Happy Hobbies

Date: 25th June 2020, Posted by mollie

 

How are you all feeling? These are sure crazy up-and-down times. To keep ‘sane’, along with writing love stories, I pick up a paintbrush or a pencil and enter into the quiet contemplative world of art.

As I share in many of my books, creativity in all its guises is so healing. Whether this is learning a new skill, picking up a new hobby, or increasing the talent we already have – creativity is healing on so many levels.

Another hobby that I super enjoy is photography. My cousin Cindy was a great photographer too. She took this photo of my beautiful grandmother Molly (same name but different!)

I took this photo of this beautiful wee man on a recent trip to Wellywood

 

I thought he was so super gorgeous that I would feature him in my next love story, Love All of Me—I’ve changed his name to protect his privacy!

CHAPTER TWO

“Thanks for waiting, Zac,” Kate said, as she opened the driver door of the ute. “Now slide over.”

Zac pretended not to hear and kept his nose pressed against the top of the steering wheel.

“Zac, move over. Come on. If you could drive, I’d let you. I hate to break it to you, but you’re a dog. And dog’s can’t drive. It’s the law.”

He regarded her with determined dark eyes, then turned, and padded to the passenger side.

“You know I love you,” she said, sweeping her hand vigorously across his fur. The truth was if it wasn’t for her bees and her dog she wouldn’t be here at all. Both of them needed her. Both of them gave her a reason to live. She loved her rescue dog more than life itself. And her bees gave her something of her father to hang onto. A calling.

She clenched the steering wheel, and eye-balled the roof, willing her tears not to flow. Not here. Not now. Her mum, and her dad, and her sister had left the safety of the cruise-ship and joined a tour to the volcano on White Island—and now they were dead.

What right did she have to cry? 

Kate looked back at Zac. Zac looked back at Kate, just as he had that day she had rescued him, death in his eyes. Only now she knew he was acting to get his way. He was not the dog she thought she would choose when she went to the animal centre a year ago.

She had wanted a happy bouncy puppy, one that would make her feel better. But on his best day with his sad brown eyes, and jet black coat, he looked like a professional mourner. And in the end, that had suited her fine.

Nobody had wanted a three-legged, pug dog with a skin impediment. And she couldn’t have left him in the animal rescue centre not once she found out that the day she had called in was to be his last day.

She patted his soft, sleek fur. The Excema had flared because he had been so poorly treated. And she knew, unlike her own scars, Zac’s would heal with love. Everyone needed to be loved. She needed to be loved. And now she had someone to love too.

She had Zac.

Zac.

He had not been the man she had dreamed she would spend her life with. The man she had dreamed she would have children with. The man she would marry until—’Til death would they part.

Zac had been Prozac with three legs and a short, stump of a tail. He had saved her life.

“We have a lot in common you and me, and you know I couldn’t leave you knowing I could’ve saved you and didn’t.”

Zac rolled his eyes up to stare at her, still not budging from the driver seat.

“I saved your butt, now move your pudgy arse,” she said, nudging him. “Pretty please, Zac. I’ll be late for the beautician.”

Zac grunted and stumbled into the passenger seat. He hobbled round and round as he situated himself on the split tan upholstery.

“Don’t look so depressed, you’re supposed to cheer me up- not make me feel guilty.”

He didn’t get much happier as they drove away from the counselling rooms. Instead, he stared wistfully at her lap.

“Okay come on then,” she said patting her thighs. Zac didn’t wait to be asked twice. He jumped into her lap.

Zac met her eyes, squeeze her shoulders, and plunge toward her, licking her from chin to brow with sweeping slurps.

“Oh, Zac,” Kate burst into tears and wrapped her arms around him. His body was warm and wriggly and welcoming and Kate held him tighter, so thankful to have someone alive in her life. Especially at Christmas when she always felt so sad.

“It’s just me and you, Zac,” she told him, sobbing.

Zac sighed and begin to lick the tears from her face, which made Kate cry even harder.

She wrapped her arms around his pudgy belly. She felt sad and happy at the same time. it was a relief to cry after holding everything in for so long. She gave one final sniff and let go of Zac. She had to get herself together before anyone saw the tears in her eyes.

Balancing on one leg Zac pressed his paws on the window ledge and smeared the glass with his squishy nose.

“Okay, just a little but no leaping out when you see a pretty girl,” Kate said, pressing the button and lowering the window.

“You are family now, Zac,” she told him. “And I’m not losing anyone else again.”

 

 

Did you enjoy this excerpt from Love All of Me?

 

 

To enjoy your copy from Amazon, click here:

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If you want a daily inspiration, quote or giggle, you should follow me on Instagram>>https://www.instagram.com/molliemathewsauthor/

Check the link in my Instagram bio to access a free love story guaranteed to help you feel better today. (It’s written in my former hometown, Wellington, New Zealand—once voted by Lonely Planet as the Coolest Little City in the World  ????????????

 

xxx

 

 

 

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Posted in: About Mollie, Love All Of Me Book, Mollie's Blog, New Excerpt, New Release, New Romance Novel, Writer's Life

Tags: Excerpt, love, new romance novels, Romance books, short stories, Strong female lead, True Love