Awards
Book Buyers Best, 3rd place, 2018, Erotic Romance.
Excerpt
Beginning of Chapter Two
THE CRACK OF a pool stick hitting a billiard ball greeted Ford as he marched into the Bluebird early for his Friday shift. He’d slept less than normal last night – thanks to Zoe’s visit the previous afternoon. Adrenaline and fury had kept him amped up.
For countless months, all he’d wanted was for his wife to come home. And she finally had – with her girlfriend. If Zoe was a latent lesbian, he understood that. It hurt like hell, but he still understood. But if this Jenna person fulfilled Zoe’s needs…well…that was a bridge way too far for him. No way was he exposing Abel and Emery to that. His mom had been bugging him for months to talk to a lawyer about a divorce, and he would. First thing Monday morning.
Sedona checked her watch as he walked behind the bar. “You’re not scheduled until four. Everything okay?”
“Couldn’t be better,” he lied. No use crying about his trouble with Zoe. He donned a clean apron. “Figured since it’s Friday before Memorial Day you might need some help.”
“We had a rush at lunch, but things are dead now.” She nodded to the mostly vacant saloon. “As you can see.”
He shrugged. “Hanna’s watching the kids, so I might as well stay.”
“All right…cool. Mind bussing tables?”
“Not at all.”
He grabbed a tray and headed out into the room. Sedona was right…the place was dead. But better to be at work than home with his angry thoughts about his soon-to-be ex-wife. He cleared all the tables then made his way to the pool table area.
A man and woman were in the middle of a billiards game. Ford recognized Jamie Talon, but didn’t know the woman. By the look on Jamie’s face, whoever she was, she was winning. Only two solid balls remained on the table with a half-dozen stripes. The woman leaned over, lining up a bank shot for the number five.
Dang…she had nice legs and butt in those jeans. The tips of his ears heated at the thought as he gathered the used glasses.
From the corner of his eye, he watched the woman sink the five ball. Jamie groaned. She moved around the table, out of his sightline. He turned – and almost collided with her.
“Pardon me,” he uttered, looking down at her. Then he literally forgot to breathe.
Piercing, pale blue eyes, somewhat slanted at the corners, gazed up at him. With her high cheekbones, strong chin and short, slicked-back auburn hair, she was, without a doubt, the most exotic woman he’d ever seen. The blush that had started at his ears spread across his face. He cleared his throat. “Sorry.”
Wordlessly, she picked up her drink – clear liquid which could be either water or alcohol in a tall glass – with ice and a cherry. She put the straw in her mouth and Ford became transfixed as her pale pink lips closed over the skinny plastic tube and sucked.
Tilting her head, she released the straw. “No problem.”
The husky tenor of her voice sent a rush of warmth through his body which settled directly below his belt buckle. She moved past him, jarring him from his trance. Embarrassment hustled him back to the bar.
Sedona met him. “I need to check with Marie about the menu for tonight. Be back in a sec.”
He nodded and rinsed the dirty dishes in the sink, his thoughts on Jamie’s opponent. Not ever in his twenty-two years had he experienced such a visceral reaction to a woman – not even to Zoe. He wondered who she was. Was she passing through Trustworthy or would she be staying a while? The idea of seeing more of her…of getting to know her…held great appeal.
Moments later an empty, tall glass appeared on the wood in front of him. He glanced up. She smiled and a quiver of pleasure zinged between his shoulder blades.
The way she gazed at him made him feel like they were the only two people in the room. Hell, in the world. Ford wiped his hands on his apron and grinned what he hoped was a confident grin. “What can I get you?” He added a wink.
She folded her arms on the bar and her smile widened. “How ‘bout some conversation?”
He leaned forward to rest his elbows on the bar. “And what would you like to talk about?”
“Zoe.”
He jerked to attention as a frostiness doused him. He knew – exactly – who this woman was. Jenna. “What do you want?”
“To talk to you.”
“I’m busy.”
Jenna slowly rotated a full circle on the barstool. “Seems you’re not that busy.”
“Well I am.” He pivoted away. “You need to go.”
“Not very service-friendly, are you?”
Her sarcastic tone set Ford’s teeth on edge. He turned back, but before he could say anything, Sedona walked up.
She eyed first Jenna then him, her brow knitted. “Everything okay here?”
Jenna turned her smile on Sedona. “Almost. I was hoping to steal your bartender for a quick, private conversation. Would that be all right?”
Sedona stared at the other woman for a long heartbeat then slowly nodded her head. “Sure.” She stepped forward and resumed the task of rinsing the dishes.
Ford wanted to protest, but knew he couldn’t – not without a bunch of questions from Sedona. He stomped from behind the bar and toward the restored patio area. He didn’t bother checking to see if Jenna followed. Outside, he whirled around, his arms crossed and glowered. “Talk.”
Jenna matched his stance. “You should know Zoe hasn’t stopped crying since she saw you.”
Guilt knotted Ford’s belly. He berated himself. He had nothing to feel guilty about. “What do you want me to do about it?”
“Let her see her kids.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
He dropped his arms. “If I have to explain it to you, you’re not as smart as you look.”
Jenna’s eyes transformed into ice chips. He actually shivered at the frigidity in her glare. “But you’re obviously as backward and narrow-minded as you look.”
Ford ground his molars. “I need to get back to work.”
She blocked his exit. “She’s their mom.”
“Moms don’t leave.”
Jenna growled a sigh. “What’s the harm in letting her see the kids?”
“Plenty. It took my son nearly six months to stop crying for his mommy. I won’t put him or Emery through that just so you can take Zoe away from them.”
“Look…I get you don’t like me. The feeling is mutual, believe me. But all Zo wants is to spend time with her kids. Nothing bad will happen. Trust me.”
His mouth dropped open. “Trust you? Right. I trust you as far as I can throw the Cowboy stadium.” He moved to the side. “Like I said, I need to get back to work.”
She grabbed his arm and spun him back around. “I’m not leaving until you agree to let her see the kids.”
“Why do you care so damn much?”
“Because her kids are important to Zo and she’s important to me.” Jenna averted her gaze. When she met his gaze again, some of her icy demeanor had thawed. “Please.”
Ford wanted to say no. God knew how much he wanted to say the word which sat perched on the end of his tongue. But in the end, in spite of not trusting Zoe – or this woman – he simply didn’t have the heart to be that cruel.
He turned toward the bar entrance. “I take the kids to the park on Saturday around noon. Guess I can’t stop Zoe from being there too.”
