#HE USED TOO DATE WREN (BEFORE HE TRANSITIONED) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

likediamonds · 4 years

Text

I have some fairy OCs and I wrote short snippets about each of them to keep track of who they are as I better develop them!

Misty: Water talent. Long, blonde hair and blue eyes, pale skin. She loves fashion and fancy flying, she’s always very helpful whenever something is asked of her, and is generally sweet. She’s also dating her best friend and fellow water talent Cera.

Skater: Water talent. Dark brown hair and skin, dark green eyes. Skater is really high-energy for a water fairy—he’s very into sports and will try to help non-water talent fairies try out pond-skating out with lily pad skimmers. He very much has a sense of humor and can get along with any kind of fairy

Sienna: Animal talent. Strawberry blonde hair in 2 long bubble braid pigtails, tan skin and green eyes. Sienna is a quiet animal fairy with a surprising dry wit. She prefers spending time with wise old animals rather than the babies or dangerous cases. Dating Topaz.

Colin: Animal talent. Black hair that’s always messy, blue-green eyes, tan freckled skin. He’s very much a people-person for being an animal talent. He loves critters of all kinds, especially reptiles, but he’s also just as concerned with fellows of his own species, offering translation services to be inclusive to non-animal talents in conversation with his buddies.

Topaz: Light talent. Medium brown skin and eyes, dark brown hair with bangs, up in a bun. She’s super outgoing and talkative, really friendly with any fairy, and a little bit dramatic. She also adores gem-hunting and anything sparkly really. Dating Sienna.

Rory: Light talent. Pale skin, medium length dark red hair, dark blue eyes. Rory was actually given the name Aurora when he arrived, but he transitioned to sparrow man and changed it to Rory instead. He’s a bit sarcastic, but chill and friendly for the most part. He’s not super desirous of being the center of attention, being pretty humble.

Kelly: Tinker talent. Light brown skin and eyes, red hair with bangs in two braids. She’s the sweetest tinker fairy aroud—always ready with cookies and tea whenever somebody drops off or picks up a repair. She’s also a pet-lover and feeds stray bugs. Also likes reading and has a crush on Scribble.

Zen: Tinker talent. Light blonde hair, light tan skin, silver-blue eyes. Zen has a lot of patience for a tinker. He doesn’t stress out when things don’t work right, and he takes his time on projects to ensure the best outcome. He’s always polite and thoughtful to others as well, while his sister Zyla has her heart in the right place but can be quite brash.

Camellia: Garden talent. Light tan skin, curly black hair and dark brown eyes. She’s quite shy, and it takes her a while to become comfortable with others to speak much in front of them, but she has a secret love for singing. She sings to her plants when she thinks no one can hear. Dating story-teller Rune.

Linden: Garden talent. Blue-black hair, tan skin, dark brown eyes. Linden is a very handsome sparrow man, and he knows it—he’s not cocky or vain, but he is aware of himself. He’s very content within his talent, but he’s a little lonely and concerned that others aren’t really friends with him for his personality itself. He wants to expand his hobbies and become a more interesting person so he knows that there are reasons for people to like him beyond the exterior.

Kyra: Scout talent. Brown, shoulder-length hair, dark brown eyes, tan skin. Kyra lost half of her left arm after fending off a wasp, having to have an amputation at the elbow. She doesn’t regret the loss of limb because if she hadn’t stepped in and done her job, somebody else might have died. Duty to the kingdom coming before anything else, she hasn’t really taken any time for romance in her life and her best friends are fellow scouts. But among the group they have their fun and mess around sometimes, and she does have quite a soft heart and gentle attitude compared to some scouts.

Marianne: Dust talent. Short black hair, pale skin, golden-brown eyes. Marianne is a very ordinary dust talent. She loves dust-keeping more than anything, has the twinkle in her eyes for a good joke, is hard-working and non-confrontational. She also loves studying pixie dust among other topics.

Julienne: Baking talent. Medium-length blonde hair, often with braids, blue-green eyes, light tan skin. A very passive kind of baking fairy—she easily takes orders and is somewhat of a doormat, but though she says she doesn’t mind, she’s working on it. She mostly just wants to mind her own business and bake nice things, she’s neither outgoing nor unfriendly.

Nora: Art talent. Medium brown skin, dark violet hair, lavender eyes. Nora’s artistic talent expresses itself best when she makes small pieces. Rather than murals or large pottery projects, she loves making the kind of beautiful little decorative knick-knacks that sit on fairy’s bedroom shelves or charms that are carried around. She sculpts, carves, crafts and paints them in as much detail as she can and gives them away freely, always making more than she can store in her workshop. She’s somewhat socially awkward, but doesn’t really seem to notice the fact.

Hazel: Nursing/Healing talent. Light tan skin, medium brown hair in bun twintails, dark brown eyes. Hazel is the most relaxed nurse there is—when she’s not potion-mixing she’s usually the one sitting for a quiet chat with patients and making them feel calm rather than harping on how they need to take care of their injury. She’s easy going.

Piper: Messenger talent. Short red hair, dark brown eyes, tan skin. Only really serious when it comes to official announcements, Piper is quite friendly. Being a messenger-talent fairy, she gets to see a lot of different people in a day, and pretty much knows everyone in Pixie Hollow. It’s a good thing she’s not a gossiper.

Zyla: Fast-flying talent. White hair in a bob with side bangs, tan skin, hazel eyes. Zyla is a fast-flyer of the people. She’s not selfish about her talent just performing for the sake of it, but tries to help others. She can be kind of blunt as well as impatient, but is never trying to be rude. Her brother is Zen.

Sage: Story-telling talent. Long black hair, light brown skin, dark brown eyes. Sage doesn’t just tell stories on stage or around a campfire with a large crowd—she’s an every-day kind of story lover. A slice-of-life narrator who may amuse or annoy fellow fairies when she tells descriptive stories of seemingly ordinary events in their friends’ lives, or embellishing whatever they’re currently doing with speculation on what they could be thinking or what’s about to happen. She makes stories happen.

Gemma: Mining talent. Short brown hair, light brown skin, blue-green eyes. Like most mining talents, Gemma and her brother are quite monotone and gruff compared to other fairies, rather spending time underground than at fairy dances. Gem does have a little bit of a romantic heart despite not being very girly.

Jet: Mining talent. Short brown hair, light brown skin, dark brown eyes. Jet, similar to his sister and talent mates, is not the most talkative and outgoing sparrow man, but he’s a fiercely loyal friend and also has a sense of humor hiding under his rough exterior.

Allegra: Music talent. Sandy blonde hair, misty silver-blue eyes, pale skin. Allegra is blind, having Arrived that way, but she’s never been bothered by it. Her talent is music, so to her, she “sees” through sound and that’s all she really needs. She’s somewhat reserved in personality, not revealing too much about her thoughts or feelings, but she’s never been shy or had stage-fright. She’s willing to fill any silence with music.

Snowdrop: Winter garden talent. White hair in ponytail, pale skin, grey eyes. She’s not the bravest fairy out there, and not very interested in exploring outside of her comfort zone. She’s perfectly happy tending to the plants in Winter Woods and hanging out with the couple of friends she already knows. Snowdrop is very kind, and she will speak up when she’s uncomfortable.

Wren: Winter animal talent. Medium-length curly white hair, tan skin, medium brown eyes. Wren is not super talkative or playful, unlike most animal-talent fairies. She’s not shy, she’s just really interested. She’ll interact if necessary, but she’d rather be with her animals or enjoying some alone time.

Crystal: Frost talent. White hair in bob style with bangs, medium brown skin, blue eyes. Crystal is a typical frost fairy, artistic and bubbly—but she’s also not a push-over. She’s not afraid to speak up for herself and go her own way if necessary, and has the most leadership skills amongst her friends.

Lumi: Snowflake talent. White hair in up-do, dark brown eyes, tan skin. Lumi is Deaf, having arrived that way, and uses fairy sign language to communicate. She has a very simple and funny personality, and likes to be included in conversations. She has a little bit of an adventurous streak as well.

#(ooc.)#tbt

4 notes · View notes

iamgrayfox · 7 years

Photo

ANHOTHER DRAWING???yeah i’m procastinating and this is my new oc, nicknamed shitbucket, dont love him

#my art #my post #my ocs #Shitbucket #THE REASON WHY I HATE HIM?#OH YEAH HE'S A TRANSPHOBE #HE USED TOO DATE WREN (BEFORE HE TRANSITIONED)#AND HE TOLD HIM #THAT HE WANTED TO BE TRANS #AND SHITBUCKET #SAID YOU AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE G/O/I/N/G T/O/ /H/E/L//L #AND A LOT OF OTHER SHIT #AND THEY BROKE UO #AND WREN WAS LIKE SO Y'KNOW #ANZIETY AND STUFF #SO I HATE THIS GUY #THEREFORE THE NAME SHITBUCKET #:)

4 notes · View notes

pleasereadfully-blog · 7 years

Text

WARNING: LAWRENCE M. REINHARDT/USER “OSPRIET”

further proof the person and accounts referenced are him:

(since writing this, lawrence has since deleted his blog. either he then recreated it with the same url or someone else got to it in the interim, just know that the current holder of the url “ospriet” may not be lawrence himself. there are as many screenshots of the posts referenced as possible.)

to match the pictures above with the ORIGINAL account referenced:

http://ospriet.tumblr.com/tagged/it-me [click for image]

warning for not safe for work content with multiple topics. adults having sexual contact w/ minors, topics including incest, beastiality, rape, torture porn, abuse and other uncomfortable topics.

what’s of most concern is this man’s tendency to pursue teenage partners despite being well into his 20s and nearing his 30s. this perhaps wouldn’t be so concerning if he didn’t start his pursuits when these vulnerable (mostly trans boys, either pre-transition or as they transition it seems) teenagers who either aren’t 18 yet or are just recently 18. while not illegal, there is something very disturbing about a 28 year old man who repeatedly targets teenagers. he is not engaging in these relationships without knowing the ages or age gaps, he has admitted he knows just how old his partners are when he first starts seeking them out. these are not false allegations. there have been lengthy, emotionally devastating conversations with his past partners. he appears to use to fandom, online communities and groups, friendship, and roleplay to lure (there are other instances of similar posts throughout his blog) these teenagers in and then fosters a friendship with them that then he turns into a (sexual) relationship. there are several other links and screenshots throughout this post where he admits he enjoys age gaps as well.

(for those who do not know what some of these terms mean: roleplay is where two or more person’s write from the view point of certain characters from different mediums. it can vary from safe for work content or sexually explicit content.

“fandom” refers to collective fans of different medium, shows, games, books etc.)

it seems the fandoms in particular are snk, homestuck, the mcelroys brother’s content and dragon age. the first two seem as though he’s not into them anymore, but they’re worth noting. also vulture culture, norse mythology, werewolves and witchcraft but those two aren’t fandom just communities more or less.

he also appears to use okcupid, tinder and other date applications and websites to find people who meet his marks so be aware if you use such things or know people who do.

any adult man who has repeatedly displayed this behavior around teenagers should not be tolerated or excused for these actions. i would have liked to not put words in the reader’s mouth but repeated offenses like this have only one word: predatory. he should not be fostering friendships with teenagers, particularly ones who are minors. he should not be allowing minors to follow his blog. he should not be talking with them in private through skype or text or email or any other venue. he has reblogged provocative illustrated art of minors before which is disturbing given his inclinations. yes to be just, there are only two instances but they are there. there are images below which contain beastiality and as confirmed by others, he is sexually interested in scenarios involving animals beyond fiction and should not be around those either to be frank. even if you would like to wish that purely fictional interests don’t necessarily translate into real life pursuits, he has already demonstrated he’s willing to sexually and coercively pursue minors. the at the time 17 year old he dated still bears deep and lasting psychological scars from their “relationship” with him.

be aware that much of this is just the things we know of now that were made public through his blog.

the following information has been either found on his blog or generously supplied by individuals seeking to do right by the community.

his name is lawrence m. reinhardt [image], his nickname is wren, he’s currently 28 years old [image], lives in milford connecticut [image], works at jones family farm [image] and utilizes this tattoo parlor [image]. previously he was employed at uniqlo. [image]

this is his etsy shop [image] , his facebook account [link] his skype account [image] as well.

this an avatar he frequently uses. formally made by a previous girlfriend. [image]

his home address was left out of this write up as it wouldn’t be fair to involve his family since he still lives at home with them.

do not agree with some of the previous methods used to address these matters nor do i enjoy sharing the information above but i think it is important given his history that people know just who he is and where he can be found.

i sincerely hope that the information below gives anyone pause before they continue interacting with and supporting lawrence. these are not matters that could or should be waved away or excused with “but his current boyfriend is 18/over 18.” this isn’t a one off event or cause of concern and trying to excuse his behavior makes the excuser just as much to blame for his actions.

his lines clearly are crossed between reality and fiction and his fictional pursuits clearly have already endangered vulnerable youth and left unchecked, he stands to harm future youth as well.

please keep in mind there is much that has not been shared at the request of those he’s interacted with in the past. please keep reading for specific documentations of the above matters.

there is a good thing to read on the matter of age gaps themselves located here for those willing.

as well as this post as well as other posts on the blog pertaining to age gaps.

===

he says he’s only interest in a 5 year or so difference but repeatedly targets teenagers out of his age range to pursue.

[click for image]

all of his relationships save for one that’s been found have been 8 or more years with largest gap being 9 years. this is a dangerous pattern.

from the oldest relationship located to the most recent:

in 2013, dated http://barackohana.tumblr.com/unknown age unknown and this is the only mention of them. mentioned only to establish the timeline. http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/41822601413/barackohana-im-gonna-meet-my-bf-face-to-face-on [click for link to image]

then dated http://dysfunctionaldraught.tumblr.com for several months. currently 22, so they were 17/18 at the start of their relationship and interactions. [click for image] [click for image]

====

[NAME REDACTED IN THESE POSTS this individual was a minor for this ‘friendship’ into ‘relationship’ and has been contacted about this relationship. talking about lawrence and this ‘relationship’ was very uncomfortable for them and they prefer to keep as much distance as possible and we’ve done our best to honor that request.] keep in mind, ospriet/lawrence was 25 for this relationship, he acknowledges his age here: http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/84571471106/sometimes-i-forget-im-in-my-mid-twenties-l-m-f-a [click for link to image]

”i was 17 when i met him and he was 25 (i’m 21 now) and [redacted …]” [click for link if image won’t show]

was 17 when they started talking. (old links & their old account berik http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/93897778121/beriks-im-twelve-look-at-this-little-shit [click for link to image]

being 17 at the start, they were in highschool. http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/88865162886/beriks-time-to-graduate-nerds-congratulations [click for link to image] ospriet.tumblr.com/post/85847849581/ [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/85180268721/92936-pm-chief-i-a-cute-southern [click for link to image]

sexual content: http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/91473197761/stayed-up-waaay-too-late-foolin-around-with-the http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/87159731326/this-just-in-my-boyfriend-has-the-cutest-undies [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/88177729331/more-i-think-thats-partly-why-i-freakin [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/86710997056/you-know-what-sucks-more-going-almost-an [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/87947493101/more-you-know-what-sucks-going-through-a [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/101713543141/more-i-say-i-dont-chase-but-i-do-i-did when they had broken up, references ‘chasing’ people and the fact that this person was a child at the time something he himself points out. [click for link to image]

other bits of conversation with this person: [chat part 1.] [chat part 2.] the parts that are redacted are for this person’s comfort, they felt those parts were too identifying. [chat part 3.] contains more (see below under cl2y) about his habit of telling stories about all of his exes, none of which are kind and all paint him in a better light. it’s one of the classic moves of an abuser. the red edits are from them themself, the edits do not change the context and also fix some grammatical errors.

of note, after this person broke things off with lawrence, he went on to reblog this post [link to image] despite asking for and engaging in sexual content with a known minor willingly.

====

http://coyoteas.tumblr.com/ [click for link to image] - was 18/19 when they started dating. was 18 when they first started talking. http://ospriet.tumblr.com/archive/2014/9 http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/101642762146/coyoteas-replied-to-your-postthat-feel-when-you [click for link to image] rp might be one of the ways he lures people in. [definitely uses sex appeal - click for screenshot] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/103246409901/if-you-cant-appreciate-hella-cute-boys-with [click for link to image] chat with coyoteas. [click for link to image] this was all he was willing to share in regards to lawrence’s behavior.

====

http://kitchnboy.tumblr.com/ / localchef.tumblr.com (previous url) / http://unchefly.tumblr.com (previous url) was 18 when they started dating, was 18 when they started talking based on timing. [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/120590264641/also-im-not-single-anymore [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/129047704191/pretty-sure-my-boyfriend-fell-asleep-cuddling-an [click for link to image] references his boyfriend’s underage drinking.

===

he was briefly seeing a few people between the person below and kitchnboy but there is not enough information his blog to find out who they were and ask them if they’d be willing to speak about their experiences with him or their ages for that matter… see the chat logs below generously given for this from cl2y.

====

name redacted upon request. this partner was very uncomfortable talking about him so we’ve kept it to just what was said on his blog and the fact that they are in fact in their 20s, closer to his age than his previous partners which, if we can speculate might be why he lost interest relatively quickly. [click for link to image] [click for link to image] [click for link to image]

=====

as for lawrence’s most recent ex, they’ve asked to also be redacted from this file. - is currently 19, supposedly they’ve been talking since he was at least 18 ish while lawrence was dating another partner. he was described as one former partner as a ‘serial monogamist’ and it does appear that he rapidly lines up and cycles through partners. [click for an old image] link redacted for as much privacy as possible [click for link to image] age proof http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/160663250106/the-gays [click for link to image] they have definitely met irl. http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/160694921851/you-know-youre-screwed-when-your-bed-still-smells [click for link to image] proof of sexual contact. where ospriet and others go on to defend his choices in dating teenagers: ospriet.tumblr.com/post/161463971591/just-so-were-clear-i-have-a-boyfriend-my [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/161480963336/now-that-im-home-for-the-evening-i-will-explain [click for link to image]

======

other inappropriate age wise ‘friendships’ that were found: http://puppy-eater.tumblr.com/ http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/97018639641/puppy-eater-replied-to-your-post-mor-i-used-to had been speaking to lawrence before this point, so was in highschool. between 17-18. http://native-trickster.tumblr.com/ [click for image] was 17 when they first began interacting on tumblr, is now 18.

=====

general others:

http://tricksterkind.tumblr.com/about - age unknown but they might have been almost dating at one point.

user cl2y was exceptionally generous and brave to not only share the following logs but to allow us to keep their name attached to all this. the following are both logs from skype with him as well as a tumblr chat they had with someone else concerning what he said. cl2y and lawrence had been talking in the summer of 2016, when these screenshots had come from.

[tumblr log 1.] [skype log part 1.] his age. [skype log part 2.] this seems to be one of the people he was seeing after kitchnboy. [skype log part 3.] on his other exes. [skype log part 4.] not really proof of anything, but can’t distinguish between reality and fiction and lets that fiction influence his reality. the folowing contain noncon or torture porn references in rp scenarios that cl2y was not comfortable with but he couldn’t take a hint. [skype log part 5.] [skype log part 6.] [skype log part 7.] [skype log part 8.]

of note as well, he made this post 3 years back looking down upon scenarios he himself asked for. [click for link] also note the fact he is unconcerned with minors engaging in sexual scenarios. in the following link from 3 years ago, he berates fictional portrayal of noncon including using it to cope despite soliciting such content against the wishes of one of his then roleplay partners (cl2y). [click for image]

this was also around the time he was “dating” and engaging a minor in sexual scenarios so he is certainly not really concerned with the legality of the issues he’s talking about.

it’s believed he uses roleplay to find new targets. [click for image]

========

underage art reblogged: http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/87417886561/irisviel-yukinashin-%E6%B4%97%E6%B4%97%E7%90%83%E6%B4%97%E7%90%83%E7%90%83 levi and eren (13-16 years old) from snk [click for link to image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/90305481776/erueres-%E3%83%89%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC eren (13-16 years old) and erwin from snk [click for link to image] [click for image] - more incestual content, from homestuck this time. the characters pictured are related as well as 13-16 years old.

========

nsfw content warning http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/151957572816/inkeyeliner-had-a-freaking-blast-at [click for image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/160297190971/sometimessmuthappens-oh-gosh-%CF%89-%E3%82%9E-i [click for image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/155717961546/sometimessmuthappens-uhhhhhh-ooops-not-sure-if [click for image] borderline beastiality. http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/114134431481/i-long-to-talk-with-some-old-lovers-ghost-who if not actual. [click for image]

======

borderline fetishistic interest in other cultures, particularly japanese (reblogs a ton of japanese art/uses japanese phrasing/kanji/acquired a job at a japanese clothing store) or other asian cultures. please look through his archives, there are too many posts to include. [click for link] also says things like http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/92592080111/oh-my-god-i-dont-have-yellow-fever-i-swear-ive not this is involving the 17 year old he was dating. [click for image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/84559811006/when-i-turn-30something-i-hope-i-look-half-as-good [click for image] also roleplayed real people (http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/90308357146/blauh-blah-more-when-i-came-home-from-the [click for image] also native american cultures. has plenty of reblogs in history.

other posts of interest http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/70938323641/sigh-pretty-girls-in-lolita-dresses-and-frills [click for image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/54425446342/am-i-the-only-dude-who-ships-roxy-and-dirk-le into incest. [click for image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/159349377356/cats-paw-talisman-for-safe-travels has a real cats paw.. who knows from where. [click for image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/155183650071/shit might be his car. [click for image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/114184533256/what-sort-of-animal-could-be-my-spirit-animal involved in ‘spirit animals’ even though that is not his place as a non-native american. [click for image] http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/101732442131/i-need-something-cute-to-bed-stat lends itself to the whole theory he targets and dates people for relative easy access for sexual content/sex. teenagers are slightly easier marks than people his own age. [click for image]

====

these posts are simply ironic given his history with minors and teenagers. http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/154185782796/being-an-adult-is-hardmore-being-an-adult [click for image]

http://ospriet.tumblr.com/post/139206250666/ngl-im-a-little-bummed-i-wontcant-attend [click for image]

====

i’m well aware there are many who will feel strongly about how this is being handled but this isn’t gossiping or rumor-milling. there’s ample evidence here that points to his attentions to minors/teenagers. and no, no one involved in the marking of this post (apart from the exes or ex-roleplay partners who responded) was personally affected. one of us got a message about this man and decided to look into it because you can’t go and believe general “slanderous” statements about people, especially from completely anonymous parties. imagine the shock when it was discovered that the message received wasn’t based in lies and that it wasn’t a “typical tumblr callout” post.

#vulture culture #witchcraft #dragon age #werewolf #norse paganism #norse mythology #homestuck #mcelroys #mbmbam #da2 #cryptids #asatru #freyr #nature #dai #wolf #taxidermy #dave strider #taz

76 notes · View notes

sarcastic-little-muse · 7 years

Text

Pretty Little Liars Finale

Okay gotta get this off my chest because people threatening Marlene and the actors are really starting to get on my nerves First off as was seen through the cast's posts on social media and snapchats etc etc TV episodes are filmed MONTHS before they air. And unlike movies TV shows don't get reshoots most of the time because after the pilot/first season they don't go to focus groups before the public the way movies do. So at no point ever had the story been changed due to a spoiler leaking no matter what is written on online. As for missing actors unfortunately that happens sometimes. Actors get contracts for other projects they agree to schedules and they can't get out of it. It sucks but it's an unfortunate truth of filming and theatre as a whole. Second off the CeCe reveal: it made a lot of sense as a mix of the direction the show went and the books. The books contained a neglected misunderstood DiLaurentis sibling being sent off to Radley which caused them to have bitter and angry feelings toward the family. This causes them to take over the game from Mona when her time as A ends (though Mona meets very different fates). The hurt sibling (who for clarity I will simply refer to as C as that is the common initial) returns to rosewood under a new name and manipulate their way into the Liars narrative. Later on C reveals themselves right before almost killing themselves and liars in an explosion. Back before the C reveal Marlene said that the twin theory was not off the table (as is now clear with Twincer). Someone who no doubt read the books snatched up the twin theory with C and Ali and the fandom ran with it on the internet. For CeCe specifically the switch from Charles to Charlotte and then choosing the name CeCe Drake is very understandable. If she was trans in a mental hospital she would have been given the hormones required to transition. Hollywood as a whole tends to make the casting decision to have some characters played by the gender the character had transitioned to so that it is a bigger more dramatic reveal (Law and Order SVU, Nip/Tuck and many others have done this as well I'm not saying I agree with this practice but that is a post for another day). Clues for CeCe's reveal were all over. Take Ravenswood: the mime Charlemange the Great. Charlemagne was a girls name until Prince Charles the Great of Germany was crowned king and took on the name making it male. Charlotte is a name derived from Charles. Also we saw CeCe getting up to some A antics long before the reveal (listening to Ezra and Aria in Ezra's apartment in a black hoodie). She references dolls all throughout her periods on the show and Melissa says no one is quite sure where CeCe came from. In Game Over Charles it was revealed that CeCe was allowed to go to UPenn the school Ali later got her kicked out of. Well if she (CeCe) had been blamed for Mrs. Cavanaugh's death the school would have no reason to doubt her pushing girl down the stairs. CeCe was the only one with an Ali mask besides A which was another clue. As for those who called her an "irrelevant character" at the time of the reveal she had been in 13 episodes. Wren had only been in 20 at the time. That is a 7 episode different making Wren just as irrelevant as her. The neglected CeCe made the most sense. Neglect mixed with obvious an dissociative disorder ("No one died did they?" - CeCe in "Game Over Charles") and other mental health issues (Note: being trans is not a mental illness) added to the obsession with her family would lead to these actions. Add in CeCe's talent for math and stats she made the most sense. Her escaping to England leads in to: The AD storyline: First off on the whole twin thing it actually makes a lot of sense that Jessica or Mary would give birth to twins being twins themselves. Twins or the children of twins have a 50-75% increase in the chance of becoming pregnant with twins. So Spencer being a twin makes sense. Secondly: Alex would have lived her live happily and never bothered the Liars if Wren hadn't found her. Then she learned that if she had just been the first born twin she could have had a wonderful (to her) life with parents and a sister and friends who loved her no matter what instead of being abandoned over and over. That kind of universal randomness can really screw with some people's heads, you see that after random acts of violence etc. Then Alex got what she wanted: a family. She had a family in Archer, Wren, and CeCe. Then Charlotte got sucked back into the game she lost her. When they caught CeCe she lost her for good then Mona killed her. She lost Archer when CeCe was put away. Later on she loses Wren because he begins to realize how screw up this is (your girlfriend asking you to shoot her so that she can pretend to be her identical twin to torture the twin and her friends can do that to a person). Alex was taken over by anger. She had a break with reality and believed she could really become Spencer (the whole twin thing makes me think Alex may have had borderline personality disorder which can cause inappropriately close relationships with friends, abandonment issues, lashing out and the want to be someone else specifically). Then we learned all the weird shit Spencer had done this season wasn't Spencer at all. It wasn't bad writing we just weren't looking deeply enough. And the way Toby figured it out is actually very smart. Horses are animals who can sense energy like no other. Horses become used to the energy one exerts and it doesn't matter if you look like the person they are used to (because horses have shit eyesight and it gets worse the closer you get to them) if you don't have the exact same energy they will spook (I have some experience with this my best friend is an identical twin. He is very comfortable around horses but his brother is not. The horses get spooked when the uncomfortable one comes near them and tries to touch them but relax when the comfortable tries). Horses are prey animals so their default setting is nervous and they are very aware of their surroundings. Add in the book he had seen Spencer writing in not having notes and there you go. (For those saying "it wasn't her vagina either" that's not how that works at all). And they showed that Mona was always Mona. She was obsessed with the game so she found a way to keep it going with her beau "arresting" them and setting up a new doll house Last part of my rant: The ships Can't we just be happy all the wanted loved ships sailed? Like come on how often does that happen? I never thought Emison would happen because Ali had been so manipulative to Emily throughout the series. Ezaria: Listen I have a unfortunate history with predatory relationships. Age, status etc etc doesn't immediately make the relationship predatory. Should Ezra have dated Aria while she was his student? No. But just because he did does not make him immediately a predator. Yes he made a stupid choice with the book but so has LITERALLY EVERY OTHER CHARACTER. Pretty Little Liars exists because they don't think their actions through they think it'll all be okay or they act when they are scared. As for the pregnancy thing: Some times unfortunately that is a real deal breaker and people break off engagements for it. So of course Aria was scared and guys don't always understand what goes through a woman's head when they find that out. A lot of women don't understand either. It's a complex personal thing. In the end Aria decided she could look past the book thing. Ezra decided he could look past the times she had lied too and they got married. It's fine. I think they tied up a lot of loose ends very nicely. We had all our questions answered even if you didn't like the answers they were there so it's all fine. Okay rant over.

#spoilers #pll #pllendgame #ezaria #spoby #haleb #emison #pretty little liars #pretty little thoughts

24 notes · View notes

juliaschrenkler · 7 years

Text

End of a season, start of a new year

Minnesota’s 2016 Pheasant / Grouse season ended on Sunday, January 1. It’s a sweet transition, not strange at all if you feel it instead of think about it.

This year a friend - Matt is a mentor, really - kindly offered a spare spot in a private land hunt that is his annual tradition, and I wildly threw the home calendar to the wind to accept.Wildly and wisely.

From meeting the landowner to getting completely (comically?) turned around in a clearly laid out section, I had a blast. Hunting alone I usually just sort of ramble behind my dog and sometimes angle toward a edge I’d like to check, while working with a group of three to five I’m usually the kid sister on the drift, but this hunt was a two person, three dog divide-and-conquer and I Had Responsibilities. It pushed me to focus in a fresh direction, which isn’t a bad way to start a year.

In reflection I can see where we did okay and where I biffed. My bird dog Wren was great, of course. She found a hen shortly into our solo walk and presented a really pretty point, a great omen.

Wren’s second point of the day was on a rooster who wasn’t having it and didn’t want to hold for a blink. Before I could call that my German Shorthair Pointer was on a bird, the pheasant lifted away from us. As I shouted out, “Rooooster!” I shouldered and shot. He was clearly nicked but clearly not knocked and the flight angle took him right into Matt’s lane, who was now on clean-up duty. His dog Lucy made a textbook retrieve I watched from a nice viewpoint, like an outdoors show in reality-vision. But it so much better to be outside instead of in front of a t.v.

As we walked that section of the field I spotted another rooster taking flight well out of range and well towards safety. Then came the real fun: the cane brush-by and cattail busting kind of fun. It was point after point on hen after hen, and I have to admit I don’t mind that one bit. One of Wren’s points was what I call a 'coy’ where she stops in her tracks but swings her head toward the bird and locks it over her shoulder. You can almost feel her directing, “Come hither, there’s a bird in this brush!”

Since we were working apart from each other and there was no lolly-gagging I didn’t get photos, missed a chance for some of Matt’s good humor, and really lost out by not seeing a gorgeous point from his dog Bella in her beloved cattails. I can still see him beaming as he told me about it.

the one pic from the day, of course it is of my dog Wren

There’s no measuring joy, but if a reader wants particulars here they are: I only nabbed one photo and we bagged only one rooster. We also had a tremendous amount of fun, which is the best stat. My favorite memory of the day is from the cattail edge where Wren locked up. I lumbered toward her with as much stealth as Godzilla in a hurry, and despite a thorough cover search I couldn’t find a bird. Matt’s German Shorthair Pointer Bella came over and seemed disinterested for a minute, then wryly honored the point in her own way. I rustled the cover again to no result. Matt headed over with his retriever Lucy and she sort of ambled in with a “what’s up” sashay. Just as she started to express interest the cattails and snow erupted with a hen who indignantly blasted out and away. Unable to catch myself I shouted, “HOLY SH*T!” as the pheasant popped up hard and fast, then started laughing almost too much to call out, “no bird!” Matt and I laughed at laughed at the thought of a ‘three dog hen' giving us a good surprise.

And oh, those hens. We seriously saw countless hens, so many of them in seemingly excellent health. I hope they have a good year ahead of them.

Maybe I’ll have a good year ahead too. From a season’s worth of lessons I’ll set my goals on 2017 with a few outdoor resolutions. In legalese these are including but not limited to:

More scouting: Some of the best spots we experienced this year were just on the edge of areas I’d checked over.

Better scouting: Walking and taking notes helps me learn terrain and habitat in a way I couldn’t learn otherwise. A couple of guided trips wouldn’t hurt either, which leads me to ...

Taking in another guided trip: My best guided trip experiences don’t involve kickin’ back in my client boots and getting waited on, which might be an entirely fresh post. But I intend to book another guided trip and make the most of it.

Taking in more trips with friends: My network allowed for a lot of group outings, but often only a day or even sometimes only part of a day. A full weekend camp or longer is in my sights.

Giving the dog her due: We’re partners out there and my bird dog deserves a fresh teammate perspective. Some training (for both of us) and some fun is in order.

Giving back! More volunteering? Yes, at least adding three more volunteer dates to the year.

Recommendations and advice accepted, naturally.

It’s nice to look forward, especially since my memories of last fall leave me with hope. Good people, good hens, good signs. With fair weather, great habitat, and no small amount of luck next year could be even sweeter.

#outdoors pheasant pheasant hunting conservation hunting birddog gsp

1 note · View note

dargeereads · 5 years

Text

Handle With Care by Helena Hunting

New York Times bestselling author of SHACKING UP and I FLIPPING LOVE YOU Helena Hunting mixes humor and heart in this scandal-filled romantic comedy.

HE WANTS TO LOSE CONTROL. Between his parents’ messed up marriage and his narcissistic younger brother, Lincoln Moorehead has spent the majority of his life avoiding his family. After the death of his father, Lincoln finds himself in the middle of the drama. To top it all off, he’s been named CEO of Moorehead Media, much to his brother’s chagrin. But Lincoln’s bad attitude softens when he meets the no-nonsense, gorgeous woman who has been given the task of transforming him from the gruff, wilderness guy to a suave businessman

SHE’S TRYING TO HOLD IT TOGETHER. Wren Sterling has been working double time to keep the indiscretions at Moorehead Media at bay, so when she’s presented with a new contract, with new responsibilities and additional incentives, she agrees. Working with the reclusive oldest son of a ridiculously entitled family is worth the hassle if it means she’s that much closer to pursuing her own dreams. What Wren doesn’t expect is to find herself attracted to him, or for it to be mutual. And she certainly doesn’t expect to fall for Lincoln. But when a shocking new Moorehead scandal comes to light, she’s forced to choose between her own family and the broody, cynical CEO.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Buy-Book Link:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250183996

Handle With Care Q&A – Helena Hunting

Q: Can you tell us a little about your new release, Handle with Care?

A: Handle with Care follows the story of the reclusive Lincoln Moorehead, who has done everything he can to separate himself from his family and their massive media corporation. Upon the death of his father, he’s forced to come home for the funeral, and then asked to stay on to help transition the company with the assistance of Wren Sterling who has been commissioned to overhaul Lincoln’s image in the public eye.

Q: Lincoln Morehead and Wren Sterling are the lead characters in Handle with Care. Which one of them did you find the easiest to develop? What is each characters best and worst traits?

A: I always find developing the male lead the easiest. I’m not sure why exactly that is, but Lincoln’s character was so easy to round out and develop. Lincoln’s worst trait is that he jumps to conclusions without first getting all the facts, but his best trait is his altruism. He’s very much about giving back, and despite the fact that he can be a grumpy jerk, he’s also an incredibly good human being. Wren’s worst trait is that she can be a martyr for things that are outside of her control but her best trait is her strength of character and her belief in redemption.

Q: What was your greatest challenge while Handle with Care? What was your greatest pleasure and/or reward?

A: Wren is a badass heroine, so I think finding the balance between her strength of character and those hints of vulnerability could be tricky at times. I really wanted to humanize her and make her relatable and I hope readers connect with her. I LOVED writing the banter between Linc and Wren. They are both such strong personalities, and that made putting them head to head so much fun.

Q: Which do you find easiest to write-the humor or the heart?

A: Humor always seems to find a natural place inside the story, but for me it’s about the balance between the two. I love taking a heavy moment and inserting some kind of comic relief before I go for the feels again.

Q: Do you work from an outline while writing your novels? How closely do the finished novels fit your original vision of the characters and storyline before you begin writing?

A: I outline extensively. Most of the time I have about ten thousand words of outline and character development before I even start writing. It’s just how I work most effectively. I need to know who my characters are going in and where I want them to be by the end of the book. I generally stick to my outlines very closely since they are so detailed.

Q: What did you edit OUT of this book?

A: A lot of f-bombs.

Q: Do you listen to music while writing? Does it influence the flow of the scene you are writing?

A: I do. I create playlists for every single book I write, and I often (always) listen to the same playlist while I write the book. This means that I burn out albums and songs for my family on a very, very regular basis. My husbands list of artists he will no longer listen to grows exponentially with every release. Halsey always finds a place on my playlist and the song Joaquim by Oscar and the Wolf was a particular favorite.

Q: When sitting down to write a new book you have a specific outline to follow or does it just flow naturally?

A: The first step in my process is always to write an outline. I need the bones of the story down, where the character arcs will fall and what the conflicts will look like before I start writing the book.

Q: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

A: I like hanging out with my daughter and craft. Recently we went camping, which was a fun experience, although I grew up with a family cottage so we would spend a lot of the summer there.

Q: Name three things on your desk right now.

A: Broken Knight by LJ Shen, Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey, Resist by K. Bromberg, Undeniable by Melanie Harlow, The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros (still gives me the chills when I think about it), Verity by Colleen Hoover.

Q: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

A: The banter between Wren and Linc and writing a grumpy, jerk hero who really isn’t a jerk but sure acts like one!

Q: To get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

A: I have two cats, Digit is a 14 year old pure white polydactyl cat who sheds like nobodies business and Pumpkin (named by our daughter) is a 6 year old black cat who often thinks he’s a dog, eat edamame beans and begs for bacon at the table.

Q: You've written many books & bestsellers, in many genres. What has been your favorite to write thus far?

A: That’s a hard question to answer. I love them all for very different reasons, but I will say that I had a lot of fun writing Wren and Linc because of the banter and how much I love writing a strong heroine.

Q: What was your favorite book or series in your youth?

A: I used to love reading VC Andrews books, and Clive Barker, which I realize are very, very different!

Q: What would you like us (the readers) to take away from your story?

A: That families aren’t perfect and people can make mistakes, yet still grow from them.

Q: What is your favorite platform to connect with your reader to date?

A: I have a reader group called The Beaver Den and I love it in there. The readers are always sharing book experiences and it’s a great community! If you want to join my group you can do it here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelenaHuntingBeaverDen/

Q: What project(s) are you currently working on?

A: I just finished the third book in the All In Series, which the first book will be releasing this fall. Next I’m starting a standalone, but I also have a new series I’ll be starting soon, and I have a book idea or two for secondary characters in the last two books of The Shacking Up series, as well. It’s safe to say that my writing schedule is planned for the next two years!

Q: Do you believe in love at first sight?

A: I don’t know about love at first sight but when I saw my husband from across the room for the first time I thought, “man, he’s pretty” and then when we had our first conversation the connection was instant. I think people can “click” and be drawn to each other for inexplicable reasons.

CHAPTER 1

WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?

WREN

I slip onto the empty bar stool beside the lumberjack mountain man who looks like he tried to squeeze himself into a suit two sizes too small. He’s intimidatingly broad and thick, with long dark hair that’s been pulled up into a haphazard man bun thing. His beard is a hipster’s wet dream. His scowl, however, makes him about as approachable as a rabid porcupine. And yet, here I am, sidling up next to him.

He glances at me, eyes bleary and not really tracking. He quickly focuses on his half-empty glass again. Based on the slump of his shoulders and the uncoordinated way he picks up his glass and tips it toward his mouth, I’m guessing he’s pretty hammered. I order a sparkling water with a dash of cranberry juice and a lime.

What I could really use is a cup of lavender-mint tea and my bed, but instead, I’m sitting next to a drunk man in his thirties. My life is extra glamorous, obviously. And no, I’m not an escort, but at the moment I feel like my morals are on the same kind of slippery slope.

“Rough day?” I ask, nodding to the bottle that’s missing more than half its contents. It was full when he sat down at the bar an hour ago. Yes, I’ve been watching him the entire time, waiting for an opportunity to make my move. While he’s been sitting here, he’s turned down two women, one in a dress that could’ve doubled as a disco ball and the other in a top so low-cut, I could almost see her navel.

“You could say that,” he slurs. He props his cheek on his fist, eyes almost slits. I can still make out the vibrant blue hue despite them almost being closed. They move over me, assessing. I’m wearing a conservative black dress with a high neckline and a hem that falls below my knees. Definitely not nearly as provocative as Disco Ball or Navel Lady.

“That solving your problems?” I give him a wry grin and tip my chin in the direction of his bottle of Johnnie.

His gaze swings slowly to the bottle. It gives me a chance to really look at him. Or what I can see of his face under his beard, anyway. 

“Nah, but it helps quiet down all the noise up here.” He taps his temple and blurts, “My dad died.” 

I put a hand on his forearm. It feels awkward, and creepy on my part since its half-genuine, half-contrived comfort. “I’m so sorry.”

 He glances at my hand, which I quickly remove, and refocuses on his drink. “I should be sorry too, but I think he was mostly an asshole, so the world might be better off without him.” He attempts to fill his glass again, but his aim is off, and he pours it on the bar instead. I rush to lift my purse and grab a handful of napkins to mop up the mess.

“I’m drunk,” he mumbles. 

“Well, I’m thinking that might’ve been the plan, considering the way you’re sucking that bottle back. I’m actually surprised you didn’t ask for a straw in the first place. Might be a good idea to throw a spacer in there if you want tomorrow morning to suck less.” I push my drink toward him, hoping he doesn’t send me packing like he did the other women who approached him earlier.

He narrows his eyes at my glass, suspicious, maybe. “What is that?”

“Cranberry and soda.”  

“No booze?” 

“No booze. Go ahead. You’ll thank me in the morning.”

 He picks up the glass and pauses when it’s an inch from his mouth. His eyes crinkle, telling me he’s smiling under that beard. “Does that mean Imma wake up with you beside me?”

I cock a brow. “Are you propositioning me?”

“Shit, sorry.” He chugs the contents of my glass. “I was joking. Besides, I’m so wasted, I can barely remember my name. Pretty sure I’d be useless in bed tonight. I should stop talkin’.” He scrubs a hand over his face and then motions to me. “I wouldn’t proposition you.”

I’m not sure how to respond. I go with semi-affronted, since it seems like somewhat of an insult. “Good to know.”

“Dammit. I mean, I think you might be hot. You look hot. I mean attractive. I think you’re pretty.” He tips his head to the side and blinks a few times. “You have nice eyes, all four of them are lovely.”

This time I laugh—for real—and point to the bottle. “I think you might want to tell your date you’re done for the night.”

He blows out a breath and nods. “You might be right.”

He makes an attempt to stand, but as soon as his feet hit the floor, he stumbles into me and grabs my shoulders to steady himself. “Whoa. Sorry. Yup, I’m definitely drunk.” His face is inches from mine, breath smelling strongly of alcohol. Beyond that, I get a whiff of fresh soap and a hint of aftershave. He lets go of my shoulders and takes an unsteady step back. “I don’t usually do this.” He motions sloppily to the bottle. “Mostly I’m a three drink max guy.”

“I think losing your father makes this condonable.” I slide off my stool. Despite being tall for a woman, and wearing heels, he still manages to be close to a head taller than me.

“Yeah, maybe, but I still think I might regret it tomorrow.” He’s incredibly unsteady, swaying while standing in place. I take the opportunity for what it is and thread my arm through his, leading him away from the bar. “Come on, let’s get you to the elevator before you pass out right here.”

He nods, then wobbles a bit, like moving his head has set him off balance. “That’s probably a good idea.”

He leans into me as we weave through the bar and stumbles on the two stairs leading to the foyer. There’s no way I’ll be able to stop him if he goes down, but I drape one of his huge arms over my shoulder anyway, and slip my own around his waist, guiding him in a mostly straight line to the elevators.

“Which floor are you on?” I ask.

“Penthouse.” He drops his arm from my shoulder and flings it out, pointing to the black doors at the end of the hall. “Jesus, I feel like I’m on a boat.”

“It’s probably all the alcohol sloshing around in your brain.” I take his elbow again, helping him stagger the last twenty feet to the dedicated penthouse elevator.

He stares at the keypad for a few seconds, brow pulling into a furrow. “I can’t remember the code. It’s thumbprint activated though too.” He stumbles forward and presses his forehead against the wall, then tries to line up his thumb with the sensor, but his aim is horrendous and he keeps missing.

I settle a hand on his very firm forearm. This man is built like a tank. Or a superhero. For a moment, I reconsider what I’m about to do, but he seems pretty harmless and ridiculously hammered, so he shouldn’t pose a threat. I’m also trained in self-defense, which would fall under the by any means necessary umbrella. “Can I help?”

He rolls his head, eyes slits as they bounce around my face. “Please.”

I take his hand between mine. The first thing I notice is how clammy it is. But beyond that, his knuckles are rough, littered with tiny scars and a few scabs, and his nails are jagged.

“Your hands are small,” he observes as I line his thumb up with the sensor pad and press down.

“Maybe yours are abnormally big,” I reply. They are rather large. Like basketball player hands.

“You know what they say about big hands.”

I fight not to roll my eyes, but for a brief moment, I wonder if what’s in his pants actually matches the rest of him. And if he’s unkempt everywhere, not just on his face. I cut that visual quickly because it makes me want to gag. “And what do they say?”

His eyes crinkle again, and he slaps his own chest. “Something about big hands, big heart.”

I bite back my own smile. “Pretty sure you’re mixing that up with cold hands, warm heart.”

His brow furrows. “There’s a good chance.”

The elevator doors slide open. He pushes off the wall with some effort and practically tumbles inside. He catches himself on the rail and sags against the wall as I follow him in. I honestly can’t believe I’m doing this right now.

He doesn’t have to press a button since the elevator only goes to the penthouse floor. As soon as we start moving, he groans and his shoulders curl in. “I don’t feel so good.”

Please don’t let him be sick in here. If there’s one thing I can’t deal with, it’s vomit. “You should sit.”

He slides down the wall, massive shoulders rolling forward as he rests his forehead on his knees. “Tomorrow is going to suck.”

I stay on the other side of the elevator, in case he tosses his cookies. “Probably.”

It’s the longest elevator ride in the history of the world. Or at least it feels that way, mostly because I’m terrified he’s going to yak. Thankfully, we make it to the penthouse floor incident-free. On the down side, now that he’s in a sitting position, getting him to stand again is a challenge. I have to press the open door button three times before I can finally coax him to his feet.

In the time between leaving the bar and making it to the penthouse floor, the effects of the alcohol seems to have compounded. He’s beyond sloppy, using the wall and me for support as we make our way to his door. There are two penthouse apartments up here. One on either side of the foyer.

He leans against the doorjamb, once again fighting to find the coordination to get his thumb to the sensor pad. I don’t ask if he needs my assistance this time since it’s quite clear he does. Once again I take his clammy hand in mine.

“Your hands are really soft,” he mumbles. 

“Thanks.”

 The pad ashes green, and I turn the handle. “Okay, here we go. Home sweet home.” 

“This isn’t my home,” he slurs. “My cousin’s family owns this building. I’m crashing here until I can get the fuck out of New York.”

I scan the penthouse. It an eclectic combination of odd art and modern furniture, like two different tastes crashed together and this is the result. Aside from that, it’s clean to the point of looking almost like a show home.

The only sign that someone is staying here is the lone coffee cup on the table in the living room and the blanket lolling like a tongue over the edge of the couch. I’m still standing in the doorway while he sways unsteadily.

He tries to shove his hand in his pants pocket, but all he succeeds in doing is setting himself off-balance. He nearly stumbles into the wall.

“Thanks for your help,” he says.

He’s back in his penthouse, which means my job is technically done. However, I’m worried he’s going to hurt himself, or worse, asphyxiate on his own vomit in the middle of the night, and I’ll be the one catching heat if that happens. I’ll also feel bad if something happens to him. I blow out a breath, annoyed that this is how my night is ending.

I heave his arm over my shoulder and slip mine around his waist again, leading him through the living room toward what seems to be the kitchen. There’s a sheet of paper on the island, but otherwise it’s spotless.

“What’re you doing?” he asks.

We pause when we reach the threshold. “Which way is your bedroom?”

He looks slowly from right to left. “Not that way.” He points to the kitchen. It’s very state of the art.

I guide him in the opposite direction down the hall, until he stumbles through a doorway, into a large but simply furnished bedroom. Once we reach the edge of the bed, he drops his arm, spins around—it’s drunkenly graceful—and falls back on the bed, arms spread wide as if he’s planning on making snow angels. “The room is spinning.”

“Would you like me to get you a glass of water and possibly a painkiller for the headache you’ll likely have in the morning?” I’m already heading for the bathroom.

“Might be a good idea,” he mumbles.

I find a glass on the edge of bathroom vanity—which is clean, apart from a brand new toothbrush and tube of toothpaste. I run the tap, wishing I had a plastic tumbler, because I’m not sure he’s in any state to deal with breakable objects. I check the medicine cabinet, find the pills I need, shake out two tablets, and return to the bedroom.

He’s right where I left him; sprawled out faceup on a massive king-size bed, legs hanging off the end, one shoe on the floor beside him. I cross over and set the water and the pills on the nightstand.

I make a quick trip back to the bathroom and grab the empty wastebasket from beside the toilet in case his night is a lot rougher than he expects.

I tap his knee, crossing my fingers he’ll be easy to rouse. “Hey, I have painkillers for you.”

He makes a noise, but doesn’t move otherwise.

I tap his knee again. “Lincoln, you need to wake up long enough to take these.” I cringe. I called him by name, and he didn’t offer it to me while we were down at the bar. Here’s hoping he’s too drunk to notice or remember. His name is Lincoln Moorehead, heir to the Moorehead Media fortune and all the crap that comes with it. And there’s a lot of it.

One eye becomes a slit. “Every time I open my eyes, the room starts spinning again.”

“If you drink this and take these, it might help.” I hold up the glass of water and the pills.

“’Kay.” It takes three tries for him to sit up. He tries to pick the pills up out of my palm, but keeps missing my hand.

“Just open your mouth.”

He lifts his head. “How do I know you’re not trying to roofie me?”

I hold up the tablet in front of his face. “They don’t say roofie, so you’re safe.”

He tries to focus on the pill and then my face. I have my doubts he’s successful at either.

His tongue peeks out to drag across his bottom lip. “The cameras in the hall will catch you if you steal my wallet.”

I laugh at that. “I’m not going to steal your wallet, I’m going to put you to bed.”

“Hmm.” He nods slowly and opens his mouth.

I drop the pills on his tongue and hand him the glass, which he drains in three long swallows. “Would you like me to refill that?”

“That’d be nice.” He holds out the glass, but when I try to pull away, he covers my hands with his. His shockingly blue eyes meet mine, and for a moment they’re clear and compelling. Despite how out of it he is, and how much he resembles a mountain man, or maybe because of it, I have a hard time looking away. “I really wish I wasn’t this messed up. You smell nice. I bet your hair is pretty when it’s not pulled up like that.” He flops a hand toward my bun. “Not that it’s not pretty like that, but I bet if you took it down, it would be wavy and soft. The kind of hair you want to bury your face in and run your fingers through.” He exhales a long breath. “I haven’t had sex in a really long time, but I feel like I would have zero finesse if I tried right now.”

I smile and turn away. In the time it takes for me to refill his glass, he’s managed to get one arm out of his suit jacket. He’s made it most of the way onto the bed, feet still hanging off the end, but he’s on his back, which is not ideal.

I set the glass on his nightstand, along with a second set of painkillers, which I’m assuming he’ll need in the morning, and give him another nudge. “Hey.”

This time I get nothing in the way of a response. I poke him twice more, but still nothing. He can’t sleep on his back with how drunk he is. He needs to be on his side or his stomach with a wastebasket close by.

I can’t in good conscience leave him like this. My options are limited. I shake my head as I kick off my shoes and climb up onto the bed with him. This is not at all what I expected to be doing when I brought him back up here.

I stare down at his sleeping form. His lips are parted, they’re nice lips, full and plump, even though they’re mostly obscured by his overgrown beard. His hair has started to unravel from its man bun, wisps hanging in his face. He has long lashes, really long actually, and they’re thick and dark, the kind women pay a lot of money for. His nose is straight and his cheekbones— what I can see of them—are high. With a haircut, a beard trim or complete shave, and a new suit that actually fits, I can imagine how refined he’ll look. More like a Moorehead than a mountain man lumberjack. I shake my head. “I need you to roll onto your side, please,” I say loudly.

Nothing. Not even a grunt.

I pull on his shoulder, but he’s dead weight. Leaning over him, I make a fist and give him a light jab approximately where his kidney is. “Lincoln, roll over.”

And roll he does, knocking me down and turning over so he’s right on top of me. We’re face-to-face. Good God, he’s heavy. His bones must be made of lead. He shifts, one leg coming over both of mine. I push at his knee, but his arm swings out and he wraps himself around me on a low groan, pinning my arm to my side. He’s like a giant human blanket.

“How did this become my life?” I say to the ceiling, because the man lying on top of me is apparently out cold.

I try to wriggle free, I even yell his name a bunch of time before I give up and wait for him to roll off me. And while I wait for that to happen, I replay the conversation with his mother, Gwendolyn Moorehead, that took place forty-eight hours ago and put me in this awkward position underneath her drunk son.

I’d been standing in Fredrick’s office, still digesting the fact that he was dead. It was shocking that a massive heart attack had taken him, since he was always so healthy and full of life.

Gwendolyn, his wife—now a widow—stood stoic behind his desk, papers stacked neatly in the center.

“I’m so very for your loss, Gwendolyn. If there’s anything I can do. Whatever you need.” The words poured out, typical condolences, but sincerely meant because I couldn’t imagine how my mother and I would feel if we lost my father.

Gwendolyn’s fingers danced at her throat as she cleared it. “Thank you,” she whispered brokenly and dabbed at her eyes. “I appreciate your kindness, Wren.”

“Let me know what you want me to handle, and I’ll take care of it.”

She took a deep breath, composing herself before she lifted her gaze to mine. “I need your help.”

“Of course, what can I do?”

“My oldest son, Lincoln, will be returning to New York for the funeral, and he’ll be staying to help run the company.”

A hot feeling crept up my spine. I’d heard very little about Lincoln. Everything from Armstrong’s mouth was scathing, Fredrick’s passing references had been with fondness, and my interactions with Gwendolyn had been minimal as it was Fredrick himself who hired me, so this was first I’ve heard of Lincoln through her. “I see. And how can I help with that?” I could only imagine how difficult Armstrong would be if he had to share the attention with someone else, particularly his brother.

“Transitioning Lincoln.” Gwendolyn rounded her desk. “You’ve managed to turn around Armstrong’s reputation in the media during the time you’ve been here. I know it hasn’t been easy, and Armstrong can be difficult to manage.”

Difficult to manage is the understatement of the entire century where Armstrong is concerned. He’s a cocksucker of epic proportions. He’s also a misogynistic, narcissistic bastard that I’ve had to deal with for the past eight months on a nearly daily basis—sometimes even on weekends.

My job as his “handler” has been to reshape his horrendous reputation after his involvement in several scandalous events became very public. It wasn’t a job I necessarily wanted, and I was prepared to politely reject the offer, but my mother asked me to take the position as a favor to her since she’s a friend of Gwendolyn.

Beyond that, my relationship with my mother has been strained for the past decade. When I was a teenager, I discovered information that changed our relationship forever. Taking the job at Moorehead was in part, my way of trying to help repair our fractured bond. The financial compensation, which was ridiculously high, also didn’t hurt. Besides, Gwendolyn is on nearly every single charitable foundation committee in the city, and since that’s where my interests lie, it seemed like a smart career move.

“Since you’re already working with Armstrong and things seem to be settled there for the most part, I felt it would make sense to keep you on here at Moorehead to work with Lincoln. He’s been away from civilized society for several years. He’s nothing like his brother, very altruistic and focused on his job, rather than recreational pursuits, so he should be easier to manage.”

I fought a scoff at the last bit, since “recreational pursuits” was a reference to the fact that Armstrong couldn’t seem to keep his pants zipped when it came to women.

Gwendolyn pushed a set of papers toward me. “It would only be for another six months. And of course, your salary would reflect the double work load, since you’ll still have to maintain Armstrong in some capacity while you assist Lincoln in transitioning into his role here.”

“I’m sorry, what—”

Gwendolyn pulled me into an awkward hug, holding onto my shoulders when she stepped back. Her eyes were glassy and red-rimmed. “You have no idea how much I appreciate your willingness to take this on. As soon as your contract is fulfilled, you have my word that I’ll give you a glowing recommendation to whichever organization you’d like. Your mother told me you’re interested in starting your own foundation. I’ll certainly help you in any way I’m able if you’ll stay on a little longer for me.” She dabbed at her corner of her eyes and sniffed, then tapped the papers on the desk. “I already have an agreement ready and an NDA, of course. Everything is tabbed for signing.”

I’m pulled back into the present when Lincoln shifts and one of his huge hands slides up my side and lands on my breast. At the same time, he pushes his nose against my neck, beard tickling my collarbone. He mutters something unintelligible against my skin.

I’m momentarily frozen in shock. Under any other circumstances, I would knee him in the balls. However, he’s not conscious or even semi-aware that he’s fondling me. Thankfully, now that he’s moved, I have some wiggle room.

I elbow him in the ribs, which probably hurts me more than it does him. At least it gets him to move away enough that I can slip out from under him. I roll off the bed and pop back up, smoothing out my now-wrinkled dress. My stupid nipples are perky, thanks to the attention the right one just got. Probably because it’s the most action I’ve seen since I started working for the Mooreheads eight months ago.

I hit the lights on the way out of the bedroom, pause in the kitchen to grab a glass of water and check out the sheet of paper on the counter. It’s a list of important details regarding the penthouse, including the entry code. I nab my purse, snap a pic, and head for the elevators.

I have a feeling this is going to be a long six months.

permission from St. Martin’s Paperbacks.

#new release #out now #Helena Hunting #Handle with Care #Shacking Up world #am reading #reader #romance #book love #bookaholic #book nerd #book obsessed #bookworm #book blogger #I love books #romance books

0 notes