Sunday Snippet: Midsummer Mayhem (a Capital City Seasons novella)

A lovely week with warmer temperatures and some rain. Excited to see some spring weather rolling in. It's supposed to be in the high fifties and sixties this week and I'm totally down with that, even if it gets chilly at night.

Not a bad week for writing either. I played catch-up on a few more manuscripts and fleshed out some plot bunnies. The sages are on a roll right now and I'm not sure what prompted their creativity. I won't complain though.

Good week of television also. I watched a couple of movies starting with Enola Holmes, which I ended up really enjoying. Glad to hear there will be another one at some point. I also watched a total favorite of mine, Grease 2. This is one of those cases where I loved the sequel more than the original. Seriously.

I restarted my watch of Picard, picking up with episode six. Wow, a lot to unpack in that episode. I'm excited to see what happens next.

I finally started Chicago Med. I've been waiting to see the first season and ended up getting access. Enjoyed the first episode.

Caught two episodes of Peak Practice. I ended the second season and started the third. Both were good episodes.

Watched another episode of No Offence. I like the overarching storyline for the new season and the wrap-up of the previous season's fallout. I'll be honest and admit I'm not keen on the new supervisor but I'll reserve judgment for now.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness and it was as twisty as I thought it would be. Enjoyed the two-parter.

Started season fifteen of Classic Who. Pretty decent opening arc the lighthouse setting. Interestingly, it ties into one of those unsolved mysteries of the unexplained and I love it when the show does that kind of thing.

Caught another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This one focused on Area 52 and what might or might not be going on there.

Two more episodes of The Muppet Show are complete. I'd forgotten about Harry the mad bomber. He made an appearance and blew some stuff up.

That's about it for television and this week's wrap-up. Tonight's post is from Midsummer Mayhem, a Capital City Seasons novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Chris Renfer, alpha team leader for the Strategic Tactical Unit, falls for Melanie Pramble at first sight, but she's new to the city wants to get her bearings. But when Renfer's team is stuck in a bad situation, Melanie is the go-to person for negotiation and Chris can only hope their beginning doesn't end before it makes headway.

And a sneaky peek…

Melanie Pramble sat across from Ben Murphy. "Have to admit, I was surprised by the job offer." He'd reached out to thank her and let her know he'd worked things out with his significant other and they'd stayed in touch.

Not awkward until now.

Ben's lips curved. "You mean after an aborted hookup attempt and a subsequent reunion with Jess?" He shook his head. "You've been invaluable as a freelance consultant. Why wouldn't I bring you on board in a permanent role?" He leaned back, leaving the question open.

Melanie raised a brow. "Aside from the potential uncomfortable fallout? It'll mean a big move for me." She didn't call Capital City home, instead residing in the southern hemisphere in New Boniface, named after the man who discovered and founded the planet.

Ben rolled a shoulder. "Your body language shows nervousness and maybe some trepidation." He leaned forward. "Jess isn't going to be an issue. You'll like her and she'll love you. The trepidation comes from not liking change?" His voice made it a query.

Melanie chuckled. "You did pay attention during my presentation. Very good." She crossed her legs at the ankles. "And you're right. I am wary of meeting Jess, but that's on the lower end of the scale. I rarely do well with change because I like order and structure. A move will mean chaos and settling in a new location." But … she needed something different to mix things up a little.

Ben laughed. "You're a mass of contradictions. You travel all the time. And the last time we spoke you mentioned getting restless easily. So … are you sure this doesn't come down to Jess?"

A valid question, but not easy to answer. "You're right about me being restless. But I've always called New Boniface home. That's really the sticking point. The weird thing with Jess is bigger in my head than it will be once I actually meet her." She paused. "I'm really not sure if I want to make a permanent move to Capital City." Although, the job did appeal to her.

Murph gave a nod. "I get it. When I avoided coming back to Capital City, it was like a part of me had disappeared. Obviously, accommodating your wanderlust with travel won't be an issue since I'm sticking close to home for the most part. That being said, I'm not opposed to starting on a trial basis? You can decide what to do with your place in New Boniface after you make a final decision. Would that work?" He pulled out a file and slid it her way. "Here's the package I have in mind for you."

Melanie opened the folder and her eyes widened. "This is more than generous." Hell, she'd probably be able to keep her house in New Boniface and afford something nice in Capital City.

She probably wouldn't have to bring in a renter either.

Murph shrugged. "I'm building for the future and top-notch employees deserve to be well compensated." He pushed away from the desk and stood. "Will you consider the offer?"

She'd been stupid not to. "Absolutely." She got up also. "Give me a week or so to get back to you?"

Murph agreed. "Sounds great. Why don't I give you a bit of a tour? We can see some of the city and I can introduce you to Jess. Get that out of the way so you can make an informed choice."

Melanie tucked the folder under her arm. "I'd like that. My transport doesn't leave for another two hours." She followed him out of the office, excited about the possibilities but dreading the upheaval they'd cause.

Ben leaned down when they reached the elevator. "Don't overthink this. Change is hard, but it's also stimulating. I never thought I'd be able to build a team of great negotiators and transition into a behind the scenes role but I love it." He pressed the button and the doors slid open.

Melanie did a quick gut check. She'd take his advice and soak up the atmosphere and leave the thinking for her transport flight back to New Boniface.

Melanie is tougher to write for than I thought she would be. She's a little withdrawn but the sages haven't told me why yet. I'll look forward to figuring that out while I write more for her.

 

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye