Excerpt: 'Knocking at Her Heart' by Beverly Long

Beverly Long joins us to share a favorite scene from her new contemporary romance, Knocking at Her Heart, book one of her Conover Circle series.

First, here's the blurb about the book:

Maddie Sinclair's life has suddenly gotten very complicated. Interested parties, hiding behind their attorney, are relentlessly trying to buy her property; her mother, recently separated from her husband, a renowned physician, has come to stay and she's got new condoms she's determined to put to good use; and an anonymous complaint has the potential to close the daycare that Maddie owns and loves.

When Dr. Sam Jordonson offers help, she's not interested. She doesn't do doctors. But when a medical emergency forces her to accept his help, she's surprised to find herself questioning long-held beliefs about herself, her parents, and her future.

But Sam Jordonson is hiding a secret. One that has the potential to destroy everything that Maddie holds dear.

Beverly sets up the scene for us …

Beverly: Maddie Sinclair, sidelined by a bad appendix, has been forced to accept help from Dr. Sam Jordonson, whose niece attends the daycare. In this scene, Maddie, her trusted employee Carol, and Sam are finishing up the day when Maddie's mother arrives for a visit after leaving her husband of thirty plus years.

EXCERPT

"Who decided to bake cookies?" Maddie asked.

"I did. It seemed like something that could keep these guys busy for an hour or so."

"I love sugar cookies," Maddie said.

Sam reached across the table, snagged a cookie, broke of a corner, and held it up to her lips. The casual intimacy of the simple gesture stunned her. Her tongue, having suddenly developed a mind of its own, sneaked out of her mouth and traced her upper lip. Sam's hand, his steady surgeon hand, flinched. Then, with his eyes focused on her face, he lowered his arm.

He reached for her hand and gently deposited the cookie piece in her palm. "Have a cookie, Maddie," he said.

She nodded and folded her hand around the piece. Oh, baby. If only he was a Snickerdoodle, life would be so much simpler. She could sample, enjoy, and remember with fondness.

But he wasn't. So if she sampled, she'd undoubtedly enjoy, and then be forced to kick her own butt for being stupid. "What's next?" she asked, grateful that her voice held steady.

"Art projects."

"Take my advice," she said, as she escaped the kitchen. "Wear a smock."

She found Carol minutes later. The woman sat in the middle of the play area, watching as six children, paired off in three groups of two, played nicely. Maddie knew it wouldn't last.

"I was glad that you slept in," Carol said.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," Maddie replied. "Guess I was very conscious of my mother sleeping in the guest room."

"What are you going to do about your parents?" Carol asked.

"I'm not sure. I thought my father would have called by now. I guess I'm going to have to call him. Tell him to call my mother."

At that moment, the front door slammed and there was Frances Sinclair. Maddie knew, without a doubt, that she was unlikely to forget this particular entrance. Ever. "Mother?" she said.

The woman whirled around. "Do you like it?" she asked, patting her hair.

Gone was Frances Sinclair's carefully coifed, absolutely appropriate, brown bob. Her hair was fire-engine red, two inches long, and mostly sticking straight up from her head.

"Like it?" Maddie repeated. What was to like?

"I bought some new clothes, too," her mother said, holding up a bag from Natalie's Necessities, one of the trendier boutiques on the main street.

"That go with your old hair or your new hair?" Carol asked, sounding as stunned as Maddie felt.

"For the new me." Her mother whirled around again and almost hit Sam, who had come from the kitchen, with her bags. He took a step back and Maddie could see him check his grin.

"Nice hair, Mrs. Sinclair," he said, sounding sincere.

She beamed at him and once again, Maddie found herself feeling ridiculously sorry for her mother. It was obvious that the woman's self-esteem had taken a beating. She was just about to offer a compliment when her mother dropped the next bombshell.

"I want to look good for the auction this weekend."

"What auction?" Maddie asked, already knowing the answer.

"Why the Bid on a Bachelor Auction. I saw the poster in the drug store. I was picking up a few other things I'll need." Her mother reached into her sack and pulled out a box of condoms.

Carol started coughing into her hand, and Sam, well, he'd make a hell of a poker player because she had no idea what he was thinking. Maddie groped for words, but there just weren't any that seemed right.

"You are planning to attend?" her mother asked, looking straight at her.

"I hadn't given it much thought," Maddie lied. Condoms. Her mother had bought condoms.

"How about you, Carol?" her mother asked.

Carol nodded and wiped away tears. "My husband Travis is on the planning committee."

"See, darling," Frances said. "Everyone's going."

"I'll be there, too," Sam said.

Maddie whirled toward him. "What?"

"I'm one of the bachelors."

Her mother clapped her hands. "Excellent. At least we'll know someone there. That always makes these events more fun. And who knows," she said, her nose in the air as she walked over to the stairs, "I may even bid on you myself."

Find out more about Beverly and her books at www.beverlylong.com.