Title: Striving for
Perfection
Series: Striving #2
Author: BL Mooney
Release
Date: September 18,
2014
Synopsis
Perfection is a gimmick.
It’s something
they use to sell you shit you don’t need. The perfect home. The perfect family.
The perfect marriage. Photos of that perfect life are all around us, but none
of it exists.
I know better because I take those photos.
It’s all a ruse to make us think that's what we want. Behind closed doors, the
house is a mess, the family is fighting, and that loving couple hates each
other. I prefer a different city every week, laughing friends, and a variety of
lovers.
Until Carl. I’m not sure what I want when he’s
around.
Perfection is an illusion.
It’s something used to make you forget all the bad shit that happens in
this world. It’s an unattainable dream not worth the effort.
I had the perfect home. The perfect family. The perfect marriage. Or so I
thought. That illusion died with my wife and slammed me into reality. Aside
from my daughter, business deals and making money is where my heart is
now.
Until Rachael. I’m not sure what I feel when she’s
around.
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Excerpt
Cagney buzzed that the VIP had arrived. I
stood up and
smoothed out my jacket and
slacks. I also took a moment to make sure the girls
were still at optimum
cleavage. Jimmy scoffed. “He’s
married.”
I raised my eyebrows and looked at him. “So are you, but you
still
look.”
He shrugged, not denying the truth, and
walked to the door.
I was smoothing down the last
of the wrinkles in my jacket when I heard his
deep voice. I
froze.
“Jim, thank you for meeting with me again.”
I heard the door
shut and heard him approach. I
closed my
eyes.
Carl Williamson was a man known to my
family. He and my
brother had fought for the
same woman. Carl lost. He never stood a chance with
his intimidating and
aggressive tactics. He even used his daughter as a pawn to
get Drew to go out with
him.
I didn’t know who he was when I first met
him. The only
thing I needed to know was he
was hot and I was in need of a hot man. At that
time, being hot and single
were my only dating requirements and I wanted to
date Carl. It didn’t stop me
from seeing him when I found out. A choice I later
regretted.
Jimmy kept bringing him closer. “No problem.
We’re just as
excited to get started. This
is the photographer you
requested.”
“No. Fucking. Way.” I spun around and met
Carl’s black eyes.
It only took him a second to
register what was happening and his eyes widened
in surprise. “I’m not working
with this asshole.” I started for the
door.
“Rachael!” Jimmy grabbed my arm. He was
surprisingly
stronger than I had
anticipated. “What’s wrong with you?” He tried to speak
softly, but Carl heard
him.
“I can’t do
this.”
I couldn’t look at Carl. I already knew what he looked like.
I didn’t need to see the man
standing off to the side to know his shoulders
were broad. I didn’t need to
see the jet-black hair to remind me I wanted to
run my fingers through it. I
already knew he was the perfect height to offset
my
heels.
I could’ve bet money his designer suit fit
his body
perfectly, and was pressed as
though he had just stepped off the pages of a
magazine. And I didn’t need to
see the look on his face to know his strong,
squared jaw was set—hard. No,
I didn’t need to see him again to remind me of
all of that.
“You have to do this.” Jimmy started to drag
me away from
the
door.
I wrenched my arm free of his grasp and from
the corner of
my eye, saw Carl take a step
forward when Jimmy tried to grab me again. I
placed my hand up to stop him.
“Don’t.”
Jimmy held his hands up and backed away.
“Just give us five
minutes. I’m not sure what
exactly went on between the two of you, but I’m only
asking for five minutes.” I
hesitated and Jimmy whispered, “Just think of the
camera.”
I glanced at Carl and looked back to Jimmy.
“Do I have to
work with
him?”
Carl answered. “Yes, you do.”
I could tell by the look on Jimmy’s face it
was true. “Then
forget it.” I turned and
walked away. “I’m not working with an
asshole.”
“Rachael,” Carl said my name as a command.
It stopped me,
but I didn’t turn around. “We
can communicate through email. I’ll send you the
list of prospects and you send
me the photos, but you will answer directly to
me.”
I turned at the sound of Jimmy whispering to see Carl
silence him with the wave of
his hand. “What aren’t you telling
me?”
“Nothing that’s required for this
job.”
Jimmy’s brows furrowed for a brief moment before he walked
to his desk, shaking his head.
“I don’t know what’s going on between you two,
and I don’t want to
know.”
“Nothing is going on.” I walked past Carl to
Jimmy’s desk.
“What were you
whispering?”
“I had set up a test.” I still wouldn’t turn to look at Carl
as he spoke. I watched Jimmy
to see if Carl was being honest. “I didn’t know
you were their best
photographer. The test is no longer
needed.”
“Of course it’s needed.” I finally turned to
address him.
“You don’t trust anyone, so
I’ll take your lousy test. What is it? Stand on my
head and get an impossible
shot?”
It hit me then that both Cagney and Jimmy
had said he was
married. His wife had died
over a year ago. I looked at the wedding ring on his
finger. Carl noticed and put
his hand in his pocket as I lifted my eyes to his.
I stood there silent, just
staring. I didn’t deserve an explanation, but one
would’ve been
nice.
Jimmy was either unaware of the tension or
chose to ignore
it. “He wanted family photos
taken.”
“Jim.” He finally stopped staring at me and tried to stop
Jimmy, but it was too late. He
didn’t want me to take his family
photos.
I couldn’t
believe it. He was still hiding me as
some mistress. I’m no one’s
whore. I didn’t say a word. I just walked out.
Jimmy was calling after me,
but I ignored him and kept walking. I wasn’t going
to stick around where I wasn’t
wanted. Problem was I didn’t know where I was
wanted.
Author
Bio
B.L. Mooney started writing when the voices and storylines in
her head ran out of room. They were getting too cramped and neither B.L. nor
the characters could take it anymore, so she did the only thing she could
do—she made room. She always knew she wanted to write, but vowed to make time
for it later. Now that she’s made time for writing, most everything else falls
to the wayside. That seems to suit the characters that keep popping up in her
head just fine.
B.L. lives in the Midwest, and her other
talents include in-demand cookies, a very dry sense of humor, and stealth
eavesdropping. Some mannerisms, attitudes, or twists come from random sentences
picked up while passing by strangers. So speak up the next time you have
something to gossip about. You never know, it may just end up on the pages of
the next book you read.
She loves to hear from her
readers and you can contact her via email
at AuthorBLMooney@gmail.com
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