Expiration Date
Page 23
“Banks, Idaho,” I replied, my gaze going back to my work in progress. “We’re meeting Mercy and Joy there. It’s a good location. Central but far enough from their homes.” I glanced at him, smiling. “I can’t wait to see them. There’s so much I want to tell them.” I shook my head. “They don’t even know about Lillian’s death or the fact that she was technically our mother.”
“You think they’ll want to go back? That it’s safe now?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not safe. They know that and her death doesn’t change anything. It’s still too risky for us to be together.” I tilted my head. “You were right about that. We’re too powerful together. It’s too tempting for us.”
“I’m proud of you, Hope.” He waved his hand, still clutching the spatula. “You’ve made the best of this life.”
“I’m with two of my favorite people,” I retorted, glancing back down at my laptop as I considered what I was writing. “We get to do something most never do. I enjoy traveling around the country in our little camper.”
“Little camper?” Houston questioned, easing down beside me as he brushed a kiss along my cheek. “It’s 40 feet long.”
“Big camper, then?” I replied with a shrug. “Either way, it’s our home and I love it.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he laughed. “Dad, you need a hand?” My dad shook his head, taking a sip of his Coke. He hadn’t touched a beer in the past year, and he seemed happier away from our old home, the memories not as intense as we traveled the highways. He was our navigator and driver, steering us forward on our journey, and keeping us safe.
“What are you writing?” Houston asked, peeking over my shoulder and I had to stop an instinctive desire to hide what I was writing. “What is it? You don’t have to tell me,” he murmured understandingly, but his words had caught Dad’s attention.
“Come on, tell your old man,” he pleaded and I laughed as I considered the screen.
“It’s our story,” I admitted and felt Houston’s gaze on me. “Names changed to protect the innocent, of course, but I don’t know,” I shrugged uncomfortably. “I thought it might be a good book.”
“I think you’re right,” Houston replied, tucking a strand of my hair back. “And I have the perfect title for it.”
“Oh, you do?” I asked and he nodded, smiling. “Well, tell us then. What should I call our story?”
A slow smile creased my face as he answered, “Expiration Date.”
Author’s Note
I hope you enjoyed Expiration Date. It’s a story that’s been rattling around my head for over a year now, and it’s gone through quite a few revisions in that time. I always planned for it to be a standalone, and that hasn’t changed but it’s the first time I’ve written a novel with three distinctive narratives. Mercy and Joy both felt the need to add to Hope’s story and I love how their storylines came out.
If you have a moment, please leave a review. It makes a huge difference in the success or failure of a book and I love to hear from readers.
You can follow me on Facebook or at my website www.kristincoley.com to get updates on new releases, teasers, and occasional giveaways.
Happy Reading,
Kristin