Blog Tour - Excerpt & Giveaway - UNFINISHED by Julieann Dove
UNFINISHED
by Julieann Dove
Publication Date: March 7, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
SYNOPSIS
Brian and Marcie were supposed to live happily ever after–they repeated vows that stated that very sentence. So no one, especially Brian, could have predicted that Marcie would file for divorce. It was difficult to fight the situation, finding that all his possessions were packed and waiting by the door when he came home from work that Thursday evening.
Kate Moore sat in a stupor for a month. Unlike any other breakup she had experienced, this felt more like a drive by shooting, with her ex holding the smoking gun as he sped away. What happened, she asked herself, knee-deep in peanut butter cups and bags of cheese doodles. Oliver was the man she was going to marry…she’d already pinned a secret board of wedding dresses and honeymoon destinations.
1247 Sycamore Street, Apartment A and B respectively, is where Kate and Brian find themselves after their tumultuous breakups. An unlikely relationship would soon ensue between these shattered souls, and ‘what ifs’ would slowly rise to the surface of their attraction for one another. But, what would happen to their budding relationship when their ex’s want a second chance?
EXCERPT
Brian tried to make out what just happened. He looked up and noticed Kate walking toward him.
“I thought you left.”
He was still thinking.
“Brian?” She waved her hand in front of him. “Are you okay?”
“She is crazy. I never thought I’d say that. And trust me, I had two years to say that and never did. But…what just happened?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t here.”
“She just told me to take Ellen trick-or-treating. After she told me implicitly not to. Is she crazy?”
“Why did she change her mind? Does this mean you’re not going with me?” She seemed affected.
“No, no. I told her I was going with you.”
“Ah.” Kate closed her eyes and looked away.
“Ah, what?”
“I guess she would rather control you with letting you go with Ellen than lose control with you going with me.”
“What?” She got that from what he just told her? He still didn’t know what was going on.
“It’s classic. She’s fine if you’re sitting home alone and miserable. But the second you’re moving on—because, after all, she filed for divorce to do just that—she wants to put you under her thumb. You don’t watch reality TV much, do you?”
“Reality what?” He shook his head. “Marcie was never like that. I was never…she never had a thumb on me.”
“People change. She’s no different from anyone else who just lost control of someone who’s been dedicated to her. It changes when you get a life, trust me. I’ve seen it happen with friends. The minute the one who got dumped moves on, the dumper is like, ‘Oh, someone else likes you—I think I need to keep you reeled in.’ It’s great when you can work it to your advantage. If you want to work it to your advantage.”
“Reeled in? Work it to my advantage?” His head began to throb.
“Yeah, she doesn’t necessarily want you, but she doesn’t want you to go and get your own life.”
He squinted. “So if she sees someone else who wants me, she might want me back?”
Kate backed up. “Hey, I don’t know that for certain. It’s more about controlling you.”
“What happened with your friend?”
“They got back together for like a month and then they ended it for good.”
“They got back together, though.”
“Brian…”
He put up his hand. “No, listen. This is worth something here. You don’t understand. Ellen is my life. She is not handling this separation well at all. I met her teacher tonight and she told me she sees a difference with her. She doesn’t play at recess the way she did a few weeks ago. She’s withdrawing. If I can change that for her, it’s worth it.”
“Worth what?”
He looked at her. “Would you be willing to help me make Marcie jealous?”
She backed up, shaking her head. “No. I don’t want to get involved with anything that—”
“Just hear me out. Please.”
“What?” She rested her hand on her hip.
“I know my wife. And I know what that was about just now in her car. For two years, I could’ve walked around engulfed in flames and she wouldn’t have noticed or cared. But for two minutes just now, I saw a bit of green. She was jealous. She said I could take Ellen. She wanted me to not go with you.”
“So go with Ellen, Brian. You got what you wanted.”
“No, what I want is to live with Ellen, to read books to her every night, to keep traditions we’ve made. She didn’t do anything to deserve what’s going on with her.” He touched Kate’s arm and looked into her eyes. “You like Ellen, don’t you?”
“Of course. She’s a sweetheart. And I have noticed a difference, now that you mention it.”
He clapped his hands. “See. Now, if you help me, I can convince Marcie to give us another chance. Trust me. You would be helping me so much.” He clasped his hands and waited for her to say something.
She wavered and kicked at the pavement. “Okay. Okay, I’ll help you.”
His smile hurt his cheeks. He picked her up and swung her around. “I haven’t had this much hope for months. Thank you!” He put her down and looked in her eyes. A flashback of a few nights ago flashed in his mind. He could taste her lips again.
She looked at his mouth.
He quickly stepped back. “Well, I’ll let you go to your car. Where are you parked?” He surveyed the lot and found her car two rows over. “Let me drive you. It’s chilly out.”
“I can walk. It’s no big deal.”
“Then I’ll escort you.”
She began walking in the direction with him beside her. “This is silly.”
“No, you getting mugged is silly.”
“It’s an elementary school, Brian.”
“Hey, this is America. Anything can happen.” He opened her door and shut it. “I’ll see you at home.” He smiled through the glass.
That night, they watched a movie in Kate’s apartment. She popped corn and they drank soda and shared a bag of Skittles. It was the best night he’d had in years. Things were coming together, for once in his life. And this strange, beautiful woman was to thank for it. She was going to get him back with his wife. And she seemed so cool with the situation.
If only he knew what she truly thought about it.
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ABOUT JULIEANN DOVE
Julieann lives in Virginia, where she loves collecting houseplants, sewing cute little quilts, and writing about messy love. She fell in love with reading at a young age, after following Nancy Drew in solving the mysteries of the world. This carries on today, as crime shows are among her favorite to watch. Well those and the Hallmark channel love stories and mysteries. Keeping busy with soon-to-be six children, she needs time to unwind!
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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
Thank you so much for hosting me and my book! I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it, too!
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