Summer Heat
I ride Greyhound from time to time. Two years ago, I made an emergency trip to visit family. On the way home, I sat with a woman traveling from up north, hoping to make a new life here in Texas. Both of us intended to sleep, but we talked instead for the entire bus ride. She was moving in with her sister. Her situation here would be no better than what she had left. Yet, her hope and optimism led me to believe she couldn't help but succeed.
From that bus ride, this book was born. L. T. I wish you well, if you happen upon this site. Clayton, Texas does not exist on any map. I needed a small town not far out of south Austin, in another county. Clayton, Texas in Boone County was born of that need. No Sheriff's department can be upset at my portrayal, nor can one of Boone County's two district judges.
Here's a little bit about the story.
Trouble follows Lacy Matthews like a rabid fan. After her entire world crumbles, she leaves Chicago in hopes of making a new life in a small town southwest of Austin called Clayton. Intending to finish her degree and create a new life for herself, Lacy vows to avoid men and stay under the radar. In desperate need of money, she goes to work as a stripper, rather than work three jobs.
One fateful night, Deputy Beau Calloway strolls in on his night off. They find themselves in the wrong place at the right time when she takes him upstairs for a private dance. Locked in a cell-like room, they can’t keep their hands off one another. Noises from the other side of the wall lead them to a hidden door and illicit activities going on at the club. Caught in a compromising position, they escape, but not before Lacy is recognized by her brother in law. Being seen puts her in jeopardy and eventually leaves her homeless and in fear for her life.
Beau has trouble of his own, an ex who claims to be pregnant with his baby, a brother who can’t stay out of trouble, and now, he must protect Lacy from a man who is virtually untouchable in Boone County. He convinces Lacy to share his bed, but she won’t give him her heart. Then, she’s kidnapped, and Beau’s entire world threatens to come tumbling down around him. Throwing everything else aside, he vows to save Lacy no matter what it costs him in the end.
