Where
Life Takes You
Claudia
Y. Burgoa
(Life
#1)
Publication
date: July 31st 2013
Genres:
Contemporary, New Adult
Becca
Trent lived her childhood next to a cruel woman—her mom—who lived to torment
and neglect her. During her high school years, her mother married; bringing
home not only a new husband, but a step sister her same age. The latter took
over her Mom’s role—making Becca’s life miserable. Including stealing
Ian—Becca’s best friend and boyfriend—Lisa treated her worse than her mother
had for the previous fifteen years. A couple of years later, things ended up in
tragedy.
Becca
buried that part of her life in the deep corners of her psyche, but that only
work during the days when the nightmares didn’t come back to haunt her. Her
best friend, Dan gives her that family love she always lacked. Everything was
close to perfect, until everything and everyone from her past came back. Now,
she’s trying to figure out how to survive and keep that bond which seems now to
be held together by a thread.
Note:
This is the first part of a two book novel.
~Excerpt~
I drenched the pancakes with maple syrup, took a
bite, and moaned. “Amazingly good! I’m impressed. You dominate the kitchen like
it’s your boardroom. Who taught you how to cook?”
Dan poured orange juice for us both, as well as
a cup of coffee for him, and a glass of milk for me. He sat next to me, covered
his own pancakes cautiously—not Becca style—cut a piece of pancake, and ate it.
“Hmm. They are good, but they don’t seem to affect me the way they do you.” He
chuckled.
I awaited his answer curiously.
“My last foster family.” He’d gone through more than one foster home? “My foster mother
taught her surrogate children to fend for themselves. Our chores included
cleaning, cooking, and washing dishes and clothes. No, she didn’t want cheap
labor. She did it to teach us how a normal house hold functioned, and to care
for ourselves.”
“She sounds smart. I’m guessing you helped
her—or them—after you became the all-powerful Daniel Brightmore?” I asked,
while sneaking my fork onto his plate to steal a piece of his pancake. Mine had
disappeared way too fast. He playfully fake-slapped my hand away, and I pouted
at him. “Selfish. That’s why no one likes you.”
“You not only like me, you love me, Little One.”
He fed me a fork full of pancake and gave me a satisfied smile. “After my first
company became fully successful, I set up a trust fund for the Swansons. It
made sense to help them after everything they did, and didn’t, do for me.” I
knitted my eyebrows in confusion. “They didn’t hit me, or abuse me. Very few
children get to spend their years in the system with people who truly care. Richard
Swanson taught me how to hold a hammer, use power tools, and fix cars.” His
voice became more animated as he continued with the story, and those gray eyes
smiled at the fondness of the moments he told. “Thanks to him and those skills,
I held a few jobs during college, and was able to begin my first company. Last
year I moved them to Austin, Texas. They’re getting old, and the weather is
nice there year-round.”
“Are you going to raise your children the same
way?” He gave me a strange look. “To be self-reliant, even though they’re the
children of a billionaire.” I gestured dramatically toward the luxurious
penthouse. “The beautiful wife you were talking about in Telluride, who went to
catholic-private schools and spent her summers in Europe, might not want her
beautiful children to be exposed to hammers, power tools, and pans. You have
the means to give them whatever their hearts desire, and staff to service them.
All the comforts she’s accustomed to.” His face screamed, What’s this girl talking about. “Oh my, that never occurred to you.
What would you like in a wife? Ooh, I’ve got a great idea. We should make a
chart. Don’t you think?”
He tipped his head to the side, looking at me
curiously, though he had a wide smile. He shook his head. “A chart, you say.
And what will be the purpose of this exercise?”
“Ingenious. This is the best idea ever.” I
clapped my hands, excited. “Bring me a paper and pen… no, a pencil. We have to
do this, so when you’re ready to start the search, you have a clear idea who
she is. Go, go…. This is going to be fun.”
He handed me a legal yellow pad, a pencil and
eraser, a bottle of crisp water, and blueberries to munch. I made a border with
hearts and flowers. In the center I wrote the title: Dan’s wife.
~About the Author~
Claudia
lives in Colorado with her family and three dogs. Two beagles who believe they
are human, and a bichon who thinks she’s a beagle. While managing life, she
works as a CFO at a small IT Company. She’s a dreamer who enjoys music,
laughter and a good story.
Thanks for being on the tour, Tamara!
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting me be a part of it!!!
DeleteThank you for featuring Where Life Takes You, Tamara x
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome!!
Deletethanks for the giveaway
ReplyDelete