A Life of Inches
by douglas esper
Publication Date: May 26, 2015
Ryan Kelly and Woodie Wodyzewski always fight for every inch. Whether on the baseball diamond, the basketball court, or even the dance floor, these two friends are true competitors. When Ryan beats Woodie in a bike race because Woodie has the misfortune to be hit by a car, he seems to have won. But the beautiful girl who crashes into their lives is worth far more than any trophy. Molly De Leon knows all about winning, and nothing will keep her from her goals. Ryan and Woodie have been vying for Molly since the day they met. How can she possibly choose between them? Woodie has a complicated family situation and she desperately wants to help him through his misery and confusion. A little on edge with a temper, he’s the bad boy in her life who reminds Molly a lot of her mother, a powerful politician she’s grown up watching bend men and women to her will with a simple smile. Ryan, on the other hand, is very close to his parents, grounded, and has a good sense of humor. He’s not your typical jock; he’s a safe, reliable pick, and a constant in Molly’s life—that is, until his injuries lead him down a destructive path. Molly realizes it’s time to make a decision… But how can she risk losing either one of them when they both own a piece of her heart?
She’s falling
before I can comprehend what happened. Whatever breath her lungs still hold
escapes as a grunt as she hits the ground. Woodie pivots, eyes too full of
anger to carry concern.
Overcoming my
shock, I unfreeze my feet, and call out, “Molly.”
Woodie tilts his
head skyward and screams louder than his last outburst. It carries throughout
the whole park, an echoing challenge to anything within earshot.
I cradle Molly’s
head up from the dirt, rocks, and anything else that might cause her further
damage. I place my other hand on her stomach to hold her still.
All of a sudden
I have to act as a shield between her and Woodie, and that’s something I never
ever dreamt I’d be. Woodie has always had a temper, but this feels different.
My best friend just hurt Molly, yet his only concern revolves around a bouncing
orange ball and a rusting hoop.
I call, “Get
over here, Woodie.”
Adrenaline must
be pumping through his veins by the bucket, but I know he’ll come to his
senses. Hell, let him yell and scream all he wants. I’m fine right here with
this angel in my arms.
I look down and
realize I’m caressing Molly’s cheek. She reaches up and matches my action.
Overwhelmed by the moment, I lean forward, making my advance and ambitions as
obvious as possible. I follow her raised jaw and peck a darkened area, already
bruising.
“My hero,” she sighs, smiling despite the
ugliness of the situation. “If you’re going to sweep me off…well, back onto my
feet, you had better kiss me with more passion than that.” Her mischievous grin
widens as she grabs my shirt and pulls me toward her. Our hands seek placement
and purchase. Following her lead, my lips part. I run my fingertips down her
arm as the taste of orange pop touches my tongue.
I flash back to
the thousands of times I’ve pictured this moment, our first kiss. I don’t
recall ever daydreaming of it happening to the soundtrack of screams. Though,
as I pull back to peck down her left cheek toward her neck, I can’t imagine a
more perfect moment.
It was at a very early age when I, Douglas Esper, (your friendly neighborhood author) realized I had a passion for the written word. As a youngster, I couldn't get enough books to satisfy my desire to read and to this day, I still own many books my parents got for me. In school I gravitated toward reading and writing to the point teachers grew impatient with me for writing stories in class.
The passion and drive to read and write continues to this day and my goal of feeling comfortable in my own writing skin seems within reach. I've self-published 2 picture books for kids, Sammy's Birthday Surprise and The Mystery of the Flying Tomatoes, a few short stories, and my debut novel, A Life of Inches, will be released by Limitless Publishing spring of 2015.
I live in North Ridgeville, Ohio, just west of Cleveland, with my wife, our kids, and that meddlesome dog.
I'm currently falling in love with David Fulmer books, and also enjoying the latest Les Roberts mystery novel. If I'm not reading or writing you can find me watching the Cleveland Browns losing on Sunday, writing music with my band, or observing my kids doing cute, and usually messy, stuff.
Hope this helps you learn a bit about me, but now it's your turn...introduce yourself!
1 comment:
Hi
Thanks for posting my info!
Douglas Esper
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