by: Lydia Michaels
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 7, 2015
From bestselling author, Lydia Michaels–When Shane, a young, tattooed musician becomes the guardian of a surprise baby, his life and heart are forever changed. Opposites attract when this single dad is assigned to a prissy social worker who dislikes him at first sight.
Months after Shane Martin’s sister vanishes, his world crashes down and he finds himself the sole guardian of a surprise baby. Blissfully ignorant, Shane trades in late nights and fast women for midnight feedings and lullabies. But when Kate McAlester, the prissy, stuck up social worker interferes, his devotion to family is tested.
Kate isn’t impressed by Shane’s messy bachelor pad, rocker image, sarcastic attitude, or showy tattoos. He claims he’s a simple man, but he quickly becomes the greatest complication in her life.
Passion explodes when opposite personalities collide in a touching story of love and redemption.
(Kate grips Shane’s hand in a show of emotional support.)
Shane: (Sighs)
“Noel, my sister… I don’t think I can talk about her. The story of my family is long. I can tell you, Logan is my nephew. See… he’s named after myself and my father, making his name Shane Logan Martin. When he first came to live with me it was difficult enough to get used to calling him a him, not an it. We weren’t around babies much and I was totally out of my element. Once we started adjusting to having a baby around it got more confusing having two Shanes, so we decided it would be easier if he went by his middle name, my father’s name, Logan. Family is definitely something I’ll never take for granted. And while Logan is my nephew and was not born my son, I know without a doubt, that I was born to be his father.”
Wow. I have a feeling I’m going to need some tissue. Did you ever think you would get the hang of what to do with Logan?
Shane: (Bounces Logan on his knee as Kate digs out a cookie from the diaper bag and hands it to Logan. Shane laughs nervously.)
“Honestly? No. There were days I thought I made the biggest mistake of my life, days I feared I might irrevocably mess up something so perfect.”
Kate: (Smiles affectionately at Logan and Shane.)
“I think every parent’s faced that fear. No one knows for sure what the right choices are and every situation is different.”
Shane: (Grins at Kate.)
“I couldn’t have done it without Katie. She’s…all women seem to have an innate gift with babies that I sometimes wished I could tap into, but Katie’s what kept me going. She had faith in me even when I lost faith in myself.”
When Shane finally asked you for help, what was your first reaction and why?
Kate: “Well, Logan was sick and I don’t think I really thought about what I was doing. I simply reacted. He needed help and there was something in this man that I needed to see succeed. We didn’t get off to the best start, but it didn’t take long for me to understand how important being a good parent to Logan was to Shane. I jumped in my car, ran to the pharmacy, and got to Shane’s as quickly as possible.”
Shane: (Sends Kate a knowing look.)
“I think it’s boobs. As soon as Kate held Logan he calmed. I was totally jealous.”
Kate: (Elbows Shane in the side.)
“Shut up.” She giggles and blushes. “It has nothing to do with boobs. You were terrified. Babies sense anxiety. Once I was there you both calmed down and we got the situation under control. You’ve handled plenty of fevers and projectile moments since then on your own—without breasts.”
Shane: (Laughs and squeezes Logan a little tighter on his lap.)
“Yeah…” Nods. “But I needed you that first time. You’re always there when I need you.”
(Kate leans in and kisses Shane’s cheek.)
So Shane, how is life for you these days? Are you still the rock star by night or a twenty-four-hour Mr. Mom?
Shane: (Laughs…hard.)
“I don’t think I was ever a ‘rock star’, but now…I kind of feel like…yeah. To Logan, I’m definitely a rock star in his eyes and that’s good enough for me.”
Kate: (Beams with pride.)
“Logan loves when his daddy plays for him. So do I. Shane’s so talented he still manages to take my breath away on a daily basis.”
Shane: (Scratches the back of his neck where there is suddenly a flush.)
“She’s just saying that because she wants me to unload the car when we get home, which I will, because I love her. But aside from that…yeah, you could say life’s pretty great these days. Makes no difference if we’re dining on lobster or mac n’ cheese, I feel like a king almost every day of my life. Doesn’t matter what stage I’m on or who I’m singing for, these guys are the music to my soul.”
You know Shane, women love when guys talk like that. Kate, you’re a very lucky woman. When did you guys realize that you wanted to have a relationship with each other?
Kate: “Well…”
Shane: “Kate wanted me from day one. I had to pretty much fight her off with a stick. I would constantly have to say stuff like, ‘Kate, be a professional. I’m your client. Please… there’s a child present. Put your clothes back on.”
(Grunts as Kate smacks him in the back of the head.)
Kate: (Rolls eyes)
“That is so not how it happened. Shane was very annoying when I met him. His house was a pigsty and there was nothing in his cabinets aside from Wild Turkey and dust bunnies.”
Shane: (Holds up a finger)
“Not true. There was also Chinese food.”
Kate: “That takeout was from 1994.” (Shakes head.) “He was a walking disaster, but there was something about him, once he dropped the attitude, something that just… Did you ever see someone and you aren’t sure what it is about them, but you know you’re attracted to them beyond what’s normal? It was like that. Then I think he started feeling it too and that’s when he really turned on the romance.”
Shane: (Shrugs)
“I give the little guy a lot of credit too. He’s a master of seduction and a shameless flirt with the ladies.”
(Logan babbles in what seems to be agreement.)
What does the future hold for you three?
Kate: (Sends Shane a sidelong glance.)
“You wanna take this one, babe?”
Shane: (Entwines fingers with Kate.)
“I think what we have is probably to coolest little family in the world. Katie’s an awesome chick and I’m not sure who loves her more, Logan or me. Without these two, I don’t know where I’d be right now, but it probably wouldn’t be good. Katie saved me in more ways than I could ever say. She’s my best friend, my lover, my muse, my…everything. She’s my family and when you go so long without family you realize how monumental that is.”
Kate: (Smiles tightly and blinks back tears.)
“I never thought I’d find a guy like Shane or the happiness he brings me. He’s all those wonderful things to me too. When I first met him, he told me he was just a simple man, but the truth is…he’s the most extraordinary man I know.”
Oh my gosh. You guys are really trying to make me cry! Shane, Kate and of course Logan, thank you guys for joining me today.
Shane: “Thank you! This is some pretty fancy stuff here. Feel pretty important, like a celebrity.”
Kate: (Takes Logan and hoists the diaper bag over her shoulder.)
“Thank you so much for having us.”
Shane: “Do you want our autographs or anything?”
Kate: “Shane, get in the car.”
Shane: “I’m just saying… we’re famous. This is what dreams are made of, this and Poptarts, the strawberry kind. Not that whole wheat stuff you’ve been sneaking in the cabinets.”
Kate: (Smiles and waves as she walks out the door.)
“Come on, Shane.”
Shane: “That’s her serious tone. I gotta run, but thanks again for having us.” Turns and races out the door. “I want my real Poptarts back!”
Kate: “Get in the car!”
********************
You know...I probably should have taken Shane up on the autograph thing. I have a feeling that everyone is really going to fall in love with this story. ~ I REALLY have to thank Lydia for agreeing to do this live interview with me. It was really one of the best and coolest interviews I’ve ever done.
When Duce left, Shane sifted through the bag. There were tiny diapers, wipes, some sort of yoga mat thing, a bunch of creams. He laughed when he saw something called Butt Paste. That was self-explanatory.
There was something resembling a miniature turkey baster. He found clothes, itty-bitty socks, a knit cap, a few rattles, two containers of formula, some bottles, and a small booklet with doctor’s visits listed in it. He recognized the writing as his sister’s and a strange, sad nostalgia settled over him.
Was she here watching him now? “He’s beautiful, Noel,” he whispered. “I’m gonna do this. Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out and I’ll take good care of him for you. You’ll see.”
By the time Duce returned Shane was reading the bottle of formula. “What’s that?” his friend asked as he plopped down the paper takeout bag of food.
“Formula. I didn’t find any food. Do you think I should wake him to eat?”
“Uh, isn’t there some rule about never waking a sleeping baby?”
Shane shrugged. “Maybe I should make up a bottle so it’s ready when he does wake. He’s been sleeping for two hours. He’s gotta be hungry.”
Shane wished he had Internet. He wasn’t really computer savvy, but people were always talking about finding shit online. Duce was staring at him with a peculiar look. “What?”
“I think you should give him back.”
“Give him back? There is no back. I’m it.”
“He’s just all perfect and small. What if you fuck him up?”
“Hey, don’t curse in front of him. And I’m not going to mess him up. I just need some practice. I’ll figure it out.”
“Maybe you should ask someone who has kids what to do.”
Shane reached for an egg roll. “I don’t know anyone with kids. I have to take a class and I have a crap load of reading material.”
“When do you take the class? Maybe that was something you should have done beforehand.”
“It starts tomorrow night. I’ll be fine.”
They ate and zoned out to some reality TV. Baby Shane was so quiet they’d almost forgotten about him. Then Duce’s face began to twitch. “Dude, what’s that smell?”
Shane sniffed and choked. Whatever it was, it was powerful enough to make his eyes water. “Aw man, did you fart?”
“Wasn’t me.”
In unison, they slowly turned to the baby who still slept soundly. He leaned over and sniffed, almost gagging as he jerked back. “Holy crap! How could something so pintsize smell that bad?”
Duce covered his mouth and went to the window, quickly opening it to let some air in. The little guy made a tiny nook-nook sound and his miniature fist curled up by his chin in a dainty stretch. He looked like the fighting Irish.
“It’s moving,” Duce whispered as though the baby were a bomb about to detonate. And suddenly an explosion happened.
Baby Shane’s face screwed up tight, turning an unnatural shade of red. His mouth opened wide, showing nothing but pink gums, and an unholy squawk roared out of him.
They jumped and stared as the baby screamed, his little chest working in quick breaths as he drew in only enough air to force out another shrill, squawking cry.
“Do something!” Duce demanded.
Shane panicked. He reached for the book and began to thumb through, not sure what he was looking for.
“Don’t fucking read! Pick it up!” Duce snapped.
Shane tossed the book on the couch and quickly kneeled in front of the angry baby. He wailed and Shane began to freak. Was he in pain? Ugh, the smell coming off of him was burning the back of his throat. “Sweet Jesus, he stinks!”
He quickly removed the soft blanket. Shane was strapped down with some sort of five-point harness a person needed a degree in engineering to figure out. He pressed buttons and undid latches, shaking with the urgent need to make him stop screaming.
Sweat seeped through the baby’s tiny cotton jumper. The closer he got the worse the stench became.
“I thought babies were supposed to smell good?” Duce said, fanning the front door to let some air in.
“So did I. I can’t figure out how to unbuckle him!”
“Hit the red buttons on the side. You gotta get the handle out of the way.”
Sweat trickled into his eyes as he tried to dismantle the carrier. Finally he had the harness undone. “Now what?”
“Pick it up!”
“He stinks!”
Duce scowled. “So, my ear drums are about to burst. You gotta get in there. Tough it out. Take one for the team!”
Shane carefully picked up the screaming baby. He held him in front of his chest like a potted plant. He was so incredibly light. “What now?”
“I don’t know. You’re the one who’s supposed to be Mr. Mom. Comfort it. Pat its back. Sing or something!”
Shane stood and awkwardly turned, swaying slightly. He didn’t want to shake him and break him. He sang the first song that came to his mind, wincing at the lyrics about loaded guns.
Duce’s mouth fell open. “Teen Spirit? Really? How about Rock-a-bye Baby?”
“I don’t know Rock-a-bye Baby. Nirvana’s the first thing that popped into my head.”
“It’s not really appropriate, Shane,” Duce said coolly as if he were suddenly more qualified than him with babies.
“You wanna try?”
“No, I’m set.”
He continued to sing Teen Spirit and eventually Baby Shane quieted. Blue eyes stared back at him and slowly the world began to settle.
Shane was sweating and Duce looked petrified.
“Hi,” Shane said. The baby blinked. “I’m your Uncle Shane.”
“I don’t think he can talk.”
“No shit, Sherlock.”
There was something resembling a miniature turkey baster. He found clothes, itty-bitty socks, a knit cap, a few rattles, two containers of formula, some bottles, and a small booklet with doctor’s visits listed in it. He recognized the writing as his sister’s and a strange, sad nostalgia settled over him.
Was she here watching him now? “He’s beautiful, Noel,” he whispered. “I’m gonna do this. Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out and I’ll take good care of him for you. You’ll see.”
By the time Duce returned Shane was reading the bottle of formula. “What’s that?” his friend asked as he plopped down the paper takeout bag of food.
“Formula. I didn’t find any food. Do you think I should wake him to eat?”
“Uh, isn’t there some rule about never waking a sleeping baby?”
Shane shrugged. “Maybe I should make up a bottle so it’s ready when he does wake. He’s been sleeping for two hours. He’s gotta be hungry.”
Shane wished he had Internet. He wasn’t really computer savvy, but people were always talking about finding shit online. Duce was staring at him with a peculiar look. “What?”
“I think you should give him back.”
“Give him back? There is no back. I’m it.”
“He’s just all perfect and small. What if you fuck him up?”
“Hey, don’t curse in front of him. And I’m not going to mess him up. I just need some practice. I’ll figure it out.”
“Maybe you should ask someone who has kids what to do.”
Shane reached for an egg roll. “I don’t know anyone with kids. I have to take a class and I have a crap load of reading material.”
“When do you take the class? Maybe that was something you should have done beforehand.”
“It starts tomorrow night. I’ll be fine.”
They ate and zoned out to some reality TV. Baby Shane was so quiet they’d almost forgotten about him. Then Duce’s face began to twitch. “Dude, what’s that smell?”
Shane sniffed and choked. Whatever it was, it was powerful enough to make his eyes water. “Aw man, did you fart?”
“Wasn’t me.”
In unison, they slowly turned to the baby who still slept soundly. He leaned over and sniffed, almost gagging as he jerked back. “Holy crap! How could something so pintsize smell that bad?”
Duce covered his mouth and went to the window, quickly opening it to let some air in. The little guy made a tiny nook-nook sound and his miniature fist curled up by his chin in a dainty stretch. He looked like the fighting Irish.
“It’s moving,” Duce whispered as though the baby were a bomb about to detonate. And suddenly an explosion happened.
Baby Shane’s face screwed up tight, turning an unnatural shade of red. His mouth opened wide, showing nothing but pink gums, and an unholy squawk roared out of him.
They jumped and stared as the baby screamed, his little chest working in quick breaths as he drew in only enough air to force out another shrill, squawking cry.
“Do something!” Duce demanded.
Shane panicked. He reached for the book and began to thumb through, not sure what he was looking for.
“Don’t fucking read! Pick it up!” Duce snapped.
Shane tossed the book on the couch and quickly kneeled in front of the angry baby. He wailed and Shane began to freak. Was he in pain? Ugh, the smell coming off of him was burning the back of his throat. “Sweet Jesus, he stinks!”
He quickly removed the soft blanket. Shane was strapped down with some sort of five-point harness a person needed a degree in engineering to figure out. He pressed buttons and undid latches, shaking with the urgent need to make him stop screaming.
Sweat seeped through the baby’s tiny cotton jumper. The closer he got the worse the stench became.
“I thought babies were supposed to smell good?” Duce said, fanning the front door to let some air in.
“So did I. I can’t figure out how to unbuckle him!”
“Hit the red buttons on the side. You gotta get the handle out of the way.”
Sweat trickled into his eyes as he tried to dismantle the carrier. Finally he had the harness undone. “Now what?”
“Pick it up!”
“He stinks!”
Duce scowled. “So, my ear drums are about to burst. You gotta get in there. Tough it out. Take one for the team!”
Shane carefully picked up the screaming baby. He held him in front of his chest like a potted plant. He was so incredibly light. “What now?”
“I don’t know. You’re the one who’s supposed to be Mr. Mom. Comfort it. Pat its back. Sing or something!”
Shane stood and awkwardly turned, swaying slightly. He didn’t want to shake him and break him. He sang the first song that came to his mind, wincing at the lyrics about loaded guns.
Duce’s mouth fell open. “Teen Spirit? Really? How about Rock-a-bye Baby?”
“I don’t know Rock-a-bye Baby. Nirvana’s the first thing that popped into my head.”
“It’s not really appropriate, Shane,” Duce said coolly as if he were suddenly more qualified than him with babies.
“You wanna try?”
“No, I’m set.”
He continued to sing Teen Spirit and eventually Baby Shane quieted. Blue eyes stared back at him and slowly the world began to settle.
Shane was sweating and Duce looked petrified.
“Hi,” Shane said. The baby blinked. “I’m your Uncle Shane.”
“I don’t think he can talk.”
“No shit, Sherlock.”
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Lydia is happily married to her childhood sweetheart. Some of her favorite things include the scent of paperback books, listening to her husband play piano, escaping to her coastal home at the Jersey Shore, cheap wine, 80’s pop culture, coffee, and kilts. She hopes to meet you soon at one of her many upcoming events.
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This is a fun interview. Now I want to read the book.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It definitely was. This is definitely one of my favorite stories.
Deleteenjoyed the character interview.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Delete