Last month I shared about the “first kiss” scene in An Informal Christmas. This month we’re going to take a peek at some kissing advice in An Informal Arrangement.
Holden is in the hospital, and he’s finally hungry for real food again. To celebrate, his nurse ordered him a bacon-rich meal from the cafeteria. You may wonder what bacon has to do with kissing, but… Well, you’ll just have to read it for yourself.
***
The fragrance of salted paradise on a plate reached Holden ahead of the voice.
“I don’t know what you did to warrant such treatment, but whatever it was, I hope some of it rubs off on me.” An older gentleman stood in the doorway holding a breakfast tray.
Hunger gnawed at Holden, and he smiled. Weeks had passed since his appetite had last visited. He welcomed it back like an old friend. “You might just be holding the best smelling thing in this hospital.”
The gentleman laughed softly and stepped over the threshold. “Tell my wife. I arrive home from work, and she takes one sniff before waving me off to go change my clothes. Says she won’t allow the smell of overcooked broccoli and antiseptic at her dinner table. Can’t say I blame her.”
Holden picked up his fork in expectation but set it down again before taking a bite. Starving, yes. Callous enough to forget the God who’d seen him through thus far? He hoped not. With one eye still on the utensil, he asked, “How long have you been married?”
“Fran and me? We’ll be celebrating forty-five years next month. She’s the kind of gal a man can’t wait to get home to.”
A new type of pang took root in Holden’s gut. Surely he couldn’t be jealous of the man delivering his hospital meal. “Forty-five years. Wow. What’s your secret?”
Right before he stepped back out the door to head on to his next delivery, the gentleman answered, “Kiss her like you mean it at least once every day.”
Kissing? Holden could imagine his mom’s horrified reaction. But then, her advice centered on landing him a wife. He wanted to find the woman God had for him and settle down. It still irked, though, when his family treated him as if he were incapable of convincing a woman to marry him. Hence all their outdated but well-intentioned counsel.
***
Holden and Maddie don’t make it to their first kiss until much later in the book, and I don’t want to spoil the story for you by giving away that particular scene. So if you want to find out whether or not Holden puts the kissing advice to good use, you can purchase An Informal Arrangement here or you can enter the giveaway below.
GIVEAWAY: Enter to win a complimentary e-book copy of An Informal Arrangement. To enter, comment below with the best kissing advice you’ve ever given, received, overheard, or borrowed.
Comments are always welcome, but the giveaway will close at midnight on the night of July 1st. The winner will be announced in the July 3rd Sunday Edition right here on the blog.
Heather Gray loves coffee, God, her family, and laughter – not necessarily in that order! She writes approachable characters who, through the highs and lows of life, find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her. And, yeah, her books almost always have someone who's a coffee addict. Some things just can't be helped. Despite their different lives and situations, Heather’s characters have something in common. They're all flawed...but loved anyway.
Funny, I can’t say I’ve ever received any advice on kissing…does that mean I’m doing it right? :) I’ll be anxious to read the comments, Heather. Thanks for sharing an excerpt!
In our family, when our sons and grandkids see us kiss and remark “Oh, yucky!” We tell them “you are not allowed to kiss until they are 30” and kiss them.
While we would not enforce this rule, we understand how passionate teen kisses can ignite deeper emotions. This teasing statement gives us the opportunity to discuss when and how during a relationship it is appropriate to kiss. Open dialog is important between parents and children.
Heather, good kissing advice after marriage.
I don’t recall receiving or giving kissing advice, but I like the one you’re giving. I want to say my husband and I try that approach, but it would be a stretch to say every day. (Now I’m almost blushing.)
I’m not sure I’ve ever been given kissing advice. But I do like kissing. :) and I love Holden and Maddie’s story.
The pastor who checked cabin cleanup at camp when I was a counselor one year jokingly told everyone I had a picture in my cabin of me kissing my fiancé. I didn’t (we hadn’t kissed yet}. But later one of the high school boys told me to make sure when I did kiss to wear bright red lipstick. I’m pretty sure that’s the only kissing advice I have received. =)
You made me chuckle Jill. I’ll hang out with you in the no-advice-means-you’re-doing-it-right camp! ^_^
I so agree with you! It’s important for adults and children to have an open dialogue about relationships, kissing, and physical intimacy in general. In order for us to have that open dialogue, we need to look for and use those teachable moments. When we work those sorts of things into daily conversation, then we create a situation where our children (or grandchildren) feel comfortable talking about those things with us. Excellent point!!
Ha! You’re in good company. I blush all the time. (I could tell you about the time I was in a Bible study group and got called on to read something out loud…and it had the word “sex” in it. It caught me off guard enough that I couldn’t even get the word out. I spelled it instead. And blushed. And took a fair amount of ribbing over it.) ^_^
I’m glad you like kissing. (I’m sure your husband is, too!) ^_^ And thanks. I’m partial to their story, too. :)
And even though it’s nothing like what he intended, I now have this mental image of two people kissing – and the woman in clown makeup. (Hm. I might have to find a way to write that into a story…) ^_^ Thanks for sharing Katy! You made me laugh AND put a funny picture in my head (even though you probably weren’t trying to do the latter)! :)
I don’t remember getting any kissing advice either, or giving any. I didn’t even have a date until I was in college!
Thanks for stopping by today Margaret! It would appear that kissing advice is not as commonplace in real life as it is in fiction. On the bright side, I’m having loads of fun reading the comments, even when they don’t have kissing advice in them. ^_^
I’ve not really received, given, overheard, or borrowed any kissing advice, but your book sounds very interesting.
Blessings,
Andrea
andrearenee2004@yahoo.com
If you’ll pardon my comment here, I wrote it into a recent release that a woman puts on bright red lipstick (she’s the best friend of the heroine). The heroine makes a remark that her friend has never really cared about wearing makeup before. The friend is still pretty much a newlywed and makes the comment that she wears it for special occasions because her husband told her he loves seeing her wearing red lipstick. So, I found Katy’s comment amusing and…timely. :) And my heroine’s name is Caty, fyi.
Hi Heather,
I’m with many who say they’ve never received kissing advice, but I’ve given it.
My husband and I have photographed many weddings and one of the many advices we gave throughout the day the one that always got a high five from the groom and a blush from the bride was when we’d tell them, “When the pastor tells you to kiss the bride, hold it until you hear people snicker.” The reason begin, not so they can have a long kiss, but for us to get just the right photo of their kiss. To often when they’re nervous they just do a peck and we needed a bit longer for a good photo.
My husband and myself kiss more times than I could count in a day. We feel it strengthens our relationship and keeps us feeling young even though we are in our 50’s.
As for advice, who needs it. You do what feels right for you.
God Bless.
I can’t think of any kissing advice I’ve ever been given or have had given to me. I do know that I love experiencing forehead kisses from my husband and reading about them in books. I think they’re so sweet. I don’t know what it is about them, but it makes me feel treasured and makes me feel like the characters in a book treasure each other.
So glad you could stop by today Andrea!
That’s such great advice – both for the photography and for the memories it probably creates for the happy couple! I have a friend who – along with her husband – recently started a wedding photography business. I’m going to pass this along to her. Thank you so much for sharing Marylin!!
Thank you for visiting us today Lorraine! It sounds like you and your husband have a good, strong marriage – and like you enjoy each other’s company! :)
I love that Julie! I’ve never heard it called a forehead kiss, but you’re so right! They communicate something that the kiss alone can’t and that words can’t do justice. They say, “I cherish you. You are a treasure.”
How fun JoAnn! My husband has a specific color of lipstick he likes on me, and I wear it whenever we go out together or do something special – but it’s not red. I’m not sure I could ever pull off red lipstick. ^_^
No kissing advice from this corner.
“No comment” is the common refrain of the day, so you’re in superb company! (Either nobody gives kissing advice, or nobody wants to admit that they do…) ^_^
The best kissing advice I ever got was from my parents. It wasn’t anything they said, it was the warm and affectionate embraces and kisses they shared every single day. Of course when I was in high school and had friends over it was mortifying. They were married 56 years when my mom died and my father said till he died he couldn’t believe how blessed he was to marry her.
Best advice by far! Thank you for sharing Sharon! What a blessing to have grown up with such a wonderful example of love and marriage!
Don’t wait. Kiss him first. That’s how I won my man.
Ha! A woman who knows what she wants and goes after it. I can respect that. :)