Celebrating the Release of
Shark Out of Water
Date Shark Series (Book 2)
by DelSheree Gladden
Guy Saint Laurent is too busy cursing his sister for roping him into taking over Eli's Date Shark business to prepare himself for the slew of bizarre women he's about to get involved with. This is the last venture he intended to take on, but somehow he's just become Chicago's newest, most reluctant Date Shark.
On top of dealing with bug-toting, mothering, obsessive women, Guy faces personal tragedy that changes his outlook on life, whether he wants it to or not. He's not sure what it is about Charlotte Brooks that draws him in, but getting her off his mind after a brief encounter proves impossible.
As Charlotte tries to help Guy deal with his loss, he begins to get the impression she's hiding something from him. He knows he could simply walk away, continue as he always has, but he suspects whatever she's hiding, she won't be able to face it alone.
Charlotte is the one woman who can capture his attention, but she may also be the one woman capable of breaking him.
Charlotte
was breathless when he pulled back, and the plaintive expression on her face
killed him, but he had accomplished his goal. He gestured to the IV hooked to
her arm and Charlotte stared at it in surprise. “I didn’t even feel it!”
“I
told you I could distract you.”
“Damn near distracted me, too,” the nurse muttered.
Excerpt
Vance
was smart enough to see signs that Guy was now on the defensive. He redirected,
asking, “Tell me about Charlotte. Why are you having deep conversations with
her instead of flirting and seducing her back to your flat?”
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Sulking
like a child, Guy muttered, “Je ne sais
pas.”
“You
don’t know?” That seemed to truly surprise Vance. “Well, I suggest you find
out.”
“What?”
Guy snapped. “That is your advice to me? Find out?”
Vance
nodded. “Oui, mon ami. Find out why
Charlotte has done what it has taken me years and years to do. Why let down
your barrier between public and private for someone you barely know when I had
to practically force you to do the same thing today.”
“Why?”
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“Why?”
Vance repeated. “Because you need to know. You won’t stop obsessing about her
until you do.”
“Obsédé? Who says I am obsessing over
her?”
Vance
folded his arms across his chest. “She is in your thoughts so much that you
mentioned her name when you clearly had no intention of revealing her to me.”
Leaning forward, he looked at his friend seriously. “Guy, I have known you for
a long time. You have surprised me today, but I know how you can be like a dog
with a bone. You’ll drive yourself crazy wondering what it is about Charlotte
that got past your defenses until it either drives you crazy or you figure it
out. Given the line of work we’re in, I’d suggest figuring it out.”
“I
thought I was here to talk about Patricia,” Guy grumbled.
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Leaning
back with a smirk, Vance said, “We are. Just had to find something you wanted
to talk about even less to spur you on, apparently.” He shook his head when Guy
rolled his eyes. “Something else is bothering you when it comes to Patricia.
The funeral is tomorrow. You’re avoiding talking about it. Why?”
Guy
did not respond right away. His breathing escalated to the point that Vance
reached forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “Her parents… they came to see
me at the hospital.”
“How
did they react?”
Shaking
his head, he still struggled to understand their reaction. Instead of answering
Vance’s new question, he answered the original one. “They requested I stand as
a pallbearer.” His head fell into his hands. “I don’t know if I can. It is too
difficult.”
“It
will undoubtedly be difficult,” Vance said with compassion, “but it is
difficult for Patricia’s parents as well. They see you as the one person who
truly tried to help her. I think it comforts them to think of you being there
to help her on this one last transition.”
“I
don’t know if I can do this for them.”
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Vance
squeezed Guy’s shoulder. “You don’t have to if it is too much.”
“Not
doing it feels like a betrayal of Patricia.”
“Guy,
don’t make this about Patricia or her parents. What do you feel comfortable
with and how do you want to say goodbye to Patricia?”
That
was not an easy question. Guy sank back into the chair. Vance waited with the
patience of a saint as Guy forced himself to confront the answers. He had been
through so much with Patricia, watched her move forward only to fall so far
again and again. She never stopped trying, and he never stopped trying to help
her. “I want to help her this one last time,” Guy said finally.
“Then
call Patricia’s parents when you get home and tell them you’ll be there.”
Feeling
more at peace, Guy nodded.
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“Stephanie
and I will be there as well.” Vance held his friend’s gaze for a moment longer,
making sure he knew he did not have to face the funeral alone. When Guy’s
shoulders relaxed, Vance sat back. “Now why don’t you tell me about the day you
met Patricia?”
As
Guy began recounting the first time Patricia came into the crisis center
wanting to talk about everything from the side effects of the medications she
was taking to how her puppy would not stop peeing on her kitchen floor, his
thoughts returned to Vance’s earlier challenge. Patricia had struck a chord
with him, and so had Charlotte, in surprisingly similar ways. He understood why
he has connected with Patricia, a struggling and confused young woman, but
Charlotte was more of a mystery. What would it take to find out why Charlotte
had affected him so much?
FREE ON AMAZON
Date Shark (Book 1)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DelSheree Gladden
DelSheree Gladden lives in New Mexico with her husband and two children. The Southwest is a big influence in her writing because of its culture, beauty, and mythology. Local folk lore is strongly rooted in her writing, particularly ideas of prophecy, destiny, and talents born from natural abilities. When she is not writing, DelSheree is usually reading, painting, sewing, or working as a Dental Hygienist.
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