Friday, February 27, 2015

Shattered Pieces #Book Tour

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Book Title: Shattered Pieces Author: Doris H. Dancy
Genre: Christian Fiction Romance Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-10: 1503011208 ISBN-13: 978-1503011205




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 Professionally Yours Doris H. Dancy is an accomplished and award-winning educator, speaker, writing consultant, editor, and playwright. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, and author. Her life’s focus has been educating our youth in an appreciation of both the written and spoken word. She received her BA Degree in English from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina and began a teaching career in both English and Spanish. She was graduated from Hampton University with a MA in English Education and eventually became Chairperson of the English Department, English Teacher Specialist, and later Supervisor of English K-12 for Hampton City Public Schools. Teaching and supervising were both rewarding careers, and each taught her a different level and focus of professionalism and commitment. As the Supervisor, along with many other responsibilities, she developed and provided staff development for a writing program that guaranteed student achievement. This step-by-step process is easy for students of all ages to grasp and move toward successful writing. The program continually proved itself through extremely high and consistent state Standard of Learning Tests scores. Throughout Mrs. Dancy’s life, she has found many favorable outcomes in a variety of endeavors. One of her greatest rewards has been seeing the tremendous success of so many of her students, and she has received numerous awards for excellence in educating, some of which are The Virginia Outstanding Teacher of English, The National Award for Building Successful Readers, The Governor’s School Outstanding Educator’s Award from the University of Richmond, and International Book Award Finalist for Jagged Edges. Mrs. Dancy resides in Yorktown, Virginia.



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 Most people who have known Zackary Tyler Belford for any length of time see nothing more for him than a path leading to destruction. Not even his handsome face, a Harvard Law degree, or limitless wealth can bypass the shattered heart and broken soul of the man-child still held captive by the abuse, accusations, and mistreatment he experienced as a child. Breaking hearts and taking numbers is his MO… a dangerous game of cat and mouse that could very well be his demise. As his life spirals out of control, Zack desperately seeks something to grab…to cling to…as he struggles hopelessly to avoid an inevitable fall…but will he find what he needs in time?



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Tour Hosted by Write Now Literary VBT www.wnlbooktours.com

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

#Book Tour - Born 2 Be Different



Book Title: Born 2 Be Different: Empowering Stories by Young Women 
Who Overcame the Odds of the World to Make a Kingdom Impact
Genre: Christian/Youth/Inspiration
Release Date: February 15th 2014
Print Length: 115 pages
Publisher: LaToya Gay (February 14, 2015)
ASIN: B00TFXLE26




LaToya Gay is the founder of VirtuallyNSync, LLC, (founded in November 2012) previously known as a resource for VA’s and Work at Home Moms but recently changed the direction of her career and is now considered a virtual resource center for young women under the ages of 30 years old. LaToya has now stepped out of her comfort zone from previously running a successful virtual assistant team to now becoming a youth empowerment speaker and mentor to young women around the globe. With her newest book series Born 2 Be Different releasing in 2015, she wants young women who are dealing with low self-worth and self-esteem to understand that they are not alone. After having several health issues with her last pregnancy in 2009 and with the support of her husband of 5 years she was able to leave her full time job and become a full time stay at home mother. This was definitely a huge decision for their family and a journey that challenged LaToya to launch out into the deep. LaToya is very passionate about helping young women push through their doubts and chase after their dreams by accepting the purpose for their life and realizing that they were created to stand out from the crowd and live life differently. In addition to launching her business, she was able to start her own full service Christian virtual assistant team which served over 23 clients nationwide. She has been featured in an interview with Tamyka Washington of Marketing her Way, Nominated for “Woman of the Year” with WERock Awards, Nominated for “Leading mom in business” with StartUpNation and featured in an interview with Leslie Truex of Work at Home Success. LaToya is on fire for Christ and as a licensed and ordained minister, has made it her personal mission to help young women Be,Live and Do Life Differently while making a Kingdom Impact. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, singing and whatever the future holds for her and her family.





7 women OVER 30. (Paving the Way) 7 women UNDER 30. (Setting the Record Straight) What do each of these 14 women have in common? They each have a powerful story of how they OVERCAME the odds of the WORLD to make a KINGDOM impact. Each woman has a different yet powerful testimony that will allow young women to understand that they are NOT alone. We have all been through disappointments, struggles, pain, hurt and so many setback in life. However, it is these very setbacks and “tests” that help us grow and accept that we were called to stand out, be different and make a difference in God’s Kingdom. As young women, we often have low self-esteem, low self-worth and have accepted the LIE that we will NEVER overcome our failures, our past and our pain. This is NOT TRUE! You are beautiful, You are different and you were born 2 be different! Born 2 Be Different is a 4 part book series that targets young women and men under the ages of 30 years old. Our first book is set to launch in February 2015 and is dedicated to every young girl across
the nation.











Sunday, February 22, 2015

Soundtrack Reveal and #SampleSunday - Home

Happy Sunday!! Today I'm revealing the soundtrack and sharing a short sample from Home, which is available for pre-order. CLICK HERE to pre-order your copy. Price increases on 3/2/15.







Soundtrack:

“Again” John Legend
“The Beginning…” John Legend
“Coming Home” John Legend
“Good Morning” John Legend
“Green Light” John Legend
“Comin’ From Where I’m From” Anthony Hamilton
“Hard Times” John Legend & The Roots
“Used To Love U” John Legend
“Dreams” John Legend
“Life Has a Way” Anthony Hamilton
“Better Days” Anthony Hamilton
“Another Again” John Legend
“Blame Me” Jaheim
“Baby Girl” Anthony Hamilton
“The Truth” Anthony Hamilton
“Sista Big Bones” Anthony Hamilton
“Since I Seen't You” Anthony Hamilton
“Just Don't Have A Clue” Jaheim
“Caught Up” John Legend
“So Gone” John Legend
“The News” Anthony Hamilton
“Matter of Time” Kem
“Why” Anthony Hamilton
“Hard to Breathe” Anthony Hamilton
“Everybody Knows” John Legend
“Satisfaction” John Legend
“Each Day Gets Better” John Legend
“Send it On” D’angelo
“Show Me” John Legend
“Save Room” John Legend








Excerpt:


Prologue
Mrs. Roundtree was my sixth grade teacher. Now, one thing you need to know about a twelve-year-old boy: anything can translate into sex. With Mrs. Roundtree, it was her smile. She had the sexiest smile. I don’t think Mrs. Roundtree meant to be sexy. She just was. She had a talent for making everyone feel special with her smile. But to me, her smile said, “I want you, Ivan.” I spent my days fantasizing about what it would be like to touch Mrs. Roundtree’s legs. She always wore skirts and dresses and those soft, full legs mesmerized me. I wanted to taste those full lips of hers, too.
Once, I won a school-wide spelling bee, and Mrs. Roundtree hugged me. I dreamt about her soft body from that day forward. She hugged me again when I lost at district. See, she did care. When the school year was over, she kissed me on the cheek for being such a good student.
She was smart, too. She interjected a little black history into every lesson, whether it was math, English, or science. She taught me that black people could be whatever they wanted to be.
I never forgot Mrs. Roundtree or her mind or her body.  She became the perfect model of a woman for me. A brown goddess with a good mind, a nice smile, nice legs, wide hips, and full breasts. She made me fall in love with women, brown women to be exact. So I think Mrs. Roundtree is to blame for me being the way I am. Yeah, it all started with her.

Pre-order your copy today!!

Friday, February 20, 2015

Author Interview - LaToya Murchison


Today, I'm interviewing the lovely, LaToya Murchison. She has a wonderful spirit and I hope you'll enjoy learning about her and her book!!


Author LaToya Murchison

"Writing allowed me to speak freely without any restraints." 


AT: Where are you from? Where do you live now?
LM: I was born and raised in Southern Pines, NC which is where I still live now. 

AT:  Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
LM: Yes as a child I always kept a journal of what I felt and experienced every day. Writing has always been therapeutic to me because they were my own personal thoughts that I did not have to share with anyone.  Writing allowed me to speak freely without any restraints. 

AT: I feel the same way about writing. When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
LM: My passion for writing grew during a high school English class were I started writing poetry. I found writing allowed me to be creative and discovered my interest in becoming a published author. I published my first book on November 21, 2014.

AT: Well hello, fellow poet! How did you choose the genre you write in?
LM: Inspiring and helping other has always been my passion and I believe it to be the purpose God has for my life.  What better way to inspire others then share the word of God with them?

AT: Amen! Where do you get your ideas?
LM: I get my writing ideas from listening to others and I write from personal experience. I believe that when you write from experience it allows you to connect more with your readers.

AT: I agree! Name one book that you would categorize as a life changing read.
LM: The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? By Rick Warren. I have to say that much of it certainly is motivating, moving and helpful. I believe that – If applied correctly the principles presented in this book can definitely be life-changing.

AT: Wonderful choice! Who is your favorite author?
LM: I love to read various others but some of my favorites are: Eric Jerome Dickey, Terry McMillan, Maya Angelou, Carl Weber, Leah-Hill McNair, Stormie Omartian, Adam Houge, Joyce Meyers, and Elizabeth George.  If I had to choose just one of them it would be Maya Angelou because I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the first book I read in high school. She was an awesome writer and her stories dealt with real life issues.

AT: Name one book you wish you’d written.
LM: I wish I had written I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings because it touches the hearts of everyone that reads it. It shows us the importance of loving ourselves, accepting the kindness of other and why we must always hold on to our faith.

AT: Yes, it is a wonderful book. Now, tell us about your latest book.



LM: 

Here's an excerpt from my book, A Praying Heart, which is a prayer journal: 

Prayer is one of the simplest ways to praise and worship God with your whole heart. When you are in prayer, you surrender yourself: mind, body, and soul. Prayer should never be vain repetitions because you feel it is something you are required to do.  Praying to God does not require a lot of words, and you should allow your heart and the spirit of God to lead you.

Personal prayer should be done in secret and remain between you and God. Prayer can take place anywhere, even during those times when you cannot speak it out loud. Developing your prayer life opens up the door for God to speak into any situation. It is my prayer that as you read this prayer journal each day, it will restore your faith in the power of praying to God.

Get your copy today!!
KINDLE AND PAPERBACK
BARNES AND NOBLE


AT: Love the excerpt! How can readers connect with you?
LM: 
Author Website: http://www.latoyamurchison.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/latoyamwrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaToyaauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/authorlatoyam
Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorlatoyam
Blogger: http://authorlatoyamurchison.blogspot.com
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/latoyamurchison


AT: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
LM: To all the aspiring authors I would say never stop writing and never give up on your dreams. It’s important to write from the heart and not just about what you feel others expect. A great writer also knows their audience.  Connect with other writers who can help guide you and that will share their experiences with you.


AT: Great advice!! Thanks for sharing with us, LaToya!!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Author Interview and #Giveaway - Faith Simone



"...God is my inspiration and it seems natural to use the gift He’s given me to help draw people closer to Him."




AT: Where are you from? Where do you live now?
FS: I was born in Mound Bayou, MS, raised in Long Beach, CA and for the last year I’ve lived in Memphis, TN.

AT: Cool! Memphis is one of my favorite places! Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
FS: Yes, I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 10 years old. Unfortunately, I let doubts about making a living writing keep me from pursuing a career as an author until now. 

AT: When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
FS: I first started writing ‘When the Real Thing Comes Along’ in my early twenties (about a decade ago!) and I picked it back up a little over a year ago. The rewrites, revisions, and editing process was a doozy, but I made it through. Jacelynn, Taylor and Jason’s story would just call out to me, wanting to be finished and told with grace. So I finally gave in!

AT: Wow, that was a long journey with that book! How did you choose the genre you write in?
FS: I decided to write my first novel because I was tired of reading subpar Christian fiction. I would finish a book in that genre and think, “I could do so much better than that!” Yeah, I had an ego on me when I was younger, lol. I really wanted to create quality realistic faith based fiction. Life is messy, even when you have faith. Maybe even especially when you have faith. I want to portray that in my writing.

I also chose to write in this genre because God is my inspiration and it seems natural to use the gift He’s given me to help draw people closer to Him.

AT: I love it!! Where do you get your ideas?
FT: I get a lot of my ideas from current events, watching movies and simply observing life. It’s really true that the truth is often better than fiction!

AT: That's very true! Name one book that you would categorize as a life changing read.
FS: “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou. From the opening line, “What you looking at me for? I didn’t come to stay,” until the last page, that book captivates me every time I read it. I’m also blessed to have received an autographed copy of the book from Dr. Angelou herself. It’s one of my prize possessions!

AT: Wow! I'm jealous!! So, who is your favorite author?
FS: I’ll give you two guesses, although you’ll probably only need one. Yep, my favorite author is Maya Angelou.

AT: Lol, not surprised at all. Please name one book you wish you’d written.
FS: Mmmhhh… that’s a difficult question. I’m not in the habit of coveting another writer’s style or work. So I can’t say that there’s a book that I wish I’d written. I will say that there’s a book that I love that I would like to emulate: ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott. It’s such a timeless story about family, loyalty and sisterhood. I’d love to one day write a book that people can relate to for centuries like that.

AT: I hear you! Tell us about your latest book.
FS: ‘When the Real Thing Comes Along’ is book about imperfect people who make mistakes and have regrets. It’s a realistic look at forgiveness and grace. If you’ve ever loved and lost, you’ll identify with the struggle to move on and thrive again. I’d like for readers to walk away understanding that being a person of faith doesn’t mean being perfect. I’d also like for them to have a better understanding of how deeply God loves his beautifully flawed children!





Blurb:

 She loved and lost…Will faith give her the courage she needs to love again?
Jacelynn appears to have it all together: a great relationship with her boyfriend Jason who is truly a man after God’s own heart, a decent career and the love of family and friends. But when an unwelcome reminder from her past shows up, her previously uncomplicated world is turned upside down.  Will she jeopardize what she has with Jason in an attempt to rewrite the mistakes of her past?  
They say you never forget your first love, no matter how hard you try. So far, Jacelynn has done a pretty good job of forgetting Taylor, the boy who had her heart first. When Taylor returns several years later as a man requesting a second chance, what’s a girl to do…Especially when she already has a new man?

The hidden issues of Jacelynn’s heart come to light and she’s forced take a hard look in the mirror while making choices that will change her future forever. Will she be able to reconcile who she was then, with who she is in Christ now? 

Living and loving in faith isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. That’s what happens…
When the Real Thing Comes Along


Excerpt:

My eyes were wide open the night I invited Taylor into my life. It was at the end of one of those parties that starts out with what seems like hundreds of people, but turns mellow before midnight. I was ready to go but my best friend, Kim, wasn’t. She was trying to finalize the hook up with a guy from her history class. Meanwhile, I was waiting on a ratty couch in the dark living room with a guy I knew I would never see again, wishing that I was at home watching Lifetime movies. That’s when I saw him.

He walked past me through the sliding glass doors into the backyard. Something about the gracefulness of his long strides, made me get up and follow him while the guy on the couch was still running his mouth.

The sound of Usher singing about how to tell if you got it bad muffled to a slow thumping bass as I closed the patio doors behind me. I waved away the sweet smell of weed as I stepped around a few people smoking and lounging on the mismatched patio furniture.

I trailed him across the large backyard where the only sound was the loud swishing of the dozen or so palm trees waltzing in the fall winds. Both of our steps were silent in the soft mushy grass. I felt strange following him without saying anything, but I wanted him to sense me behind him. I wanted to know if the crazy magnetism I was feeling was working on him too. But there was a different force drawing him that night. One that I would contend with at a later time, in another place, with a lot more to lose.

Buy via Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00SRRKTPY

AT:  Sounds so good!! I'm adding it to my TBR list ASAP!! How can readers connect with you?
FS: Website: FaithSimone.com
Twitter: @Faithsimone2011
Facebook: Author Faith Simone
Goodreads:  Faith Simone

AT: Awesome! What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
FS: Start now! Don’t wait until you feel good enough, or experienced enough or until the stars all align. If you want to be a writer then write. It’s that simple. Study the craft, learn all you can, but when it comes down to it put your butt in a chair and write. 



Giveaway:




Faith is giving away Three (3) Amazon Gift Cards! 
Click on the rafflecopter giveaway button to enter!




Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Cupid's Error #Book Blast and #Giveaway

BANNER 


 Contest Giveaway: Author is offering one winner a Cupid’s Error Goodie Package. Enter contest below.


 Author: Joy Avery 
 Publication Date: January 19, 2015 
 Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Paperback: 96 pages 
ISBN-10: 1507679599 
ISBN-13: 978-1507679593 
Age Group For Book: 18+ 


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 Joy Avery is the author of the novels Smoke in the Citi, His Until Sunrise: an Indigo Falls romance, and Cupid’s Error: a novella. She is a North Carolina native with a passion for penning contemporary romances. When not crafting love stories, she enjoys reading, cake decorating, and spending time with her family—which includes a husband, a child, and two dogs. Joy is a member of Romance Writers of America and Heart of Carolina Romance Writers.



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 Staffing agency owner Danica James is determined not to spend another Valentine’s Day alone. But purchasing a man for the evening? Out of the question. Then her best friend intervenes—gifting her a night of dinner and dancing with a Cupid’s Arrow escort. What could be the harm? Though Cupid’s Arrow is known for matches made in heaven, she’s not looking for a love connection. Then she meets her Cupid’s Fellow and everything changes. Business mogul Weston Henshaw doesn’t need Cupid’s Arrow to get a Valentine’s Day companion, but Cupid’s Arrow needs him. Seems his sister’s charity event has done far better than anticipated. Only problem…a shortage of eligible bachelors to pamper all of the lonely hearts. When he agrees to be bait for an evening, he never imagines meeting the one woman who makes him wish the night would never end. An error by Cupid’s places Danica and Weston on a road to destiny, but will they maintain the course? 



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Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author Joy Avery and is hosted and managed by Paulette from Write Now Literary Book Tours. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Paulette @ pharperjohnson@gmail.com

Monday, February 16, 2015

HOME Cover Reveal

Greetings, all!! You know, I love March. Not just because it's my birth month or because I love to watch the March Madness College Basketball Tournament, but because I am releasing my next book on March 2nd!! Here's the cover, with artwork once again created by my daughter. Check it out!!





"Home is a home run!" — Author Barbara Joe Williams


About the book:
Home by Adrienne Thompson
Genre: African American Fiction/Edgy Inspirational Fiction
Release Date: 3/2/15
Now available for pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TNPEAOA




Blurb:

For the ladies’ man Ivan Spencer, there really is no place like HOME.

A family emergency brings former rapper and current real estate mogul, Ivan Spencer, back to his long-abandoned hometown. While there, he must deal with his confused mother, his elderly, philandering father, his flaky sister, an unreliable aunt, and a face from the past who makes him question some of his earlier decisions. All he wants to do is to get things squared away and return to his life, but as it turns out, he must deal with his own issues first.




Excerpt: 


I had just sat down to drink my coffee when Daddy walked into the kitchen wearing a dingy white t-shirt and faded, striped boxers. One look at my daddy and anyone could see why he was so popular with the women. Even at seventy-something, he still had the same smooth, ruddy skin, gray eyes, wavy black hair, and bone structure that made most women swoon. The story had always been that my daddy’s daddy’s daddy was a full-blooded Quapaw Indian. My grandfather could never confirm this fact, because he never knew his father. But looking at my daddy and the features I’d inherited from him, I believed the story was pretty close to the truth.

Daddy sat down at the table with a grunt and a sigh.

“Where you been, Daddy?” I asked.

He looked at me for a second. “Here and there.”

“Mama’s sick. She’s in the hospital.”

“Yeah, I figured something like that was going on when I saw her bed empty. Plus, you here. You don’t come around no more lessin’ it’s something going on.”

I nodded.

I sat there and looked at him and waited for him to show an ounce of concern for the woman who’d borne him two children and been his wife for the past forty-some-odd years. I waited for him to ask about her or something. But he just sat there, grinding his teeth and scratching his head. “Any more hot water? I think I’ma make me some coffee,” he finally said.

He didn’t wait for me to answer. He stood from his chair with another grunt and checked the pot for himself. Then he pulled a coffee mug from the cabinet and started noisily making himself a cup of coffee, huffing and puffing and grunting the whole time. I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. My face was heating up, but I was determined to keep my composure. Daddy wasn’t going to make me lose my cool. Not this time.

“She got a hold of a bottle of laxatives and took all of them,” I said.

“Umph,” he grunted. “She always gettin’ into something.”

I took another deep breath. “Yeah, um, the doctor’s talking about sending her home this afternoon.”

“Umph.”

He sat back down across from me and loudly slurped his coffee. So we sat there in silence except for his slurps.

Slurp…

Slurp…

Slurp…

Finally, I stood from the table. “I’ma go take a shower so I can head on up to the hospital to check on Mama. You wanna ride with me?”

Slurp. “Naw, you go ‘head on. I’ll see her when she come home.” Slurp…

I sighed. “All right, then, Daddy.”


Friday, February 13, 2015

Love After War Release Day Blitz




About the book:

Connie and Drew have been butting heads since they were teenagers. With Connie refusing to talk about anything from their past, Drew has never figured out what made them go from friends to enemies. 

Drew decides to finally get to the root of their lifelong feud when Connie ends up in Texas for a remodeling project. When the truth comes out, it just might bring out some feelings both of them have been refusing to acknowledge for over a decade.


About the Author:



Growing up an introvert, Té Russ found solace in literary arts at an early age. She found reading to be a vehicle to broader horizons and writing a form of self-expression. She began writing love stories in her adolescent years as a way to expel her youthful thoughts of love into words. Since then she has gone from writing stories and thoughts of love in journals to attending college for journalism and falling in love, which has allowed those youthful words of love to blossom into a series of stories in her romance novels. Though she has an immense appreciation for the sheer smell that books collectively exert, she also has found balance to her introverted nature with adrenaline inducing activities. So if she does not have her nose pressed deeply into a book or her pen ticking through a pad, you may also find this mother of three baking some tasty treats, jumping out of airplanes, cheering her husband on at the top of her lungs at MMA fights, buzzing down the interstate on the back of motorcycles, or kayaking.


Books available on Amazon





Excerpt:

“What are we doing here Andrew?” Connie asked, annoyed.
“This is where were having lunch,” he replied simply. “You still eat pizza dont you?”
They were standing in the waiting area of Uno Chicago Grill, simply known as Unos in the area.
It looked a lot like a pizzeria they used to go to as kids in the summer in Galveston. She wondered if hed brought her here on purpose.
“Yes, I still eat pizza but–”
“Great, here comes the hostess to sit us.”
The lady barely looked at Connie; she was so busy eyeballing Drew. And flirting just a tad too much.
“Can I get you anything to drink honey?” she cooed, while brushing her hand up and down his shoulder.
“Constance?”
“What?” she asked, tearing her glare away from the woman.
He tried to hide the smirk on his face. “What would you like to drink?”
“Iced tea. Sweet.”
“Ill have the same thing,” he said, never taking his eyes off of Connie. “Ice tea. Sweet.”
“Im sure its not as sweet as you.”
“Im hardly sweet,” he replied, causing the hostess to laugh a little too hysterically and all but throw herself into Drews lap.
After she was done fawning over him, she sauntered off, with an exaggerated sway of her hips.
Connie couldnt wipe the scowl off of her face and Drew was about to say something when Miss Laughs-a-lot returned.
“Joss will be your waitress today, but if you need anything, dont hesitate to call.”
Connie watched as the woman slipped a piece of paper down in front of him. She rolled her eyes as the woman walked away.
“Unbelievable,” Connie murmured.
“What is?”
“That... woman. She was throwing herself all over you Andrew.”
He shrugged. “I suppose she was a little flirty.”
Connie laughed. “A little flirty? Andrew please! She was two seconds away from giving you a lap dance right in front of me. And she didnt acknowledge me once. It was as if I wasnt even here. For all she knew I could have been your date or girlfriend, but she didnt care.”
“But you do?” Drew asked, with a raised eyebrow.
“Excuse me?”
“Well, youre not my girlfriend. And technically this isnt a date, just lunch. So why do you care if some hostess flirts with me?”
“You are completely incorrigible! Its simply rude of her to flirt with a man in front of lady company. And its just bad customer service to ignore patrons. Besides that, I dont care who flirts with you or whom you flirt with.”
“Ah but thats the thing! I didnt flirt with her. In fact, if I recall, I never took my eyes off of you.”
Connie opened her mouth to argue, but she couldnt because he was right. Drew seemed to have barely to noticed the hostess.
Well–
“If I didnt know any better, Barb, Id say you were jealous.”
He watched as the color rose up her neck and filled her cheeks. “Andrew McAllister, I am not jealous of some floozy hitting on you!”
He chuckled, and then said, “‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks!’”
She scoffed. “Quoting Hamlet does not make you cute.”
“So what does make me cute?” he asked, his voice filled with a hint of intrigue.
Connie threw a napkin at him and he laughed out loud.
Joss, the waitress, showed up then and took their food orders. She was clearly a young girl, probably a college student and was completely enamored with Drew as well. Thankfully, she wasnt shameless like the hostess. The poor girl could barely speak. She kept looking at Connie and stealing glances toward Drew, as if he were the sun and just too bright to look at directly.
Drew ordered for them remembering exactly how Connie liked her pizza.
Another thing from their past, shed thought. But she let it slide this time, because the poor girl nearly knocked over their glasses of iced tea.
“Im so sorry,” she apologized to them both.
“Its all right,” he said to her.
Connie nodded. “Dont worry honey, no harm done.”
The girl scuffled off to put in their orders and Connie couldnt help but laugh.
“The great Andrew McAllister, turning women all over the place into crazed fools.”
“Except you,” he said sarcastically.
If only you knew, she thought.
“Im not the only one causing trouble in here,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.
“What in the world are you talking about?”
“The man sitting at the table behind you, at your five oclock...”
Connie used the excuse of tucking her hair behind her ear to glance over her shoulder and caught a man averting his eyes from their direction.
“Hes been staring at your legs, since you walked past him.”
“What? Thats ridicu–”
“The man at the table behind me, at your two oclock.. .”
He waited for her to glance over his shoulder and then look back at him.
Well,” he said, slightly annoyed, “Lets just say hes been looking a little bit North of your legs, South of your neck.”
She gasped at what he was implying.
“How could you know that?” she asked in a whisper, leaning closer toward him.
“Part of my job is to make sure I know everything going on in my surroundings.”
“Well, I guess you do your job pretty well.”
He shrugged. “Im still alive.

There was something in the tone of his voice when he said those words. If she didnt know any better, she would have thought it sounded like remorse.