Storytime Wednesday: Eminent Domain by Erin O'Riordan and Tit Elingtin

Welcome to the last edition of Storytime Wednesday, where we enchanted your imagination or teased your senses, with featured stories and book excerpts.


Today's guest writers are a pair of authors, Erin O'Riordan and Tit Elingtin who bring an excerpt from their novel, Eminent Domain.
 
 

An Excerpt from Eminent Domain

 

After Jeff finished his meal he moved up to the bar. He sat on the bar stool he called his "Norm seat." Steve was bartending. He said, "Hey buddy, how’s it going?"

"Good, Steve. How have you been?" Jeff asked.
"What can I get you?" Steve said.
"Guinness, please, and a shot of Gentleman Jack."
Jeff loved talking with Steve. He sat there drinking for a hour. Kendra called while he was at the bar and they talked for a while too. Jeff told her about his fishing adventure and said he would call her when he got home. It was a little after eight o’clock, and Jeff decided to call it a night. "You can total me out," Jeff said to Steve, giving him his credit card. Jeff wrote $300 in the tip slot and gave Steve instructions: "You keep a hundred. Give Jim and Jenny a hundred each, okay?"
"Wow! You bet, Jeff," Steve said.
Jeff said his goodbyes to everyone and went to the back door. It was raining. He paused there, thinking about calling a cab for the four-block journey. Jenny came around the corner.
"Thanks, hun, for the tip. That was awesome. You have no idea how much I needed it."
Jeff said, "No problem. You deserve it. Are you going out for a smoke?"
"No, going home. I’m done for the night. What are you doing?" Jenny asked.
"It’s raining. I’m thinking about calling a cab. It’s too cold to walk home wet.”
"I’ll give you a ride. Come on.”
Jeff didn’t hesitate. He followed Jenny out to her car, parked nearby. She pushed the unlock button on her key fob and they jumped in out of the rain.
Jeff said, "I live on Cedar Street. The bridge is in my front yard."
"I know where you live. I’ve been there before," Jenny said.
Jeff looked surprised. Jenny said, "When Lex lived there I was there a few times. Please don’t say anything, but I think it’s awful how he’s treated you and Kendra."
Jeff said, "I won’t say anything. Thank you. He’ll learn someday. I can’t be invested in him anymore. He treats me like I’m second class and I won’t put up with that."
Jenny said, "I don’t blame you. I have to stay out of it since he’s my boss." Jenny pulled into Jeff’s driveway and turned off her car. "I’d love to see what it looks like now that you’ve finished it," she said.
Jeff stopped, his hand on the door handle. "I’d love to let you, but Kendra’s not here. I’ve always had a thing for you, Jenny, but Kendra and I have an agreement: no one of the opposite sex in the house without the other one being here. I love her too much to break my rule. I’m sorry. I hope you understand."
"Kendra’s a lucky woman to have you," Jenny said.
"You tell her that next time you see her. She knows I like you. She’ll be fine with knowing you said that. She’ll know you brought me home. I tell her everything." Jeff winced, knowing he was keeping a big secret from Kendra. He exited the door and said, "You have a good night, Jenny. Thanks for the ride."
"Thank you for the tip!" Jenny said.
Jeff went into the house. Grabbing his cell phone from his pocket he called Kendra. "Hi, baby. I miss you." He told her everything that had happened since they last talked. They talked for an hour. Jeff sat in what he called “The Helm,” a bay window area on the second floor that looked out to the river. He sat in his favorite chair, drinking Jack Daniels, and passed out.


ABOUT ERIN O'RIORDAN:
Erin O'Riordan lives in the Midwestern United States with her husband and co-author Tit Elingtin. Her short stories, essays, and film reviews have been published in numerous magazines and websites.
Readers can view more of her work at http://www.aeess.com/

ABOUT TIT ELINGTIN:

Tit Elingtin is a warrior by nature, ready to argue or fight for the disenfranchised at a moment's notice. He takes no prisoners, crushes his enemies and loves deep and hard. Tit expects his friends to be loyal to the truth above all. He describes his philosophical views like this: "As the river flows, it is as one. We are as the mist of the waterfall, joining others and separating as we fall to be one with the river once again."







Eminent Domain by Erin O'Riordan and Tit Elingtin is also available through Smashwords