Sara Wilkinson

“You don’t know that.” Nat practically screamed as she stood. Avoiding his hangdog look as she reloaded. “What if I don’t have enough time for you? For us? What if I’m traded to another team in another city? What if—” “We’ll figure it out.” “I won’t ask that of you.” “You’re not asking, I’m offering.” Matt’s sanguine tone, the sparkle of his eyes as he pulled Nat back down nearly changed her mind. Until an image of Matt heaving an overstuffed bag over one shoulder as he bent down for a larger, rolling suitcase with blue eyes frosted over in anger and rancor and discontent rose unbidden.

'City' from 'Stubborn Dreams...'
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And she had sucked back then, but not anymore. She improved. No, she dominated. If he could only see that, he’d forgive her for being horrible all those years ago and rejoice at having her in his life again. She couldn’t dwell on that right now. She had to focus. Nat rubbed her face clear of those thoughts as she sat in the locker room with one cleated foot angled on her toes and shaking the entire bench as a bead of sweat slid down her neck. The warm-up went fine. Good. Nat was on top of her game.

'Dominated' from 'Stubborn Dreams...'
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Or with Heidi, a goddess in her own right. A woman Becca might be jealous of under other circumstances. Instead, she wished Heidi might tempt Ian back where he belonged. Back to LA or NYC or whatever acronym he called home fifty-one percent of the year. Anywhere but within Becca’s orbit. Away from her embarrassment at having sex with a personified demi-god. Begged for sex more like. Oh shit, she had begged. Becca banged her head against the wall again. Keeping her forehead pressed into the cool tile as the water rinsed the lather away. Last night could not, would not happen again. The icy water affected Ian’s brain. Fooled him into thinking she was someone else, someone suitable like a patient falling in love with their nurse.

The only 'percent' I could find along with another 'belong' from yesterday -'Love on the Vine'
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Was that such a bad idea? Did Becca truly belong here? The winery, the house, this city for f*’s sake, was Sammy’s world. Not hers. Yes, her mom and father started the winery and bought the house, but it stopped being Linda’s winery, and thus Becca’s, when her father pushed Becca’s barely one-month-old self into the arms of her aunt and uncle. The possibility he regretted that decision months, years, decades later made no difference. The winery thrived without Becca and would continue whether she remained an owner or not.

'Belong' from 'Love on the Vine'
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Matt rubbed the image from his eyes and spoke through his fingers, “Why is she doing this?” “Because she wants you to be happy and recognizes she’s hindering that.” “But I’m not. Not now.” Matt snatched the letter and waved it like a white flag. “Do you love Leslie, love?” Matt puffed his cheeks at the million-dollar question.

'Hinder' for 'impede'.
Matt grappling with the million dollar question of whether to stay with his GF or wait for his true love.
From 'Stubborn Dreams...'
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From listening between the answers, Nat gathered Ashley, much like her, played soccer as a coping mechanism after her mom died. But, unlike Nat with her strong support system and cheerleader mom, Ashley’s sister and dad had little faith in her soccer abilities and discouraged her from aiming higher than playing college level soccer for the first two years before focusing solely on a major. “’Study law’, Leslie always says. Do something important.” Ashley’s huffed breath briefly fogged Nat’s passenger side window. Ouch. Devastating enough for Ashley, it also let Nat know where she and her career stood in Leslie’s hierarchy of needs.

'System'
- From 'Stubborn Dreams...'
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And friends, good friends, close friends, in more ways than one, attended the other’s opening home game. Especially after the fear and stress Nat suffered during training camp. At one point, she questioned what she was doing there. And Matt, ignoring the deep, devilish voice instructing him otherwise, talked her off the ledge. Luckily, her opener fell on a Saturday. “Who’s up for attending Nat’s first game?” Matt asked everyone, his and Nat’s friends, Phyllis, his immediate family, Chelsea too. Two hours later, Matt ordered thirteen tickets, stopping short of ordering special shirts with Nat’s name and picture despite Georgie and Devin’s cajoling. Thanks to Chelsea and Kyra getting their respective men in order.

'Opening' for 'debut'. Nat's 'opening' game going pro.

-From 'Stubborn Dreams...'
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Ten minutes later they pulled up. Twenty minutes later he followed the directions to the highway and Becca’s condo. Four hours later he arrived hungry and exhausted with waning hope for a warm reception. At least the storm held off. A good sign. Or not given the darkness of her condo and her missing Jeep. He knocked anyway. Glancing through the small window before slumping on the steps. Ready and willing to wait until he remembered Becca mentioning a friend and neighbor. He rose and knocked on the adjoining door.

'Direction' from Love on the Vine
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“Anyone special in your life you’d like to share with us?” Ian flashed his signature smile. “Not yet, I’m afraid. Though I’ve considered adopting a puppy. The animal shelters are overflowing, and I hope your viewers will consider adopting a rescue animal this holiday season.” The host’s smile froze, and Ian choked back a laugh. Clearly not the answer she hoped for. Score one for him and the sheltered pets. But, damn, she recovered quickly.

'Special'-Love on the Vine
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“Are you sure this dress is okay?” Becca asked for the third time as she fidgeted in the freshly laundered green wrap dress. “Heidi will love you whether you’re in a potato sack or a full-length evening gown.” Ian kissed the top of her head as he stood behind her in the full-length mirror. “Don’t you dare say trust me.” Ian smiled at her reflection. The full moon indents winked along with his left eye. He dipped his head and whispered the two words anyway. “Trust me. I’ve told her all about you and she’s half in love with you already. As am I.” Ian said against her neck. Even the shiver of those lips couldn’t shake loose the words he spoke so casually. Time enough for pondering them later. Right now, Becca needed to focus on impressing Ian’s best friend. A nearly impossible task since best friends and moms controlled the eject button of any relationship. Becca fully expected Molly to give Ian the third degree regardless of her fangirl tendencies, therefore she expected nothing less from Heidi.

Becca preparing to get the 'third' degree from Ian's BFF.
-Love on the Vine
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Who the f*** was he kidding? If he stood in her shoes, if the roles reversed, would he seek her out? Hell, he forgot his lines the first day of his first movie because he was so star struck by Heidi. Forget that she looked like a goddess, Heidi already had a successful TV show under her belt and the top spot on the call sheet. Could he expect anything less from Becca?

Alas, as much as I like the word 'retrograde', it doesn't appear in either of my current WIPs so I too used 'reversed'.
-Love on the Vine- #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity

Oh, but she enjoyed the green overtaking Leslie’s hazel eyes. Had the new girlfriend not met Matt’s family? Score one for Nat. A shallow victory that meant Matt wanted Nat’s approval first or wanted her help or both. And damn it all if she wouldn’t give it to him. Damn it all if she wouldn’t try being a little nicer regardless of her newly acknowledged feelings. If Leslie made him happy, if he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, then Nat must accept that. No matter how long it took. No matter how much it felt like a cleat to the heart.

'Spend' from 'Stubborn Dreams and Bottled Love'
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The next week passed in a blur. Her father’s cryptic comment haunted her waking moments as well as her half-asleep ones. If she actually slept, she couldn’t remember when or for how long. Somewhere in the middle they held a funeral. Soon after, they attended the will reading, who knew such things still existed, where Becca learned she now jointly owned her father’s winery and house with Sammy.

'Week' from Love on the Vine
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Adult contemporary romance writer looking for CPs or anyone interested in forming a writing group that meets regularly.
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Regret held her back. Regret she hadn’t given her father more of a chance until it was too late. Regret she might not learn anything about the woman who breathed her last breath as Becca breathed her first. Or discover more about her father. Or build a relationship with her half-brother and his kids. That fear outweighed saving face with a woman like Charlotte. For now, permanently departing was out of the question. But leaving for an hour or two or three… It would give Charlotte’s anger a chance to cool and Becca an opportunity to eat a late lunch before meeting Sammy for an update on the day’s sales.

Had to flit back to my other WIP (Love on the Vine) for 'build' today
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Matt's family throws a huge Christmas party every year and Nat has a standing invitation. No matter how busy they become after graduation or how far apart they live, they know they will always reconnect at this party.
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“It’s my fault for putting my face between the ball and the net.” “No, I shouldn’t have kicked it at full force.” Nat slipped out of her long-sleeved shirt and used it to stop any new blood before wiping away the drying blood on his upper lip. “You made me so angry with that jab.” Matt stopped her hand, pushing it and the bloody shirt away before gripping her chin until she met his gaze. “Not a jab. A joke. I thought we were back on an even keel.” Matt hitched his lips into a smile despite the pain it caused. “I’ve missed you, Nat.”

When playing goalkeeper as an apology ends with a bloody nose
'Shirt' -Stubborn Dreams...
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“It’s not our fault your last one-night stand ballooned into him wanting to bring you home to mother after two weeks.” Nat dropped her head against the freezer door and groaned. Her appetite shifted from something healthy to something not. A juicy cheeseburger with onion rings. Crispy, giant, greasy rings like she and her mom always ordered at that old-fashioned place her mom frequented as a teenager. Burger something or something Burger. They hadn’t been in years. Note to self, eat at Burger Whatever during winter break. No. It wouldn’t be winter break for Nat. More like her first taste of scary real life. It put her off burgers and onion rings as quickly as talking about the creepy, wannabe Norman Bates put her off healthy food.

Nat really loves her 'burger's so I'm surprised I didn't have more instances in my WIP Stubborn Dreams... This snip is the exception
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Thanks 😅 I worried it was too long without saying enough.

Even after two weeks of classes, he couldn’t arrive with more than a minute to spare. He blamed his disinterest. The class was a basic graduation requirement that most students completed freshman year, but Matt put off in favor of harder requirements. A strategic plan. Fill his schedule with hard, major requirements upfront for a somewhat lighter load as he focused on med school apps. Unlike others, Matt had known his major since his best friend and neighbor Noah died when they were ten after his cancer relapse went unnoticed by the local pediatrician. A man more concerned with tee times and capitalizing on fitting as many patients into narrow time windows as possible. A fact Matt learned later, but which only increased his already strong desire to study medicine and provide his hometown with another, better pediatrician.

Yesterdays snip showed Nat's dreams, why not show her love interest Matt's today.
'Local' -Stubborn Dreams...
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Thanks so much for reviewing my pitch 🥰 And yes one will have to give up their dream for the other. Nat is drafted to a team far from Matt's med school and the midpoint involves them deciding if one is willing to sacrifice their dream for the other.

Part of Nat, the part she kept hidden under her mental bed from her mom’s prying eyes, much like a picture of her dad under her childhood bed, wanted to show him what he lost by leaving. That she could now outplay his other children, if he had them, unlike when he originally bought her that first ball. That even though she hadn’t been worthy of his love then, she was now worthy of his attention and a position on a pro team, on the national team. She spent the last three years flourishing on the field, helping her college team make the NCAA tournament in the hopes of doing just that without slacking on her education as evidenced by her near perfect GPA and expected early graduation with a kinesiology and sports nutrition and management degrees.

'Picture' - Stubborn Dreams...
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When Nat is waylaid by two idiots at a frat party, Matt rescues her and a deep friendship forms with hints of more if only they can see past their ambitions: Nat as a pro soccer star for her dads affection; Matt as a pediatrician in honor of his childhood friends death.
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Thanks for the feedback 😍 I see what you're saying, it is a vague. What if I add something like:

When Nat is waylaid by two idiots at a frat party, Matt comes to her rescue and escorts her home.

Stubborn Dreams and Bottled Love Agents Guide

Details: *87,000 Word Dual POV Contemporary Romance * After Matt rescues Nat from a sticky situation a friendship develops that neither sought nor particularly desired. Both are on paths shaped by childhood experiences and are loathe to change course even when their friendship deepens and threatens to turn romantic. Nat has dreams of being a professional soccer player in the hopes it will make her dad proud and entice him back into her life. Matt wants to honor his childhood best friend’s death by practicing as a pediatrician in their hometown. As they advance down their respective, solitary roads, they must decide if success is enough to make them complete if it means being without the other.

Tropes Friends-to-Lovers-to Friends-to Lovers Slow Burn Sworn off love Inspired by: "KIds in Love" - Pink feat. First Aid Kit Comps: "People We Meet on Vacation" by Emily Henry "When Harry Met Sally" "Slow Dance" by Rainbow Rowell "Every Summer After" by Carley Fortune

EXCERPT: “I’m not ready for this to end.” Nat searched his eyes with eyes full of understanding. Too much understanding. As if she too knew this, whatever this was, had to end. Every time he held her, every time she shuddered in his arms, he wanted more from her. Something Nat couldn’t, wouldn’t give. Not yet. Maybe someday. An improbable idea, not an impossible one. Where’s there’s life, there’s hope. But it dwindled with each passing semester, each passing season. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could or should wait. With his all-encompassing residency starting in a few weeks and with Nat playing in the Olympics later this year on top of her already grinding schedule, such hope died a slow death.

Nat is bound for a pro soccer career thinking it will bring her dad back into her life, Matt is bound for med school in honor of his late childhood friend, but after Matt rescues Nat from a sticky situation, deep feelings threaten to disrupt their long pursued dreams.
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“I believe I’ve already thanked you for that. With breakfast no less. But, fine, if this is how you want to play it, I’ll admit, again, that I was more than a little afraid in that situation and wasn’t sure how to escape when you came along. So, thank you, kind sir, for your gallant rescue.” Nat swept her arm in front of her as she dipped into a mock curtsey. “Please accept this…” Nat patted her pockets while still bent over until she pulled out a folded white square. “Bar napkin as a token of my appreciation. What else can thou doest to repay your kindness?” “For starters, you can stop making a scene.” Matt glanced around at the curious looks her exaggerated movements garnered. Torn between laughter and bowing his head in shame. Or both. “Non, kind sir. Tis too much fun watching your face ripen into a bright rouge like an innocent lass.”

A longer snip today but it made me smile and who doesn't like a little chuckle on a Friday

'Movement's from Stubborn Dreams...
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AITA for repeatedly rejecting my best friend for fear he'll resent me if he gives up his dream of practicing pediatrics in our hometown to honor his deceased childhood friend and follows me as I pursue my dream of playing pro soccer to win my dad's affection?

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My female MC would probably bring something healthy and full of protein like salmon or edamame

My male MC would probably bring microbrew hazy IPA
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Third graders? 😱 It might be too late for me then

Ian stayed close, but a breath of space remained between their shoulders unlike earlier. Becca couldn’t decide if the cold hastened his steps or the cameras. Either way, he hurried along with a lowered head and hands clenched in his pockets, slicing through the wind like an icebreaker ship. Becca practically powerwalked to keep up. Three strides, in heels, barely equaled one of his. He stopped every few feet when he realized she trailed behind before hurrying ahead once more.

May have already posted this snip but its my only instance of 'trail' in Love on the Vine or my other WIP.
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