An aha moment that sent my book in another direction

Jan 09, 2023 12:01 pm

Hello! Are you tired of making New Year Resolutions that seem impossible to keep? I am, so I spent the last couple of weeks taking an organizational course to help me declutter my thoughts, calendar, and physical space. I'm not making any resolutions this year. Instead, I'm setting some long-term goals with bite-sized short-term projects to help me reach those goals. One of those goals is to write longer books with more detail. I'll share more about that next week. So, stay tuned!

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What you'll find in today's email:

Slow to Love chapter 1
Books by M.J. Haylen and Iris West
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INSTALOVE SPOTLIGHT'S ON...

Slow to Love! A confident virgin heroine who's slow to embrace relationships and love. A brother of the bride hero who's jaded from riding his sister's wedding planning roller coaster.

Why I wrote this story: I didn't plan to write a virgin heroine when I started Raven and Derek's journey. My original outline for Raven went off the rails about a third of the way into the book. Raven's confident in who she is but doesn't trust relationships out of fear of losing them. That's when I had an aha moment. If Raven doesn't allow herself to get close to the opposite sex, when would she have lost her innocence to a man?

Never!

Being a virgin was a choice for Raven as much as it is her choice to experience her first time with Derek. The decision is based on trust in herself and her partner without being able to predict the future. Raven and Derek's story is a journey of self-discovery. They find solace in each other and find there are risks worth taking, and that love has nothing to do with invitation fonts, bridal cakes, and lacy dresses. Love is burrowed deep in the heart.

I hope you enjoy Slow to Love. Scroll for Chapter 1.

Scroll to read the first chapter of Slow to Love.

Slow to Love contains copyright material.

Chapter 1

Raven

The last of the crew left thirty minutes ago. I let out a sigh and look at the clock for the hundredth time in the last hour and a half. The buzz of conversation going on in the dining area shows no sign of anyone leaving soon. We’d agreed the rehearsal dinner would end by eight o’clock. That would’ve been plenty of time for my crew to clean up, but now that’s all on me. But I’m not going to kick out my own brother and his bride-to-be.

The squeak of the swinging metal doors draws my attention.

The brother of the bride pops his head through the steel swinging doors. He’s become a fixture at the café for most of the week. His dark hair flops across his forehead in a boyish charm sort of way. There’s no denying he’s handsome and exceedingly well built, but maybe I shouldn’t notice such things, after all he’ll be part of our semi-mashed together family by the end of the weekend.

“Hey, got another bottle of champagne back here?”

“Sure thing, Derek.”

I make my way around the long metal prep island to the double door fridge. Only three more bottles of chilled champagne left for them to go through. Surely, they’ll leave before long.

“Where’d everyone go?” Derek steps the rest of the way through the door frame. He looks around the kitchen with one eyebrow cocked high.

The kitchen is usually buzzing with activity. It’s chaotic at best during normal business hours. My staff works hard to keep the café purring. It isn’t fair to keep them from enjoying their after hours time.

“Home for the night. I let them go a little while ago.”

I hand him the champagne. His fingers graze over mine at the bottleneck. The warmth of his hand counters the cold chill of the bottle. A little shiver tickles up my spine.

“We should get going so you can finish up and head home, too.”

“I don’t have far to go.” I point toward the ceiling. “I’m right upstairs.”

His eyes lock with mine. They’re milk chocolate brown with green flecks. Yummy like mint chocolate ice cream.

“Still. We’ve stayed too late.”

Laughter lilts through the double doors. A chair leg scrapes along the floor, then the sound of heels clicking across the porcelain tiles. The maid-of-honor presses one of the doors open and stumbles through.

“There you are.” She slides an arm around Derek’s and reaches for the champagne.

The slur in her voice is barely audible. She’s at that feel-good junction between sober and tipsy, but it won’t be long before she’s over the edge.

“We should be going, Crystal.” He takes the champagne bottle from her and hands it to me. “It’s late. Raven has work to do.”

“Ah, don’t ruin the party, Derek.” She looks at him with big puppy dog eyes, flutters her lashes, and leans her head into his muscular arm. Then bounces up with wild eyes. “Oh! I know what we should do.”

She takes me by surprise when she grabs my hand and pulls me through the doors behind her. I hear Derek plodding along behind us. I have no idea what she has in mind, but I have a feeling I won’t like it.

Crystal plucks a glass from the table. It still holds a swallow of champagne. She raises it in the air and plinks fork tines to its side.

Ding, ding, ding.

“Everyone, everyone.” She doesn’t wait for the talking to stop before proceeding. “I just want to thank Raven for hosting tonight. She’s the most amazing chef. I mean, really, that prime rib was something else. Am I right?”

Murmured yeses surround the table. My cheeks flush with heat, and my stomach knots up. My least favorite thing in the world is public attention. I can meet and greet customers all day, but my true love is to be left alone to cook in the kitchen. I don’t need credit or accolades. I squirm under everyone’s gaze.

“Thanks,” I mutter, a bit too self-conscious for my own taste. “My pleasure.”

I try to bow out to head back to the kitchen, but Crystal continues.

“Three cheers for Raven. Hip, hip, hurray!”

I look at Drew with pleading eyes. He knows how much I dislike being the center of attention. But Drew’s too drunk on love to notice. He’s all googly-eyed, cuddling his wife-to-be. I can’t fault him for being so happy. He deserves happiness. We all do. Some of us have a harder time knowing how to find it.

“…and the dessert. One can only learn how to make dessert like that if it’s handed down from generation to generation. I bet your mother taught you everything about baking. She’s an amazing cook, too, right?” Crystal turns to me. Her whisper is stage-worthy. “Did you steal your mother’s recipes when she wasn’t looking?”

That captures Drew’s attention. Bree’s eyes widen. Ilene, Drew’s mom and my unofficial adopted mom, whips her head over to look at me. Her brow furrows as if she can feel the stab of pain that just hit me square in the chest.

Ilene is the closest person to a mother I’ve ever known. But that doesn’t take away the pain I feel when reminded of the mother and father I lost so young. Especially when that reminder comes so callously off the lips of a semi-drunk woman I’ve barely met.

Crystal’s champagne giggle creeps up my spine. I may be an introvert, but I’m not shy about speaking my mind when necessary. I take the glass from her hand.

“I think you’ve had enough.” I turn my attention to the table. “Goodnight, everyone. Please enjoy the rest of your evening at the hotel. Drew, will you lock up on your way out?”

I don’t wait for a reply and turn heel to grab a bus cart to start clearing the table.

Continue Reading Slow to Love

Soulmates for the Sinclairs Series

Also available as a box set and paperback

Related Reading: The only related reading to this story is the series itself. However, if you love confident women who face their fears, then you'll love the Kindlewood Coffee Klatch series.

Read about the women of Kindlewood!

If you like reading meaningful stories about virgins, I've only written one besides this one. Justice is the man in charge of the Home Wreckers Construction crew, but he's hiding a secret.

Read Dating the Virgin!

AUTHOR CORNER

He is cocky, older, and charming. We meet as strangers at the club. Just two people having fun. Enjoying the way our bodies and lips feel against one another. It is a forbidden relationship; I know it is wrong…but it feels so right.

Read Forbidden Liaison

When I married Raven to inherit my mother's estate, I never thought I'd fall in love with her sexy curves and sweet smile. She didn't deserve a broken man like me, who's nearly twice her age. So, I tore myself away from her. But now she's carrying my baby, there's no way I'll let her bear the responsibility alone.

Read Loving My Fake Husband

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