CHARACTER BLOWOUT. Derek's Turn! HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME. Last Chance to Win!!!

Welcome  to day two of Caroline Clemmons’ END OF WEEK CHARACTER BLOWOUT. Ever heard of The Newlywed Game? Well, this event is sort of like that. Yesterday I interviewed Courtney Madison from HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME. Today, I have over hero, Derek Corrigan. I’ll be asking him the same questions I asked Courtney so we can see how well they know one another. Total blast!

As always, I’ll add little snippets of Courtney’s responses from yesterday but I highly recommend that you check out COURTNEY’S INTERVIEW to really ‘hear’ her voice.

Also, Caroline has graciously offered to host a contest. One lucky commenter will win a PDF of HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME!

Alright, let’s get started…

SKY: Tell us a little bit about yourself, Derek.

DEREK: I’m thirty-two now, and from the age eight I was raised by the kindest couple in the world, Maggie and Sam Warren, on a large farm near Sweet Springs, Texas. Those two are why I named my kids Meg and Warren. I haven’t trusted women for a long time, well, not until I got to know Courtney. I own a ranch as well as various other enterprises. I seem to be able to make any proposition I enter into make a profit. Courtney says people call me King Midas. Believe me, I’m not complaining about my “golden touch.” My financial security allows me to spend more time with my kids while I work most days from my home office.

(Courtney’s response… I’m twenty-five and grew up in Dallas, Texas)

SKY: Remembering the moment you first laid eyes on Courtney, what thoughts come to mind?

DEREK: Whoa! Who is that beauty whirling my way like a Texas tornado? Courtney wore this old gray dress like it was the best Neiman Marcus had to offer, and her golden hair looked like a crown. I’m telling you, I stood there like I’d been frozen to the spot. Even though I saw her heading my way, I just stared. She was lost in thought and hurrying, and ran smack into me. Like a jerk, I just stood there and let her. I even dropped my hat and the books I’d been carrying. .

(Courtney’s response… Dear heavens! He was the handsomest man I’d ever seen.)

SKY: She has one trait you adored from the start. What is it? Hands down, she appreciates one of your traits…what do you think that is?

DEREK: She would not back down! Still won’t as a matter of fact. Ha ha, she does what she thinks is right, and she always keeps a promise. You can take that to the bank.

Hmm, maybe she likes that I always put my kids first. Courtney’s really big on family responsibility. You know, she’s the legal guardian for her brother, Jimmy. Practically raised him herself. Jimmy hit a rough patch, but he’s a fine kid now.

(Courtney’s response… His eyes. Oh yes, you mean a trait, but you shouldn’t have made me think about his eyes. They are this amazing shade of blue and they twinkle when he’s mischievous. Of course, they also ignite sparks when he’s angry. Sigh, where was I? Oh, yes, you want a trait. Right away I noticed he’s an amazing father and had been a wonderful son to his adopted father, the man who left me my fortune.

What he seems to like about me is that I always get nervous around him and do odd things. Drat! I always do something outrageous when he’s around and embarrass myself something awful. It’s as if just looking at Derek subtracts IQ points from my brain.)

SKY: She has one trait you’d change if you could. What is it? You figure there’s probably a trait she might want to change about you… care to share?

DEREK: If she would stop and think of the consequences before she does something, I’d be happier. Not that she does stupid stuff, mind you, at least not unless you count getting stuck in a window or losing her purse in a restaurant or....No, better not go there. Ha ha. She always has the best of intentions and things usually turn out well in the end, but she creates a few bumps for herself. And that means for me, too.

About me, hmm, have to think about that. Not that I’m perfect, mind you. No, I guess she’d say I’m stubborn, and maybe she’d be right. Ha ha. Plenty of people may have mentioned that to me, especially my best friend, Rusty McCullough.

(Courtney’s response… If I could change one thing about him, it would be to make him more trusting and realize what a wonderful and lovable man he is. Sigh. I told you how he’s the best father ever, but I didn’t mention how much he helps people in the Sweet Springs community. Everyone admires him. I mean everyone!

About me, well, he’d probably like it if I weren’t so impulsive. He thinks things through very slowly and analytically, you know? I do analyze, but not slowly, then tend to jump in.)

SKY: Ah, love is in the air. What is the single most romantic thing you’ve done for her?

DEREK: Probably taking her to the Midwinter Ball at the country club. Man, you should have seen her! Meg told us Courtney looked like Cinderella. She did, too. Never saw any woman look more beautiful in my life. She wore this take-no-prisoner’s dress the same color as her eyes.

(Courtney’s response… So many things, but the first thing was, Derek took me to Dallas when he went on business. Oh, I should add he also took his children and my brother, and that my brother and I stayed in one suite while he and his children stayed in another. But he took me to a lovely dinner atop Reunion Tower and then sightseeing the next day. Sigh. I’d lived in Dallas all my life, but had never seen the places we went--except the natural science museum. I couldn’t believe the luxury of the hotel or the restaurant. Secretly, I pretended that we were married and the kids were ours. But something so embarrassing happened at the restaurant. You know it revolves, don’t you? Yes, the entire restaurant moves slowly around so diners see the entire city by the time they’ve finished their meal. Oh, I can’t even talk about my “event,” as Derek calls it. He says I’m “event prone” and he’s right.)

SKY: She has a feature that draws your eye every time. Care to share? She can’t stare at you enough… but where is she staring? Now’s the time to gloat about your thick head of hair. *Sky sniggers* Truth! Do you think it’s your eyes? Chest? Etc.

DEREK: Courtney is one of those people who always looks at you when you’re talking with her. I can’t help looking at her eyes. Maybe they are the window to the soul. I’ll confess to you, Courtney had better stay away from playing poker--her eyes telegraph her thoughts and moods.

Since she always looks at me head on, maybe she’s looking at my eyes, too. Don’t know. Maybe she likes my hair. By the way, Miss Sky, my hair is thick.

(Courtney’s response… I can’t keep from looking at his eyes, did I mention that he has gorgeous cobalt blue eyes? Sigh. He also has the most kissable mouth of any man in the world. I mean the world! Totally! So, I guess I’d better say his face, so that I can use his eyes and mouth. He is so handsome, and he’s interested in ME. Really, I have to pinch myself sometimes to believe I’m so lucky.)

SKY: How do you think Courtney would answer the following… Our favorite thing to do together is…?

DEREK: Just spend time together, us and the kids. Might sound pathetic, but anytime I’m with Courtney is a favorite time.

(Courtney’s response… Just spending time together. Whatever we do is better if we’re together.)

SKY: You and Courtney don’t see eye to eye on what issue?

DEREK: Well, I have to admit I was against her coming to Sweet Springs. I apologized to her and admitted she was right. Then I was against her building new apartments and homes in Sweet Springs. Who knew people would like to live in Sweet Springs if there were decent places to live? Damn, Sam Warren knew, of course. That’s why he asked Courtney to move here and why he left her part of his estate.

(Courtney’s response… Well, at first, it was me coming to West Texas.)

SKY: She said one thing to you that you’ll never forget. What was it?

DEREK: She loves me, not my fortune. You have no idea how many women...no, make that people want to be around me because they want something from me. Courtney wants me for who I am and not for what I can buy her. Believe me, that’s a damn good feeling!

(Courtney’s response… Before he even said he was attracted to me, he said I was a good businesswoman. You have no idea how much that meant, and still means, to me.)

SKY: Thanks for joining me today, Derek. Sounds like you and Courtney are a winning pair!

Read a bit more about HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME…

Two million dollars? What a fortune to inherit! Coutney Madison has battled poverty her entire twenty-five years but is determined to make a safe and happy home for her teenaged brother after the death of their mom. She thinks her inheritance in West Texas is the answer to her prayers--but Courtney's problems are definitely not over yet.

Derek Corrigan suspects the worst of his new neighbor and vows to fight his attraction for her. He knows what women do to him--they always leave and take chunks of his heart with them. He's been there, done that, had the vaccination and is cured. Isn't he?

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Contact address: caroline@carolineclemmons.com

Don’t forget that there’s a contest running. One lucky commenter wins a PDF of HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME. Contest ends Saturday, July 16th, 12 AM EST.

Best Always,

~Sky