Roses in December
R. L. Mosz
Author Bio
R. L. Mosz lives in southwestern Montana and enjoys hiking, writing and the great outdoors.
Description
Annie Aldridge is in love with poetic, whimsical Ethan Jackson. But Ethan is a man in search of himself and is unable to decide with whom he wants to be. Just across the street, police detective Al Tortino, admires Annie from a careful distance. But for Annie, their handsome neighbor is little more than an increasing annoyance, despite his being close friends with her uncle and young niece, with whom Annie lives in the imposing old Graystone house.
The harder Annie struggles to win over the elusive Ethan, the more hopelessly entangled her life becomes with the caring, classically handsome detective. Soon, despite the lamentations of her family, she loathes the very sight of her neighbor and refuses to speak to him at all.
Yet as Annie pines for Ethan, Al has the case of his career to solve: A maniac is attacking people on the streets of North Park. Al’s deepening love for Annie wears away at his pragmatic nature; but when the detective’s judgment finally slips, a terrible price may come for all to pay.
Book excerpt
“Annie, I want to come!” Nestle had abandoned Laura on the porch railing and was busy pulling on an old shoe she’d found under the porch, anxious not to be left behind.
“Nestle—” Annie broke off, feeling exasperated. She was on her way into North Park to supposedly check out a book from the downtown library for one of her classes, but in actuality, the real reason for her trip into town this Saturday morning was to leave a note in the stone wall for Ethan. She had been up for hours the evening before, carefully composing the emotional message in which she finally, once and for all, poured out all her deepest feelings for Ethan Jackson.
“But I haveta get a book too!” She couldn’t locate the other shoe and was growing more agitated, her head beginning to dampen with perspiration.
“You can’t come, Nestle!” She hated always feeling so cross with Nestle, but her cousin wanted to tag along with her seemingly everywhere. And she blabbed up a storm to the entire neighborhood afterward; it was virtually impossible for her to keep a secret of any kind.
“Please! Please take me with you!” In her desperation, she grabbed a sandal to wear in place of the missing shoe.
“Nestle—”
“I want to come!”
“Nestle.” Gregory had appeared in the doorway, his expression restrained. “Come here, please.” There was something about the solemnity of his voice that made her release her stubby fingers from Annie’s skirt and turn towards her father. He crouched down and held her in his arms, and she began to sob.
“I wanted to go with Annie…” Her little body collapsed against Gregory’s embrace.
“It’s okay, go on.” He nodded to Annie.
With a weary sigh, Annie trotted down the steps, anxious to reach the bus stop. Staring out the window moments later, her anxiousness was gradually overcome by guilt over the scene with Nestle. What was really beginning to trouble her was not so much her young cousin as her uncle. Her respect and admiration for him had continued to deepen over the past year, and she disliked displeasing him. After the birthday no-show, his opinion of Ethan had slipped even further, and she was determined to at last prove to her uncle how remarkable Ethan truly was. In order to do that, however, she needed Ethan to finally realize how she really felt about him. Then he would take their relationship seriously, and Gregory would change his mind. Checking her purse again to make sure the note was tucked into her billfold, she hoped today was the day that marked a change with Ethan forever.