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Lady Wynwood #7 early release Kickstarter

I worked on my first Kickstarter and it got approved! It’s for the Special Edition Hardcover of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer and the release of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster. I contacted my graphic designer about the Special Edition Hardcover of vol. 1: Archer—it’s going to be SO beautiful! The Kickstarter focuses on the Special Edition Hardcover, but it’ll also include vol. 7: Spinster so that it’ll sort of be like a launch day for vol. 7, too. A third special thing that’ll be in the Kickstarter is Special Edition Paperbacks of all the books in the series. They won’t be available in stores, just in the Kickstarter (and later, from my website, and also in my Patreon book box tiers if I decide to do them). The Kickstarter is not live yet, but you can follow it to be alerted when it has launched. (You may need to create a free Kickstarter account.) Follow Camy’s Kickstarter

ひとり寿司第18章パート3




「ひとり寿司」をブログに連載します!


ひとり寿司



寿司シリーズの第一作

キャミー・タング

西島美幸 訳

スポーツ狂のレックス・坂井 —— いとこのマリコが数ヶ月後に結婚することにより、「いとこの中で一番年上の独身女性」という内輪の肩書を「勝ち取る」ことについては、あまり気にしていない。コントロールフリークの祖母を無視するのは容易だ —— しかし、祖母は最終通告を出した —— マリコの結婚式までにデート相手を見つけなければ、無慈悲な祖母は、レックスがコーチをしている女子バレーボールチームへの資金供給を切ると言う。

ダグアウトにいる選手全員とデートに出かけるほど絶望的なわけではない。レックスは、バイブルスタディで読んだ「エペソの手紙」をもとに「最高の男性」の条件の厳しいリストを作った。バレーボールではいつも勝つ —— ゲームを有利に進めれば、必ず成功するはずだ。

そのとき兄は、クリスチャンではなく、アスリートでもなく、一見何の魅力もないエイデンを彼女に引き合わせる。

エイデンは、クリスチャンではないという理由で離れていったトリッシュという女の子から受けた痛手から立ち直ろうとしている。そして、レックスが(1)彼に全く興味がないこと、(2)クリスチャンであること、(3)トリッシュのいとこであることを知る。あの狂った家族とまた付き合うのはごめんだ。まして、偽善的なクリスチャンの女の子など、お断り。彼はマゾヒストじゃない。

レックスは時間がなくなってきた。いくら頑張っても、いい人は現れない。それに、どこへ行ってもエイデンに遭遇する。あのリストはどんどん長くなっていくばかり ——

過去に掲載済みのストーリーのリンクはこちらです。

***


**********


バレーボールに向かう途中、さらに二件の電話をさばいた。横滑りしながら駐車場に入り、駐車スペースで急停止した。サイドブレーキを引いて、高校のジムの入口へと急いだ。

「レックス・坂井さんですか?」三人のアジア系男子のうち一人が、入口の近くに立っていた。

レックスは硬くなり、中にいる選手をのぞき見た。何を考えていたのだろうか——二メートルも離れていないところに友達がいるのに、見知らぬ人に攻撃されるとでも?

長身で細身、大学を卒業したばかりのように見える、話しかけてきた男子の方を向いた。「悪いけど、遅れてるの。また後でね」終わるまで彼らが待っていればの話だが。待たないでもらえる方がよかった。

もう一人の男子が、その広い胸でレックスの行く道をさえぎった。「君のおばあさんが、僕らの母親にチケットのことを話したって、知ってるよね」ニヤッと笑い、その手を横に広げた。「嫌がられてるのは分かるけど、僕らのお願いは簡単なことだと思うよ」

一人めの男子が近寄ってきた。「デートに行く必要はない。今週末のバークレーのチケットを持ってて、もし行かないんだったら、僕らにくれない? 母親にはディナーも映画も素晴らしかった、って言っとくから」

開いた口が塞がらず、あごが痛くなった。これは、チケットを条件として言い寄られるよりマシなのだろうか? 「冗談でしょ」

「じゃあ——君、ゲームに行くの?」

不満のうなり声をあげて、強引に彼らの間をかき分けて通った。ばか! 間抜け! 彼らのおかげで、ボールを叩きつけるのに完璧なムードができあがった——

「レックス・坂井さん?」

「何っ?」野生動物のように叫びながら、体をねじって振り向いた。

先週、彼女を観察していた二人の白人男性が目の前にいる。ワサマタユのスカウトかも知れない人たちだった。(誰か、いますぐ射殺して)「あの……ごめんなさい。別の人だと思ったので……」作り笑いをした。

彼らの無表情な顔は、テレビで見るFBIの捜査官を思い出させた。それか、コートの中でイライラしているエイデン。背の低い方の人がレックスに封筒を渡した。

ジムバッグが地面に落ちた。彼女はこの封筒を破って開けた。

(ワサマタユのトライアウトにお招きします……)

「わあっ! ありがとうございます!」

「どうも」しかめっ面をした背の高い方の男がうなずいた。

「感心しましたよ。あなたの力強くて正確なプレイには」背が低い方の男の口調は、ビジネスレポートを読んでいるように聞こえた。

レックスは顔を輝かせた。「あなたにキスしたいぐらいだわ!」

彼は咳払いをした。「それは遠慮させてもらいます」

***

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