Writing | Redefining Perfect

Friday Dialogues – Lindsay Downs new release Don’t Cross the Countess

by Sarah | Oct 3, 2013 | Author Interview, Friday Dialogues, Guest Authors, Writing

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

What does it take to be a bestselling author? Determination, skill, talent, luck or taking a risk with a venture into a totally new genre. For me it was a little of some and a lot of the others.

In 2008 when I got two books published I thought it was due to skill; little did I know it was more luck than anything. Over the next three years I wrote, submitted, got rejected. I then did what I tell everyone who asks; I wrote some more. I didn’t give up.

More on a dare than anything I tried my hand at a regency, one of the most difficult genres because of the rules, which I might add I broke almost every one. Within two days of its release the book was on a best seller list and stayed there for two months.

Turns out it is all of the aforementioned.

After two failed marriages, one from divorce while with the other died unexpectedly I decided upon retirement to move. That opportunity came in September 2012 when I migrated to Texas.

For me, as a multipublished author, it was one of the best things I’ve done to date. Now, every day I can write, creating stories to take my readers to places they can only dream about.

I’m also a member of the Published Authors Network (PAN) by the Romance Writers of America (RWA).

What’s the best thing you’ve done in your life?

Move to Texas for the weather and here I’ve gotten a lot more writing done than back in Connecticut

Describe yourself in 5 words.

Different, unique, determined, committed, obsessed. Oh and a little crazy.

Do you have a saying or motto for your life and/or as a writer?

Darkness is the absence of love

Where you can find me

Facebook–
Facebook Page-
Regency Facebook Page
Twitter- @ldowns2966
LinkedIn- http://www.linkedin.com/home
Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3210224-lindsay
Lindsay Downs-Romance Author- http://lindsaydowns-romanceauthor.weebly.com/

Links to my books

Your Novel

What about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

The heroine, Lady Sophia Gardner The Countess of Modbury, won’t stop until she learns who killed her first husband. How she goes about ferreting out the villains will shock and amaze you.

What inspired you to write this particular story?

I’m not sure where the inspiration came from for this book but it ended up being the first in a series.

Are the names of the characters in your novel important?

I’ve never been one to choose character names based on something about them. If I find a name I love and it fits then I’ll use it.

Writing

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Died in the wool panster. I’ve tried plotting but never stayed with the story line.

How (or when) do you decide that you are finished writing a story?

When the main characters tell me to stop. I’ve learned that’s the best way to keep them happy so they’ll make an appearance in a sequel.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on several different books, yes at the same time; Lady Jean and The Messenger, Book 3 in the Countess for the Crown series, The Duke’s Bride, the first in The Radcliffe series and finally, The Viscount and The Governess. What’s so interesting about this one is, besides being free you get a new episode every Wednesday.

Have you written any other books?

I also write A Jessica Sales Novel series which is contemporary romantic suspense.

Quick Questions

Sing in the rain or dance in the streets? Sing in the rain
Pen or pencil? Fountain pen
Summer or Winter? Yes
Movies or TV? TV
Theater or DVD? DVD
Rural or Urban? Rural
Facial hair or clean shaven? Clean shaven
Marvel or DC? Marvel
Cowboy or Bad Boy? Yes
Sunrise or Sunset? Sunset
Fall leaves or Spring flowers? Leaves
Peanut butter or jelly? Yes
Spender or Saver? Trying to be a saver

*~*~*~*

Blurb-

When someone tries to murder Lady Sophia Gardner, Countess of Modbury, James becomes her appointed protector. Little does she realize he’s not who he says he is.

After finding a cryptic message they depart for London where Lady Sophia learns James is the Marquess of Sussex. Angered, at first, with his deceit she falls in love with him wondering if the feelings are returned.

As they search for the clues to reveal who was selling secrets to the French which could have turned the tide at Waterloo James is confronted by his parents. Turning away from them so he to support the woman he loves another attempt is made on her life.

To ferret out the traitors they slip away to a tiny cottage where James learns there’s more to Lady Sophia than meets the eye. Sneaking into London they learn who the traitors are and bring them to justice.

Thursday Tell All – Meet Gwyn Snow of Hero for Hire

by Sarah | Oct 2, 2013 | Character Interview, Guest Authors, Thursday Tell All, Writing

What is your story?

Gwyn: My story is one of a dedicated scientist who trusted the wrong people and ended the world as we know it. Yes—I (inadvertently) caused the zombie apocalypse.

Sorry about that.

If it helps, I’m working to fix it, and I’ve made good progress on solving the problem.

Who are you?

Goodness. That’s a difficult question. If you had asked Rafe, he would have tossed something flippant your way and moved on. But I find myself unable to do that, although I envy him the ability.

Who am I? Well, I am more than the person I was when my story began in Hero for Hire. Then, I was a scientist. That encompassed the important pieces of who I was. Now? I’m a foster mother to a pack of boys. I am a lover to the most amazing man I’ve had the privilege to know. I’m a terrible cook, with a family who eats my unappetizing offerings and pretends that they like them. I’m the destroyer of the world as we knew it. I’m trying to become restorer of the world, one infected at a time.

I’m Gwyn.

Do you embrace conflict?

I do not. Before everything went badly, I used to avoid conflict at all costs. It’s part of what led the events that caused the end of our world. Now? I don’t like conflict, and I certainly don’t seek it out, but I do not run from it, and when necessary, I can fight as hard as Rafe and our boys. Some things are worth the battle. I’ve learned that.

4. How do you see yourself?

I’m strong. I never knew that about myself before the world ended. Now I do. I’m strong, and I am capable of so much more than I ever thought possible.

What, if anything, haunts you?

As you can probably guess, I really regret having trusted Miriam. I really regret not acknowledging her jealousy, and protecting against what she might do. My failure to stand up to her back at the beginning caused the deaths of so many. There are people that I will never have the chance to cure, and it could all have been prevented. I try not to think about it too much, because that much guilt can paralyze, and I still have a job to do. I still have a world to restore.

Has anyone ever betrayed you?

Miriam didn’t do me any favors. But the people in my life now? I’d trust them with my life. I do actually, every day.

Have you ever failed anyone?

I failed everyone. The apocalypse was my fault—at least in part. I’m trying to mitigate the damage now, but I will never make that right.

Who was your first love?

Is it pathetic to say Rafe? I dated off an on before him, but he was the first person to really see me. And he was the first person who really touched me, who reached that secret place inside that we all have but never intentionally let people into.

Was there ever a defining moment of your life?

When I left Rafe to go back to the lab, that moment was a defining one for me. I knew what I was choosing, and I did it anyway, because the reward was worth what I was giving up.

What one word best describes you?

Determined.

What don’t you like about yourself?

I’m awkward. My family adores me, and they don’t mind, but I know that socially I am awkward. I wish I were warm, and open and easy to know like Rafe is. But I’m not, and I suppose that is okay. Because I do like who I’ve become.

What is more important – sex or intimacy? Why?

Intimacy. What is the point of sex without it? Just two people satisfying a base urge? For me, to let someone have that sort of access to me and who I am requires intimacy. Otherwise I just can’t do it.

Do you think redemption is possible? If so, can anyone be redeemed, or are there only certain circumstances that can be? If not, why do you think nothing can redeem itself?

I certainly hope so. I’m working on that redemption every day.

*~*

One day her prince would come…disguised as a zombie-killer. Having been disgraced and tossed out by her own scientific community, Gwyn is convinced she can develop a cure for a SuperVirus that has turned the Infected into zombies. By pure luck and determination, she has survived on her own for years, but while out scavenging, a clash with the local zombies leaves her potentially infected. Now, running out of time, she needs help and takes a chance on a hero for hire.

Rafe loves the apocalypse. Since the world went to hell, everything’s come up roses for him. Having procured a mansion in the Hollywood hills, adopted a slew of homeless boys and one cantankerous but useful Doc, Mr. Charming is benefiting from the nasty zombie infestation. His job? Killing the bastards, which he considers fun anyway. Gwyn Snow needs Rafe Charming to help retrieve her research from the Paragon Pharmaceuticals lab, also known as Zombie Central. Believing she can yet save the world, Gwyn makes Rafe question what’s right and what’s worth the fight.

CONTENT WARNING: Prince Charming, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves as you’ve never seen them before. Tales From Beyond the End, #1 A Lyrical Press Fantasy Romance – Once Upon”

*~*

Excerpt:

“I was on the vaccine team,” she said. “The team leader was a woman named Miriam Armstrong. She’s a brilliant woman, but her aspirations clouded her vision, so when I came up with a workable vaccine, she stole my formula. She re-engineered it, thinking she could make improvements. I complained, but no one was interested. Because she was the team leader, she took credit for the vaccine. When the vaccine was distributed and administered, my best guess is that it reacted with the live virus to cause mutation.”

“That’s just shitty.”

“It appears there are a couple of levels of mutation, producing a higher level of functioning in the infected individual, much like what you described–strong, fast, cunning, violent and with some heightened senses.”

“Right. But there are also some who are just lumbering meat sacks. I think the smarter ones eat those when they can’t find anything fresher, so to speak.”

She shuddered. “The point is, I can fix them. I can still cure them. That’s what I’ve been working on for the last eighteen months, but I need my journals at the lab to reconstruct my original work.”

I cocked a brow at her, displaying my best you’ve-got-to-be-shitting-me expression.

“You really think you can cure those things out there?”

“I know I can.”

She pushed the hair out of her face again, looking me in the eyes. The conviction shining there and echoed in her voice, almost made me believe her. But, I had no faith those animals would ever be human again. The point was she believed they could be cured. Now I had a much better grasp of the guilt and pain that ate at her conscience.

Not only was she gorgeous, she was smart, she was vulnerable and she had an adorable awkwardness that did crazy things to me. I’d never met a woman like her. Ever. I tried not to, but I fell for her, just like that. This was probably not the reaction she was looking for–it sure as hell surprised me–but being the go-with-your-gut kinda guy I was, I did the only thing I could in the circumstances.

“What the hell,” I said, and leaned in to kiss her. The shock when our lips met sent a jolt down my spine, settling somewhere just south of my belt buckle. I couldn’t stop the growl in my throat as I took her deeper. My hands reached up, fingers tangling in the hair at her nape. I gave into the need and pulled her body into mine. She kissed like she didn’t know how, tentative, almost dainty. I smiled against her lips at her sharp intake of breath when I introduced my tongue into her mouth.

God, she tasted so sweet it made me dizzy. She mewed a little sound, returning my kiss, convincing me she had actually done this before. When I placed my other hand at her lower back and pulled her against the enthusiastic bulge in my jeans, she broke the kiss. She took a step away, a shocked look on her face.

“What’s the matter, Princess, too much for you?”

About Merissa

I love to read, write, drink strong coffee and eat dark chocolate–not necessarily in that order and sometimes all at once. I live in the deep South, with my very own superhero, and my three minions. Together, we attempt to take over the world.

When not otherwise occupied with planning world domination, I’m a voracious reader and adore happy endings. I write what I love to read, so I write romance and stories with romantic elements to them.

My novella Hero for Hire, written jointly with the fabulous Margaret Bail is due for release on October 1, 2013. It’s a Paranormal Romance featuring a campy post apocalyptic take on the Snow White tale, and is the first in our Tales from Beyond the End series.

I love feedback and messages, so please feel free to contact me at www.facebook.com/MerissaMcCain,

twitter.com/MerissaMcCain/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7199113.Merissa_McCain,

http://triberr.com/MerissaMcCain

or via email at merissa.mccain@gmail.com

*~*

About Margaret

Hi. I’m Margaret Madigan. Or M.K.D. Bail, depending on what literary genre we’re talking about!

I live in the vast Northern Plains where it’s quiet and mostly empty, and very conducive to letting my imagination run wild. As a result, I have difficulty focusing on just one genre of storytelling. Of course, I love romance, so I write a lot of that, but I also write science fiction, and dabble in other genres just for the fun of it.

When I’m not writing you’ll find me in a college classroom teaching English, or working as a literary agent for an amazing agency…and of course enjoying time with my family.

Thanks for visiting my page. Like Merissa, I’d love to hear from you, so feel free to contact me with comments, requests, feedback, or messages at

Twitter.com/mmadiganauthor/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7242698.Margaret_Madigan

https://www.facebook.com/mmadiganauthor

Hump Day Hook 44 – Dark Territory

by Sarah | Oct 1, 2013 | Books, Changing Tracks, Dark Territory, Derailed, Hump Day Hook, Publishing Credits, Secret Cravings Publishing, Writing

Back to Hump Day Hook!

Past couple of weeks have been a bit out of sorts for me, but I’m back…and with Dark Territory again with a switch…this time it has been released and my first reader email raving about my Jane and my Cole have left me in such a very good mood.

Cole and Graham have been maneuvering, bribing, and coercing to keep Jane’s non-death under wraps. Rusty has written an article on the “new” librarian in town:

The article was cut and dry from what he could tell. Her credentials were listed, and Rusty said she’d been a librarian out east.

Mail-order bride, brought out West by Cole Mitchell.

“What?”

That was all it took to send Graham reeling again. The man was literally purple when he fell back on his ass, pointing at Cole.

“That little son of a bi—”

*~*

Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HDH banner below:

Tuesday Tales – Rough, Hard and oh so Dirty…

by Sarah | Sep 30, 2013 | Books, Holiday, Secret Cravings Publishing, Tuesday Tales, Writing

The prompt this week is a little more complicated than usual. It was originally Rough, but we just did that a few weeks ago…so through some…interesting discussions we ended up with a special challenge…to use the three words Rough, Hard, and Dirty in any particular order.

So it’s back to Deep Fried Sweethearts with my May/December-ish romance of Michaela and Owen, aka “Tag”. I thought it was time to give them a connection beyond their mutual physical attraction…but first Michaela has to deal with a pleasant awakening…

As always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors:

“Michaela?” A warm hand grasped her shoulder and shook gently.

Michaela jolted awake and blurted, “I’m up, I’m up.” She immediately started to straighten the papers on her desk, as if it would cover the fact she was just dreaming about the young man who’d shook her awake. Naughty dreams the likes she’d never had. Despite her joking with Eve to save face, Michaela considered herself a total prude, but her latest dreams proved her wrong.

Dreams of Owen bending her over this very desk and taking her rough, hard, and oh so dirty lingered in her mind and the trickle of sweat the slipped down the nape of her neck. She normally wouldn’t dare face him while the dreams were still at the forefront, but his chuckle drew her gaze anyway.

He covered his mouth with a hand while leaning against the file cabinets lining the wall.

“I’m awake,” she defended before he could even speak. “It was just a cat nap.”

“Of course you are.” His snort burst from behind his hand and he let out a good loud bark of a laugh. “You have a really cute snore.”

“I wasn’t—I…” Unfortunately, his laughter was contagious and she found herself joining him before she could form a good argument. She rubbed her face with both hands and groaned. “I’m sorry. I never do that, especially when we’re open. I’ve slept on the couch a couple of times when I had to work late, but to snooze during business hours?”

“You’re exhausted. You’ve got to stop killing yourself.” He turned the chair next to her around and straddled it. When he leaned his forearms on the back, she was inevitably drawn to his glorious biceps.

Man, she was so screwed. She gave her head a quick shake to clear it. “It’s my business, Owen. I will never stop killing myself for it.”

“You need rest, or you’ll be no good to the business.” He smiled, and set his hand on her wrist. “Why don’t you go home and take a nap? I’m here now, I’ll keep an eye on things and you can be back well before closing. Maybe tonight you’ll actually let me help settle the numbers.”

Based on all the skill he’d shown in everything she’d thrown at him, she had no doubt he was capable of handling closing the registers and setting the deposit, but the thought still sent a knot of tension right to stomach. She wrinkled her nose and forced a smile. “Maybe.”

“I can’t earn your trust if you don’t let me try.”

“It’s not about that.”

“Yes it is. You don’t trust easily. If you did you’d have team leads that could close the drawers at night.” His grasp loosened on her wrist, and he sighed. “They don’t have to even handle anything other than dropping their money into the safe like they would any other cash drop. We, or you, could handle the deposit yourself then the next day.”

“Then I wouldn’t need you.” Even though the thought of anyone handling the cash turned her stomach, she had to try and cover it with something, even teasing him.

“Yes you would. I’m irreplaceable.”

She grinned and relaxed at his return tease. “I’m not so sure.”

“I think you are, you’re just afraid to admit it, among other things.”

“Is that so?” As much as she wanted to curb the rising blush, she couldn’t take her eyes from his. “Anyway, about me leaving, I really shouldn’t.”

“I think the place will be all right for a couple of hours. You live two blocks away.”

“So what were you up to this morning? You’re filthy.” She couldn’t stop looking at his arms, that’s how she’d noticed the dark smudges near his elbow and wrist. “Grease?”

“Oil. I thought I got it all.” He lifted his arm, his forehead puckering into an adorable hint of a frown. “Damn, don’t worry I’ll get good and cleaned up before I touch food. Maybe I should have you check me thoroughly.”

A task she sure wouldn’t mind for a minute. She managed to laugh to cover the choking lump in her throat and heat the idea sent right to her core. “Cute. Real cute. What were you doing, grease monkey?”

“I was at Cal’s working on my Nova.”

This time she did choke on her own laughter, and she blinked a few times. “I’m sorry, did you say a Nova? As in a No-Go?”

Owen stopped examining his arms and his gaze snapped to meet hers. “What did you say?”

“A No-Go…are you really working on one?”

“Uh, yeah. I mean, um…”

Michaela couldn’t recall a time he’d been at a loss for words, and she liked the change even if it lasted for a second. “What year?”

“A 76 SS. Why?”

Warmth filled her heart and for the first time in a logn time, embarrassment was banished to the edge of her mind. “I just can’t believe it.”

“What?”

“You have to swear not to tell anyone. It’ll just perpetuate my nickname worse than it already is.”

“Okay.” He might have been thoroughly confused, but at least he’d managed a smile when she’d suggested keeping it a secret.

“Good.” She rose and closed the office door most of the way before heading to the small file cabinet behind her desk. After unlocking it, she opened it and dug through her too-big purse for her wallet. “Okay, this isn’t the best picture. I have several much better ones at home.”

Owen rose and turned his chair around to edge closer. Once they were shoulder to shoulder, she showed him the picture. He gasped and snatched the picture from her fingers. “Holy crap.”

“That’s my dad and me, and my baby. I call her Betty.”

“I have never seen her, where do you hide her?” He ran his index finger along the lines of the black Nova in the picture.

“New York winters are assholes to cars, especially beauties like Betty.” She leaned in close. “I used to take her out in the summers, but when things with Gary got bad, I didn’t want to risk her getting caught in the crossfire.”

“Tell me you didn’t sell it.”

“Technically, I did—but I sold her to Dad. With he and Mom down in Virginia, it wasn’t part of the crap-fest of my divorce and she’s being well cared for.”

“You’ve been divorced five years. Why not get her back?”

“First couple of years, I didn’t care about anything, then this place happened and all my focus has been here.” She sighed and took the picture back. “I guess that’s part of why I wanted to get an assistant manager. Maybe then I’d have time to get her back.”

“Who restored her for you? Looks like an amazing job.”

“No one. Dad and I did it all ourselves. From frame to chrome.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yup. Dad had some rules about driving and getting a license. I had to be able to change my own oil and tires, I had to know how the engine worked, and I had to learn on a stick before I went to an automatic.” She shrugged and offered a smile. With a bit of regret, she slipped the picture back into its place in her wallet. “Turned out, I loved it, but I didn’t like to tell anyone. They already called me Mikey, I didn’t need to add fuel to the tomboy fire.”

“Damn. You just got so much cooler.”

“Cooler?” She giggled and nudged his shoulder with her own. When she turned to say something, she realized just how close he was. Embarrassment started to flutter and flap again, rising from the place she’d tried to bury it. She could kiss him now, he was so close, but she couldn’t dare for so many reasons. “I’m glad you think so.”

“I think more than that.” His trademark grin returned and he edged closer. “Like you should get yourself to bed.”

With you? Please say with you. She’d officially lost her mind. Owen was her employee and so young, both huge red flags against starting something.

“So are you going?”

“I can’t.”

“You have to start trusting someone sometime. Trust me for two hours. I swear I’ll call you in two hours, but you have to sleep.”

The last thing on her mind at that moment was sleep, but it would have to do for now. She finally nodded, “I’ll try. I don’t do naps well.”

“You just had one on your desk, I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

“Can’t I just sleep here on the couch?”

“Let go, Michaela. Trust me.”

“Easier said than done.”

*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!

*~*

Sunday Snippet 4 – Changing Tracks

by Sarah | Sep 28, 2013 | Books, Changing Tracks, Secret Cravings Publishing, WeWriWa, Writing

Welcome back to the Weekend Writing Warriors!

Book 3 of my Dominion Falls Series released this week over at Secret Cravings Publishing. But today, I’m keeping you all intrigued with the beginning of the series [amazon_link id=”B00BEMN5SC” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Changing Tracks (The Dominion Falls Series book 1)[/amazon_link].

Cole has stepped in to “help” my wonderful amnesiac with an eidetic memory, Jane Doe. Their moment of flirtation featured last week was interrupted by the wealthiest man in town, Jackson Krenshaw. Cole rather despises the man and doesn’t appreciate Jackson’s offer of “a proposal” to help Jane out. He uses his own brand of wit to counter the insults from Jackson:

After another step toward Jackson, Cole snarled, “I told you she ain’t interested.”

“Oh, really? You don’t even know what my proposition is and neither does she. Don’t worry, you don’t have to wrap your little brain around it, Cole, just let me handle things. You are beneath her, I’ve heard how smart she is.”

“I ain’t beneath her yet. That’ll come and so will she.” Cole grinned at the twist of disgust on Jackson’s face.

*Creative editing was used to make this fit in the 8.

*~*

Did you like this sample, too? You can pick up the whole series now!!

*~*

*~*

*~*
Head back on over to the Weekend Writing Warriors to read many more wonderful offerings!

Saturday Spotlight: Mary Marvella

by Sarah | Sep 27, 2013 | Guest Authors, Saturday Spotlight, Writing

At this very moment I am sitting in a session at DragonCon, a sci-fi, fantasy, horror, paranormal fan conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Thousands of fans fill five hotels and over flow into the streets. Many of them look like their favorite movie, television, or comic book characters. I will spend my day in the Writer’s Track where I can soak in more information about writing and selling.

I started writing seriously in 1991 after I left teaching. Since I am a storyteller who loves reading, I decided to make my stories available to the reading public. Well, telling stories and writing them are 2 different things. New York publishers did not beg to buy my books. No agents insisted they represent me. Not one small press pleaded with me for my book.

Being a stubborn person, I decided to do it myself. I have self-published 2 novellas and 3 novels. As of October I became an editor for a small publisher where I can say yes to books I love that other publishers didn’t feel were ready. I can help authors polish those books and get them ready for the public to enjoy.

AND I finally contracted my first novel Protective Instincts. That story has been through so many edits and incarnations, I barely recognize it myself. After years I managed to cut out the VERY purple prose and modernize it.

| [amazon_link id=”B00EGE93CC” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |

Blurb:

They met because he had premonitions and she was in peril. But you will never believe why they fell in love. Paranormal romance at its best.

After mourning the loss of her husband, Brit Roberts manages to pick up her life as a teacher for a rural Georgia High school. Things are fine until anonymous phone calls turn creepy and her life is endangered. It’s not until Sam Samuels, shows up to check on her that she finds a little peace, if not a slight attraction to the handsome yet meddling security specialist.

Sam Samuels isn’t just the father of one of Ms. Robert’s students, he’s a man with premonitions so strong, they make him ill. So when he meets his son’s teacher and pain kicks in, he knows something’s awry but can’t put his finger on it until he interrupts an attempt to rape and kill the teacher.

Excerpt:

Sam rubbed his five o’clock stubble, then started on his second page of meticulous notes. His cramped handwriting made his eyes hurt. He shouldn’t have left his reading glasses in the truck.

Clicking heels on wood distracted him. The wearer sounded small but business-like, in a hurry. He glanced in the direction of the feminine sound. The lady wore navy hose and a navy skirt. He smiled and nodded at Ms. Roberts as she passed him on her way to the parking lot. “Good evening,” he said to her back as she barely slowed her exit, leaving a light floral scent to wrap around him.

Her impersonal nod toward him could have been meant for anyone. “And a good evening to you, too,” he muttered to the closing door. Typical for her. She wasn’t the friendliest woman he’d ever met. Most women at least gave him a smile when he spoke to them.

Gut pain bent him almost double. He glanced around the deserted hall. Familiar pressure built in his head. A premonition attack was coming on. Why now? Why when his son’s teacher had passed by? He didn’t need an attack now. He hurried to the school parking lot to catch up with the cause of his discomfort. He’d finish his figures later.

Sam had figured he’d probably see Ms. Roberts here sometime before he left, but he hadn’t planned to do more than nod to her as he always did. She was attractive but standoffish. Sean had mentioned she was a widow. Maybe that was why she seldom smiled.

His mama’s training in the ways of a gentleman prodded him toward her and the old Mustang. He’d follow her tonight. He had no choice. Maybe this premonitions was about car trouble. Probably. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d rescued someone from being stranded.

She whirled around to face him, annoyance in her expression. “Are you following me?” Sounded like an accusation.

“I’m Sean Samuels’ father.”

“I know, but why are you here at my car? Isn’t that your truck, over there?” She tilted her head toward his truck.

“Sean’s always talking about your Mustang, ’65?”

“’64 1/2.”

I had a ‘66 way back when.” He ran his hand along the back fender. “Restoring it?” He pointed to sanded areas.

Her raised eyebrow made him feel like he was intruding. Too damned bad, it couldn’t be helped. The hairs on the back of his neck were still at alert. “Does it run well?”

“Two-eighty-nine, high performance engine, four-barrel carburetor, automatic. I never drive above 85 mph.” Despite the way she seemed to parrot the response, a smile played on her lips.

Sam’s hands gravitated to his pockets as he resisted the urge to reach for her keys and unlock her door. Standing close enough to share body heat and inhale her subtle wild flower fragrance, he noticed she barely came up to his shoulder, even with her heels.

Pain lanced through Sam’s head. His physical manifestations were stronger. If only he could get an idea about the source of the danger. But then he’d have to work on using the pesky gift he hadn’t wanted, one he couldn’t ignore.

He couldn’t let her leave alone to face the unnamed threat. She’d think he’d lost his freakin’ mind if he told her he sensed she was in danger.