Last Exit to Montauk by Phillip Vega
Description
Find more from this author on:
About the author:
Comfortable in a room full of people or one on one, he welcomes opportunities for guest appearances, interviews, and book signings.
What inspired you to write your book?
That all changed when she read my manuscript. She fell in love with it, my writing style and potential. She changed her mind, and we’ve now been working together since December 2015. Janet has become an integral member of my “team”, which includes my wife, older and younger brother, and some close friends, who’ve been kind enough to provide me with their insights and feedback.
Here is a short sample from the book:
The bowling alley was located at a strip mall near my house. We checked in with the guy behind the counter, who assigned us a lane, then gave us each a score sheet and a pair of really fashionable bowling shoes. You know the ones. Red and black separated with a white stripe down the middle, white soles, shoe size emblazoned on the back. To this day, they still remind me of clown shoes.
We found a couple of black bowling balls and put them in the ball return area. I placed the score sheet on our bowling desk and wrote our names down.
Back then we didn’t have electronic scoreboards, so you had to know how to keep score. You had to know the difference between a strike and a spare, how to score it properly, and what happened in the last frame if you threw one. Of course, each table had the rules written down, so if you didn’t know how to keep score, you could read the directions and learn the rules. It was bowling, not rocket science.
We were playing the best of three. Like tennis, the loser would buy pizza. “And don’t take it easy on me. I plan on winning again,” she warned me, grinning.
I laughed. “Oh don’t worry; I don’t plan on losing two days in a row. I hope you brought your wallet.”
I wasn’t much of a bowler and only played now and again. I was lucky if I broke a hundred, but don’t judge. How many famous Hispanic bowlers do you know? I bet you could rattle off a few hundred Hispanic baseball or soccer players though, right?
Besides, most kids in the neighborhood didn’t come to the bowling alley to bowl. We came
to play video games. I remember when they got Ms. Pac- Man. Adults and kids would put their quarters down on the lip of the machine and patiently wait their turn. While you waited, you could play another video game, like Asteroids, or play pinball.
They had the classic pinball games like Kiss and Pinball Wizard. Today, it’s all about X-Box,
iPads, Sony PlayStation, and online computer games. Man, times have changed. But that day, we were there to bowl.
She bowled first. She did a quick stretch, blew into her right hand, and picked up her ball. Before making her approach, she bent over and stared down the bowling pins as if to say, “You’re mine.”
What a view.
She inhaled, held it, and exhaled. Then in a very fluid motion, she took a few steps and released the ball, knocking down nine pins. She twirled around, smiling, and looked over at me, raising her eyebrows. “I hope you brought your A game!”
Oh, crap!
I just smiled back. Her ball returned, and she picked it up. She went right back to her previous spot and picked up her spare. She yelped and did a fist pump. She then turned around and bounced back to the bowling table as if it were no big deal. So, she can bowl.
Who knew?
Maybe she got lucky. Yeah, that’s what it was—luck. Just like tennis yesterday. Luck.
“Do you know how to keep score?” she asked.
“Yeah, I know how to keep score. This isn’t my first time bowling,” I replied. It’ll only look like it.
We spent the rest of the afternoon bowling without a care in the world. Strike! Spare! Gutter ball! Seven/ten split! Spare! We laughed. We high-fived. Most importantly, we had fun. We only played two of our best of three games. Yes, Charlie Brown lost again . . . sigh!
I just laughed it off. Besides, she had distracted me with her awesomeness.
“So where do you want to go for pizza?” she asked.
“I know a joint,” I joked.
Like most Long Island strip malls, this one had a grocery store, liquor store, card store, record store, Carvel ice cream parlor, drugstore, dry cleaner, Chinese food, and, of course, a neighborhood pizza joint.
On Long Island, every neighborhood has a locally-owned Italian pizzeria in every shopping center. You had Tony’s, Vinnie’s, Mario’s, Johnny’s, and an assortment of other places that were names ending in a vowel.
The very best pizza on the planet, in my opinion, was our neighborhood’s local pizzeria—Giuseppe’s.
If you want to get into a pissing contest, make the mistake of saying your pizza place was better than someone else’s. You know the expression about never discussing religion and politics? Well, when you’re on Long Island, add pizzerias to the list. You will argue for hours.
When the pizza chains started to open up, people would order from them only if they didn’t feel like driving, or were in a jam; otherwise, people looked down their noses at those places.
You never admitted to ordering from Domino’s, or being seen in Pizza Hut.
It wasn’t raining very hard, so we walked a few stores down to Giuseppe’s Pizzeria. We ordered a couple of slices each and Cokes and found a booth toward the back. And that was how you ordered it: “Let me get a couple of slices and a Coke.”
Back then, you didn’t have a great selection. You couldn’t order a Hawaiian slice or a Meat Lovers slice.
Gourmet slices like goat cheese and truffles or escargot pizza were not yet in vogue.
For those of you wondering, yes, I was the one who once had eaten escargot pizza. Yes, it was awful, and yes, there was a girl involved. Fortunately, the girl I was trying to impress that day, still agreed to marry me the in the mid-’90s. The lesson I learned that day? Don’t be a shmuck! When in doubt, go with pepperoni.
Okay, back to the story . . .
“Did you let me win again?” B teased.
“You were there. Did it look like I let you beat me? Besides, you only beat me the last game by two pins. And I do recall someone coughing real loud as I threw my last ball. I’m not making any accusations or excuses, mind you, I’m just saying.”
She tried to hide her smirk.
Related products
-
Some Like it Geek by C. Jordan
Fall Quiet by Zoe York
To Score or Not to Score by Angela Quarles
One blind date. One case of mistaken identity. One Navy SEAL faced with his high school crush. What could go wrong?
The Adorkable Girl and the Geek (Gone Geek 5) by Sidney Bristol
The Girl Next Door by C. Jordan
Bath Bomb by Clara Leigh (Forbidden Bad Boys)
Recipe for a wild weekend: Take one geeky actor, a video game idol, and cinema’s best known towel model. Add a chocolate-box cottage, a liberal sprinkling of snow… make that lots of snow, and an oversized bathtub.
Result: THREESOME!
In the Spotlight by Ally Decker
Pretending to date a movie star definitely wasn’t on Sylvia Urban’s agenda but a girl has to do what a girl has to do. And after a paparazzo catches them in rather uncompromising position, this is exactly what this girl has to do.
Greg Abrams really needs everything to go right if he wants his new project to get green-lighted, but when the cute Broadway geek almost literally falls into his life, things get complicated really fast.
As the pair grows closer, the ‘pretend’ part of pretend dating gets thrown out of the window, but after they started off as a lie, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not.
Play by Olivia Devon
Aaron Eldridge’s passion for his latest virtual reality program skyrockets when he meets a woman who shares his obsession for all things geek. The premier launch of HyperLyfe at Lux, Manhattan’s hottest sex club, would be a perfect opportunity to get Katie Martinez to check out his new toy, and the kinky sex ideas he has in mind.
What if your deepest fantasies could come true?
Seasons of Love by Annette Evans
Delve into this collection of six romantic short stories that are perfect for any season.
Second Chance: After a tragic childhood, Miranda Larsen cuts herself off emotionally, but can Tom Wilson break through the wall that Miranda has built around herself?
The Good Guy: Josie spent her childhood summers with best friends Trey Wheeler and Adam O’Brien until the death of her grandparents. When she moves back to town all grown up, who will she choose — Trey or Adam?
The Rancher & the Lass: Holden Campbell promised Bridget Monaghan’s father that he would take care of her if anything ever happened to him. But how can a man tame a fiery Irish redhead especially in the wild west of 1885?
The Road Home: Sara Damalio returns home after eight long years and encounters a modern day hero in Dean Merritt. But how will Sara react when she finds out who Dean really is?
Never Too Late: Denise Emerson has spent the last twenty years married to George, but yearning for Mark Patterson. Will a chance encounter with Mark end Denise’s marriage or strengthen it?
Love & Football: Sofia Grimaldi is still mourning her dead fiancé when she meets the handsome Erik Collins. Can a winning season carry the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl victory and bring Sofia and Erik together?
New Adult Romance Boxed Set (5 Book Bundle) by Emme Rollins, Julia Kent, Anna Antonia, Aubrey Rose, Helena Newbury
Bad-boy CEOs. Naked lead singers. Soulful intellectuals. Dancers. Rock stars. Summer is hot, and so are these men…. The New Adult Romance Boxed Set has FIVE COMPLETE NOVELS for just $.99 — a special sale price (regular price $9.99).
All novels from top 100 New Adult Amazon authors, this collection includes USA Today Bestseller Julia Kent, Top 100 Amazon Bestseller Emme Rollins, top 10 UK Amazon bestseller Helena Newbury, and more…
Dear Rockstar by Emme Rollins — She’s obsessed with a rock star. He’s crazy enough to want to be one. Sometimes the best things in life are crazy. Amazon Top 100 Bestseller.
Random Acts of Crazy by Julia Kent — Darla isn’t the type to pick up hitchhikers — especially naked ones. But when she makes an exception for handsome Trevor, she finds herself caught between two delicious men in this fun-filled, steamy USA Today bestseller.
Mad for You by Anna Antonia – Loving Gabriel Gordon was like trying to love the sun…Emma Adams was destined to burn. Given their tumultuous natures and personal demons, there was only one way a relationship between them could survive: in madness.
Me, Cinderella? by Aubrey Rose — One kind deed can change your life forever…. Brynn Tomlin could never afford to follow her heart, but when she buys a cup of coffee for a stranger sitting in the cold, she sets into motion a course of events that can only lead to one kind of fairy-tale ending.
Dance For Me by Helena Newbury — When troubled ballet student Natasha agrees to be the muse of millionaire designer Darrell Carner, she doesn’t expect to fall for him…or to discover that his past is just as dark as hers. Can two broken souls heal each other…or will their secrets tear them apart?
FIVE New Adult novels filled with men with a passion for the women they can’t live without.
Close Up and Personal by JS Taylor
Actress and director. The stage is set for passion…
Drama-school graduate Isabella Green wants to be a script-writer. But when she meets famous director James Berkeley, she’s tempted into the glamorous world of acting.
Behind the camera, the mysterious Berkeley commands discipline at all times. But Isabella soon discovers his dominant male tendencies also extend into the dressing room.
Suddenly Isabella is discovering a side of herself she never knew existed. But she is also learning more about the alluring James Berkeley. Is his desperate past something she can help heal? Or will the flames of passion consume them both when the cameras start rolling?
Lights, camera, action…
Close Up and Personal strips down to zero dollars over Christmas – 24th-28th December – get yours free!
Those Necessary Thorns Desiree Elizabeth Taylor by Sabrina Childress
Desiree’ Elizabeth Taylor (Desi) is a sexy, smart, and no-nonsense kind of woman. Some would say she is wholesome — while others would gladly call her a bitch.
After years of living the life of the perfect, wife, friend and business savvy know-it-all, Desi had a secret that would destroy everything she’d worked so hard to achieve.
The cast of characters in her life are starting to unravel and Desi is losing control fast! Her marriage is on the rocks and her best friend is turning into a spiteful enemy.
What happens when Desiree decides its better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission?
{Adult themes} {Explicit Content}
Coffee Break by Hayet Brach
A girl putting herself on display. An unexpected guest. A couple overwhelmed by desire. Three new tales of love and lust – enticing, enthralling, and exciting.
Includes the stories ‘Coffee Break’, ‘The Guest’ and ‘Something In The Water’.
Billionaire Romance Boxed Set (9 Book Bundle) by Julia Kent, Krista Lakes, Adriana Hunter, Aubrey Rose, Artemis Hunt, Liliana Rhodes, Melanie Marchande, Starla Cole, Cerys du Lys
99 cents for a limited time!
From powerful businessmen to dominating bachelors who won’t take no for an answer, this exclusive Billionaire Romance boxed set includes some of the hottest stories ever published by popular romance authors!
Download 9 scorching hot tales of seduction featuring wealthy men from all walks of life. These irresistible bad boys will take you on a wild ride that will leave you breathless!
This boxed set collection features stories from popular authors including: USA Today & NY Times Bestsellers Julia Kent, Aubrey Rose, Adriana Hunter, and Artemis Hunt, Top 100 Kindle bestsellers Krista Lakes and Melanie Marchande, and Bestselling Authors Starla Cole, Cerys du Lys, and Liliana Rhodes!
HER FIRST BILLIONAIRE by Julia Kent
Caught between two men- literally- who turned out to be roommates and secret billionaires, Laura makes a startling discovery about her own capacity for passion.
THE WOMAN OF THE BILLIONAIRE’S DREAMS by Krista Lakes
Tracy has been stepped on all her life, but when a car accident leaves her with the ability to enter other people’s dreams, an opportunity arises. Will Tracy be able to break out of her shell in order to seduce billionaire Paul Hayes?
SHATTERED by Adriana Hunter
Curvy Katherine is tired of the daily grind. She craves something new… something exciting. There is one thing that she does look forward to every day- the meetings with her ruggedly handsome billionaire boss, Matt Donaldson. Known for his impossibly good looks and unbelievable wealth, he’s loved by many and hated by many more. Katherine never thought Matt noticed her until he comes to her rescue. That sets the pace for a dangerous game of complete submission.
ME, CINDERELLA? by Aubrey Rose
One kind deed can change your life forever…
Brynn has spent her life trying to forget her desires, and Eliot’s deep wounds have taken nearly a decade to heal. After so much hurt, will either of them be able to open their hearts again?
THE PRETEND BOYFRIEND by Artemis Hunt
Samantha is clumsy and totally in need of a new boyfriend by this weekend. Her younger sister is getting engaged. Enter Brian Morton. He is gorgeous, rich, snarky, and utterly promiscuous. He was also the bully who made Sam’s middle school life a living hell. A series of bizarre events results in Brian losing a bet. His punishment? To be Sam’s slave for the weekend… and do anything she wants.
NO REGRETS by Liliana Rhodes
Life hasn’t been perfect for plus sized Deborah. Working in a department store isn’t great, but it has its perks and she meets one in the form of a man she calls “Mr. Sexy”. William King isn’t just any man though, he’s an ultra-private billionaire heir. When Will’s mysterious past puts the two lovers in danger, will the truth bring them closer together or finally tear them apart?
I MARRIED A BILLIONAIRE by Melanie Marchande
Maddy has given up on marriage- and men. But when her rich (and sexy) boss Daniel Thorne proposes an arrangement of convenience that would allow him to stay in the country, and Maddy to never work another day in her life, she might get more than she bargained for. By the end of their sham relationship, Maddy finds herself wondering if the money will be enough to repair the cost of a broken heart. But Mr. Thorne may have a secret in store…
THE EXHIBITIONIST by Starla Cole
Erik, a BDSM master Syria met at a bondage exhibition, offers her an opportunity to join his life of beauty, wealth and power as his personal escort and exhibitionist. But on Christmas Eve, Syria will have to choose between a life of luxury sans love, and the Santa stripper who just may hold her heart.
THE BILLIONAIRE’S ULTIMATUM by Cerys du Lys
Falling in love wasn’t part of Jessika’s job description. Nor was being asked by billionaire CEO Asher Landseer to become an egg donor and surrogate for his infertile wife. All Jessika wants to do is help, but is she setting herself up for heartbreak in the process?
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.