Tuesday Tales is a weekly blog featuring diverse authors who post excerpts from their works in progress based on word and picture prompts. We’re a book hungry troop that enjoys reading as much as you do. Today our word prompt is metal. My excerpt is from Hannah’s Haint, a vintage paranormal romance set in a small town in the 1950s. Please visit the other fabulous authors at Tuesday Tales.
With a groan, she snapped the metal cap onto the pen and shoved it aside. The ink smear on the paper singed her temper. Blasted bookwork. Didn’t two plus two equal four anymore? She dug her fingers into her temples, pressing against the throbbing pain. Trying to keep the figures reconciled had proven to be one of the worst aspects of the renovation project. Maybe she’d take Mr. Berry up on his offer of accounting help, if he’d wait and bill her after the opening. No, that wasn’t fair to him. She couldn’t do it. Sighing, she selected a yellow pencil from the top desk drawer and set back to work.
Footsteps sounded on the outside stairs. The gait was too lively to be Buster. The bulb in the desk lamp flickered, and she tapped at the heavy green shade. Please not again. The electrician had sworn he’d gotten all the wiring straightened out. Her limited budget would only stretch so far. She looked up to see Nate Larkin walking toward her.
He removed his hat. “Afternoon, Miss Ross.”
His deep voice brushed over the walls and settled like soft whispers against her skin. The old fashioned sitting room seemed suddenly too small. “Yes, Mr. Larkin?”
“Nate, please. Don’t get up, ma’am. I’m here about the carpentry work you mentioned down at the café.”
She stood up anyway, gripping the pencil. Should she take him on? He was a soldier, used to action. Spur was already a major problem. Could she trust Nate Larkin to be steady?
He raised a dark brow. “You seem a shade reluctant. I assure you I’ve done this type of work before.” He smiled encouragingly. “Do you have questions you want to ask me?”
She cleared her throat. “Not to offend you—I know you’ve been overseas—I can’t even imagine–but you give the impression of just passing through.” She must sound like a lunatic. “What I mean is you came in on the train, out of nowhere. How do I know you won’t skip town at the sound of the next lonesome whistle?”
His expression didn’t change. “You have something against strangers?”
“Not at all.”
“Soldiers then.”
She bridled. “No, of course not.”
“Right. Then let me put it like this. Those tracks can keep on going where they’re going. Doesn’t bother me in the least. I’ll hang around here until the job is done. You have my word.”
After a moment she nodded. “I could use another hand. One of my workers is out sick, and there’s too much for one person to handle, although Buster does his best.”
“Is he here? Maybe he could show me what needs to be done.”
“He’ll be back before long. He went home for dinner.” She indicated the flowered brocade settee. “You can have a seat if you like.”
He opened a palm toward her chair. “After you.”
I hope you enjoyed the snippet based on the word prompt metal. Thanks for stopping by. Please visit the other fabulous authors at Tuesday Tales.
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic in Romance
Love the train image. Well done.
Thank you,Susanne.
Lovely moment when he talked about the train. I hope he stays around for a bit.
I hope so too, Karen.
Great snippet!
Thanks, Vicki.
I can’t get enough of this story
Thank you, Cathy.
Oh, great! Another beautiful writing example! I always read this post with the utmost attention. I have a lot to learn from it. Thank you!
Thank you. Those ladies in TT are so talented, Carmen.
Okay, so is he going to cut and run if things get too close and intimate with this woman? I love the descriptions. You do so much with a few simple words. “Do you have anything against strangers?” Great line! Loving this story.
Thanks so much, Jean. I love that moment when a line comes out of a character’s mouth that only THAT man would say. It’s thrilling and eerie at the same time.