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After His Lucky Charm this is Tom’s Story…
It was already night when he got back home, but he had to go pay a visit somewhere. Tom had only been at Joyce’s grave a few times. In the beginning it was just too painful. Now, it was just not something he ever got used to doing. After attending the funeral for the young state trooper though, Joyce was pulling at him. He stopped at the local grocery store and bought a small bouquet of flowers from the produce rack.
He knew where the grave was even though it had been a while. Tom arranged the flowers in front of her headstone and then sat on the wet grass. He leaned his head against the cold marble. There was a full moon above that played games with the lighting in the cemetery. He was alone. It was after hours and he really wasn’t supposed to be there but he didn’t want to have this conversation with anyone else around.
“Hey babe, I’m sorry it’s been so long. You’re probably pissed, I know…” Tom heard the silence and felt the cool breeze. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. They finally found the guy who hurt you… I am so sorry for all that you went through. Hey Joyce, I almost killed him, but someone else beat me to it. I did beat him up though and put him in the hospital.” He thought of all the trouble he had gotten into being accused of killing Dunlop. “Okay, maybe I wouldn’t have killed him. But I wanted to…”
He closed his eyes and remembered a time when they were tumbling around behind the football field tickling each other. She had accidentally swung and hit him in the lip. She was so upset because his lip bled. He teased her and made so much fun of her that day. “Hey, I saw your folks and your baby sister. Kristen looks so much like you. It really threw me when I first saw her, I almost thought it was you. Cat was also amazed at the resemblance.” He swallowed and let his words be absorbed in the night. “Remember how we both were so frustrated because Cat and Stephanie were such pains in the butt to us and how we swore they’d never grow up? Well Steph’s in Iraq in the marines. And Cat’s a mom! Do you believe it? Wow.”
Tears came to his eyes as he remembered seeing her casket lowered into the ground. He felt like his heart had turned ice cold that day. “Life has gone on all around us babe. So many things have changed… So many things.” He put his hand on the marble headstone and wished he could feel some life force or something. Tom had heard stories from people who claimed it happened to them. The stone was cold and still.
“Joyce, I met someone. I fell in love with her, but I don’t know if I am ever going to see her again. She walked away from me. But I love her. Her name is Alli. But I swear my heart can feel again.”
There was no explanation for it, no reason to believe it. An incredible calm feeling engulfed Tom suddenly. He sat upright and looked at the headstone. His fingers traced the little cherub that was engraved in the stone. He just felt as if Joyce had smiled for him. “I want to find her. I want to marry her and have a family with her. I don’t know where to start looking but I know I don’t want to lose her too.” He leaned his forehead against the stone and closed his eyes tightly against the tears. “I think you understand. Thank you.”
Tom sat in the darkness remembering Joyce’s love, remembering the way Alli made him feel. It was several minutes before he spoke again. He was sure that Joyce was filling him with hope for a future. He almost swore he could hear her voice telling him to live and love.
Somehow he knew that Joyce liked Alli. Finally he got to his knees and faced Joyce’s name engraved on the stone. “I love you babe. I always will, that’s never going to die.” But it was good that he could love again. Joyce was happy for him, he was sure of it. He just had to find Alli. “Thank you.” He placed a kiss on the top of the headstone. “Good bye.”
Within the Law
Hi everyone, first of all, Happy Mothers’ Day to ALL Nurturers!
This weekend we’ve been celebrating my books that feature strong MOM figures on my FaceBook Author Page — These books are listed below (with some buy links.
Today’s excerpt is from Within the Law. Of all the Moms I’ve written about my personal favorite is Sylvia Hughes, mom to Tom Hughes (Within the Law) and Aunt/Step-mom to Caitlyn Smythe (His Lucky Charm); Sylvia is fierce, protective and loving of both her children, no matter what age they are, and at the same time she understands they are grown adults with lives of their own (fortunately she has her own love affair with her husband Walter to keep her busy).
This excerpt is the first time that Sylvia is meeting Alli, Tom’s fiancee.
“Calm down sweetheart.” Alli was surprised about how nervous Tom was about his parents coming to visit.
“No. You don’t understand. My mother is going to come in here and look for something wrong. She won’t stop until she finds it.” He was checking all the surfaces for dust even though Alli had spent all of the day before cleaning.
“You are driving yourself crazy.”
“My mother will drive me crazy.”
“I spoke with Caitlyn yesterday. She said your mom isn’t as bad as you make her out to be.”
“Well Cat can say that. She’s a few hundred miles away.” He stopped and looked at Alli. “You two are getting pretty chummy. I don’t know if that means trouble for me?”
“You worry too much.” Alli left the room. He hoped he hadn’t insulted her.
Tom plumped the pillows on the sofa… again. He had to admit, Alli had done a nice job scrubbing the house. He was grateful because she really understood how important it was to him. She had never even grumbled about it. He was using his sleeve to wipe a possible smudge off of a glass panel on the curio cabinet when he heard Alli coming back down the stairs.
“Babe, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He stood silently when he saw what she was wearing. “Now, that’s really not fair. I’ve got to wear that to work.” And he knew he would never get over the vision of her wearing his uniform shirt and nothing else but a pair of flimsy panties and a delicate diamond engagement ring. The shirt was left unbuttoned.
“Your cousin said you needed to be distracted if you got too nervous.”
“I’m distracted.”
“Good.” She went into his arms. “Now you just need to relax…”
His breath was slow and steady. “I think I know just what I need to relax,” He spread the shirt open and pulled her to him. He bent to kiss her.
They heard the front door open. “Tommy! Come help your father with the suitcases.”
Alli stepped back and pulled the shirt closed. Her eyes were wide. “They’re early!”
“Uh, yeah…” He blew out a big breath. “I’ll be right there ma.” He called back.
“I have to get upstairs.”
“I’ll keep them distracted.” He did his best to compose himself and then he went to greet his mother. He made sure to hug his mom and swing her around so that her back was to the stairs. “Hi ma. You got here early.”
“Your father decided to push on through instead of stopping at a decent hour last night.” She started to look around. “So where is this Alli of yours?”
He saw Alli run up the stairs and he did his best to hide a smirk. “She’s uh, upstairs changing. She’ll be right down.” Tom turned to the door. “Let me go help dad.”
Just a few minutes later, Alli was coming down the stairs dressed neatly in a casual light blue pants suit. She was fully composed. Her hair was combed perfectly. And her smile was indescribable. Tom marveled at how quickly she put herself together.
“Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, I am so glad to meet you. Tom has told me so many nice things about you.”
Sylvia Hughes laughed. “Now I know you’re fibbing child.”
Alli smiled. “He’s also told me nice things.” She stressed the word “also”.
Walter Hughes poked his son in the side. “She’s good.”
“Ma, dad, this is Alli Davis, the woman I plan to marry.” Tom was proud of her.
“There’s a pot of coffee and muffins in the kitchen if you’re hungry.” Alli offered.
“Sounds lovely.” Sylvia led the way. When she stepped into the kitchen, Tom noticed her looking around. “I see you’ve made a few changes…”
Tom groaned inwardly. “Alli is a really good cook ma.” He prepared himself for her onslaught.
She noticed the microwave. “It’s about time you modernized a little Tommy.” Tom almost dropped. He had been prepared for only criticism. Yet, when he thought about it, his parents were both always very supportive of him. Maybe, he thought, he was just being a little paranoid.
It wasn’t until they were seated at the table enjoying their coffee and muffins that Sylvia did start in about their living arrangements.
“Ma, we’re both adults…” This was an age-old argument between them. It would probably be the same argument no matter what age he was.
“You are not married yet. You know how I feel about that. I don’t approve of that under my roof.”
He counted to ten, very quickly, before answering. Tom looked directly at his mother. “Ma, fortunately this is my roof… Remember? I bought this house from you and dad.”
Alli started to say something to Tom when Walter put his hand on hers and shook his head. She stayed quiet. Walter winked at her.
Sylvia glared at her son. “Well, why don’t you just move the wedding date up then? That would solve everything.”
“Ma, we set the date and we are sticking with it. We have been making all of our plans on that date. There are people who will be coming in from out of town. I am not going to make them change their plans. And we are living here together. That’s it. I hope that you can accept that while you are visiting us.”
Sylvia was silent for a long time. Finally she turned to Alli, “For your sake, not his, I hope that when your babies grow up, they are more mindful of your feelings.” She looked like she was ready to pout. “Children should respect their parents. You’ll know what I mean when you have your own.”
Alli gave Tom a desperate look. He looked at her apologetically. She squared her shoulders. “Uh, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Hughes, we want you to know up front… I can’t have kids.” She braced herself.
“What do you mean you can’t have kids?” His mother frowned.
“There was an accident and… I was left unable to have children.”
“You can’t get pregnant?”
“No ma’am.” Alli bit her lip. Tom reached across to take her hand.
Sylvia looked at her and then Tom. “Well, we want more grandchildren. You had better do something about that. Adopt.”
Hyphema
KINDLE ~ B&N ~ SMASHWORDS ~ APPLE
Hostage Heart
KINDLE ~ B&N ~ SMASHWORDS ~ APPLE
Courage of the Heart
KINDLE ~ B&N ~ SMASHWORDS ~ APPLE
Within the Law
KINDLE ~ B&N ~ SMASHWORDS ~ APPLE
A Chaunce of Riches
KINDLE ~ B&N ~ SMASHWORDS ~ APPLE
Common Bond, Tangled Hearts
KINDLE ~ B&N ~ SMASHWORDS ~ APPLE
Prologue
He put his hand on the bartender’s wrist as she moved the open bottle towards his glass to refill.
“That’s going to be it for me, I’ve got an early morning.” He removed his hand from her wrist and watched as she pulled her slender hand away, noting the bright red of her nails. He remembered seeing red nails like that before. It was the same red as the cherry that topped the ice cream sundae you took your girl out for on a hot summer night. It was the same red as the Ruby stone that sat in a high school ring.
It had been more than eight years since he had seen that high school ring. She had been wearing it on a gold chain around her neck as she kissed him and told him she’d see him later. He waved as she got into the car with her friends and they drove off. Even though it had been a girls’ outing, he was supposed to drive them that day. One of her friends was planning to move into the dorm at the university in Syracuse later that summer and they all had wanted to help her make purchases for her room. But the restaurant manager had a last minute opening and he was grabbing all the work he could. So he stayed behind. He stayed behind and worked so they would be a little bit closer to being able to afford getting married.
His high school ring was never supposed to replace her engagement ring. He had been planning on buying one. But they wanted to move the wedding date up. They needed the money so buying the diamond was put on hold. Tom was still working the busboy job that had carried him through his senior year of high school. He had applications in at lots of other places for full time jobs, but the summer wasn’t the best time to get hired. His dad had wanted him to go on to college, but college wasn’t in his plans. Not anymore. He proposed to Joyce on their high school graduation day.
Joyce’s parents tried to convince them each to go to the local community college. They kept telling them that a two year engagement wasn’t all that long after all. Tom and Joyce knew they couldn’t wait the two years. So he worked as many hours as he could as a busboy. He managed to pick up a few extra hours pumping gas at the local station also. Joyce babysat and she was going to start selling plastic kitchen containers to all the area housewives. She wasn’t planning to buy anything that day. She was just going along for the ride. She was just going to enjoy the day with her girlfriends. He wanted her to have fun.
He was dead on his feet after the shift at the restaurant and he just wanted to go home and watch TV. His mom called him before he left work. His fifteen-year old cousin had run away again, something she did an average of twice a week since coming to live with them when she was twelve. Tom always knew where to find her and he picked her up on his way home that night. They were sitting in his car while he once again lectured her about her behavior when the police car pulled up. Tom knew that his world was about to end when he saw Joyce’s father get out of the back seat.
buy links
June is Audiobooks Month &
Vanilla Heart Publishing
has a BUNCH!
including books by Chelle Cordero
Karma Visited
Within the Law
A Chaunce of Riches
Hostage Heart
Bartlett’s Rule
Hyphema
Courage of the Heart
Final Sin
&
The Many Faces of Chelle Cordero
*(click on each title to hear a FREE sample)
~~~
Click HERE for more fantastic Audiobooks
from Vanilla Heart Publishing Authors
Charmaine Gordon
Tamara Philip
Malcolm R. Campbell
Angela K. Austin
Read my books on your computer in convenient .PDF files
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Bartlett’s Rule
His Lucky Charm
Within the Law
Courage of the Heart
Final Sin
Hostage Heart
A Chaunce of Riches
Common Bond, Tangled Hearts
Hyphema
Karma Visited
…and just in case you need
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Download | Free PDF viewer
Can you hear it now? YOU BET!
Within the Law by Chelle Cordero is now available as an AUDIOBOOK on Audible, iTunes, and on Amazon! Also in All Ebook Formats and Print Editions.
Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart – his fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find rapist… the killer who took everything that mattered to him. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis- the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him. And now, she may be in the gravest danger. And, maybe this time, Tom will be able to save her!
Review
Where Murder and Love Collide…
… Chelle Cordero begins Within The Law with a great setup of murder, betrayal, and plot twists that engage the reader immediately. As I read the opening chapters, I was reminded somewhat of Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent. Cordero then takes a turn I didn’t expect, and the opening story arc closes. In Ken Follet style, the novel subsequently explores the tragic sequence of events keeping Tom and Alli from being together. The novel is, therefore, less courtroom murder mystery and more star-crossed love story.
Cordero’s writing and plot is engaging and entertaining. One is drawn to Tom and Alli and their story just as they are drawn to one another. The dialogue is real and crisp and the novel moves quickly. Within the Law makes a great summer beach read.
~Todd A. Fonseca VINE VOICE
Within the Law audiobook is narrated by Barry Newman, professional voice artist and producer, residing in Florida. Barry also narrated and produced Chelle Cordero’s A Chaunce of Riches. Barry has come to audiobook industry after years of both writing and voicing radio and TV commercials, and has this to say about his work: “I truly enjoy reading a well written story and because of my background I am always thinking about what the listener is hearing. Putting myself in that position I must admit that many times I stop in the middle of a paragraph or sentence asking myself ‘Would I want to hear it that way?’ – our guess is that listeners will give him a resounding YES.
AUDIO, PRINT, and ALL ELECTRONIC EDITIONS
BUY LINKS
AUDIO/Audible – http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Within-the-Law-Audiobook/B00NLQRGLQ
AUDIO/Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Within-the-Law/dp/B00NNX64T2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410985435&sr=1-1
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http://www.amazon.com/Within-Law-Chelle-Cordero/dp/0615997899
Nook
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/within-the-law-chelle-cordero/1102492201
Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/Within-Law-Chelle-Cordero-ebook/dp/B001HSMYSA
AllRomance Ebooks
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-withinthelaw-17761-149.html
Apple iBooks
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/within-the-law/id365800715
Smashwords for All Ereaders
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1552
and the FREE Book Club Discussion Packetwith full color printable bookmarks, author bio and photo, discussion starters, and synopsis – on Chelle’s Media Page –http://ChelleCordero.com/media/
Within the Law New Edition Sneak Peek Video
or
http://youtu.be/nzDCmwn0Y94
More Chelle Cordero Novels
FREE Vanilla Heart Publishing Book Club Extras
Within the Law by Chelle Cordero
Book Club Extras Packet includes author bio and photo, title information,
covers, discussion starters, and full color printable bookmarks.
(this has been re-posted from VHP Book Tours)
This Chelle Cordero sampler is free for your enjoyment. All of Chelle’s great books are available in both print and ebook editions for every reading device, through online retailers and in select bookstores around the world. Audiobooks available at Amazon, iTunes, and Audible. Four chapters each of Ten Chelle Cordero Novels…
Karma Visited
Do you believe in karma? Annie Furman has a gift that allows her, while she sleeps, to visit people in their time of need – but who will be there for her when she needs help? Undersheriff Dave Turner is investigating a series of home invasions and homicides. He has no idea that solving this case will lead him to the woman of his dreams.
Hyphema
Hyphema: Bleeding in the eye caused by trauma… Matt Garratti, a paramedic from New York, moves his wife and son to North Carolina to work at his dream job as a flight medic. Pakistani born Sudah, his wife, receives frosty stares and insensitive comments from their new neighbors… Matt wonders if he is pursuing his dream or bringing his family into a nightmare from which they may never wake.
His Lucky Charm
What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas… this time it follows Brandon and Caitlyn across the country and into a world of espionage and danger. The one thing that Brandon knows for sure is that he can’t afford to lose his lucky charm, Caitlyn.
Common Bond, Tangled Hearts
Layne Gillette’s world is turned upside down when a man she has never met shows up to lay claim as the father of her 6-year old son. When Layne’s abusive “ex-husband” shows up, they are torn apart by danger, kidnapping and lies.
A Chaunce of Riches
Ben Johnson was hired as a bodyguard for a rich widow and her kid, but he never expected to be working for the woman who had abandoned him just when he had needed her the most. Damn it all, he still wanted her. Samantha Chaunce never thought she would have to explain why she married the rich man instead of Ben. Or that her husband had been murdered…and Ben was the prime suspect.
Hostage Heart
Life was hard after the hurricanes swept through, destroying her parents’ home and livelihood… An errand for her boss – a chance encounter with a crew of bank robbers – a kind man who tried to help her … a man who isn’t all he seems…no, he is so much more
Final Sin
Deputy Sheriff Commander Jake Carson has his hands full… investigation of a brutal multiple homicide, a troubled son and a vindictive ex-wife. He meets young, free-spirited paramedic Julie Jennings. When Julie becomes the subject of an obsession, it puts both of them in danger…
Courage of the Heart
Sometimes love is the only cure for the very deepest of emotional wounds. The story of the two lovers takes a series of unexpected and fast paced turns where lives, sanity and love are put in jeopardy. Their commitment to one another results in a spirit that binds them together and helps them to overcome physical and emotional dangers.
Within the Law
Tom gave up on ever falling in love again the day that he buried his high school sweetheart and fiancé. He started a career in law enforcement just so that he could find her murderer and rapist. Just when he is about to see justice done, he meets Alli Davis-the defense attorney for the murdering rapist who took his love from him.
Bartlett’s Rule
Bartlett’s Rule shares the story of Lon and Paige’s love affair; a romance filled with hardship, emotion, danger and triumph. Falling in love was never the challenge; being there for each other, knowing just what to say and making it work is the real test. Paige and Lon are real; they are human, they cry and they laugh. Paige has to learn to trust. Lon has to learn to be patient.
Adrenaline rush
July 30, 2011 on
by Chelle Cordero
As a (volunteer) Emergency Medical Technician, I know what it is to arrive at a scene in a “big truck” with lights flashing and sirens blaring. I admit there is a bit of inflated ego to run into a scene and have strangers clear the way for you to reach a patient in need. There is also a momentary panic inside to look at your patient’s eyes as they look to you for help, sometimes to save their life, and the adrenaline kicks in to do all that you can do to make them more comfortable and get them to the hospital alive.
In over 25-years of doing this, I’ve known the euphoria of delivering babies, the desperations of knowing how precious every second is, the frustration of losing a patient, and the tears shed as a family member clings to you because you are their only hope.
EMS is a passion of mine. Whether an EMS provider career or volunteer, I have tremendous respect for everyone who takes their training and goes out into the world with the most important equipment, their hands and their brain, to use the equipment on an ambulance to make a difference. My husband and I both joined a volunteer ambulance squad when our two kids were little – and they grew into the EMS family. In addition to (still) volunteering for the same ambulance corps, our daughter is a career Paramedic and our son is a career EMT. (& forgive my crassness, but I am damn proud of them both).
Perhaps this is why I enjoy creating characters who are first responders. I’ve lived it, I’ve loved it, I respect it.
One of the characters I really enjoyed writing about is Julie Jennings, the heroine of my mystery thriller Final Sin. Julie is a NYS Paramedic, she is also a passionate woman who likes to live life to its fullest and cares for the people around her completely. Like most real life first responders, Julie isn’t in the field for “the money” (EMS is a truly under-appreciated profession) – she is in it to help.
Blurb for Final Sin
Deputy Sheriff Commander Jake Carson has his hands full with the investigation of a brutal multiple homicide, a troubled son and a vindictive ex-wife when he meets young, free-spirited paramedic Julie Jennings. He is immediately drawn to her and finds himself unexpectedly falling in love. Julie finds herself just as drawn to him. When Julie becomes the subject of an obsession, it puts both of their lives in extreme danger…
I started a Listopia list on GoodReads for Everday Heros; The main character(s) is a first responder (EMT, Paramedic, Police Officer, Fire fighter, etc). Why don’t you take a moment to go there and check it out? Please add any books you’ve read that fit the description and please vote for the ones that are there (three of mine are listed: Final Sin, Hyphema, and Within the Law)
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(the following did not appear in the original post)
June is Audio-Book month
Audible Audio Editions
coming soon Within the Law
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