Lorna & Tristan Series #2
The wedding bells for Lorna and Tristan Blake toll doom right as the honeymoon begins with an unexpected turn in Tristan’s health. While World War II winds down, Lorna receives a letter from the War Department informing her that the brother she thought killed in action is still alive. She is overjoyed, but his return will dredge up a devastating secret about their parents’ tragic death –a secret that could destroy her new marriage and threaten her husband’s physical and mental well-being. What unfolds is balancing act of keeping the faith and shattering the pieces of the life she’s worked so hard to put back together.
Extract
Context: Lorna and Tristan have just returned home after purchasing a new car.
We returned home many hours later. My dress stuck to me. I dared not look at myself in the mirror, sure that my hair was a fright. Hot weather was never a friend to my already-wavy hair, causing the strands to curl and stick out in every direction. If Tristan and I were competing for messiest hair, we would have tied for first place.
Tristan killed the engine and stepped out. I didn’t wait for him to come around to let me out of the passenger side. I stood on the driveway in front of the car, gazing at his new baby. He came to stand next to me. He ran his large hand over the black pontoon fender and whistled.
“This beauty can go 100 miles an hour.”
“Hence the nickname ‘Speedster.’ And the guy at the car place said that how many times?” I asked, forcing a smile.
“But look at her, Lorna! They don’t make these cars anymore.”
“Yes, the price you paid certainly reflects that. I told you at the lot I would’ve been fine with something cheaper and more practical.”
He didn’t seem to hear me as he continued about the car. “I’m amazed I actually got a hold of one. These are rare. Only 500 were produced during their last year.”
“You’ve been holding out on me, Tristan. I had no idea you had such a thing for Auburns.”
“This isn’t just any Auburn. This a ‘36 Auburn Supercharged. I drove an Auburn sedan over a decade ago, and that was the car I wrecked. I always liked that car.”
“But isn’t buying the same car, I don’t know, a reminder?” My insides churned in the heat.
“But it’s not the same car, not really. This was the dream car, the one I aspired to. The other Auburn wasn’t a Supercharged.”
I had to concede that the car was a work of art. While it wasn’t new, it was in prime condition. Exhaust pipes decorated the left side of the hood, and with its 150-horsepower engine, I was sure it could accomplish the feat of 100 miles per hour like the salesman claimed.
“Well, here’s your dream. You do realize I’ll be driving it more than you, right?”
“Of course. I told you, I’d love to see you driving one of these babies.”
“I’m not going to be driving it 100 miles an hour. I can tell you that much right now.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to.” His eyes remained on the car.
“And are you?” I raised my eyebrows.
“What?” He whisked his gaze away from the hood to look at me.
“Where are you going to actually drive it that fast?”
He patted it. “It’s the idea of what it can do more so than having to do it.”
“Did you just stroke a car?”
Tristan pulled back his hand and looked affronted. “Hey, this got me outside and away from holing myself up in my writing room. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Thank you, Cynthia Hilston and Rachel’s Random Resources
About the author
Cynthia Hilston is a thirty-something-year-old stay-at-home mom of three young kids, happily married. Writing has always been like another child to her. After twenty years of waltzing in the world of fan fiction, she finally stepped away to do her debut dance with original works of fiction. Visit her website at http://www.cynthiahilston.com for more information.
In her spare time – what spare time? – she devours books, watches Doctor Who and Game of Thrones, pets her orange kitty, looks at the stars, and dreams of what other stories she wishes to tell.
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