Is That My Mom Coming Through the Door?

By Lucy Richardson, from Booked for Trouble by Eva Gates

Quick! Hide me. Where’s the back door?  Oh, right, this lighthouse doesn’t have a back door.  A closet. Looks like we’re short on human-sized closet space as well.

Drat, too late, she’s seen me. Smile, Lucy, smile. Look happy.

“Hi, Mom. What are you doing here?”

As if I need to ask. I know exactly why Mom is here in the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library and why she didn’t tell me she was coming. She didn’t tell me she was coming, because she was afraid I’d find a sudden reason to be heading out of town.

As for why she’s here. That’s obvious also. She wants to take me back to Boston with her. You see, I left my long, long, long time boyfriend down on one blended knee (small blue box in hand) and fled town.  I came down here, to my favourite place in all the world, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to think over what I was going to do with my life. I didn’t have to think for long, as I found myself with a job in the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library.

I love it here. I love the library, I love my coworkers, I love my Lighthouse Aerie on the fourth floor. I love the library cat, Charles.  I love living and working in the Outer Banks.

I am NOT going back to Boston. So there Mom!

I’ll be firm, yet nice. I’ll welcome Mom’s visit and let her know I am not leaving.  I’ll even go with her to the Ocean Side Hotel in Nags Head and help her check in.  Surely she can’t get into any trouble there… can she?

Booked for Trouble will be released on Tuesday! Here’s a small excerpt:

I love my mother. Truly, I do.  She’s never shown me anything but love, although she’s tempered it by criticism perhaps once too often.  She believes in me, I think, although she’s not exactly averse to pointing out that I’d be better off if I did things her way.  She’s a kind, generous person. At least, that is, to those she doesn’t consider to be in competition with her for some vaguely defined goal, if not -- watch out, she'll carry a grudge to the grave. She may be stiff and formal and sometimes overly concerned with observance of proper behavior, but she’s also adventurous and well-travelled. And above all her love of her children knows no bounds.

I do love my mother.

I just wish she wasn’t bearing down on me at this moment, face beaming, arms outstretched.

                                                            Booked for Trouble by Eva Gates

To celebrate the book’s release, let’s have a contest!  To win a copy, please leave a comment with your email address so I can contact the winner.  US addresses only, please.  Contest closes evening of Monday August 31. (Although comments are always welcome!)

Eva Gates will be visiting the Outer Banks next week on book tour.  If you are in the area, we’d love to see you!  The full schedule of appearances is here: www.vickidelany.blogspot.com