I like to think I made her adventurous

Darcy's summer included two work trips, one to Alaska and one to Hawaii. Between those times, she spent a few days in California to cut down on traveling back and forth. She stayed with her bestie Sarina, who is in CA for school, and she visited with her uncles and her cousin Austin and his wife, Kendra.

The last time she'd done a work trip to Alaska, she got COVID with several other consumers. Back then, the ships tested for the virus before boarding, and she was, in her words, "kicked out of Alaska." This time, there was no such testing, and she completed the trip.

In Hawaii, she stayed a few days after the job in one of our Wyndham resorts because "when will I ever have this opportunity again." She gave us a slide presentation of both trips upon her return and handed out yummy gifts, including coffee and macadamia nuts. I'm glad I only knew after the trips she ventured out on her own so often. I would have freaked out that she'd miss the ship.

But gee, I'm proud of that kid for being adventurous since I am not and wish I was. 

I think I'll leave my Wyndham share to her. 

Walmart Sam

Since COVID, I've kept getting my Walmart grocery order from pick-up. It's so convenient. I can order online, hit Publix, and then zip across the street to pick up my Walmart order. It's the bomb, even though I feel weird sitting in my car while someone loads my groceries.

For the longest time, it's been this skinny, solemn kid who says nothing unless spoken to. Half the time, he doesn't even acknowledge he's done. He just closes the trunk. Occasionally, I had someone different, but it was when I began going directly from the gym that I got Sam (name changed to protect) regularly. 

He caught me dancing in my car and laughed. He was outgoing, cheeky, and conscious of the items he put into my car. Once, the milk leaked, and he went inside to switch it out. Another time, he didn't like the look of a cucumber and got me another one. Each time, he chatted with me like a long-lost friend, constantly reminding me to give him a good review.

Of course, I did. People like that deserve to be commended.

It didn't take much for him to learn I was a writer. Nice guy chatting me up? Sure, I'll give you my bank information. Okay, no, it wasn't like that, but I told him I was a romance author, and every time he'd fill my trunk, we'd chat about my writing. He had tons of questions.

Him: "There are all types of genres? Paranormal? Like wolves? With humans? Where is your book set? What's a series?"

Other than people asking me if I'm done with my book, not many ask anything else. It was nice to talk shop for the five minutes he'd linger after loading my groceries. A couple of times, he asked about my social media, but I only heard Facebook, and since I rarely go on my personal one, let alone my author's Facebook, I never gave him that information. 

Until he mentioned Instagram one day. 

That is a social media platform I've perfected, so I gave that to him, and he immediately followed me. Later, while posting for the day, I checked out his Instagram, and his pinned picture stopped my thumb from swiping.

It was something like this: (This is not him. This guy is from my Daily Hunk calendar my daughter got me for Christmas, but you get the drift)

So, what does a romance writer do after seeing what's under her Walmart delivery guy's uniform?

I asked him if he'd be on the cover of one of my novels!

He said sure. 

Stay tuned...