Meet Cassaundra Keaton, an adult orphan raised in the foster system. She's overweight and struggling to survive in a world that makes her feel like she can never fit in. Follow her journey as she learns to trust and love herself, and watch her grow as she finds love. But will an issue from her past rise up to ruin her new life?
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Fat Chance Excerpt #1 "Let's start with something easy. Tell me about your hobbies." He leans back and settles into the chair, waiting to see what I will say. "I don't really have any," I say, wrinkling my forehead in an attempt to magically call some enthusiasm to my mind. I don't craft, or do a lot of fitness stuff -- obviously -- or anything like that. I don't build, I don't write or sing or anything. "I go to work, and then I go home. I talk on the phone with my sisters." "You have sisters," he smiles. "That's a good start." "Well, they aren't my sisters, really, they're foster sisters. I sort of grew up with them." "They feel like family to you?" he asks. I nod, and he breaks into an easy grin, which makes dimples appear in his cheeks. To my sheer embarrassment this causes something inside of me to click over, like an engine suddenly starting that hasn't been run for a while. Goosebumps race over me, and I pray he can't see my reactions to him, that he can't see how attracted I am. "They count then," he says, and I relax. If he notices my attraction, he has chosen to ignore it. I follow his lead. "They've been good to me," I tell him. "Their mother, too. They, um, they don't know I'm here. I can't tell them I'm crazy." My eyes are in my lap, my fingers helplessly twisting and smoothing the fabric of my dress, the only physical sign of my inner distress. I hadn't realized I was doing it. "Crazy? Oh, you're crazy," he says, as if only noticing for the first time that I must be. "I didn't realize you were crazy, I just thought maybe you were having a hard time and needing some coaching. Crazy, though, is very serious." "Thank you," I say to him. My voice is cool but my face is growing more heated by the second. "Did they teach you how to mock your patients in medical school? Or is that just a little freebie you throw in?" "I didn't mean to mock," he chuckles, raising my temper another notch. Briefly, I wonder how much trouble I'll get in if I throw something at him. There's a nice, weighty candle in a glass jar, sitting lonesome on the end table beside me. I wonder if I could throw it far enough; it looks heavy. On the table at the other end of the couch, there is a vase of flowers; this is heavier than the candle. Candle it is, then. Fat Chance Excerpt #2 "Here we are," he says, washing a plate and handing it over to me to rinse and dry. "Mmhmm," I say, drying the plate, wishing I could slap him with it, for all the times when I was young that he made me feel horrible about myself. "Washing up all the dishes," he continues, passing me a glass. "Do you have a point?" I ask. I leave the glass in the sink, and bunch the little yellow dishtowel on Janet's pretty granite counter. Crossing my arms, I stand firm, though my inner child is still cowering. "Just that it's like old times," he chuckles, as if we're old friends. "Cleaning up the mess after the family piggy has her slops." "Yep. And just like old times, you're being an insufferable bastard." With that last statement, I leave the glass, and I leave the towel. I leave the kitchen entirely, and I tell Janet that Rick has offered sweetly to finish the kitchen so that I can get home before it's too late. I kiss my mama Janet, and I hug my sisters, then I gather my purse and dig out my keys. Making the necessary promises to call when I get home, and swearing that I can't stay overnight because I have to work tomorrow, I peek through the kitchen door one last time. Rick is washing furiously, scrubbing a cookie sheet in what looks like a vicious rage. "Thank you so much for doing all that, Ricky," I call sweetly, knowing how much he hates the nickname. "I just love that you thought of my safety so that I could get home early. Have a good week!" Walking out of the house, I know that Rick will finish the kitchen alone, and I celebrate my little victory. It's only one day, but for the first time, I didn't cower away from Rick, I didn't let him tell me who I am, or what I'm worth. For the first time, with Rick, anyway, I stood up for myself. I'm not thrilled that I had to do it in such an ugly way, and I'm not thrilled that I had to be cruel to myself in order to get the job done. It felt good though, even the nasty things that I said, because I got to watch his eyes grow wide with surprise, and I got to see a glimmer of respect in them. Fat Chance Excerpt #3 "It has to happen at some point," my inner confidence argues. "Screw it, take a chance." "You know what? Actually, I'd like that," I laugh, watching Drew's mouth fall open in surprise. Taking his hand, I lead him to the bathroom. "You sure about this?" he asks. "Yeah," I answer, turning to look at him. "Are you?" Drew drops my hand, and for a split second, I'm afraid he was just teasing about the shower. Then he shuts the bathroom door, kicks off his shoes, and grins. "Oh no," he says, spreading his arms wide. "I can't seem to undress without help." "Ha! You didn't even try!" Heat fills my face. I've never stripped anyone but myself before. "And risk injuring myself more?" He shakes his head. "I think I'm going to have to report you to the nursing board, Miss Keaton." Just do it. You can't live in fear. "Well, we can't have that, now can we? Surely, sir, there must be something I can do to appease your temper," I tease, placing a hand gently on his chest, looking up at him as innocently as possible. His breath catches, his eyes widening. "Well, I'm sure if you try really hard, we can think of something." It takes us forever to get him out of his shirt, both of us in turn laughing and groaning as we figure out how to get the shirt off without hurting him. Catching sight of the healing incisions on his chest, I look up at him. "Can you get those wet?" "Yep, sure can. They're glued or something, so I'm good as long as I'm not stressing the glue. Water is fine," he assures me, reaching out to slowly lift the hem of my yoga top. "Oh," I whisper, heat beginning to leave my face and pool instead between my thighs, as he steps back with my shirt in his hands, taking in my ugly sport bra, struggling to keep control of my breasts. "Does that work?" he asks quietly, lifting my chin and urging me to meet his eyes. "The, um, the bra?" I ask stupidly. "Yeah. Does it help in your classes? Because it doesn't look comfortable." He reaches toward me again, flicking one of the many hook closures down the front. It pops open easily, leaving the bra with a "v" neck appearance. "Um, it helps, some," I answer, blushing as he flicks another hook open. He works his way down the front of the bra, and though the fabric spreads, it doesn't fall away. I swallow, gasping, standing helplessly as he cups my breasts, spreading the bra with his fingers until it suddenly springs free. Fat Chance, book one of the Kingsley Series - Synopsis: Meet Cassaundra Keaton, an adult orphan raised in the foster system. She's overweight and struggling to survive in a world that makes her feel like she can never fit in. Follow her journey as she learns to trust and love herself, and watch her grow as she finds love. But will an issue from her past rise up to ruin her new life? Prescription For Love, book two of the Kingsley Series - Tag line: In Prescription For Love, follow Cameron Kingsley's journey from personal tragedy to love and, finally, trust.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
About The Author Brandi Kennedy is a romance novelist whose work centers on the contemporary set, sometimes with a playful twist of this or that as she toys with bits and pieces of other genres. She is the author of To Love A Selkie, which is a tragic romance with a twist of the fantasy element. She is also the author of the Kingsley Series, which is entirely contemporary and focuses on the romantic happenings of the fictional Kingsley family. A woman of varied interests, Brandi loves photography, music of all kinds, knitting, crochet, and of course, mothering her two young daughters. Currently, she finds her home in the heart of Knoxville, Tennessee, among the mountains and the members of her extended family.
Follow Brandi Kennedy on the Web On Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/author/brandikennedy On Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorBrandiKennedy On Blogger, http://authorbrandikennedy.blogspot.com/ On Twitter, https://twitter.com/BrandiKennedy84 And On Goodreads, http://www.goodreads.com/AuthorBrandiKennedy
Other Titles by This Author Single Titles To Love A Selkie
The Kingsley Series Fat Chance, Book One Coming soon, Prescription For Love, Book Two Rafflecopter code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
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