Saturday Sample and Weekend Writing Warrio

 Welcome to Saturday Sample and Weekend Writing Warriors. Today I'm sharing  excerpts from Return Engagement, my first book about the Lovinggood family. I've already shared some of the first part so I'll be doing a little jumping around. First a blurb, then that excerpt. Oh, and on Sunday when you finish here go to www.wewriwa.blogspot.com for more excerpts from a talented group of authors.

Blurb:

Elizabeth Lane is one lucky woman. She has it all-money, fame, a satisfying career and a devoted fiancé. Her humble beginnings are all but obscured, but she isn't the kind of woman Senator Henry Lovinggood wants for his son, Richard. Senator Lovinggood plans to make Richard the President of the United States; he'll need a woman from a wealthy, powerful family by his side. Ten years ago the senator broke Richard and Elizabeth up, but this time it won't be so easy, for Elizabeth wants to know what might have been. This time she'll fight back, a struggle which ultimately leads to kidnapping and attempted murder and alienates her from the man of her dreams.

Last Weeks Excerpt:

Elizabeth had no doubt who had sent the gift. She didn’t know if she wanted to open it or not, for the other gifts had upset her something awful. Her nerves had finally calmed down, but if she opened that box she’d undoubtedly get all wound up again.

Curiosity won out, so she sat down and opened Richard’s latest offering. “Oh, look, Mother. How sweet.” She removed two fluffy, white, stuffed cats from the box and showed them to her mother. Both cats wore big red bows tied around their necks. The card inside the box read, I didn’t win these cats; I just bought them, but maybe they can be company for the carnival kitty. Love, Richard.

“This is the most romantic thing I’ve seen in a long time,” Mrs. Lane enthused. “Darling, don’t you want to call him?”

“No... yes...oh, I don’t know.” Elizabeth took her cats and wandered into her bedroom where the carnival cat still sat on the chair beside her bed. She picked up the carnival cat and cradled it in her arms, but she didn’t pick up the phone.

The clock had just struck twelve when a battered old Volkswagen stopped in front of Elizabeth’s house. A lanky teenager carrying a white paper bag rang the doorbell. Elizabeth went to the door this time.

“Hey,” the kid said. “I’ve got some hot dogs here for somebody called Elizabeth Lovinggood. Are you her?” 

Elizabeth’s eyes widened fractionally when the boy addressed her as Elizabeth Lovinggood. Nobody except the bodyguards had called her that before. “Yes, I’m Elizabeth Lovinggood. Where do the hot dogs come from?”

“Place called Pops. It’s on the beach. The guy who bought them told me to tell you to be sure to read what he wrote on the bag. Say, has anybody ever told you that you look like that movie star, Elizabeth Lane?”

Elizabeth smiled. “Yes, once or twice.” She turned the bag to the side and read, I had a hot dog for lunch too, but it didn’t taste as good without you to share it with me. Can we make a date for lunch sometime soon? I hope it’ s okay if I call you. Love, Richard.

“What is it this time?” called her mother.

“Hot dogs. Let’s have lunch.” As she had expected, the hot dogs were smothered with mustard and onions.

This week's excerpt:

She waited expectantly for one o’clock, sure that he’d send something else. When her gift came she had to laugh. Richard had sent her a large, foil wrapped Hershey’s kiss and a card which read, Does this kiss give you any ideas? Love, Richard.

At two o’clock a messenger dropped off a CD with a recording of Bryan Adams singing “Everything I Do”. The card read, Bryan Adams may say it better than I can, but I mean it just as much. Love, Richard

Elizabeth took the CD to her room and played it. Mrs. Lane looked in on her a few minutes later and caught Elizabeth wiping her eyes and cuddling Richard’s pillow. “I’m sorry,” Elizabeth choked, “but I’ve never heard a more beautiful song. Who wouldn’t want a man to love her so much he’d die for her?”

Mrs. Lane scooted the cats over and sat down in the chair beside Elizabeth’s bed. “Do you really think Richard loves you that much?”

Elizabeth nodded as a big lump in her throat threatened to choke her. “Yeah, I think he does.”

Available at http://amzn.to/1SMhEEk