Hollow Heart by Sarah J. McNeal—February #blogabookscene
#westernromance #PrairieRosePub @PrairieRosePub
Blog-a-Book-Scene
is a monthly themed blogging endeavor from a group of authors who love to share
excerpts from their stories. Find us on Twitter with the hashtag #blogabookscene and #PrairieRosePub.
February’s
Theme: All You Need Is Love
HOLLOW HEART
Madeline Andrews is a grown up orphan. Sam Wilding made
her feel part of his life, his family and swore he’d come home to her when the
war ended, but he didn’t return. With the Valentine’s Ball just days away, the
Wildings encourage Madeline to move forward with her life and open her heart to
the possibilities. But Madeline is lost in old love letters and can’t seem to
let go.
Excerpt:
Madeline folded the letter and slipped it back into its
envelope. Her heart ached as she put the envelope back into the box. She placed
it with reverence on her dresser beside the picture of Sam and her, laughing
into the sun on that beautiful summer day, years ago. She twisted the gold ring
with the little heart-shaped ruby around her left ring finger. Sam had given it
to her the day he left for deployment to Europe. He said it was a promise ring.
The ring would remind her of his love, his promise to return, and his pledge to
wed her when the war ended. A sigh escaped her. None of his promises had come
true.
Excerpt:
“C’mon,
fess up. I can tell you’ve been reading those old letters and digging up misery
again, haven’t you?”
Madeline
sighed as she collapsed in the chair opposite Juliet. “Yes. I confess.” She
smoothed out the skirt of her dress and avoided Juliet’s gaze. “I can’t help
it. It’s just so hard to believe he might really be gone, that he may never
come back.” She swallowed against the rising tide of emotions gathering in her
throat. “I feel so empty inside, as if someone has hollowed out my heart with a
pocket knife. I can’t imagine my life without him in it. If I just knew he was
alive and in the world somewhere, I could bear it.”
Juliet
reached over and patted Madeline’s hand in comfort. “You have to stop this,
Madeline. Somehow, you have to come up with the courage to go on with your
life. I want you to go to the Valentine’s dance and just open up to the possibility
that there may be a Mr. Right out there for you besides Sam. If you don’t,
you’re going to wither away into a crone like that old Mrs. Havisham in her
wedding dress with her dried up wedding cake in Great Expectations.”
“What
are you suggesting I do?”
“Go
to the Valentine Ball. Just go and dance a little.”
Madeline
stood and walked to the window to stare out at the white landscape below. “What
earthly good would that do?”
Juliet
left her chair to join Madeline at the window. “You’re too young and beautiful
to closet yourself away like some old hermit. You need to get dressed up, fix
your gorgeous, wavy black hair, put on some lipstick and enjoy a dance or two
with some handsome men. God knows, there’re plenty of cowboys to go around,
here in Hazard.”
Excerpt:
Joey
glanced through the kitchen window at the snow falling in the yard. “I’ll do it
right away. I wouldn’t want any of Dad’s patients sliding off the road into the
ditch. When Mom and Juliet come home, they’ll need a clear road, too. I’d feel
terrible if anything happened to them.” He turned back to Madeline and took the
broom and bucket of cleaning supplies from her and followed her down the steps
to his father’s office. “Did Juliet talk you into going to the Valentine Ball?”
Madeline
smiled. “Who could resist the persuasive powers of Juliet Wilding? It’s like
trying to take down a brick wall with a wooden spoon.” They both laughed.
“I’m
glad. It won’t be so bad, and I can tell you for a fact all my cousins will be
standing in line for a dance. Before you’ve had a dance with those idiots, I’ll
take a turn first, before you’ve suffered too much damage. Hope you don’t mind
some broken toes. None of us can dance worth a hoot.”
“Thank
you, Joey. It makes me feel better to know I’ll be surrounded by men who are
like brothers to me.” Madeline gave him a friendly swat on the arm.
“You
can count on us to get you into
trouble or get you out.” He spoke as
he headed back up the steps toward the kitchen. “Well, guess I better get on a
warm coat and hat and get out to the tractor. Get busy with those mops and
brooms, girl; daylight’s wasting.” With a chuckle, he disappeared beyond the
kitchen door.
March Theme: Beware the Ides of
March
Diverse
stories filled with heart
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