FLAMINGO CAFE
Author: Jackie Kang
GENRE: Women's Fiction
Available at Amazon
A
storm is brewing off the coast of Florida, but chaos has already made landfall
for four women of Palm Beach society. Abigail, a self-appointed Cuban princess
and queen of the WAGs, suddenly finds herself penniless and on the streets.
Claudia, a Greek entrepreneur and CEO of a prestigious international clothing
line, is entering her golden years only to realize secrets can weigh you down.
Cassy, a barista and owner of the Flamingo Cafe, is doing her best to recover
from a tragic past. Meanwhile her best friend, Bri, also harbors a secret: a
romantic tet-a-tet with Cassy's brother Nick. Each woman has played her part in
a society obsessed with appearances and secrecy for years. So, when Hurricane
Odette blows through town, exposing those secrets, it's no surprise their lives
collide like a clap of thunder. Only one thing is certain: if they don't work
together, Mother Nature will teach them the hardest lessons of their lives.
Exclusive Excerpt:
Riley hits the main floor and immediately notices the
dalmatian curled in his dog bed in the corner of the café. Releasing my hand,
she races over to pet the spotted dog. As she goes, I’m left standing, reaching
out for something that isn't coming back to me. A lady at another table catches
my eye and gives me a knowing look. Like we are fellow conspirators against
children growing up. I drop my hand to my side and follow Riley to where she is
petting and cooing over the mangy animal.
By the time I make it to Riley, she is already standing back
up and pointing to her favorite Key lime pie roll in the display case next to
us, “This one, Mamá.”
I turn to the girl behind the counter with the long blonde
braid—Zoe, her name tag declares—and say, “That one.” I point to the desert
Riley wants.
“Sure thing,” Zoe says, grabbing a plate and dishing up the
Key lime pie roll. She sets the plate on the counter. “And for you?”
My stomach rumbles as I survey the display case full of
lemon poppy seed muffins, Apricot Coffeecake, sugar cookies in the shape of
flamingos, and a plethora of other baked goods.
“Nothing for me, thank you.”
“Are you sure? The kitchen is closing, and doors close in
half an hour.”
“Yes, I’m sure,” I say with too much force.
I hand over one of my last twenty-dollar bills from my
purse, pushing down the panic rising in my throat as Zoe retrieves the change
from the register.
“Thank you,” I respond with a tight smile while calculating
in my head how long I can make thirty-odd dollars last. I have no idea. I
haven't had to live on a budget for years now. Surely, I can remember. Lord
knows, Julian and I did it before. It can't be that hard to do it again.
As I stuff the dollars back into my wallet, the coins slip
out of my grasp and land with a rattle on the countertop. As I reach down to
retrieve the change, the glint of something shiny catches my eye. Three keys
are lined up next to the espresso machine, bright and shiny like they were cut
today.
I stare at the keys feeling my body freeze up. Each key is
labeled for an entrance; Side Door, Front Door, Back Door.
Automatically I take in my surroundings. Zoe has moved on to
serve the next customer. The women sitting at the nearby tables have returned
to their conversations and are no longer gawking at me. No one is paying me any
attention. I look down at the counter once again. The keys stare back at me.
These keys might lack the same allure as, say, the key to
the Breaker's hotel suite, but they are calling my name all the same.
Warning bells sound in my head, but I am decisive in
ignoring them, pushing them down along with my conscience.
As casually as I can, considering my hands are shaking, I
reach down and swipe my change off the counter, leaving the pennies behind in
exchange for the key labeled Side Door.
I close my fist around the metal, grasp it tightly, and back
away from the counter, retracing my steps up the staircase. In a daze, I pause
when I reach the top and watch as Riley digs into her pastry.
She takes a big bite and looks up at me, still standing by
the stairs. “Wanna bite?” she asks, with her mouth full.
Nodding my head, I leave my position at the top of the
stairs and come to sit down at our table. I swiftly dump the contents of my
hand into my purse before taking the fork from Riley and scooping up a hunk of
Key lime pie roll, the bells still sounding in my ears.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Website:
http://www.jackiekangwritesbooks.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/JacqulineK/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jacqulinekang/
3 comments:
Thank you for featuring FLAMINGO CAFE and this excerpt.
This looks like a fantastic read. Thanks for sharing.
Looks like a interesting book.
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