Blurb
After a long
semester, college student Tawny Beschen is more than ready for a relaxing
winter break. Hanging out at rehearsals for her dad’s metal band is just what
she needs. Familiar people, familiar music, and a familiar routine... It’s an
overwhelmed autistic’s dream. Then the new guitarist walks in, and her safe,
predictable world implodes.
Malachi Vandermeer
is grateful for the opportunity to play guitar for Death Pardon. After a rough
few years, the family-like relationship of the band is what he needs. Then he
meets Tawny. Her sweet innocence creates an instant attraction, but his past
makes him afraid to let it grow.
Can Tawny and
Malachi overcome their challenges and have a merry Christmas together?
Excerpt
As Jack plugged his guitar into
the amplifier, a handful of other people stepped into the room, talking and
laughing.
From the voices, Max Osborn, Dale
Hibbert, Alan Sanders, and Mike Hill were all there. That left Jimmy George as
the only man missing, but the guitarist was almost always late. It was another
part of the rehearsal routine.
“Hey, Tawny,” Alan said, “you mind
if I take the mic now?”
She lifted her fingers from the
smooth metal of the stand and stepped back. “Oh, sorry.”
“No worries. Long semester?”
“I think I’m brain dead,” she
said, shoving her hands in the front pocket of her hooded sweatshirt.
Alan chuckled and adjusted the
microphone. “You must be glad you’re on winter break, then.”
“Yeah.” She wandered away as the
men prepared to start their rehearsal. Minutes after she stretched out on the
floor and stared up at the ceiling with its recessed lights, someone else
entered the room.
A stranger around her age. He was
cute with his dark brown hair and a day’s growth of beard shadowing his jaw.
The sudden change in routine broke
through her relaxed state. A rush of anxiety immobilized her. She curled into a
ball on the carpet and pressed her sleeve-covered fist to her mouth to muffle
the crying.
“Hey, Tawny, are you all right?”
Her father’s quiet voice meant she hadn’t done a great job of hiding her tears.
“You want to tell me about it?”
She squeezed her eyes shut. After
a few breaths, she rolled halfway over and looked directly into her father’s
face. “That’s not Jimmy.”
Dad’s features filled with
sympathy, and he smoothed her hair back. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I thought you
knew.”
Dread washed over her. “He’s not
dead, is he?”
“No! He’s still going strong.” Dad
rubbed her shoulder. “He decided it was time to move on to other things, so we
found ourselves a new guitarist a few months ago.”
“I…I think you told me about that
when I was working on that paper that drove me nuts. Some guy with a Bible name
or something.”
“That’s right. His name is Malachi
Vandermeer. Would you like to meet him?”
Tawny nodded.
Dale was talking to the new guy on
the far side of the room.
Insecurity slammed into her. Would
he want to meet her?
Her dad held his hand out. “It’s a
little hard to introduce you if you don’t come with me.”
“He probably thinks I’m an idiot
or a psycho.”
“No, he doesn’t.” Dad gave her a
brief yet soothing hug. “When I came to see about you, Dale said he’d explain
to Malachi.”
“I feel like an idiot.”
Humiliation threatened to make her cry again.
“There’s no need for it. A lot of
college students get stressed out with their classes, and they don’t have the
added struggles you do. You rock, girl, for overcoming that and making the
dean’s list anyway. Now, let’s go introduce you to the newbie so you can quit
worrying.”
She dropped her gaze to the floor,
more comfortable looking at the ugly utilitarian carpet than risking seeing
what was in anyone’s eyes. Dale’s familiar skater shoes and an unfamiliar pair
of sneakers came into view. They looked as if they’d walked across the country
and back. Tawny stole a glance at their owner.
Malachi offered a smile.
Tawny looked back down.
“Malachi, this is my daughter,
Tawny. Tawny, meet Malachi Vandermeer, our new guitarist.”
“Hi.” She
managed to make eye contact just long enough to discover he had the most
gorgeous brown eyes she’d ever seen.
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