Part of Lady Amber’s Author’s Blog Hop

Last year I wrote about my husband and the air conditioner and my book hero.  This year, as I was getting ready to write this blog post, the air conditioning went out again, so I thought it appropriate to show you the blog and give you a follow-up:

Last year’s blog:

Summertime in Southern California can last well into October.  In fact now that I write this, I am melting from the heat and the weather has become milder the last few days.  This summer was especially hot and as luck would have it our air conditioner decided to break on one of the hottest days of the year.  During that time I had a conversation with my husband that reminded me very much of this topic and how an Alpha Male would fare in everyday living.

The conversation went something like this:

Husband sits down after installing a window air conditioning unit in his office.  I only have a fan in the living room where I sit.

Me:  “I am going to die.”

Husband:  “No you’re fine.  The fan is on, it will be dark soon and it will cool off.  Go sit in the bedroom.”

Me:  Narrows eyes at the back of his head.  “I actually think I’m going to die and I want to sit in the living room where my computer is.”

Husband:  “Take your laptop.”

Me:  Sighs.  Glances over at my computer and back to my husband.

Husband:  “It’s only for a day or two.”

Me:  “You installed an air conditioner in your room.”  (Just wanted to make sure he knew I knew that.)

Husband:  “What would you like me to do?”

Me:  Purses lips to try to hold back telling what I really want him to do.  “Jason would have fixed it.”

Husband:  Turns and looks at me.  “Who the Hell is Jason?”

Me:  Shrug my shoulders.

Husband:  “Who the Hell is Jason?”

Me:  “The hero in my story.”  (I refrain from saying ‘duh’ to him)

Husband:  Stares at me.

Me:  Stares back (it seems appropriate)  Then I add.  “Jason wouldn’t have even asked, it would have just been done.”  (at least that’s how I would have written it, and now I sort of become distracted because I’m wondering if I can add some sort of ‘stuck in a heat wave’ scene into my WIP where Jason does fix it.

Husband:  Stands up.  “I’ll be back.”

Me:  “Where are you going?”

Husband:  “Home Depot.”  He grumbles something as he walks away.

Me:  I get up and walk over.  “Why?  You just came from Home Depot.”  (With the stuff to fix his office)

Husband:  “I’m going to go fix it like Jason.”  He took his wallet and left.

I suppose he didn’t want to be outdone by the voices in my head, but it did make me wonder in every day living how the Alpha male would fare. In that case I really did want my husband to swoop in and just fix it.  I didn’t want to care if he was tired or hot, I wanted it done without having to think about it, and an Alpha male would have done just that.

That got me thinking about another conversation with my husband.  This time about a purse purchase.  Those who know me know that I am a sucker for a designer handbag, when faced with naysayers I will still contend that my Louis Vuitton has held its value.  This conversation was after I closed a big sale that almost landed me in the hospital from stress and he was not so happy with my health at that moment.  I spent many nights crying.

Me:  “I finally got paid for that horrible sale.”

Husband:  “Awesome.  Let me see.”

Me:  Points to the computer where the direct deposit came in.

Husband:  Nods and pats me on the head.  “We can catch up on a few things.”

Me:  Shrugs shoulders and nods.

Husband:  “What?”

Me:  “I really wanted a Birkin Bag.”  Purses out lower lip. (Yes, I used the word ‘purses’ on purpose.)

Husband: “What the hell is that?”  (obviously a favorite line of his)

Me:  Goes into a thirty minute explanation of a Birkin bag and how this is quite possibly the best thing that could ever happen to a girl like me.  I let it be known that it is the most impossible bag to find on the planet, they won’t sell you one in the story, and if you get to be on the mailing list it’s like one million years long.

Husband:  Blinks away the glaze that has formed over his eyes.  “It doesn’t say Birkin Bag on it?”

Me:  Shakes head.

Husband:  “How will anyone know what it is?”

Me:  “Those who know, know.”

Husband:   Looks between me, my Louis Vuitton and the computer with the bank balance.  “You should get that.  Go ahead.”  With that he kisses the top of my head and walks away.

I think the moral to the story is that the Alpha male is what we make it.  Today, without dragons to slay and swords to wield, it is more of a state of mind.  It is the man who can fix an air conditioner or tell you to spend your commission check on something frivolous when there are bills to pay.  It is the man who doesn’t want you to make yourself sick over work and will stand on the sidelines to make sure you’re okay.    He is the man who will listen to a thirty minute story on a purse, and buy another air conditioner even though the other one is getting fixed in two days.

The Alpha male is the man that loves his heroine.

Update:  As I said this year the air conditioning went out again.  Last year my husband came home with a portable A/C unit that barely did the job.  This year, without my prodding he went out and installed a window unit.  One thing he asked…”Would Jason have done it better?”  I must say he lived up to the hero and then some.

Okay now for the fun!

First I have a new release coming out on July 9th!  This is part of Decadent’s 1Night Stand Series:

Five years ago Dahlia Adair left her business partners, the two men she loved. Unable to choose between them, she vanished with their venture capital and their hearts. Betrayed by the woman they both love, Todd Shelton and Cooper Montgomery dissolved their company and their friendship.

When Todd and Cooper reunite, they can’t move forward with their new business until they confront the woman who called them “interchangeable” before she disappeared.

Five years later, Dahlia wants to live without looking over her shoulder, Todd wants his love and his friend back, and Cooper wants answers. With the help of Madame Eve and 1Night Stand, they give Dahlia the chance to live free of repercussions for her crimes if she’ll agree to spend one night with them, vowing to make her aware of their differences, and offer her a life they’re sure she can’t refuse.

Fun and Prizes!!

Leave me your email address and I will be giving away five swag packs!!

Also, Lady Amber is having a grand prize

Don’t forget to visit the other participants!

http://ambersupernaturalandya.blogspot.com/p/authors-blog-hop-july-3-10.html