Authors: Siera London
Tags: #beach town, #African American, #military hero, #Romantic Suspense
Did the entire populace know her grandmother had taken on the mission of finding Ava a matrimony eligible man?
Unfortunately for Ava, her grandmother’s social circle consisted of the community seniors club and the church auxiliary. Louise Stanton, affectionately known as Granny Lou was e-harmony, match.com, and a well meaning, but meddlesome church mother packaged into five foot two inches of sparky banter and sequined Velcro comfort shoes.
Ava rolled her eyes heavenward, taking in a deep breath. A telltale sign that Lina’s assessment of the situation was accurate. Ava loved her family, but she didn’t do relationships.
The silence stretched between the two women. Ava squirmed like a toddler in a car seat under her friend’s scrutiny.
“Your silent routine doesn’t work with me Ava. Which wife-seeking, God-fearing deacon has she invited to Sunday dinner?”
Never one to let you off the hook Lina held an expectant gaze. Ava gave a resigned sigh then offered the name of her would be suitor. “Deacon Hill.”
Ava knew the exact moment Lina recalled the porky gentleman. Wide eyes stared back at Ava as Lina’s mouth opened and closed several times before she hid her smile with a carefully placed palm over her red velvet colored mouth. Lina would risk her friend’s ire by laughing, but never would she suffer an accidental smudge to perfectly painted lips.
“He’s the one with the three adult children and five grandkids living in the house.” A vestige of humor at Ava’s expense shone in her eyes.
“That’s the one.” Ava curled her fingers against her temples forcing a breath through her pursed lips. A high definition image of the aged, wide girthed man danced a gig across her mental LCD screen and she cringed.
“Save tomorrow’s worries for tomorrow. Tonight is about us having fun. This isn’t a matchmaking attempt by Granny Lou Incorporated. Come on, Ava please.” Lina flashed her million-dollar smile. Ava was unmoved. The queen of improvisation, her friend switched tactics.
Lina’s pout heaped on another layer of ever-present guilt, but she couldn’t give her family or friend what they wanted. They wanted her to be open, welcome a date with a nice man, and be social. But being social led to meeting new people. Meeting new people, led to making connections. Connecting to new people, especially men, made you vulnerable. She didn’t want to be vulnerable. Not ever again.
“Argh, stop making me feel bad, Lina.”
“So let me get this straight,” Lina stepped closer, their shoulders near touching. “At the tender age of twenty-six you prefer to be alone on Saturday night with thoughts of a dreadful Sunday dinner looming rather than walk into a fundraising gala with me?” As the reality of Lina’s words settled between them Ava felt the sadness reflected in Lina’s gaze.
“You’ll be with Jace.” Ava stated matter of fact. “I’ll spend the night watching the two of you doing the humpy dance.”
“Ewe, I am so not into watchers”, Lina said crinkling her nose. Her best friend always kept the mood light.
“You know what I mean. Besides, I think I forgot my ticket.” She diverted her eyes to heaven offering a silent
forgive me Lord
but desperate times required desperate measures.
“Excuse deferred. It’s your work anniversary. The Shell Cove Medical Foundation covered your ticket price. Now apologize to the Lord for lying,” Lina countered with a snap of her fingers. “The ticket is a formality. Your name is on the attendee list.”
Ava quickly scanned her mental Rolodex for any plausible excuse that would get her back to the safety of home.
“You can meet some new people tonight. There are other nurses here. They’re our peeps, waiting behind these doors.” More people entered the foyer, bubbly voices talking one over the other, eager to join the festivities. The rhythmic beat drawing them into the ballroom like a pied piper.
Ava raised a brow in doubt. She wasn’t likely to meet a single person. She knew it, so did Lina.
“Stop worrying about everything. It’s a party packed to capacity with gray suit wearing administrators. A few pocket protector wearing clinical researchers and a truckload of fashion deficit doctors.” Lina fashioned a mock pocket protector in the middle of her leather bustier, then mimicked stuffing it with pens. Ava released a snort of laughter at her friend’s antics.
“Nothing is going to happen. Do this as a gift to me.”
A gift. She had little reserve left in her emotional tank to offer anyone. Ava needed to gift herself a box of hope. One big enough to drown out the self doubt, the emptiness that plagued most aspects of her life.
Some days the emptiness weighed so heavy on her chest that emotional collapse seemed better than to greet another day of nothingness. The loneliness abated with work. Tending her garden helped, but the emptiness was a stealth army slowly advancing through her existence. It threatened to devour the fragile threads of a new beginning she desperately clung to.
Relationships and connections were out of the question, but the truth couldn’t be denied. She was lonely. Tonight was a beacon cast in a sea of endless night. She was all dressed up with somewhere to go. Heck, she was here lingering in the foyer, on the outside catching glimpses of life through the cracks.
She had reason to celebrate. Her Navy nurse commissioning application was complete except for the employer endorsement. The unsuspecting, navy blue, file folder containing her future had been hand delivered to Kathryn Quest, the pediatric nurse manager this morning. Perhaps, one night of fun to capstone the budding joy she felt at having taken this uncertain step would fuel her emotional tank. Only two people knew what she had done. Lina wasn’t one of them.
Ava proffered her elbow in acceptance. This was an evening dedicated to goodwill, and she had her best friend to share it with. She worked side by side with several of the attendees. Her safe zones were home and work-everything would be fine. Lina interlocked their elbows, gently guiding Ava to the ballroom doors.
“Okay, I’ll take the plunge.”
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading Gideon and Lina’s story. This is my second contemporary romance novel from the Bachelors of Shell Cove series. I truly appreciate your continued support, and someday I hope to tell you face to face the impact you’ve had on my life.
Here are some ways you can let me know what you think of my novels or to keep in touch with me:
1. Write a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, or iBooks. Please consider leaving a review. Book reviews are equivalent to engine oil for a car. Readers reviews help other readers find new authors. Reviews help increase an author’s discoverability with search engines, like Amazon.
2. Sign-up for my newsletter at
www.sieralondonauthor.com
. You will get updates on any new novels, book signings, and giveaways. I have a few deleted scenes you might be interested in.
3. Go to my Facebook page and “like” me. My Facebook family is welcoming and I host a mean Facebook Party. Here’s the link:
http://facebook.com/authorsieralondon
I’ll meet you between the covers. Wishing you all the best that life has to offer.
Happy reading,
Siera
About the Author:
Siera London is a Amazon bestselling author who served twenty-two years in the United States Navy before starting her writing career. She knew she wanted to be a writer when she kept searching for interesting topics to write. Siera tried fiction writing first, but when the words of the page bored her to tears, she decided to write what she enjoyed reading. By day, she is a nurse practitioner. At night, she writes sizzling romances with emotion and humor.
Growing up in the Navy, Siera loves to travel. A semi packed suitcase is usually on standby in her closet. A lover of all things culinary, she often tests new recipes on unsuspecting dinner guests. Siera lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband, and a color patch tabby named Frie. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, teaching or volunteering in the local community. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America.
Connect with Siera London
Like me on
Facebook
Follow me on
Twitter
Follow me on
Pinterest
Visit my
website
Table of Contents