Book one of the Kingsley Series:
Meet Cassaundra Keaton, an adult orphan raised in the foster system. She's overweight and struggling to survive in a world that makes her feel like she can never fit in. Follow her journey as she learns to trust and love herself, and watch her grow as she finds love. But will an issue from her past rise up to ruin her new life?
Meet Cassaundra Keaton, an adult orphan raised in the foster system. She's overweight and struggling to survive in a world that makes her feel like she can never fit in. Follow her journey as she learns to trust and love herself, and watch her grow as she finds love. But will an issue from her past rise up to ruin her new life?
Character Interview:
I meet Drew
in the lounge of a luxurious hotel, the beautiful Cassaundra Keaton on his arm.
He’s dressed in a pair of grey slacks and a pale blue button-down shirt. Cass
is wearing a wrap-around style dress in a deep emerald green. He sits down,
never letting go of Cass’s hand even for a moment. He smiles a lazy smile at
her and she flushes before patting him gently on the back of the hand and
turning her attention to a magazine she’s brought with her.
L: It’s so great to finally meet you two. Thank you for
allowing me to interview you, Drew.
He turns that lazy smile to me now, and I can
feel the blush creeping up my cheeks. Drew’s dark hair has flashes of grey at
his temples. His green eyes dance with love for Cass as he looks at her and places his hand on her knee.
D: It’s a pleasure. Really.
L: Okay. Let’s get started then. I’d
like to ask you about how you met Cass. When you first saw her, what was the
thing that struck you most about her?
Drew beams at Cass again. Although her eyes
are fixed on the magazine in her hands, she smiles a knowing smile.
D: You know, some men say, smile, some men
say eyes, but for me it was that look she carried herself with. Like she felt
attacked before you could even speak to her, that sense of distress. Maybe it
was the whole being-in-therapy thing. Maybe it plays on my being a cop, I don't
know. But I just wanted to step in and hold her hand, tell her that whatever it
was, it would be okay. And she was cute as anything, couldn't even make eye
contact with me for a while.
L: When did you realize you wanted to get to know her?
D: You know, that's a hard one. She was always cute when I'd see her in
Mac's office. Sweet, you know, and shy, kind of. But watching her try to reach
under the fender of the car when she had the flat? I just had to reach out to
her.
L: Was swooping in and rescuing her
from the dreaded flat tyre part of the plan, or simple a happy coincidence?
D: Well, I definitely didn't plan it, so
it was total coincidence that she happened to be stuck there. But me helping
her? Nah, I could have left her there to call her pickup service or something.
But there she was, and just so frustrated, I had to say something. I guess
that's the cop in me too, can't leave someone in a spot without helping. And
look at her! What man can walk away from my girl when she's in trouble? Not me.
L: What is it like dating a woman who
was clearly beautiful and intelligent, yet she doesn’t see her own self-worth
even when you tell her repeatedly how amazing she is?
D: It was frustrating at times, to tell
her I thought she was perfect, lovely, sexy, you know, and have her smile a little
and shake her head. It was like, she thought I was lying or flattering, you
know, but I meant it all, every word, the whole time. I'm fascinated by her.
Her eyes, her smile, her kisses, the way her hair falls. And I won't mention
her body, because if I do, she gets all embarrassed, but, well, hmm. Let's say
I like the whole package.
L: I realize family is important to
you. What was it like growing up in your family?
D: Well, you know, it's a big family, so
it was busy. Mom and Dad are still married, so they were a great example to my siblings
and I as kids, and we're all still very close. We get together a lot, we all
talk often, and my sisters and Cass have gotten to be pals, which is really
nice. Cass fits right in with the bunch, especially Cameron, so it's just been
great to watch her be so easily accepted, and to watch her try to get used to
that.
L: When Cass pushed you away, what
went through your mind? Were you angry? Upset? Confused?
D: I was all of that, in turns, I guess.
I was angry for a while, like I was being punished for what someone else had
said to her, what someone else had made her feel. I get it, and I tried really
hard to be understanding, but it was definitely a rough time for me. I'd been
waiting all my life for her, and having her slip through my fingers like that wasn't
easy.
L: Giving up on Cass was never an
option for you, but what if she gave up on your relationship completely? What
if she had never come to see you in the hospital? Would you have continued
fighting for her, for your love?
D: No, giving up wasn't an option. I'm
one of those people who sees what they want in an instant, sort of. And I saw
her. I needed her; I needed our texts and our phone calls. I'd look at my phone
all day and wish for texts from her like some dumb sap, but I couldn't help
myself. I'd have fought for her, was fighting for her. You know, the flowers
and the notes and all that. Here's the thing, she backed away from me out of a
belief that she didn't deserve to be held and to be loved. And I wasn't going
to let her believe that I thought the same things.
Drew takes Cass’s hand into his and intertwines their fingers. Her
engagement ring sparkles like a sea of diamonds under the lighting in the
lounge. He’s looking at her with such longing that even my heart starts to ache
a little. Bringing her hand to his mouth, he plants a quick kiss and turns his
attention back to me.
L: You and Cass and now engaged. Did
you ever think you could be this happy, and what are your immediate plans for
the future with your beautiful bride?
D: Hmm, immediate plans. I'm planning to
marry her, sweep her off to some unforeseen exotic location, and kiss her silly
for a while. And if she's lucky, I'll pull out some other tricks, too, you
know, wink, wink. Because I'm a Kingsley, I aim to please, and I want my woman
coming back for more. After that, maybe someday we have little Cassie's running
around my house, tromping through my parent's yard. All I know is I can't wait
to see what happens next.
L: Thanks so much for taking time out to talk to me.
L: Thanks so much for taking time out to talk to me.
About the author:
Brandi Kennedy is a romance novelist whose work centers on the contemporary set, sometimes with a playful twist of this or that as she toys with bits and pieces of other genres. She is the author of To Love A Selkie, which is a tragic romance with a twist of the fantasy element. She is also the author of the Kingsley Series, which is entirely contemporary and focuses on the romantic happenings of the fictional Kingsley family.
A woman of varied interests, Brandi loves photography, music of all kinds, knitting, crochet, and of course, mothering her two young daughters. Currently, she finds her home in the heart of Knoxville, Tennessee, among the mountains and the members of her extended family.
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