Guiding Fate
by Tamra Lassiter
Role of Fate #4
Publication Date: May 11, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
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Melanie Woodside, ER nurse and single mom, has endured suffering of her own. Her ne’er-do-well husband bailed after learning she was pregnant with their first child. Now he’s back and threatening her new life. When a hot Marine moves in next door, Melanie has more than enough on her plate, without trying to heal her new neighbor as well. But a handsome man battling the wounds of war is hard to resist, especially when he and her son take an instant liking to each other. And having him close makes her feel safer.
Will Everton is a hero of the Iraqi conflict, according to the Marine Corps, his friends, and his family. The problem is, he feels more like a mess. Plagued by headaches and nightmares, Will just wants solitude to glue his wounded psyche back together. That means keeping his distance from his pretty new neighbor. But when her son refuses to recognize the boundaries between Will’s house and his own, neither Will nor Melanie can resist a little boy’s pleas for togetherness. If Will’s presence deters Melanie’s ex, all the better.
Can Will trust himself to be the strong, steady man they need? And can Melanie trust herself not to repeat the mistakes of her past? Fate brought them together … will it be enough to keep them here?
Excerpt
A snapping
sound echoes in the night. I shine a wavering light into the darkness along the
side of my small house. Nothing. Thank you, God. The sound could have
been completely in my imagination—yet, goosebumps spread over the flesh of my
arms. A tight curl of nervousness forms in my stomach.
She’s doing it again—chewing on her lip and
looking at me with those intense eyes. The movement brings a stirring in my
middle. I’m the last thing any woman needs right now but especially a woman
like Melanie. She clearly has too much on her plate already with working
full-time and raising Michael by herself. She doesn’t need me to look after,
too. Still, I can’t reason my way out of being attracted to her. She’s beautiful.
Any red-blooded male would be affected by her.
I stand and
step toward her. She doesn’t move away, but she does fold her arms in front of
her chest as if requiring some type of protection from me. I don’t like it.
Living next door to a beautiful woman has turned
me into a stalker.
I haven’t
spoken with Melanie in a couple days, but I’ve seen her and Michael coming and
going many times. I don’t stand next to the window with binoculars or anything,
but can I help it if I hear a car door slam and look out the window to see that
she’s leaving to take Michael to school? I probably could, but I don’t want to.
She leans
closer and intertwines her fingers with mine. I can’t remember the last time I
held hands with a woman.
Spending this much time with Melanie in one day
can’t be good for me. I mean, it’s great for me. But it isn’t good for Melanie.
I can’t allow myself to be this selfish. Sure, today is a good day, but what
about tomorrow when I’m in the throes of depression? What about the next day
when my head hurts so much I wish it would just explode and end the pain?
But right
now, at this moment, it’s hard to remember any of the bad things going on in my
life.
About Tamra Lassiter
I live outside Washington, D.C. with my wonderfully supportive husband and two daughters, one of which is approaching her teenage years. Help us all! If that isn’t enough, we have a Great Dane and an English Bulldog to keep us on our toes. It’s crazy around here, and I love every minute of it!
Writing is my third career. I didn’t set out to be a writer, it was just meant to be. My Mechanical Engineering degree from Virginia Tech prepared me well for my first career as an Engineer/Program Manager. My second career was in Human Resources. Long story, but I figured it out. I believe the best start for a writing career is to be a reader first, and I’ve been an avid reader my whole life. I’ve loved to read ever since I picked up my first Nancy Drew mystery in the fourth grade. Now, I love reading just about everything, but I don’t read sad books. I don’t watch sad movies either for that matter, no matter how many awards they’ve won. Life’s too short, and who needs all that strife to bring us down?
Many of my words have been penned late into the evening, which explains why I’ve never viewed whatever television show you recommend to me. I would, however, love to hear your recommendations for a great read!
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