Broken Petals, Book 2
Women's Fiction
Date Published: 09-02-2024
Publisher: Running Wild Press
Four girlfriends take a trip around the world after drunkenly taking ancestry tests during a wine-filled girl's night that changes the trajectory of their lives.
INTERVIEW
Chapter 1
It’s Wine O’clock Not having to spend a Friday night in the summer with a dead body felt unreal. It’s almost unheard of as a Chief Forensic Pathologist. We were long overdue for a girl’s night. So, I invited my best friends; Brooklyn Rahimi, Tammy Avalos, and Lorraine Collins. It was also the perfect time to unveil my renovated wine cellar. A stress-free night of conversation and dancing with my girls was music to my ears. The wall of wine is only a cherry on top.
Brooklyn’s outfit gave me an eyegasm. She loved fashion as much as I did. We’ve fought over fashion and bonded over it many times. Tammy is a free spirit. Her dating card has been full since her divorce. It’s a miracle she has time to hang out with us. Poor Lorraine hates it. She’s always nagging Tammy to settle down. But, everyone isn’t like her. She’s a true romantic. Even after all the drama with her daughter’s father. Anyone else would’ve given up on love. But Lorraine’s fire for love is as red as her hair.
We were all kid-free for the night. Well, all of us except Tammy. She hates to admit she’s the grandma of the group, or as she calls it, Gigi. While the fathers are on daddy duty, we were going to do our best to challenge our almost forty-year-older livers to a duel. Except poor Tammy. Her liver is going on fifty. But, she can hang with the best of them.
When the girls arrived, I gave them each a bouquet of my favorite flowers—red roses. I knew they’d come locked and loaded with gifts to break in the wine cellar, and they didn’t disappoint. Lorraine gifted me six large candles. Tammy gifted me a dozen bottles of wine to help stock my wine cellar, and Brooklyn gifted me the most beautiful white marble tabletop wine opener with a gold handle. It even had my name engraved in gold on the base–Iris Reid. That’s what I love about my girls. They’re classy and thoughtful in every way.
After years of my basement being a disaster area, I buckled down and hired a contractor and a decorator from Highsea. I told them I wanted it to look like it jumped right out of a page of a design magazine, and into my home. They exceeded my expectations. The decorator went with a modern white and silver color scheme to match the rest of my home.
Four white faux leather chairs with silver arm accents sat in a circle in the center of the room. Small silver tables were placed between each chair. A silver abstract chandelier with bright white lights hung over the circle of chairs. The decorator described the chandelier as unique. I called it chaos. But what did I know?
Whenever we got together, the first few minutes of conversation were the same as the chandelier; chaotic. We’re all so eager to catch up; we usually end up talking over each other combined with hugs and kisses. We pretty much play Double Dutch and jump into the conversation when we can.
“Iris, I really hate the idea of you living in this big beautiful house alone.” Lorraine shrugged, eyeballing every inch of the house within her peripheral as if it were her first time visiting. But she remained within her wheelhouse. Lorraine wouldn’t be Lorraine if she didn’t urge us to attach ourselves to a man in order to have a happier life. As if men were the be all and end all.
I knew where she was going with her comment. Heck, we all knew where she was going with it. “I don’t live alone,” I explained with a smile wide enough to show all my pearly whites. “I have my son.”
“That’s different, and he’s a teenager now. He’s going to have his own life with sports and friends.” Lorraine glanced at each of us before mentioning my ex-boyfriend and father of my child–Rodney. The same man who’d break out in hives whenever I’d mention marriage. It’s like he was allergic to the very thought of commitment. I guess that’s asking for too much in his eyes. “You should get back with Rodney. You guys co-parent so well. It’s a shame you aren’t together.”
“I want love. I welcome love. But I need more than love right now. I need to find myself.” I waved my hands to move on from the conversation all while silently wishing and praying this would be the one and only time she’d bring him up. “That’s not what this night is about.”
“Yeah, let it go,” Tammy yelled. “Alexa, play Buy me a Drink by T-Pain.” She broke out her best dance moves, as she glided across the room, twisted, turned, and dropped it low, all with a carefree smile.
“Ooh, that’s my song.” I ran over to dance with Tammy. Neither of us had any rhythm to save our lives. But we didn’t care. We were going to have a good time if it killed us. Plus, as long as we danced, Lorraine wasn’t preaching.
“Let me show you how it’s done.” Brooklyn raced over with a full glass of wine in hand. Thankfully I had marble floors. It’s easier to clean because the girls are always wasting good wine. “You have to swing your hips like this.” She moved like a sexy snake. “Yeah Iris, you got it. You got it.”
“What about me?” Lorraine asked, rolling her body to the beat.
“It’s a little nineties, but it’s giving what you’re trying to give.” We all laughed and danced until the song faded.
About the Author
Tasha Hutchison, author of the captivating women's fiction novel, "Broken Petals." With a passion for captivating storytelling, Tasha aims to enchant and intrigue readers through her evocative narratives. Her book Broken Petals also landed her as a finalist in the best book awards for Page Turner Awards in 2023.
Hailing from Texas, she holds an associate in arts degree and finds solace in quality time with her loved ones. When not crafting compelling tales, Tasha channels her creativity into developing writing organizers to assist fellow writers in nurturing their story ideas.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
a Rafflecopter giveaway
No comments:
Post a Comment