I’m going to share a bit about Reed and Charlotte from my book, Love Beyond the Curve.  I think they are strong, independent people who see the best in each other, despite any flaws they may think they have.  I hope this will tell you more about them,so you’ll understand the upcoming excerpts in the posts to follow.

EXCERPT: Charlotte

Charlotte finished writing her reports for the shift, and grabbed her purse to go home for the night.  She needed to stop by the grocery store to buy ingredients for lasagna and salad.  She was also going to make a lemon meringue pie.  She did her exercises faithfully, so she would indulge herself with the foods she loved, rather than starving and bingeing all the time.

She had fought the weight battle her whole life, trying every type of fad diet that was the current rage.  She had finally come to realize that at twenty-eight years of age, she only had to please herself.  She finally loved herself and the body that housed her indomitable spirit.  She ate healthy food and did regular exercise, but she would never put herself on another diet as long as she lived.  She would eat what she wanted in reasonable portions, and sometimes, not so reasonable portions, but food was not going to rule her life.

If she had a dime for every time she was told about her “pretty face”, she could retire to a private island for life!  She accepted herself, and the man she would end up with would have to do likewise.  But, it was hard to find a man who was secure enough in himself to decide he could have a relationship with a larger woman – publicly that is.  She had been with good-looking men before, but somehow she had seen a pattern of staying home on dates, or going places that didn’t include chance meetings with friends.  On the few occasions they had run into a guy’s friends, she had managed to see the telltale look of panic in his eyes as he tried to decide how to introduce her.  Most of them acted like they would rather walk on nails than risk possible ridicule for being seen with what is deemed, in today’s standards, a “fat girl”.  Needless to say, those relationships were promptly terminated!  Well, as Sleeping Beauty said, “Someday my prince will come!”

EXCERPT: Reed

Reed shook his head as if to clear his thoughts before turning into the driveway of his contractor business in downtown Memphis.  He really didn’t need to walk in with a hard-on, which was what was happening if he didn’t get his mind off the chance meeting with his new tenant.

His office was in an old home in one of the earliest residential areas of the town.  He had built the successful business from the ground up, much to the dismay of his parents.  He was supposed to follow in his father and brother’s footsteps and join the family law firm.  A suit and tie and desk work was not for him.   Beat up jeans and a t-shirt were considered acceptable office attire when not scheduled for appointments with clients.

He had worked for a contractor during his college days, and it had gotten into his blood.  He loved making something with his hands, and had used the money he had saved over the years to start the business.  He had a great office to make a good first impression on would-be clients. The best group of reliable men worked with him to make the business continue to grow.  If the company succeeded, they all succeeded.

He went in the back door and stopped to make the coffee before entering his office.  Soon everyone would be here for the daily morning meeting.  After discussing priority projects, they would all jump in the cabs of their trucks, scattering like wild horses in every direction of the city, off to build something that would last for generations.