Pierre

My name is Suzette, and I was born in a huge river delta, a swamp. After my mama delivered her eighth baby, when there was no room for me and the drought made it hard for Papa to feed all of us, I went to live with my Aunt Josie, an eccentric old healing lady, while I waited for Papa to find me a husband. Josie invited a boy to come train with her, a swamp boy with beautiful muscles and a beautiful smile, a boy who made me laugh and showed me that it was okay to have fun in the swamp and not just work to help take care of all my sisters and brothers, a boy who taught me to read and dream and hope for better things. That boy was named Pierre.

My papa found me a husband, so I had to leave Josie and Pierre, and that broke my heart. Then my husband turned out to be a monster, and I had to run from him. I ran to Josie, and she sent me home with Pierre. Pierre, who said he loved me and yet couldn't have me because I was another man's wife. Pierre, who loved to heal and yet couldn't handle seeing pain and death. Pierre, a triplet whose family wasn't sure what to do with me because with every breath I took I broke the heart of one of their own.

I had caused Pierre nothing but trouble, and yet Aunt Josie had told me all along that one day I would be his everything. But she was old. Maybe she had no idea what she was talking about. Still, the thought that one day I might heal Pierre and not hurt him made me stay and hope, even if I faced danger and heartache and struggles along the way.

Pierre is book two of the series Triplets on the River, books about life on a lazy river delta. Grow up, fall in love, and avoid alligators.