Sometimes you have to stop trying
to be like everyone else and just be yourself
Bea Stevens and Ryan O Marley are in danger of falling through the
cracks of their own lives; the only difference between them is that Bea doesn’t
know it yet.
When her world is shaken like a snow-globe, Bea has to do what she
does best; adapt. Homeless man Ryan is the key to unlocking the mystery of her
friend Declan’s disappearance but can she and Ryan trust one another enough to
work together?
Just Bea takes the reader on a heart-warming journey from the
glamour of a West End store to the harsh reality of life on the streets and
reminds us all that home really is where the heart is.
Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Bea-Deborah-Kl%C3%A9e-ebook/dp/B08PDJ2VQD/
US - https://www.amazon.com/Just-Bea-Deborah-Kl%C3%A9e-ebook/dp/B08PDJ2VQD/
Excerpt
Bea
invited a homeless man, Ryan to shelter from the snow in her flat overnight.
The following day she has a hangover from a work Xmas party where the new head
of department was announced. Bea was bitterly disappointed that she did not get
this job. Ryan persuades Bea to take the day off work and to take a walk along
the canal with him to visit Fandangle Foods, a barge café.
It was as though the city were inside a glass bauble, the usual traffic sounds muffled by snow. How easy to pretend that she had stepped outside of time and had no responsibilities. A woman with rosy cheeks, just visible between hat and scarf, greeted them.
‘Isn’t it marvellous?’
Ryan’s eyes were on Sal’s igloo and
Bea guessed what he must be thinking – this weather might be fun if you had a
warm home to return to. So, Bea nodded at the woman before catching up with
him.
‘Sal’s gone. I hope she accepted
shelter from the church. She’s independent – a tough old bean. But, she’ll need
somewhere to stay if this carries on.’
The polystyrene cup that Bea had
left earlier jutted out of the snow. Bea retrieved it. ‘I bought her a tea, but
I don’t know whether she drank it.’
Ryan shrugged and walked on.
‘Where would you have gone if you
hadn’t stayed at my place last night?’
‘Not here. I have somewhere to keep
dry but it’s no good for Sal with her dodgy joints.’
‘Ryan, I want to help you find
Declan,’ Bea said, trying to keep the urgency from her voice.
‘And how would you be doing that? Do
you have secret powers, supersensory skills that will track him down?’ he chuckled.
She had to be careful, not give herself
away. ‘No, of course not. But if you could tell me everything about his routine
and what he did before he went missing, maybe we could find him together.’
‘If only it were that simple. I
appreciate your offer, but it’s best you don’t get involved.’
They crunched on through the snow.
The sky was sky blue, still a popular shade for spring, although princess blue
was the new trend. Sky blue, having tipped a heap of snow from the clouds. And
the canal, a diamante belt or a glittery scarf as sun reflected off its icy
surface.
What was she doing following the
footprints of this tall stranger along the tow path when she should be at work?
She hadn’t even telephoned in with an excuse. Bea felt a little queasy – a
hangover or guilt?
‘So how far have you walked along
here?’ Ryan’s breath was a wisp of white as he looked over his shoulder at Bea.
Bea hadn’t. She’d noticed the canal,
admired the council’s efforts to make it more attractive with astroturf
covering the wide concrete steps to create tiered seating for office workers
and tourists, but she hadn’t actually walked along it.
‘Not far,’ she replied.
Ryan made a funny noise. It could
have been a snort of derision or maybe he was just clearing his throat. They
walked in silence and Bea gave herself up to enjoying the moment. It was hard
not to – the blinding whiteness of the snow contrasting with the jauntily
painted narrow boats and barges.
‘Some of them are clear of snow,’
Bea observed.
‘Wood burners. It’ll be cosy inside.
That’s Fandangle’s.’ Ryan pointed ahead, but it could have been one of several
boats moored side by side.
Author Bio
– Deborah has worked as an occupational therapist, a health service
manager, a freelance journalist, and management consultant in health and social
care.
Her protagonists are often people who exist on
the edges of society. Despite the very real, but dark, subject matter her
stories are uplifting, combining pathos with humour. They are about
self-discovery and the power of friendships and community.
Just Bea is her second novel. Her debut The
Borrowed Boy was published last year.
Deborah lives on the Essex coast. When she is
not writing she combines her love of baking with trying to burn off the extra
calories.
Social
Media Links –
Website: www.abrakdeborah.wordpress.com
Twitter @DeborahKlee
Facebook Deborah Klee
Author
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.