#WeWriWa: - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: I'll Be Right Back

 Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors. Thanks to everyone who visited last week. I didn't get to everyone, but I'm planning to catch up this week.

I'm getting used to the brace being on and off, as I wean myself off. The wrist is still a bit tender, but I'm even typing with both hands now. So much quicker. 

I'm sharing another snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. 

I've skipped ahead a bit from last time. Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet:  

“Did you really think I would fall into your arms? I’m not some bimbo you can jump into bed with and then say ‘I’ll be right back’. Right back doesn't mean not a single word for over two frelling months.”

I’d just binge-watched Farscape, so frelling was my word of choice when I really wanted to say the other F-word.

Every muscle in his body tightened. The effect was fascinating and a little scary. His lips, which had been soft only moments ago, thinned. His face became all sharp edges.

“What do you mean not a single word?” he asked in a too-soft voice. Like I said, a little scary.

And now a bit more:   

I gave an exasperated sigh. “I mean just that. Not one word. We’re about to make love, you get a phone call, say you need to go out for a minute, then you disappear. Don’t you think I was worried sick about you? Not knowing if you’d been killed or injured or God knows what. I didn’t know where you’d gone or why. Didn’t you care that I’d be beside myself not knowing what happened to you?”

Well, shoot. I hadn’t wanted him to know all that. Really, I was worried for only a week. Or maybe it was two. Couldn’t have been longer. I’m not a glutton for punishment.

Nick ran his hand around the back of his neck. “Son of a bitch.”

“Thanks. That was so kind. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” I pulled my chair up to the desk, crowding him and bumping his knee. I almost apologized.

“I wasn’t referring to you, sweetheart. I—”

“Okay, buster, let’s get something straight.” I was getting up a full head of steam, as Pop used to say. Nick had given no explanation for his absence, no apology. I felt like a dope for revealing my fears. “I am not your sweetheart, Nick Palzetti. Never was, never will be.”

He pulled out my chair then, propping his hands on the arms, he leaned in. “Yes, you were, are, and always will be.”

The conviction in his voice gave me pause. I wanted to believe him. That had to be my emotional side. But my logical side made me wary. What if I—

“My son-of-a-bitching boss was supposed to call you.”

I was torn, but my logical side prevailed. “And why would your boss call me?” A likely story. Blame someone else for not doing the job yourself. “Didn’t you have time?” I smiled sugary-sweet.

“I think we have what’s called a breakdown in communication.”

“Really? How convenient.” Then I remembered my faulty communication equipment before Pete came . . . and guilt reared its ugly head.

  Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti? 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!

#WeWriWa: - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: Did you miss me?

 

Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors. I hope everyone here in the States is enjoying Memorial Day Weekend. 

Thanks to everyone who visited last week.

I'm sharing another snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. The long-lost Nick has returned. Alex is trying to play it cool.

Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet:  

Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy came within six inches from me—so close I could feel the heat from his body, so close I could smell the intoxicating scent that was particularly Nick Palzetti.

“Did you miss me?”

He gave me that boyish grin that had the ability to melt my heart. Not this time, damn it, I wasn’t going to melt. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how much I’d missed him. How desperately I’d searched for him. I know, I’d already blurted out what I’d rather he didn’t know. I’d have to fake it.

I cocked my head. “Were you gone?”

 And now a bit more:    

Did hurt flicker across his features? Nah. I must have been mistaken.

He lifted my chin and stared into my eyes. Until Nick, I always thought the term ‘smoldering eyes’ was a literary exaggeration. Wrong. His dark-chocolate brown eyes captured mine and held me transfixed.

“I missed you, sweetheart.”

Now here’s the thing. You don’t call someone ‘sweetheart’ when you leave her without a goodbye and stay away for two months, two weeks, and one day, no matter how your eyes smoldered.

I jerked away, stumbled against my chair, slid down—with a brief stop on the chair arm—to land on the foot of one of its five legs. I sprawled on the floor, looking like an idiot. My side hurt. My butt hurt. Most of all, my pride hurt.

“Oh, Babe, are you all right?”

“You’d better not be laughing,” I said from my ignominious position. “If you even smile, I will cut your nuts off.” I looked up as far as the aforementioned body parts encased in faded denim. Just as I remembered. A nice package, so to speak. Be a shame to ruin it.

“I wouldn’t dream of laughing, Alexandra.” He reached down to help me up.

I was pretty sure I heard a smile in his voice. By the time I looked higher than his, uh, package, he’d composed his face. He was no dummy.

 Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti? 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!

#WeWriWa: - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: Alex Tries to be Cool

 Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors. Sorry for missing last weekend. Life got overwhelming. The cast is off. Now I'm wearing a wrist brace. Still typing one-finger hunt-and-peck.

I'm sharing another snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. Last time, the missing Nick (whom we've heard about since the beginning) has returned after 2 months. Alex is proud of herself for not yelling at him.

Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet:    

Be cool now, I reminded myself.

“How the hell did you get in?” someone yelled. I guess it was me since Nick’s mouth didn’t move, and the office was deserted. I slammed my fist on the desk. “Where the hell have you been?”

He started to grin, that sexy, turn-my-insides-to-mush grin. “Careful now, Lexie, you’ll break your baby finger.” Like you did last time. He had the good grace, and sense of self-preservation, not to say that out loud. But I knew what he was thinking.

 And now a bit more:   

I jumped to my feet, knocking my padded leather chair into the barrister’s bookcase. He straightened away from the doorway and sauntered into my office, my sanctuary. It was after seven. Pete had left at five as usual. Darkness had descended long ago. Even though my office had no windows, from where I sat with the door open I could see through the outer office with its window to the outside. Though the blinds were closed, the streetlight shone through. I always hated February. Even though it was the shortest month, it was also the dreariest and the darkest. And it looked like March was starting out the same.

I should have seen Nick walk in. Or at least heard him open the outside door. He always did have the ability to move quietly—silently, in fact. And he knew the security code. I didn’t change it after he left in the hope that he’d see it as a welcome. Fool. I’d made it too easy for him.

The bigger question, rather than how he got in, was why. Why now, after so much time had passed?

 Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti? 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!

#WeWriWa: - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: Nick is Back

 Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors. Thanks to everyone who stopped by last week. Happy Mother's Day to all who are mothers and those who are like mothers to us.

Well, I thought the cast would come off my wrist last Monday. It did. Then, they put on a new one. Another 2 weeks of one-handed typing. 

I'm sharing another snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. I skipped ahead to chapter 3. 

Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet:   

“Hello, gorgeous.”

My heart stopped. My lungs seized. My hand hovered over the yellow legal pad. Thank God, it didn’t shake—my hand, not the pad.

I wasn’t going to give Nick Palzetti the reaction he expected. I would be cool, confident, self-assured. As if his presence in my office were nothing unusual. As if he waltzed through locked doors every day to lounge casually against the mahogany door frame. As if he hadn’t strolled out of my life two months, two weeks, and one day ago—I wasn’t counting, mind you.

 And now a bit more:  

He’d called me ‘gorgeous’ in that husky baritone before he left, too. Hadn’t meant a thing then and didn’t mean a thing now. He probably expected me to yell at him. Wasn’t going to do it. Nope. Wasn’t going to ask him where he’d been. As if it didn’t matter to me. I would say ‘Hiya, Nick, How’s it hanging? C’mon in. Take a load off.’ As soon as I could speak again.

My brain finally told my lungs to breathe. Bad form to fall at his feet. With my luck, I’d slip off my chair and whack my chin on the desk, which would require twenty stitches and orthodontics. Been there, done that. Have the scar to prove it.

Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti? 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!

A head's up: Veronica Scott will be here tomorrow with her newest release, HEIRESS OF THE NILE.  

#WeWriWa: - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: Life Was Good

 Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors. Thanks to everyone who stopped by last week. I apologize for the short comments on your posts last week and this week. One-handed typing is slow. Good thing the cast comes off on Monday.

I'm sharing another snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. I skipped ahead a little. 

Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet:  

As was his custom in the afternoon, Pete set a cup of herbal tea in front of me. He claimed tea should only be drunk from a fine china cup—Grandma’s Royal Dalton—not a mug.. In the month he’d worked for me, I discovered Pete had an opinion on many things. I appreciated his efficiency, if not all his opinions. He did twice the work Susan had, and I never had to tell him anything more than once. From what I’d seen, he was very intelligent and probably could have worked anywhere. This guy was almost too good to be true.

After taking a sip, I sighed. I loved herbal teas and chai was my favorite. Pete seemed to know exactly what I needed and when I needed it. Today, I needed to relax.

 And for the rest of the scene:

 I’d been so uptight finishing the fraud case on time that I’d actually handed it in three days ahead of schedule. I even had time to begin work on Clyde Wilson, Maura Finley’s boyfriend.

I took another sip of tea. Yes, life was good.

My landline buzzed. “Ms. Finley is on line one,” Pete announced.

I must have conjured her up. “Ms. Finley, Alex—”

“What have you found out about Clyde?”

She was back from her trip or seminar or wherever she’d been. Obviously. And as demanding as she’d been before.

I opened the file on Clyde Wilson and flipped through my notes, ready to give her a brief run down.

“Although I have just begun—”

“What do you mean you’ve just begun? You’ve had my case for a month.”

“During which time I have been working on a previous case, which I explained when you hired me.”

“Yes, well.” She cleared her throat. “Tell me what you know.”

“I can assure you what he told you is correct. He’s forty-four, born in Flint. He owns a house in Royal Oak, as well as a condo in Traverse City. Wilson Industries has corporate offices in the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, with satellite offices in Dallas, Phoenix, and San Francisco.”

“I know all that. Haven’t you found out anything new?”

Patience, girl, I told myself. Patience. “Ms. Finley, in cases like this I never take anyone’s word for fact. You hired me to investigate. And that is what I do. The first thing I do is make sure what you’ve been told is true.”

“I see.” Her tone had gone from demanding to conciliatory. “You may continue.” Then back to executive mode.

I hung on to my Irish temper. Barely. “He did indeed graduate from Wayne State University. My next step is contacting the Wharton School of Business.”

“Good, good.” After a brief pause, she said, “I would appreciate it if you would make my case your highest priority. I will double your normal rate to expedite the investigation. Thank you for your time.” She hung up before I could respond.

Her urgency made me wonder what was going on. Was the man she met on a cruise pressuring her? 

 Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti? 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!

  

#WeWriWa: - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: The Rude Jogger

 Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors. Thanks to everyone who stopped by last week. Hope you all had a good week. This weekend, I'm attending the Mid-Michigan RWA chapter's annual Retreat from Harsh Reality. Because of covid, we're meeting via Zoom. Thank goodness for technology.

Here, I'm sharing another snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. I skipped ahead a little. 

Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet:   

The next afternoon I was so tired of working on a fraud case, I told Pete I was going for a run. I did a few stretches in the parking lot before starting off at an easy jog. The sun tried to shine around the multitude of clouds as it started to set.

As I jogged along Main Street, I passed the bookstore. I waved to Gloria in the window arranging books. Like me, she’d taken over her parents’ business. We weren’t the only second or third generation in Far Haven to do so—some had left then returned. Not me. No wandering feet for me, unlike Nick the Rat who’d shaken West Michigan dune dust off his boat shoes and headed east right after college.

 And for the rest of the scene:

Here’s the thing. Until a year ago, our fathers—The Pops—had owned the agency. Maria Palzetti decided that Michigan winters were too hard on her husband’s bones. She also convinced Tony and Pop that being private investigators was for the young—namely, me. Before lighting out for Scottsdale and perpetual heat, they sold the business to me. Ever since high school, I’d worked in the business. While I filed and answered phones, Football Hero Nick played the field, on and off the gridiron. Not that I cared, mind you.

When I graduated from high school, I graduated to doing legwork for Frank and Tony. Pop insisted I call him ‘Frank’ at work. The legwork was more challenging than searching courthouse records or the internet for them. The Pops had no problem outfitting the office with the latest technology, as long as someone else used it. That someone else was me, not Nick.

He went to U of M on a football scholarship and majored in girls. I lived at home and got my degree in criminal justice at Grand Valley U, all the while working at the agency. I’m not complaining. I loved the business—especially when Frank and Tony increased my responsibilities. They showed me the ropes, gave me invaluable advice and felt confident enough in my abilities as an investigator to turn the business over to me.

While thinking about the business and Nick, I’d run on auto-pilot. When I paid attention, I realized I’d already reached the Point, my usual turn-around spot. As I turned to go back, I caught a surprised look on the jogger behind me. With the way I’d been pounding the beach, I hadn’t heard him come up.

He made like a turtle, ducking his head farther down inside his black hoodie, and barreled past. No ‘How you doing?’ or even a ‘Hi.’ How rude.

I jogged backwards to see where he was going, only to find that he, too, had turned around. Again he looked startled before he turned and headed toward the Point.

After passing the B&B owned by the biggest blabbermouth in the county, I stopped. When I bent down on one knee to tighten my shoelace, I caught sight of the strange jogger.

Was he a jogger who happened to run the same way I did? Or was he following me?

 

Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti? 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!

  

#WeWriWa: - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: Alex Needs To Get Laid

Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors. Sorry for missing last week. My brain went on vacation. Wish the rest of me had, too. The good news--Hubs is home from rehab. The not-so-good? I fell and broke my wrist. At least, I have a cute pink cast. 😊

I'm sharing another snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. I skipped ahead a little. It's Monday morning and Pete's there to work.

Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet:  

“You’re frowning, my darling. Let me get you a cup of coffee, and you can tell me what’s troubling you.”

Before I could say ‘don’t bother,’ Pete scurried to the kitchenette. My Keurig was gone, and in its place was my old coffee maker.

“Where— Why?” I’m usually more coherent . . . after a second cup of coffee.

“I found it on the top shelf.” He pointed to the cabinet over the sink. “Since we both drink coffee, it’s too expensive to use the single-cup machine. I brought in my favorite beans and my grinder.”

 

 And a little more of the scene

“But—”

He handed me a mug. “Taste and tell me it’s not the best coffee you’ve ever had.”

I didn’t have the heart to tell him my ancient machine wasn’t reliable. I took a sip, “Oh. My. God.” I sipped again in case I was mistaken. “This is wonderful. Tell me what I owe you for the beans.”

Waving that aside, he snorted. “Self-preservation, my darling. I saw the store brand coffee in the cabinet. Sit. I have a surprise for you.”

He pointed to the chair he’d pulled out from the small table in our breakroom. With a flourish worthy of a professional chef, he presented a plate of pastries.

My mouth watered. “Where did you get these?”

“DeBoer’s.”

“You went all the way to Holland for pastries?” I picked up one of the banket sticks he’d sliced into pieces and took a bite. The flaky pastry around almond paste was my all-time favorite. I loved anything with almonds, especially almond paste.

“I died and went to heaven.” I took a krakelingen, a sugar cookie twisted like a pretzel and rolled in sugar. After demolishing it, I gave him a mock stern look then waved to the plate on which he’d piled several more Dutch treats, along with regular donuts. “Don’t make a habit of getting these.”

Pete sat across from me. “Don’t you like them?”

His grin said I couldn’t pull a fast one and say I didn’t. I was such a sucker for sweets, especially those from deBoer’s. They made their pastries like they did in the old country.

“Earlier, you were frowning. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s nothing.” Nothing I wanted to talk about.

“Ah,” Pete said with a knowing smile. “Man troubles.”

I wasn’t going to tell him about my man troubles. Too private, too painful.

He reached across the table and patted my hand. “I’ve been there, my darling. I know exactly how you must feel. The solution is to forget him and find a new love.”

I snorted. “Is that what you’re doing?”

He looked so melancholy I regretted my comment. “I’m sorry, Pete. I shouldn’t have said that.” I pulled my hand away.

His expression changed. “What you need is to get laid.” He winked.

I spewed a mouthful of coffee halfway across the table. At least, I missed the pastries.

 Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti? 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!

  

#WeWriWa - The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé: You Need Me, My Darling

Happy Easter to all who celebrate.

Welcome to the Weekend Writing Warriors. Thanks to everyone who stopped by last week and left a comment. You guys are so suspicious. 😊 

I'm sharing another snippet from the 2nd Alex O'Hara mystery novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé. Alex is a P.I. in the small Lake Michigan resort town near Grand Rapids. I'm continuing from where we left off last week, when Alex had to referee between her good friend and computer geek, RJ, and the mysterious Pete, who claims he's her new receptionist. RJ stormed out, leaving Alex with Pete.

Some changes were made to the original.

Snippet: 

As Pete walked around me, he patted my shoulder. “Let me fix you a nice cup of tea.”

When I followed him into the kitchenette, I realized he’d cleaned before RJ came in. The small table had been wiped, and the stainless steel sink sparkled, as did the faucet. The little dots of coffee spray on the counter in front of the Keurig had disappeared. Even the debris on the ceramic tile floor was gone. In fact, the kitchenette smelled clean.

I groaned as my housekeeping had gotten another black mark, more subtle than his comment about the dust under the desk. “What did you do?”

After he programmed the single-serve brewer for hot water only, Pete glanced over his shoulder. “You need me, my darling.”

And the rest of the scene:

His last two words were said with no sexual connotation. In fact, a vision of Bruno Tonioli from “Dancing With The Stars” flashed through my mind.

I slanted him a look. “What did you call me?”

“Forgive me.” He put one hand over his heart as he added a teabag to the mug of hot water. From the aroma, he’d chosen chai tea, my favorite. “I feel as if we’ve known each other for a long time.”

“Not that long, like about an hour.” I accepted the mug and dunked the bag several times to hasten the steeping process.

Pete took the mug from me over to the wastebasket to dispose of the teabag. “Here you are, Alexandra. Be careful not to burn your tongue.”

“Nobody calls me Alexandra.” Except a certain rat, when he wasn’t calling me Lexie in that sexy voice of his. “And how do you know that’s my name?”

“It’s on the credit card in your desk. You should lock that drawer.” He walked out into the hall. “Come, let me show you what else I found in your desk.”

Clutching the mug of tea, I followed. I knew exactly what was in the receptionist’s desk drawers. Unpaid bills, catalogs, and ads that I’d shoved inside to clear the desk in anticipation of new clients.

He’d sorted the detritus from the drawers into neat piles. After handing me the bills, envelopes neatly slit, he said, “You need to take care of the one on top. It is due tomorrow. Also—” He pointed to the wreath on the visitor chair. “—I took that off the front door. It’s well past the holidays.”

He was right about that, more than a month past Christmas. I hadn’t taken the wreath off the front door because I kept hoping Nick would return and see it as a welcome. Fool. Now the wreath looked tattered, thanks to the winds that whipped off Lake Michigan and banged it against the door.

“If you tell me where you store it, I will put the wreath away. A new bow, and it will look like new."

This guy was efficient.

Before I took a sip of the tea, I inhaled the aroma that always relaxed me. “Why do you want this job? I certainly can’t afford to pay you what you must have earned before. My God, your suit alone costs more than you’d make here in a month.”

With his expensive clothes and precision haircut, Pete Cuddy looked like he belonged in New York City, not small town Far Haven.

“Set your mind at ease,” he said. “I used to work for a clothier who wanted the sales staff to wear the product, which he provided.”

“Why aren’t you still working there?”

His mouth turned down. “He was my partner, my soulmate. When he ended our relationship, I couldn’t bear to work for him anymore.” Pete looked like he was about to cry. Then he brightened. “He let me keep the clothes, though. Now, my darling, you understand why we are perfect for each? I need a job and you need me.”

Blurb:

She’s at it again. Alex O’Hara just can’t say no to a new investigation. What do a 45-year-old boyfriend, a deadbeat dad, and a teenage runaway have in common? All new cases. With no receptionist, phone and internet problems, and her own boyfriend in the wind, Alex has no idea how she’ll manage. But the question for the past three months is why did Nick disappear. Is this the end of O’Hara & Palzetti? 

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ iBooks ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors. Stay safe and have a great week!