Two Weeks, For Real This Time

I was either getting ahead of myself last week, or it was wishful thinking that the booksigning was closer than it was. Haha. It was probably wishful thinking, because I'm ready to go! But for real now, we're less than two weeks away from the eleventh annual A Day (or Two) of Wine, Romance & More event! If you click the graphic above, it will take you to the event site for more details on who, when and where, from the Friday night Meet & Greet, to the signing times on Saturday and Sunday.

I've just finished reorganizing my books for the event, adding in the replenishment stock that arrived this week, and spent some time looking at my list of this year's giveaway baskets to figure out what my contributions will be to them. Aside from picking those up, I just need to get to the salon for a trim, and then the only thing left will be packing my overnight bag and loading the car. I guess thinking I was a week closer to the event than I was might be a good thing, since I'm ahead of schedule right now. Haha. That will be good next weekend when I plan to head up to the boys' to do that yard clean-up I couldn't do the other weekend since there was nowhere to go with the shrub trimmings and weeds; hubby will be taking care of hauling the full bins to the composting site this week, so they'll be empty and ready for me next weekend. Maybe it will feel more like spring again by then. Today started off rainy and now is just windy and cool. We have another freeze warning for tomorrow night, and I'm hoping my lilac will be okay...the flowers have started to bloom. This is why we don't plant anything until after Mother's Day here, because April is all the seasons in one month. Haha.

Since I've finished my event prep for the weekend, that means I have to go back to the weekend chore list, there are still a few things on it. I have apple walnut bread in the bread machine right now, and the house smells really good. Next up will be the last of the laundry and then some dishes while dinner is on the stove, followed by more shredding of old paperwork. Only two more bins of that and then I can put the shredder away until next spring. Haha!

Before I get back to all the fun stuff, I have a quick snippet for you today from Hunting Medusa.

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It was one of those days when having the Medusa’s fabled power to turn people to stone would really come in handy.

Andrea Rosakis did not, however, have that ability, not this week, anyway. Even though she was the reigning Medusa.

She glared at the man on her back porch, wondering if he could ever understand how lucky he was she wasn’t suffering from PMS this week. And why wouldn’t he stop talking? Her fingers itched to slam the door.

“…if you just have five minutes, ma’am,” he concluded.

She narrowed her gaze on the vacuum beside him. “No, thank you.” And how the hell had he found her all the way out here? No one ever bothered to follow her rough, muddy driveway all the way to the top, even if they did ignore the “No Trespassing” signs posted at the foot of it. Not to mention the protective warding she had set at the boundaries of the entire property. Sure, it wasn’t the heavy artillery of protection spells, but no one else had ever gotten past it. This man however, had not only ignored the signs and the subtle “go away” protections, but managed the entire bumpy, muddy track into the woods and halfway up the mountain. Just to hear her say, “No.”

And he didn’t look discouraged. At all.

Andi almost wished she were PMSing this week, though it would be a real pain in the ass to have to get rid of a life-sized stone statue of a vacuum salesman.

Or maybe she could keep it. He was very pretty, even if he annoyed her. He was tall and broad, his inky black hair was a tad too long, and his bright green eyes held her attention. At least as stone, he’d be silent and still pretty. She gave herself a mental shake. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for this—”

“When would be a better time?”

“Never.”

He did blink at that, but his smile never disappeared. “I’ll have to check my calendar.”

She snorted, then clapped her free hand over her mouth. Laughing would not discourage the man. “Look, I’m sure it’s a great vacuum, but I don’t need it. I don’t want to see how it works, and I’d like you to get off my property.”

His smile did fade a little bit. “Well, I suppose, if that’s what you really want.”

She quirked an eyebrow, trying not to smile again. He had the faintest hint of an accent, but she couldn’t place it. Not without hearing him talk some more, and she didn’t want to encourage that either, or he’d just keep trying to sell her an expensive vacuum she didn’t need.

“Maybe I could talk you into meeting me for coffee sometime then,” he said.

Her jaw dropped. The cute salesman was hitting on her. For half a second, she indulged the fantasy of a date with the hunk. A real date, maybe ending with a real kiss. Her pulse quickened. Then she remembered one good date led to more, and eventually, it led to guys running away from her, gibbering like idiots when PMS struck. She shut her mouth and ignored the regret burning in her middle. “Sorry, but no.”

“You’re a hard woman,” he said lightly, his bright gaze sliding down to her mouth. “I’ll leave my card in case you change your mind. About the coffee, that is.” He forced a small card into her hand and picked up his vacuum.

Andi stared after him as he strode off her porch. The bulky vacuum looked like it weighed nothing in his hand, swinging at his side on his way to the shiny, new truck parked behind her car.

When he took one hand from the steering wheel to wave at her, she stopped herself from lifting her hand in response. He turned the truck around and vanished down the drive into the trees. Frowning, she went back inside and shut the door, then locked it and re-armed the alarm. He’d tossed the vacuum into the bed of the truck. A very strong salesman.

Who didn’t seem to care the impending rain was going to damage his expensive vacuum.

She turned back to the door and stared out the narrow window beside it, her heart beating faster now with alarm. Maybe he didn’t realize. Or maybe he really hadn’t come here to sell her a vacuum.

She swallowed hard.

Aunt Celosia had always told the cousins stories of the Harvesters, the men who still hunted for the Medusa. Somehow, Andi had always thought they’d be more frightening. More obvious. Ugly men intent on murder.

If this vacuum salesman was a Harvester, he was sneaky. Of course, if he was a Harvester, he would be sneaky, as Perseus had been when he killed the first Medusa.

She was in a lot of trouble.

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Are you close enough to come join us in New Jersey in two weeks? I hope you'll come see us if you're near enough. I've said it before, but it's true...this event is so much fun. The winery is lovely, the event space is enormous, and it'll be filled with authors! A really great way to spend an afternoon, I think.

Now I'm off to that chore list. What are you all reading this week? I'd love to hear about it!

Until next week, happy reading!