Send to Kindleby Suzanne D. Williams
Now on preorder for delivery on September 4, 2017!
Barrow Bros. Brides, Book 3
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
Every spare penny she’d saved over the last two years crumpled with the bumper of her shiny new sedan, and her already low mood launched off her tongue in a stream of curse words. Exiting the driver’s seat, she lunged toward the other driver, one finger quivering in his face. “Listen, you … watch where you’re going!”
His gaze darkened, his brow drawing downward. “I’m not at fault.”
“Not at faul …” Her words sputtered out in the early autumn sun. “I just bought this car!” she snapped, stomping her foot.
“You ‘just’ wrecked it, too, and I hope have good insurance. Look at my door.”
He waved toward his car, an older foreign sports model that, she’d bet, required a specific auto mechanic. Her stomach knotted. This would hurt someone’s wallet.
“Let’s just … exchange numbers,” she said. Though she wasn’t totally to blame, they were creating a scene, blocking traffic in the shopping center lot, and attracting too much interest.
“Oh, no …” He shook his head. “You’re not getting out of this. I’m calling the police and filing a report.”
Her anger flashed bright again. “I’m not ‘getting out’ of it? You’re implying I would try! I’ll have you know I’m an honorable person. If it’s my fault, then so be it, but if you’d used your eyes, you’d have seen me and come to a stop!”
“If I’d have seen you? If you’d have seen me! I was in the aisle and had the right of way.”
“Psht.” Her lips pressed together, she gave a hiss. “You would say that. You’re a man.”
His cheeks reddened, a figurative curl of steam escaping his ears. She’d pushed things too far, and a breath of guilt grabbed hold. It wasn’t like her to argue. Her mother would be embarrassed if she’d witnessed this. For that matter, the gathering crowd had seen enough, whispers of amusement crossing their startled faces.
She made an effort to calm herself, counting her next few breaths, and spoke as gently as possible. They couldn’t undo the damage. Whoever was at fault, it would cost both of them in the long run, at the very least, in time. “Look, I’ll give you whatever information you need. You can photograph my insurance card if you like. But please don’t call the police. We’re not on a road and no one was hurt.”
This seemed to relax him somewhat, his rigid stance softened, and his heightened color eased.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll do the same. I’m sure we can come to an agreement.” He turned his back on her and reached into his car, producing his cell phone.
She retrieved hers, as well as her driver’s license and insurance card. She extended them in his direction, and he took hold, scanning both. He then snapped a couple photos and handed them back.
“I’m sorry for getting so upset, Ms. McDowell.”
“Lorelai. Ms. McDowell makes me feel old.”
He didn’t bother to correct himself, but a second later, started, as if awakening, and nodded toward her phone. “If you’d like to know how to contact me …”
“Oh, yes.” She raised her phone, bringing up a memo note screen.
“The name’s Jarek Barrow.”
Barrow? Where had she heard that name recently? Her finger working over the keypad, she added his phone number beneath it.
“If you’ll send me a text,” he said. “I’ll contact you about everything.”
He appeared ready to wait until she did, so Lorelai obliged him. They parted minutes later, the dent in his door reflecting the light as he exited the lot. Seated in her car, she exhaled. She should have paid more attention and avoided the whole thing. Look at what her carelessness had done.
“Barrow. Barrow,” she mumbled. Barrow. The name stuck, and her gaze widened. Bending forward, she opened her glove compartment and dug through the top stack of papers, dragging out one with the college header. Trailing her finger down the columns, she lit upon the name.
“No,” she groaned. No. No. No. This could not have happened to her. “Professor Jarek Barrow,” she said. “And I’m taking your class on Monday.”
The Series
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Best-selling author, Suzanne D. Williams, is a native Floridian, wife, mother, and photographer. She is the author of both nonfiction and fiction books. She writes devotionals and instructional articles for various blogs. She also does graphic design for self-publishing authors. She is co-founder of THE EDGE.
To learn more about what she’s doing and check out her extensive catalog of stories, visit http://www.feelgoodromance.com or link with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/suzannedwilliamsauthor or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SDWAuthor.
