Excerpt – Keeper of My Heart by Traci Borum
Synopsis
Lexi Price runs an antiques shop she inherited from Gigi, her great-grandmother, in the charming Texas town of Morgan’s Grove. When Lexi stumbles on a mysterious necklace once owned by Gigi, she becomes curious about the secrets her great-grandmother may have been hiding from the family.
Lexi enlists the help of Graham Faulkner, a handsome history professor with an affinity for World War II-era memorabilia. Together, they unravel clues about the necklace and discover that the mysteries run even deeper than they realized. Their search takes them on a quest that spans eight decades and multiple generations.
As they work, Lexi and Graham grow closer, but Lexi’s relationship hang-ups stand in the way. Will Lexi’s past prevent her from accepting the same once-in-a-lifetime love Gigi discovered all those years ago?
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Excerpt
Lexi knew that many people dreaded entering their workplaces each morning, loaded down with quiet sighs and internal wincing at the thought of facing yet another boring, tedious, or stressful day. But entering her antiques store energized Lexi. Over the years, it had become a second home to her, comforting and familiar. She strolled down the main aisle of the horseshoe-shaped venue, roaming her eyes over the pieces—some newly acquired, some not—and occasionally clicked on a lamp or switched on some fairy lights. This was her favorite part of the day, waking up the store.
She remembered her great-grandmother doing the very same. As a child, Lexi would hide under one of the antique dining tables and watch Gigi open the store, walking leisurely down its aisles, bringing it to life. Occasionally, Gigi would slow to a halt as she adjusted a piece or removed a bit of dust then carry on. It was her morning ritual, making certain everything was in its place as she prepared for customers who would soon walk those same aisles. And all these years later, it had become Lexi’s ritual too.
Once, when Lexi was eight years old, she had watched Gigi pause longer than usual as she picked up a Limoges porcelain figurine then turned it delicately over in her hands. As Lexi peered out from beneath the table, she watched Gigi linger and gaze into the lovely young maiden’s face.
Lexi emerged from her hiding spot and stood next to her great-grandmother. “What are you doing?”
Gigi’s lips curled into a mischievous smile, her eyes still firmly on the statue, and replied in a whisper. “I’m listening.”
“Listening? But statues don’t talk.”
“This one might.” Gigi leaned in, holding the figurine between her own ear and Lexi’s. “Sometimes these old antiques will give up their secrets. If you’re willing to listen real close.”
Intrigued, Lexi drew closer to the figurine. After a few quiet seconds, she frowned. “I don’t hear anything.”
“That’s because it’s not an actual voice. It’s more of a feeling, an impression you get from an object.” Gigi sat down with a small grunt on a nearby antique chair then placed the figurine gingerly back on the table. She clasped her hands to explain further, as her eyes roamed around the room. “A first-edition book trimmed with gold-leaf pages, or a hundred-year-old trunk that sat at the end of someone’s bed all those years, or maybe a vintage toy adored by children from another age, or even a hand-painted plate used at parties and family gatherings—each item is infused with memories of long-ago days and long-ago people. These aren’t just ‘things.’ They represent people’s lives—their passions, their interests, what was precious to them, what made them happy, once upon a time. All the items in this store are slivers of someone’s past. And it’s my job to take care of them and pass them on, hopefully to someone who will appreciate their worth as much as I do.”
The vivid memory left an unexpected ache of grief that pinched Lexi as she pictured her great-grandmother’s warm expression and hearty embrace.
About the Author
Traci Borum has been a creative writing teacher for over twenty years. She’s always been an avid reader of women’s fiction, most especially Rosamunde Pilcher novels. Traci wrote her first novel at age 21 and hasn’t stopped since—she loves the fresh challenge of placing new characters onto a blank page and watching them come to life.
Traci is also a native Texan, raised in West Texas. In her twenties, she moved all over the state (D/FW, San Antonio, Austin, and Temple). And two decades ago, she settled comfortably in East Texas, happy with its friendly inhabitants and gorgeous pine trees. The Morgan’s Grove series is particularly close to her heart because of its small-town Texas setting.
In the end, it’s always the little things that make Traci the most content: deep talks with friends, a strong cup of hot chocolate, a hearty game of fetch with her dog, and puffy white Texas clouds that constantly remind her to “look up, slow down, enjoy your life.”
