Shannon here: Historical romance author, Penny Zeller shares a romantic excerpt from her latest release: Kaydie. Comment on any post dated April 18 – 22 for a chance to win a copy. Deadline: April 24 midnight, central time.
Jonah opened the door and stepped inside the house, and that’s when he saw her. Sleeping peacefully with a miniature baby quilt-in-progress spread across her lap was Kaydie Kraemer, McKenzie’s younger sister. Her head rested against the back of the fancy blue chair McKenzie had ordered from Boston; her long, wavy blonde hair cascaded over her right shoulder; and her petite, stocking-clad feet were propped on the bottom rung of a nearby chair. Her slender arms were folded across her belly, and her rosy lips were parted slightly as she breathed with a soft, feminine snore. Jonah stopped for a moment to take in the sight, struck by the beauty before him.
Jonah knew something of Kaydie’s past and of her marriage to a cruel husband named Darius. He knew she’d suffered at his hands, and that he had died in a bank robbery gone awry. From what McKenzie had told him, Kaydie’s married life had been anything but peaceful. However, reclined in the chair—which looked completely out of place in the otherwise rustic, sparsely decorated living room—she had an aura of peace about her that tugged at the deep recesses of Jonah’s heart.
He glanced at the fireplace and saw that the fire had gone out, save for the small glow of an ember hidden in one of the black logs. Kaydie must have been sleeping for some time. Was she cold? Should he cover her up with a blanket? Jonah gulped at the unexpected concern he felt, and he debated whether to go back outside and return later so as not to continue violating Kaydie’s privacy. Where was everyone else? His mind returned to the noises he’d heard in the barn. No doubt Zach and McKenzie were out there with Davey. McKenzie took as much delight in swinging from the rope in the barn and falling into the hay pile as Davey did.
As quietly as he could, Jonah walked over to the table and set down the box of goods. He then turned and tiptoed toward Kaydie, pausing for a moment to pick up the large crocheted blanket from the wooden chair next to the fireplace.
When he reached Kaydie’s chair, he carefully lifted the small baby quilt she had been working on and replaced it with the larger, much warmer, crocheted blanket. He spread it gently over her shoulders, hoping not to disturb her, and made sure it covered her completely. Next, he would stoke the fire, he thought as he smoothed out the blanket. He knew next to nothing about pregnant women but figured it was important to keep them warm.
The blanket nearly covered Kaydie’s legs when she opened her eyes and gasped. “What are you doing?” she exclaimed.
Jonah stood up straight and held up his arms defensively. “Kaydie! Uh, you were sleeping, and I…uh—”
“Get away from me, please,” she said, her voice trembling.
“I…uh, all right.” Jonah took a step back from her and watched as she leaned back as far as the chair would allow and pulled the blanket tightly around her. “Kaydie…” he began, intending to explain himself.
“I don’t know what you were doing, but please leave,” she said.
“I walked in and saw you sleeping. The fire had almost burned out, so I thought I’d cover you with a warmer blanket. I—I didn’t want you to be cold.”
“I wasn’t cold,” Kaydie insisted.
“That’s good,” said Jonah. “I was going to get the fire going again, too.”
“Do you make a habit of sneaking up on people, Mr. Dickenson?” Kaydie demanded…
Excerpt from pages 27, 28, & 29 of Kaydie by Penny Zeller, © 2011, with permission of the publisher, Whitaker House (www.whitakerhouse.com).
About Penny: Penny Zeller is the author of several books and numerous magazine articles in national and regional publications. She is also the author of the humor blog “A Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author” (www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com). She is an active volunteer in her community, serving as a women’s Bible study small-group leader and co-organizing a women’s prayer group. Penny devotes her time to assisting and nurturing women and children into a closer relationship with Christ. Her passion is to use the gift of the written word that God has given her to glorify Him and to benefit His kingdom. Kaydie follows McKenzie in Montana Skies, her first series with Whitaker House. When she’s not writing, Penny enjoys spending time with her family and camping, hiking, canoeing, and playing volleyball. She and her husband, Lon, reside in Wyoming with their two children. Penny loves to hear from her readers at her Website, www.pennyzeller.com.
Come back April 25 for Gail Pallota’s real life romance and a chance to win an e-book download of Love Turns the Tide.
Previous Post
Penny Zeller – Real Life Romance – Part 2 of 3
Penny Zeller – Real Life Romance – Part 2 of 3
Next Post
The Ultimate Love Story – Part 1 of 2
The Ultimate Love Story – Part 1 of 2
I love the way you describe things! I can picture the colors, the softness even the fragrance of things through your words. What a wonder gift of writing, that you are able to transfer your imagination to the imagination of your readers! This is how we form a common bond and start the magic of communication. Simply wonderful Penny! Thanks for sharing You! ~Brenda 🙂
Guess what, Brenda? You won the drawing for Penny’s book. Congratulations!
I appreciate Penny for sharing her story and for everyone who visited.