TORCH (27 page)

“Am I... normal?” I ask.

“Definitely not normal, even for a Torch,” he says. “You’re the strongest I’ve ever known. And considering your mom was a Flood, that’s incredible.”

Hux is back, although the Chief is trying to restrain him. “When Kai dragged you out, pieces were falling off,” he says. “It was totally awesome.” I glare at him, and he adds, “I mean, it’s awesome
now
.”

I raise my arm and am relieved it looks like my arm. “Regan,” I say, knowing she’ll be honest. “My face?”

She stoops for a closer look, and smiles. “No freckles.”

“You’re beautiful.” It’s Kai’s voice, but he can’t get close to me, until Dad moves out of the way, taking Hux with him. “Don’t cry,” he says.

“I’m not,” I say. His hand, running over my forehead, drips cool water into my eyes. It doesn’t sting at all. “More,” I say. Placing one hand on either side of my face, he leans down and touches my lips with his. The Kiss of Life.

Author’s Note:

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Sandy Rideout caught the writing bug at age nine, when her illustrated comic love story about a turtle, “Slowpoke Joe,” won rave reviews from her mother and several other pivotal family members. Since then she has published many books, most of them comic love stories.  Sandy is the coauthor, with longtime friend, Yvonne Collins, of nine books for adults and teens. She is also the coauthor, with Sherry Rupke, of a book on dogs.  Even the dog book features love and comedy.  That’s just the way Sandy rolls. 

To learn more about Sandy and her books, please visit

www.sandyrideout.com

www.collinsrideout.com
 
  
www.loveincbook.com

Shatterproof

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With Yvonne Collins

The Counterfeit Wedding

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Speechless

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TruLEIGH:  Volume 1, Vivien Leigh Reid Series

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MadLEIGH: Volume 2, Vivien Leigh Reid series

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LuvLEIGH:  Volume 3, Vivien Leigh Reid series

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Love, Inc.

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Trade Secrets – A Love Inc. Volume 2

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Girl v. Boy

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The Black Sheep

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Totally Me: The Teenage Girl's Survival Guide

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With Sherry Rupke

Bernedoodles:  A Head to Tail Guide

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TruLEIGH

The best laid plans…

Fifteen-year-old Vivien Leigh Reid has plans for the summer. Plans that don’t include six weeks in a rainy foreign country, getting to know her estranged movie star mother, Annika Anderson. Despite her furious protests, Leigh’s dad ships her off to Ireland where she’ll be her mom’s personal assistant on the set of her latest film.

When Irish eyes are smiling…

Annika may be a cold-hearted diva, but her gorgeous young co-star, Sean Finlay, has Leigh all hot and bothered. Unfortunately, Sean only has eyes for Annika. And Annika only has eyes for the unavailable director, Roger. When Leigh lands a bit-part in the movie, she finds herself not only sharing scenes and scripts with her mother, but vying for the spotlight—and Sean’s affections.

One diva is too many…

But one small movie set isn’t big enough for two divas. Tensions rise as the diva and her daughter clash off and on the set. There’s no script, and no predictable happy ending as they tackle the toughest roles of their lives: acting like a mother and daughter.

Excerpt

"Cut!" Roger's disembodied voice rises from the darkness beyond the set. "What the hell are you doing?" Sean and I look at each other. One of us is in trouble with the director and I have a feeling it's me. "Are you deaf, kid?"

Yup, it's me. But before he can start in with a lecture, I want to nip this "kid" stuff in the bud. It was annoying enough when I was merely a spectator, but now that I've joined the cast, it's got to go.

"My name is Leigh," I call helpfully toward the directors' chairs grouped around the monitor, where Roger and the producers sit to watch the scene.

"Your mother said it was Veronica or Viola or something."

"She calls me Vivien, but it's really Leigh."

"I don't have time to learn a hundred names, kid, I'm a busy man. Let's stick with 'kid.'"

Obviously, there's a production-wide conspiracy to prevent me from being treated like an adult. "But how will I know you mean me?"

"Do you see any other kids on this set?"

I consider pointing out that Sean isn't exactly mature, but resist the urge. "No."

"So it should be easy enough."

"But it would be just as easy to call me Leigh. Both words have one syllable."

A low groan ripples across the set and Colleen, who's standing beside the camera, shakes her head warningly.

Roger immediately appears beside her. "Is that an attitude, kid?"

"No." It's a lot harder to have an attitude when I can actually see his face. He's not looking too friendly right now.

"Good, because I don't allow attitude on my set."

I can't see my mother in the gloom, but I can feel her smirking.

Colleen steps to my defense: "She's new to set protocol, Roger."

"Okay," Roger says, "a quick lesson on set protocol for the kid: I am the boss. The boss makes all the rules. And rule number one is that anyone under the age of twenty-one calls me 'sir.' Even Sean, who's twenty-one, calls me 'sir' when he's pissed me off. Right, Sean?"

"Yes sir," Sean says, on cue, looking like he's enjoying the exchange.

"Have I made myself clear, kid?"

"Yes sir." He was so much nicer yesterday when I was doing him a favor filling in for a sick actor during rehearsal. Now that I'm part of the cast, he's treating me like on of his slaves.

"That's better. Now, could you please explain to me what the hell you were doing when we were rolling?"

"Pouring beer. Sir."

Roger taps his script. "It says here that Sinead pours Danny a glass of beer, hands it to him, and sits down. What's with the second glass?"

"I'm pouring one for myself," I explain patiently. Roger, being from L.A., obviously isn't aware of how advanced Irish culture is when it comes to teenagers and alcohol. Even Sean has invited me out for a pint. "You know, to be sociable."

"Really. Does you father encourage you to drink beer at home to be sociable?"

The crew chuckles and my face starts to flush. "Well, no, but this is Ireland."

"Children do not drink in Ireland, either."

"But teenagers do."

"Excuse me?"

"Teenagers do, sir, and I'm sixteen."

"There's a mumbled protest in the shadows and it's coming from Mom's lips.

"Kid, do you know where this movie will be airing?"