#mdb shoot your shot

[mimiduncanbooks]

What can he say — he’s a sucker for a girl with freckles, and that dimple that showed up when she made a face at him.

Christ, he’s a loser. So he goes on and asks, “Everything okay?”

“I’m getting drunk on the floor of a closet, obviously everything’s okay,” she says, all matter-of-fact. Not an ounce of sarcasm. The hell’s up with this girl?

“Your ex here or something?”

“No,” she scoffs. Runs a hand through her wavy dark hair, a blunt cut that sways above her spaghetti straps. He catches a sliver of her bra cup when she raises her arm like that. Dark green, a purple tattoo peeking out from beneath the strap.

He clears his throat, looks at his shoes.

“Jeremy isn’t here,” she continues, “because Jeremy’s an asshole.”

Right. Ben thinks he gets it now. “He stand you up?”

She squints at him, maybe because she’s annoyed, maybe because the hall lights are too bright. “How many goddamn questions do you have, man?”

Annoyed, then. “A few more.”

🥃💋 SHOOT YOUR SHOT, available now on amazon

🎶 playlist

💟 graphic created by @redbelles (open for commissions)

[mimiduncanbooks]

A new song starts, something Patti Scialfa — slow and smoky and sweet. Ben takes a breath, a step, a shot in hell, taps Murphy on the arm.

She looks over her shoulder, bangs in her eyes, loose hair from her rubber band ponytail swaying. His chest tightens a second, and his gaze darts to the dance floor in the next. Doesn’t know if he can look straight at her when he holds out a hand, says, “Think I’m supposed to ask if you wanna dance.”

Murphy blinks at his offered hand. Looks at him. Opens her mouth, shuts it, kinda smiles. “You been drinking on the job?”

“Pretty sure I’m being threatened, actually.” He side-eyes Shannon, who seems happy enough to leave them to it, but he’s not about to trust that if he tried dipping out. “Wanna help a guy out?”

“Ah. Right. Yeah,” she says. Sets her glass down and slips her hand into his, warm enough that it makes the hairs on his arm, the back of his neck, stand up like he’s been electrocuted. “I might owe you for that one.”

🥃💋 SHOOT YOUR SHOT, available now on amazon

🎶 playlist

💟 graphic created by @redbelles (open for commissions)

[mimiduncanbooks]

SHOOT YOUR SHOT is now available in ebook + paperback + hardcover!

please remember to RATE, REVIEW, and share the love!

🔞 18+

💄 age gap romance (M43/F32)

💗 strangers to friends to lovers

🌤 grumpy (but soft) x sunshine (with anxiety)

🥂 wedding guest x bartender

💞 matchmaking

❤️‍🔥 alexa, play “boom boom boom boom” by the vengaboys

cover design by @redbelles | playlist

Not everybody meets someone, and isn’t it safer to just be okay with that?

Well, not according to Murphy O’Hara’s friends, who are dead-set on pushing her into the arms of whichever bachelor wedding guest will catch her. Much as she appreciates their meddling investment in her completely stalled love life… It’s going to be a long night, so Murphy keeps finding her way back to the bar.

After all, even if the whiskey sours don’t do the trick, the bartender just might.

That’s what Ben’s good at — the big stuff. He guesses a crying drunk girl qualifies.

Even when it turns out she’s not crying so much as she’s talking his ear off in some zoned-out state of personal crisis, Ben Ainsley can’t help but stick around to listen. He’s used to slinging drinks for toasted partygoers; but, truth is Murphy’s the only one who doesn’t irritate him into a half-hour smoke break.

He’s never been much for relationships, but this girl sure seems worth the try.

It only takes one day. Guess they’ll see where they are by the end of the night.

One night. Two run-ins at a supply closet. And just enough whiskey to shoot your shot.

(Featuring: cameo appearances by the JAILBAIT: Chase My Blues, Book 1 leads, Em and Ryder. It is not necessary to read that series to enjoy this one, or to read the books in any particular order.)

Need a pick-me-up? Pick up a copy! ‘Til Death Do We Party is a collection of short, feel-good reads with low conflict, high heat, and guaranteed HEAs.

[mimiduncanbooks]

BOOK COVER (by @redbelles) + BLURB (by yrs truly) REVEAL

SHOOT YOUR SHOT: ‘til death do we party, book 1 ~ available on amazon next week! stay tuned!

🥃 Not everybody meets someone, and isn’t it safer to just be okay with that?

Well, not according to Murphy O’Hara’s friends, who are dead-set on pushing her into the arms of whichever bachelor wedding guest will catch her. Much as she appreciates their meddling investment in her completely stalled love life… It’s going to be a long night, so Murphy keeps finding her way back to the bar.

After all, even if the whiskey sours don’t do the trick, the bartender just might.

🥃 That’s what Ben’s good at — the big stuff. He guesses a crying drunk girl qualifies.

Even when it turns out she’s not crying so much as she’s talking his ear off in some zoned-out state of personal crisis, Ben Ainsley can’t help but stick around to listen. He’s used to slinging drinks for toasted partygoers; but, truth is Murphy’s the only one who doesn’t irritate him into a half-hour smoke break.

He’s never been much for relationships, but this girl sure seems worth the try.

🥃 It only takes one day. Guess they’ll see where they are by the end of the night.

One night. Two run-ins at a supply closet. And just enough whiskey to shoot your shot.

(Featuring: cameo appearances by the JAILBAIT: Chase My Blues, Book 1 leads, Em and Ryder. It is not necessary to read that series to enjoy this one, or to read the books in any particular order.)

[mimiduncanbooks]

“Do I gotta cut you off?”

She waves him off, chews on the end of her straw. “No, I’m not that drunk, just keyed up on my own anxiety. You’ll learn the difference.”

“That a threat?”

“Absolutely it is.” Murphy blows bubbles in her drink. Frowns. “You ask too many questions. Get out of my head.” Please get out of her head, otherwise she’d rightfully be charged with sexual harrassment, what is the matter with her?

Ben smiles at her for real now and, yeah, that’s what’s the matter with her.

“Hey, it’s like I said — what’re bartenders for?”

“Not psychoanalysis, Jesus, get out of here with that shit.”

“Ain’t psychoanalysis, I just asked how you're doin’.”

“Well, I don’t know how to have a normal conversation anymore, so that’s on you.”

SHOOT YOUR SHOT

coming soon

cover + blurb | spotify playlist

[mimiduncanbooks]

SHOOT YOUR SHOT: ‘Til Death Do We Party, Book 1

ebook + paperback + hardcover

playlist

🔞 18+

💄 age gap romance (M43/F32)

💗 strangers to friends to lovers

🌤 grumpy (but soft) x sunshine (with anxiety)

🥂 wedding guest x bartender

💞 matchmaking

❤️‍🔥 alexa, play “boom boom boom boom” by the vengaboys

Featuring: cameo appearances by the JAILBAIT: Chase My Blues, Book 1 leads, Em and Ryder. It is not necessary to read that series to enjoy this one, or to read the books in any particular order.

🌟 please remember to RATE & REVIEW on amazon, and share the love wherever! 🌟

[mimiduncanbooks]

🥃💋 [while hiding from too many fellow single wedding guests, murphy takes a phone call with her mom]

“It’s been awhile since you let someone down your pants. I think it’s time.”

“God — damn it.” Murphy hits the bottle again.

“What is it, six years now?”

She shouldn’t say anything, but — “Seven.”

“I think you’ve punished yourself long enough,” Mom says, all reasonable like Murphy’s got a reasonable bone in her body. “Otherwise I’m going to set you up on a date with R.J.”

“Ew, I won’t go.”

“I’ll Venmo you twenty dollars.”

“A date with R.J. would end in intensive therapy, I’m gonna need more than twenty.”

“No, the twenty’s if you get off the phone with me, get out of that coat closet, and go enjoy the reception like most well-adjusted people with access to an open bar would do.”

It’s a supply closet, actually, Murphy thinks as she takes another swig from her pilfered bottle. Mom doesn’t need to know about that, though.

“I don’t know any well-adjusted people.”

“None of us do, we’re all posers.”

SHOOT YOUR SHOT

available on amazon JUNE 28th (provided that i can trust in a timely review process — stay tuned!)

cover + book blurb | promo 1 | spotify playlist