Lyn elbows Mary. “Ssh!” Her gaze darts around the reception room of Pearl House, a
historic hotel in Austin, Texas. “We’re celebrating the release of Lilly’s
latest book, Wilder Hearts. Let’s not
talk about murder, especially here.”
“What’s
wrong with here?” LaVerne asks, giving a little twirl and watching her
full-length skirt billow out around her ankles.
Debby
leans close, lowering her voice. “One of the cooks that worked here was a
suspect in the The Servant Girl Annihilator murders. The case was never solved.”
LaVerne stops her twirling and glances up, her face
more pale than usual.
“So…does that mean the killer is still out there?” She latches on to Lyn who’s busy admiring the glossy leather of her lace-up ankle boots.
“So…does that mean the killer is still out there?” She latches on to Lyn who’s busy admiring the glossy leather of her lace-up ankle boots.
Lyn shakes her off and rolls her eyes. “Relax. That
was well over a hundred years ago. I think you’re safe.”
“True
” Debby drawls with a
wicked gleam in her eye. “But Lilly’s hero and heroine, Jake and Ellie have traveled through
time
to party with us. Stands to reason the killer could have too.”
Mary’s
hand stills in her attempt to squish the girls back into her bodice and instead
plumps them back up again. “Is he here? Where? Oh, I just love a proper western
man, all burly and rugged. And Lilly’s Jake is a former Texan Ranger. Can he
get any sexier?”
“You
are so bad, Debby.” Lyn shakes her head and drags LaVerne by the hand towards the
centre of the room where Lilly is holding sway to an adoring crowd. “Let’s go
celebrate with our Lilly.”
Pushing
through the throng proves difficult and as they stop for a breather, they
become aware of the music filling the room. In the far corner, on a makeshift
stage a live band play a ballad. The melody is at once old-world and beautiful.
In the middle of the room, the crowd steps back to form a circle where a couple
dance as if no one is watching, their movements simple, elegant and synchronized.
When they finish, the crowd erupts into applause and the band move effortlessly
into a more modern bluesy rock number.
“My
question has just been answered,” Mary sighs. “Jake definitely can get sexier.
Look at those hips move.”
They
all turn to find Lilly standing before them, resplendent in a pink-colored
dress trimmed in lace. Her eyes dance and her cheeks glow with pleasure.
The
hostesses whoop and cheer as one, taking turns to hug her and talking all at
once.
“You
look amazing!
“Look
at this turn out!
“You
clever girl!
“We’re
so excited for you, Lilly!
“This
place is to die for!”
Mary
winces as a large foot suddenly treads on her toes. Her yelp is cut off by the
look of death Lyn directs her way.
Lilly
hugs them all back. “Thanks for organizing my roast, ladies. You must try the
food. I tell you, Austin folk sure do know how to put on a feed! I had to take
my corset off after a couple of bites of those baby back ribs and cucumber slaw.
I gave up putting it back on after seeing the plates of chicken-fried steak,
garlic taters and fried okra.”
“You’re
speaking my language, Lilly.” Mary rubs a hand over her ribs. “Save me and
lead on to the bathroom so I can take this torturous device off.”
A murmur of agreement goes up through the group.
“Before we do that, ladies, I spy Oliver making his way towards us – bearing a tray of glasses, no less! I wonder what’s in them.”
A murmur of agreement goes up through the group.
“Before we do that, ladies, I spy Oliver making his way towards us – bearing a tray of glasses, no less! I wonder what’s in them.”
Every
head swivels towards the direction LaVerne is looking. Sure enough, the handsome
waiter dressed in saloon-slick leather waistcoat and shirt saunters over.
Lilly grins. “Frozen margaritas. I thought it fitting
since we’re in Texas. Thank you, Oliver.”
Lilly grins. “Frozen margaritas. I thought it fitting
since we’re in Texas. Thank you, Oliver.”
He
bends and give Lilly a quick peck on the cheek then winks when she giggles like
a girl before disappearing back through the crowd, his tray empty.
The
hostesses all gaze after him, then turn back to Lilly with envious glances.
Debby
is the first to recover. “Well, on that note, I propose a toast to our sister
host and author extraordinaire, Lilly Gayle. Congratulations on the release of Wilder Hearts. We’re so very excited and
proud of you.”
This week's skit written by LaVerne
Writing about the outlaw, Jake the Snake, could be the opportunity of a lifetime—if it doesn’t get her killed.
When Ellie Wilder takes her sister from their grandfather's home, she's determined to put her family back together and write of their adventures. Then she runs into Jacob Harper, a man who resembles Jake the Snake, a notorious outlaw who once rode with Billy the Kid. Is it possible the outlaw who escaped justice has mended his ways? Or is the handsome Mr. Harper now murdering servant girls in Austin?
Finding out the truth could be the journalistic opportunity of a lifetime.
Former Texas Ranger Jake Harper has returned to Texas to help solve the Servant Girl Annihilator murders. But when a similar murder occurs in Harmony, Texas, Jake goes undercover as Jake the Snake to find a connection between the series of brutal murders. Then Ellie Wilder shows up. Her snooping could blow his cover and get her killed, but Ellie soon becomes a bigger threat to his heart than his investigation.
The book is on pre-order now. It releases May 6.
Buy links: pre order at:
http://www.amazon.com/Wilder-Hearts-Western-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B01E84JI1K/ref
Available May 6 at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Lilly%20Gayle%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall
Also available for preorder through the iTunes store.
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