Hello and welcome back to “At First Sight Saturday.” Today’s guest is author D. V. Stone who gives us a ‘first sight’ scene from her novel, Rainbow Sprinkles. Please leave D. V. a comment and share your thoughts about Rainbow Sprinkles.
Excerpt: “God, I need a miracle.”
The door blew open, and the musical bell, sounding like the doo-dee-doo-doo-doodlie-do of an ice cream truck, startled her into an upright position. A rather large man filled the doorway. He shut the door and shook himself like a Labrador retriever. Droplets sprayed everywhere, including on the water-based paint used for the artwork on the window.
“Can I help you?” She eyed the trail of running color from the now-wet paint.
“Sorry.” He grimaced at the mess. “If you get me a mop, I’ll clean it up.”
He stood tall, with medium-brown hair cut short and silvered at the temples. Water ran in rivulets down his square jawline, and his trimmed goatee gave him a slightly rakish appearance.
Gloriana couldn’t help checking him out. But she stopped at his eyes. They captivated her. Their rich brown reminded her of Rainbow Sprinkles’ signature treat, a salted-caramel sundae.
“Ma’am?” His brow furrowed. He stepped closer across the black-and-white checkerboard tiles. “Are you okay?”
“Uh, yes.” Gloriana snapped out of the trance he’d cast. “I’m sorry. You startled me. Can I help you?”
“I apologize for scaring you.” He took another hesitant step, looked down at his wet clothes, and then back up with a charming half-smile “Could I bother you for some paper towels?”
Gloriana’s tummy did a roll. Did he have a dimple? She reached under the counter and grabbed the towels. “Here you go.”
“Sorry about the water.” He ripped a handful off and started with his hair and face. “My car broke down, and the auto club said it could take a couple of hours to get here. Your shop looked like the only one open.”
“That’s weird.” She shrugged. “Usually takes more than a storm to shut the other merchants down.”
A drenched green polo shirt stuck to his torso. Gloriana couldn’t help scanning him again while his attention was occupied. Maybe a few years older than her, he looked like he was in great shape. When the guy finished wiping exposed skin, she averted her eyes so he wouldn’t catch her ogling him.
She licked her lips and swallowed hard. Not since Frank had she been attracted to a man, and this stranger was doing peculiar things to her insides. She snatched a cleaning rag and started to furiously wipe the counter. The sharp tang of bleach drifted up, burning her nose.
“Trash?” He glanced around.
“Pardon?” She paused, wiping the spotless marble top. “Your garbage can?”
“Oh, sorry.” Geez, girl, get it together. She pointed to the end of the counter.
“Do you mind if I wait here until the tow truck arrives?” He plucked the wet shirt away from his chest with the long fingers of one tanned hand.
“You’re welcome to hang around as long as you need.” Gloriana riffled through a cardboard box under Rainbow Sprinkles counter where she stored promotion material and pulled out an extra-large T-shirt.
“Here you go.” She tossed it to him. “The restroom is through there.”
Mr. Gorgeous beamed a perfect toothy smile. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”
Blurb: Retired and widowed Gloriana Jones is forging on with the plans she and her late husband dreamed of—bringing joy and happiness, one ice cream cone at a time, to Lake Unami. But bad weather is drowning her dream. A trip to Upstate NY is bittersweet for Nathan James. He is excited to see his first granddaughter but without his wife he’s lonely. When his car breaks down, he heads to the only light he can see, an ice cream shop. With aid from a heavenly source, electricity sparks, but will the two weather the summer storms and find love a second time? Or will their hopes and dreams melt away?
Available: On sale for a limited time at .99 cents
You may find Rainbow Sprinkles at your favorite retailer, just follow this link https://books2read.com/u/38QEoa.
About D. V. Stone: Born in Brooklyn, D.V. Stone has moved around a bit and even lived for a time on a dairy farm in Minnesota before moving back east. Throughout her wandering, she always considered herself a Jersey Girl. She met and married the love of her life, Pete—a lifelong Jersey Man, and moved this time to Sussex County. They live with Hali, a mixed breed from the local shelter, and their cat, Baby. Certain threads appear in her books, like Heavenly Brew the coffee shop, Taylor Egg and Cheese, and in Rainbow Sprinkles, her time as an ice cream shop owner is evident. Even the basset hounds are part of her past.
Find D. V. Stone online: Universal Social Media Link https://linktr.ee/d.v.stone
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