Jillian Chantal

This week’s word the Tuesday Tales writers are using is flavor. I’m still in the NaNoWriMo story. I had a hard time with this one. When I finally was able to work it in, I did a tiny little happy dance.  Be sure to take a look at the other writers’ work. They are awesome. Here’s the link for that.

Inside the house, Rocky tugged his dirty shirt over his head and moved to the kitchen sink. Splashing warm water on his chest and face, he grabbed the dishwashing liquid and put some in his hand. Soaping up, he ran his palms over his neck and chest.

“I could’ve waited for you to take a shower, you know.”

“No worries. I keep a stash of clean shirts down here. I don’t need to change jeans since I’m going to be working some more once I return.”

“You didn’t need to change shirts just to drive me home.”

“I was hoping we could get some lunch together at Myrna’s. No one does chili like she does.”

“You’re right. The flavor is a bit different and I’m not sure what she sneaks in there, but it’s great. You’ve made me hungry now so hurry up.”

Rocky reached around the corner of the propped open swinging door that led into the dining room and grabbed a random t-shirt. He tugged it over his head then turned toward Sam. “Ready.”

Sam laughed and moved his hand up and down to take in the shirt. “Horton Hears a Who? Really? That’s your shirt?”

“Elephant and all.” Rocky grinned.

“Did you pick it out yourself?”

“One of the kids at the hospital sent it last Christmas. I’m happy to wear it. That little guy almost died from injuries in a car accident. If he wants me in Horton, I’ll wear Horton.”

“You need a kid of your own. I got to see how great you were with them yesterday.”

“I’m old fashioned enough to want the wife part first.” Rocky snatched his keys from the countertop. “Come on. Myrna’s chili waits for no man.”

I’m back to Tuesday Tales again. I’ve been traveling and having crazy times at the day job so this has been the first week I’ve had the chance to take part in a while.  I’ve started a new story for NaNoWriMo (I’m still going to go back to the vampire story) and this week, I’m sharing the first almost 300 words of this new story.  Be sure to check out the other tales here.

A view of tumbleweeds and no trees instead of shades of red and orange fall foliage out the window depressed Olivia Jacobs more than anything else about this God-forsaken corner of western Texas. Well, maybe not more than anything, but it sure ran a close second to whatever else she could think of that she missed about early November in New York. Only a little over two years until she could go back. Surely those years would pass faster than the last five. They had to, right?

She stifled a snort. She must be the only woman in history to ever want her twenties to pass as fast as they could.

“What’s with the sad face?” Sharon Brooks, her best friend, asked.

“Nothing.” Olivia shook off the glums that had taken hold of her. “Just hoping that no one picks that song today.”

“You crack me up about that song. I know you hate it for some reason.”

“You have no idea.”

“Since this is your bar, I don’t know why you don’t take the stupid thing out of the jukebox.”

“How quickly you forget? Remember the near-riot when I did?” Olivia gritted her teeth at the memory of the rowdy patrons of this honky-tonk bar she bought when she landed in town two years ago.

She’d immediately set about changing some things in the place and got a lot of flak for it but that one song she despised got the biggest reaction when she took it out of play.

“I still can’t figure out why you wanted to own a country bar when you hate the music. You have to admit, it’s weird.”

Olivia couldn’t tell Sharon the truth. No one could know why she was here and why she chose such a place to hide.