Title: The Grim Assistant
Series: Tales from the Grim
Author: Jodi Hutchins
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: August 5, 2019
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Female/Female
Length: 71700
Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, romance, paranormal, friends-to-lovers, surfer, spirits, postal worker, teacher, vampires
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Synopsis
Postal carrier and amateur surfer, Samantha Diaz, lives an uncomplicated life. Well, other than helping her sister with childcare, crushing on her unavailable customer, Lauren Brennan, and catching as many waves as possible before hurricane season begins. Suffice to say, she isn’t looking for much more, but when Lauren invites her to a monthly game night at her house, Sam happily agrees.When Sam sets out on an early morning surf, the last thing she expects to do is die, but a sudden thunderstorm thrashes offshore, creating a riptide that steals Sam’s life. She awakens to a snarky woman named Margo speaking cryptic nonsense. Not only does she claim to be one of the many Grim Reapers, or Grims, in the world, Margo makes Sam an offer: she’ll bring Sam back from the dead, as long as she becomes Margo’s temporary assistant. Sam accepts but soon realizes the deal was too good to be true, and the consequences she faces may be worse than the death she dodged.
Excerpt
The Grim Assistant
Jodi Hutchins © 2019
All Rights Reserved
The planks of the boardwalk were hot
against Samantha Diaz’s feet as she bounded up the stairs, surfboard tucked
beneath her arm, water trickling over her shoulders. The calm waters and
equally serene beach left her with only the early morning anglers standing out
at the ocean’s edge, casting their lines along the jetty.
“Same time on Friday?” her best friend,
Josh Keller, asked as he ambled up the stairs after her, his bushy blond hair
stuck to his face and neck. A trill from a bicycle bell filled the air,
coalescing with the call of a flock of seagulls harassing a group of teens
munching on breakfast. The oily aroma of freshly fried doughnuts mixed with the
scent of crisp saltwater as Sam took a deep breath.
She smiled broadly. “Absolutely.” Beads
of seawater dripped down her dark brows, and she swept her hand across her
forehead in a feeble attempt to dry it. The pair crossed the boardwalk, heading
down the long ramp to the parking lot.
Reaching her Jeep, Sam tossed her board
in the back and grabbed a towel, drying her face and ruffling her unruly crop
of black hair. People flooded the tall staircase, beach tags fastened to their
large bags overflowing with colorful shovels and towels. She grabbed a dry
shirt, pulling it over her head to cover her bikini top before putting her
wallet in the damp pocket of her board shorts. Josh stood staring at her.
“Damn, what I would do to get a tan like yours,” he mumbled sheepishly.
Sam chuckled, noting the red tinge
forming along his pale, freckled shoulders, and then glanced at her own tanned
skin. “I don’t know, man, I’ll always be jealous of your freckles,” she joked,
elbowing him in the arm. “You want to grab some breakfast?”
“Sure, why not?”
Sam and Josh followed the influx of
people. She was determined she would get herself a fresh bagel before heading
home for a shower and babysitting her nephew. Cyclists pedaled down the bicycle
lane on the wood, and early morning joggers were swiftly being replaced by
excited children heading to the beach or the waterpark. The tiny
hole-in-the-wall bagel shop Sam frequented was set back beside one of two
amusement parks on the boardwalk, and she stepped into the short line.
Depending on what time she had to be in to work, Sam’s summer mornings always
started the same if Josh was available. She didn’t surf without him by her side
unless there were lifeguards present. The last thing she wanted was to get
caught in a riptide and end up miles offshore.
The two moved into the queue of people,
and Josh turned to her. “How’s it going with Katie?”
Sam’s stomach sank at the mention of her
older sister, and she shrugged. “I don’t know. The divorce is official, but now
it’s all parenting plan crap and custody issues. She’s stressed out.”
Josh gave her a sympathetic grimace,
causing her to wonder if he regretted asking her the question. “Yikes.”
“Yeah. They had a meeting with her ex’s
lawyer, and I don’t know how it went yet.”
“Hey, Sam,” a voice called from behind her.
Sam whipped around as her friend, Lauren Brennan, stepped into the line where
Sam was already standing in wait. Lauren’s long chestnut hair hung over her
shoulders, her wide smile reaching her vibrant green eyes.
“Lauren.” Sam’s tone came out a lot more
breathless than she intended. Josh must’ve noted the change in her demeanor, so
he nudged her in the back with his elbow.
“They have the best pork roll egg and
cheese sandwiches,” Lauren said, curling her lips upward, a delicate dimple
surfacing as she smiled.
Sam nearly sighed with longing, her
heart rate quickening, and she swallowed back her feelings. The blue sundress
Lauren wore hugged her body, the color accentuating her lovely summer tan.
She’s off limits.
“They sure do. Order anything good lately?”
Sam agreed.
Nodding enthusiastically, Lauren said,
“Actually, I did! I ordered this new lesson kit online and a few other things
for the classroom.” Sam had been delivering Lauren’s mail since the science
teacher moved to Ocean City from New Brunswick two years prior. “And a few new
books. Speaking of books, how’d you like the one you borrowed?”
“I absolutely loved it. Is it just me or
is my taste in books rubbing off on you?” Sam said. Josh sighed indignantly.
Sam held in a retort while she waited for Lauren to reply. Lauren blushed, and
the sight had Sam nearly swooning. “I have to say your taste has rubbed off on
me. My true love will always be gritty literary fiction, but you’ve got me
hooked on those dark fantasies now.”
“Hey, I forgot about that thing I have
to do,” Josh interjected. When Sam gave him a puzzled smile, he continued, “You
know, the thing? I’ll see you Friday.”
“Oh, all right. Aren’t you going to get
breakfast?” Sam asked. He shook his head and waggled his eyebrows, head jerking
toward Lauren. His gesture wasn’t as discreet as Sam preferred, but she didn’t
believe Lauren noticed. She knew he was leaving because of her interaction with
Lauren. Before she could say more, Josh moved out of the line and hurried
toward the ramp leading to the sidewalk.
She moved forward in line, ordering her
food and stepping aside while Lauren ordered hers. While they waited, Sam
leaned against the railing. “I’ve got a new one I know you’d love,” she said.
“A dark fantasy? You’d better bring it
by the next time you work. I ordered a bunch of stuff, so I should be seeing
you sometime next week,” Lauren added, pulling her purse strap over her
shoulder.
“Okay, I will. Maybe Boo will let me pet
her this time,” Sam chuckled, referring to Lauren’s skittish cat. In the last
two years, the cat only let Sam touch her four or five times.
“Don’t take it personally because she
doesn’t even let Bethany pet her.” Yep, there was the pesky reminder of her
unavailability. Sam laughed regardless of her feelings toward Lauren’s
girlfriend. It wasn’t as though she didn’t like her for the sole reason of
being with Lauren; Bethany and Sam had known each other in high school and the
memories were anything but fond.
“Boo’s such a cutie. Maybe I’ll start
bringing some cat treats again,” Sam offered. The young man behind the counter
caught Sam’s attention and handed her the pork roll she ordered. “Thanks.” She
grinned at Lauren, continuing their conversation. “That’s how I got Boo to let
me close at first.”
“School starts on Wednesday, but you
should come by one night and have a drink with us, maybe play some cards. I
always try to plan a game night once a month, especially when school is back in
session.” Lauren took her food from the man, then faced Sam as they moved out
of the way of other customers.
“I’d love to,” Sam said honestly. Sam
enjoyed Lauren’s friendship, despite having to tolerate Bethany in small doses.
She and Bethany may have had their differences, but they were adults now.
“What about, say, next Saturday night?
I’m heading to Newark this weekend for a family barbeque, but I’ll be home
Tuesday.”
“Yeah, sounds perfect.”
They stood staring at each other for
longer than etiquette warranted, triggering Sam to wonder if Lauren felt the
same attraction as she did. She hastily dispelled the fleeting thought and
smiled. She’s simply a friend and can’t be more. “Well, I’ll let you get on
with your day. I’ve got babysitting duty with my nephew, anyway.”
“I’ll see you later this week, I’m sure.
Don’t forget the book,” Lauren said. She turned, heading down the boardwalk.
Lauren left, the sway of her hips causing her skirt to swish back and forth
with each step, and once Lauren disappeared in the flowing crowd, Sam headed to
her Jeep.
The drive back to her house was quick
and she was fortunate she missed the tourist traffic. Although Ocean City, New
Jersey, was a busy tourist spot during the summer, Sam couldn’t see herself
living anywhere else. The tiny seaside town was home to her and her sister, the
beach and the community far too important to leave behind and live in a larger
city.
She parked her car on the side of the
road, finding a spot relatively close to her sister’s little condo, and she
ambled up the stairs, leaving her surfboard in the back of her Jeep. The steps
leading to the porch creaked beneath her feet, the white paint peeling off the
railing and the stucco face of the home. The three-bedroom condo was large
enough for her sister and nephew to live in comfortably. Sam had been staying
with Katie for a few weeks at a time to help with her nephew and to covertly
keep an eye out for her sister’s mental health. The divorce was taking its toll
on Katie, but Sam knew her sister would never ask for help.
“I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got to run
and get gas before I head over to work,” Katie said as she bustled around the
living room, grabbing a laundry basket full of clothing from the couch and
tossing it on the kitchen counter. Already clad in blue scrubs, her black hair
pulled back in a tight ponytail, Sam figured Katie must’ve been anxiously
waiting for her to get there.
“Sorry. I stopped to grab some
breakfast. Is the little man awake yet?”
Without glancing up from her task, Katie
shook her head. Sam stopped, placing her keys on the island in the kitchen
leading off the living room, and she really took in her sister’s appearance:
red-rimmed eyes, wrinkled scrubs, head lowered.
“Katie.” Her sister finally met her
gaze. “How’d the hearing go yesterday?”
Katie drew a breath and straightened.
“Like crap. I don’t think we’re ever going to work out a parenting plan.”
“He didn’t agree to your terms?”
Katie scoffed, and her shoulders visibly
slumped. “No. His lawyer told us he wanted more time on different days.
Evidently, his schedule doesn’t work with what I offered,” she said, shaking
her head and touching her fingers to her forehead. “At this rate, it’s going to
go on into the new year.”
“He’s lucky you don’t fight for full
custody, the fucking asshat.” Sam loathed her ex-brother-in-law for how he
treated his sister and wasn’t shy about speaking her feelings toward him now
the divorce was official.
Her sister shot her a reproachful glance
before she headed to the refrigerator. Katie’s voice was low when she said,
“Just because he and I didn’t work out doesn’t mean he’s a bad father. Ben has
every right to know him and I don’t want to take his father away from him
because John was unfaithful.” She threw a yogurt into her purse along with a
package of granola before grabbing her keys from the counter. “I’ll see you
tonight,” she said as she stepped out the front door.
Sam lounged on the couch, kicking her
feet up on the coffee table as she closed her eyes. Her muscles were sore from
surfing, and all she wanted was to rest her head before her nephew woke.
“Auntie Sam, Mama gone?” a little voice
cut off her thoughts. Her five-year-old nephew came wandering down the hall,
his little stuffed animal pig tucked under his arm, his free hand rubbing his
face.
“Yeah, Mama had to go off to work. Do
you want some breakfast?” Sam asked.
Ben eagerly bobbed his head.
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Meet the Author
Jodi Hutchins is a healthcare professional by day and fanatical writer by night. They are also an avid reader, coffee connoisseur, helpless romantic, amateur artist, enthusiastic maker-upper of things, spouse, and parent. The frequent rain of western Washington doesn’t stop Jodi and their wife from gallivanting through the next trail head with their two children.Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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