Canadian Romantic Suspense Author Maureen Fisher

The First Meet

by Maureen Fisher

More here: Cold Feet Fever 

First meets between the hero and heroine are crucial to making a romance plot work. First and foremost, it’s the first turning point of the book. After the first meet, the protagonists are unable to return to their ordinary lives.

Not only does it introduce the characters, it initiates the romantic conflict, helps set the tone of the book, and hints at character goals and future conflict.

The first meet should pack a good, dramatic punch in the development of the plot, and it should leave the reader hungry to find out what these two people will get up to the next time they meet.

In Cold Feet Fever, my romantic crime mystery, Granddaddy Hiram wants Sam Jackson, his grandson and senior business partner, to mend his wicked ways and settle down. When he meets party planner Katie Deluca by chance, Hiram senses she’s the perfect woman to tame Sam.

Unaware of Katie's former career (mortician) and criminal connections, Hiram steps way over the line by hiring her without his grandson’s say-so, giving Katie carte blanche to organize the grand opening for Kinki, their jointly owned nightclub. To compound the transgression, he implies that Sam is a junior employee, and will report to Katie. One of her duties is to keep Sam in line. To that end, Hiram insists she share Sam’s office.

Katie’s Goal in the Scene: To break the news to Sam as tactfully as possible that his boss hired her this morning to organize Kinki’s grand opening. As of today, Sam will now report to her, and they will share his office.

Sam’s Goal in the Scene: To forget his financial worries by amusing himself, teasing the very attractive, but uptight woman who had the nerve to barge into his office, interrupting him during a most enjoyable massage session.

Without giving away too much, here is Sam and Katie's first meet.

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Excerpt

Her chest rose and fell as she inhaled a deep breath. “Please don’t call me ‘Cupcake’. My name is Katarina Deluca. People call me Katie.” She regarded him as though she expected a reaction.

“Should I know you?”

“Of course not.”

A lesser man might have missed her subliminal relaxation. Reading body language was a mandatory talent for skilled gamblers, and he considered himself one of the best. She’d hoped he didn’t recognize the name. Making a mental note to Google Katie Deluca, he stuck out a hand. “Sam. Sam Jackson.”

She shook his hand with surprising firmness. “I know all about you.”

“I get that a lot.”

“If we’re to hit it off, I have one request.” She fixed him with melted chocolate eyes, which, on closer study, sparked with disapproval.

“Do tell.” He picked up his pizza.

“Since we’re sharing an office until after the grand opening, I must ask you to refrain from entertaining female guests on your couch.”

Sam froze, the pizza halfway to his mouth. “Say what?”

“I won’t tolerate ‘massages’ while we’re sharing the space.”

“Sweet baby Jesus,” he moaned. “I’ve gotta lay off bourbon.”

“Excellent idea. Do your body a favor. Nevertheless, your senior partner, Hiram, engaged me to plan and coordinate Kinki’s grand opening. He also mentioned the only available space was in your office, and indicated that he expected me to supervise you.”

An arrow of pain speared Sam’s skull. The wily old man’s powers of persuasion obviously worked fine in spite of major impulse control issues. Smelling another of his granddaddy’s matchmaking attempts, he set down the last of his pizza. “Hiram’s my granddaddy. He calls himself the senior partner because he’s older, not because he’s my boss. He has no hiring authority.”

“Hiram warned me you’d say that.” Katie’s voice brimmed with compassion. “He also promised that after you got over your snit, you’d be happy to comply.” Under her breath, she muttered, “It would have been a nice touch if he’d warned me about the casting couch.”

Sam lowered his feet to the ground with great care. Leaning forward, he spoke softly, emphasizing every word. “It’s not a casting couch. I should know. It’s my office, my couch.” For some reason, it mattered what she thought.

“Believe it or not, I find this situation as difficult as you do.”

“I doubt it.” He gulped a fortifying swig of coffee, wishing with all his heart he could lace it with something stronger. “What else should I know?”

He watched with reluctant amusement as she whipped out a notepad and flipped the pages. Who used a notepad in this era of tablets and other electronic devices?

She must have found the nugget of information she wanted because she stopped flipping. “Ah, yes. Here it is. Hiram informed me you won a lot of money in the casinos, enough to buy Kinki and renovate it too, with plenty left over for a grand opening. His words were, and I quote, ‘The sky’s the limit’.”

Sam choked on his coffee. 

About Me

Transplanted to Canada from Scotland at the tender age of seven, I’m an escapee from the world of bits, bytes, and dumps (possibly not what you’re thinking).

I’m a voracious reader, bridge and Mahjong player, yoga enthusiast, seeker of personal and spiritual growth, pickleball enthusiast, and avid gourmet cook. My husband and I love to hike, cycle, and travel.

I’ve swum with sharks in the Galapagos, walked with Bushmen in the Serengeti, sampled lamb criadillas (don’t ask!!!) in Iguazu Falls, snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef, ridden an elephant in Thailand, watched the sun rise over Machu Picchu, and bounced from Johannesburg to Cape Town on a bus called ‘Marula’.

My Books

"Maureen combines action, adventure, romance, mystery, and an often LOL sense of humor in her page-turning novels. They are the perfect additions to your libraries, like da rum and da coconut in your piña coladas." 

Find out more about my novels here or click on the links under the covers.

More here: FurBall Fever 

More here: The Jaguar Legacy

Coming Soon: Horsing Around With Murder, a cozy murder mystery with romance and inappropriate boomer humor.

Connect with Maureen

Website | Facebook Author Page | Twitter  | Goodreads