My First Novel: Second Chance

I did it! My book will be available as an e-book through Amazon and Barnes and Noble by Friday. I will post the links when that happens. In the mean time, here's a sample:

 

Prologue

February 2010

Sue’s breath hung in the cool air of a February evening. Loose strands of her hair swayed in the wind, clinging to her chapsticked lips. A car pulled into the parking lot at Indian Mounds Park and she heard the faint sound of music drifting her way. She drew a deep breath, trying to shut the music out.

“…Do you remember the way I love you?

Do you remember me…?”

Painful memories surfaced like blood oozing from a freshly cut wound. She swallowed the lump in her throat and fought the stinging in her eyes. Hope Madison continued to sing what her heart wanted to forget.

“…I remember the way you smile and laugh…

…Please remember me in the past…”

She covered her ears and closed her eyes. The pressure in her chest could no longer be contained and she let out a shuddering breath. It hung in the air. “Leave me alone, Jae,” she told herself. But, he had left her alone. He was gone. Gone long ago like the dreams of a stupid, stupid girl.

It had been nine years. It was time to move on. She would go to New York. She needed to go.

Khyba twirled the ring on his finger as his eyes wandered out the window of his Gulfstream. The slick, private jet with its custom designed interior was a symbol of his success and his loneliness. The jet had been his home for the last year and he was becoming tired of it. After his international tour, he was going to sell it.

He had a bird’s-eye view of a metropolitan city with its gridded landscape. The city was just like any other city he had seen before, nothing new.

He closed the shade to the window and rested his head on the plush leather seat. He massaged his temples and drew a long breath before resting his elbow on his knees. His hands moved wearily over his closed eyes. He pressed his palms together and opened his eyes to look at his assistant.

Unable to focus on what his assistant Jackie was saying, he got up and made his way to the bedroom, ignoring his captain’s instructions to sit and buckle up as they prepared for landing. Jackie stopped talking and watched his back retreat without a backward glance.

He would be in New York for two weeks. He was booked to perform at Madison Square Garden and to start the promotion of his new movie, scheduled for release in two months.

Two long weeks in the states. Two weeks in a country he had no desire to be in.

 

Chapter 1

New York, February 2010

Michael looked around the baggage claim area at JFK airport looking for a woman he never met before. He scanned the area again, making sure this was where he needed to be, but there was no sign of this Sue Thao he was to pick up. The only resemblance to what he was looking for was this Asian teenager sitting on a bench, reading a mangled paper back of Twilight by Stephanie Meyers. The distinctive black cover with ghostly white hands holding a blood-red apple was very recognizable to him. Lord only knows how many times his nieces had shoved that thing in his face. “Uncle, uncle, are you Team Jacob or Team Edward?”

Katie had not been specific about Sue. “She’s cute, you’ll like her,” Katie said. Like her in what way. As in bed? As he continued to ponder what Katie’s intentions were, he thought about the women in his life. Was he so lacking that Katie thought he needed help in finding someone? He had a feeling Katie meant for him to do more than assist this friend with the wedding party. Katie had been hinting about his need to settle down, to grow up, to forget about Judith. “Sue loves children; she’s a pediatrician, did I mention that?” Katie said. “Oh, Sue’s very loyal and passionate, did I mention that?” she had added.

Cute? Cute, petite Asian woman—doctor? Nerdy? Geeky? What exactly did Katie mean by cute? As in barely legal cute? Well, she’s a doctor so unless she was a genius, she surely was legal. He would have preferred Katie to describe Sue as pretty or beautiful, but not cute. When he thought about cute, he thought of his nieces, little-girl cute and that gave him the creeps to be thinking of a woman in a cute way. It made him feel like a perv, prowling an innocent.

Loyal? When he thought of that word, he thought of dogs. He was allergic to dogs. Then he thought about Sue being passionate. Again, he thought of—he grinned. Passionate in bed? That was one characteristic he liked about her, at least.

At 31, Michael McHeney was six feet tall with a muscular, chiseled form, built from his love of extreme sports. His mixture of German, Scottish, and Korean heritage made him exotic and mysterious, or so he had been told numerous times. His good looks paired with his wealth had attracted many beautiful women--not cute ones--but beautiful women who would come to his bed willingly. He could get any woman he wanted so why was he here, waiting for a cute girl, woman? He could have sent his driver to pick her up. He didn’t need to be here. So why was he here, wasting time?

Curiosity.

Michael glanced at his watch. Where was she? He scanned the baggage claim area again, but there was no sign of her, just the teenager. There were other free benches available but the girl was cute. He grinned. Cute. He might as well practice talking to a cute girl, woman, he thought. Lord, he felt like a pervert. But he sat down on the bench with her anyway. She looked his way and gave him a warm smile. He did the same.

“So, are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?” Michael asked the teenager. He could have asked for her name but that would be too personal. He already felt awkward enough. Talking about the book was safe.

“Excuse me?”

“Who are you rooting for to get the girl?” he asked gesturing toward her book.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t know yet. I’ve only started the book,” she answered. “My niece strongly recommended that I read this,” she explained.

“Seen the movie?”

She shook her head. “I haven’t had the pleasure.”

“Watch it, you’ll like it. My niece swears on her grandmother’s grave that Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner are the two hottest guys alive. You’ll like them.”

She threw her head back, laughing. “My niece said the same thing. But according to her, the two actors you’ve just named are a little too young for me, I’m afraid.”

“I’m sure they are older than you. At least Pattinson is.”

“I’m flattered. Truly I am.” Still laughing softly, she took out her cell phone and glanced at the time. “Are you waiting for a ride, too?”

“No. I’m picking someone up … who’s supposed to be here by now.” Michael took out his own cell phone. It suddenly occurred to him why he hadn’t thought about calling her in the first place. The time he could have saved! He quickly scrolled down his contact list, looking for Sue’s cell phone number. “Enjoy the rest of your book,” he told her as he stood to leave. She smiled and nodded.

Sue watched the handsome stranger walked away.  How strange. After so many years of recluse, she was finally out of Minnesota, conversing with strangers as if the last 9 years of her life had never been interrupted. She tried to return her attention to her book but her mind wandered back to the stranger. Had she not been so broken, would she have found some kind of normality with, well, with someone like him?

Through the years, she had tried to be a good daughter. No more scandal. No more disgrace. Perhaps normality was not quite the correct term to define what she wanted. Then again, what she wanted she couldn’t regain and what she needed was beyond her little world.

At 28, she was the shameful, spinster daughter who would probably never marry and bear grandchildren. At this point in her life, she had lost the desire to have a family of her own anyway, and the possibility of marriage was just as it was: another possibility amongst so many other possibilities. She was no longer the day dreaming girl who fantasized about love.

Sue put down her book and checked her cell phone. No text messages. No calls.

Where are you Michael McHeney? She glanced at her phone again and groaned. Why didn’t I ask for his cell phone number?

She had been so nervous; she hadn’t thought about how to contact Michael. Sue picked up her book in frustration and held it up to hide her mumbling. She had been waiting for Michael for half an hour. Had he ditch her? Should she call Katie? Yes, that’s what she should do. That’s what she should have done.

No, no, no! She should have taken the shuttle to get a rental car and get to her hotel by herself. That’s what she should have done.

Be nice Sue. Without Michael’s help, she would have more to do than she could handle in two weeks. She was maid of honor and so far hadn’t been a good one. Her dress had been purchased online by Katie and altered based on her height measurements. The karaoke party had been planned by Michael because Katie had declared she didn’t want a bachelorette party, and Sue didn’t have time to plan anything else. Honorary bridesmaid, Tony was helping as well, but Katie had insisted Michael help her with the party. Katie had emailed her that Michael was picking her up from the airport instead of Tony.

She knew Katie was making a blatant attempt at match making. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to deny her friend this attempt. Perhaps, she wanted something to work out as well. Perhaps, it was time to live again, to open up, to move on. Perhaps, by some miracle, she could love another man. Another possibility.

Sue’s cell phone rang as she was about to dial Katie’s number and she answered the call. “Hello,” she greeted into the receiver. The gentleman who was just talking to her turned to look her way. “Hello?”

“Sue?” the caller asked.

“This is she.” Funny, she could have sworn the man looking at her was talking to her. “May I ask who’s calling?”

“Michael,” the caller said. As he said this, the man she was watching started to make his way back to her.

“Where are you?” Sue asked, her gaze still upon the man.

“At the airport,” Michael replied. “Have you decided what team you are on?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you yet,” Sue said with a grin. “Why? Which team are you?”

“I’m afraid, I’m on the I’m-too-old-for-this team.”

Yes, perhaps, another possibility.