Projecting

By Alex Winters

When Ryder Cassidy inherited the family movie theater, she revamps the downtrodden old theater into Chillerz Cinema, showing all scary movies, all day, even at Christmas. When Ryder walks into a supposedly empty theater at the end of the night before Christmas Eve only to find her high school crush has snuck inside all by her lonesome, she is not only peeved but pleasantly surprised.

Tori Frampton is home on winter break and escapes her family to the old theater downtown. Only it isn’t so rundown anymore: flashy neon, an attached café, a gift shop, and a brand new owner, former classmate and school outcast Ryder Cassidy. Chillerz Cinema isn’t the only one who’s had a makeover while Tori was away at school -- Ryder’s looking sexier than Tori has ever seen her before.

Once reunited, the former classmates from opposite sides of the tracks realize they have way more in common than they ever thought possible, including the sudden desire to spend the holidays alone ... together!

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Dec 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685506049

Alex Winters

Alex Winters is the pseudonym of a busy restaurant manager whose curious young staff would love nothing more than to follow him around the dining room reading his steamiest, most romantic passages aloud! When not writing romantic holiday stories of various heat levels, he enjoys long walks with his wife, scary movies and smooth jazz. Visit him at www.awintersromance.com to see what stories are brewing up next!

Book preview

Projecting

By Alex Winters

Published by JMS Books LLC

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2023 Alex Winters

ISBN 9781685506049

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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Projecting

By Alex Winters

Chapter 1

Ryder

Looking good, kiddo!

Ryder Cassidy slowed her mountain bike to a crawl as she cruised up the broad, cobblestone sidewalk that lined downtown State Street, admiring the handiwork of her assistant manager, Sharice Strong.

Sharice glanced down from the ladder on which she stood, spelling out the titles for the upcoming Movie Scary Thon over the long holiday weekend. I’d be doing better if these titles weren’t so damn long!

Ryder stepped down from her bike and slid it into the rack nestled between a carefully manicured hedge and a tall, faux gaslit streetlight, part of the charming décor that marked last year’s renovation of downtown Landry, Kentucky.

They are a mouthful, Ryder admitted, reaching for the blood red S square that would finish spelling out one of the weekend’s festive holiday slasher flicks, The Mistletoe Murderer. But that’s half the fun, Shar.

Not when you’re the one putting up the letters for half your shift, it ain’t. Shar’s mouth was as big as her, uh…bones, a hefty, fun-loving, shit-talking, gum-chewing, XXL-mom jeans wearing sassy pants firecracker whose bright red pigtails matched her brow beaten Chillerz Cinemas ballcap.

Oh, I’m sorry, Ryder teased playfully, holding the ladder as Shar wriggled down, one size twelve sneaker at a time. Would you rather be inside hanging little axe murderers and serial killers on the lobby tree with Robby?

Shar reached out for a celebratory hug after reaching the bottom rung without falling ass over teakettle and Ryder felt herself embraced in the warm, doughy arms of her oldest employee and longest work friend.

I mean, isn’t that where I’m headed next? Shar said with a wink, gently pushing Ryder away as the smell of her ripe, lavender perfume lingered, along with the sincere affection of her almost motherly hug.

Ryder noted the rising moon in the clear, black sky and lack of street traffic, the cozy downtown shops and eateries all closed for the night, pedestrians less than nil and the whole vibe of the block on which her family theater sat less than thriving.

That depends, she hemmed, helping Shar fold up the ladder and cart it into the predictably empty lobby. How are receipts looking for the night? Ryder bit her lower lip in anticipation, expecting the worst but, as ever, hoping for the best.

They were good all day, Shar explained merrily as young Robby Coltrane gave a wave from behind the festive lobby tree, bedecked in blood red garland to compliment the slasher movie ornaments that hung from every conceivable branch. But I’m not sure the fans are up for more than two movies in a row once it gets too late.

Ryder had figured as much, nodding predictably. Hey, we tried something new this year, right gang?

Robby waved a masked murderer ornament with glee, as if perhaps hanging a jolly Santa, one not covered in blood and gore and holding a two-inch butcher knife!

The café did gangbusters earlier, too, her youngest part-timer enthused before hanging the last blood-soaked ornament of the night and emerging from the tree with his gangly young self, all six feet four inches and seventeen years of him, all blushing cheeks and eager to please.

Oh, yeah? Ryder murmured just before Robby folded her into an equally familiar bear hug, all rangy arms and apple cheeks against her own. She wondered, idly, when hugging had become such a big thing and then realized it didn’t really matter as long as it kept being such a big thing. Especially this time of year, she reasoned, struggling to rise above the holiday blues that threatened to drag her down with every winking light and cheery carol.

Yeah, Robby explained with a cherubic nod, pushing his thick glasses up his greasy nose as the fuzzy white ball from his elongated Santa cap threatened to blur his vision. Those gals that meet across the street at Page’s Used Books once a week came in after finishing their latest cozy mystery and they all ordered one of the Merry Murder specials to celebrate!

Nice one, Ryder bluffed with a pat on Robby’s back as he beamed proudly, even as she mentally noted it was the cheapest item on the Specials menu board. I guess now I can retire early after all, huh gang?

There were polite chuckles all around as Ryder doffed her backpack atop the concession stand glass, the rows of red vines and chocolate covered peanuts arranged just the