Let me introduce Sam from Random Acts of Trust, my next book

As if I don't have enough going on, as It's Complicated wends its way through being uploaded and published, I'm also working on Random Acts of Trust, the second book in my Random series (following Random Acts of Crazy).

Meet Sam, the drummer. Here's his first (and only) appearance in the book It's Complicated:

“Crackhead! Hey, Crackhead!” Darla shouted from the porch as Alex rounded the corner. Trevor, Joe, and two other guys about their age were in the front yard, moving large bags of sand from a pallet in the yard on to the porch. 

“I might do ’shrooms and some pot, but I don’t touch crack,” a red-headed guy said drolly.   

“Is that a term of endearment, Darla?” Alex called out. 

She planted her hands on her hips and smiled. “I feel right at home when I'm shouting for that cat.” She laughed, the sound eerily similar to Josie's cackle.  “Dr. Perfect. How’s your head?” 

“It’s better.” He touched the healing wound lightly. “What’s going on here?” 

“I won a lifetime’s supply of kitty litter. Or, at least, my mama did.” 

“You only have two cats, right?” He chuckled, watching the guys haul and re-stack. “Where are you going to store it all?” He imagined Josie would have a mixed reaction, given her apartment’s clean, spare look. 

“You got one?” She perked up. “Trevor, give Alex a bag.” 

Oof! As if he were lifting a newborn baby, Trevor handed off a twenty-pound bag of litter. Alex’s knees bent at the weight and his hip screamed. 

“Thanks,” he said, acting like it was no big deal. The testosterone level in the yard was up to his chin, and something primal in him made him man up. “But I don’t have a cat.” 

“How about your mom? Your grandpa? Someone you know? Maybe take a few bags to the hospital and see if people want some?” 

He set the bag down carefully. “No thanks, Darla. But it might come in handy this winter on icy walkways.” 

“Oooh, good selling point.” 

“Who are all these guys?” 

“The band. You know Trevor and Joe.” Both grunted a “hello.” “And this is Sam, the drummer,” she said, pointing to the redhead. Deep auburn hair and the kind of skin that tans, rather than burns, with greenish hazel eyes. He was the only guy wearing a shirt, something from a geeky t-shirt store, and the quick eye contact and downcast eyes were more about shyness than anything else. 

“Liam’s the guitar player.” 

“One of them!” Trevor protested. 

“The best one,” Liam crowed, reaching out to shake Alex’s hand. Liam and Trevor could have been brothers, both possessing a natural confidence and blonde surfer-dude look, though Liam was taller, looking down at Alex as they shook hands. 

“So, this is the entire band?” Josie’s texts this past week had explained who Trevor and Joe were, and Darla’s relationship with them, as well as the Random Acts of Crazy band. Alex hadn’t heard of them, but then again, he lived in his own hospital-filled bubble. 

Liam nodded. “We’re all here, moving kitty litter for Trevor and Joe’s puss—” 

“HEY!” shouted the two guys, Joe throwing his shirt at Liam. It caught him on the side of his grinning face. 

“You’re here, aren’t you?” Darla said, going right up to Liam and smiling. This was all good-natured, Alex could see. 

“Where’s Josie?” Alex asked.

You also, obviously, meet Liam. Guess who stars in the third Random book? :)

Stay tuned for more information on It's Complicated, and more excerpts from Random Acts of Trust.