he didn't stop her. And he didn't respond. She didn't need a farewell from him. Not when she'd made a decision without even discussing it with him.

Finding the remote, he switched off the television. Getting dumped in the hospital while recovering from a bullet wound had to be a new low. And he'd had some pretty serious downs.

Like getting shot by your ex.

This one is coming together in little pieces at a time. The sages have a good idea of what they want but their delivery is out of order. Go figure.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Mixed Signals

Ahhh, The Last Ship makes me so very happy. And none of my favorites ended up dead in the last episode so there's that, too. I won't hold out too much hope for a death free episode tonight. Best to be prepared, right?

Killjoys came back with a bang. Gotta say I'm super happy to see it back on my screen. Here's hoping the whole season is as terrific as the premiere.

Dark Matter… eh, I was a little disappointed in the opener. That said, there are some interesting developments, especially given the ending. I'll reserve judgment before deciding if season two is a bust.

The finale for Wynonna Earp rocked. Fingers are still crossed for a second season. Some great seed were planted for future threads and I hope Syfy gives this show a chance.

Babylon 5 rewatch continues. I'm almost through the first season and so many little things I missed on the other viewings are popping up. I love when that happens.

Strike Back is also entertaining me with the same things happening. I catch small things I missed when I watched the first time.

That's it for TV this week. Hope everyone enjoys the fireworks shows if they like that kind of thing. Me? I'm happy watching them on what else… television. J

Tonight's post is from Mixed Signals, a novella where a friendly fire shooting has my couple revisiting their relationship.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Avery and Trigg, both undercover cops, can't keep their relationship going. Their work makes it hard to stay connected. When mixed signals results in Avery shooting Trigg in a friendly fire incident, she wants to set the record straight and maybe test the waters to pick up where they left off.

And a snippety peek…

Trigg closed his eyes and growled. "Probably not." His lids popped open and he met her gaze. "That's another reason you and me… a very bad idea." One his brain fought tooth and nail.

But his heart had armor-coated protection—especially against Avery. The one woman that had the power to raise him to the heights of ecstasy and send him to the depths of depravity, usually at the same time. Trigg didn't have the energy or the mental capacity to go a round with her right now.

He reached out, grasping her hand. "Look, I'm loaded down with pain meds and can't think straight at the moment." He squeezed her fingers. "Can we revisit this topic after I get sprung?" His thumb brushed over her palm.

Avery dragged her lower lip between her teeth, but nodded. "Sure. But I'd like to keep you company, if you don't mind. It's gotta be boring as hell in here." She slid her gaze to the side, almost shyly.

Trigg blinked, not quite certain the morphine drip hadn't caused a hallucination. Avery didn't do timid. Bold. Brash. Utterly daring. Yes. All of those. The change in temperament threw him and he kind of wanted to explore the new side she revealed.

Later. When he didn't feel like complete shit. But he could use the company.

He shifted his position and gave her a smile. "Having you stick around will definitely bust the boredom." A yawn escaped before he could prevent it. "But I gotta warn you. I drop off in the middle of conversations." He'd be happy when that didn't happen anymore.

Avery laughed. "Duly noted. I won't hold it against you." She dragged the chair close to his bed and settled onto the cushion.

Trigg leaned back and pressed the button to turn up the volume on the television. "I'm not fond of most of the crap that's on, but there's a terrific sci-fi show that starts in ten minutes." He glanced sideways. "You game?"

Avery gave him a slow grin. "As if you have to ask. And if it's the one I'm thinking of, I love it." She kicked her feet up on the lower edge of his mattress.

Trigg turned his attention back to the television. They'd always had a love for the same type of entertainment—action movies, science fiction fare, or creepy thrillers. The fact she continued to enjoy the same things comforted him.

And he could use the small measure of rightness the idea brought.

I love the whole idea of a couple who breaks up but can't let go because they're meant to be together.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Mixed Signals

Howdy!

Whew. Whirlwind weekend in Columbus, Ohio. My husband's region won their company's highest honor and we got a lovely dinner with fun entertainment and a night in a downtown hotel. Caught up with some old friends and finally, finally got to see my brother's house just south of the Brewery District. He's only lived there ten years and it's my first visit. LOL

Tonight's post is from a brand new (heh, as in just started) novella. Mixed Signals had one scene that sort of ate my brain until I put it down on paper. It's still very much taking shape, but I'm enjoying the discovery of the character interaction.

Here's the tagline:

Avery and Trigg, both undercover cops, used to have a relationship, but their work made it hard to stay connected. When mixed signals results in Avery shooting Trigg in a friendly fire incident, she wants to set the record straight and maybe test the waters to pick up where they left off.

And a snippety peek…

Avery popped her head inside Trigg's room. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I? Is Dinah here?"

Trigg waved her in. "Nope." His gaze lowered. "I'm not with Dinah anymore. She can't handle the line of fire thing.

Avery made her way to his beside and propped her hip on the mattress. "You mean friendly fire, don't you?" Dinah probably wanted her head on a platter.

He glanced up. "Look, you got sucked into a bad situation. You had to take action."

She lifted a shoulder. She couldn't disagree, but didn't trust herself to talk about it yet.

He grasped her hand. "Avery, it's not like you meant to shoot me. I got caught in the crossfire." He squeezed. "Hell, I practically stepped in front of the bullet when I tried to help."

Her lips twitched. He truly had kinda mucked up her operation.

She met his gaze. "We both work on instinct, reflex, and gut reaction and we still fuck things up sometimes."

He nodded. "Yeah, so cut yourself some slack and quit letting it tear you up."

She smiled. "Right. I'll do my best." She waited a beat the dove into why she'd really come to see him. "So, you're relationship free and wounded. That's a double threat."
He let go of her hand. "Oh, no, Avery. You don’t wanna go there. Dinah and I had issues from the beginning, but you'd still be rebound girl and I don't wanna be that guy."

She laced their fingers together. "Why not? Technically, I can't be a rebound since we share a past." And he couldn't have been that attached to Dinah—Trigg admitted as much.

He sighed. "Avery, what do you want here? Is it because you shot me?" He shook his head. "If you're trying to assuage your guilt by screwing me wild, don't. Because I'm just pissed off enough to take whatever you're offering and walk away."

She snorted. "Trigg, you're an ass sometimes, and you've got every right to be pissed. But don't give me that line of bull. If we do hook up, I want more than wild sex, and something tells me you'd never just walk away." She tilted her head sideways. "Would you?"

We'll see how things take shape. Right now, Trigg wouldn't walk away, but he just might not want Avery to be hip to that fact. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin