Synopsis:
Psychologist Reese Morgan is a feisty workaholic who has devoted her life to helping seriously ill children.
But work is just one of the many walls she has put up to protect herself from the legacies of childhood trauma and heart-wrenching grief. When the family support program she has struggled to build at the local hospital is threatened, Reese must confront her past and embrace her future.
Sparks fly when she comes face to face with a handsome visionary: the contractor who is set to demolish the children’s wing.
Can Reese tear down the walls around her heart to let love in?
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Excerpt:
“Treadmill Guy is Contractor Guy?” Nikki’s jaw dropped. “This is getting interesting.” She stuffed a handful of popcorn in her mouth. “So have you jumped him yet?”
Reese had to laugh. Nikki always cut to the chase, even with a mouthful of food.
“No, it’s not interesting, Nik. A man in position to ruin the lives of poor, defenseless children isn’t interesting, he’s maniacal.” The two friends sat on the couch catching up on their lives. Their schedules often conflicted, but they always made time for each other no matter what.
“He’s not a maniac, he’s a hot guy doing his job. Listen sweetie, I can only imagine how upset you are over what’s going on at the hospital and I get upset too when I think about it. But it’s not Treadmill Contractor Guy’s fault.”
Reese’s lips twitched. “Treadmill Contractor Guy?”
“We have to name him. First rule of dating – “
“ – you never name the puppy.”
“You never name the puppy. You just play with him and rub his belly, give him a nickname, and then leave him begging for more.” She thought about it, swirling the last bits of the wine in her glass. “Fine. He was Treadmill Guy when you met him, so he can stay Treadmill Guy.”
Reese and Nikki stared at each other. Finally they burst out laughing, falling over on each other. “Oh, Nikki. I needed this. Girl talk, popcorn and wine.” She pointed to the two empty bottles of what was red wine sitting on the coffee table. “All this crap with the hospital and my connection to Livvy gone and Josh was right there. In my face. Wanting to know what was wrong, what he could do to help. It was so annoying.”
“Josh? Josh is Treadmill Guy?” Nikki saw the guilt on Reese’s face.
”Oh, honey. You’re screwed. You just named the puppy.”
“I did not!”
“Don’t look at me. You’re the one who named him. So you like him, huh? Maybe dinner first before you jump his bones?”
Reese laughed. “You’re crazy, you know that? I don’t want to jump his bones. I don’t even want to look at him. He annoys me. So I can name him if I want because he’s not a puppy. He’s definitely not my puppy. Josh Montgomery is a rattlesnake that poisons everything he comes in contact with.” She chugged the last of her wine. “Another bottle, my dear?”
Nikki smiled, her cheeks rosy. “This is me you’re talking to.”
Reese laughed. “Right. On my way.”
While Reese staggered to the kitchen for another bottle of wine, Nikki thought about Josh the Treadmill-Slash-Contractor Guy and laughed.
She named the puppy.
She’s doomed.
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About the Author:
Christina Esdon is a hopeless romantic and dreamer extraordinaire. She loves to see the world through rose-colored glasses (literally) and has the uncanny ability to find humor and joy in the small things in life. When not writing, she can be found frolicking along the shores of Lake Huron, taking notoriously long bubble baths, or contemplating the next renovation to her home in Ontario, Canada. Work in Progress is Christina’s debut novel.
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