Under the Same Sun (Stone Trilogy) (43 page)

She took the plate from him and balanced it on her knees.

“And the box thing has been solved,” Jon went on, retrieving the mug he had poured for her and taking a sip. “We have a box.” When she started to respond, he lifted his hand. “It’s not totally ours, mind you. Or rather, I didn’t buy it. It’s your parents’. But they are more than willing to share it with us.”

For the longest time Naomi did not respond. Daintily, with two fingers, she picked up one piece of toast after another until the plate was empty.

“It might sound crazy, but deep down I have a feeling that you and my father had something to do with how Parker met his end.”

“Hell, babe, no!” He nearly dropped his cup. “Seriously, Naomi, I have no idea why you would think that! I might be famous, and pretty rich, but I wouldn’t even know how to go about hiring a killer! I’m a good person. Basically.”

“Oh, you are.”

It was delightful to watch her unfold, stretch out her legs and stand up, and it reminded him of a flower opening its petals.

“You are a good person, Jon, and a wonderful and loving husband. But I do believe that if you decided to do it, you could very well have somebody killed. And my father? Hell, yes.”

Her kiss tasted of strawberries, her lips were sweet and sticky with the jam, and he passed his tongue over them to catch the flavor. She gasped softly, her hands on his bare back when he held her against the counter. “You’re really feeling better, aren’t you?” Jon said softly. “And how much better are you feeling? Are you well enough to go back to bed?”

“I am.” She let go of him. “I am well enough for what you have in mind, but I’m not going back to bed. It’s our last day here for a while, and I want to enjoy the city. You can come, or you can lie around in bed alone and dream of me.”

“You do this to me all the time,” Jon called after her when she walked out into the hall and up the stairs. “You turn me on and then you leave me here to steam. Come back!”

She did not reply.

“
I
wonder,” Naomi said when they were on the bridge and she had lowered the window of the limo. “I can’t wait to see what it will be like here in the spring. I bet it will be gorgeous. I bet the air will be sweet and balmy, and the sky deep blue.”

“Only in your dreams.” Her persistence was amusing. “You are such a romantic. I wonder if you really see a different world than the rest of us.” That thought made Jon stop and ponder for a while. “Yes,” he went on, “I really wonder. I wonder if that thing about different realities isn’t really more than just a saying. Maybe you do see things differently. Maybe we do. Maybe that’s what separates artists from other people.”

“Different realities,” she echoed his words. “I don’t think it’s different realities. I think it’s a matter of perception, a matter of love.” Pointing at the towers of the World Trade Center, she added, “Beautiful.”

“Yes, it is pretty awesome.”

The pallor had gone from her face, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes lively, every trace of illness gone.

She wanted, she had told him, a few light things for the tour, clothes that would travel well, and if they were going uptown anyway she planned on dropping in at the Valentino store if he didn’t mind.

“Only if you let me pay” had been his reply, and her eyes had sparkled at him.

The memory of their day in London came back to him, that day when he had asked her to marry him and then had taken her to Valentino’s store on Sloane Street to heap beautiful things on her.

“You look way better than earlier today. Where do you want to go for lunch?”

“Carnegie’s,” she replied, and Jon groaned. “I want a pastrami sandwich
this
big, Jon, and an entire jar of pickles. I want a jar of pickles
to take home. Or maybe two.”

“You are happy.” It was more a statement than a question. “You seem as if a huge load has fallen off you. What changed?”

They drove up Madison, past all the fancy stores and the elegant restaurants, up toward Central Park; and again she looked, her head turning from one side to the other like a child’s, trying to take in everything at the same time.

“I keep telling you I’m happy, Jon. Not every single minute of every single day, but basically, yes, I’m happy.” She smiled at him. “I have what I’ve always wanted. I have you. Everything else falls into place.”

Jon wished they weren’t in a car; he wished they were alone and he could embrace and kiss her, and whisper into her ear how much he loved her.

“I’ve changed my mind, Jon,” Naomi said, “not Carnegie’s. Let’s go pick up my parents. We can all go out for lunch together…like a family.”

Acknowledgements

MY SPECIAL THANKS TO:

E
ric G. Thompson and his wife Hilary, for letting us use his amazing paintings as cover art. I can’t imagine my books without them!

M
y family, especially my husband who does the laundry and the dishes and the grocery shopping so I have time to write.

M
y beloved friends - Bunny Hipps, Jane Gese, Pea Murrell and Shaleeta Bihari for reading the chapters of
Under The Same Sun
as soon as they were written.

S
arah Fulford - for the photographs, support, and for being a friend. 

F
riends and Writers - Johanna Harness of #amwriting, Katie Weiland, Kerry Schafer, Julie Butcher, Zehra Cranmer, Maria Duffy, Jane Travers, Nita Beshear and Rebecca Emin, my Twitter “writing group”.

C
hris de Burgh, who was the inspiration for this book’s title. His song
Same Sun
is one of my all-time favorites!

M
y publisher - MaryChris Bradley, for simply everything.

Praise for the Independent Publisher’s,

IPPY Award-winner,
The Distant Shore

‘This is a delicious book, one that demands tea or chocolate and hours to savor the words and thoughts of her characters…the story tumbles out beautifully, the story structured with a sense of inevitability—and yet I still found myself surprised. Mariam hits familiar notes and yet the story feels altogether fresh. She is a lovely writer and one to watch.”

~ Johanna Harness,
www.johannaharness.com/blog

“This is a gorgeous book; from the strangely tactile, softly coloured cover right through to the unresolved ending, Kobras plays on all the senses to weave a tale of love that is bigger than either of the main characters.

It takes a great writing craftsperson to draw in the reader in such an irrevocable manner, and Kobras is such a writer. Her style is reminiscent of Anita Shreve, and if you liked
Body Surfing
, then you will love this.”

~ Jane Travers,
www. tweet-treats.blogspot.com

“It isn’t often I experience true eloquence in the written word, but
The Distant Shore
is pure poetry. Rather than the typical romance story you find in the “chick lit” or Romance genres, the relationship between famous rock star, Jonathon Stone and Naomi, is an enduring, complex love that spans decades. The story takes you on a sweeping international escapade, from Norway to North America, and the ending will leave you with many questions and a fierce desire to read the next book in Trilogy. Rather than the story being tied up neatly with a bow in the typical unconvincing, often stale “happy ending”, I was left with questions and the subtle disappointment I often feel after finishing a written masterpiece.”

~ Amberr Meadows,
www.amberrisme.com

“Th(e) author has an honest, straight forward style that sets the story, lets the characters speak and develop, then gets out of our way so we can enjoy…This is the first book in a trilogy; I can’t wait to see what’s next!
”

~ Alexi R.,
www.Amazon.com

“
The Distant Shore
was a book I couldn’t put down, at the same time I didn’t
want it to end. It’s beautifully written, romantic and emotional. I was
hooked from the first page to the last. The characters stay with you even after you’ve finished the book. You’ll want to know more about them and their lives and relationships. Fortunately, we’ll get that opportunity with two more books. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!”

~ Cathy Carter,
www.Amazon.com

“
The Distant Shore
…won’t take long to read—because you can’t put it down!”

~ Delores M. Hipps,
www.Amazon.com

“The author weaves a fascinating story, with a range of believable characters, and enough twists and turns to keep the reader’s interest. It is truly contemporary literature at its best. The settings span from the beautiful shores of Northern Norway, to the heart of Europe, the British Isles, and the expanse of North America.

It was almost like feasting on a stack of glossy magazines in one sitting, devouring the hot gossip of celebrity life. But this is so much better, because instead of looking at those glamorous stars in their fancy dresses, I was treated to the exquisite beauty of written words, deliciously and expertly penned by the author. They vividly painted pictures in my mind, far more enchanting, and satisfying to my hungry senses.

The Distant Shore
is just a introduction to this first-class story-teller, and what a fabulous introduction it has proven to be!”

~ Junying Kirk,
www.junyingkirk.com

“The story is fascinating…(t)he feelings and emotions so pure and true. All I can say is Mariam needs to write faster…so we can read the second, then the third book in the series.”

~ Nita Beshears,
www.devotedtoquilting.wordpress.com

“
The Distant Shore
is a window into the rock world and all the craziness therein. Mariam has populated her book with characters and scenarios that test her two protagonist’s love for one another as they travel around the world in support of Jon’s career, at a cost they will only discover much later.

If you enjoy your books romantic and filled with longing and angst, then grab yourself a coffee, and a box of chocolates and curl up in bed for the weekend with this book.”

~ Susan May,
www.anadventureinreading.blogspot.com.au

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There is something here for every mystery fan, from hard-boiled to paranormal. Each one is a small bite of mystery that will satisfy and delight even the most discerning of readers. So sit down and dip in.

We guarantee you won’t be able to stop at just one!

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