Sunday Snippet: Academic Challenge

Well, had a better week than the last one. Still not completely tip-top but feeling way better with the worst of the cold finally over. We got more snow this week, but warmer temperatures are around the corner. At least for a few days.

I got caught up on my work projects and lined up a potential new one. I'll be starting a new copy edit on one of my favorite mystery series and continuing my read through on the nonfiction project.

I'm setting up a storefront for Tip Jar Shorts. I'm kind of doing things a bit backward, but the more I thought about it, the more I figured a storefront would lend legitimacy to this endeavor. I wanted to keep things super simple and offer various methods of payment and I might still be able to do that, but I also thought it would be best to have immediate access to a downloadable file instead of waiting on a delivery to an inbox. We'll see which version works out the best.

Had an okay week of viewing. I didn't make a full cycle through of my shows, but I did get the back half watched. And I might be adding one additional show to the roster. I'll let everyone know if that happens.

Watched another episode of Elementary and rather enjoyed this one. Sherlock's dynamic with Joan is different and getting more settled. And Kitty is fitting in with both in ways I didn't expect.

Also caught an episode of Batman Beyond. I remembered this one and enjoyed it. I did forget the interaction with Terry and his brother so that was a nice reminder.

Enjoyed another new-to-me episode of Classic Rugrats. I sometimes wish Nickelodeon had continued with the plans for the pre-school show and added more of All Grown Up. The nostalgia is strong with this franchise. Instead, Spongebob and other weird stuff took off.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Academic Challenge, a novella where the characters probably shouldn't try to date but end up doing so.

Here's the miniblurb:

Holly Patz, the newest TA for Professor Sam Ingali, wants to enjoy the experience. But when rumors start swirling about her relationship with the handsome instructor, she has to decide whether to stick around and become his latest conquest or turn the odds in her favor.

And a snippety peek…

Sam spied Holly enter the auditorium toward the end of his lecture.

He didn't break his speech even when his ire sparked. She had his laptop tucked under her arm while she hurried to the front row, taking a seat at the far end. He barely spared her a glance and continued speaking to finish his final point.

He ended with a nod toward the class. "That's it for today. Finish up your assignments and have them uploaded for grading before our next session." He waited until the students started for the exit then pinned Holly with a hard glare. "My office. Now." Not waiting for a response, he left the podium and left through the side door leading to the corridor.

He gave full rein to his anger. And let disappointment crowd in also. He couldn't believe she strolled into class during the last ten minutes.

Unlocking his door, he left it cracked then crossed to his desk.

Holly entered and set his laptop on the desk. "What's your problem?" Her eyes were narrowed and her head tilted to one side.

Sam snarled. "You wander in late—with my notes—and you're asking me what my problem is?" He flung a hand out. "Just because we're having sex and you're not a morning person, you can't just skip the class, especially when you're supposed to have everything ready to go for me."

Holly arched her brows. "Just because we're having sex?" She glanced toward the desk and reached out, snagging his phone from the right side. "If you bothered to check your voice mail and your texts, you'd know why I couldn't be here to have everything ready to go." She unlocked his phone, found the voice mail icon, and played the message she left about the accident she got stuck behind.

Then she showed him the string of texts she'd sent.

Sam closed his eyes. "Damn."

Holly shoved the phone at him. "Why you think I'd pick now to start pulling the sex card, I have no idea. But … if your opinion of me is really that low, last night can be the final time we ever hook up." She shook her head. "I won't put up with that kind of bullshit. I'm a TA, Sam, not a slave." With a last look in his direction, she exited his office, slamming the door behind her.

Sam's shoulders slumped. "Fuck. I'm an asshole." He definitely owed her an apology.

And an explanation. Except … he couldn't say exactly why he'd got so pissed off at her.

Okay, not completely true. He'd come to rely on her, and she fit so well with him, understanding his quirks and idiosyncrasies. Almost too much so and sometimes he wondered if they were too good together to be true.

Snorting, he ran a hand through his hair. "And now I've gotta figure out how to fix this." Starting with not acting like a dickhead anymore.

Pulling his chair out, he settled behind the desk and opened his laptop. She had an art history class for the next two hours. Time enough for him to get his shit together and hope like hell she'd let him apologize and explain his asinine behavior.

Which meant hitting pause for a moment to examine why he jumped to a stupid conclusion. The answer didn't take long to find. His past mistakes mixing professional and personal with colleagues manifested in a big way and he took the easy road and blamed Holly.

He closed his eyes. "Shit. This is a me problem." One he needed to resolve if he wanted a chance with her. "And I do."

He also had the beginnings of an idea how he wanted to make amends…

I like how this story is coming together. Sam is tricky to get a handle on sometimes, but he's fun to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zootropolis

Whew. It's been a week. I'm under the weather and not enjoying that at all. I'm behind on my two work projects and we're getting a buttload of snow at the moment. Also … I'm on cold medication and it's making me loopy. Fun times.

I made a video for Tip Jar and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I'm excited about this new endeavor and hope it gets some traction.

Really slow week for viewing. Between being under the weather and everything else going on in the world, I didn't have the spoons to really dive into my shows.

I didn't end up finishing the episode of One Lane Bridge. I'm hoping to get to it this week.

I did watch the finale of London Kills and it ended up being pretty thrilling. I have a behind the scenes episode to watch and then I'll be starting the next season.

Caught an episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'm liking Neville a lot more this season. Very interested in how things play out with Florance's under cover job.

Started an episode of Beyond Paradise and should finish it today. I ended up sleeping a lot over the weekend and just didn't have a chance to get the whole episode in. I did get a chuckle that Humph named his duck Selwyn because that's the commissioner's name from Death in Paradise. Not sure how I missed that before.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Zootropolis, an opposites-attrack novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Mackenna Sycks is looking to raise money for a wildlife refuge. When Walton Conley offers to back her project, she balks, thinking the hot shot playboy has ulterior motives. He does, but he's also a whiz with fundraisers and surprises Mackenna with gala affair dubbed Zootropolis.

And a snippety peek…

Mackenna pulled into the parking lot of Walton's office. "I don't know, Carrie. I still think this is a bad idea. I'm all over the place right now … mentally." Mackenna had emailed Walton yesterday to beg off from the second meeting, suggesting Carrie attend instead.

Carrie snorted. "You think?" She followed with a chuckle. "The email you sent isn't something you would do. So … it begs the question of why." She stopped there.

Mackenna sighed. "I know. And I don't have an answer." Her inner voice made a rude sound. "At least not a good one." Cutting the engine, she leaned her head back on the seat.

Carrie's tone softened. "Kens, this is a big thing. I can't do what you do or explain how you do it. You're the best person to pull this off." She paused for a moment. "And you will get everyone on board. But … apologize to Walton first. You owe him that much."

Mackenna exhaled slowly. "You're right. Thanks, again, for talking me around." She ended the call and did a quick check of her face in the visor mirror.

Exiting her SUV, she pulled a portfolio out of the backseat and tucked it under her arm along with checking to make sure she had the thumb drive with the power point files. "Here goes nothing." She made the short walk to the main door and headed for the reception area.

No one sat behind the desk, which seemed weird. Mackenna took a chance and followed the corridor to Walton's office. She took a deep, calming breath and knocked on the door.

Several long seconds ticked by before the hard wood panel jerked open, and Walton snapped. "I said no interruptions—" He broke off with a frown. "What are you doing here?"

Mackenna noticed the multiple monitors with people in a Zoom call. "Oh, no. I'm sorry." She scrambled to think of something to say. "Um, I'll just go back and wait in reception. I didn't realize you were busy." Backing away from the door, she turned to flee.

Walton grasped her shoulder, his gaze sliding from her head down to her feet, a momentary flash of appreciation sparking in his eyes before irritation settled back in. "Just … give me a few minutes to end this meeting. Stay right there." He shut the door in her face.

Mackenna closed her eyes, her face heating. "Dammit." Of course, she picked the worst time to attempt an apology.

Once again, doubt seeped into her mind. She hated being indecisive, telling him she'd come back and wow his lined-up donors then rethinking the idea and emailing to suggest Carrie take her place, then talking with Carrie and deciding to go ahead and put on a presentation. All of which she'd put at Walton's feet. She'd been off balance since she met him and still couldn't figure out if this would be worth the hassle and headache.

I can't believe I let Carrie talk me into wearing a dress for this.

Mackenna originally planned to go with a pair of pressed cargo pants, button-down shirt, and good boots. A more up-to-snuff version of what she usually wore when she met with anyone about the facility. Carrie nixed the idea and gently suggested Mackenna should up her game and dazzle the donors with a pretty dress and strappy sandals. Put forth the effort to show everyone Mackenna could straddle the line of meeting them at their table and proving their investment of time and money would be valuable.

Mackenna rolled her eyes. "It would be easier if these donors were exotic animals." Animals she could talk to all day.

People … not so much.

The door to Walton's office opened again and he swept an arm out to usher her inside.

Mackenna spoke before he could distract her. "Again, I'm sorry for breaking in on your meeting. I came early to apologize and let you know—"

Walton cut in. "That you changed your mind. Again."

Her face heated, but she gave a nod. "Yeah. I'm just not used to anyone doing anything for me." She met his gaze. "But Carrie talked me off the ledge and made me realize I'm the only one who can do this. I need the down payment, and you're making a huge effort to see that it happens." She made her next words a promise. "I can do no less. No more trying to bail on this project. I'll play nice from now on."

Walton arched his brows. "No offense intended … I'll believe it when I see it." He nodded toward the conference room. "You can get set up. If you can't find something you need, give a shout." He moved around and sat at his desk.

Mackenna started to cross the office for the conference room, but his voice stopped her.

"Nice touch with the dress. You look amazing."

She lifted her chin, acknowledging the compliment. The smile didn't spread across her face until she'd entered the next room. Maybe the third time would be the charm…

I'm excited about this story. I love writing Mackenna in all her awkward glory.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zipline and Sinker (a South of the Border novella)

Happy Kendrick Lamar Does the Halftime Show to all who celebrate. I'll be feasting on food that's terrible for me because that's my favorite part of this weekend.

I'm still doing small things for Tip Jar Shorts. I'm trying to get my other blogs and my author website updated with the new material and I'm looking at possible setting up immediate downloads. That's a goal and I hope I can get there. Trying to gauge interest first. I also kept up with drawing one oracle card a day and posting the results on Bluesky.

Had a fairly busy work week. I finished up a copy edit and completed a combination copy edit proofread. I also had a terrific meeting with a new client, and I'll be working on evaluating their manuscript over the next few weeks. Very exciting!

Slow week for viewing. I had a lot of distractions and couldn't focus on watching very much. I think lack of sleep played a role there. I'm trying to figure out what kind of sleep schedule I need right now.

I did get a few shows in, starting with Elementary, which ended up being a really great episode and I enjoyed it.

Also caught an episode of Batman Beyond. I'm very nostalgic for this show right now and thoroughly enjoying the rewatch.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Again, the two vignettes were new to me. Although, I think they were out of order with the rest of the season because one showed how Chas and Kira ended up with the coffee shop.

I started an episode of One Lane Bridge and should finish it up today. This show has some twists, and I enjoy those but also need to be able to focus so I don't miss important details.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Zipline and Sinker, a South of the Border novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Vaughn Dyson is a relic hunter who goes out of her way to save old treasures and preserve their place in history. But when Faulkner Roush gets word she's trying to smuggle a priceless artifact out of South America, he has to track her down before a rival, out for profit, group gets to her.

And a snippety peek…

Faulk woke up with Vaughn's naked body curved around his.

Fuck. I caved. I always do.

Every time he swore he'd never get sucked into the whole bump into Vaughn, fight like crazy people, then fuck like maniacs again, he ended up falling under her spell and giving her exactly what she wanted. Namely his dick. He sucked at keeping self-made promises, and damn, if he didn't fucking hate her sometimes.

Vaughn stirred and stretched then gave him a beautiful smile. "Hello, handsome." She rolled to her side and fished around for her clothes. "I gotta go get the artifact then we can head out. I stashed it close to where I came out of the river." She shrugged her tank top over her head.

Faulk shook his head while shoving his feet into his fatigues. "I don't think so. We go now. There's no time to waste." Did she really think she could lead him around by his cock?

Vaughn's brow furrowed and she started packing her gear.

She thinks it'll be business as usual, but I've got other plans. Namely getting her out of Cramer's reach.

She attempted to cajole him. "You know, Faulk, we make a great team." She zipped her pack and hoisted it up onto her back. "If we split the difference by having you refill the bottles and me going to retrieve the jaguar … then we can head north and take the ravine bridge to cross back into Mexico."

Faulk jerked his head back and forth. "No can do. The bridge is toast. I noticed when I parachuted in." He had a possible contact on the Mexican side that could help, but Faulk hadn't been able to reach him.

Vaughn slumped. "Fucking Cramer." She straightened, squaring her shoulders. "I'm not leaving without the artifact. You do what you have to."

Faulk raked a hand through his hair to avoid punching the nearest flat surface. "Do you always have to make things difficult?" Stupid question … of course, she did.

Vaughn gave him a look. "Fill the bottles. Then we go. End of story." She started for the entrance of the mission.

Faulk snarled. "If you're not back in fifteen minutes, you're on your own. Cramer's team is still on your ass, and it won't take long for them to double back … if they haven't already." He stuffed his bedroll into his pack. "So, yeah. That'll be the end of the story. We gotta move and get going." He checked his weapon, tucking his spare clip of ammo into his thigh pocket.

Vaughn grunted. "Fine. Fifteen minutes or I'm on my own." She cracked the door open and checked the area before she exited.

Faulk growled. "Clock's ticking, sweetheart." He grabbed the bottles and headed for the spring behind the mission.

I love this couple so much. Faulk and Vaughn are a lot of fun to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zinging Barbs

Welcome February! The shortest month seems like a great time to start new things. I've challenged myself to post every day on Bluesky and I picked drawing one oracle card from a random deck each day. So far, I'm two for two.

I'm also going to launch the side project I've previously talked about. Tip Jar Shorts is a fun way to get sexy romance short stories right to your inbox. The blog is up and running and still a work in progress. I'm so excited to see how things go! If you're interested, check it out!

I had a busy work week with a challenging copy edit but it's almost complete and I'm happy I got to work on this mystery series. A few more bits and pieces to check and it'll be on its way to the publisher.

Had a somewhat quiet viewing week. Between getting Tip Jar finished up and the copy edit, I needed a quiet background to get everything done.

Caught another Batman Beyond episode. I remembered this one and enjoyed during my first run through of the show.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats. I'm in the final season and catching some episodes I haven't seen before.

Watched another episode of One Lane Bridge and I'm still enjoying the show. It's kind of a slow, moody narrative and I'm rather into that right now.

Caught another episode of London Kills and I'm kind of wondering what the hell is going to happen next. I'm also wondering what the superintendent thought would happen when he tried to run.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. The vibe is very different with season eleven and I'm kind of okay with that. I like the new sergeant and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go with Florance doing an undercover stint. I like that the reason is tied back to a previous murder.

Loved the episode of Beyond Paradise that I caught this week. I'm interested in how Humphrey and Martha work through their issues and was so happy to see her rebuff Archie, even if he's portrayed by one of my favorite actors. I'm still on the fence with Martha's mom. I can't quite decide if I like her or not. We'll see how the rest of the season goes.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Zinging Barbs, a sexy short that reunites some of the characters from the South of the Border series.

Here's the miniblurb:

Relic finder Vaughn Dyson sticks much closer to home since Faulkner Roush saved her life, but when an artifact all but lands in her lap, she insists on taking it to the university for safe-keeping, which Faulkner can't argue about even if they'll be late for a party in their honor.

And a snippety peek…

Vaughn circled around trying to keep the three masked attackers in her sight. "Where's Faulk when I need him." Why the hell had she not considered a Saturday for being a bad day to drop off the artifact?

The university had very low on personnel on the weekends. Especially when a festival clogged the streets with traffic. Vaughn would bet the three goons had been in the van they passed.

The tallest assailant made a grab for the artifact. "C'mon, lady. Just give us the statue."

His two cohorts spread out, trying to flank her on either side.

Vaughn shook her head. "I don't think so. This is staying where it belongs." She gauged the distance to the vault room.

No way she could make it before being overcome.

But … Vaughn wouldn't give it up. Her best option would be to at least maneuver toward the entrance. Another goon made a lunge in her direction. She held the artifact above her head and danced around him, moving away from the vault. Dammit.

Twice more she dodged and weaved, keeping a firm grip on the figurine. The men were getting pissed off … but must be conscious of the statue's value because they were careful when they made their attempts to get it from her. That wouldn't last much longer.

After another attempt, she stopped in the middle of the room and raised the artifact above her head. "That's it. I'm done playing this stupid game." She made a downward motion, ready to smash the ancient piece into dust.

Faulk breezed into the room. "Vaughn. What's taking so long."

She huffed out a breath. "Had a surprise greeting." She tucked the valuable statue under her arm.

Faulk snorted. "It's only three. You've taken on more." He quickly fanned along the way in her direction, drawing the attention of the men.

Vaughn rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, can't fight and protect the artifact at the same time." She eased her way toward the vault room.

Faulk made a hum of agreement. "I see your dilemma. Want some help?" He stopped and planted his feet, bracing for action.

Vaughn slid her gaze sideways. "Thought you'd never ask." She spun out of the way and dashed into the storage area.

Faulk went to work throwing a punch to the midsection of the tallest goon. He spun and kicked out, landing a solid blow to the knees of the smallest assailants. He went down and Vaughn focused on getting the item safely put away.

She quickly keyed in the combination to the vault and placed the artifact inside. Closing the vault, she flexed her fingers and loosened her muscles in her neck and shoulders. Then she went out to help Faulk kick some ass.

I'm striving to get this series written and ready for publishing. Working on a fun side story helps keep the creativity going.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zanzibar Blues

We had a bit of a thaw with temperatures just a bit above freezing. It's not going to last long but nice to step outside and not have it hurt to breathe.

Work ended up being very busy this week. And I made some progress on my side project. Hoping to launch by February, but that's not a given. I am crossing my fingers though.

Didn't quite make it all the way through my usual shows. I did add a new one, which I think I'm going to enjoy.

The new show I added is One Lane Bridge and I watched the first episode. There's a bit of a paranormal twist to this that I'm very interested in.

Caught another episode of London Kills. It was nice to get some Billie backstory. Also nice to see movement on the larger case. Looking forward to a new episode this week.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. New sergeant is fun, and the mystery ended up being interesting. Looking forward to more of season eleven.

Watched another episode of Beyond Paradise. I'm enjoying my favorite actor's character in this. Loved the mystery and piecing everything together.

I started an episode of Elementary and I'm enjoying it. I'm not quite sure what's going on with Watson's guy, but I have a sneaking suspicion there's more to him than we're seeing and not in a good way.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Zanzibar Blues, a novella that brings a couple together during a fraught time.

Here's the miniblurb:

When Higg Astley is brought in for a clean-up job, maintaining order over a raucous and rowdy crowd, in a roadside tavern, his first goal is to keep the house singer, Liberty Vans, from partaking in the nightly brawl. No easy feat when Liberty is the surrogate daughter of the man who owns the bar.

And a snippety peek…

Higg listened and ate a piece of mouthwatering apple pie while Marko explained his situation. He already didn't like Henry Caver. Guys with too much power always let it go to their heads.

Marko poked his fork around his piece of pecan. "The thing is, I've got a good place in a sweet spot close to the interstate and tucked back on a copse of land where two major highways intersect." He took a long drink of his coffee. "For the last two years, I've had a great house band with a kick-ass singer that draws people in from several counties." He finally cut off a bite of the pie and forked it into his mouth.

Higg bobbed his head. "And this trouble with Caver isn't good for business." He tilted his head. "I have to ask … would it be easier to find a new location?" He had to see how hard Marko would be willing to fight.

Marko shook his head. "I own the land and the building outright. I'm not leaving." He paused a moment. "And I'm not selling."

Higg grunted. "Okay. Give me the rest of it. What are you looking for."

Marko leaned forward. "I don't trust anyone local, but I have six employees aside from the house band." He paused. "If you have some folks you could bring in—at least until things are settled with Caver—I'd be obliged."

Higg leaned back. "Haven't said I'd take the job." But he liked Marko and didn't like bullying bigwigs that thought they could squash others.

Marko point-blank asked. "Will you?"

Higg folded his arms over his chest. "It'll cost you. Ten percent of your daily take. The men I bring in or that we keep on get paid by the hour at twice the normal rate and"—this could be the kicker—"you pay all medical expenses."

Marko gave a nod. "Deal."

Higg held up a hand. "I'm not done. What I say goes. If you contradict anything, I'm gone and you're on your own. That needs to be clear from day one." As a military man, Rivera would understand the chain of command.

Marko nodded again. "Done." He grinned and scooped another piece of pie into his mouth.

Higg didn't doubt Rivera would make sure everyone got the message.

Higg got a little buzz of adrenaline about starting a new job. "I'll start the day after tomorrow. That'll give me time to settle up my rent and pack, make a few calls, then head north and find a place to stay." His brain went into organization mode.

Marko pushed his plate away and rose. "I know several folks who have places for rent." He slid an index card across the table. "I hoped you'd take the job, so I wrote their contact information down." His lips twitched.

Higg chuckled. "Thanks. Saves time." Higg picked up the card and tucked it into his pocket.

Marko stuck out his hand. "I'll see you the day after tomorrow." He inclined his chin and headed for the exit.

Higg grabbed his phone. His finger hovered over the contact icon. He'd really like to call his former CO, Wade Dalton, but decided to hold off.

Instead, he scrolled to David Chase and swiped. He'd make another half dozen calls after this one. Dave answered on the second ring.

Higg didn't waste time. "I've got a job if you're available."

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. It has some Roadhouse vibes that I'm really leaning into.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zane's Ghost

Winter blast is lingering for at least another week. Our low is supposed to minus eight on Tuesday. And I'll probably have to go out when it's that low. I can't wait.

Lighter than normal work week, but I had come copy editing on my plate. Finished one project and started another one. I also have some new stuff floating in the wings and will hopefully start that soon.

Had an okay week of viewing and made it through the full slate of shows. I'll be starting a new one this week and I'm pretty sure I have the show picked out.

Finished up the series run of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I quite enjoyed this show. Sometimes I got annoyed at the antics but mostly loved the interactions between the characters.

Caught another episode of London Kills and loved the twisty turns in the episode. I'm loving the vibe between the characters and I'm happy to see Billie become a full detective constable. Looking forward to the next episode.

Loved the Christmas episode of Death in Paradise. The beginning of season eleven is off to a great start. Really cool to see Dwayne again.

Enjoyed another episode of Beyond Paradise. My favorite actor showed up and I'm very excited to see what happens. Still not sure about the mom. Can't quite figure out if she's going to be an anvil between Humphrey and Martha or supportive.

Watched another episode of Elementary and quite enjoyed. I'm not really sure about Joan's new love interest. I actually think he's a bit annoying.

Caught another episode of Batman Beyond and loved it. I remembered this one and possibly caught an easter egg related to Batman: The Animated Series and the Gray Ghost character. Fun times!

Enjoyed the last episode of the eighth season of Classic Rugrats. I'll be starting the final season this week. Very much looking forward to picking back up with new episodes once my rewatch is complete.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Zane's Ghost, a novella that brings a couple together after the death of the sibling.

Here's the miniblurb:

When Zane Warchild goes down in the line of duty, Kella Fine blames herself—after all, she realizes her mistake when she crosses a personal line and steps way back from Zane. Gray Warchild grows quickly tired of Kella wearing her guilt like a badge and putting his brother's ghost between them.

And a snippety peek…

Gray blinked. "What?" How the hell did he not know about any of this?

Right. He'd pretty much cut ties with her and Zane. Or at least his brother didn't talk about her anymore.

And he never will again.

Kella motioned toward the sofa. "You might as well have a seat. I'll try to explain." She took a spot on the edge of the chair perpendicular to the couch.

Gray sank down, his mind reeling. "You put in for a transfer?" He wondered how long ago.

Kella gave a nod. "Yeah. I couldn't work with Zane anymore." She paused, her gaze losing focus.

Gray leaned forward. "Hey, we don't have to do this right now. I came because I thought…" She loved Zane…

Kella blinked. "No, this is good. We should clear the air between us." Inhaling deeply, she continued her story. "Zane and I had one night, as you know. I realized it was a mistake as soon as it happened." She met his gaze. "You know that, also. But Zane … he thought we had couple potential and when I put in for the transfer, he started making noise about wanting to get back together … since we wouldn't be partners anymore." She took a shaky breath. "But I told him—multiple times—we'd never be partners or lovers again." Her eyes went hard and sharp for a moment.

Gray got a terrible feeling in his gut. "What did Zane do?" He didn't have to elaborate, because Kella wouldn't cut bait with Zane without a good reason.

She hesitated. "Not sure now's the time to get into all that." Her fingers twitched and she clasped them together.

Gray nudged a little. "Please, Kella. I want to understand what happened with you two." He rued the lack of communication with his brother over the past few months.

Kella sighed. "After I told him we weren't having sex again, and after you and I … well, after that, Zane changed." She took another deep breath. "He started taking shortcuts and ignoring protocol. We were called out for a disturbing-the-peace situation. We had a position in an alley and were assessing the scene, trying to decide how to de-escalate. Another radio call came in for a drug bust a few blocks away…" She paused again and blew out another shaky breath. "Zane left me because he wanted a narco collar. Our disturbing the peace turned into an armed altercation. I almost got shot and one of the participants did get wounded." Her gaze met his. "I put in for a transfer the next day."

Gray choked down the bile rising in his throat. "Fuck. I'm sorry. I had no idea any of this happened." Because he decided Zane had to figure his shit out on his own. "And I really believed you loved my brother."

Kella's lips curved in a sad smile. "I did. But more as a best friend … especially after I met you." She shrugged. "Even if that didn't work out, I realized Zane and I weren't meant to be more than colleagues and friends."

Gray winced. "Yeah, I made that more awkward than it needed to be. I cared about you. A lot." He could almost see the future with her in it. "But when Zane mentioned your personal connection, I backed off like a flash." In hindsight, a stupid thing to do. "Zane and I had issues, I'm sure you know. I always tried to protect him, because I didn't really think he had the personality to be a cop." He'd warned him, time and time again, he'd get himself killed if he didn't play by the rules. "We fought over it, fairly frequently. Zane always thought I had jealousy issues because Zane nabbed more collars and had a higher profile in the department."

Kella's head bobbed up and down. "He did trot that theory out a lot."

Gray huffed out a breath. "My drama actually had more to do with thinking Zane got into cop work for the wrong reasons. And I told him that numerous times." He exhaled a harsh breath. "Just because the family tradition happens to be joining the force, it doesn't mean all Warchilds are cut out to wear the badge." He should've pushed harder to prove that point, especially since Zane started taking shortcuts. "I could've said something, but I didn't want the old man to find out." Stupid mistake.

Kella made a sound of commiseration. "I get that. Your dad was so proud to have both of his sons on the force."

Gray lifted his chin. "Yeah, this loss will hit hard."

Kella's eyes filled. "Yeah, it will." She dashed the tears away.

Gray wanted to haul her into his arms, but he got to his feet instead. "I should head home. I left the chaplain with Mom and Dad." He reached for his coat on the back of her chair.

Kella stood up and walked him to the door. "Thanks for stopping. You really didn't have to." Her smile suggested she appreciated the gesture.

Gray started to turn the knob but angled around and cupped her face with one hand. Leaning in, he meshed his lips with hers. Kella responded, making a guttural sound in her throat. He dropped his coat and hauled her closer. She melted against him but only for a moment then put her hand on his chest and eased away.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I can't." Her gaze met his. "I didn't love your brother as more than a friend, but everything is jumbled in my head right now."

Gray understood. "You're right. I'm sorry." He stooped down to get his jacket. "I'll keep you posted on the arrangements. Do you need a ride to the funeral?"

She declined the ride. "I'll probably go with one of the officers from our unit."

Gray left and pondered what to do about his feelings for Kella.

Because Zane had been a stumbling block before and now, he might be a bigger hurdle to jump.

I'm excited about how this book is coming together. I love writing Gray and Kella.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Youth Is Overrated

The winter blast is still underway. I'd love to send some of our precipitation out to California to combat the wildfires burning LA right now. Another 3-5 inches of snow in the next day or so. Thankfully, I don't have to really go out for anything until the end of the week.

I made progress on my side project. I have a few more things to upload and some links to get set, then I'll hopefully be ready to launch. I also did some future planning on what manuscripts to focus on next. At least it's movement!

Very light work week again. Still working on the readthrough for my friend and I completed a manuscript proofread. Hoping to have another new one to get started on this week.

Not a bad week for viewing. I had some distractions but nothing major. I also think I've found the next show I want to watch on one of my streamers.

Finished up the premier episode of London Kills. This is definitely going to be a wild season. Can't wait to see more.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. Kind of sad to see JP leaving but excited to see what happens next. Marlon is growing on me so that's a good thing.

Started the spinoff Beyond Paradise and enjoyed the opening episode. I'm interested to see where things go with Humphrey and Martha. Not sure about Martha's mom. So far, not a fan. I do love the team and look forward to more interactions with them.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Enjoyed the dynamic with the Sherlock regular, the math guy. Also kind of enjoyed the Joan and Kitty scenes. I'm not sure what's going on with Kitty but I don't think she's really committed to the group therapy thing. We'll see if I'm right about that…

Finished up the second part of the opening episodes of Batman Beyond. I'm excited about this rewatch. The theme song alone makes it worth another visit to this one.

Enjoyed another Classic Rugrats episode. This one was the launch of All Growed Up and I hadn't seen the bookend with the original babies. Such a fun episode.

Also finished up an episode of Peak Practice, which I ended up liking. Will is still a bit of a prat but and I really, really dislike the finance guy, but overall, this ended up being a great episode.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Youth Is Overrated, a novella that explores a mature couple's origin story when one of their offspring needs some advice.

Here's the miniblurb:

Tatum Moore and Fisher Vogler have three grown children and their oldest is considering divorce. When he seeks advice from his parents, they try not to interfere but provide insight into a passionate opposites-attract marriage and how to make it work.

And a snippety peek…

Fisher grabbed his coffee and sat at the table. The next part would take some explaining.

Jamie leaned forward. "Don't leave me hanging. What did you do?"

Tatum glanced Fisher's way. Her signal that the narration would continue with him.

He met Jamie's gaze. "Your mom dumped my ass and left town for six months." She completely noped out of their relationship.

Jamie's eyes bugged out. "You're kidding me."

Tatum head jerked back and forth. "Hm-mm. I signed on with a traveling theater group, packed up my shit, and let my lease expire." She paused a moment. "But I didn't stay gone. I came back and showed up on your dad's doorstep." She glanced up and lifted her chin. "Tell him."

Fisher replayed that time in his mind. He'd wanted nothing to do with Tatum but couldn't say no when she needed a place to crash. Her crew dumped her when she got tangled up in a beef with the stage manager. The guy also acted as the production manager and signed their paychecks.

Fisher shook his head when she got settled in on his couch for the night. "Why did you come back?" He'd just started moving forward with his life again.

Tatum answered quietly. "I left a piece of myself here with you."

Fisher threw a hand up. "Then why did you leave?" She didn't make sense.

She jumped up and paced back and forth, wearing one of his Shaunessey's T-shirts and a pair of his boxers. "Because I had to see—to know—if what we have is real. I needed to be on my own with no influence—or sex—from you to do it." She stopped moving and pinned him with a horrified look. "Shit. Did you find someone else?" Her eyes were wide and fearful.

Fisher snorted. "No. I tried. Been through a dozen false starts. But no, nobody new because I kept comparing them to you."

This one is a challenge but I'm very happy with how it's coming together.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin