Sunday Snippet: Dodging Reality

Yeesh. So far, May has been a very chilly month. Our high yesterday hit forty-five degrees. Brrr. I'm going to try really hard to remember this when I'm crying because it's eighty-five in October. Just saying.

I didn't quite get everything tracked down that I wanted to last week so I'm carrying it over to this week. I think I'm going to make May my month to get stuff done. And, I'll be honest, it'll probably spill over into June. Time moves faster than I like sometimes.

Pretty good work week all things considered. I closed out a project and came close to finishing the final steps two others. Finished up a copy edit on a long manuscript and started a proofread on another. I have a continuation of another project on the books for this week also. I love to be busy.

Not a bad viewing week. I got through my usual list of shows, which makes me happy. I didn't get to watch any of my back burner shows or a concert, but maybe this week.

Started out with the season-twelve premier of the Brokenwood Mysteries. Thoroughly enjoyed the episode. Love having the cast of recurring characters making appearances.

Watched the final behind the scenes bonus of Foyle's War and enjoyed seeing the effort that went into creating the battle scene. Should be starting the final season this week.

Caught the opening episode of the next Poirot season. Kind of fun to see how little Poirot enjoyed retirement. And a really good mystery also.

Finished up the two-part Silent Witness premier. A very twisty story with lots of layers. I think I'm going to like having the team work at the new Bowman Center.

Elementary ended up being really interesting. I'm enjoying the Shinwell training and the case ended up being way complicated than I thought it would be.

Watched the second episode of Young Justice and I enjoyed seeing the team come together. Looking forward to more.

Caught another episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks and, whoo boy. Gotta say Mariner got shafted. Should be fun and interesting to see how things play out over the rest of the season.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Dodging Reality, a novella that explores how a couple get together while doing their best to dodge an embedded reporter on the front lines.

Here's the miniblurb:

Take a reality show set on the front lines in space, add a brash reporter who wants the down and dirty secrets of the crew—and will stop at nothing to get them—and mix it up with a couple fighting their attraction while protecting their pilots from the ratings hound. Stir in a little backstabbing from the camera man and the outcome is Dodging Reality.

And a sneaky peek…

Caro did indeed hit the gym. She had some major aggression to work through. Halfway through her set the hatch clanged open, and the cloying scent of Monique the Menace's perfume overpowered Caro's sense of smell.

"Son of a cursed mongrel." The dumbbells crashed against each other on the way to the deck.

The bitch in heels made her entrance. "Why, Captain, you don't seem happy to see me."

"Maybe because I smelled you first. Do you bathe in that shit?"

Monique's claws came out. "Do you bathe at all?"

Caro shrugged. "Check your footage. Pretty sure you've got the proof that I do."

Monique couldn't argue with truth.

She lifted a shoulder and smirked. "Major Albright suggested I might find you here." She showed teeth with her smile. "Thought you might be a good person to start with for this week's one-on-ones."

Caro snorted. "Really? Better get your info straight, Ms. Presley." Caro finished up a rep with the free weights. "I know for a fact he told you to save me for last. Or at least put me in the slot before him." She leveled her gaze on the woman. "Care to tell me why you're not sticking to your end of the agreement?"

"Because when I asked him, he informed me you'd be here." Monique tittered. "Apparently he's got a full plate trying to deal with the lieutenant's little drug situation."

Caro shook her head. "Lady, you don't want to discuss that topic with me. When people go after my pilots, my gut reaction is to punch them in the face." She levelled her gaze on the other woman. "Trust me … neither of us want that." Okay, Caro wanted it but had promised to behave herself.

Monique arched a brow. "So hostile, Captain." She wandered about the small gym, poking around the machines. "You seem to have some aggression issues. How ever do you manage to get through the day?"

Caro shot her a look. "Quiet time in the gym helps. You're cutting into that." And she wanted to kill Vic for mentioning where she'd be.

Monique tried to appear apologetic. "Yes. It appears so." She tottered back toward Caro. "But please, indulge me for one little question." She held up a hand. "It's not about your pilot."

The woman's heels made deep pockmarks on the exercise mat and Caro wanted to be rid of her as soon as possible. Answering one stupid question could do the trick. Maybe.

She rolled her eyes. "What do you want to know?" Reaching down, she picked up the dumbbells and wrapped her hands around them.

If nothing else, they'd make great weapons.

Monique eyed the weights and took a small step back. "Just a quick answer to a simple query." Her gaze stayed on the heavy objects.

Caro sighed. "Sure, whatever." She hefted the dumbbells and placed them back on the stand. "Make it fast." Snagging a towel, she mopped the sweat off her face. "I'm between reps here."

Monique motioned the crew in, and they quickly had things rolling.

She pasted on her interview face. "Captain Williams, it's been bandied about by some of the other pilots that you and Major Albright have quite a close relationship. What's your response to that?" She held the microphone close to Caro.

Caro's jaw dropped. "My response? I'm his deputy CAG, of course we work closely together." What the hell?

Monique shook her head. "No. You misunderstand. It's not that you work closely, it's that you and he … are very, very close." She went in for the kill. "Inappropriately so." Her eyebrows waggled.

The woman wanted a certain response, and Caro wouldn't give it to her.

Tilting her head to the side, Caro pretended to ponder her answer. "My response to that would then be … it's bullshit. Major Albright and I do not have a relationship outside of the work we do." Other than a solid friendship.

Monique snorted. "Come on, Captain. The man is gorgeous. You're telling me you've never noticed?" Her tone turned snide.

Caro narrowed her eyes. "I'm telling you it doesn't matter how good his looks might be. He does the job and so do I." Usually under intense conflict.

Monique scoffed. "And you've never wanted or wished to push that further? See what all that prime flesh feels like, up close and personal?" She gave a delicate shudder.

Caro snapped back. "You know, even if I did, we have a term in the military called discipline. There's also one called regulation." She paused for a moment. "We have the definitions drilled into us for a reason." Even if there were ways around said reason.

Monique snorted. "And you've never been tempted to throw either out the airlock and just get down and dirty with the major?"

Caro blinked. "How could I be? We've got the enemy breathing down our neck and a film crew shoved up our ass. When would I have the time?" And why would she admit anything to Monique the Menace?

Monique let out a low whistle. "For him … I'd be very tempted to make the time." She made a purring sound.

Caro bit back a snarl. "Guess that's what separates the strong from the weak-willed." She turned toward the weight stand and grabbed the next size up. "Your five minutes are up." Caro started arm curls. "Unless you want to bore your audience with my workout routine, you might wanna head back out and irritate someone else." And take the hint I'm done playing nice.

Presley made a cut sign to her crew and they stopped filming.

She waited for them to start packing up then gave Caro a slow once-over with her gaze. "You might deny there's an attraction between you and the major, but anyone can see it."

Caro didn't take the bait and continued her routine. "Big difference between attraction and action. And there's no joy on that, regardless of what anyone thinks." She paused her reps. "There's no story here, Ms. Presley."

Monique gave Caro a calculating look. "No, I guess not. But it does clear one thing up for me in a big way."

Caro arched her brows. "Yeah, what's that?" As if she really cared.

Monique's mouth curved. "Major Albright is fair game." She pirouetted. "And I'm on the hunt."

Caro feigned nonchalance she didn't feel and snorted. "You're a very scary woman." She reached for the dumbbells again. "Now, if you don’t mind … I've still got some aggression to work out." And maybe a picture to find for the heavy bag.

Monique ran her gaze up and down Caro. "Yes, it appears so. I'll leave you to work on that attitude adjustment then." She waved to the crew, indicating they could exit. "Maybe I'll track down the delicious major."

Caro didn't react. Couldn't. Exactly what Ms. Perfume Overload wanted.

Instead, she huffed out a laugh. "Yeah. Good luck with that." She waited for the catty reporter and her camera man to exit then put the dumbbells away.

She headed across the gym and slammed the heavy bag with a hard one-two punch.

Find the delicious major. Geez. Who talked like that?

Ripping off the gloves, she tossed them in the bin and grabbed her towel. A nasty mood settled around her. And it involved more than having a nosy reporter on board. Monique's interest in Vic shouldn't irritate Caro, but it did.

Enough that she couldn't finish the workout. Too keyed up.  She'd hit the showers instead.

Longer than usual glimpse but this scene came together in a way I didn't expect and made me happy.

 

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

ML Skye