Spotlight: What Lies in Paradise by Leah Cupps

What Lies in Paradise
Leah Cupps
Publication date: January 10th 2020
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

She’s got 400,000 fans. One of them could be the killer.

Instagram Influencer Sydney Evans carefully curates her enviable public persona. Despite being freshly widowed, she’s eager to strike a pose at her best friend’s extravagant destination nuptials. But Sydney’s feed goes dark when she blacks out on the plane, awakening to discover another guest poisoned to death.

With the FBI keen to use Sydney as an insider, she takes the arm of a rookie undercover agent hoping to capture something incriminating. But a deadly run-in exposes a shocking criminal underbelly lurking beneath her own picture-perfect marriage. And if she doesn’t solve the case before her friends tie the knot, the culprit will make sure her next selfie is her last.

Can Sydney catch a murderer or will the wedding become a funeral?

What Lies In Paradise is a fast-paced standalone thriller. If you like real-world issues, lavish socialite parties, and electrifying twists and turns, then you’ll love Leah Cupps’ provocative mystery.

Buy What Lies In Paradise to join a deadly digital whodunit today!

Goodreads / Amazon

—

PROLOGUE:

The circular steel barrel of a Glock nine-millimeter pushed roughly against Sydney’s left temple. The gun was searing her skin, still warm from the last bullet fired. One large, tan, muscular arm wrapped around her neck, threatening to snuff out her last few breaths.

I should have seen this coming, she thought. I should have known that if I agreed to go along with this ridiculous plan, something terrible would happen and I’d end up dead.

A series of images from her life began to scroll across her brain, like the snapshots from her Instagram feed. She in pigtails blowing out the candles for her sixth birthday. The fabulous pink satin dress that peeked out from her graduation gown, bright enough to match to her beaming smile. A picture of her at a café in Paris posing with a freshly baked chocolate croissant and a steaming cappuccino. She could see the images, but all she could think about were the choices she didn’t make and the people she neglected.

If she survived this moment, gun pressed against her temple, maybe she would start spending more time with her head in the real world, where life was messy and not one picture-perfect square after another. That was her mistake: projecting the perfect life made her believe she had the perfect life, but she didn’t. Had she tapped the Do Not Disturb button every once in a while, maybe she would have sensed the lies that had begun to weave their way into the real world around her. She could have fallen in love with someone different, someone who led a simple, boring life, like an accountant or a mechanic. But who was she kidding? Love doesn’t work that way.

Although there was shouting next to her ear, the voices sounded far away. All Sydney could hear was the blood thumping through her head and the whoosh-whoosh of her heart beating. The large tropical bushes that lined the walkway reached up toward the sky and bent down to form a canopy over the four of them, giving them respite from the burning Jamaican sun. She was not alone, but that didn’t make the situation any better.

She could still hear the soft call of the ocean behind her but all she could see were palm leaves and the crushed gravel pathway beneath her. Sweat was pouring down her face, neck, and back, soaking the pale blue chiffon dress she had just posted herself wearing on social media a few hours ago.

If only my followers could see me now, Sydney thought.

She heard the click of the pistol’s slide, chambering a round. Sydney didn’t believe in bad luck, but this situation might surely change her mind. Why me? she thought as the world started to blur around her like a watercolor painting. She began to taste the tangy bit of blood forming at the back of her mouth. He was holding on too tightly. If only she could wake up from this nightmare and be somewhere else. Like when she woke up at the airport.

That was the beginning.

Author Bio:

Leah Cupps is an entrepreneur and author. She has built and sold several businesses, and documented the process in her first book #MomLifeInc.

She always has a passion for stories and spends her evenings writing novels. Her debut novel is, What Lies in Paradise, will debut in January, 2020.

She writes Thriller, Mystery, Suspense and Action & Adventure.

Leah's novels are fast-paced, thrillers that will keep you up at night as you can't wait to see what happens in the next chapter.

Leah lives in Indiana with her husband, three young children and two small dogs. When she isn't losing sleep writing her next novel or scaling her next business, she enjoys running and spending time with her family.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

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Spotlight: The After Wife by Melanie Summers

The After Wife
Melanie Summers
Publication date: January 10th 2020
Genres: Women’s Fiction

From bestselling author Melanie Summers, comes a heartfelt and uplifting tale of love, loss, and letting go…

After losing her husband, writer Abigail Carson has all but given up on life. Having spent the last year cocooned in her Manhattan apartment, Abigail is suddenly forced to find a new home where she can stretch her dwindling savings. Intent on isolation, she moves to a tiny village in Nova Scotia where she’ll have no one to interrupt her solitude.

Little does Abigail realize that small-town life offers far less privacy than the big city. With neighbors knocking on the door bearing homemade treats and invitations, Abby soon finds herself immersed in the lives of the people of South Haven. She forms an unlikely friendship with Liam Wright, the handyman renovating her dilapidated cottage, and his daughter, seven-year-old Olive.

As the dark cloud engulfing Abigail lifts, she begins to believe she may have found love again. But just as Abigail is ready to leap, she discovers Liam carries with him a shocking secret that will ultimately cause everything to unravel. Abigail must decide if she will turn away from his pain or open her heart in the most hopeless of circumstances.

Insightful, enchanting, and filled with hope, The After Wife reminds us of the importance of human connection and the inseparable nature of love and survival.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

IN THIS SCENE, THE MAIN CHARACTER, ABBY, IS AT THE PUB FOR DINNER. IT’S HER FIRST NIGHT IN TOWN, AND SHE’S JUST BEEN TOLD THAT THE PUB OWNERS, PETER AND NETTIE, WILL INTRODUCE HER TO A LOCAL CONTRACTOR, LIAM WRIGHT, WHO CAN HELP HER FIX UP HER DELAPITATED COTTAGE. ABBY SUSPECTS THEY’RE ALSO TRYING TO SET THEM UP ON A DATE…
—

Why do I not drink more often? I’m almost through my second pint and I honestly can’t remember feeling so good. I don’t even care how out of place I am. Instead, I happily devour a slice of homemade lemon meringue pie. Dinner service has ended, and most of the guests have filed out, replaced by several locals bearing instruments. A new feeling takes over the restaurant. It’s an easy, relaxed vibe full of inside jokes and laughter as they rearrange the tables into a large horseshoe. I rush to finish my dessert, hoping to make my exit before I attract the attention of every snoopy musician in the village.

Peter gives me a nod. “Liam’s just come in now.”

I turn and see a man standing at the entrance. He looks to be in his early forties. Medium height, with the sturdy build of a fisherman or maybe a miner in days gone by. He has shaggy sandy-brown hair and thick stubble that’s somewhere between needing a shave and needing another couple of months to grow. His eyes, though. There’s something about them that makes me stare a moment too long. They’re the shade of ice blue usually reserved for wolves.

He looks straight at Nettie and Peter, and my gaze follows his. They are standing side by side with matching hopeful grins. They look at me, then back at him, and when I glance in his direction again, I’m met with a look of dread. It doesn’t take me more than a second to figure out he thinks he’s about to be set up and he’s absolutely horrified at the thought of having any of his parts touch any of my parts.

And here I am gawking at him like a moron.

Blue sweater vest woman walks by and touches my arm. “You’ve got a bit of a mustache, love.”

She hurries off in the direction of the ladies’ room while I dab my upper lip with a napkin, confirming that I did, in fact, have a frothy white beer mustache.

Well, that’s that, then. The Millhouse boys it is.

“Liam! Come over and meet Abby!” Peter calls.

No. Please don’t. I swivel my stool to face the bar, and in my overly enthusiastic effort, I swing it too far and bang my left knee on the wood bracket. The force of it causes my body to jar and jerk back to my right and I plant my left hand in what’s left of my pie. I’m a regular Princess Di this evening, all elegance and grace.

Check, please.

Nettie gives me a concerned look. “You all right, love?”

“I’m fine. I just remembered I have to make a phone call. Can you put this on my room?” I smile too brightly as I slide off the stool and start for the side door as fast as my legs can carry me.

“Well, come back when you’re done so you don’t miss the music!” Nettie calls.

“And you still need to meet Liam!” Peter yells.

“I most certainly will!” Not.

Author Bio:

Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.

Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.

In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).

Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.

She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter

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Spotlight: The Sweet Spot by Cassie Cross

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Lexie James spent years dreaming about opening her own bakery. She’s invested every penny she’s ever saved—and some other peoples’ pennies too—into making that dream come true. The Sweet Spot is thriving thanks to her dedication and penchant for perfection, but she’s lonely and Hunter, the gorgeous guy who owns the gym across the street, is a nice distraction.

Hunter Elliott is Lexie’s high school crush. The timing’s never been right for the two of them, but when he notices that all work and no play makes Lexie a stressed-out overworked mess, he stages an intervention. He’s determined to show her that she can be successful and have a life. 

First, he needs to help her find that sweet spot between business and pleasure…

Exclusive Excerpt

“How did you know that I live up here?” I ask, feeling more and more like myself as time passes. 

He looks caught out for a second. “I stay late at the gym sometimes. If I see the light on in the kitchen, I keep an eye out to make sure you’re safe. I’ve seen you walk up here a few times.” 

An involuntary aww-like sound makes its way out of me. Heat rushes to my cheeks as my mouth moves itself into what has to be a dopey smile. 

“I watch you walk to work in the morning. Sometimes,” I catch myself, not wanting to sound like too much of a creep. “I keep an eye out to make sure you’re safe.” 

He takes a step closer and the brain fog from my near-death experience dissipates. A new one forms thanks to his close proximity, and when he grins at me it gets worse. I’m close enough to kiss him now. He might have noticed that too, because he plants his hands on either side of my thighs and leans in. 

I involuntarily lick my lips. Hunter watches that, then his gaze slides up to meet mine. 

“Are you stalking me?” 

I look down at my half-eaten cupcake and shrug. “Maybe a little. In the laziest way possible since it never requires me to leave this building.” 

“Seeing you standing in the window every morning is sometimes the best part of my day.” He’s a liar, but the lies feel good, so I’m content to let him keep telling them. His flattery turns me into a puddle, and I’m about to drip off this counter and onto the floor by his feet. 

“How come you never said anything?” 

“Because it’s cute. I like it.” 

Our lips are like magnets, inevitably attracted to each other. I move forward, I can’t help it. It’s science. 

Only it doesn’t quite work out the way I’d hoped, because instead of kissing me, Hunter sighs and moves back far enough that I’ll topple over if I follow. 

I knew it was too good to be true. 

“Sorry,” I say as I look down at the floor, because if I look him in the eyes I might die of embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have.” 

He surprises me by tenderly tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re in shock, Lex. When I kiss you, I want to make sure it’s real, that it’s not the adrenaline or the fact that I just saved you with my…what did you call them?” 

“Bionic arms,” I repeat, kind of dazed. 

He smiles. “Yeah, that.” 

“You want to kiss me?” I ask, completely blowing past his cute little callback. 

“Constantly. I only recently became aware that you might feel the same way.” 

Buy on Amazon 

About Cassie: 

Cassie Cross is a Maryland native and a romantic at heart, who lives outside of Baltimore with her two dogs and a closet full of shoes. Cassie’s fondness for swoon-worthy men and strong women are the inspiration for most of her stories, and when she’s not busy writing a book, you’ll probably find her eating takeout and indulging in her love of 80’s sitcoms.

Connect with Cassie: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrossWrites

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiecrosswrites/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassiecrosswrites 

Spotlight: Teacher I Want to Date by Mia Kayla

Dear V̵e̵r̵y̵ ̵H̵o̵t̵  Crazy Woman,

You didn’t have to call the cops on me. 

I was just looking after my niece.

Okay… maybe I shouldn't have been spying on her date. But I know how teenage boys think and what they want.

Did it make you feel good scolding me in front of everyone for just being a good uncle?

B̵e̵c̵a̵u̵s̵e̵ ̵d̵a̵m̵n̵,̵ ̵y̵o̵u̵ ̵s̵u̵r̵e̵ ̵l̵o̵o̵k̵e̵d̵ ̵g̵o̵o̵d̵ ̵d̵o̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵i̵t̵.̵

I’m almost positive you were cussing me out and if I understood a lick of Spanish, I’d have ̵s̵h̵u̵t̵ ̵y̵o̵u̵ ̵u̵p̵ ̵w̵i̵t̵h̵ ̵a̵ ̵k̵i̵s̵s̵ told you exactly what I thought about your meddling, even if you are her teacher.

In fact, I’d like to schedule a d̵a̵t̵e̵ ̵o̵v̵e̵r̵ ̵d̵i̵n̵n̵e̵r̵ ̵a̵n̵d̵ ̵w̵i̵n̵e̵ parent teacher conference to discuss our differing views on raising the youth of today s̵o̵ ̵w̵e̵ ̵a̵r̵e̵ ̵o̵n̵ ̵t̵h̵e̵ ̵s̵a̵m̵e̵ ̵p̵a̵g̵e̵ ̵w̵h̵e̵n̵ ̵w̵e̵ ̵h̵a̵v̵e̵ ̵c̵h̵i̵l̵d̵r̵e̵n̵—̵p̵r̵e̵f̵e̵r̵a̵b̵l̵y̵ ̵t̵o̵g̵e̵t̵h̵e̵r̵.

Y̵o̵u̵r̵ ̵F̵u̵t̵u̵r̵e̵ ̵H̵u̵s̵b̵a̵n̵d̵

Mason Brisken

Grab Your Copy:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2USaO7p

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Free in KU

About The Author

Mia Kayla is a USA Today Bestselling Romance writer who lives in Illinois. She is the wife to the husband of the year, and mommy to three unbelievably cute little girls who have multiplied her grey hairs.

In her free time she loves reading romance novels, jamming to boy bands, catching up on celebrity gossip and designing flowers for weddings.

Most of the time, she can be caught on the train with her nose in a book sporting a cheeky grin because the main characters finally get their happily-ever-after at the end.

She loves reading about happy endings but has more fun writing them.

Connect with Mia Kayla

Website: https://authormiakayla.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormiakayla

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authormiakayla

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/miakayla5/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_miakayla/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7382805.Mia_Kayla

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mia-Kayla/e/B00K5G532E

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mia-kayla

Spotlight: Lingerie Wars by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

Lingerie Wars
Janet Elizabeth Henderson
(Invertary #1)
Publication date: January 1st 2013
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Englishman Lake Benson loaned his life savings to his dippy sister so that she could buy a shop. It was a big mistake. His sister has been steadily flushing his money down the drain – and now he wants it back. Years in the special forces taught Lake that if you want a job done, do it yourself. So he steps in to make the shop profitable, sell it and get his money back. The only problem is, the business is an underwear shop. And all Lake knows about underwear can be summed up in how fast he can unsnap a bra. To make matters worse, the tiny highland town already has a lingerie shop. A successful one, run by an ex-lingerie model. A very gorgeous ex-lingerie model, who’s distracting him from his mission more than he’d like to admit. If Lake wants to get his savings back, and get out of Scotland, he only has one option – wipe out the competition.

Kirsty Campbell has spent years rebuilding her life after she woke up in hospital in Spain to find her body scarred, and her ex-fiance had run off with all her money. The last thing she needs is a cocky, English soldier-boy trying to ruin all she has left. Her home town is only too happy to help her fight the latest English invasion, although Lake is beginning to sway them with his sex appeal and cut price knickers. With the help of her mother, and the retired ladies of Knit or Die, Kirsty sets about making sure that her shop is the last one standing in Invertary.

It’s Scotland versus England as you’ve never seen it before. It’s lingerie war.

The complete series:

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

Lingerie Wars

Lake Benson’s midlife crisis lasted exactly twenty-four hours. In that time, he quit his career with the army and bought a lingerie shop. All things considered, he was glad the crisis hadn’t lasted longer.

“I told you,” whined his little sister. “I can do this myself. I have a business plan. You’re only interfering because you’re bored and don’t know what to do with yourself.”

“That’s not the point,” Lake told her as he looked up at the sign on the front of the shop. “The point is, you obviously need my help. You’re hemorrhaging money. My money.”

He hadn’t even set foot inside the shop and already he could see a problem.

“That”—he pointed at the sign—“has to go.”

Rainne twisted a strand of her long hair, a dead giveaway that he wasn’t getting the whole story.

“I can’t get rid of the sign,” she said at last. “It’s part of the town’s heritage.”

Lake folded his arms tight across his chest. Heritage his hairy backside.

“You also didn’t tell me how isolated this place is,” he said.

“It’s busy during the tourist season—you know, summer.”

For Scotland that was about two weeks in August.

“And you neglected to mention that we have competition.”

He cocked his head towards the lingerie shop, which sat opposite them on the high street. Unlike the shop that had eaten all of his money, the one over the road actually looked like people would buy lingerie in it.

“Ah, yeah,” his sister said as she toed the pavement with her pink Doc Marten boot. “But Kirsty’s shop has a different clientele than ours.”

“One that buys underwear?”

She missed the sarcasm. “Uh, no, she sells sexier stuff—you know, for occasions. We sell everyday wear. Think utilitarian.”

He was about to tell his sister that she was talking rubbish when the shop door flew open and a tiny cube of a woman hobbled out. Lake guessed her age to be close to two hundred.

“You,” she said as she pointed at him. “What are you and why are you here?”

Rainne shrank beside him. Her face shot past pink and straight to purple. Here it comes, thought Lake, the catch. Every time he got involved with his family there was a catch.

“I’m Lake Benson,” he told the Hobbit. “I own this business.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed under eyebrows that were hairier than her head.

“Rainne girl,” she said, but she kept her eyes on Lake. “I thought I sold my business to you.”

His sister shuffled on the spot, making all the tiny bells sewn into the bottom of her tie-dye skirt jingle. “Ah, well, my brother here, he’s, um, like my silent partner.”

“I’ve been watching,” the woman said. “He’s doing an awful lot of talking for a man who’s supposed to be silent.”

Before Rainne could answer, the woman jabbed her finger in Lake’s belly. She seemed surprised when it bounced back off him.

“What do you know about underwear, boy?” she demanded.

Lake stared at the woman calmly. He’d been face to face with drug lords and terrorists. There was no way a little Scottish woman could intimidate him. Amuse him, maybe—if the bulk of his savings weren’t tied up in the joke.

“I know how to unhook a bra in two seconds flat,” he said.

“If I was sixty years younger, boy, that might impress me. Right now, I’m just wondering why you’re blocking the customers from getting into my shop.”

Lake took a slow look around him. He saw a cobbled road, a row of crooked old houses that had been whitewashed and turned into shops and a loch at the bottom of the street. He didn’t see any people. Let alone hordes queuing up to buy underwear.

“Yeah, I can see how I’m getting in the way,” he drawled.

Rainne started to inch away from him. He got the distinct impression that she was on the verge of running. Lake reached out, grabbed her vintage velvet jacket and hauled her back to stand beside him.

“Leave me alone,” she grumbled. “I’m not five.”

“What do you mean your shop?” he asked the Hobbit.

The old woman pulled herself up to her full height, which must have been all of four foot six. “Betty McCloud. I started this shop in 1964.”

“And I bought the business six months ago.”

“It’s still my shop, son.” The woman tried to fold her arms over her ample belly as she glared at him.

If he were prone to dramatic gestures, he’d have rolled his eyes. Instead he kept his face as expressionless as usual. “Rainne, want to explain this to me?”

His sister looked like she’d rather eat dirt. Lake didn’t care. He’d driven up the length of England, through Scotland and into the Highlands. He was tired. He was hungry. And he was wondering what insanity had made him think managing a shop would be good for Rainne. Most of all, he’d run out of patience.

“Rainne,” was all he said.

“Okay, okay.” She held up her hands in surrender. “In the contract I signed, there were some unusual clauses.” She cleared her throat as Lake’s heart sank. “The business is ours to do what we want with, but Betty here stays—think of her as an underwear mascot.”

He looked at Betty, who gave him a toothless grin. In her ankle-length tartan tent, cable knit jumper and hairnet, she oozed sex appeal.

His sister took a deep breath. “And the sign stays too,” she said.

They all looked at the sign. There was silence.

“I hand-painted that sign myself,” Betty said proudly.

“It could be worse,” Rainne mumbled.

Lake almost let his shoulders slump. “So, let me get this right. I bought a lingerie shop in a town in the middle of nowhere. I have my very own underwear mascot. The main competition is the shop facing us, which actually appears to have customers. And to top it all off, the first business I’ve ever owned is called Betty’s Knicker Emporium.”

Betty grinned with pride as Rainne tried to appear invisible.

“I need a beer,” Lake told them and headed towards the local pub.

Author Bio:

Janet is a Scot who moved to New Zealand fifteen years ago. Among other things, she’s been an artist, a teacher, a security guard at a castle, a magazine editor, and a cleaner in a drop in center for drug addicts (NOT the best job!). She now writes full-time and is working on her 19th book. Her books have won several awards, including the Daphne du Maurier award for excellence in mystery and suspense. When she isn’t living in her head, she raises two kids, one husband, and several random animals. She survives on chocolate and caffeine.

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Spotlight: His Last Ride by Marcie Shumway

From small towns to the big city, Payton and Cody are not the same people they once were. They will need to decide if what is between them is worth fighting for. Can a childhood friendship become so much more? Readers will want to saddle-up with this childhood friends romance from Marcie Shumway. The 425 Madison series is back with season two and HIS LAST RIDE is now live! 

Only on Amazon + Read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited 

Amazon ➝ https://amzn.to/2v4PMHJ

Goodreads ➝ http://bit.ly/2PDPXlr

Cody

She was my childhood friend. The one person outside of my family that I could always count on.

Fate drew us apart, but when my life was turned upside down, it brought us back together.

And, much like when we were kids, she made it right again.

Payton had a way of soothing more than just the wounds that were skin deep.

There’s one small problem, I’m not sure that I want to be just her friend anymore.

Payton

He was my childhood friend. The one who always accepted me for me.

For years, I didn’t realize my life was missing anything and, then Cody came back into it.

Just like when we were kids, he brought all the pieces back together. He made me feel things

I didn’t know I could feel. How can I be his friend when I want so much more?

I won’t be his buckle bunny.

Adjusting to very different lives, Cody and Payton need to decide if what is between them is worth fighting for. From small towns to the big city, they’re not the same people they once were.

Can a childhood friendship become so much more?

Only time will tell.

After all, 425 Madison is the perfect place to fall in love!

Excerpt 

Copyright @ Marcie Shumway 2020

“Come on, slowpoke!” I yelled at the brown-haired  fifteen-year-old girl following me.

“Your legs are longer than mine, jerk,” she retorted on a huff. “Slow down.”

I turned and checked on her, she was climbing the hill easily behind me. Her face was flush from our run up the lower portion, and her blue eyes sparkling. She looked more relaxed then I’d seen her all summer. Normally, Payton, or Pay as I called her, was as laid back as they came. This summer for some reason when she’d shown up, she’d been different. More reserved. 

“If we don’t hurry, we’re going to miss it,” I chided, reaching my hand out for hers.

She looked up, and when she saw my hand, her cheeks turned a darker shade of pink. I shook it with a ‘take it’ look on my face, with a roll of her eyes, she did intertwining our fingers. I picked up the pace again and brought her along with me.

A minute later, we reached the top and plopped down on the large rock. She broke the connection of our hands and sat on hers. I missed it instantly, but let it go. As we’d gotten older, the simple things we used to do together turned a little weird. I wasn’t sure why. We were friends. 

“I’m going to miss this,” she whispered wistfully, taking in the landscape.

We were sitting at the top of a hill that overlooked some of the pastures on my grandparent’s property. It gave us the perfect view of the mountains and the sunset. On the last day of the summer, we would come up here and sit. We had flashlights in our backpacks for the walk back. 

“Me too,” I agreed. “But there is always next summer.”

Payton had been coming to visit her grandmother every summer since she was five. The two of us clicked immediately. Our grandmothers started this tradition of bringing us up here, we continued it on our own when we turned ten. Swearing we didn’t need them to babysit us.  Since it was only a mile from one of the barns on our property, they hadn’t argued.

“Right,” she sighed sadly.

“Something you aren’t telling me?”

“Not that I know of,” Pay replied. “Mom is just acting weird when I bring up coming back. Told Gram we would talk about it later.”

My breath caught. The idea of not seeing her made my chest hurt. I counted on summers with Payton. Sure, I had friends in school, but there was something about her. I didn’t have to put on an act. I could just be me with her.

The sunset that night was beyond amazing. Purples, pinks, reds, and oranges swirled together, putting on a show that I’d never forget. When the colors started to fade and the sun started to dip below the mountain in front of us, I felt Pay slide her hand back into mine. I looked over and saw tears leaving trails down her face. Squeezing her hand, I faced forward again and put up a silent prayer; this wouldn’t be the last time we did this.

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About Marcie

Marcie Shumway is a small-town girl, born and raised in Maine. She resides with her high school sweetheart on a family-owned farm just miles from where she grew up. Her hubby and their four furbabies are her first loves, but they are followed closely by her writing, apple pie, and chocolate.

Marcie started writing short stories in middle school for her classmates to enjoy. They were always love stories with happy endings and spurred her dream of being a published author. Chasing that dream as an adult, she continues to write stories for her readers to love. An avid reader herself, Marcie thrives on the books of her favorite authors and when not writing, can be found curled up in her favorite spot with a good book in hand.

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