The Only One #Excerpt by Tawdra Kandle

Read an excerpt from The Only One:

“Hey, sweet cheeks.” Soft lips brushed against my face. “It’s almost time to wake up.”

“Mmmm.” I groaned. “Don’t wanna. Too early.”

Her quiet laughter sent a thrill of desire down my middle. “Never did like getting up. I wish I could let you sleep longer, darlin’ boy, but our daughter’s about to call for you. She’s going to want breakfast.”

I rolled over and buried my face in the pillow. “Can’t you get her? Just this one morning?”

“Would that I could, my love. I’d give just about anything . . . but I can’t.” Her voice was wistful, and even in the haze of half-sleep, a lump rose in my throat.

“Lu, don’t leave me. Not today. Stay.”

“I’m never far, love. And I’m so proud of you. What you’re doing here. . .raising Piper, taking care of your mama . . . I always knew the kind of man you are, Mason. But even I never would’ve guessed you’d be able to handle all this.” I felt her hand sweep over my hair, and I wanted to capture it in my own, but somehow I couldn’t move.

“I don’t want to handle it. I’m tired of doing it on my own. I want to stay here, with you.”

Her sigh went deep into my soul. “I know. And that’s going to change. But you’ve got to trust a little, and you’re gonna have to give a little, too. It’s all going to be wonderful, my love, trust me. But right now, you’ve got to. . .”

“Wake up! Wake up, Daddy!” A small hand pounded on my shoulder, and with no little difficulty, I dragged myself away from the tempting embrace of sleep.

“Okay, kiddo. I’m awake.” I slung an arm over my eyes.

“No, you’re not. Get up, Daddy. Tuneful Time!”

“Yeah, I know.” I groped around the bed covers until my fingers closed on the TV remote. “Climb up here, princess. I’ll turn it on.”

As my daughter clamored over me, I managed to open my eyes just enough to push the right buttons, and seconds later, the way-too-damn-perky-for-seven-AM voice of Miss Debbie filled my bedroom.

“Good morning, chickens! Are your eyes awake? Stretch them open! Are your hands awake? Clap them loud! And is your voice awake? Sing out with me! Let’s get tuneful!”

Piper bounced up and down and began to sing along with the crazy lady on the television, her voice climbing a rudimentary version of scales. “Me, me, me, me, me, me, me!”

I let my eyes drift shut again and reached back into sleep, trying desperately to hear my wife’s voice again, to feel her touch or catch a whiff of her unique scent.

Nothing. She was gone, as she was every morning, as she had been every day for nearly three years. No matter how real the dream felt, it wasn’t reality. At least, it wasn’t mine. Not anymore.

Tawdra Kandle has been a writer since the invention of the pen. Her first published work appeared in Child’s Life magazine when she was 13. After a brief, thirty-year hiatus, she published a young adult quartet, The King Series. More recently, she’s released contemporary and paranormal romances in both the adult and New Adult genres. Tawdra lives in central Florida with her husband and children, of both skin and fur types. And yes, she has purple hair.

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