A Snippet from Music of Her Heart

As I promised. Here's the next snippet from my upcoming release of Music of Her Heart. It's available for pre-order now. The scheduled release day is Nov. 16 but, if it comes back from my editor who is going through the last edit now, it might release earlier. I'll keep you posted. Oh. The pre-order price is only .99. It will go up to 2.99 as soon as it is released. Don't delay click on the link to get that pre-order purchase made.

Here is what is going on at the time of the snippet.

Gema and Red are still married in name only. Red thinks he's too old for Gema. She over heard him telling Hawk. Now, Gema wants to take action to show him differently. But she doesn't know how. She turns to one of the other Ladies for help. Myra Riverby. You met this spunky little lady in Chloe's Sanctuary. If you haven't now's the time to become familiar with all the Stones Creek - Ladies of Sanctuary House.

Myra hugged Gema when she answered the knock.

“Come in. I’m so glad to see you. We all miss you so much. You being out on the ranch and all.” Myra led the way into the parlor. Troy was upstairs napping. Myra made tea, and they chatted about Hank and Laura’s wedding that had occurred the previous Saturday.

“So, how’s you likin’ bein’ married?”

Gema swallowed. This was so embarrassing. To actually speak to someone about the lack of the physical aspects of being married was much harder to do than think. “Much is good. Juanita, very good friend. I teach English her. She teach Spanish me.”

Myra began laughing and had trouble stopping. “You’re teachin’ English. That’s just ‘bout as bad as me a tryin’ to. Twixed my back hills Tennessee accent an’ my messed up grammar, ain’t no way I’d be tryin’ to teach somebody to talk right.”

Gema realized how strange it was for her to try and help someone learn the language. It was working though. Juanita had added many words to her English vocabulary. Many more than Gema had acquired of Spanish. “Yes, strange, but work much good.”

She waited until Myra’s giggling subsided before bringing up the topic she wanted to discuss. “Have problem. You help, yes?”

The smile on Myra’s face vanished. “Is he hurting you? You just say the word, and we’ll get you away from him.”

“Oh, no, no. Red good man. He good husband. He want good for me.” Gema took a deep breath and said, “He not think I want him. He… I… We not… He think he too old. Me too young. Stupid man.”

“Well, that dog won’t hunt. You want to…” Myra circled her hand, not saying the words.
“Yes, not know how show Red I want. You help?”

A sly grin grew on Myra’s face. “Yeah, I can help. We’s gonna be real subtle ‘bout it. You been working a lot in the garden, right?”

Gema drew her eyebrows together, puzzled. “Yes. Much work planting seeds. Hoeing.”

“So, your arms is real tired and sore. It’s real hard to reach behind and untie your corset strings.”

“But tie string bow in front.” Gema didn’t understand.

Myra let out a frustrated breath. “I know, but you want him to get close enough and to touch you, right? So you need to give him a reason. Tying the bow in the back gives you a reason.”

“But, seems like lie. I no hurt.”

“Well, chop some wood.” Myra waved her hands in the air. “You’ll hurt. You got a greater purpose here.”

Gema fought between disappointment and delight. She was beginning to understand what Myra was getting at. That she probably wouldn’t accomplish her goal tonight was a delay she didn’t want but could handle. Then again, if they got back to the ranch early enough, Gema could do some hoeing and chop some kindling.

“I get Red untie strings, loosen laces. He get idea?”

“Maybe, depends on how stubborn he is. Don’t move away when you take your corset off. Then…” Myra went on describing some ways to encourage Red toward the ultimate goal.

When Gema left, she headed to Cutler’s General Store. She was going to purchase a sweet smelling lotion for Red to rub onto her sore arms and back.

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