The Guilt Trip Final excerpt before June 2012 release

Chapter 2

           “I spooked him.” Talise swallowed as she hid herself from Ace’s view near her apartment window. His normal goodbye kiss lacked luster she had come to expect.

Her heart sank as Ace sped off from the curb without blowing her his customary kiss. His hasty exit scared her.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, Talise second guessed her timing. Maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned her suspicions. If only she had listened to her older sister. Sinclaire’s advice was to wait until she was one-hundred percent sure to say anything.   

A week earlier, she had experienced mild cramping and light spotting. Talise didn’t give it a second thought until the nausea hit. Then she endured bouts for the past few days. Finally, she took a home pregnancy test.

If Talise read it right, she wasn’t. But her suspicions lingered. The thought of becoming another statistic as an unwed mother made Talise bawl like a two-year-old in the middle of a tantrum.

During a Skype call less than twenty-four hours earlier, Sinclaire had tried to console her, “From everything you’ve raved about Aaron,” her sister refused to refer to Ace by his nickname.

Sinclaire once said it sounded too gangster. “I’m sure he’ll do the right thing. We can always repent, and God will forgive us as long as we don’t continue in our sins. If God spares you from this situation, then you’ve got to turn your life over to him.”

A tear slid down her cheek as Talise recalled their conversation. Stepping away from the window, she rubbed her arms and then massaged her flat tummy.

Turning around, she scanned the apartment she shared with Lois. Her roommate was one of a handful of people she could call friend since her move from Virginia to Boston.

After responding to a “roommate needed” ad, Talise met with Lois, studied the South End neighborhood and quizzed Lois about her lifestyle. Seemingly satisfied, Talise signed the lease. That had been six months ago. 

“A good friend of mine—and Cameron Jamieson is fine—has a cousin named Aaron or Ace who is equally as fine and unattached,” Lois had said when trying to set up Talise on a double date. “Tall, muscular and has a rugged pretty boy face and a good job.”

At first, Talise was reluctant. “What’s wrong with him? Is he a homosexual?”

Lois had laughed and snorted. “Far from it. He’s a good-looking brother who enjoys having a good time—nothing more.” She paused. “Just go out one time,” she had pleaded. “If he’s a jerk, then dump him.”

Talise wasn’t buying what sounded like “too good to be true” set up. “If both of these brothers are so fine, then why haven’t you dated either one of them?” She crossed her arms.

Lois could go toe-to-toe with any woman in the good looks department. She had a touch of Puerto Rican in her blood and a whole lot of African-American. The woman turned heads as a browner version of Keysha Cole.

“I learned not to date friends or friends’ relatives. My relationship with Cameron is for networking purposes only. I keep my friend pool separate from my potential boyfriend pool. Separate and not equal.” Lois’s voice had been serious.

April excerpt The Guilt Trip part 2 of Chapter 1

The best thing about it—it was all her hair. She was born with it. Ace had nothing against hair extensions except when they looked like hair extensions.
Her brown-sugar skin was always flawless, even without makeup, and her dark lashes, silky brows and big brown doe-shaped eyes were just some of her points of perfection and
his weakness. Yeah, he liked how her features accented her brown skin.
“Hey, baby,” Ace cooed as he stepped closer to her.
Talise’s response was leaping into his arms with the force of a hurricane. Her strength
would have rocked a man who was unsteady on his feet. Not Ace, who stood at six-three
and tipped the scales at 220 pounds.
His buffed body was able to absorb the impact as their embrace lingered, and then she weakened him with her kisses. Ace didn’t know who started the seduction, but he was not
pleased when she regained composure and left him begging for more. He stared at his woman through hooded lashes and watched the longing flash across her face. To his chagrin, a smile chased the passionate moment away.
“Keep that up, woman, and we may not hit the streets and go dancing or whatever you
have planned for tonight.”
“What I planned, or hoped, was we could relax here. Lois and some friends are heading
to New York for the weekend. I’ve prepared a candlelight dinner…”
“Then what are we waiting for.” With naughty scenarios running through his mind, Ace
scooped her up in his arms and climbed the stairs two at a time. When they made
it to the third floor landing, he slowly released her. Jokingly, Ace exaggerated his breathing as if he was gasping for air.
She laughed. “And what was your hurry, Mr. Jamieson?”
“Let’s just say I’m famished.” He patted his six-pack. Reaching for his hand, Talise led him
into the apartment she shared with his cousin’s friend Lois—the one who set them up on a blind date. The aromas wafting through the apartment teased Ace. Glancing around, he snickered at
the dimmed lighting and burning incense. His eyes then settled on the kitchenette
counter/table set.

It was set for two with crystal goblets and china place settings.
Absentmindedly, Ace kicked the door closed. As though in a trance, he followed Talise.
Grabbing a serving dish, she turned around and practically bumped into him. “Here, put that on the table, Ace.”
“I’d rather nibble on you.” He encircled his arms around her and began to make good
on his statement. Usually, Talise had a witty comeback, but she didn’t take his bait. Instead, she busied herself by placing more serving pans on the table. When she seemed pleased with
her handiwork, she lit the two candles between their plates. At the kitchen sink, they played in the water as they washed their hands together. Finished with the task, Ace escorted her around the other side of the open kitchen. He pulled out Talise’s stool, and then took the seat across from her.
Ace had a hard time taking his eyes off her until she insisted. Then they held hands. They
bowed their heads as Talise said grace.
“Jesus,” she said with a pause, as if she was gathering her thoughts.
Opening one eye, Ace squinted. This was not the time for a moment of reflection. Just say grace, so we could eat. “Baby?”
he said softly, studying Talise’s troubled face.
She cleared her throat, but never opened her eyes. “Jesus, please bless this meal.”
Pausing again before mumbling a few more words, Talise finished with “…in
Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
“I’m glad we got through that before our food turned cold,” he joked. Lifting his
glass, he sipped some water. When she didn’t laugh, he proceeded to devour his
steak and sautéed vegetables.
Ace shoved a mouthful of twice-baked potatoes, lathered with sour cream, in his mouth and
swallowed. “Baby, this is good.” He winked. “And just think, I’ll have you all to myself tonight to show you my appreciation.”
Talise mustered a faint smile as she picked with her food. Usually, they exchanged
seductive glances, naughty words and sassy flirts over a meal, but not tonight.
Maybe, Ace was reading too much into it because he was about to lay his heart on the table, or maybe she was going through her monthly hormonal thing. He hoped not.
After digesting a second helping of potatoes, he dabbed at his mouth with the napkin.
“Baby, I want to talk to you—”
“I have something to say to you also,” she interrupted.
Ace snickered and then folded his arms. “Go ahead. What’s in that beautiful head of
yours? ”
Resting her fork on her placemat, Talise pinched at the fabric a few times, but she wouldn’t
look at him. What’s going on? His lady was usually confident and talkative, not sober as her expression indicated. Once he professed his growing feeling, he knew that would put a smile on her face.
“Tay?”
She bowed her head as if she was ashamed of something. “I may be pregnant.”
His eyes bucked as her rushed words finally registered. “What?” he asked to test his hearing.
Lifting her head, she stared into his eyes. “Ace, I may be pregnant.”
Nooooooooo. Not his Tay. She wouldn’t do this to him, would she? Ace was a gambler.
He could count on one hand the number of times he lost. Ace would never have betted that Talise
would have set him up like this. She didn’t blink, while she waited for him to say something.
Act normal, be professional and tactful. You aren’t going down like this, man, he coaxed himself.

The Guilt Trip March Excerpt

Unedited:

Chapter 1

Twenty-eight-year-old Aaron “Ace” Jamieson wasn’t married and never had been married. In fact, he wasn’t planning to pick out a tuxedo and meet a woman at the altar any time soon. To maintain that resolve, Ace displayed the highest level of professionalism when it came to playing the dating game.

Early on, his buddies taught them that it’s around the three-month mark when women began fantasizing about permanent residency. Therefore, his benchmark was seventy-two days or less. Ace was upfront with the ladies that he wasn’t looking for anything serious.

As he shaved, he snickered, recalling some of the tactics women used to trap him into marriage: lavish gifts, on-demand intimacy, or claiming to carry his love child.

Shaking his head in disgust, Ace rinsed off his razor. He methodically massaged aftershave on his face and throat. Women’s bluffs didn’t make him blink. He would not be lured into any baby momma drama.

But something had happened to his determination three months ago when his cousin’s friend introduced him to Talise Rogers. She swept him off his feet on the first date. There was something alluring about her independence, confidence and her exotic dark features on brown sugar skin.

Humph! Their connection was more than the explosive physical attraction. If there was a soul mate, Talise was it.

To Ace, she was his Tay. He was convinced she had an invisible grip on him that was about to bring him down, and he wasn’t complaining. It took some back-and-forth battling between his mind and his heart, but Ace thought Talise just might be the one he couldn’t let get away.

Genuine, honest and gorgeous. When she surpassed the one-hundred-day mark, Ace had stopped counting. “I’m actually losing my mind over this woman,” he mumbled and continued dressing to take her for a Friday night out on the town.

Bobbing his head, Ace slipped his feet into his shoes. Yep. A man would be a fool to let her go. He grinned when he thought about their intimacy. Ace wouldn’t comment.

Before the night ended, he was going to have an out-of-body experience and do something he had never before contemplated: profess that his feelings for her were beyond a physical attraction. Whew.

Talise was the sole reason why Ace had repeatedly turned down his brother, Kevin “Kidd’s”, offer to relocate to St. Louis. Of course, he couldn’t tell his brother that his decision was based on a woman, despite his company having two openings in the area. If Kidd had seen Talise, he would have understood his reluctance to be uprooted.

He swiped his car keys off his nightstand and jogged down the steps to the first floor of the condo he shared with his mother in the Hyde Parke neighborhood of Boston.

Sandra Nicholson paused watching her favorite television show. She glanced over her shoulder and lifted a brow. His mother might as well been eighty years old because all she did was work, church, and home.

“Hmm. You look exceptionally handsome tonight. Are you still going out with that Tanya, Tia, Tor—young lady?”

“Tay, Momma.”

“I knew it began with a ‘T’.” Pointing the remote at the flat screen TV, Sandra muted the sound. She smiled, showing off the same left cheek dimple that Ace inherited.

“Five months with the same woman. When am I going to meet her?” His mother’s eyes danced with mischief. “All I can get out of you is her name.”

“Which you can’t remember. I guess that’s why they sent you an AARP card,” he teased. Her mischievous eyes squinted to instill fear. It didn’t work. “And it’s been four months.”

“I would like to meet Tay.”

That’s not happening any time soon. I need to figure how to define our relationship first. He chuckled. “Good night, Momma Nosy.”

Stepping to the sofa, he leaned over and brushed a kiss against her cheek, then sauntered out the door. That was another first with Ace; he never divulged the names of his conquests. It would mean there was some form of attachment.

Getting behind the wheel of his Dodge Charger, Ace grinned in anticipation of what Talise had up her sleeve for the evening. Each week, they took turns planning their Friday night activities. He was sure he would be pleasantly surprised.

A half hour later, he parked in front of her brownstone. Ace checked his reflection in the rearview mirror. His mustache was trimmed and his jaws were baby bottom soft after his shave. His skin would have been flawless if it wasn’t for the mark on his nose. It was a reminder of the first and last fight he lost. His brother made sure of that.

Next, he rubbed the tamed waves in his hair. Ace still missed his long thick ponytail he relinquished when he accepted the job at Healthcare Concepts two years earlier. He had no choice.

Sandra Nicholson told him and his brother, Kidd, when they were legally old enough to get a job, if a man didn’t work, then he wouldn’t eat at her house.

Getting out the car, he glanced up to the third-floor bay window. There she was, watching him. Talise waved then disappeared to come downstairs and let him inside the building. Ace swaggered from the sidewalk to the entrance.

In record time, Talise opened the massive tall wooden door. Ace’s heart crashed against his chest at her glamour. He had dated many women with model looks and figures, but Talise would reign the top model for years to come.

She had legs to stop traffic. A silver dress gracefully hugged her curves. Beaded straps started at her polished toes and continued to wrap upward, stopping at her ankles. Despite her five-eight height, she confidently commanded her stilettos.

Ace whistled. His nostrils flared as he gasped for more oxygen, but that didn’t stop his assessment. Talise’s hair was naturally long—inches passed her shoulders—and it was always glossy, whether hanging straight or in curls.

The best thing about it—it was all her hair. She was born with it. Ace had nothing against hair extensions except when they looked like hair extensions.

December 2011 excerpt (FINAL)

CHAPTER 4

A few days later, Kidd was about to stretch out in Parke’s favorite chair when Parke strolled in. Rubbing the back of his neck and then squeezing it, Kidd recognized the sign of frustration because he had the same habit. In fact, he’d done it minutes earlier.

It had been a grueling week. Kidd was exhausted after hours of morning group interviews, networking luncheons, and evening seminars. His job prospects didn’t seem any better than in Boston. One thing he had to admit, this family really did have connections. Too bad he had burned so many bridges.

“Hey, man. Whatz up?” Parke didn’t wait for his response as he took residence in another recliner. “I’ve come to collect on your offer.”

Kidd froze and frowned. “What did I offer?”

“About Grandma BB.”

His heart sank. Strokes weren’t anything to play with. “Look, man, I’m really sorry she passed away.” Kidd felt like a jerk for giving Parke a hard time on the same day his friend suffered a stroke. Now she was dead.

“Are you kiddin’ me? Grandma BB is very much alive. We made arrangements for her to stay temporarily at Garden Chateau. It’s a skilled nursing and assisted living facility. The director is a friend of mine, and I’m also her financial planner. Hopefully, Grandma BB will be out in no time.

“But the way that woman was swearing at Cheney and me when we had her transferred today, I would say God’s giving her an extended stay in order for her to repent. I was so close—” he used his finger and thumb to demonstrate—“to scooping her up and dumping her in the prayer room until praise and worship filled her mouth.” He exhaled. “She clowned so bad at the nursing facility, we literally had to leave the building before we got put out. Cheney and I were down the hall and we could still hear her carrying on. Slur speech and all. Needless to say, I don’t think our presence is going to aid in her recovery at the moment.

The director of nursing will give us a call when she feels Grandma BB has accepted her diagnosis. The sassy senior has to be willing to become an active participant in her recovery. The nurse cautioned me that could be weeks or a month, depending on Grandma BB’s frame of mind. At this point, she seems agitated at this point because she likes to be in control.”

“She sounds like a character.” Kidd wanted to laugh at his cousin’s embellished description of some old woman.

“To say the least, Mrs. Beatrice Tilley Beacon aka Grandma BB is a spirited personality. She needs almost twenty-four-hour surveillance.”

“I wish there was something I could do,” Kidd stated offhandedly as he stood and was about to step foot in the kitchen. Mrs. Beacon was feisty. Too bad he never met her.

“There is. I have a business proposition. You may not think you need us, but we desperately need you right now.”

He had a bad sinking feeling he wasn’t going to like it. Business propositions were usually meant to take advantage of something or somebody. And he was nobody’s fool.

Available on eBook December 2012. Available in stores January 2012. Thanks for reading.

November 2011 Guilty by Association excerpt

Chapter 2 (unedited)

St. Louis, Missouri

Barely a month later, already there was trouble in Kidd’s promised paradise. He shifted on the sofa of Parke’s magnanimous turn-of-the-century home in an historic neighborhood of Ferguson.

At the moment, he was being chewed out royally by Parke’s wife, Cheney; Malcolm’s wife, Hallison; and another woman whose identity escaped his memory. They were livid because he refused to accept or retain any of the jobs they labeled as great opportunities.

Other than having the fear of God somewhere deep deep down inside of him, he wasn’t afraid of man or beast. But a double dose of beautiful tongue-lashing; long-legged females—with their hands hoisted on their hips, shooting darts his way—somehow made Kidd rethink his fearlessness. Their mug shots resembled his mother when she was about to take him and Ace down, once they began to tower over her as teenagers.

Even a pint-sized, adorable little girl named Kami stood staring at him with her arms folded. With two thick braids and wearing a karate outfit, she was the spitting image of her father. Without saying a word, the group’s expression conveyed, Looks are deceiving. We’ve got just enough ’tude to back up our demands.

“My father-in-law was cordial when he learned you walked away from the factory position. He had been tirelessly pursuing it for you since the day you got off the plane. Although Papa P. held his tongue,” Cheney smarted off. “Parke will be steaming that you did it again—turn down a job that hundreds of people want.”

“Same here,” Hallison added. “Malcolm even tried to set up an office position for you, and you declined it.”

“I don’t have a hubby yet, but if I did, he would have their back,” the third woman chimed in. “I see a beat down coming your way.”

Kidd grunted. “If you’re a fortune teller, then I’m sure you’ll see I’m not the man down,” he said smugly. It irritated him that he couldn’t recall her name. “And you are again?”

“Part of this family.” The woman was a looker: cute, shapely…and white—there no way she could be a blood relative, could she? She triple-popped a wad of bubblegum to indicate the question-and-answer period had just ended.

Really?” Kidd baited her.

“Never mind that, Imani,” Cheney said. “Our husbands are a piece of cake compared to a woman’s wrath.” She snickered. “Put it this way, you might want to start shaking in your boots right about now because we happen to love our men. And we’re not going to let anybody take advantage of them, including another Jamieson.”

“Just in case you don’t want to listen to them, I’ve got my rig outside and I’d be happy to repossess that nice ride of yours. Give me any reason. As a matter of fact, I don’t need one.” Then Imani added proudly, “I haven’t earned the company title of repo woman of the month for nothing.”

He contained a smirk at their bogus terrorization. And they professed to be peaceful, loving Christians. Kidd sneered. He didn’t doubt many people tangled with these Jamiesons, and he was just as much a reckoning force single-handedly.

Acknowledging his month of their hospitality was about to expire, Kidd decided to speak his mind. “Your family sought me out—not the other way around. I was happy in my Hyde Park neighborhood in Boston.”

“Mommy’s talking. Don’t interrupt,” Parke and Cheney’s daughter, Kami, warned Kidd. “Please.” Then she shifted into a martial arts stance then looked for confirmation. “Right, Mommy?”

“Thanks, sweetie.”

Kami beamed when Cheney nodded and gave her a heartwarming smile.

Is there a law against spanking someone else’s child? He wondered. In fact, he was about ready to strangle everybody in the room. If they had owned a bird and dog, Kidd wouldn’t spare them either.

“You ladies must think I’m a kid—”

“That’s what your name implies. What kind of nickname is that anyway?” Imani tempted for a response.

“Don’t let the nickname fool you. Last time I checked, I’m old enough to drink and drive.”

Kidd flexed his muscles. His father —whenever he made an appearance—addressed Kevin as “kid” as if he couldn’t remember his name. When his younger brother came along five years later, Samuel tagged Aaron as “Ace.” That nicknamed claimed the younger Jamieson to be his father’s “Ace in the hole” when he gambled. What Kidd couldn’t understand was why his deadbeat dad was adamant about them having the Jamieson last name. What a joke.

Guilty by Association Chapter 1 part 2

Nodding, Black Eye stepped back and let Kidd enter. As he wound his way through the lounge, he fist-bumped some, winked at a few ladies, and nodded at the bartender. Then he paused and took a deep breath. Yeah, this was his turf. If the relative imposter tried to put anything over on him, Kidd would personally break all two hundred and six bones in his body.

With the back room in sight, Kidd observed the three occupants. The light-skinned guy was buffed, maybe six—one or –two. Kidd was a wrestler in high school and a boxer on the streets. Either way, he could take him.

As he edged closer, his heart suddenly slammed against his chest. What if…what if this man really was his relative and knows something about his father? Kidd had no idea how to process that information. He took a deep breath. The only Jamiesons he knew in the world was him and his brother. He had never met any at school, at work, anywhere else for that matter.

As if sensing Kidd’s presence, Cameron glanced over his shoulder. He stood. Standing face-to-face, they eyed each other. Kidd squinted, looking for any familiar features—nothing—until Cameron worked up a cocky smile.

The moment of recognition was swift. The cousins weren’t a mirror image, but enough similarities were noted. Some of the same expressions that flashed across Cameron’s face when he grinned matched Kidd’s brother, Ace. Where Cameron was fair-skinned, Kidd had the richest deep brown tan a person couldn’t buy in a bottle or get in tanning booth. Both had thick wavy hair.

“Thanks for coming.”

Shrugging off his jacket, Kidd grabbed a chair, whipped it around, and sat without taking his eyes off Cameron. “Show me what you got.”

No argument. Cameron retook his seat and opened a thick folder. His two friends sat back, looked as if they didn’t want to be there. Cameron appeared to be confident and not intimated in the least. He whipped out a long sheet of paper with a maze of lines and names. The document peaked Kidd’s interest for a minute when the name ‘Samuel’ stuck out amid the sea of Jamieson descendants. “I brought copies for you—”

“I didn’t come to read. You said we’re cousins. Break it down, beginning with Samuel Jamieson.”

Cameron grinned. It was smug like his, and Kidd didn’t like it. “I don’t have to read it because it’s all up here,” he announced, while pointing to his head.

“My tenth great-grandfather, Paki Kokumuo Jaja, was the firstborn son of King Seif and Adaeze, which means princess. A member of the Diomande tribe, he was born in December 1770 in Côte d’Ivoire, on the Gold Coast of Africa. His name means ‘a witness that this one will not die.’

“In the fall of 1790, he and his warriors were attacked and savagely beaten by slave traders, chained, and kidnapped. He was among hundreds of thousands who were hauled to the Gates of No Return castle. As they waited, many captives prayed they would die, including my tenth great-grandfather. They were unmercifully stacked together in the bowels of a ship—not the ironic Good Ship of Jesus under the command of Sir John Hawkins—but Snow Elijah. The biblical reference is uncanny, isn’t it?”

Kidd’s head was spinning with the information. “Listen, my black skin could rival a panther’s, so there’s no doubt I’m from Africa. Why don’t you cross the water and stick to relatives who lived in the twentieth century?”

Cameron lifted a brow. “It’s rude to interrupt. You didn’t want to read the notes, so I’m giving you information verbally. I’ll bring you up to speed in less than five minutes.”

Backbone. Kidd admired that, but that didn’t mean he had to accept him as a blood relative.

“Snow Elijah landed first in the Caribbeans and dropped a payload of human cargo. Then headed off to the coast of Maryland, a state known for harsh slave laws. Automatically, my tenth great-grandfather was separated from his bodyguards. Because of his statute and strength, Paki was sold at the highest bid of $275 to wealthy slave owner, Jethro Turner, in front of Sinner’s Hotel. That purchase gave Turner exactly one hundred and thirteen enslaved people.”

“I’m warning you, Cameron, get to the point, or do I need to draw blood to get a DNA sample?”

“And I told you I don’t like to be interrupted when I’m on a roll.” Cameron snarled. “Paki married Turner’s daughter, Elaine. Besides my great—you know—grandfather, they had four other sons: Aasim, Fabunni, Abelo, and Orma. Orma was your eleventh great-grandfather. His name means free. Although he was born free, he sold himself back into slavery for a woman, Sashe, who was a runaway, but recaptured.” Cameron concluded and leaned back.

Figures, a fool from the beginning. Kidd had had enough. “That tells me nothing about my old man and how you and I are related.”

“Sure it does. It tells you that my tenth great-grandfather and your eleventh great-grandfathers were brothers. Your father and his children are direct descendants of Orma. If you want to know more, I have stipulations.”

“You sought me out. Not the other way around.” Laughing, Kidd stood and grabbed his jacket. “Whatever you want to drink, it’s on the house.”

Cameron also stood. “I can buy my own drink. And for the record, I’d make a better bouncer than that gatekeeper at the door. The Jamieson men are a force to be reckoned with.”

“I wouldn’t say that too loud. Black Eye has a short temper and he’s not empty-handed.”

“I never leave home without mine.”

Kidd looked Cameron up and down. “I’ll be in touch.” He walked out without looking back. Kidd would never admit it to everybody, but he like Cameron, whether he was a Jamieson or not.

Guilty by Association

Prologue

Boston, Massachusetts

“He called again,” Sandra Nicholson told her son, Kidd Jamieson, as soon as his commanding figure cleared the doorway of their Hyde Parke condo.

Grunting, he shut the door. Kidd’s nostrils flared as he swaggered across the hardwood floor. The persistent caller claimed to be Cameron Jamieson, a distant cousin who had tracked down him and his younger brother, Aaron “Ace” Jamieson through some genealogy nonsense.

Cameron said he was completing his second engineering degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At first, Kidd wondered if it was a prank. After all, in the black community, everybody claimed to be a cousin.

“I told the man we weren’t interested in whatever he was selling,” Kidd spat before brushing a tender kiss on his mother’s cheek as he headed to the kitchen.

“Kevin Jamieson,” she said, following him then planting her hands on her hips. “He isn’t pedaling goods. He represents your father’s side of the family—maybe the good part. At least feel him out.”

Family, huh? More like… Kidd didn’t finish the thought. “Okay, I’ll put an end to this for once and for all. You have his number?”

Kidd didn’t need this added frustration. He was the older of two sons to a never-been-married mother. Kidd found no fault with her, just his absentee father. His priority was no matter what, to take care of mother, which had become a little harder after he was laid off from the Gillette Corporation—a job he labored at for eleven years—and forced to give up his apartment.

His mother tore off a sheet of paper and handed it to Kidd. Studying the number, he punched in the digits and leaned against the granite counter top.

“Hello?” Music was blasting in the background.

Assuming it was Cameron who answered, Kidd didn’t waste his words on preliminaries. “Let’s meet.”

And Cameron didn’t play dumb. That earned him a point of respect. Kidd heard him muffle the phone. “Hey, it’s my cuz. Turn it down,” then he repeated his order, adding, “lower!”

Kidd grunted. Cuz? The man didn’t know him, yet claimed Kidd anyway, which was odd, considering his worthless father had turned his back on him and his younger brother.

“I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Now,” Kidd demanded. Let the man come to his turf.

Cameron didn’t stutter or skip a beat. “You name the place and I’m there.”

Kidd did and disconnected.

“You could have invited him here, honey. He’s very polite when he calls, not rude like you just treated him. Don’t make me ashamed Kidd.”

Shaking his head, Kidd washed his hands in the sink, then grabbed a plate out the cabinet. “He may have our number, but he doesn’t need to know where we live.” Without a care in the world, Kidd began lifting lids and peering into pots. “Mmm, sweet potatoes and collard greens. Thanks, Ma.”

Sandra sat at the table, folded her hands, then cleared her throat. “How long do you plan to make him wait, Kidd?” She didn’t mask her irritation with him.

“He’s interrupting my dinner plans and I’m hungry. Job hunting isn’t what it was when I finished junior college.” Kidd took a seat at the table after piling enough food on his plate to feed him and his mother. Kidd bit off a chunk of cornbread without saying grace then made the mistake of glancing at his mother who raised a censoring brow. Kidd bowed his head, then sanctified his food.

As he chewed, he reflected on the pending meeting. What was the purpose? It never was one of Kidd’s goals in life to build a relationship with any Jamieson. As a matter of fact, he had considered changing his last name a couple of times to his mother’s name to her displeasure. He viewed Samuel Jamieson as a reproductive donor bank to replenish the earth—nothing more.

It wasn’t until Kidd was a teenager when his family learned—thanks to debt collectors trying to track down Samuel—that he had already been married twice, neither time to Kidd’s mother, and spawned eleven children. Kidd’s memory of his hide-and-seek dad began to fade as he grew into manhood. Now at thirty-one, it had been about twenty-plus years since he had last seen Samuel.

When Kidd finished eating, he went upstairs to change clothes and pack his pistol. He wanted to be ready for whatever would go down. Kidd drove the short distance and parked. What did this man expect? For them to shake hands and then shoot some pool? Kidd got out of his car and nodded to a few men loitering near the parking lot, which might seem suspicious to some, but not him because he could easily blend in with them. Kidd knew two or three of the men from tinkering on their cars. If this Cameron was a true Jamieson then the surroundings like these wouldn’t intimidate him.

“Whatz up, dawg?” Black Eye, a convicted felon, greeted him at the door of the club and slapped his back. He looked around, then glanced over his shoulder. “Kidd, there’s some light-skin brotha that walked up in here a few minutes ago like he was a regular—and he wasn’t. The guy claimed he was your cousin and you’re expecting him—a big guy. Had two other fellows with him. One could fit in and the other guy…ain’t no way—a tie? Up in here?” Black Eye roared. “You know, I’ve got ya back if you need me.” Black Eye thumped his chest.

So Cameron had sense enough not to come alone. Kidd smirked. “Don’t know him. I came to check him out.”

Black Eye reached into the waist of his pants. “I got this.”

Kidd reached out and stopped him. “No, I got this.”

March excerpt for Crowning Glory

This is the last excerpt for Crowning Glory before it is released at the end of the month.





Don't forget the contest. Post a review on Amazon during the month of April 2011 and enter a chance to win the crystal slipper table lamp. For more information, check my author page on Amazon or my website. www.patsimmons.net.

Excerpt from Chapter 4:

Karyn is having second thoughts about going on a date with Levi as she gnawed on her lips. She had too much on her plate without worrying about a romantic entanglement.

“I’m not going,” Karyn decided.

“Oh yes, you are.” Buttercup squinted.

“No, I’m not. I should’ve never encouraged him by accepting his gift. He said if I tried it on, it was a yes. Since the tag is still on it. I’m giving it back.”

“Well, I guess it’s settled.”

Something wasn’t right. Buttercup never backed down and rarely agreed with her. Karyn became suspicious as Buttercup towered over her. She walked out of Karyn’s bedroom through their shared sitting area to her bedroom then returned.

Karyn recognized her roommate’s on-a-mission expression. Karyn swiped the garment off the bed. “What do you think you’re doing?”

In a swifter action, Buttercup snatched it out Karyn’s arms. With one yank, Buttercup tugged on the tag until it came off. “Oops. Sorry, but scissors are prohibited. Hope I didn’t rip a seam.” She grinned.

“Give that back!” Karyn frowned at her vain attempt to wrestle the dress from Buttercup. Karyn was hot with disbelief.

“Sure.” Unzipping the dress, Buttercup produced a marker and scribbled something on the inside before tossing it back on the bed.

“Are you crazy? What did you do that for?” Karyn raced to her bathroom. “You’re nuts,” she yelled over her shoulder. She came back with a wet hand towel. “I hope I can wipe off those marks, or you better keep one eye open while you sleep, crazy.”

As long as Karyn had known her suite mate, Buttercup had never done anything without thinking it through since her release. Clearly, Buttercup’s blood sugar was low or something.

“I doubt it will come out. Permanent usually means permanent,” she said smugly. “And hey, I’m a jailbird. You know I know how to sleep with one eye cracked.” Folding her arms, Buttercup struck a pose that reminded her of the stereotype Indian stance.

Rolling her eyes, Karyn deciphered the messy inscription: Gift from God. “What is wrong with you? Now, I can’t return it. I don’t even know if it’s my size.”

“You better believe it’s your size. If not, you’re missing dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow. Don’t make me withhold water to squeeze you into that beauty.”

Tears of frustration temporarily blinded Karyn as she flopped on the bed. “This won’t work.” She covered her face with her small hands.

“Listen, Wallace, you’re a new creature. Jesus died on the cross to redeem us.” Buttercup pointed. “Old things are passed away. All things are new. Can’t nobody pin anything on us.” She thumped her chest, then joined her friend on the bed. “This Levi guy sees something in you God has shown him…”

Karyn temporarily zoned out. Hadn’t Levi said something similar? Buttercup’s raving snapped her out of it.

“People go on dates all the time, except for me of course. Halo and I are just bidding our time. Once we complete our parole, then look out. But for you, a date could mean dinner, dancing, or a movie, not a marriage proposal or a contract to bear his children.”

February excerpt

Here is February's excerpt of Crowning Glory. The release is less than 60 days away on April 1, 2011.
Pre-order yours today. Be one of 50 readers to post a review between April 1-April 30, 2011, and enter into a drawing to win a crystal shoe table lamp in honor of Cinderella.

CHAPTER 3

Rossi was one of the most sought-after youth ministers at Living for Jesus Church where two sets of the Tolliver family fellowshipped. He knew how to pray, and at times, God allowed him to discern demonic criminal activity around him. Levi was also the most sought-after bachelor at the church. Rossi relaxed and smiled as he closed his Bible. “Levi, you have really moved on with your life. You have been emotionally healed,” he spoke to the wind in his quiet third-floor condo.

He lived in an upscale building that was the brainchild of Tollivers Real Estate and Development. Business partners, Rossi and Levi’s company had overseen the renovation of the former sixty-five-year-old warehouse. The six-story building featured multi-level lofts, condos, and a penthouse. Several of their family members were residents.

The cousins were often referred to as the comeback construction kids. The Tollivers had an eye to discern when to renovate or when restoration was the only way. They were known for transforming long-forgotten black neighborhoods into majestic masterpieces. If an area was blighted, their crew gave it a facelift. If they couldn’t resuscitate a building, their demolition crew took it down.

As teenagers, Rossi, who was two years older than Levi, was the ringleader of seven cousins. As men, Rossi’s bond with Levi never waned, and their bloodline had little to do with it. When Rossi repented of his sins, he set a standard for salvation that most of the young Tolliver men followed.

Rossi and Levi were alike in many ways. They worked in the same profession. Where Rossi enjoyed buying up large tracts of land in depressed areas, Levi had the vision to develop them. Both were diehard college football fans; Rossi cheered for the Baltimore Ravens, Levi was behind the Philadelphia Eagles all the way, and the Tollivers believed in strong family ties. Levi and Rossi would take soul food over barbecue any day and had the same taste in clothes—stylish but conservative.

Most times they shared the same taste in women—physically appealing, not necessarily outright stunning, and a healthy dose of temperance in their response to situations. They had to know how to hold it together when things didn’t work in their favor. In the past, Levi and Rossi had a close enough relationship to sometimes guess what the other was thinking. They didn’t agree on everything, and that was the source of heated debates. Still, they loved each other and had each other’s back.

Levi and Rossi Tolliver were also distinguishable. Where Levi was barely six feet, Rossi made up for it at six five. Levi wore glasses, Rossi had perfect vision. Levi was too light skinned for Rossi’s taste, considering Rossi was a degree away from being called midnight black. Levi could thank his Jewish mother for that one. Rossi appreciated his sole African heritage.

It was argued that the Tolliver clan included cousins in every state. Rossi never challenged the assertion. With a Pentecostal upbringing, the Tollivers spawned babies as if they were in a race to see what the end would be. It was the norm for their households to have five-plus children. However, Levi and Rossi’s parents didn’t make the cut. Levi’s father, Victor, had three sons. Rossi’s father, Ross, had four sons; neither brother had daughters.

Before Diane came along, Rossi often joked, “If she has a sister, hook me up.” Well, Diane did have a sister, but the woman was crazy. Jesetta wasn’t a bad person or bad looking. She was a born dictator and expected everyone else to line up behind her without question. Following the death of her sister, her mood swings were almost unbearable.

Over the past four years, Rossi never left Levi’s side--always a phone call away. Levi had a massive hole in his heart and life. Rossi had silently prayed for his cousin to get out of his personal purgatory where the past seemed to have a steady grip. It would never close, but the right woman, the right circumstances, and the right blessings from God could keep it from growing.

Crowning Glory January 2011 excerpt

Coming April 2011...
Pre-order on Amazon.


“So, you finally asked her out—”

“Correction, Rossi, Karyn finally said yes. That woman hustled me, probably without knowing it.” There was no way Levi would disclose how he eliminated more of Karyn’s excuses. While shopping for Dori, Levi went to Macy’s to pick up a suit. As he walked through the women’s section, Levi devised a plan after a dress caught his eye on a mannequin. He envisioned Karyn’s face and body.

Turning on the Tolliver charm, he approached three unsuspecting ladies—probably another act of stalking—and asked if they wouldn’t mind helping him out. They eagerly agreed to model outfits until they learned it was for a woman who wasn’t his mother, sister, or cousin. After telling them the sad story about his wife, two ladies relented. They tried on several dresses until one held his attention. Although another woman modeled it, Levi envisioned Karyn Wallace enhancing it. He guessed the woman was about Karyn’s size.

Besides his daughter, Levi had never bought a woman a piece of clothing before. Not even for his mother, Sharon, who preferred cash, or Diane, who enjoyed the thrill of ordering out of catalogs. On the rare occasions when Diane did venture into the malls, she never deviated from her routine: Go into a store with a mission, come out with it completed.

“Seriously, Rossi, it’s something about Karyn that makes me want to jump into the water whether I can swim or not. There’s a certain level of mystique about her and that fascinates me.”

Rossi barked out a laugh before sobering. “Sounds like a Tolliver man talking. I just hope she lives up to your hype.”

Levi removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes “Although I wasn’t actively looking for a lady, it’s as if God placed her right before my eyes, sorta like ‘Here Adam, take Eve.’”

“I hope Jesetta will see that as divine intervention.”

Next excerpt February 2011. The release is April 2010. Pre-order your copy of Amazon now.

December excerpt

Coming April 2011....Cinderella had a prince; Karyn has a King

CHAPTER 2 EXCERPT
“You stalked the woman?” Rossi Tolliver asked incredulously over the phone. “Have you lost your mind? There are laws against that…” He rattled on, advising Levi of the repercussions.
Annoyed with his cousin’s scolding, Levi gritted his teeth and huffed. Although his intentions were genuine, leave it to Rossi to overreact. What was stalking anyway—a misdemeanor? “Call it what you want, but it was for her protection.”
Satisfied with his own explanation, Levi finger combed the fine hairs of his mustache. At thirty-one, Levi had retired his thrill-seeker fixes the day after he hit twenty years old.
After the death of his wife, it was the counsel and prayers of Rossi, who was a youth minister, had cushioned the blows to Levi’s distraught spirit. Levi thought back to the day forty-eight months ago that changed his life forever. Some might have considered his questions juvenile, but his state of mind at the time was anything but logical.
“Is it okay to be angry with God? Does that make me less of a Christian?” Levi braced himself, fearing the answer. When Rossi didn’t comment, Levi rambled on. “The Lord allowed the devil to steal the most important person in my life. He allowed it to happen.” It was a bold accusation.
Levi had sniffed as they sat in matching chairs, facing each other in the bedroom Levi had shared with Diane. It was the night—a nightmarish day—before her funeral. A closed door separated the cousins from the crowd of comforters who did everything but console. Laughing and eating mocked the sad occasion.
Nodding, Rossi clasped his hands. His weary expression was a reflection of Levi’s. “God has grace for all emotions, but in the end, God is God, and He doesn’t make any mistakes.
“Whatever you do, don’t sin against God, man. Our thoughts aren’t God’s thoughts, so we’ll have to wait until we get to the Holy City for answers. Maybe then the Lord will explain all this to us.” Rossi swept his arm in the air for dramatics. “Remember, God never takes anything away without replacing what you lost. Our hope is to believe Psalm 115:16: Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
Levi didn’t know what he had expected from Rossi, but yet again, Levi wasn’t finding any comfort. “Look, man, I’ve got a little girl in there—” He paused, pointing an unsteady finger at the door—“who is two months old. Dori won’t have a mother when she begins to talk, walk, or take snapshots at her first birthday party. She’ll never know Diane…”

Crowning Glory November 2010 excerpt

More Chapter 1

“Do you have a moment?” Levi didn’t wait for an answer to his summons as he turned and headed to the elevated platform that claimed to be the café’s territory near the entrance. It was the only spacious area in the cluttered bookstore. Already, Karyn’s fist was fishing for a comfortable resting spot on her hip as she formed an attitude. If I do, am I supposed to jump?
Marking his spot at a white round parlor table, he laid his bag in a black wood chair with a black vinyl cushioned seat. The buzz in the coffee shop didn’t miss a beat as he unbuttoned his black suit coat and claimed an adjacent seat. If he wore a coat, he must have left it in the car. Levi crossed his ankle over one knee and leaned back. His demeanor was relaxed and carefree as if it was his designated VIP seating.
She hadn’t planned to follow, but curious as a feline, Karyn set aside the new shipment of stuffed animals that recited bedtime stories when squeezed. She strolled to where Levi was camped out as if he was royalty. He met her eyes with tenderness. Levi’s simmering smile was ammunition to detonate a romantic explosive in some poor woman’s life.
For a fleeing moment, Karyn felt unworthy in his presence with her red canvas apron smeared with dust from opening boxes that had been sitting in warehouses. “What’s going on?”
“It’s a late birthday gift—Happy Birthday—or an early Christmas present—Merry Christmas, whichever works in my favor,” he explained, patting the bag with a Macy’s logo.
Speechless, Karyn fretted with her braid as her heart pounded wildly. She indulged in a secret moment of excitement. The contents represented anything but a birthday or Christmas present. It was a bribe gift. Karyn knew it and was flattered—confused but thrilled.
“But I…” She grasped for an excuse not to accept it, although her birthday and Christmas were ideal reasons.
Levi remained focused as he stood and pulled out another chair as if she was adorned in a ball gown. Karyn scanned the store. Besides the few pockets of café customers, it was a slow night, easily manageable by the supervisor and two other employees. Patrice could stretch any small task into an eight-hour shift.
“Let me go clock out first.”
Suddenly, Patrice appeared, arms folded and eyes suspicious as Karyn signed out for a ten-minute break. Patrice didn’t smile or frown, but her eyes hinted she was waiting for juicy tidbits to spread—true or false. Karyn always felt uneasy around the unkempt woman. Patrice spoke her mind without fear of censure. Fellow employees called Patrice harmless, but Karyn was wary of the woman’s best intentions. Beware was written in invisible ink on her coworker’s forehead. Since jobs were hard to find, and Karyn didn’t want any rumors floating back to her boss to find fault with her, Karyn gave an unnecessary explanation, “It’s quiet, so I’m taking my last break.”
“Sure, go ahead. I’ve got your back,” Patrice encouraged with a wink, then added over her shoulder as she walked away. “Watch it. That guy is way out of your league.”
Karyn knew that, but Patrice didn’t have to bluntly voice it. Ignoring the small stab to her heart, Karyn headed for the café.
Levi waited at his post in a military stance. She stole a deep brave breath as she obliged his invitation at the table and rested. Levi retook his seat, inching his face closer to hers.
“Do you remember the first time I asked you to go out with me?”
“Yes.”
“Me too.” He grunted, amused, and shook his head. “How about the second?” After she nodded, Levi recounted word for word each instance she had turned him down. “To an ordinary man, you would’ve crushed his ego. I’m not one of them. I’m calling your bluff after your last textbook recital of ‘I don’t have anything to wear.’” He presented his offering. “Problem solved. I happened to be in the mall this weekend, and you weren’t working.” Disappointment briefly brushed his face as his words mildly scolded her. “Dori and I made a special trip to buy a book from Miss Karyn. When you weren’t here, I thought I was going home empty-handed. My little girl had other ideas for my wallet, so we shopped until I practically dropped.”
Karyn laughed. Levi possessed a wonderful sense of humor. He often appeared serious—until he smiled. He was a handsome man.
“When I saw it on a mannequin, I imagined you in that the outfit. I don’t know why,” he teased with a shrug. “Here’s the deal. Since we’re both Christians, I know honesty won’t be an issue. When you get home, try it on. If it fits, then you’ve just agreed to dinner with me on Friday night.”
This time Levi didn’t ask for a date. He already had one orchestrated as he gathered his car keys. Levi shook his head as if he could hear her formulate another ridiculous excuse. “I’ll pick you up at seven, and I’m always on time.”
Not only had Levi outwitted her, he had removed his wedding band. Karyn wondered at the meaning. On his first visit, thanks to his chatty daughter, Karyn learned his status.
“Daddy’s a wido’. Sometimes he’s sad. I think he needs someone to play with,” Dori babbled on and on as Levi stood nearby, seemingly unfazed by his daughter’s assessment. A few visits later, he confirmed his daughter’s biography with his ring finger still bearing signs of his bond to his deceased wife.
Karyn looked away, hoping for a customer who needed her attention despite the fact she was on break. When there were no diversions, she swallowed. Accepting whatever was in that bag meant more than a simple dinner. He was challenging her. Again, she hated dares.
Once Karyn found her voice, she shoved doubt aside. She never gambled, but she hoped she was wearing a poker face. She couldn’t wait to tear open her present. She knew his taste in men’s clothes and little girls’ outfits, but what did he envision for her? She beamed anyway. “I agree with your terms.”
“I’ll cherish your smile until Friday.” He winked then adjusted his glasses.
“Don’t you need my address?”
“Nope. I followed your bus home awhile back,” Levi said, unashamed, then exited the store more conceited than when he first entered.
She didn’t register his last remark as she peeked into the bag, but the gift was protected with an army of colored tissue. “Yep. This is definitely some kind of test,” she whispered to herself. She had mapped out a schedule for school, work, and church. How was she going to make room for a man?

Crowning Glory October 2010 excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter 1 (unedited)
Coming April 2011. Pre-order your copy.

Without a test, there can be no testimony. Karyn Wallace reminded herself five minutes after she agreed to a date with Levi Tolliver. She wasn’t Cinderella, and Karyn doubted the widower would be her Prince Charming.

Yes, she was affected by the most beautiful dark chocolate eyes she had seen in her lifetime. They were hypnotic, even camouflaged behind designer glasses, which were angled perfectly on his chiseled nose. Levi’s skin was a blend of chocolates: dark, milk, and white, which created a creamy undefined tone. His thick, black wavy hair and thin mustache were nice touches, but it was Levi’s dimples that seemed to be on standby, waiting for his lips’ command to smile.

Buffed at—she guessed about—five feet, eleven inches, Karyn wasn’t intimidated by Levi’s height as he towered over her petite stature. “You might as well surrender to what God has stirred between us,” Levi stated as if he had sealed a business deal after his seventh visit and counting in a month to Bookshelves Unlimited where she worked as a kid specialist bookseller.

Suspicion set in. What does he know about God in my life? At twenty-seven, Karyn was too old to play games. Sometimes the devil injected the word God into conversations as bait to Christians so they would believe they’ve found a kindred spirit. Where was Levi’s spiritual allegiance? She didn’t have time to test the waters to see if she could survive another relationship gone awry. The memories of one bad relationship had a way of lasting a lifetime.

When he moved intimately closer, his lashes mesmerized her, catching Karyn off guard. “Deny the attraction, Karyn.”

She hated dares. Bluffs got people into trouble, hurt, or sometimes killed. Karyn blinked. Now, she was getting carried away. Anchoring her elbows on the table in the store’s café, Karyn nestled her chin in her hands. She took pleasure in delaying her response. After all, he was interrupting her dinner break.

“I’m attracted to flashy cars, white kittens, black-eyed peas, and—”
“Me,” he interjected as a fact.

Karyn refused to confirm or deny his assumption, but she silently admitted she was enjoying their banter. There was something intoxicating about a person who oozed confidence. Despite her outward boasting, building her self-assurance was—at times—an inner struggle. Shrugging, she continued as if she didn’t hear him.

“Although I don’t own a flashy car or a white kitten, I can put away some black-eyed peas.”
“Your preferences are noted.” Levi lifted a brow and held it in place to make sure he had Karyn’s attention.

Only after she became impatient did he soften his features and smile, offering his sidekick dimples for her pleasure.

“My Buick LaCrosse is new, but not flashy. My daughter is allergic to cats, and my mother can throw down on any beans, peas, or greens.” A dimple winked as he stretched his lips into a lazy grin. “For the past four years, my spirit has laid dormant, waiting on a word from God. Now, all of a sudden, with no warning, I got a message plain enough that even a caveman could read it.” He snickered.

Karyn smirked. “I’ve seen those GEICO commercials, and I’m not impressed.”