Sunday Snippet: Advocate for the Defense

Geez. I can't believe we're in the last week of October. This month flew by and I'm kind of sad I didn't have the time or energy to enjoy it more.

Doggo update. She's still not quite over the sinus infection. We had a hard time getting her to eat much, and her antibiotic needs to be taken with food. We're surmising she's not interested because she can't smell right now. She's still drinking plenty of water and also gets excited when anyone comes home, so we think she's doing okay. She still doesn't like having her nose wiped to remove the yuck leaking from it though.

Not a bad work week. I had a couple of focus-intense projects to work through, which became a challenge because I'm not sleeping as well as I should be. But … I'm nearing the end of one long project and starting a new longish project and I'm thrilled they're going so well. I finished up a proofread and started a new copy edit also.

Had an okay viewing week. I didn't make it through my full list of shows, but got most of them in. I just didn't have the attention span to watch stuff this week.

I did get an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries in and I'm getting closer to the end of season two.

Caught another episode of Foyle's War and it's one I didn't remember. It features an actor that used to be one of my faves, but he kind of went off the deep end and I can't really enjoy his work anymore. That's a me problem, I know.

Enjoyed the season three premiere of Beyond Paradise. So nice to see Archie again, even if he tried to muck up Humph and Martha's romance. I really enjoy this show.

Watched another episode of Poirot and enjoyed the mystery. There ended up being a lot going on in this one and it felt like a couple of shortcuts were taken, but overall a fun episode. Well … except for the murder of course.

Elementary ended up being a lot of fun with the twist on the Baskerville lore. I'm so happy with Sherlock's growth as a character and his quietly impassioned plea for the ME to get some help kind of made the episode for me.

I didn't get to watch Batman Beyond or Lower Decks this week because I ran out of steam. Hopefully, I'll get to catch up soon.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Advocate for the Defense, a novella that brings a couple together when one character has to defend the other before a review board.

Here's the miniblurb:

Jada Link has self-sabotage down to an art form and she gets into trouble on a regular basis. But when she needs an advocate to get out of her latest scrape, she meets the one person who can make her career ... and possibly find his way into her heart—Quince Lazenby.

And a sneaky peek…

Quince completed the last call he needed to make just as Jada entered the conference room. "Hey … are you ready for the hearing?" He checked a box on the notepad list, with the final piece falling into place.

Jada inhaled sharply. "Yeah. I think so." She tucked her cover under her arm. "Gotta admit, I'm nervous." She smoothed the crease of her uniform pants.

Quince's lips twitched. "You really don't need to be. This is basically a formality." He tapped the notepad.

Jada's eyebrows arched. "You're still calling in your markers?" She paused a moment. "And you're really sure your dad isn't going to bust you down a rank for using him?"

Quince shrugged. "Like I said … he's far enough away he won't get wise too soon." Stuffing the notepad into his case, he met Jada's gaze. "Besides … it's for a good cause and he'll agree if I ever do have to explain myself." Which he would do after he got Jada through graduation.

Jada huffed out a breath. "Geez, not sure how I feel about letting you do this for me." She paced back and forth along the edge of the table. "I mean, I appreciate having you on my side." She stopped and shot him a sideways glance. "Why are you doing this? Seriously, what's in it for you?"

A great question. One he didn't have a full answer for, but he did a partial one.

Setting his case on the table, he folded his arms across his chest. "First and foremost, I'm following orders. I was assigned to defend you before the board." He held her gaze. "And … I was informed to make sure I did everything in my power to garner a good outcome … if I thought you had the chops to become a good officer as well as a pilot." He stopped there for the moment.

Anything else he said might cross a line he didn't want to step over yet.

Jada tilted her head. "And you think I'm officer material?" Her brow furrowed as if she questioned the idea.

Quince answered with brutal honestly. "Can't say I'm one hundred percent certain, but you deserve the chance to find out. When we go before the board, I'll lay out the plan that's going to give you the opportunity to prove you have the will and desire to become a ranking member of a flight squadron." And the schedule would keep her too busy to get into more trouble.

He hoped.

Jada worried her lower lip. "I'm almost afraid to ask … what is the plan?" A wary note entered her gaze.

Quince flashed a wide smile. "Have a seat, and I'll explain…"

I enjoy writing characters who push each other's buttons and these two are very good at doing that.

 

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

ML Skye