Incandescent

Book Two in Secrets of Eaton Series

By MADELINE SLOANE

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 Madeline Sloane

ALSO BY MADELINE SLOANE

The Women of Eaton Series

Distracted

East of Eaton

West Wind

The Secrets of Eaton Series

Consequence

Incandescent

Dead Line

INCANDESCENT

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2014 by Madeline Sloane

ISBN: 978-0-9898505-4-4

http://www.MadelineSloane.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places and incidents described herein are either are the product of
the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business
establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. The
author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal
right to publish all the materials in this book.

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted,
or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic,
electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of
the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in
critical articles and reviews.

MADELINE SLOANE BOOKS

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A Note to Readers

Incandescent is the second book in the
Secrets of Eaton series, and the fifth book in the Eaton novels.
Each book introduces the townspeople and visitors, as well as their
relationships and escapades. Each book is a complete story. If you
do have a chance to read the others, do keep in mind that everyone
is significant, and most likely will walk through a new story.
Although Eaton is an imaginary place, it is reminiscent of all
small towns in America. I hope you’ll enjoy visiting it as much as
I do.

Madeline Sloane

DEDICATION

To Ivan & Tanya

and to my wonderful editors:

Amy Trivedi, Helen Graul

Heather Johnson, Ruth Nagele

Sherry Hohn, Sanjana Rajesh Pai

Jasmine Wagner, Stacey Paterson

Krystyn Martz, Chrizzle Gaad

And Sarah Abid

Praise for Madeline Sloane

Absolutely Delightful

“Take a break from formulaic romance stories
and fall in love with a modern, sexy man who isn’t burdened down
with the stereotypical macho crap. I love my alphas, but there is
no way that most of us could live with one in real life.

Ms. Sloane does a great job creating
realistic, witty characters. The story is fresh, the settings are
unique and I feel like I need to sign up for sailing lessons or at
least look for a hot man with a catamaran! We should all get a
chance to be distracted like this.

I am looking forward to more books by Ms.
Sloane. If you are a fan of Ruthie Knox or Penny Reid you will love
this book.”

Amazon Customer

A Great Beach Read

This is a charming story that had all my
favorite things in it: Books, Boats and hunky men (not necessarily
in that order).

Jen C.

Thoroughly Enjoyable

Madeline Sloane brings romance to the table
with her first book! “Distracted” is cleverly written; the dialogue
is well-delivered, easily readable and certainly enjoyable.

Lucinda J. Knier

A Cute Romance

This was a cute romance. Erin is supposed to
help Stephen hurry up and get his book done, which turns out to be
an impossible task. Stephen’s tendency to put things off and enjoy
life is cute and funny, but in real life, this guy would annoy me
to no end. (And I’m laughing as I write that.)

Ruth Ann Nordin “Historical Romance
Author”

Chapter One

Anna leaned forward and blew out the
twenty-seven candles on her birthday cake.

“Did you make a wish? What was it?”

Anna smiled at Gretchen and Lacey. “I wished
our friendship would last forever. I love you guys.”

“Tell me when you’re sober,” Gretchen
said.

Lacey raised her apple martini for a toast.
“To us.”

After three celebratory drinks, Anna couldn’t
swallow another drop. Instead, she touched her glass to the others
and held it aloft until the toast was over.

“Wuss!” Gretchen taunted.

“Leave her alone, Gretchen. She’s not a lush
like you,” Lacey said.

“Hey, you’re the lush.” Gretchen gave Lacey a
friendly shove, and the two giggling women sloshed apple schnapps
onto the tabletop.

“Alright, ladies, I’m going to have to cut
you off,” said their waiter, hovering near the table and ogling
their long, tanned legs.

Gretchen pouted. “Look, Mark, that’s no way
to get my phone number.”

She stood quickly; years of drinking with
older brothers desensitized her against the effects of the liquor.
She grabbed the waiter’s tie, tugged until they were eye-to-eye,
and licked her lips. As his eyes widened, she winked. Her lips
brushed his cheek before stopping at his ear, making him shiver.
She whispered seven digits, released his tie and the young man
stumbled backwards.

“Excuse me, ladies. I have to pee,” she
said.

Lacey and Anna snickered as the goggle-eyed
waiter watched Gretchen’s swaying hips retreat to the back of the
restaurant.

“You’d better call her. She’s temporarily
single,” Lacey advised.

The waiter smiled and winked before heading
back to the bar.

“Gretchen is crazy,” Anna said with a giggle.
“She could get away with murder.”

“Yeah, she’s fearless,” Lacey said, fishing
in her handbag for car keys and humming a Taylor Swift tune. She
burst into song: “Feaaarrrrrlessssssss!” She panicked. “Hey, where
are my keys?”

Anna pulled them from her skirt pocket. “Huh,
little buddy. You’re not driving home drunk.”

“Well, how am I supposed to get home?”

“Walk. It’s only three blocks to the
house.”

“How am I supposed to get my car
tomorrow?”

“Walk. It’s only three blocks back.”

Weaving in between tables, pausing twice to
speak with friends and flirt with strangers, Gretchen returned.
Catching the frustrated look on Lacey’s face and the smirk on
Anna’s, she asked, “What’s up?”

“Anna won’t give me my car keys. She says we
have to walk home.”

“I’ll give them to you if you promise to
walk, not drive,” Anna said.

Gretchen shrugged. “Hey, no big deal. We’re
close. Anyway, the party’s not over. Let’s go somewhere else.”

Anna shook her head. “Sorry. I promised Dad I
would spend the weekend with him. I’m calling a taxi in a couple of
minutes. Before I go, though, I need to know you two aren’t going
to drive home.”

Again, Gretchen shrugged. “Not a problem, but
first, you have to open your presents.”

Anna beamed at her two closest friends and
reached for the small, gaily wrapped gift Gretchen took out of her
handbag.

She tugged at the colorful, thin ribbons and
said, “I hate to unwrap your presents. The package is always so
nice.”

“That’s what happens when you run a gift
shop.” Gretchen arched her eyebrows suggestively and added, “Wait
‘til you see what’s inside. I didn’t get it from work this
time.”

Anna slid a careful finger under the tape,
lifted the foil, and spied a box bearing the name of a popular
intimate apparel store. Opening the box, she knew her friends
expected her to display the present. She held the sexy negligee by
its thin straps and let the red, silky fabric unfold. Anna pursed
her lips and narrowed her eyes at Gretchen.

“And when am I supposed to use this?”

Gretchen scrunched her nose. “It’s an
incentive,” she said. “You’ve been single long enough. It’s time
you get back in the game.”

“I didn’t know I was out of the game,” Anna
said.

Gretchen lifted Anna’s unfinished cocktail
glass to her lips and swigged the remainder. “What about the hot,
new reporter at the newspaper? What’s going on there?”

“Jack DeSoto? No, I’m not interested in him.
I mean, he’s gorgeous and all, but he’s not my type. Besides, he’s
been flirting with the new bookstore owner,” Anna said, rolling her
eyes.

“You mean the woman who runs East of Eaton?”
Lacey asked. “Her shop is in the building across the street from my
folks’ place. She’s done a great job renovating it. If you think
she’s into Jack DeSoto, think again. She’s dating a history
professor from Marshall College.”

Gretchen raised a triumphant fist in the air.
“Yesss! He’s available, Miss Priss; now go after him.”

Anna shook her head. “No, I told you, he’s
not my type. He’s nice and funny, but I don’t want to go out with
him.” She tucked the negligee back into the box. “I’ll save it for
a rainy day. Besides, who says I need to wear it for some guy? I’ll
wear it for myself.”

Gretchen lifted Lacey’s unfinished drink and
sipped, mumbling to herself. “Seems like a waste if you ask
me.”

Lacey jostled Gretchen’s arm. “Hey, that’s
mine. If you want another, order one.” She hefted a large black
plastic case wrapped with a bungee cord and handed it across the
table to Anna. “Here, now open mine.”

Anna snickered at the gift, knowing full well
Lacey’s present would be the opposite of Gretchen’s. Since her
family owned a camping and outfitters’ store, Lacey tended to give
gifts from their catalog, often items she wanted for herself. Anna
was used to her friend’s unique possessions. They shared a house
together. The place was cluttered with expensive camping and hiking
gear, as well as emergency supplies. Lacey managed the shop after
her parents retired, so she was in charge of the company’s
inventory and tested every piece of equipment the business sold. If
it didn’t pass Lacey’s stringent demands, it didn’t go on the
shelf.

Lacey worked hard to keep the company
competitive with major retailers. She detested “big-box stores”
because they threatened her livelihood.

Anna lifted the black case, surprised at its
light weight. She unwound the bungee cord and looked askance at
Lacey.

“It’s a reusable ribbon,” Gretchen quipped.
“How like you, Lacey.”

The girls laughed at the remark, since
recycling was Lacey’s fanatical quest.

Lacey lifted her chin in superiority. “Yes,
it won’t go straight into a landfill,” she said, “unlike your
wrapping paper and ribbon. Do you know how long the plastic coating
on those items takes to break down?”

“Ye Gods,” Gretchen groaned. “Let it go.”

Anna opened the box and studied its contents
with curiosity, lifted a small, hand-written note tucked inside and
read: “Someday this could save your life. Don’t leave it at
home.”

Anna sifted through the assorted items, a
smile tugging at her lips. “I’m not sure what to say. Thank you,
Lacey.”

“It’s an emergency kit for your car,” Lacey
said. “I have one like it. They’re pretty cool. It has all the
normal equipment, you know. Like a flashlight and batteries, jumper
cables, thermal blankets, caution tape and such. There are also
pocket rocket flares from the shop. You know, the ones I showed you
last summer.”

“Ten bucks says she’ll use my present first,”
Gretchen said, rising from her chair. “C’mon, Lacey. Let’s go to
your place and watch a movie. I have a present from the cute little
waiter.” She pulled a small flask of vodka from the waistband of
her skirt. “Got any schnapps?”

Anna closed the emergency kit and wrapped the
bungee cord around it. “I have to be going also. I’ll talk to you
guys tomorrow,” she told her friends, then used her cell phone to
call for a taxi.

The two women waved goodbye, laughing as they
supported each other to the door. Anna shook her head as they
stumbled towards the sidewalk, giggling and swaying.

Mark, the waiter, came to the table with the
bill, watching through the window as Gretchen and Lacey sidled down
the street.

Anna’s smile faded. “Great. They’ve left me
with the bill. Some birthday party, huh?”

“You want me to wrap the rest of your cake?”
he asked.

“No thanks. Can you take it into the kitchen
and see if anybody else wants a slice? I’m not going home and I’m
afraid it won’t keep.” She slipped several twenty-dollar bills into
the leather binder before handing it to him. “Here, it’s good to
go.”

Mark put the binder into his apron pocket,
balancing the cake on his shoulder. “Thank you. And happy
birthday.”