Hi peeps, we have brand new author Jayce Ellis stopping by with her debut short story Alex’s Law, we have a quick intro from Jayce, a great excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link <3 ~Pixie~

Alex’s Law

Jayce Ellis

Alex Corrigan is in love with his boss, Judge Lawson Daniels, and thinks those feelings are returned. That assumption is sorely tested two days before the court holiday party they’re organizing together, when the venue calls and cancels, followed by a snafu with the caterer. Alex could handle that, but after an intimate dinner followed by a decidedly unromantic e-mail, he’s left wondering about the future of his employment as well as his relationship with the debonair older man.

Law can’t wait to see his clerk again. But Alex is cold and distant in the light of day, and Law doesn’t understand. The party looms in the background, but Law’s excitement is turning to dread. On top of that, someone is sabotaging them, trying to get Alex fired and drive Law off the bench. If there’s any chance for a happy holiday for Alex and Law, they’ll have to find out who.

Jayce Ellis

Hey guys. Thanks so much for having me. This is my very first anything, so be nice, please! Enjoy the excerpt, and leave a comment, take a look at my Facebook page, or give me a follow for a chance to win below.

Excerpt

Law wanted to strangle the attorneys in front of him. The case was ridiculous, the parties were just fighting for the hell of it, and their counsel had no control over them. Cases like these made him question his life choices.

He would normally joke about this with Alex. But Becky wasn’t Alex. She was nice, kind, efficient. She didn’t make his heart pound, didn’t make his pulse throb, didn’t make his body ache. She didn’t make him want.

Alex made him want.

Finally—finally!—the attorneys realized they were arguing over semantics and left to scratch out a written order. Law turned to RJ, who could barely contain his mirth. RJ didn’t talk in court, and he didn’t need to. His expressions said it all. Law dismissed the attorneys with an order to send the signed agreement to the clerk’s office. He wasn’t waiting around for them to find more things to fight over. “Where’d Rebecca go?” he asked RJ once the courtroom was clear.

“Said she needed a copy of Alex’s notes on the case.”

Law dipped his head. That would’ve been helpful if the parties hadn’t settled while she was gone. Honestly, he was glad. Law was very particular about how he ran his docket, down to requiring that the cases all be organized by time estimate—how long the attorney’s estimated a case would take to present, always comically inaccurate—then alphabetized, a pain for the clerks, to be sure. Even though Alex’s messy desk caused Law no short amount of heartburn in the office, he was genius at keeping Law on track in the courtroom. Working with anyone else was a struggle, and Becky was no exception.

Law looked up when he heard the click signaling that RJ had locked the courtroom door, then they walked down the hall to his chambers. Law was thrilled that he would be spending the afternoon with Alex. He could savor Alex’s cologne, watch his Adam’s apple bob as he laughed. Law couldn’t wait. They reached the door of his chambers, and RJ took off to the bailiffs’ lounge. Alex wasn’t out front. Law found him in the inner office, staring out the window. “Any luck?” Law was pretty sure he knew the answer, but he felt compelled to ask.

“Nothing. Everything’s booked, too expensive, or not open.”

Law hung up his robe and sat down. Alex would have exhausted every avenue before declaring this a loss. Law rolled his neck and shoulders to relieve the building tension. “Damn,” he whispered, almost to himself. “I’m going to have to ask Roberts to cancel.”

Alex sucked in a breath. “You think he’ll do it?”

“For anyone else? Yes. For me? Not a chance.”

A conversation with Roberts made damnation sound like a fair deal. “Might as well get the rejection out of the way.” Inhale, exhale, repeat. Deep breathing might work as a preventive measure. Nope, just delaying the inevitable.

“Want me to leave?” Alex asked.

Law shook his head and pointed to the office chair. “No. Stay.”

Law didn’t know why he was bothering to call. Graham Roberts despised Law. He had never said why, but Law assumed it was because he’d been elected on his first nomination, came from the Public Defender’s Office instead of the Prosecutor’s, and was openly gay. Especially that last one.

Roberts answered on the first ring, his voice surly. “How can I help you, Daniels?”

Damned caller ID. Roberts was already defensive. Law inhaled and spoke. “Judge Roberts, I’m sorry to disturb you while you’re out, but—”

“Get on with it, Daniels.”

This is going well. “Judge, Botanical Gardens called and canceled all events because of the weather. We’ve had no luck finding an alternate location, and would like to postpone the party.”

There was a silence, so long that Law checked to make sure the call hadn’t disconnected. A slow, deep belly laugh sounded from the other end, increasing in volume until Roberts sounded like he was wheezing. The depth of his animosity confirmed what Law already knew: this man hated him.

“Tried to get a fancy new venue, and it backfired, huh?” he asked. Law could virtually hear the smirk over the phone.

“People were bored with the same location. Other organizations have used the Gardens for their parties, and there’s never been a problem before.” Law could hear the frustration creeping into his voice. Roberts always had this effect on him.

“Daniels, it’s too close to the party to cancel or postpone now. People have rearranged their holiday plans for the sole purpose of attending this event. You should have thought about the weather before you decided to relieve people of their boredom. Did it occur to you that we’ve scheduled the event at the same location for a reason?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “The event remains as scheduled. Figure it out.” Law heard a click, then silence. Roberts had hung up.

About Jayce

Jayce Ellis has three loves: her husband and her two turtles. Hubby loves her back. The turtles she’s not so sure about, but they do love their sports (Bay Area teams FTW!). She still hasn’t figured out why she lives in Northern Virginia, where there’s weather, instead of California, where she’s from, and where it’s just…pretty. Jayce spends her days divorcing happily-married couples (or so she’s been told), and her nights talking maniacally to herself. Thankfully the recorder catches her rumblings and magically turns them into words on a screen. Painting nails is way easier when you don’t actually have to type, and with well over 500 polishes to get through, there’s a lot of painting going on.

Notwithstanding her no-good, very bad, horrible day job, Jayce seriously believes that true love conquers all. Even Maleficent said it. Sure, she was having an epic Mean Girls moment at the time, but she still said it. And she’s right. The only thing Jayce loves more than writing about true love conquering all, is hearing from readers who feel the same way. Drop her a line; she’d love to hear from you.

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