Thanks for having me back, Pam! At the beginning of the Crystal Falls Series, Sarita testified against her then-boyfriend for her attempted murder. He went to prison and vowed revenge. I had to share the story of what would happen when he was released. Sunflowers for Sarita is Christian romantic suspense with plenty of frightening, nail-biting scenarios along with reconciliation and redemption. I love a good redemption story, and Sarita deserved one! I had to write it for her.
Of course you did! Give us more please...Sure, here you go...
Blurb: WHEN HER HOMICIDAL EX threatens revenge, Sarita Santos becomes desperate to protect her young daughter. She accepts refuge at wealthy client Max Carter’s beach house. With the madman on their trail, Max risks his life to save her child. Can love blossom in the midst of catastrophe? And can love survive if hope is lost?
Excerpt: Chapter 1 - Broken Sunflowers
Hot August sunlight streamed through the display window of Willow Pond Interiors, but Sarita Santos stood frozen in the midday heat, chills running through her as the voice of the smalltown Ohio police chief reverberated from her cell phone.
"Ramone got parole. He was released this morning."
Icy fear prickled her scalp, surging through her with a sudden trickle of sweat down her back, all the way to the tips of her frigid toes.
"His attorney appealed to get him out early. I don't know how or why, but he won." Chief Hunter heaved a sigh. "We'll do all we can to protect you, Sarita. Stay away from Riverside and his old haunts."
Shivering, she dabbed perspiration from her brow. Her stomach pitched with the rush of heat and cold, nausea churning as if she’d just contracted the flu.
Ramone Valdez had murdered her best friend. When Sarita refused to abort his child, he tried to kill her too. Then she testified against him, and he swore revenge. After he went to prison, she'd moved to nearby Crystal Falls, cut all connections to her sordid past, and started a new life. But Riverside was only twenty-five miles away.
He'd track her down.
"Don't go near anyone connected to him," the chief warned.
Sarita sucked in a jagged breath. "What if he finds my mother? She watches Gracia." Scenes of horror flashed through her mind: Ramone busting through the door, yanking Gracia from her mother's arms, torturing her screaming child.
"Don't panic. Where does your mom live?"
"Here in Crystal Falls. In the apartment above the music shop." Her voice shook as bile burned her throat.
"Stay here in town. Your phone's unlisted, right? And your mother's?"
"Yes." Her voice cracked. "We only use cell phones."
"Good. Lie low for a while. Watch for anything suspicious and let us know. I'll ask the department in Riverside to keep an eye out for him. We'll do the same here."
"Thank you."
"I'll be checking in with you. Keep your daughter close and be safe."
Trembling, Sarita fumbled the phone into the pocket of her dress. Only then did she feel the bristles across the palm of her other hand. The woody stem of a sunflower crushed in her fist. Its fresh green scent filled her nostrils and oily sap covered her hand.
She dropped the broken flower as if it were razor wire.
Would Ramone hunt her down? Had prison deterred his promise of revenge, or hardened his heart even more?
She swallowed the acid taste and wiped her hand on a dust cloth. With a desperate prayer on her lips, she dialed her mother's number.
"Hello, mama?" she stammered.
"Sarita, what's wrong?"
"Mama, where's Gracia?"
"She's napping." An edge of irritation tainted her mother’s voice as the opening music of her favorite soap opera played in the background.
"Will you check on her, please?”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Quickly, Mama, please. Then lock all the windows and doors – especially the balcony over the back alley.”
“But...?”
“Ramone's been released from prison."
"No - " Maria Santos gasped and the phone clamored as she dropped it. Rushed footsteps scuffled away and a door creaked shut. Muted sounds assured Sarita she was locking the windows. More rushed footsteps, the click of a deadbolt, and heavy breathing coursed through the phone line.
"She's safe." Her mother sounded more rattled than confident.
"Thank you, Mama. Please stay home and keep your eyes open. Don't let Gracia outside. The police will be watching the area."
"Okay." Maria heaved a breath. "Whew. It's hot in here already. Is it really necessary to lock the windows on the second floor?"
"I'm sorry, Mama. We can’t take any chances. I wish you had air conditioning."
"Yeah. It's usually not this hot up here."
Northern Ohio summers rarely required more than an open window and a fan to circulate the breeze. A native Puerto Rican, her mother spent her youth in tropical heat without air conditioning. But she was older now, overweight, and acclimated to the cooler climate.
"We'll have to figure this out. Please just be careful, and I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Okay, honey. Try not to worry."
"I will. Thanks, Mama. Please pray."
Ramone would need more than a day to find her. After four years in the slammer, his first order of business would be booze and sex. He would likely return to Riverside and hole up with one of his drunken floosies.
While Sarita had worked her tail off to support them, he'd cheated plenty. Furious when she got pregnant, he could no longer rely on his star stripper to bring in the cash. He insisted on an abortion. When she refused, he orchestrated an 'accident' by cutting the brake lines on her car.
Injured and close to miscarriage, she got out of the hospital in time to testify against him. In prison by the time Gracia was born, he might not know that his child survived.
Sarita couldn’t stop shaking. Even in smalltown Crystal Falls, her precious daughter could be in danger.
Her stomach roiled. She needed food but the last thing she wanted to do was eat. Sipping her chocolate espresso to settle her stomach, she resolved to keep busy. No customers wandered about for the moment.
As turmoil churned her mind, she struggled with an arrangement of sunflowers in the front window of the store. The warm sun, once welcome, now felt garish as she massaged her forehead to fend off a migraine. Taking deep breaths, she scanned the quaint main street of Willow Pond, checking pillared corners and brick alleys for any sign of Ramone.
A well-dressed man passed the window and caught her eye. After initial surprise, he grinned. Men often gawked at her looks without a care for the person inside. Much less what she was going through this minute.
As he opened the door, Sarita groaned inwardly. Drained and terrified, she just wanted to be left alone. She needed to focus on a way to hide from Ramone without leaving her job and everything she’d worked for.
The handsome man smiled as he approached her. “You look as sunny as those flowers.”
“Thank you.” She felt like a wreck after that phone call. She climbed from the display window, careful not to hike up her slim yellow dress. Ah - he must have meant her yellow dress and dark hair matched the sunflowers.
Wobbly on spiked heels, she righted herself on the slick tile floor.
He stuck out a hand and she braced herself for the onslaught of emotion his touch could bring. Handsome men still held power over her.
Like a gentleman, his firm handshake steadied her without letting on as she regained her balance. Too upset for his touch to cause the anticipated effect, she felt an odd comfort instead. She pulled back with cool grace and mentally shored up the talented interior designer she’d trained to be.
“Welcome to Willow Pond Interiors. I’m Sarita.”
“Nice to meet you, Sarita. I’m Max Carter. I believe we’ve met before. I’m a friend of Chad and Vanessa James. Weren’t you in their wedding?”
His sandy hair and trim frame looked familiar. She met his gaze. With a jolt of surprise, she remembered him. He’d caught her eye at the wedding two summers ago, and Vanessa hinted hard that he was interested. But after all Sarita had been through, she’d sworn off men.
She had her hands full raising a three-year-old and building a career. Now she had Ramone to worry about.
Besides, Max Carter, millionaire tycoon, lived a few notches above anyone who’d be interested in an ex-stripper with a toddler in tow.
“I’m surprised you remember.” Her raw emotions precluded flattery.
“How could I forget?” Heat radiated from him in waves of spicy cologne and overheated male, threatening to melt her resolve like the chocolate stashed in her purse. Lord, give me strength.
“It was a beautiful wedding.” She tried not to stammer, determined to be professional and get to business. “It's nice to see you again. So how can I help you today?”
His expression registered disappointment, but he let the conversation shift.
“Vanessa recommended you to redecorate my great room. I have a large stone fireplace and cathedral ceilings. I’d like to make the big room feel more intimate.” Seeming to regret his word choice, he cleared his throat and fortified his businesslike manner. “Cozy, that is.” Avoiding eye contact, he glanced around the store.
“All right." She ignored the double meaning of his words."We need to find your style. Let me show you around.” Still shaken, she led him toward a grouping of sofas and chairs on teetering heels. She put on her professional face and fought an inclination to touch his arm for support. “Point out anything that strikes you, without concern whether it fits the room. I need to get a feel for your taste.”
That was all she needed a feel for. His kindhearted gaze made her want to lean into him for a hug. How she needed one right now. But her weakness for affectionate comfort had betrayed her time and time again. Irresistible men had gotten her into this mess.
Oh Wow...That excerpt really packs a punch on several levels! You know what's next, LOL...
Ha! Yes I do. here are my bio and links...
When she's not writing or reading, Dianne enjoys time with family and friends. She and her husband have two married children and two adorable grandchildren. She also enjoys cooking, gardening, flower arranging, tea parties, the beach, and her wrap-around porch. She founded a nonprofit, Sanctuary of Unborn Life in Charleston, South Carolina to help pregnant women in need. She now lives near Charlotte, North Carolina.
Find and Follow Dianne at the following SM sites...
Sunflowers for Sarita can be found at Amazon for Kindle (Free in KU!) and in Paperback and don't forget to check out the other books in the Crystal Falls series, Lilacs for Laura, Roses for Rachel and Violets for Vanessa.
See Dianne's past visits to our blog HERE.
Please help support Diane by commenting and sharing this blog post. TIA!
Until next time, take care, God Bless and Happy Reading.
PamT
