Meeting Scenes

Today I've got Jolene Perry on the blog talking about her new book, THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU. Take it away, Jolene...

I love "meeting scenes" especially when I'm writing/reading a story heavy in the romance department. Some are awkward, some surprising, some easy and comfortable...

ANYWAY. I thought I'd share my "meeting" scene with you because these two stumble into an awkward sort of friendship before anything else, and I had a LOT of fun writing that :-D

“Oh,” [Jen] says as we pull up. “Aidan-is-a-bit-moody-and-lost-an-arm-in-Afghanistan.” And then she jumps out of the car. 

What? How can she have a cousin living with her for weeks and I know nothing of this part of it? I leap out my side, and then have to smooth the T-shirt fabric of the dress down again to make sure my panties are covered. How did I get talked into this? 

Wait. “What did you say about arms?”

“Shh.” Her eyes widen as I come around the front of her car.

Her gangly brother walks up with the guy who must be Aidan. He has the family blond hair and gorgeous light blue eyes. But he also has broad shoulders shown off by the snugness of his T-shirt. One of his shoulders leads to an arm. The other one does not.

I know I’m staring, because it’s definitely something I should NOT be staring at. But my brain’s having a hard time wrapping around it. It feels like someone’s erased what should be there.

“Kate,” she hisses. “You’re staring.”

“So, what does the other guy look like?” I grin at Aidan, and then realize I don’t know this guy, and it was possibly one of the dumbest things to ever leave my mouth.

“The guy next to me, or the one who left the bomb?” His face is flat, but his eyes don’t move from mine.

Silence like a thick blanket threatens to suffocate me. 

Oops. 

A corner of his mouth pulls up. “Teasing.” 

I chuckle this odd nervous little laugh, but both Jennifer and Will are silent, eyes wide. 

“So, this is my cousin, Aidan,” Jen says in this weird shaky voice that makes me know I’ve probably just screwed up, and that she might bring up my big Kate-mouth later.

“Nice to meet you.” I reach out to shake his hand, but he doesn’t have a right hand. So I stick out my left hand, and then laugh. This crazed nervous laugh thing. Again, like an idiot. “This has got to get old, huh? Bet no one knows which hand to put out.” I smile and realize I might have again totally stepped over a line here.

“Yeah. I throw everyone off. I really should have asked to lose the other one.” He smirks.

“Inconsiderate jerks,” I say as we shake. But I’m sort of numb from nerves and hardly feel him, his hand, or the fact that we’re done shaking. 

His smile lessens a bit. And again, I’m stupid. “Something like that, yeah.” 

“So, Jen dragged you to our senior picnic.” I’m flapping my jaws here, and I know when I’m like this I’m bound to say one stupid thing after another, but I can’t help myself. It just comes out. “That sucks for you.”

Jen flashes me a look, but Toby’s appeared from nowhere and wrapped his arms around her from behind. I can’t take my eyes off of Aidan. There’s a lot there, behind his eyes, his face, something. He’s interesting anyway. Well, and hasn’t run screaming from my idiocy yet...

So. That's my Kate and my Aidan. I love these two so hard :-) What's your favorite kind of scene to write? To read? To edit over and over since we ALL know we have to edit scenes OVER AND OVER...?

~ Jolene

Thanks, Jolene! You can find Jolene on her blog here. I have to admit my favorite scenes to write (and edit) are those kissy scenes. ;)

THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU releases in March, but you can buy it now on AMAZON and BARNES AND NOBLE.

"All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction."