Music critic Claire Abby is a single mom dreading her daughter’s departure for college and worried that turning forty will leave her career running on fumes. She’s floored when she lands a Rolling Stone cover story on 80s British rock legend Christopher Penman. She spent her teenage years fantasizing he was her boyfriend.In person, Christopher is everything Claire feared he’d be—charming, witty and unwilling to address the rumors he’s dodged for a decade. Still, she contains her adolescent fantasies and manages to earn his trust, unearthing the truth and the devastating secret behind it. His blockbuster story is her first priority when she returns home, a nearly impossible task when Christopher starts calling and flirting. She knows she should maintain a professional distance. She knows she should focus on the story. She knows it would be best to simply walk away. But how can she say “no” to the man she could never forget?
Excerpt:
This scene is the morning after Claire has interviewed Christopher. He’s offered to have his driver take her to the airport and he has tagged along.
Once in the car, he made my lightheaded by removing his sunglasses. “You should call me,” he said. “If you have any follow up questions. Hand me your phone. I’ll give you my number.”
I reminded myself to stay cool. “That’d be great.” I couldn’t hand him my phone fast enough. “Now I won’t have to bother your publicist if something comes up when I’m writing the story.”
“The label handles that, but the publicity department hates me. I prefer to deal with most things myself.” He finished with my phone and then pulled out his own. “I’m going to take your number. So we’re even.” He winked at me while I impolitely stared. “Call me if you need anything. You know all of my deep dark secrets. We may as well be friends.” He returned my phone. “Here. I put it under Chris P.”
I looked down as though the item in my hand was a mystery. “Wow.”
“Wow?” He crinkled his forehead. “Don’t say wow. I like talking to you. You’re different from most women I meet.” He scanned my face, resting his eyes on mine more than once. “I find you, uh, refreshing.” He looked satisfied with his word choice, but I could’ve suggested a few alternates.
“Refreshing?”
“It’s a compliment. I enjoy your company. Most women I meet are rather one dimensional.”
“Maybe you’re hanging out with the wrong women.”
“You know I’ve been hanging out with the wrong women. I believe we touched on that last night.”
I considered the topic—I didn’t want to cross a line, but this was a chance to ask something I’d always wondered about men like him. I looked at him while searching for the right words. “Why do men like you only end up with women who are beautiful, but lacking in other qualities like intelligence or sanity?”
He smiled wide at me, letting me squirm in my seat. “We’re having a normal conversation as friends, right?”
“Right.” Except that nothing about this conversation is normal.
“Honestly, those are the only women I meet. Most women wouldn’t have the confidence to approach me in that way. They assume I wouldn’t be interested. They might ask for an autograph or take a picture. When I was younger, they’d scream and cry. It’s hard to ask someone out after that. Not that I didn’t like being screamed at, because I did.” He continued, “I suppose it’s because of what I do.”
“Interesting.”
“Please don’t say that. What are you thinking?”
“I’d never thought of it like that. Even though it’d be more fun to call you a jerk, you have a tiny speck of a valid point.”
“A speck. That’s all I get?”
“Sorry.” I squinted and pinched my thumb and index finger together. “And it’s a teeny tiny speck. I don’t exactly feel sorry for you.”
Giveaway: For a chance to win an ebook copy of Bring Me Back please leave a comment below and I will randomly pick a winner through random.org on March 11, 2013. Make sure you check out the other stops on this blog tour for more chances to win!!!
This scene is the morning after Claire has interviewed Christopher. He’s offered to have his driver take her to the airport and he has tagged along.
Once in the car, he made my lightheaded by removing his sunglasses. “You should call me,” he said. “If you have any follow up questions. Hand me your phone. I’ll give you my number.”
I reminded myself to stay cool. “That’d be great.” I couldn’t hand him my phone fast enough. “Now I won’t have to bother your publicist if something comes up when I’m writing the story.”
“The label handles that, but the publicity department hates me. I prefer to deal with most things myself.” He finished with my phone and then pulled out his own. “I’m going to take your number. So we’re even.” He winked at me while I impolitely stared. “Call me if you need anything. You know all of my deep dark secrets. We may as well be friends.” He returned my phone. “Here. I put it under Chris P.”
I looked down as though the item in my hand was a mystery. “Wow.”
“Wow?” He crinkled his forehead. “Don’t say wow. I like talking to you. You’re different from most women I meet.” He scanned my face, resting his eyes on mine more than once. “I find you, uh, refreshing.” He looked satisfied with his word choice, but I could’ve suggested a few alternates.
“Refreshing?”
“It’s a compliment. I enjoy your company. Most women I meet are rather one dimensional.”
“Maybe you’re hanging out with the wrong women.”
“You know I’ve been hanging out with the wrong women. I believe we touched on that last night.”
I considered the topic—I didn’t want to cross a line, but this was a chance to ask something I’d always wondered about men like him. I looked at him while searching for the right words. “Why do men like you only end up with women who are beautiful, but lacking in other qualities like intelligence or sanity?”
He smiled wide at me, letting me squirm in my seat. “We’re having a normal conversation as friends, right?”
“Right.” Except that nothing about this conversation is normal.
“Honestly, those are the only women I meet. Most women wouldn’t have the confidence to approach me in that way. They assume I wouldn’t be interested. They might ask for an autograph or take a picture. When I was younger, they’d scream and cry. It’s hard to ask someone out after that. Not that I didn’t like being screamed at, because I did.” He continued, “I suppose it’s because of what I do.”
“Interesting.”
“Please don’t say that. What are you thinking?”
“I’d never thought of it like that. Even though it’d be more fun to call you a jerk, you have a tiny speck of a valid point.”
“A speck. That’s all I get?”
“Sorry.” I squinted and pinched my thumb and index finger together. “And it’s a teeny tiny speck. I don’t exactly feel sorry for you.”
Giveaway: For a chance to win an ebook copy of Bring Me Back please leave a comment below and I will randomly pick a winner through random.org on March 11, 2013. Make sure you check out the other stops on this blog tour for more chances to win!!!
3/4/13
3/5/13
3/6/13
3/7/13
3/8/13
3/11/13
3/12/13
3/13/13
3/14/13
3/15/13
Happy Reading!
This looks like a fun and interesting story! Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read. adding this book to my buy list.
ReplyDeletelauratroxelatyahoodotcom
I would love to win a copy of this book! Looks good!! <3
ReplyDelete