Every once in a while the planets align just so and a plan
comes together. It’s sweet no matter how long it may last. Somewhere around mid
2013 I had a moment when a group of authors at Amber Allure started chatting
about stories that were “tales from the garage.” It sounded like fun so I
tossed my monkey wrench onto the pile.
Writing a tale where our heroes meet in a garage wasn’t much
of a leap for me. I’m a motorhead. Blame my Daddy who took me to the garage on
Saturday mornings when I was a sprout and, when I bought my first car, made
sure I could change the oil all by myself. That first car, a 1969 Camaro, was
eventually restored so Bored, Stroked and Blueprinted has a few bits and pieces
of that real-life experience.
Local car clubs are filled with wonderful, fun and
intelligent people who welcome everyone who shares their love of American
muscle. I’m anxious for sunshine and dry pavement and the reemergence of those
beautiful machines on Sunday afternoons. Who knows? I may have to start my
series based on “Tales from a Garage.”
Here’s a bit about my latest release Bored, Stroked and
Blueprinted.
KC
As a boy, Mick Ambrose fell in
love with cars. Now he owns and operates an auto restoration shop specializing
in all things American Muscle. When the black 1969 Camaro Z/28 he years ago
dubbed Onyx pulls into his garage, Mick forgets his first love in favor of her
driver, Logan Gregg. Mick’s interested and cruises Logan at a speed worthy of
the car he drives.
Logan Gregg’s plan to avoid
entanglements in his life drives away when he stops at American Muscle to ask a
few questions about restoring the Z/28 he inherited from his uncle. The owner
of the shop is smooth as a well-tuned V-8 engine and twice as hot. Logan is
quick to shift gears and take a closer look at Mick Ambrose and the road ahead.
When Mick wants to get too close, too fast, Logan backs off. His past holds
painful memories he can’t escape and the tattoos on his arms aren’t just for
decoration.
Working on the Z/28 brings the men
closer, but Mick makes a mistake when he confesses his knowledge of the past
Logan wants to keep buried. Mick knows a man has to settle his past to step
into his future, but Logan’s unconvinced. To slay his personal demon, he’ll
first have to look it in the eye.
Excerpt
Logan stared at me for the longest
ten seconds of my life. He slumped against the Camaro and banged his head on
the edge of the hood.
The man had a truly extensive
knowledge of all words profane in the English language. I put my hands on my
hips.
“You want me to see if you’re
bleeding?”
He glared at me so I shrugged and
went back to removing the battery I’d loaned him. I sensed him watching me but
I didn’t say anything. I hoped he would speak and he finally did.
“I’m sorry, Mick.”
I set the battery on the cart and
picked up the new one. “You said that already.”
“I meant it both times, okay?”
What did he expect me to say? What
should I say? I tightened down the battery cables. “Start the car so we can
check this out.”
The Camaro started with a roar. The
lights flashed, then the turn signals. I closed the hood and made a swiping
motion across my throat and the powerful engine stilled. He sat in the car,
head down. I climbed into the passenger seat and slid it back to get
comfortable. Logan glanced at me.
“Wanna go get a beer?”
“Maybe later after we talk. What
kind of money do you want to spend on this car?”
“The money isn’t the problem, Mick.
It’s me and people.”
I should have pounced on that but I
let it go in the hope it would drive him nuts if I didn’t. I’d allow him to
think himself in circles until he had to explain what he meant to keep his
brain from overheating. Maybe it was time to test the water with him. I put my
hand on his knee. The corner of his mouth twitched.
“Is that hand how you’re gonna come
on to me?”
My heart beat faster. He hadn’t
brushed me away. “It’s less of a start than I’d like, Logan.”
He sighed. “I’m not a good risk,
Mick. I might wake up tomorrow and decide Warren County is no longer my home.”
Who hadn’t thought of chucking it
all and walking away? I had, many times. No one was immune to the lure of a
fresh start free of the baggage of family, ex-lovers and mountains of mistakes.
It was more difficult to stay put and re-invent one’s self and some people
didn’t have the strength for it. Some had been beaten down too much by
circumstances. I couldn’t say that to him for fear he’d realize I knew about
him, and judged him, which I didn’t.
“So sell me the car today. I’ll pay
cash.”
Very slowly Logan turned his head
and looked at me, one eyebrow raised. “Seriously? You really need to learn how
to cruise a guy because, friend, you suck at it.”
“Who says I’m cruising you?”
“That hand sneaking up my thigh.”
KC Kendricks
Website http://www.kckendricks.com
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