Rekindled Romance Read online

  Katie had begged him to not stop living after she was gone. She’d wanted him to find love and happiness again, but the thought had been abhorrent to him. He had no desire to risk his heart or his children’s on that kind of loss again. None of them could survive it a second time. It’s why he’d made the decision to come home. He wanted to raise his children near their grandparents, in a town where family values were still cherished.

  Matt turned the corner onto Willow Street. Envy. That’s what had stirred up those old emotions. He was envious of Carl and Nancy’s normal life. But he knew he had so much to be thankful for. Two amazing kids, a family that loved and supported him, a job that allowed him to be home a good bit—the van hit a pothole and every bolt rattled and shook. He smiled. And a ministry that helped the community and allowed him to help others. Handy Works had been his sister’s brainchild. A mobile neighborhood help program, manned by volunteers who would donate their time and talents to making repairs and cleanup for those in need. He and his friend Carl Young had taken advantage of a rare afternoon free from teaching classes at Wells Community College to devote time to repairing the roof of an elderly man who lived at the edge of town.

  Inhaling a deep breath, he reminded himself of his abundant blessings. Too many to count. This sudden feeling of loneliness would pass. Katie was the only woman he’d ever loved. No. There had been one other woman. A long time ago. But she’d abandoned him.

  Matt flipped the blinker to turn into his driveway. Funny. Katie abandoned him through death; the other woman had abandoned him by choice. Maybe he was destined to be alone. Losing Katie had shredded his soul. He would never, ever love again. The risk was too great.

  *

  Shelby felt like a new person. Almost. Gramma had settled her into her old room on the east side of the house. The wide bay window faced the twin house next door but also afforded a view of the woods out back. This room hadn’t changed either. The same white curtains graced the window; the lavender bedspread was more faded but still thick and soft. And at the edge of the window sat her favorite chair, the green-and-white shell back with a tufted ottoman to prop your feet on. For the first time in years, Shelby knew a sense of belonging.

  But it was temporary. Only until she could get back on her feet physically. She tried not to think about what effect heart disease might have on her future job search. Would anyone hire her with a preexisting condition? Removing her laptop from its case, she scooped up her smart phone from the nightstand and headed downstairs. She’d worry about that later.

  Gramma was looking through cabinets when Shelby stepped into the kitchen. She turned and frowned at the devices in Shelby’s hands. “What are you going to do with those?”

  “I have a few loose ends to tie up at work. I’m still employed for the moment, and the magazine has to go on. Medical leave or not.” Truth was, there was little she could do. Everything was on hold, but it helped to keep busy. It made her feel like she was doing something.

  Ellen planted her fists on her hips and pursed her lips. “You’re supposed to be relaxing, and if you have any sense at all, you’ll follow orders. You’ll unplug yourself from those things and you’ll rest, eat right and get some exercise.”

  She acknowledged the necessity of following the doctor’s advice, but Tween Scene was her baby, and she’d spent every ounce of her time and energy over the years making it successful. To suddenly turn her back and walk away when its future was in doubt seemed irresponsible. Besides, what was she supposed to do with her time? Sit in the rocker and crochet?

  “I’m not good at being idle, Gramma.”

  “Resting and taking care of yourself is not being idle.”

  “You know what I mean.” Shelby placed her computer on the kitchen table. “I need to be busy. You know how Mom felt about being unproductive. If she had any idea how much time I spent looking at your magazines when I was here, she’d have never let me come back.”

  “Your mother wanted you to have an education and be able to take care of yourself.”

  “And I can, but now everyone’s telling me to stop and stand still.”

  Gramma exhaled a sympathetic sigh. “I understand. But this is a new chapter in your life, and you’ll have to find something different to fill your time. Something quieter, slower paced.”

  The thought made Shelby’s skin crawl. She didn’t like being inactive. She like planning and deadlines. “I’m not sure I can do that.”

  “You don’t really have a choice.” Gramma patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry to go off and leave you on your first day home, but I’m filling in at the hospital this afternoon for a friend. There’s chicken salad in the fridge in case you get hungry. It’s made with all low-fat, healthy ingredients. I’ll be home in a couple of hours if you want to eat together. In the meantime, relax.”

  An hour later Shelby tossed her cell phone onto the dining room table and buried her head in her hands. It looked like the other shoe was about to drop at Harmon Publishing. Her boss had called to tell her a meeting had been scheduled for all upper management regarding the sale, but no other information had been given.

  The ever-present knot of anxiety in her stomach grew. What would she do if she lost her job? How would she survive? Her mind churned with a frightening list of possible disasters. Her heart rate quickened, and a steady pressure began to build in her chest. She closed her eyes against a wave of fear. Was she having another heart attack or an anxiety attack? The doctor said the symptoms were similar. She’d been oblivious to her first episode, so how did she know if this was serious or not?

  “Please, Lord, don’t let this be another one.” She’d experienced these symptoms before—the light-headedness, then a clammy sensation and a strange sense of foreboding. Her first thought had been a brain tumor. When the symptoms persisted, she’d gone to the clinic, but they’d sent her home with instructions to cut back on caffeine and sugar.

  A second episode sent her to the hospital, where extensive tests had been run. That’s when Dr. Morgan had delivered his diagnosis and his ultimatum. Time off or face the consequences. She couldn’t afford to ignore this any longer. Not when death was the option.

  Inhaling a slow, deep breath, she breathed a sigh of relief when her pulse slowed to normal once again and the tension eased. Frustration and anger quickly took its place, driving her outside onto the wooden porch swing. Her favorite refuge. The gentle back-and-forth movement settled her thoughts. It wasn’t fair. All she’d ever wanted was to work for a magazine. Her whole life since high school had been geared toward her career. She’d studied hard and sacrificed much to achieve her goal. Now it was all being taken away. Why was God doing this to her? Was this her punishment for ignoring Him all this time?

  Tears stung the backs of her eyes. She squeezed them shut, unwilling to give in. She never cried. But since her diagnosis she’d started bursting into tears at the drop of a hat. It was infuriating.

  “Chester!”

  She looked up at the shout to see a small, scruffy gray dog dart up the steps of the porch and stop at her feet. The little dog growled and barked, inching forward then back as he defended his territory.

  Shelby chuckled softly. “Oh, hush. I’m not going to hurt you.” Slowly she opened her hand, palm up, and inched it toward the dog. “See, it’s okay.”

  The dog stopped growling and studied her. He retreated, then cocked his head and slowly moved forward. “There. Nothing to be upset about.” The dog’s tail began to wag furiously and he licked her hand. “Good doggie.” She stroked his small head. It was soft and warm.

  “Chester! You’d better get yourself back over here before you get in trouble.”

  Shelby looked up as a young girl came toward the house from the driveway. She appeared to be about eleven years old.

  “Chester!” She hurried up the steps, placing her hands on her waist when she saw the dog. “You are in big trouble, mister.” She glanced at Shelby. “I’m sorry he barked at you, ma’am.”

&
nbsp; “That’s okay. I think we worked it out. He’s a good watchdog. He knew I was a stranger so he was probably trying to protect you.”

  The girl shrugged. “I guess.” She studied Shelby intently for a long moment. “Does Mrs. Bower know you’re here?”

  Shelby smiled. “Yes. I’m going to be staying here for a while. I’m her granddaughter.”

  The girl frowned. “I don’t remember you.”

  “I’ve been away a long time. I live in New York City.” Shelby swallowed the regret that had been nagging at her since coming home. “My name is Shelby. And I take it this is Chester?”

  “Yeah,” she groaned in disgust and frowned. “I didn’t name him. My brother did. My name is Cassidy.”

  Shelby couldn’t help but smile at her grown-up indignation. “Nice to meet you, Cassidy.” Footsteps sounded on the steps, and a little boy joined them. He was out of breath.

  “Aw, Chester you are in tra-bull. You can’t come over here.”

  Cassidy rolled her eyes. “This is my little brother, Kenny. He’s six.”

  Kenny stared at her.

  “I’m Shelby. I’m staying here with my grandmother, Mrs. Bower.”

  “Oh.” He smiled, displaying two deep dimples at the sides of his mouth. “She makes us sugar cookies.”

  “I know. She made them for me when I was little. In fact, she made some for me today. Would you like one?”

  Cassidy took hold of Chester’s collar. “Thanks, but we can’t take food from strangers.”

  Shelby was momentarily taken aback. Then common sense kicked in and she smiled at the children. “That’s a good rule. You’re right. Maybe after we get to know each other, we can share some cookies.”

  Cassidy smiled. Her thickly lashed, dark blue eyes triggered something familiar in the back of Shelby’s mind, but she couldn’t place it.

  “We have to take Chester home now.” Cassidy tugged the dog toward the steps. “Our aunt will be wondering where we are.”

  “Okay. Nice to have met you. You and Chester are welcome here any time.”

  “Thanks. I’ll tell my dad.” Cassidy waved goodbye.

  Shelby stood and walked to the edge of the porch, watching the children tugging the little dog back home. She’d wondered who lived next door in the duplicate house. Gramma had told her Mrs. Marshall had passed away several years ago and the house had changed hands a couple of times. Obviously a family lived there now.

  As the children neared the porch of their home, an old battered van pulled into the driveway. The sign painted on the side read “Handy Works.” Decals of various tools decorated the side panels, proclaiming some sort of handyman business.

  Shelby watched as the children hurried toward the van. The door opened, and a man emerged. Tall and well-built with dark brown hair, the deep blue knit shirt he wore emphasized strong, broad shoulders and muscular arms. Faded, well-worn jeans hugged his long legs like an old friend. Dusty, work-scuffed Western boots completed the masculine picture.

  He turned, arms open as the children ran to him. He lifted them off the ground in a tight hug, swinging them back and forth playfully. Shelby smiled. Not only was the man ridiculously attractive, he obviously adored his children. A lethal combination. Cassidy and Kenny began chatting away. She could hear their little voices across the wide, shared driveway. Kenny suddenly pointed toward her, and she smiled, raising her hand. The father turned and faced her. Her heart froze. Blood drained from her face.

  No. It couldn’t be. Please, Lord, don’t do this to me. The man staring back at her was the last man on earth she wanted to see. Cassidy and Kenny’s father was Matthias Durrant, the fiancé she’d jilted for her career fifteen years ago.

  Chapter Two

  Matt Durrant turned his back and followed his children into the house, his jaw clenched, his gut in knots.

  Shelby was back.

  He never expected to see her in Dover again. Ever. She’d made her opinion of small-town life abundantly clear the day she gave back his ring. “I don’t want a small-town man with small-town dreams.”

  Shelby Russell had broken his heart and abandoned him when he’d needed her most. He’d counted on her love and support to sustain him through a difficult time in his life. But instead she’d cut and run, giving back his ring, accusing him of breaking his promise. But what about her promise to him? Her own future had been more important than their future together. He’d finally come to terms with her rejection, though he’d never understood her sudden change of heart. Never understood how she could claim to love him one minute and walk away the next. It was only several years later, when he’d met Katie, that he’d been able to put Shelby’s rejection behind him and move forward.

  So why, after all this time, did his heart still sting from Shelby’s rejection? And why had that brief glimpse of her hit him like a lightning bolt, filling his mind with things he thought he’d forgotten? He remembered her brown eyes had small specks of gold in them. He remembered the silken feel of her long brown hair, now worn shoulder-length and soft around her face. He remembered the impish, self-conscious smile that would make his heart skip a beat.

  The girlish figure he remembered had given way to soft, womanly curves. Maturity looked good on her. He hated himself for noticing. He hated more that she could still cause a reaction in him after all this time. After what she’d done.

  “Daddy, she was really nice.” Cassidy’s blue eyes were bright with excitement. “And she’s from New York.”

  Matt frowned. He’d been bombarded with his children’s disjointed conversation from the moment he’d climbed from the van. Something about a lady and cookies. When he glanced over at the house it had all become clear. He rubbed his forehead in irritation. “How did you meet her?”

  “I told you,” Cassidy explained, her tone tinged with irritation. “When Chester ran over to her house. She was sitting on the swing, and Chester was barking. I guess he thought she was a stranger so he was trying to warn us. Only she wasn’t a stranger. She’s Miss Ellen’s granddaughter and then—”

  Matt placed a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Okay. I get the picture.”

  Cassidy smiled. “She’s nice.”

  Matt set his jaw. That’s not how he’d describe Shelby Russell. Self-centered. Insensitive. Career-driven, yes. But nice?

  “She was going to give us sugar cookies, but Cassidy said no ’cause she was a stranger,” Kenny complained.

  “Who’s a stranger?”

  Matt glanced over at his younger sister, Laura Durrant, who had come to stand at the boy’s side. She’d been watching the children after school each day. He had a full schedule of classes this semester, which meant he wouldn’t get home until supper time. But she’d informed him two days ago that he’d have to find someone else. “That was the right thing to do, son.”

  Kenny’s shoulders slacked. “Yes, sir, but Mrs. Bower made them. You always let us have her cookies. How come we couldn’t have any this time?”

  “Because you didn’t know Shelby, that’s why.” Matt struggled to maintain his patience.

  Laura frowned. “Shelby Russell?”

  Matt jammed his hands into his pockets. “She’s back. She’s staying with Ellen Bower.”

  “Oh. I’ll bet Miss Ellen is excited. Shelby hasn’t been home since you two broke up, has she?”

  “I wouldn’t know.” He could see his little sister’s mind digesting the news.

  “Hmm. Wonder what brought her back to Dover after all this time?” She glanced at him sideways, an ornery smirk on her face. “Maybe she came to look up old friends and acquaintances.”

  Matt forced a smile over clenched teeth. “Why don’t you ask her?”

  Laura raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. “I think I might. You know, I heard she’s an editor at some big magazine in New York. Mom ran across her name in an article someplace. Looks like our Shelby has reached the top of the career ladder. Good for her. It’s what she always wanted.”

  “
It’s all she ever wanted,” Matt muttered softly.

  Laura winced. “Is that the sound of sour grapes being trampled? You know—” she pointed a finger at her brother “—they say you never forget your first love. Well, kids, I’m out of here.” She gave Cassidy a hug and Kenny a fist bump.

  “You want to stay and eat?” Matt offered the invite as she moved to the door.

  She winked. “Not this time. I’m booked for the evening. Oh.” Laura turned back to her brother. “Have you found someone to watch the kids yet? I hate that I had to bail on you so suddenly, but I couldn’t turn down the restoration job in Mobile. It’ll be a huge boost to my company.”

  “Don’t worry about it. But to answer your question, no, I haven’t found anyone yet.” Matt ran a hand down the back of his neck. “Normally, I’d ask Mom, but since she’s running for city council, she doesn’t have the time.”

  “What about Ellen Bower? Doesn’t she watch them for you sometimes?”

  “Yes, but she’s so busy with her volunteer work I rarely see her. Besides, watching the kids for a short time now and again is different from watching them every day. It might be too much for her.”

  Laura picked up her backpack, fishing out her truck keys. “Well, you could always ask Shelby. She’s right next door.”

  Matt gritted his teeth and followed his sister to the door. “Yeah, but for how long? She’ll probably be gone before you can blink.”

  Laura turned to face him. “What’s bothering you, big brother?”

  “Nothing. Forget it.” Matt smiled at his baby sister. Looking at her, no one would ever guess the slim, petite woman was a skilled and licensed carpenter and builder. Her company specialized in restoring old homes and buildings. Laura couldn’t stand to see anything neglected and ignored.