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"Ms. Mills has penned a heart-wrenching tale of betrayal, suspicion and romance. I couldn¹t put this novel down, and cannot wait to see what else Ms. Mills puts out to tug at our heartstrings."

Sample Chapter For MIDSUMMER NIGHTS by Janet Mills

Lenzi Newman took a deep breath and let the tranquil view of gently sloping foothills beyond the house calm her nerves. She turned the car ignition off, allowing the heat of the late afternoon sun to envelop her. The other vehicles in front of the double-car garage suggested both her roommates were home. With their different schedules, they rarely spent much time together. Although Lenzi usually welcomed the com-pany, she would have preferred solitude today.

She rolled her shoulders in an attempt to relieve the stress of a busy day. Her few spare moments between her duties as a purchasing agent at the hospital had been tainted with a shadow of foreboding she hadn’t managed to shake. She didn’t easily buy into the idea that a person could have premonitions of impending disaster, yet the sensation was there, just the same.

To add to her unease, the feeling had become stronger af-ter she’d talked to her boyfriend Kyle. He’d called continu-ously until she’d agreed to see him tonight. What she had really wanted to do was take a walk before settling into the bathtub with a glass of White Zinfandel and a good book, then eat a light supper and go to bed.

“Miss Non-Assertive,” she scolded herself aloud. “Instead of doing what you want, you’re doing what he wants.”

She cared a great deal for Kyle, but at times he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Lenzi avoided conflict with him like a traffic jam. From experience, she knew it was easier to skirt any issues she had with their relationship than to bring them up for discussion.

Her cell phone rang. Lenzi pulled it out of her purse and checked the caller ID. Kyle. Hadn’t they spoken just a half hour ago? She let the call go to her voice mail and slid out of the little green coupe.

The house was quiet as she stepped into the foyer. Lenzi loved the old two-story brick home she and her friend Gail, who worked in the hospital business office, had found in the rental section of the newspaper six months earlier. They each had a bedroom on the upper floor and shared the large bath-room located between the two rooms. The small bedroom on the main level would have been ideal for storage, but they’d quickly realized it would be far more sensible to have another person splitting their monthly rental fee and other household expenses. When their notice on the staff bulletin board at work didn’t produce a housemate, they ran an ad in the classi-fieds.

Masculine laughter drifted down the hallway from the kitchen, and Lenzi smiled. Jayson Kendrick’s query about their ad had come as a surprise. Neither Lenzi nor Gail had considered what they’d do if a man wanted to move into the spare bedroom, but the idea had quickly appealed to them both. Jayson’s acting job kept him away most nights, yet he gave the young women a feeling of security by living under the same roof. Any doubt that he could pay his share of living ex-penses evaporated after the second month. Jayson had a part-time day job at the athletic club; he was responsible and he could cook.

A woman’s answering laugh followed Jayson’s. Tina Dut-ton didn’t appreciate the fact that her boyfriend lived with two single women, and she made that clear on the occasions Lenzi or Gail encountered her in the house. Taking a detour through the front room, Lenzi headed for the staircase. The polished mahogany banister felt smooth beneath her hand as she slowly climbed the steps.

“‘Get you gone, you dwarf!’”

Lenzi turned at the sound of Jayson’s voice, much louder now, and shook her head when she saw he was addressing her.

“I’m not that short,” she said with a chuckle as she glanced down to where he stood at the foot of the curved stairway. “Let me guess—Shakespeare?”

He grinned and nodded, his sandy blond hair falling back from his forehead as he looked up at her. “Which play?”

“I have no idea.”

Jayson gave her a perfectly executed look of disgust, his dark brown eyes narrowing. “‘You juggler! You canker-blossom!’”

Lenzi laughed, her first true laugh of the day. Leave it to Jayson to coax it from her. Although the town of Pine Haven, Colorado infrequently showcased Shakespeare’s plays, Jayson loved to practice the Bard’s insults.

“I’ll give you a clue,” Tina said from the kitchen doorway. The young actress stood with her arms crossed, watching the exchange between Lenzi and Jayson. “Think of the season and the time of day that falls around supper.”

Lenzi smiled at the pretty blonde, shrugging. “‘It Was a Hot Summer Night’?”

Jayson laughed. “You’re thinking of Meatloaf. Work with me here, shweetheart.” He sounded just like Humphrey Bo-gart when he said that word. “It’s the middle of the summer, and when you fall asleep tonight, you might have a…” He ges-tured for her to finish the sentence.

“Nightmare?”

Tina groaned. “Try A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“I’ll learn thee yet,” Jayson said, winking at Lenzi before following Tina back into the kitchen.

Lenzi had never been very interested in Shakespeare or live theater, but Jayson was funny, handsome in his own right, and kind—not to mention a shameless flirt—so she should pay more attention. She and Gail had attended one performance of Carousel soon after he’d moved in with them. Jayson’s enthusi-asm for his supporting role was eclipsed only by his natural talent.

Her cell phone rang again. This time she answered it, knowing Kyle would call again in a few minutes if she didn’t.

“Hi, hon,” Kyle said. “I called a little while ago. Where were you?”

“Sorry,” she replied, not addressing his question. “I’m about to hop in the shower. Come over in about forty-five minutes?”

“Sure.” He paused. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s been a long day.”

“And I know just how to relax you.” His tone rang with suggestion. “After dinner, we’ll have a little quality time to-gether. Your place.”

Kyle was an attentive lover, but lately he had become a bit demanding. The thought of staying up late to make love with him when she was so tired failed to entice her tonight. “I have to be at work early tomorrow. Inventory, you know.”

“But you’ll make time for me, won’t you, hon?”

She nodded absently, as though he could see her. “Please knock when you get here, Kyle. Gail’s home, and Jayson and Tina are here, too. Bye-bye.” She pressed the red button on the phone to disconnect. Kyle often walked into the house as if he lived there, a habit Lenzi found annoying. She’d never brought it up before, so it felt good to have just done so. She knew she was a coward to have hung up the phone before he could reply.

The rain of water from the showerhead a short time later worked to refresh her. Lenzi closed her eyes and let the gentle spray wash away her exhaustion and irritation at not having the evening to herself. It was her own fault, after all. If she couldn’t speak up with Kyle, she couldn’t expect him to know what she was feeling.

She’d had several serious relationships with men since her teen years, but none of those boyfriends had seemed like mar-riage material, and Lenzi was determined to find the right man before she considered such a big step. At the age of twenty-seven, she wasn’t in any hurry. Too many of her high school friends had divorced within five years of their weddings.

Kyle Rogers earned a good salary managing a chain of convenience stores in Pine Haven and the surrounding com-munities. Due to an influx of people wanting to get away from the larger cities along the Front Range, the whole area was booming. Kyle was sure his company would build more stores. Combined, their two incomes would make for a very comfortable living.

She admired Kyle’s intelligence, strong work ethic, and clean-cut good looks. He had enough positives going for him that she could overlook the things that rankled, couldn’t she? No relationship was perfect. Still, she changed the subject every time Kyle launched into the topic of their future as a couple. There were parts of his personality that sometimes bothered her. Was nearly a year together long enough to really know someone?

The handful of pounds Lenzi had put on earlier in the summer made the sleeveless cocktail-length dress she donned after her shower feel a bit snug. She decided to wear it any-way, with a short-sleeved crocheted cardigan of matching navy blue. Standing in front of her dressing table mirror, she brushed out her straight dark hair, applied a few simple touches of make-up, then added small gold loop earrings and a choker-style necklace.

“Hot date tonight?” Gail asked from the couch in the liv-ing room when Lenzi descended the stairs. Her friend had grown out her brunette hair to shoulder-length, the same as Lenzi’s, though Gail’s was prone to curls.

“Kyle and I are going to dinner.” On cue, Lenzi’s stomach growled. The spicy aroma of stir-fried vegetables coming from the kitchen fueled her hunger.

“You don’t sound very excited.” Gail pressed the mute button on the TV as Lenzi settled onto one of the antique arm-chairs. Their decorating theme throughout the old house was eclectic: hers, his, and hers. It didn’t seem to matter; almost any type of furnishings looked great with the polished wood floors and neutral-tone area rugs.

“I guess I’ll have to mooch some dinner from Jayson,” Gail said with an exaggerated sigh.

Lenzi smiled. “You poor thing.”

A short time later, Kyle walked into the house without knocking. Lenzi filed that little irritation in the back of her mind and stood to greet him with a light kiss. He wore crisp khaki slacks and a polo shirt. His light blond hair was neatly combed.

“You look absolutely lovely, hon.” Kyle pulled her into an embrace. He nodded a quick greeting at Gail. “We’ll be back later.”

He took Lenzi to her favorite seafood restaurant and in-sisted she order the king crab. While they sipped drinks in a corner booth—she a strawberry daiquiri, he a gin and tonic—he told her about his day. Then he fell silent, and she experi-enced that uneasiness again. His hand shook a little as he took a long drink. Smiling at her, Kyle lifted his glass, toasting her with ice cubes.

“To special times with a special lady,” he said with un-characteristically quiet reverence.

Lenzi smiled and raised her glass. She could get used to such treatment.

“Marry me.”

She nearly dropped her drink. Her heart lurched pain-fully, more from shock than excitement. “Kyle,” she said when she regained her ability to speak. “I’m not sure what to say. I’m honored, of course, but…”

“Say you will, Lenzi. Make me a very happy man.” His gaze searched her face anxiously. When she didn’t respond right away, his hazel eyes grew darker. He tapped the tabletop with obvious impatience. “Say you’ll be my wife. Say it.”

Lenzi didn’t like his demanding tone, nor the way he watched her. Did he think he could use intimidation to force the words he wanted to hear?

“Kyle, I don’t feel like I know you well enough yet. I wasn’t expecting this. I—I need more time.”

“I love you, Lenzi. Surely you know that by now. We get along so well.”

Their waiter arrived with salads and dinner rolls. They sat in silence, waiting until they were alone again.

Lenzi’s appetite fled with her composure. “No,” she said in a near whisper. “We don’t always get along so well.”

“What are you talking about, hon?”

She willed her heart to slow down. So this is what she’d sensed all day. A marriage proposal wasn’t so sinister; she just wasn’t prepared for it. In a way, she felt relieved. At least this was something she could control.

Lenzi took a breath. If she couldn’t be honest with this man now, they had no chance of a life together. “I don’t like to argue with you, Kyle, so I usually keep quiet when you say or do something that…that bothers me.”

“Bothers you?” He pushed his salad plate aside, his agitation palpable. “What do I do that bothers you?”

“Well, I don’t like it when you call me ‘hon.’” His use of the endearment made her feel as though they were already married. When Jayson called her “shweetheart” it was all in fun between friends. He flirted with everyone. This was dif-ferent.

“I like calling you that,” Kyle told her.

“But I don’t. Doesn’t that matter to you? What I like? What I want to do?”

“Of course it matters, Lenzi. Don’t be ridiculous. If it’s that important to you, I’ll stop calling you that.” He let out a disgusted breath and looked away.

“And, I think it’s presumptuous of you to walk right into my house. I’ve asked you to knock, Kyle. Why can’t you knock?”

“Why do I need to knock? You know when I’m coming over.”

“I’m not the only one who lives there. It’s common cour-tesy.” Lenzi’s boldness grew. She didn’t want to nitpick or nag, but it felt good to tell him the things he did that rankled.

“You make it sound like I’m intruding.” His tone sounded hurt.

“It’s a simple knock, Kyle. That’s all I’m asking. Tina knocks when she comes over to see Jay.”

“They’ve only been dating a few months. I’ve known you for almost a year.”

Lenzi made eye contact with him, forcing herself not to look down. “I think you should knock.”

Kyle threw his hands in the air. “Fine. I’ll knock. And I won’t call you ‘hon.’ Are you happy?”

Lenzi thought about that question. Was she happy with Kyle? Most of the time, yes, she was. They were both imper-fect, and he was going to do things from time to time that she didn’t like. She would annoy him, too. Those were givens. The important thing was that she could talk to him, be up front with him.

Tonight, she was happy knowing she had been honest and assertive.

Kyle was angry.

He shot her a look from across the table that would nor-mally have her backing down and saying she was sorry. She had done that for most of her life. If someone was upset, she must be to blame, and she would apologize. However, her recent promotion from supply clerk to purchasing agent had helped her self-confidence. She’d worked hard to win the job, which had come with mandatory leadership classes. She learned a lot from her seminar instructors.

She met Kyle’s gaze again. “I’m sorry if you’re angry with me, Kyle.”

Change didn’t happen quickly or easily. It was gradual.

“But I am happy that I told you what was on my mind. That’s important if we’re going to be together, isn’t it?”

His scowl softened. “Is that a yes?”

Lenzi straightened in her seat. “That’s a maybe.” She smiled gently at him to take the sting out of what he probably considered a rejection. “I’m touched, Kyle. I really care about you. But I think we both need some time to decide if this is truly what we want. Just now, I made you mad. If that can happen so easily—”

“I didn’t mean to act pissed, Lenzi.” He let out a breath. “I thought you would get all mushy and everything, you’d accept my proposal and my ring, then we’d have this wonderful din-ner and seal the night with great sex.” He shrugged. “Oh well.”

She’d hurt his pride. Before she backpedaled and apolo-gized again, she said, “We can still finish off the night the way you planned.” Although her mind and body were drained, she knew he needed to feel better about how the night would end. She sent him a smile to punctuate her statement. He managed one in reply.

The waiter brought their entrees, and Lenzi relished every bite of king crab. Her burst of confidence had made her hungry. She even splurged by dipping some chunks of the sweet meat into hot melted butter. By the time they each fin-ished another drink, their conversation had shifted to lighter topics.

Kyle didn’t mention rings or engagements on the way back to her house, and Lenzi was grateful. Their evening had turned out better than she’d imagined after her dark thoughts during the day and their earlier discord. Now she could relax in bed with him. She felt a surge of pride for having managed to delay her answer to his proposal without ruining every-thing.

Lenzi turned to smile at him as they climbed the staircase to her room. “I’d love to cuddle awhile.”

“Cuddle?” He barked a laugh. “Oh no, hon. We’re not cuddling tonight.”

The tone of his voice chilled her, bringing back that sense of something not being quite right. She hesitated on the top step. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward her door as trepidation began to pound in her chest.

Jayson and Tina were probably at the theater, but Gail could be home. A glance toward the other woman’s bedroom in the upstairs hallway revealed a closed door with no light seeping from beneath it. She stifled the urge to call out her friend’s name. This was silly. She’d never had reason to fear Kyle before and she wouldn’t start now.

They entered her room and he shut the door firmly be-hind them.