Beta Test

Title: Beta Test

Series: Beta Series Novel
Author: Karen Renee

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy

Release Date: February 12, 2019

Justine is adjusting to life after a divorce. A friend insists on setting her up with a man. She will not have another Alpha male in her life. Her next man will be an easy-going “Beta” male.

James does not believe in long term relationships. After he meets Justine, he's certain bachelorhood is it for him. When work brings James to her home, their chemistry ignites.

Will they give love a chance?

Our table was situated next to the picture windows. We had a clear view of the river and the boat traffic moving around the Main Street bridge. The lights of the over-sized Christmas tree at the Landing glittered in the night.

Our waiter returned and placed Justine’s salad plate in front of her. He placed a plate in front of me, and said, “Wedge salad, no dressing.”

I looked at the plate and it was nothing but lettuce, cut in a wedge. Once the waiter left our table, Justine giggled and it was obvious she was fighting to keep it under control. I was feeling a little self-conscious, with her laughing so much, but she was especially beautiful in the dim lighting, giggling with abandon.

Once her hilarity was under control, she looked at me. “Well, that’s probably the most costly quarter-head of iceberg lettuce in the country.”

“No doubt,” I muttered. “Maybe I’ll ask for a doggie bag and make some kick-ass BLTs out of it.”

If a snort could be feminine, Justine pulled it off, and croaked out, “Roger Rabbit would be affronted at the notion!”

I chuckled. “Then it’s good he’s a fictional character and that I don’t have a rabbit at home. At least now we know why the waiter had that tone with me earlier.”

“Yeah,” she replied on a chuckle.

By the end of our meal, Justine and I both had doggie-bags. Mine included the bulk of my lettuce wedge and a few bites of steak for Zeta. Justine’s bag had half her chicken and a fair amount of creamed spinach. She had saved room for dessert and the ‘Death By Chocolate’ cake did not disappoint. However, it was at that point of our evening that I realized my mistake. I should have insisted on a Saturday night date and reserved a room at the DoubleTree Hotel where the steakhouse was located.

I walked Justine out of the restaurant and noticed the waiter, the bartender, and another man at a table eyeing Justine. My shoulders tightened with my tension. Justine was oblivious to the show she was putting on for the men in the room, and that made her show all the better. Once we were in the corridor leading to the exit, I slung a possessive arm around Justine’s shoulder and was rewarded with a strong whiff of her spicy floral perfume.

She looked up at me with questioning eyes. “Something wrong, there, James?”

I tipped my chin down toward her. “Nope, not any more. Now it’s time to go to my place and get to the good stuff.”

Karen Renee is the author of the Riot MC Series.

She has wanted to be a writer from a very early age, and she’s finally bringing that dream to life. 

She has worked in advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.

HOSTED BY:

Beta Test

Title: Beta Test

Series: Beta Series Novel
Author: Karen Renee

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy

Release Date: February 12, 2019

Justine is adjusting to life after a divorce. A friend insists on setting her up with a man. She will not have another Alpha male in her life. Her next man will be an easy-going “Beta” male.

James does not believe in long term relationships. After he meets Justine, he's certain bachelorhood is it for him. When work brings James to her home, their chemistry ignites.

Will they give love a chance?

"Where are you?” Natasha demanded, then added, “I know you’re at some waxing place, but are you on Fleming Island? How far are you from Ruby Tuesday’s? Mallory and I are en route there, and you’re joining us.”

How had I ever missed just how pushy Natasha could be? I kept that to myself and answered, “I’m probably fifteen minutes from the restaurant.”

“Good. We should be there at the same time then.”

She hung up on me and I realized that was a big part of why I didn’t like pushiness. It often bordered on rudeness. While I was thinking of it, I called Ashley.

“What up, home slice?” she greeted.

“I’d say my hair follicles, but really they’re just gone, not up.”

“Oh! So, you finally went.”

I pressed the start button on my vehicle. “Yes, yes. It’s done, so your discount should be in their system now. Anyway, what are you and the kids up to?”

“The kids are both at parties now until this evening. I should study, but, well, you know how that shit goes.”

“Wanna do lunch? Natasha and Mallory have insisted I meet them at Ruby Tuesday’s on the island. You can be my wing-woman.” 

Ashley mulled it over for a moment. “Sure, I’ll do lunch with you. Just lunch though, because then I’ll have to get back here and hit the damn books.”

***

“What do you mean sometime in the next few weeks? They’re the government, surely they know when a huge-ass ship is going to come into Mayport,” Mallory groused at my sister.

Ashley’s face took on the same patient look she gave me when I didn’t understand something that only military families understood. “First, even if they did have a specific date, Uncle Sam isn’t going to allow the sailors to share that with their families. One, because you never know when somebody could say something to the wrong person and then…well, the old adage could feasibly become true. ‘Loose lips sink ships.’ Two, because navigating the ocean is dependent on the weather even if the ship has motors and doesn’t rely on wind and all that shit like in the old days. They aren’t bringing one of those behemoths into port if conditions are foggy or whatever.”

“Yeah, yeah. Mallory has diverted this conversation terribly,” Natasha said. “Did your husband really say you needed to use a weed whacker on your business? You need to set that sailor straight without delay.”

Ashley looked at Natasha. “That’s why I needed Justine to head over to the spa too. Now, I can see to things and not break the bank.”

“That ain’t what I meant.”

I weighed in. “Natasha, I don’t think you realize this, but one doesn’t just set a Navy bad-ass straight.”

She pursed her lips at me. “Oh, yes I do, Justine. When I met Leon, I was in college and he was finishing out his four-year term with the Navy. I know plenty about getting that sort of alpha male in line. Now seriously, Ashley, are you going to let him get away with that sort of thing?”

Ashley smirked. “Believe me. Jason’s going to be surprised when he sees the measures I’ve taken.”

“Will he be waxing poetic?” I asked.

Mallory suddenly snapped her fingers at me. “You did yours for James, didn’t you? That’s oddly sweet.”

Shaking my head, I said, “No, I did this because Jane of the Jungle, here, needed her discount.”

Ashley shoved me in the arm. “Do not make me get into a knock-down drag-out with you in the middle of Ruby Tuesday’s, Justine.”

Karen Renee is the author of the Riot MC Series. 

She has wanted to be a writer from a very early age, and she’s finally bringing that dream to life. 

She has worked in advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.

HOSTED BY:

Beta Test

Title: Beta Test

Author: Karen Renee

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy

Release Date: February 12, 2019

Justine is adjusting to life after a divorce. A friend insists on setting her up with a man. She will not have another Alpha male in her life. Her next man will be an easy-going “Beta” male.

James does not believe in long term relationships. After he meets Justine, he's certain bachelorhood is it for him. When work brings James to her home, their chemistry ignites.

Will they give love a chance?

Karen Renee is the author of the Riot MC Series. 

She has wanted to be a writer from a very early age, and she’s finally bringing that dream to life. 

She has worked in advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.

HOSTED BY: