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Typical Ambrosia style, she had her hair pulled\nback in a ponytail. She wasn’t one for nail polish and makeup. She was the plain\nJane, small town girl who liked things he liked – things \u003Ci\u003Emen\u003C\/i\u003E liked in\ngeneral: watching football, tossing back a beer, hiking, fishing, hanging out\nat bars and just being one of the guys. He remembered how, one day, he’d pulled\nup to her house to find her swinging an ax, chopping firewood. He smiled when\nhe remembered how upset it made him to see her doing something so dangerous. He\nreprimanded her on the spot. At the end of the day, she was still a woman, and\nshe had him at her disposal to do those kinds of chores for her. He didn’t want\nher to injure herself. He cared about her too much.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EHe always thought Ambrosia had a sweet innocence about\nher. While she tried her best to come across as tomboyish, he knew there was a\nmore feminine side to her that she rarely showed anyone – not even to him. That\nleft him bewildered. Why did she heavily guard that part of herself? What made\nher tick? Why was she \u003Ci\u003Eone of the guys\u003C\/i\u003E and not just a beautiful woman who\nexuded femininity? Everything about her was beautiful, from the luscious black\nhair she kept pulled back down to her toes that she kept hidden most times in\nsneakers. And her facial features were second to no woman. Many times, he\ncaught himself staring at her lips. Her nose. Her ears. He often wondered what\nit would feel like to drown his hands in that thick head of hair, bring her\nmouth to his and—\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Tim?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Yeah?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Are you good?” she asked, then smiled,\nalternating between looking at him and the road.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Yeah. I’m good.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Why are you staring at me?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“No reason,” he said, then turned away from her,\nlooking straight ahead as they approached a red light. Yeah, there was\nsomething about her that even years of being close to her couldn’t reveal. He\nwasn’t the type of man to pressure someone to be open with him. He was always\nunder the assumption that the right man could bring the femininity out of any\nwoman. Apparently, \u003Ci\u003Ehe\u003C\/i\u003E wasn’t the right man. The one date they went on\nproved that. It was like he was hanging with Maverick or Ervan because that’s\nthe way she wanted it to be. And so, that’s what it was. In fact, Ambrosia had gone\nabove and beyond to show him that’s all they were. Friends. Whenever he tried\nto have a serious conversation about relationships, she blew it off or changed\nthe subject. It aggravated his soul, but he didn’t want to cause a rift between\nthem, so he pretended it hadn’t bothered him.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EThe truth was, he wanted more then, and he wanted\nmore now. Badly. So bad that he obsessed over it. He dreamed about her. He\nimagined what life with her would be like if Ambrosia moved in with him. If\nthey were married. He could foresee what their children would look like – all three\nof them. Their lives together would be filled with love, gratitude, and\nappreciation.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“I must have something on my face,” Ambrosia\nsaid, lifting from the seat to look in the rearview mirror as she drove.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003ETimber grinned. “Besides that dimple, there’s\nnothing on your face, Brosia.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EAmbrosia smiled and switched lanes, making that\ndimple he loved even more noticeable and prominent. His thumb would fit\nperfectly in that beauty mark on her face. He’d imagined that, too.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EHe gazed upon her more, appreciating the warmth\nof her skin tone. Her even, medium-brown complexion radiated a soft glow that\nspoke to her meticulous self-care routine. Her hair was natural black. She\ndidn’t play around with highlights or styles. It was just there. And long. And\nkept at bay. She treated her hair like it was an annoyance. Several times she\nthreatened to cut it, but she never did, much to his great pleasure.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003ETimber snapped out of his trance with her again\nbecause he would have no explanation to give this time if she caught him\nstaring again. He asked, “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“I’m taking you to dinner.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“I don’t believe you,” he deadpanned.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EThat dimple of hers went deeper. “You wouldn’t.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EHe placed his left hand on her right thigh and\nsqueezed. “Tell me.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EHer body jerked out of the seat. “Tim, stop!\nYou’re going to make me wreck.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Tell me,” he said, squeezing again, amused at\nhow ticklish she was while also enjoying her thick thigh beneath his hand.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003ETickled, she said, “I just told you. I’m taking\nyou to dinner. I thought you trusted me.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“I do trust you.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Then just sit back and relax. And stop squeezing\nmy leg before you make me wreck,” she said, pushing his hand away.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EWhen they pulled up at Ida’s on Main, the beloved\ntown restaurant, Ambrosia got out, took the balloons from the back, and walked\naround the side of the jeep where he was standing. They walked to the entrance\nwhere he opened the door to the place and allowed her to enter ahead of him.\nThen he stepped inside and looked around. Nothing looked out of the ordinary,\nand he didn’t see anyone he knew, so maybe this was a legit dinner with him and\nher.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EThat’s what he wanted most – time alone with her.\nTo talk to her. To be in her presence and enjoy her aura.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EThe manager walked up and said, “Well, hello\nthere, Mr. Timber Lennox.” Everyone in town knew Timber. His staunch reputation\npreceded him, and he was proud of that.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Good evening, Maria.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Hey Maria,” Ambrosia chimed in to say.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Hey, hun. How are y’all doing this evening?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“We’re good,” Timber said, answering for them\nboth.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EWith raised brows, Maria said, “I heard it’s a\nspecial day for \u003Ci\u003Esomebody\u003C\/i\u003E. And you know what? I got a \u003Ci\u003Especial\u003C\/i\u003E\ntable for you, sir.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Ooh…you hear that, Tim?” Ambrosia said, looking\nup at her six-feet-four friend. “She has a \u003Ci\u003Especial\u003C\/i\u003E table for you.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Yeah. I heard her,” Timber replied unenthused.\n“I’m still trying to figure out what it means.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EThe place was packed to the brim. That’s\ntypically how it was on Saturday nights. There wasn’t a \u003Ci\u003Especial table\u003C\/i\u003E in\nsight. Laughter, the noise of many people talking at once, and the smell of the\ndelicious food this place served is what he witnessed. But a special table? No.\nThere were no more tables, unless some were set up in the back room where the\nrestaurant hosted parties. That’s where they seemed to be heading.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EThe manager opened the door, and when Timber\nstepped inside the dark room, the lights blinked on and a shout of surprise rang\nout. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003ETimber dropped his head and smiled. Yeah, he saw\nit coming. When he looked up, he saw his old employees were here. His friend Ervan.\nHis brother Maverick. There were also a few more business owners he knew –\npeople who came to support him on his new journey. Giving up a business that\nyou birthed from infancy was tough. They all knew it, even if he didn’t.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003ETimber turned to look at Ambrosia, watching her\nsmile even though her eyes brimmed with tears. He wondered about the emotions\nthose tears carried. Were they tears for what she thought he was feeling at the\nmoment? Or were they for something else? That’s what he never understood about\nher.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EAmbrosia had feelings for him. Real feelings. He concluded\nthat because he’d always had them for her, and a man knows when a woman is\nfeeling him. Instead of embracing those feelings, she ignored them and pretended\nshe wasn’t aware. But why? That date they went on eight years ago should’ve\nbeen the beginning of their love story because, well, they just worked well\ntogether. You rarely saw Timber without Ambrosia. Ambrosia without Timber. It\nwas unheard of. Everyone in their circle thought they’d be good together, and\nthey made no qualms about telling them that. But Ambrosia was in denial, and\nthat left Timber confused.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E---------\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EFor the full story, read One Day You'll Be Mine, book eight in the Lennox series, available \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0FTGJ9Z1L\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E on Amazon! For more information on the Lennox in Love series books, visit the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2018\/01\/caught-in-storm-with-lennox-short-story.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eseries book page\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/feeds\/4909793845191041644\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2025\/10\/teasertuesday-infatuated.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/3420476264703704501\/posts\/default\/4909793845191041644"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/3420476264703704501\/posts\/default\/4909793845191041644"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2025\/10\/teasertuesday-infatuated.html","title":"#TeaserTuesday - Infatuated"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tina Martin Publications"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16960495178266227020"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEh3YQTmH9xGeUiBl4A3V3rtK758jcN8Z4tCsUVgzug18CH2jmv5jaaUtquEKPcDGbEWMQLCKoRvOs-gTC2HfrHLgJNqJlyyIrGux8gldNQIhQHjTt6a1z7-7sJq4T1filO6P5eePappWLgk1Px-Uz18b_UVhOQl4M6paxGvyHNcAh3adk5GbxtTz_abvIE\/s72-c\/Teaser%20Tuesday1.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420476264703704501.post-3166160574026160875"},"published":{"$t":"2025-09-23T20:11:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2025-09-23T20:14:03.850-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"blog"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"#TeaserTuesday - He's Baaaack!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Pumpkin-Spice-You-Tina-Martin-ebook\/dp\/B0FRZYFMWF?ref_=ast_author_dp_rw\u0026amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wc90xifPPPusGaWQ5Lx_CN82VV8t4M7YOU6DhMoqO8US87zsel7bocodVoPqn9G-ZZMKythCpACnNS_MxH7mOPsHsBiV6b9jnkLA1aSN4KFJifQUhoLKFLhNVavByitiqET6nwHxGGyhruWFw_dMUOYliVwkxqdXY2qlNj_q1_PHKdlP5G6qkWPKyhAFDa4R4L-AQ_p4hweYVOz3nYja2CW33XGcDrmi5ZEjtfo6EmU.fKo7ow3bod1p399VJ-USBu-nIGmdTrjkiBKf7vTC05w\u0026amp;dib_tag=AUTHOR\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1920\" data-original-width=\"1080\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEiQ-_EA5TU_s7bRu0epjMZDU8ruM8Mwb1J0W5O8rpSxx0Nx5L1dCObCOb6JenhfRjSuXtKW4Xaho7xqPDpw8CQq-4vcqX8QdwyCxpIAxXzrRtF1DmEqYyE9jkc-2gEef2XnHrKAt8aGp2oQxigv2GwDw45QtAqIO09dK3t6eoTz38_g6KLScBPp5tRZ_NU\/s320\/grayson1.png\" width=\"180\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E“It’s right down there,” she says, stopping in\nfront of me where she folds over with her hands resting above her knees as she\ntries to catch her breath. Unfortunately, I think she left it a block away, the\nsame place she dropped her sanity. Who runs in four-inch leather boots?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Listen—” she breathes. Homegirl needs oxygen,\nand fast. “Girl—”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Stop. Catch your breath before you faint out\nhere.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“No, there’s no time,” she says, like we’re in\nthe middle of a Netflix thriller. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EThere’s no time.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EI laugh internally. I love this girl with her\ndramatic self.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Paris, what are you—?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“He’s here!” she pants, breathes and chokes out.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Who’s here?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Gray—Grayson.” She takes a breath. “He’s here,\nand I think he’s headed here next.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EMy stomach hits a backflip while my breath hitches\nin my throat. This can’t be. He’s not here. He left \u003Ci\u003Ehere\u003C\/i\u003E and has never\nbeen back \u003Ci\u003Ehere\u003C\/i\u003E. Why would he be \u003Ci\u003Ehere\u003C\/i\u003E now?\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EI ask, “And how do you know that, Sha’Carri?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EShe stands straight up now after she’s calmed\nherself down a bit and huffs out, “I was—\u003Ci\u003Ewhew\u003C\/i\u003E!—I was at the deli. You\nremember Grayson’s friend, Torrence?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003EYeah, I remember that buster. I think he’s the\none who’s been feeding Grayson information about me over the years.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Anyway, he was sitting in a booth around the\ncorner and had his phone on speaker. Like, who talks with their phone on\nspeaker in public? But, whatevs. I heard everything they said. Grayson\nspecifically asked about you. Torrence, with his big, wide bass mouth, starts\ntelling him how you’re the \u003Ci\u003Epumpkin spice girl\u003C\/i\u003E and how everybody comes to\nyour café for the latte, right? So, Grayson said he was gon’ swing by and see\nwhat all the fuss was about. Torrence was like, uh, you sure you want to do\nthat, bruh? And then Grayson was like, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see me. And\nthen, Torrence erupted in laughter, sounding like a wild hyena. That’s when I\ngot up and ran down here.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Like somebody set a fire to your rear end.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“Yeah! Did you hear what I said?” she asks, her\neyes wide.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“I heard you, and thanks, Paris, but you could’ve\njust called me.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“There was no time! I did say that already,\ndidn’t I?”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E“But there was time to sprint? In them stripper\nboots? Paris, stop your mess,” I say, stepping back into the café with her on\nmy heels.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Garamond\u0026quot;,serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFrom Pumpkin Spice and You, available on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Pumpkin-Spice-You-Tina-Martin-ebook\/dp\/B0FRZYFMWF?ref_=ast_author_dp_rw\u0026amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wc90xifPPPusGaWQ5Lx_CN82VV8t4M7YOU6DhMoqO8US87zsel7bocodVoPqn9G-ZZMKythCpACnNS_MxH7mOPsHsBiV6b9jnkLA1aSN4KFJifQUhoLKFLhNVavByitiqET6nwHxGGyhruWFw_dMUOYliVwkxqdXY2qlNj_q1_PHKdlP5G6qkWPKyhAFDa4R4L-AQ_p4hweYVOz3nYja2CW33XGcDrmi5ZEjtfo6EmU.fKo7ow3bod1p399VJ-USBu-nIGmdTrjkiBKf7vTC05w\u0026amp;dib_tag=AUTHOR\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EKindle Unlimited\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Pumpkin-Spice-You-Tina-Martin-ebook\/dp\/B0FRZYFMWF?ref_=ast_author_dp_rw\u0026amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wc90xifPPPusGaWQ5Lx_CN82VV8t4M7YOU6DhMoqO8US87zsel7bocodVoPqn9G-ZZMKythCpACnNS_MxH7mOPsHsBiV6b9jnkLA1aSN4KFJifQUhoLKFLhNVavByitiqET6nwHxGGyhruWFw_dMUOYliVwkxqdXY2qlNj_q1_PHKdlP5G6qkWPKyhAFDa4R4L-AQ_p4hweYVOz3nYja2CW33XGcDrmi5ZEjtfo6EmU.fKo7ow3bod1p399VJ-USBu-nIGmdTrjkiBKf7vTC05w\u0026amp;dib_tag=AUTHOR\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"332\" data-original-width=\"752\" height=\"141\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjLzJbZGg7kfN2IGwGKPit5j2PkqLz9nDgk7QxacQsW4I7j5jcTWFoLYjIKz3zXU14Wg2Y04dZoAVRnnQNt0VN9TiFsAzpFapSt40vdv0EmEFJF9PwvNwukekOpIjj1fNW4wpB2ZbmYFIEPu6mkFoWqBNyY00L8eDzdk1RWtDPnISI_kDjSBmA_caFM5yc\/s320\/Copy_of_Might-removebg-preview.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/feeds\/3166160574026160875\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2025\/09\/teasertuesday-hes-baaaack.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/3420476264703704501\/posts\/default\/3166160574026160875"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/3420476264703704501\/posts\/default\/3166160574026160875"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2025\/09\/teasertuesday-hes-baaaack.html","title":"#TeaserTuesday - He's Baaaack!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tina Martin Publications"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16960495178266227020"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEiQ-_EA5TU_s7bRu0epjMZDU8ruM8Mwb1J0W5O8rpSxx0Nx5L1dCObCOb6JenhfRjSuXtKW4Xaho7xqPDpw8CQq-4vcqX8QdwyCxpIAxXzrRtF1DmEqYyE9jkc-2gEef2XnHrKAt8aGp2oQxigv2GwDw45QtAqIO09dK3t6eoTz38_g6KLScBPp5tRZ_NU\/s72-c\/grayson1.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420476264703704501.post-7350297086140656155"},"published":{"$t":"2024-11-12T06:37:00.004-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2024-11-19T09:09:58.301-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"blog"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"#TeaserTuesday - Where is She?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2024\/11\/teasertuesday-where-is-she.html\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"320\" data-original-width=\"640\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhakyxVLkUVWL5uCZsA9yYrIO821jlOn_9Y5OqS6KI4Xx5z5qa751lnGrjZ41dHTFRDjlMxaKm1vgmr7pL5CA20l2ds2E6QWqZBlNnFrKK-Ma8Ho8Bs_WaM1c42zQ2IZ5N4GBFLYpSsgpQedJr29zE_4AWgEvmkIZMTkRTJJ18w_nDepznUxg0VOFGJuD8\/w640-h320\/blog%20post1.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EToday's \u003Cb\u003E#TeaserTuesday \u003C\/b\u003Eis an excerpt from my upcoming novel, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DDQBLVLK\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ETell Me You Want Me\u003C\/a\u003E. Y'all already know who Livia and Khenji are. They are back on your Kindles on November 26, 2024! If you haven't dove into this series yet, start with book one, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0CXKJVMH8\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ETell Me: The Prelude\u003C\/a\u003E and then book two, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0D3JYLK3T\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ETell Me You Love Me\u003C\/a\u003E. For now, enjoy this excerpt for book three. Also note that this excerpt is subject to slight changes before being officially released. Enjoy!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EExcerpt - Tell Me You Want Me\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EObsidian is where I sit on a Friday night with the\nfour men, (or shall I call them interns?) and their significant others who’ve\nmastered my mentoring program. This feat for them means much more than any\ncollege degree. In fact, they won’t need a bachelor’s, master’s or anything of\nthe sort because they have my knowledge. My name alone, speaks for them. They’ll\ngo off to have excellent careers, hence our celebration tonight.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EIt was Livia’s idea to do this because I’m not the\ntype to put something like this together. She said it would be something cool\nto do – to mark the beginning of their careers. I had my assistant, Samone,\nmake us reservations here and here we sit but Livia’s not here yet.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EI pull my pocket watch out to check the time. It’s\n7:04 p.m. I inhale a slightly worried breath. She should’ve been here by now. I\nclear my throat and take a sip of Jack. She’s fine, I know, but this is beyond\nawkward for me.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003ELooking around the table, I’m proud of these men\ndespite my social anxiety. They’ve come a long way and have set themselves up\nin a position that promises wealth and prosperity. It’s what I have. Wealth.\nProsperity. But a smart man knows it’s not money that makes him wealthy. I\nlearned that the moment I met Livia.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EWhere is she?\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E“This place is nice, Mr. Halifax,” one of the guys\nsays. “I never could imagine sitting inside a place like this. Shoot, the only\nreason I’m here now is because you’re paying for it.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EI look at him and know I’m supposed to say\nsomething – you know – be conversational and all, but I really don’t have\nanything to add. Then I think about what Livia would say if she was here. \u003Ci\u003ETalk\nto the man, \u003C\/i\u003Eshe’d say\u003Ci\u003E. Open up. You’re the man. You have nothing to be\napprehensive about. Besides, these men look up to you.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EI clear my throat, get out of my head and say, “You’re\nwell on your—”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EMy words easily get hung up in my throat when I\nlook up and see Livia walking this way. In fact, every cell in my body pauses,\nallowing my eyes to feast on this woman. She has her hair straightened, hanging\npast her shoulders. She has on a white blouse that’s cinched at the waist and a\ncamel colored, leather skirt that falls to her knees. She’s carrying a little gold\npurse in her hand – the kind of purse she has at these fancy galas we attend\nonly this isn’t a gala. This is dinner at an upscale restaurant. I suppose\nthey’re one in the same.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EI can’t tear my eyes away from her. As she walks\nthis way, I feel her energy connecting to mine. She smiles, drawing my\nattention to the blush on her cheeks and her pretty white teeth. I notice other\nthings about her that she’s changed, because she didn’t look like this when she\nleft for work this morning. However, she gets off early on Fridays and I know\nshe uses the extra time to pamper herself. I’d say she did that today with her\nburgundy fingernails and professionally done makeup. Her lips are the same color\nas her nails. I much prefer her without makeup because I know the true beauty\nit hides, but she likes it so I like it. I’m just glad she’s here.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EI swallow the lump in my throat and blink out of\nmy trance when she’s almost at the table. My guests have since looked to see\nwhat had captured my attention and now they’re back looking at me.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E---\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.2in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 150%;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EPre-Order Now at \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DDQBLVLK\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EAmazon\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/feeds\/7350297086140656155\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2024\/11\/teasertuesday-where-is-she.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/3420476264703704501\/posts\/default\/7350297086140656155"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/3420476264703704501\/posts\/default\/7350297086140656155"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2024\/11\/teasertuesday-where-is-she.html","title":"#TeaserTuesday - Where is She?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tina Martin Publications"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16960495178266227020"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEhakyxVLkUVWL5uCZsA9yYrIO821jlOn_9Y5OqS6KI4Xx5z5qa751lnGrjZ41dHTFRDjlMxaKm1vgmr7pL5CA20l2ds2E6QWqZBlNnFrKK-Ma8Ho8Bs_WaM1c42zQ2IZ5N4GBFLYpSsgpQedJr29zE_4AWgEvmkIZMTkRTJJ18w_nDepznUxg0VOFGJuD8\/s72-w640-h320-c\/blog%20post1.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3420476264703704501.post-7563160150043910115"},"published":{"$t":"2024-11-04T16:27:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2025-09-22T15:05:55.564-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"blog"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"featured"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"women's fiction"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Let Me is a Five-Star Read!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjEPyff39qaD8yb9mxqxJFoEoZ3l2w8aVh2ZJ-ucHS4AxaKT3mUSYEaOYSXtmyP5T06WWwRoJjfXvrt0dzpa8Ik5cL1W17Vo6Rnf42Q-YHt53STy-5DB52Id2b9kJngVjhc4d8i6ZYY3KR9RWqEbU58kyNa0vCtbV71RfLN1bLQd80wgtphO3KlasDLQGU\/s1280\/let%20me%20featured%20pic.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"720\" data-original-width=\"1280\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjEPyff39qaD8yb9mxqxJFoEoZ3l2w8aVh2ZJ-ucHS4AxaKT3mUSYEaOYSXtmyP5T06WWwRoJjfXvrt0dzpa8Ik5cL1W17Vo6Rnf42Q-YHt53STy-5DB52Id2b9kJngVjhc4d8i6ZYY3KR9RWqEbU58kyNa0vCtbV71RfLN1bLQd80wgtphO3KlasDLQGU\/w640-h360\/let%20me%20featured%20pic.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cb style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: large;\"\u003ELet Me...\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat is this story about?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EThe story is about a man - Judah - who has pushed love away his entire life. He used to want love, but due to something that's happened to him, he doesn't want to subject a woman to suffer because of him. The best way not to break anyone's heart is to just stay away - or be friends at best.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003EThen he meets Autumn in the cutest, most seredipitous way possible. She falls into that same \u003Ci\u003Efriends \u003C\/i\u003Ecategory but she's not a woman to just be shoved into a category when she knows Judah is interested in her far more than just a simple friendship.\u0026nbsp; She also focuses on her life, her family and what she really wants out of life. The story centers around her.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EYou can now read this title on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0DLPDS9M2\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EKINDLE UNLIMITED\u003C\/a\u003E!\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/feeds\/7563160150043910115\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2024\/11\/let-mecoming-june-2025.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/3420476264703704501\/posts\/default\/7563160150043910115"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/3420476264703704501\/posts\/default\/7563160150043910115"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.tinamartin.net\/2024\/11\/let-mecoming-june-2025.html","title":"Let Me is a Five-Star Read!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tina Martin Publications"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16960495178266227020"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/blogger.googleusercontent.com\/img\/b\/R29vZ2xl\/AVvXsEjEPyff39qaD8yb9mxqxJFoEoZ3l2w8aVh2ZJ-ucHS4AxaKT3mUSYEaOYSXtmyP5T06WWwRoJjfXvrt0dzpa8Ik5cL1W17Vo6Rnf42Q-YHt53STy-5DB52Id2b9kJngVjhc4d8i6ZYY3KR9RWqEbU58kyNa0vCtbV71RfLN1bLQd80wgtphO3KlasDLQGU\/s72-w640-h360-c\/let%20me%20featured%20pic.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}]}});