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| The author's parents |
2014 Lyra Independent Fiction Contest Romance
Category Winner!
In the tradition of The Notebook comes...
Once in a
While.
Victor Matthews is a down on his luck young man, frustrated with his life and his inability to find gainful employment.
Louise Hoskins is a young woman content in her life with her family and friends. Her biggest concern is her upcoming lead part in a play.
Victor Matthews is a down on his luck young man, frustrated with his life and his inability to find gainful employment.
Louise Hoskins is a young woman content in her life with her family and friends. Her biggest concern is her upcoming lead part in a play.
One rainy night, they meet...and both are forever
changed.
Neither could foresee that the world as they
know it is on the precipice of experiencing the now famous ’37 Flood, and that
daily life is about to be transformed into a bone chilling waterlogged state of
affairs. But as that harrowing experience fades and their lives return to
normal, the two young lovers embark on an unforgettable courtship - that is,
until a terrible argument and a tragic misunderstanding tear them apart. How
will they survive the separation? And why does one special song have the power
to instantly transport the sweethearts back into the realm of cherished
memories? This is a sweet and clean Southern historical romance set during the
Depression Era.
Click here for Book Trailer
Book Excerpt:
There in the opening stood a lovely young woman in a tea
length dress of embroidered netting over champagne satin. Rich sable hair
softly floated around her shoulders…creamy smooth skin on a heart shaped face
made it seem as if an ever-present light shone in her countenance, like the
flame of a candle…lips like the wispy curve of a butterfly’s wings stretched
slightly over a perfect line of pearly white teeth…and beautiful hazel eyes
twinkled behind gently curling black lashes as she stared up at him enraptured.
Vic’s breath caught as he stared back, momentarily stunned. He felt his pulse
speed up as he took in the girl’s radiance.
Finally, he cleared his throat and unconsciously ran a hand
back through his hair, which had been made slightly wavier by the rain and the
damp evening air.
“Umm…Edna?” he murmured, the damp weather making his warm
baritone sound husky. The words served to break the spell into which the two
had been plunged.
The young woman blinked several times as if trying to gather
her thoughts. Then one delicate hand unconsciously moved to the neck of her
dress as she slowly shook her head.
“No…I’m Louise…Edna’s my sister. Are you Vic?” she managed.
Unconsciously, she moistened her suddenly dry lips; slightly afraid he could
hear the thunderous thumping of her heart.
Vic nodded and chuckled self-consciously, feeling like a
fool for not introducing himself at once.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m Vic Matthews…I’m here to pick up Edna…she
ready?” he added, silently hoping the sister was as much a looker as this one.
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| Vic in the CCC |
Glancing back over her shoulder at someone Vic couldn’t see
from the doorway, Louise turned back to him apologetically, “Oh…I’m sorry.
She’s…not feeling good tonight,” she murmured. She seemed to be hedging, as if
scrambling for a reason other than the truth. “She won’t be able to go on the
date with you. She’s sorry you made the trip for nothing…she didn’t have a way
to reach you.” Her voice was kind and gentle, and seemed to glide into his ears
and take up residence in the center of his chest.
Vic digested this for a moment. He was being stood up by a
blind date. Great, he silently fumed, wondering if she
truly ‘didn’t feel good.’ He thought for a moment that maybe the lovely Louise
might want to go in her sister’s place, but negated that idea, figuring she
already had a date for the evening – since she appeared to be dressed for
it.
Vic had no way of knowing that Edna had borrowed the dress
for their date; however, now that she couldn’t go, Louise had tried it on… and
it fit her perfectly. Just before Vic had arrived, Louise had been modeling the
lovely dress for her father and brother, the elder commenting that it made her
seem much more mature.
The two at the door heard a muffled voice from the other
room and Louise nodded in answer, relaying to him, “She asked if she could take
a rain-check.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized the
unintended pun. Biting her lip, she attempted to stop herself from chuckling.
Vic caught the joke and nodded, his lips pulling into a half grin. His eyes
dropped to her mouth as her lips rounded into a smile that seemed somehow, in
his unconscious opinion, to fend off the gloom of the rainy night.
Glancing back up to meet her eyes again, he murmured with a
shrug. “Yeah, sure.” He waited a few beats more, staring at the girl as she
returned his gaze. “Well…goodnight then,” he finally added, nodding to her as
he turned to retrace his steps back down the hall. So much for a
hot date to ‘keep me warm on a rainy night,’ he mused wryly.
Louise watched him until he disappeared out the front door
and into the rain, then slowly stepped back into the cozy apartment and shut
the door. Leaning her forehead against the cool hard wood, she could still
smell the heady scent of Old Spice aftershave that had emanated from him…could
still see the twinkle in his eyes, and hear his smooth voice intoning,
“Goodnight.” Her knees felt weak.
My gosh! That has got to be the most gorgeous
man I’ve ever seen in my life!
She reflected as she turned to rest her back against the hard surface of the
door. Staring straight ahead as though in an enchanted stupor, she allowed
every second of the encounter to replay in her mind. Pressing a hand
unconsciously to her chest, she felt her heart still pounding fast.
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| Vic carried Louise's picture until the day he died. |
Those eyes…that wavy hair…those dimples…his
voice was so smooth and deep…it was like living a scene from a movie…she
dreamily contemplated, totally immersed in his enchanting memory.
“Louise, is he gone?” Edna’s edgy voice interrupted her
reverie.
Distracted, Louise called back, “Yeah.”
“Well…what was he like?” her sister impatiently inquired as
she came to the bedroom doorway.
“Was he cute?”
Louise glanced at her sister, her gaze taking in the
habitual sour expression, the brassy red hair, the cold blue eyes and the
stubborn set to her chin. It occurred to her that Edna always seemed to get
everything she wanted, while Louise ‘performed’ like Cinderella. Edna snuck
around, drank beer, and did all kinds of things she never seemed to get in
trouble for, while Louise was called on the carpet for ‘looking’ at someone
wrong.
Louise’s eyes narrowed slightly as she made up her mind
right then and there. If any Hoskins girl snags handsome Mr. Vic Matthews, its gonna be me.
Author Bio:
Linda Ellen is an historical romance writer who specializes in Depression Era romance. Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, she resides there with her husband and youngest son.
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| Linda Ellen |
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