We’re finishing up a holiday weekend here, though I think I did as much work this weekend as if there wasn’t an extra day off. But it was necessary, and I’m glad it’s done. I had a lot of mulch delivered to the boys’ midweek, and then spent Saturday and Sunday mulching flower beds around the house and planting a few things as well. We had a hard time guesstimating the amount of mulch we needed, so we wound up with extra, so the good news is we won’t need to mulch next year. And the new flowers look good, plus they’re all perennials, so they’ll come back in the spring. The only thing I still want to do is take some of the tiger lilies from my garden up and plant them there–my aunt gave them to me eons ago when we lived at our old house, and I moved them here when we bought this house, so I think it’s only fitting that some of them should go home again. I’ll do that later this month, I think, when I have a couple vacation days scheduled. Then we can put the gardens there to bed for the season.
I have a couple of other things to look forward to this month. First up is this:
I’m taking part in this awesome event! Here are the official details:
Calling all readers! Have you read all your beach reads over the summer and looking for new books to dive into this month? We’re celebrating books from all genres at N. N. Light’s Book Heaven’s third annual Fall Into These Great Reads Bookathon. 47 books featured plus a chance to win one of the following:
Enter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
Enter to win a $50 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
Enter to win a $25 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
Enter to win a $15 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
Enter to win a $10 Amazon (US) or Barnes and Noble Gift Card
I’m thrilled to be a part of this event. My book, Light the Way Home, will be featured on September 23, 2020. Wait until you read what inspired to write my featured book plus what I love about Fall/Autumn. You won’t want to miss it.
Bookmark this event and tell your friends: www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/bookpromos/categories/fall-into-these-great-reads
The other thing I am excited about this month is an accountability challenge I joined. This has been a rough year, not just for me, but for a lot of other people with goals to meet and little enthusiasm for working on them with all of the stress that abounds right now. This invitation came at a perfect time for me, and I am working on revisions on the first of my shifter books this month for the challenge. I have to say, I’m actually making pretty good progress so far, and I intend to keep it that way.
On that note, I have a little snippet from that book for you…
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Amy stuck her head around the office door about two-thirty. “Knock, knock. I’ve brought you a visitor.”
Tessa’s breath caught and her burgeoning smile froze as Harley strolled into the room. “Hi,” she managed.
He smiled and dropped into one of the chairs in front of her desk. “How’s your day going?”
“O-okay.” She sat back in her chair, taking a slow breath.
“I have some news to share with you.” His smile faded a little.
She tipped her head to one side. “What news?”
“Dad sent me, actually. The break-in at your house was done by members of the local coyote pack.”
Tessa frowned. “What?”
“Coyotes. They’re unhappy with our family, and they targeted you.”
She watched him for a moment as she pondered his claim. “Why would they do that?”
He shrugged. “You’re like family. Dad wants you to stay at the compound until he can make sure things are settled.”
Tessa stared over her desk at Harley. “Absolutely not.”
His jaw clenched. “It’s for your safety, Tessa.”
“I have my own home, and, thanks to you, a shiny new alarm system to keep me safe.”
“That alarm isn’t designed for this sort of thing. It’s really mostly to frighten away any casual thief, or to let you know when there’s trouble so you can call for help. But, Tessa, that help isn’t instantaneous. It takes more than a few minutes for us to get to you, and longer for the police, depending on where in the county they’re patrolling when the call comes in.” A muscle in his jaw ticked. “The coyotes aren’t going to be frightened by your alarm system. By the time anyone gets to you, they could have hurt you or worse.”
“I appreciate your concern, Harley,” she said, keeping her tone even, which was a challenge since she was now as annoyed as he was. “But I’m not defenseless, and anybody who tries to put his hands on me won’t go away unmarked.”
He growled. “I think you’re underestimating just how determined they are.”
“I’m not going to change my mind. Staying at the compound is unnecessary.”
He was silent for a moment, his golden eyes narrowed. “Fine. Then you’re getting a babysitter.”
“Oh, for Gods’ sakes.” She shot to her feet. “I am not a child, Harley, and you are not my father.”
A grim smile curved his lips as he pushed to his own feet. “Good thing, or you’d be over my knee.”
Tessa’s heart beat faster at that idea, and heat burned her cheeks.
Harley’s expression shifted to something dangerous. Predatory.
Her mouth went dry. “You need to leave now, Harley.”
He shook his head. “No. While I am not your father, mine has given this order. If you won’t stay at the house, someone will escort you everywhere.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Boyd? Are you kidding?”
“I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”
“You can’t sit here all day. I’m at work. Nothing is going to happen to me here. And you need to be at your own job.”
He just lifted one eyebrow and sank further into the chair.
“Insanity.” Tessa picked up the phone from her desk and punched in the number to the Wentworths’ office–she called India often enough to know the number by heart. “Yes, Boyd Wentworth, please.”
Harley was grinning when she glanced over again, resting one ankle on his other knee.
“It isn’t funny, Harley. I’m not a child, and I do not need–”
“You’re holding for Mr. Wentworth?”
“Yes, I–”
“I’m sorry, he’s offsite in meetings the rest of the day. Could someone else help you? Harley, maybe?”
“No, he can’t.”
“Could I take a message then?”
“Yes, please tell him Tessa Gardiner called and it’s important that he call me back immediately.”
Harley snickered, and she shot him another glare.
“I’ll make sure he gets the message.”
Tessa put the phone down far more gently than she’d have liked, and then took a deep breath. Unbelievable.
“I could’ve told you Dad’s out of the office.”
A painful throb pulsed in her head, and she closed her eyes for a second. “Shut up, Harley,” she ground out.
To her surprise, he did, though the obnoxious, know-it-all grin didn’t fade.
“I do not need a babysitter. I especially do not need a babysitter when I’m at work.” She let out a frustrated little huff of breath.
“You persuade Dad of that, and I’ll be happy to go.”
She thought her head might explode. “I’d be happy to do that, if I could reach him.”
“Then I guess you’re stuck with me.” He sounded far too cheerful.
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What are you doing this week? Taking the holiday to relax or get chores done? Or working, working, working? Reading?
Light the Way Home is available at your favorite booksellers, in case you need something new to keep you busy this week. Hope you all have a great week!