I’m late! I’m so sorry. Ever since I walked away from social media this morning, I’ve been embroiled in the drama of housework and laundry.
I found a few minutes though so, here I am, finally doing my snippet.
City as a setting. I have several different cities in my books, but I’m having to think a lot about this theme. I don’t use cities very much and there’s not as much that happens outside as inside in my stories, but the one that sticks out most for me at this moment is Melting Jane. Jane and her best friend/business partner Edward, share loft space in downtown Denver. The urban setting makes impromptu morning shopping easy and accessible and for Jane, this isn’t always a good thing where Edward is concerned…
Snippet 1:
“He drove all the way into the city, and he left just like that?” Edward questioned. He drained the rest of his latte and carefully wiped his mouth. Jane wanted to slug him for always being neat and tidy and so put together when half the time, she was less than all that.
“Yep.” What the hell was up with that? All because she told him to go? He didn’t have to give up so easily.
She really was better off that he did go, she knew that. There were just too many complications that came with being involved with a man like him. Life would be simpler without the want, the lust, the sheer hunger to crawl naked all over him.
If he had stayed, would she have given in? Of course she would have. She huffed out a frustrated sigh. She needed to shed the leftover shit from her relationship with Phillip. More than anything, reminders lingering in the house weren’t helping her move on. What was that thing about writing a letter and then burning it being somehow cathartic? Would the same hold true if she burned all the stuff he’d left at her door? Most of it was what she’d given him as gifts, so perhaps that would count as sort of her “letter.”
Indecision gnawed at her. Might be worth a shot. She didn’t want to hold on to someone that had walked away without a backward glance. She didn’t want to hold on to someone she had proved to herself she could live without, even if she had done so while consuming untold pounds of chocolate.
“Hey.” Edward snapped his fingers in front of her face. She blinked and focused on him.
“What?”
“Where’d you go? I was talking to you and you zoned out on me.”
“I’m tired,” she lied. “You know I don’t get up until the sun is high overhead.”
“Time to get over that. C’mon, finish up.”
“It’s illegal to be this perky this early.” Jane lowered her head to the table. “I don’t want to go shopping.”
“Liar.”
“Am not,” she whined. “You said we were going out for breakfast and coffee.”
“And we did. Now, I want to go shopping and don’t want to go alone, so you’re going with me.”
“What about your date from last night. Why not call him to go with you?”
“Because he’s the reason I’m going shopping.”
Edward usually didn’t need a reason to add to his wardrobe, but this was kind of interesting. “Are you ever going to tell me about this guy?”
“Are you ever going to stop moping around the apartment?”
Oh that was low. He was right, but still a low blow. “I’m not moping at the apartment right now.”
“No, you’re moping in this lovely little café.”
“I wouldn’t have to if you hadn’t promised me espresso drinks and pastries I don’t have to make.”
“I’m a sneaky bitch.” Edward winked at her and Jane couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up but she did her best to cover it up with a sip of espresso. Straight, unsweetened, smooth, rich espresso. If that didn’t wake her up, nothing would.
“That you are.” She took a big gulp of air and let it out in a huff. “Two stores. No more and if you don’t find what you’re looking for, tough.”
“Four stores and I’ll buy you lunch.”
“Three stores and you buy me lunch anyway.”
“Deal. And you have to try on this hot little black dress I saw yesterday.”
“No deal on that. I don’t need a little black dress, hot or not. I don’t want any new clothes. You can’t tempt me with them.”
“Again with the lies.” Edward shook his head. “Jane honey, you do need that dress and you do need new clothes.”
“Can we just go and get this over with? I want to get back to my sweat suit before it thinks I don’t love it anymore.”
“I’m going to burn it when we get back.”
Jane got up and set the pretty cup and dessert sized plate on the counter. “You’ll do no such thing.
“You’re right. I won’t. At least not the gray one. That one I tossed it in with the trash this morning when we left,” Edward said in his sing-song voice as he pushed the door open and walked outside. Jane was speechless. Momentarily so before she went chasing after him.
“You did what?” she asked, out of breath from jogging to catch up.
“I stuffed it in the trash bag while you were in the shower.” Edward paused outside his favorite kitchen store. “Do you want to go in? We could use a few more silicone spatulas.”
“Don’t change the subject. Why would you throw out my sweat suit?” Edward pushed open the door to the store and disappeared inside. He kept walking away. Did he think she wouldn’t kick him in the shin if they were in a crowded place? “And stop trying to get away from me,” she hissed.
“I’m not trying to get away from you. We need spatulas.”
Snippet 2:
“Will that be all?” the clerk asked her. Jane was quick to hand the dress over and nodded.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“No?”
“No, we’ll take these, too.” Edward placed a knee high pair of black boots on the counter. They were beautiful, elegant. Lace up the front, a short curved heel. She loved them immediately.
“Edward, really,” she whispered heatedly, ignoring the curious glance from the young woman behind the counter.
“These will be all.”
“Wonderful.”
Jane knew when she was beat. She walked away, all the way out the door, letting Edward do what he did best. Have his way.
The air was crisp, cold, tolerable. She liked the dry air, was happy there was no wind and that it wasn’t snowing. “Well, this has been a huge success.”
Jane turned to Edward as he joined her on the sidewalk. “What has?”
“Shopping.”
“Ah yes.” She started walking. “Where are your purchases for your man?”
“Oh I got them the other day.”
“Meaning this was all a ploy again, a set up.”
“I didn’t set you up with anyone other than me. I thought a morning out would be a nice change.”
“I don’t like that you’ve taken to lying to me.”
“If you liked the truth, I wouldn’t have to. Do you want to see him again?”
“Yes.”
“I have his number.”
“No, thanks. I said I want to, not that I’m going to. It’s pointless.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I love your optimism.” They walked in silence for a couple of blocks. The sun reflected off the glass of the high rise office buildings and coffee shops along the streets were full of customers. There was energy on the streets of Denver in the mornings, really at all hours of the day and sometimes into the nights. “I’ve missed this,” she admitted, when they stopped at a corner waiting for the street crossing signal.
“I know. You’re not meant to be holed up inside for months at a time like you have been.”
“No. I’m not. I like getting out. I like being around people.”
“You just needed a push.”
“More like a kidnapping.”
“I didn’t kidnap you, but the thought did cross my mind once or twice.” They reached for one anothers hands at the same time, clasping fingers tightly.
“I get it. I’ll try to get out more.”
“With Graham?”
“I doubt I’ll be hearing from him again. I threw him out last night.”
“He doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who gives up all that easily.”
“Maybe not, but I’m sure he isn’t used to having a door slammed in his face.”
“True. Let’s hope he surprises you and comes back.”
“You know I don’t like surprises.”
Edward laughed and opened the door to their building, ushering her inside. “I know, but he doesn’t.”
Please take sometime today over a nice cup of tea, coffee, cocoa and take a gander at some of the following blogs for their snippets:
Leah Braemel
~lissa
Great excerpt!!