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
