Marquis is no stranger to setbacks. He finally turns things around with a new coaching position, when he encounters a parent with troubles of her own. Nya tries to keep her distance, but Marquis is inescapably drawn into her dilemma. When his involvement lands him in hot water, Nya finds herself at odds with the whole community. Marquis must fight to restore his name and convince a disappointed school that Nya is worth the trouble.
●●●●● Excerpt ●●●●●
When his attention returned to Nya, her smile seemed different. It reminded him of the glances they exchanged at the pizza restaurant. He wanted to ask about that night, but he wasn’t sure how to broach the subject. He couldn’t deny that she was intimidating, possibly because of their age difference.
“Have you baked any cakes lately?” he asked instead.
She got a chuckle out of that.
“What?” he asked, grinning.
“Nothing. Do you like cakes, Coach Berry?”
Hell, yes, I do!
“You can call me Marquis.”
She shook her head. “No. That wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my daughter’s teacher.”
He couldn’t tell if that was a rejection. He decided to keep pushing, until she made her position more clear.
“Will you make me a cake?”
His eyes were daring. Hers were surprised and then skeptical.
“Don’t you have enough Tupperware piled up in your kitchen? You take a dish home every week.”
He laughed at that. It almost sounded like she was jealous. “I didn’t ask for any of those,” he said. “Yours would be different.”
She smacked her lips quietly. It was a slight movement, but it made Marquis want to kiss her. He wasn’t sure if he’d get slapped in return, so he kept his lips to himself.
“My cake would be different?” she asked.
She was taunting him now. He liked it.
“Of course it would be.”
“Why, because you asked for it?”
“Because I’ve been wanting it for so long,” he said.
He wasn’t smiling now, and she knew he wasn’t referring to dessert. Marquis thought he had a fifty-fifty chance of getting shut down. But his eyes were confident. Nya had to look away.
●●●●●
© Keith Thomas Walker
Genre: Romance
●●●●● Excerpt ●●●●●
When his attention returned to Nya, her smile seemed different. It reminded him of the glances they exchanged at the pizza restaurant. He wanted to ask about that night, but he wasn’t sure how to broach the subject. He couldn’t deny that she was intimidating, possibly because of their age difference.
“Have you baked any cakes lately?” he asked instead.
She got a chuckle out of that.
“What?” he asked, grinning.
“Nothing. Do you like cakes, Coach Berry?”
Hell, yes, I do!
“You can call me Marquis.”
She shook her head. “No. That wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my daughter’s teacher.”
He couldn’t tell if that was a rejection. He decided to keep pushing, until she made her position more clear.
“Will you make me a cake?”
His eyes were daring. Hers were surprised and then skeptical.
“Don’t you have enough Tupperware piled up in your kitchen? You take a dish home every week.”
He laughed at that. It almost sounded like she was jealous. “I didn’t ask for any of those,” he said. “Yours would be different.”
She smacked her lips quietly. It was a slight movement, but it made Marquis want to kiss her. He wasn’t sure if he’d get slapped in return, so he kept his lips to himself.
“My cake would be different?” she asked.
She was taunting him now. He liked it.
“Of course it would be.”
“Why, because you asked for it?”
“Because I’ve been wanting it for so long,” he said.
He wasn’t smiling now, and she knew he wasn’t referring to dessert. Marquis thought he had a fifty-fifty chance of getting shut down. But his eyes were confident. Nya had to look away.
●●●●●
© Keith Thomas Walker
Genre: Romance
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