Excerpt from The Lick Skillet Coffee Club

He leaned back in his chair, and watched her kneading her hands. He felt tired and drained. “Something else bothering you?” he asked.

            She shook her head. “It's nothing.”

            Andy waited. She finally met his patient eyes. 

            “Connie went through something terrible years ago.”

            “Yes?” he prompted.

             “You aren't making this easy, and, if you know already, I find your behavior cruel.”

“I'm sorry, Guynelle.”           

            “Then why?” she stumbled.

            “Because,” he said gently, “I think you need to talk about it.”

            “It's hard to think about what Silas was in those days,” she whispered. “It's hard to remember,” she finished, her voice cracking. She lowered her head so he couldn't see the tears running unchecked down her cheeks.

            Andy lifted her chin, and forced her eyes to meet his.

            “It's hard for me to remember the past, too.”

            “You loved him, too, didn't you, Andy?”

            Andy felt the pressure of tears behind his own eyes.

“Loved him?” 

The word seemed so inadequate.

“Yes, Guynelle, I loved him.”           

The Lick Skillet Coffee Club is available for purchase at Icththus Publications, Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes and Noble, Google and Apple Books.