Terri Osburn - Up to the Challenge

“Hey,” came a voice from behind her, then a warm body sat down at her side.

Sid blinked, certain she must be hallucinating.

“Hey,” she said, tentative. Waiting for Lucas to disappear.

He looked up at the sky. “Beautiful day.”

The weather? He was going to talk about the weather?

“Yeah.” She sat straight, her face turned away from him. Trying to be inconspicuous, she wiped a tear on her sleeve.

Silence prevailed, and Sid felt every muscle in her body tense. Why was he here?

“I stopped to say good-bye to Drillbit,” he said, as if reading her mind. “She told me you were out here.” She turned to see if he was serious and caught the grin. “I thought that might get your attention.”

Lucas wiped one of her tears away with his thumb, and Sid’s heart tried to fling itself out of her chest. “Why are you really here?” she asked, surprised she found the power to speak.

He looked out over the water. “I was heading for the ferry when I got this idea.”

“An idea?”

“Yeah. An idea. It involves you, so I thought I’d come over and run it by you.”

She’d thought any ideas involving her had ended yesterday. Her eyes dropped to her hands twisted in her lap. They were gripped tight enough to turn her fingers purple. “What’s the idea?”

Would he ask her to go with him? That had to be it. She was ready to scream yes when he said, “I’ve got one more challenge for you.”

Sid clamped her eyes shut. How stupid to think he’d take her with him.

“I don’t think I’m up for any more challenges.”

“That’s too bad,” he said, turning his body to face her. “This one could be a win-win for both of us.”

What was the man babbling on about? Why wouldn’t he just leave?

“Sid,” he said, and waited. Knowing he’d sit there forever until she turned, Sid gave in.

“What is it?”

He looked very serious and a little scared. Sid’s breathing slowed and the sound of waves and birds faded until she couldn’t hear anything but her own heartbeat and the man before her. “I was thinking about setting up a law office on the island, but I’ll need someplace to live. Do you think I could live here? With you? For the rest of my life?”

Sid sat blankly for a moment, processing what he’d just said.

Then she choked on the joy rushing through her system. She couldn’t talk. She couldn’t breathe. If this was a joke, she’d kill him.

When she didn’t respond, Lucas scooted closer. “What do you say? Are you up to the challenge?”

“Fuck yes,” she said, and launched herself into his arms.

Anchor Island is a product of my imagination, but wholly inspired by Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. The layout, street names, and even the weather are liberated from this tiny island at the base of the Outer Banks. So it goes, Dempsey’s Bar & Grill has a real counterpart as well. Howard’s Pub is one of the first establishments you’ll see as you drive into Ocracoke village. A lively restaurant with a friendly staff, welcoming atmosphere, and food that will have you coming back for more. If Anchor and Dempsey’s sound like places you’d like to visit, I highly recommend scheduling your next vacation around this beautiful and historic area of the mid-Atlantic coast.

The heroine of this novel, Sid Navarro, is one of my favorite characters. She’s brash and confrontational, but still vulnerable and sweet. Though she’d be quite put out to know I called her sweet. Sid sports an interesting wardrobe, and all of her (somewhat inappropriate) T-shirts can be added to your own closet if you look hard enough.

No author gets to this point alone, and I am no exception. My agent, Nalini Akolekar, is always in my corner and I cannot thank her enough. My editors, Kelli and Becky, helped me make this book the best it could be, and my beta readers (Marnee, Jeanne, Maureen, and Lynnette) are always a source of great insight and support. That said, any imperfections in this book are solely mine.

My daughter gives up much for me to pursue this endeavor, and for that I will always be grateful. The pets are not as understanding, but they try.

Photo by Crystal Huffman

Born in the Ohio Valley, Terri moved below the Mason-Dixon line in the early 1990s after experiencing three blizzards in eighteen months. Seeking warmer climes and a career in the music business, she landed in Nashville and learned fast that getting a job on Music Row is not as easy as it sounds. Ironically, it wasn’t until she left Nashville and moved to Arkansas that she found her way into radio. Being a disc jockey was the perfect job for this extrovert, being paid to talk for several hours a day, listen to endless amounts of music, and if a listener changed the channel (rejection!), she had no idea. Looking for a change, Terri moved to the East Coast, settled near the ocean, earned her bachelor’s degree while raising a daughter, and joined cubicle land once again. But love of the written word pulled her into an amazing online romance community and she started putting words on the page. Five years later, in 2012, she was named a finalist in the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest. Shortly after, she signed with an agent and moved into publication. Meant to Be was her debut novel. As for hidden talents, she makes a killer lasagna.