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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

THE ROMANCE OF A ROOM ADDITION

What is the most romantic room in a home? In our romance stories, it’s quite often the bedroom where the romance actually physically happens. Other rooms in our characters’ homes are romantic and meaningful to the hero and heroine for various reasons as well.

The room I think of as most romantic is one that doesn’t exist yet: the room addition.

How can adding on a room be romantic? Okay, first of all, let’s remember this IS make- believe! In real life, home construction or remodeling projects will cause the topic of divorce to be introduced into the loving couple’s conversation at some point. Over and over.

Two short rollers and a can of paint in a bathroom can break a marriage faster than an overdrawn bank account. But come with me to the world of fiction—historical fiction—where women are heroines and men are heroes…and the announcement of “needing another room” is a joyous occasion, and not just another “honey-do.”

The addition of a room most generally heralds the impending arrival of a baby, or the growth of the young family in some way. Because cabins were so small and were generally put up as quickly as possible to provide a more permanent shelter for a family, improvements often had to wait until time, weather, or supplies permitted.

In our historical romances, our heroes are always eager to do whatever is necessary to provide the best possible quarters for their families. You’ll never hear them say, “I’ll do it when the playoffs are over.”

All joking aside, I believe we find the room addition romantic for several reasons, the most obvious one being that our heroine is pregnant and there needs to be a room for the little one the couple has created. Most women can relate to that maternal instinct of preparing a safe, warm place for their baby to sleep.

The second reason a room addition is romantic, is that the hero is actually building something with his skill, knowledge and love to provide for his growing family. It’s his answer to the heroine’s maternal need. Generally, the delivery of the news that a baby is on the way and discussion of the room addition is a shock to the hero, but not an unwelcome one. It transitions him from “husband” to “family man” and gives him the opportunity to “show his stuff.” He proves himself by his reaction to the news. The action he takes toward following through with the reality of building on shows the heroine (and the reader) that he is our “dream man.”

The family unit, complete, is probably the most romantic reason of all. The room addition shows the reader that the heroine and hero have matured, grown in their love for one another and are able to look toward the future as a family unit now. In the child to come, they will see themselves and one another, and will risk everything for the safety, comfort and protection of that child.

And it all starts with…the addition of the extra bedroom for the new life they’ve created.

In the following excerpt from FIRE EYES, Jessica gives Kaed the news that they’re going to be needing a nursery. This is an especially poignant moment because of Kaed’s past, and what it means to him personally. He’s being given a second chance—one he wasn’t sure he wanted, but now is desperate to hold onto.

FROM FIRE EYES:

“Looks like we gave up our bed.” Kaed’s gaze rested on Frank and the two girls. Nineteen. God, he looked so young, like a boy, as he slept, all the lines of worry around his eyes erased. Nineteen. I remember nineteen. Just didn’t understand until now how young it really is.

“Twice now.” Jessica’s voice called him from his thoughts. She grinned and nodded toward where Tom lay talking to Harv. “Maybe by this time tomorrow morning we’ll get lucky,” she whispered, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

“Neither one of us is going to ‘get lucky,’ in any respect, until everyone’s gone,” he grumbled softly, letting go a frustrated sigh. “One thing’s for sure. When everything settles down around here, I’m gonna add on a bedroom. With a door that shuts.”

Jessica was quiet for a moment, then very softly she said, “Better make that two.”

“Two bedrooms?”

“Uh-huh. Ours, and a nursery.”

Kaed nodded. “For Lexi.”

“And the new baby.”

His gaze arrowed to hers.

“Our baby, Kaed.”

The blood rushed through his ears, pounding at his temples. Nothing existed but the woman standing in his strong embrace, her love washing over him in warm waves as her eyes sparkled into his.

“Jessi.” The words he’d spoken to her the day he left came back to haunt him. I just hope that maybe we got lucky. Maybe it didn’t take.

But it had. And damn if he didn’t feel like the luckiest man alive. A baby. He read the unasked question in her expression, and he bent to kiss her. To reassure her. To let her know a family was what he needed and wanted. He felt her relax beneath his hands.

“I told you I was working my way through it, Jess,” he whispered against her cheek. “I’ll be a good father.”

Tears rose in her eyes. She nodded, her hair soft against his stubbled beard. “You’ll be the best.”

“Better than I was before, that’s for sure.” The words slipped out before he could stop them. He took a deep, jagged breath as Jessica finally dared to meet his eyes. He looked away, his gaze wandering about the small cabin, finally returning to lock with Jessica’s.

“I can appreciate what I’ve got this time, Jessi. I took it for granted the first time, and I lost it. I won’t let that happen again.”

Jessica shook her head. “Promise—” she began, but he tilted her face up, putting his lips to hers once more in a gentle, reassuring kiss.

“I’ll never let you go, Jessi. And I’ll never hurt you. I want what we talked about, the family, the farm, maybe a ranch.” He stopped and moistened his lips that had suddenly gone dry. “But most of all, I want you.” He glanced across the room at Tom, who gave him a fleeting grin. After a moment, he returned his gaze to the fathomless pools of Jessica’s eyes. “None of it means anything without the woman I love, Jessica. You. Yes, I promise, sweetheart. I promise everything.”

Travis leaned against the kitchen doorjamb, fresh coffee in hand. “Guess we’d better start beating the bushes for a preacher-man, boys. Get it done up legal and right for Miss Jessi while Kaed’s in this mood. I never seen him like this. Never heard him talk so serious.” He took a drink of his coffee, his green eyes mischievous above the rim of his cup. “I do believe he means it, Miss Jessi.”

22 comments:

Lindsay Townsend said...

Love the hero's 'strong embrace', Cheryl! Very romantic excerpt!

A lovely room, full of hope and promise and new beginnings. Another form of HEA.

Super blog!

Cheryl Pierson said...

Thanks, Lindsay. This is a really touching scene because of what came before he left to go with the other marshals. He had a lot of "baggage" that he confessed to Jessica just before he left, which made her wonder if he was going to come back at all for an instant. I'm so glad you liked this.
Cheryl

Bekki Lynn said...

Very nice, Cheryl.

I loved how she snuck in the reason to build two rooms. It gave me goosebumps.

Cheryl Pierson said...

Thanks, Bekki Lynn, I appreciate that. Jessica was still a bit worried about whether or not he was going to be fully accepting after what had happened before he left. He's had a lot to deal with in his life. LOL But Jessica will make it all better.
Cheryl

Rebecca J Vickery said...

Darned if hubby and I weren't so old, we'd start us another room. LOL This was a great take on adding a room. I loved it.

Jane Richardson said...

Well, I'm cheering my little socks off at the end of that excerpt! What a wonderful idea for the rooms theme, Cheryl - a new room symbolising a new life, a new chapter, a new beginning. Needs must, for all the best reasons. Wonderful!

Jane x

LK Hunsaker said...

Cheryl, I was chuckling through this. We're do-it-yourselfers and our biggest project was putting up a 6 foot privacy fence all around the backyard in the heat of a Georgia summer. We managed to hold the marriage together, anyway. ;-)

Yes, a man building something is very sexy. What can I say? My other half is a contractor. I like watching him build things. It makes having to help not so bad.

I'm not reading this excerpt because I'm only part way through the book and want to go in order. LOL!

Linda Banche said...

Beautiful scene. We all love a man who takes care of his family.

Serena Shay said...

Great blog, Cheryl! I love how sexy Kaed appears in this scene...a bit off kilter at her news yet totally supportive...Yummy combo!

Cheryl Pierson said...

LOL Rebecca!
Well, after two marriages and 4 kids, my hubby says THAT'S IT! LOL I would have been up for another kid or two, but I can promise you Gary's response wouldn't have been Kaed's. LOLLOL
Thanks for commenting!
Cheryl

Cheryl Pierson said...

Hi Jane!
I'm so glad you like it--I'm always looking for symbolism SOMEWHERE. LOL And it is a new chapter in their lives, especially Kaed's, in several ways. He's had a lot of heartache, but so has Jessica, just in different ways. Been thinking about a sequel...but they're so darn happy it'd have to be about one of the other marshals. LOL
Cheryl

Cheryl Pierson said...

LOL LORAINE!!!! OH MY LORD!!!! I commend you for holding your marriage together. Especially when your husband is doing what he KNOWS everything about and you can offer NO HELP. LOL Oh, I totally understand about the excerpt. I am anxious to hear what you thought of the book, too!
Cheryl

Cheryl Pierson said...

Hi Linda,

Yes, and back in those days, that was a full time job, wasn't it? Providing food, shelter and protection took on a whole new meaning in that day and age. Thanks for commenting!
Cheryl

Cheryl Pierson said...

Hi Serena,

Yes, he's definitely not totally in control for a couple of minutes, at least. LOL It does throw him off, because he has to come to grips with his own feelings, and hasn't had a chance to even consider that while he's been busy killing Fallon, etc. He is so totally sexy, though, no matter what comes his way.

Cheryl

Savanna Kougar said...

Cheryl, kudos for letting the hero in the man show up in such heartwarming way.
It's always sexy when a man takes care of his woman and his family.
Yeah, I like watching men build things, yummy... and building things together, too.

Cheryl Pierson said...

Savanna,
Thanks! I love to let my men show their heroic side in a lot of different ways. Kaed has been so emotionally wounded that it's heroic for him to "step out there" again and make himself vulnerable to love. I love watching a man build things, too. SIGH.
Cheryl

Karen Michelle Nutt said...

I truly love your hero, Kaed and he has the coolest name ever, too. Nice blog. Very cool how you added the romantic side to the room addition— New room, new life, new family and new beginning for all.

I wish you the best with your book!

LORETTA CANTON said...

What if your man think he can do a new room but he cannot. We had to hire someone to do the room for him. Romance, No.


lorettaC,
lbcanton@verizon.net

Debra St. John said...

Ahhhh, that is romantic.

Cheryl Pierson said...

Hi Karen,
Thanks for the compliment on Kaed's name. I like that name, too. (OF COURSE!) I tend to get analytical about things sometimes and see the "reason behind the story" or the "reason behind the reason" -- I'm so glad you enjoyed the book and the post!
Cheryl

Cheryl Pierson said...

Well, Loretta, that's why I write HISTORICAL romance. It's all totally make-believe and can be a world where your hero can do anything you set for him to do! LOL I agree--having a man who thinks he can do projects like that and can't is not really very romantic. So I tend to leave those kinds of scenes out of my contemporary romance books.
Cheryl

Cheryl Pierson said...

hi Debra!

I 'm glad you thought so! LOL
Cheryl