Celebrate all things New Orleans . . . with these stories from Frank Borne
The Captain and the Queen
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http://amzn.to/1eW88fC
The Captain and the Queen is a celebration of all that is New Orleans. This is not just a sweet
romance, but a glimpse into the very heart of the Crescent City and gives you a chance to experience the inner workings of Mardi Gras. Baxter Edwards, the captain of a Mardi Gras Carnival krewe struggling in changing economic times, selects a celebrity, Lyle Alexander, to serve as its monarch. Baxter is convinced his choice will infuse the club with much needed vitality. But when he chooses his best friend’s college-age daughter, Claire Boudreaux, to serve as queen, Baxter is surprised when he and Claire develop feelings for one another. Their love for New Orleans unites them but their age difference threatens to keep them apart as the disapproval of family and friends presents obstacles for the cross-generational relationship. Should Baxter leave Claire alone to graduate and begin her career without the pressure of dating a man in a different phase of life? Come to the Big Easy and let the good times roll.
Excerpt:
Baxter noticed she was having difficulty removing the crown, which had become snarled in her
golden locks.
“Ouch. Something is caught.”
“Here. Let me help you.”
He stood at her side and assisted her in untangling her hair from the ornament. She pulled bobby pins
holding the hairdo tight and compact except for some wisps of curls hanging at the back of her neck. The motion released the crown from her coiffure, which fell with grace to her shoulders.
“Well, there you go.” Baxter took the crown from her and held it while she ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head.
“That’s much better, but I need a brush.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t go to the play. I was selfish.”
“No, it’s okay, Bax. I see what Sancus means to you.”
“I’m bad about letting the club rule my life, though. It has gotten in the way in the past. I need to
change. I have to remind myself of our theme, ‘All You Need is Love.’ That’s what’s important.”
“I think you just showed the whole room a lot of love.”
Baxter was captivated by Claire’s beauty and understanding, while she appreciated his sensitivity and
admired his mature, yet boyish good looks. He put his hand on her hip, pulling her toward him as she
placed her hand on his hard chest. Claire sighed and closed her eyes, preparing for what she hoped was a long and sensual kiss. However, they flinched when Kathy knocked on the door, summoning Claire so they could go home.
“Yoo hoo. Claire?” Her mother opened the door in time to observe the pair embracing and about to kiss, with the crown in Baxter’s hands preventing their bodies from becoming one.
“Yes, Mom?”
“Your father and I are ready to go. The crowd is pretty much gone.”
“Okay.” She took the crown from Baxter and headed for the door. “Thank you, Bax. It was a great day.”
“Thank you. They loved you.”
Claire slipped past her mother, who gave Baxter a judgmental glance before also leaving.
The Captain of Her Heart
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http://amzn.to/ZCCMDS
The celebration of New Orleans continues and the heat is turned up when Claire Boudreaux returns
home from college and finds herself torn between her father’s best friend, Baxter, with whom she has a mutual love for New Orleans heritage and has known all of her life, and a co-worker, Jared, an
accomplished investigative reporter who mentors her as she embarks on a career as a television news
reporter. She loves them both, and struggles to make her own decision despite external influences. Will Claire and Baxter’s age difference and disapproving family members cause her to choose Jared? When Baxter, Captain of the Krewe of Sancus, becomes embroiled in a scandal involving corrupt city officials, will Claire wash her hands forever of him and his Carnival activities and political machinations, or will he become the captain of her heart? Come back to The Big Easy where the good times continue to roll.
Excerpt:
“I see that you have Mr. Crawfish over your shoulder, and a spacewalk the kids seem to be
enjoying.”
Milton danced and waved before patting Claire and Baxter on the back.
“That’s correct. He’d better watch out or he’ll end up in that pot over there.”
Baxter did his best to provide levity, but the tension in the air was palatable. Milton put his claws to his face, and then scurried out of camera range.
“Later we’ll have games for the kids.” Baxter paused, seeming to lose his train of thought, having
become entranced by Claire’s beautiful blue eyes. Fleeting memories of the intimate dances they’d
shared flashed through his mind. “Uh, our members feel blessed that their children are in good health.
This is their way of giving thanks while helping others who aren’t as fortunate.”
“Well, you have great weather for the event. We wish you much success.” Claire faced the camera for the sign-off. “This is Claire Boudreaux reporting from City Park.”
“I’ll get footage of the kids and the cooks,” Dillon said as he removed the camera from its stand.
“Good. Thank you.” She kept her back to Baxter, wishing he’d leave before she turned around.
“Claire, can we talk?”
“We need to leave. He has to shoot footage of the Causeway,” she retorted while winding the cable
around the microphone.
“I do miss you, Claire. You can’t imagine how many times I’ve wanted to call you.”
“Really?” Her whole body trembled.
“Yes,” he admitted, moving closer to her. “Things changed after you returned to school. I went back to work at the firm, and you were busy with your last semester. I didn’t want to mess up your future.”
Anger and hurt warred in her heart. “That’s my mother talking—and your daughter.” She folded her
arms and looked at the face she’d seen so often in her dreams. “Their concern about our age difference isn’t genuine. You should have seen through that.”
“You’re right, I—” Baxter pushed his hand through his hair.
Claire didn’t wait for him to finish. She blurted out the words. “Let me tell you what happened, Baxter.
You got caught up in the romance of my being queen
and you being the big shot of this organization, which, by the way, is all you care about.”
“No, I care for you, Claire. I do.” He touched her arm, but she jerked away. “May I see you again?”
She noticed that Dillon had obtained the extra video and was packing up the camera and its stand. “I
have to leave, Baxter. If it counts for anything, I’m glad to see you had a nice turnout. You picked a
worthy cause to support.” She swallowed hard. Some things just weren’t meant to be.
Baxter stood watching as the young reporter and the burly cameraman returned to the van. Suddenly he found himself alone, and even though he was surrounded by all of his friends, he was lonely.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Frank Borne has authored numerous non-fiction books and short essays concerning Jefferson Parish
history and politics, and served as editor of The West Bank Beacon, a good-news community newspaper,
for three and a half years. In 2012, he self-published his first novel, But for the Grace of God, and in
2013, Astraea Press released his novel Fame and Misfortune. Borne serves as Chief Deputy Clerk of
Court with the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court's Office in Gretna, Louisiana, where he has been employed
since 1994. He graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a bachelor's degree in
government and a minor in history. Borne lives in Harvey, Louisiana, with his wife Schlise.
CONNECT WITH FRANK
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/authorfrankborne
Website:
http://www.beaucoupllcpublishing.com/frank-borne/
