Author: Marie Drake
Publisher: RedBird Books
Pages: 286
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Jordan Fry’s obsession is born in “You Can’t Force Love” by Marie Drake, Book I in the Locked Hearts Series.
From different towns and social backgrounds, Jordan Fry and Kimberly Orvine experience life-altering abuse, lose a parent and land in the same foster home. Angry, and self-deprecating, fiery redheaded Kimberly is deadset on lousy behavior and suffering the consequences, punishing herself for former sins. Scared by his inner darkness, pyromaniac Jordan has vowed to change for the better. He focuses on Kimberly as the key to his success, but she intends to make him break his promises. Unaware of Jordan’s atrocious actions in the past, she’s dangerously close to unleashing the evil he struggles to contain during their epic battle of wills. Can they both survive?
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Book Excerpt #15 -
Paul monopolized their conversation, and Noreen never tired
of his exploits as a vacuum cleaner salesman. Jordan
shook his head. Vacuum cleaners; how boring could you get? Oh, the top seller
in the tri-state area? Even better. Debbie patted Paul’s arm. “I’m so proud of
you,” she said. He kissed her on the mouth, and she blushed; Jordan
turned his head.
“Are you sure you don’t want to spend the night? It’ll be
dark soon,” Noreen said.
“We’re anxious to start the trip,” Paul said; his eyes fixed
on Debbie.
“I understand,” Noreen said and chuckled.
“Do you want me to help you clean up?” Debbie asked.
“No, it’ll give me something to do until Tom comes home. Go
ahead; hit the road,” Noreen said. She squeezed Jordan
one last time, and he forced a smile.
Jordan
swung his duffel bag toward the back seat of the sedan; Paul snatched it from
the air and dropped it in the trunk. He’d probably stuff me in there if he
could.
“Come on, Jordan,
get in the car,” Debbie said.
City lights receded, small and dim, and Jordan
slumped over in the backseat; the smell of leather cleaner filled his nose. Jordan
rolled forward, slammed into the front seats, and fell to the floor. “Deer,”
Paul said.
Debbie clutched her chest. “Put on your seatbelt,” she told Jordan.
He stared at Paul in the mirror, pulled the strap across his lap, and buckled
it. A silver lining, he’d go to Florida,
a place he hadn’t experienced. His eyes fell closed, and he concentrated on
amusement parks and sandy beaches; ocean waves lapped the shore under a giant
moon; it lulled him to sleep.
“Wake up.” A hand caressed his face; he opened his eyes, sat
up, and stretched his legs. Paul hit him with his duffel bag; Debbie tugged his
arm; they crossed patchy grass and
climbed to a cabin’s front porch; he waited for her to open the door. She
turned back; Paul leaned against the car. Debbie rubbed Jordan’s
arms. “This is for the best,” she said.
“Where are we?”
“Your grandfather’s house.”
“You said we’d go to Paul’s house first, and when he settled
some of his accounts, we’d go to Florida.”
“Listen, Jordan;
with your recent troubles, we agreed you’d benefit from time spent here.”
“We?” He returned Paul’s hateful glare. Jordan
surveyed the yard; a fence surrounded him, and trees circumscribed the fence; a
barn and a chicken coop sat beyond the cabin; he was unfamiliar with farms.
“What if he doesn’t want me?”
“He’s your grandfather; of course he’ll want you.”
“Don’t leave me here alone,” Jordan
said.
Debbie stepped back. “Go ahead; he leaves the door
unlocked.”
“Mom, please, I don’t want to stay here,” he pleaded.
She came back and kissed his forehead, but turned and ran;
Paul smirked, climbed into the car, and it disappeared.
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Award-winning author, Marie Drake lives in a small town near Lake
Ontario with her husband, four sons, and three rescue pups. With many
years of experience in the Foster Care community and advocating for
other victims and survivors, she specializes in realistic and
psychological fiction depicting the lives of abuse sufferers; their
obstacles, their triumphs, and their downfalls.
Website Address: https://www.MarieDrakeauthor.com
Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/MarieDrake72
Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/MarieDrake/
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