Excerpt - The Juggling Act - Living Life With Joy

Today I’m excited to share an excerpt from The Juggling Act, the third book in the Rom-Com on the Edge Series by Carol Maloney Scott!

The Juggling Act by Carol Maloney Scott

Published: January 5, 2016

Book Blurb:

THE JUGGLING ACT is Book 3 in the Rom-Com on the Edge series. All books are standalone novels, however read in order for maximum fun!

Now that her dating days are finally behind her, Claire is enjoying a blissful life with her new husband and baby boy. Gone are the drunken nights in impractical shoes, and Internet dates with men who lose their hair…and their pants.

Unfortunately, she’s discovering that life as a married, working mom isn’t turning out to be the perfect happily ever after she dreamed about. She adores her little boy, but her husband’s behavior is about to make him eligible for the Most Disappointing Spouse of the Year Award.

His unwillingness to help around the house and his slacker work ethic are frustrating enough, but the constant parade of beautiful, single women in his life has Claire in a constant state of distress. Didn’t she realize that the cute front man of a popular cover band would attract hot, young women with perfect cellulite-free legs? And whose idea was it to hire the curvy nanny with the sexy accent?

When an unexpected business trip pops up – with a super-hot, much-too-young former love interest, Claire’s own loyalty is put to the test. A publishing conference in Key West may be the ideal escape from her troubles, but will she be tempted by the forbidden in a town full of swingers and breakfast alcohol consumption? And why does everyone they meet think the business colleagues are on their honeymoon?

Scrambling to cover up innocent, but suspicious circumstances, the couple struggles with honesty, loyalty and what to share with each other. As they sink deeper into their marital gloom, will they find their way back to wedded bliss, or finally succumb to the enticement of new…and uncomplicated romance?

Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

About the Author – Carol Maloney Scott

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Author Bio: Carol Maloney Scott, author of the Rom-Com on the Edge series, is a frazzled new bride and wiener dog fanatic. She is a lover of donuts, and a hater of mornings. Recently unearthing a childhood passion for writing, she can once again be seen carrying around a notebook and staring into space. Her stories are witty, fresh and real, just like life.

Join her on “The Edge” for giveaways, cover reveals, excerpts, contest and members-only content at carolmaloneyscott.com/

Excerpt – The Juggling Act

“Claire, what’s wrong with you today? Why were you so rude to Diamond?” His beautiful bright blue eyes show genuine bewilderment, as if he truly does not see the woman across the street is hot for him.

“Are you kidding?” I stand up and kiss him. “Never mind. I just thought it would be nice to spend the day alone together, since we don’t have as much privacy now, with Tatiana here all the time.”

Brandon seems to think I’m trying to seduce him, which I am. He helps to settle Aidan down for his nap. I am trying thebees with honey approach, even though my stinger is on alert.

Later on, afternoon sex prompts a short nap in our bed, and Brandon’s phone buzzes repeatedly on the end table. Aidan is still asleep, but the phone won’t wake him in his room across the hall.

I rub Brandon’s chest gently as I wake up close to him in our king size bed. “Hey, are you gonna answer that?”

He rolls over and pulls me closer. “What?” He rubs his eyes. “I am beat from last night, and from my little woman’s loving.” He kisses my head, but I’m distracted by the incessant buzzing. Someone wants to get in touch with him urgently.

I lean over his body and grab the phone, stealing a glance at the display. Zoe.

Instead of announcing the caller, I hand it to him. He takes it and begins to scroll through his messages. “Zoe wants to come over tomorrow and work on the vocals for the new songs.” Brandon looks at me and says, “Is that okay? We won’t be all day.”

I smile and respond, “That’s fine. I was planning on meeting Rachel at the mall with her kids anyway.”

Aidan starts crying and I jump up to retrieve him from his crib. Brandon makes no move to get up, drifting back to sleep. In all fairness, performing is tiring, and he was up later than me. He was more hyped up after the show. Jane kept Aidan acrossthe street, and I was eager to pick him up, carry him back to his crib, and get some rest.

“Hi, Pumpkin.” I affectionately lift my son out of his crib and hug him tightly. He is perfect in every way. His beautiful black hair and dark blue eyes remind me of my sister, Jackie, whose coloration is the opposite of mine. Aidan looks like he could be Jackie’s child. Even though he’s adopted, he resembles the family a bit. It will be interesting to see if Jackie’s baby looks thesame.

My younger sister is now married and expecting her first child. She lives in Northern Virginia, and neither of us have time to make the two hour drive as often as we would like. She met her new husband, Chet, while volunteering at the homeless shelter. Chet actually runs the homeless shelter, and is extremely left wing. And a Buddhist. As if that isn’t enough to give my mother a coronary, they got married at the homeless shelter, without telling anyone, and their wedding picture is a selfie with various shelter residents in the background. Jackie knows how to rile up my mother, but at least it takes her attention away from critiquing my decisions.

My wistful smirk fades into a sigh as I carry Aidan downstairs to feed him a late lunch. We are off our schedule, but who cares? It’s a holiday.

“Daddy’s sleeping, Aidan, but we can eat without him.” The two continuously hungry wieners dance at my feet, hoping for a scrap of our lunch.

So now Zoe is coming over tomorrow. Bringing on a new female vocalist was part of Brandon’s plan to launch the band into genuine success. At least Zoe is friendly towards me, and she doesn’t seem all that amazed by Brandon. She’s in her early twenties, and looks like the stereotypical rocker chick with dark sunglasses, leather, and lots of black.

I trust Brandon, but I knew being married to a man eight years my junior would make me feel insecure at times. I just wish we were on the same page about the attention of other women, like Diamond and even our nanny.

Speaking of being on the same page, I may have been the one who wanted a second wiener dog, but Duncan is not as much work as another baby. Brandon has been pushing me to adopt another child soon, claiming that it’s best for the kids to be close in age, and it would be good to complete our family before I turn forty, which is another year and a month away, but apparently looming large as a deadline. I guess he thinks forty is the year I will shrivel up, and my inevitable incontinence will eat up our diaper budget.