Summertime (A Novella)

An unlikely journey... an unlikely love. J'Nay Walker is a talented singer, driven toward success by a promise she made to her late mother. One gloomy day, on the tail of some disappointing news, tragedy strikes, threatening not only to derail her plans, but to end her life. As a result, she soon finds herself on an unlikely journey, but is she ready for an unlikely love? Excerpt: "Would it be too forward of me to ask if you already have a beau, lovely songbird?" I looked up at him, willed myself not to stare at his lips. "No-I mean, no, I don't." His eyes widened in surprise. "The men around here must be dumb as rocks. Letting a fine-looking woman like you walk around here alone like this? I might just have to do something to fix that." I placed my hand on my chest. "Something like what?" "Something like making you my woman." I shook my head. "Can't do that. You're just passing through." He nodded slightly as he reached up and touched my cheek. "Well, if you're my girl," he whispered, "I guess you'll have to come with me... or I'll have to stay." Then he leaned in and softly kissed me on the lips. Every nerve, muscle, and blood vessel in my body vibrated, and my knees buckled ever so slightly. "Dizzy..." I said softly. He backed away from me with an intoxicated look in his eyes. "Call me John. I like the way you say it." "John?" He smiled. "Yeah, I like that." "Dizzy, you holding up the game, man!" a voice shouted from upstairs. He leaned in close to me again and smiled. "Damn, girl... you smell good." "I'm not wearing any perfume." "I didn't think you were."