Now Live: FINDING ALANA by Meg Farrell {Excerpt}

Five years after the brutal end to her marriage, Alana Thomas is still working to establish her new life. Having barely survived her last relationship, she’s become proficient at avoiding romantic entanglements. The truth of her former life is a secret she bears alone. 

Justin Ellis is starting over after leaving his career as a police officer. He's a genuine, good guy with a troubling past. Life starts looking up after meeting Alana, who makes him feel alive again. Being with her eases the guilt he bears. 

Alana wants him and wants to trust him. Being with him makes her feel safe. Will she risk everything to tell him the truth?

AMAZON

I gape and then slug him in the arm. He slides out of the booth and reaches his hand out to me.

I smile and take his hand. We don’t bother with going to the dance floor. He takes my left hand in his right, and puts his left arm around my waist. The alcohol has my balance off, so I lean into him more than I want to, resting my head on his chest. The way I’m positioned doesn’t work for the left hand coupling, so he releases my hand and wraps his right arm around my waist, too. I reach up, winding my arms around his neck.

As we sway, he leans down and whispers in my ear, “I’m glad you ripped that lever off the printer.” I let out a very unladylike, embarrassing snort. I turn my face to his neck and take a long sniff as I move my nose from his collar to his ear.

When I reach his ear, I kiss the tender spot right behind his ear lobe, and whisper, “Me too.” He reacts by squeezing me a little tighter so I lean back enough to see his face. His expression is unreadable.

I’m shocked by my own behavior, and I’m trying to come up with some kind of excuse or way out of this when he says, “Stay here.”

Now, it may be the fact that I’m drunk as shit, but I start to protest. I mean, where am I going? We’re beside the table. I turn to say something to Kate and notice we are not beside the table. Apparently, our drunk-sway dancing has pulled us to the middle of the bar.

I see Justin with an armload of our jackets and my purse. He shakes hands with Cameron, then kisses Kate on the cheek. When he returns to me, he helps me put my jacket on before putting on his own. Then he tucks my purse under his arm, and takes my hand, pulling me toward the door. 

Meg Farrell was born and raised in Mississippi, where she and her husband, Jason, still make their home. Always a voracious reader, Meg dreamed that one day she would become a writer. Meg and Jason are the parents of 3 children, 3 surly cats, and 2 sweet dogs. Winner DeSoto's Best Author 2015 by DeSoto Times-Tribune, DeSoto County Mississippi

Editor for the book was Victoria Miller (www.victoriamillerartist.com)
Cover design was done by Marisa Shor of Cover Me Darling (www.covermedarling.com)