Title: "For Better or Worse"
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Word Count: 20000
Publisher: Literary Road
Formats: eBook, Multiformat

Multiformat through

Kindle Version

MobiPocket

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Summary:

All Sandra ever wanted was a simple life with some sense of normalcy--what she has is a home invasion gone terribly wrong, an old boyfriend hot on the prowl, and one very, very angry husband. Will this werewolf in hiding be able to prove she isn’t going to leave her husband while trying to protect him from the consequences of an unanticipated slaying?

In “For Better or Worse,” a modern-day woman struggles to keep the truth of her identity hidden from the mortal man she wed while the bonds of marriage are tested by a long lost love.

Excerpt:

[ ONE ]

“Bo, the bus will be here in less than ten minutes!” Sandra shouted at the ceiling before leaning against the counter. She took a sip of coffee and through the window watched a pair of teens stroll past her house dressed like something straight out of a music video. Her gaze shifted, focusing just beyond to the neat cookie-cutter houses on the opposite side of the street—all similar to her own comfortable abode with wide swaths of bright green grass lining the perfect concrete walkways and drives, giving the illusion of interwoven harmony.

“Hey, Sandra,” Bo said, entering the kitchen while dropping his backpack on the counter with a resounding thud. He slid a paper across the counter. “I need you to sign this permission slip before I go.”

“For what? Another field trip?” Smiling as she faced him, she ignored the way he still used her name instead of calling her “Mom.” It’d take longer to gain the title from her preteen stepson considering his father and her had married less than a year ago.

“Yeah.” Bo shoved half of a bagel in his mouth and continued explaining, although somewhat muffled. “To the Museum downtown.”

“Sounds interesting.” She picked up the paper, read it a moment, then grabbed a pen and scribbled her name. “Well, you’re more than welcome to go as long as there are no more events like we experienced the last time you traveled with your class.”

The obligatory eye-roll was followed by the downing of a small glass of juice.

“It was just a prank,” he said.

“I understand but as your father has stated, regardless of the motivation, causing the toilets to overflow is not what either of us would consider appropriate field trip behavior.” She handed him the form.

“Okay. I get it.” He took it then grabbed the other half of the bagel before tossing them both into his bag. Turning towards the door, he called back over his shoulder. “Don’t forget, I’m going to Matt’s after school.”

The door shut with a slam. She watched him trot across the yard towards another group of boys. Once they moved out of sight, she picked the coffee back up and headed towards the refrigerator where the color-coded squares of her calendar greeted her.

“Hmm,” she hummed while reviewing the next few weeks of activities, her gaze pausing on the brightly outlined red panels. “Only a week and a half to convention.”

A high-pitched chime sounded from the other room. Her attention shifted to the clock over the stove. “Oh, dear, it’s time for me to get to work.”

* * *

“Bane Consulting,” Sandra queried, answering the phone upon entering her office while carefully balancing a stack of folders along with her purse. “Yes. Yes, this is the right place. No,” she set the pile down on her desk, “I don’t think that would be a problem. You have a nice day, too.” She hung up the phone. Being the one of only three associates in the area for Bane, the job often kept her busy from the moment she walked in the door.

Glancing at the large white message board, she deciphered the comments left by the other two associates then paused as the last note from the third shift man caught her eye, New recruit ... meeting this a.m. She smiled wryly. It’d been quite some time since another potential client had come through her department. “Wonder if they were born for the job or just modified,” she mused, turning back to her desk.

The phone rang again.

“Bane Consulting,” Sandra answered. “Good morning, Bruce. No, I haven’t seen them yet. Just got in. Sure thing, I’ll get right on them. The new guy? Yes, I saw the note. No. Haven’t met him. Yes. I’ll do that. As soon as I know something. Sure. Thanks again.” She settled the receiver a little harder this time. “When will he realize I do actually know what I’m doing?”

Returning to the message board, she began erasing the remarks she’d left the day before. Once finished, she went back to her desk and flipped on her monitor. A neat row of daily reminders flashed on the screen. After sitting, she clicked them off until only three were left.

“Looks like a pretty easy day.”

The phone rang.

“Oh, geez.” She grabbed the receiver. “Bane Consulting.”

“Sandra?”

“Speaking. How can I help you?”

“It’s Kahne.”

She froze then a slow smile crossed her features as the solid image of her old flame came to mind. “Really?”

“Yes.” He chuckled. “I’m back in the states. Thought I’d give you a call.”

“Are you still with Bane?”

“Would I be with anyone else?”

“Sorry.” She laughed at the silliness of her question. “That was stupid of me.”

“It wasn’t. You never know. I might one day get tired of defending the undefendable and go elsewhere.”

“Now, Kahne, we both know people like us are destined to work for Bane. Who else would put up with our somewhat peculiar behavior?”

“Well, that and the money’s pretty good, too.”

“I have to agree there.”

A muted silence.

“Anyway, I was just calling to see whether you were coming to convention this month?”

She sensed the flush of heat in her cheeks. “Well, I’d planned on it.”

“Good. I was hoping you were.”

Another pause.

“Kahne, you are aware I’m married now.”

Silence.

“Kahne?”

“Yes, I but I don’t believe it changes our relationship. As I see it, we’ll always be friends, right?”

She hesitated slightly on her reply. “Yes, Kahne. We’ll always be friends.”

* * *

It was late afternoon when the phone rang again.

“Bane Consulting,” Sandra said.

“Hello, my dear.”

“Trent! How’d the meeting go?”

“Fine. Corporate’s looking to bring two new stores to the region and if everything pans out, I’ll finally be able to move closer to home.”

“So, no more two hour commute?”

“Hopefully not. They’re seeing good potential for development north and may establish a small divisional office in one of their base stores to save the expense of a separate facility.”

“Wow, this is wonderful”

“You know it is. One thing though.”

“What?”

“They need me to go out of town to do some additional training.”

“When?” Her gaze cut immediately to the calendar hung on the wall opposite her desk. The red block stood out like a spotlight on the otherwise dull facade.

“Don’t worry,” he replied, half-laughing. “I had them schedule me for the week after your convention. You’ll be back in town a good two days before I have to head out.”

“Oh, that’s great.”

“Yes, it is.” He sighed. “I mean it’s not like I can go off tramping all over the country and not have a sitter here for my wonderful son, now can I?”

“Trent, you know I’m—”

“Yes, love, you’re much more than my live-in sitter.” He chuckled. “It’s just that you seemed so serious, I wanted to lift your mood a little.”

She laughed. His sense of humor was odd at times but he was a good man. Sincere and honest, she knew in her heart he loved her.

“So then, since the meeting’s over, I take it you’ll be home for dinner on time?” she asked.

“Yes. What are you planning? Anything special?”

“Well, the boy-child will be late so maybe if you arrive a little earlier than usual, maybe you and ‘the sitter’ can meet for an early appetizer.”

“Only a taste?”

“Well, that depends.”

“On what?”

“How hungry you are.”

[ End Excerpt ]