Cheap Vacations

Blurb:

The first book I ever wrote was meant as a joke. Well, it was supposed to be, anyway. I wrote this story about the girls who teased me in grade school. Everyone knows that kind. I wrote about how they called me fat, ugly, and made fun of the one time I tried to dye my hair blonde, but missed some spots.
Mean Girls to Mean Women.
To say it shocked me when the book unexpectedly sold more than ten copies would be an understatement.
Word of mouth spread quickly, and I ended up on the bestseller list.
I now own Cheap Vacations, my very own bookstore filled with books that people actually want to read.
I have no trouble coming up with ideas for books; the problem is finishing them. A year and six ideas later, I still don’t have a complete manuscript.
Just as I start making progress on what I hope will be my next bestseller, he walks in. Everything I ever wanted—a distraction I don’t need. I need to finish my current manuscript so I can keep my bookstore running.

An unedited scene from Cheap Vacations, written by T.M. Shivener:

“Don’t run away from me.”

Shit, his voice is husky too?!

Not me, hiding behind one of the bookshelves. Why is there a man here!?
My words come out in a squeak, not cool at all, when I ask, “Are you here for book club?” He can’t be. No man who looks like that…

“Oh, I thought book club was just a front and this was some kind of real club with stripper poles and cocaine, my mistake.”

Grabbing the top of a bookcase, I peek above the shelf I’m hiding behind, revealing my hair, forehead, and surprised eyes. “Really?”

He wraps his arm around his waist before doubling over in laughter. In between gulps of air, he says, “No, I’m joking. The flyer stated that the meeting was at six in the evening. And clubs like the one I described don’t open until eleven or later.” He shrugs and says, “Would you believe me if I said that I enjoy reading?” He raises his hands in front of him and adds, “Wait, don’t answer. When I was little, my mom taught me to read, and she told me to keep reading because girls like a man who is well read, so I did.”

“You have got to be kidding me.”

“I’m not.”

“Do you still have that flyer? Bookclub doesn’t meet tonight.”