Part 1 of the Steele Tested series.
Three months after Laura and Remington return home after their honeymoon and second marriage, the couple face numerous challenges: Remington's unexpected reaction to Laura's demands on a case; Laura withholding news of a potential new stalker from Remington; and a new adversary targeting the Agency.
Many, many thanks to the words of encouragement from those who read these stories, most especially JH and Doey, whose wonderful, supportive words encourage me to continue on in my writing endeavors. Please know that I do read all feedback left and all private messages sent. They are each and every one of them received with a whole lot of awe and thanks.
As of this series, I will be publishing new chapters weekly, rather than waiting until the entire piece is fully written. Check back often for updates.
For the most effective reading, my work should be read in chronological order as many of my one off's are spun into the history of the characters later on down the line. The chronological order of what I've written to date are as follows:
Steele Torn & Trying to Holt On
Cannes Steele be Trusted (co-written with the super-talented SuzySteele)
Steele Mending
Steele Working out the Details
Steele Settling In
Steele Finding Comfort
Steele Holting on To Christmas
Steele Holting on To The Holidays
Holting on to the Moments
Steele Cold Relief
Steele Cloned
Steele Hurdling Obstacles
Steeling the Big Apple
Steele Dying to Get it Right
Holting Steele - Part 1 of 2 in the Be Steele My Heart series
Be Steele My Heart – Part 2 of 2 in the Be Steele My Heart series
Steele Pursued – Part 1 of 2 in the Steele Tested Series
Steele Tested – Part 2 of 2 in the Steele Tested Series
Steele Thankful
Down the Rabbit Holt – Part 1 of 2 in the Steele in Wonderland Series
Prologue
Wednesday, October 1, 1986
Mildred exited the bowling alley, a smile lighting her face. She and the Dragon Ladies – Hazel, Esther and Rose – had just captured the Women's League championship. That she'd come in over par, bowling a 218 while putting up a turkey during that same game, had helped seal the win for her team – despite the sandbaggers on the other team and their subsequently elevated handicaps. And what had their dishonesty earned them? Bupkis, Mildred thought to herself, with no small amount of glee. She and the Ladies had shown those lousy cheats that solid play will beat cheating every time.
Her cheerful mood was not only due to the trophy held in her hand. It was also due in large part to the fact that Harrison Bumpers would be arriving in town the next day, and had asked her to dinner for that evening. Her love life was certainly heating up, as she'd been casually seeing Kevin Masters for several months, and now her old beau was arriving as well. She hadn't seen this much action since… well, never. She'd dated her ex-husband throughout high school and when their marriage fell apart years later, she'd, in general, adopted a 'to hell with all men' policy. Single life suited her, thank you very much, and since children were out of the picture for her, there had seemed to be little reason to tie herself down. But, as she'd watched middle age begin creeping past in the rear view mirror, the thought of living out the rest of her life alone had lost its appeal.
Of course, watching her kids and how happy they'd been since they'd finally stopped dancing around each other and grabbed onto what they had was certainly an inspiration. If the two of them could stand up to their demons and claim what they'd been fighting against for years, who was she to give the kibosh to the possibility of love? All her reasons suddenly seemed silly in hindsight, and she was ready and raring to give it another go.
Ball bag in hand, she hustled across the parking lot towards her ten-year-old sedan. Old Faithful might not be the prettiest car in the lot, but she had yet to leave Mildred on the side of the road, which was good enough for her. Oh, she enjoyed it when the Boss let her use the Auburn. It was quite the hotrod, as they'd called such beauties in her day. But it was nothing if not high maintenance, and the last thing Mildred Krebs was interested in was anything high maintenance.
Stopping, she unlatched her purse to grab her keys out of it, noticing far too late the sound of the car gunning straight for her. She could only turn, and watch as the lights blinded her in the split second before it hit her. Lifted from her feet by the force of the car, she hit the ground, where she lay still.
The car stopped as the driver looked through the rearview mirror, carefully assessing their work. Seeing no movement, they smiled then cackled gleefully before pressing the accelerator to the floor and screeching out of the parking lot.
One member of the illustrious Remington Steele Agency down, two to go, the driver celebrated.
(TBC)