Second Chances (32 page)

He smiled, a lopsided, adorable thing that the audience found contagious. A few muted giggles added to the air of anticipation.

"However, from my perspective I hadn't done anything right either. Whereas she outdid herself. The result was that I saw myself of not being worthy of this special person. She freely admitted her feelings, but I couldn't see anyone as strong as her wanting to be with me so I denied the validity of her feelings. Again, I
knew
what was right for her when she obviously didn't." His grin was wry. "Based on my own lack of self-confidence at this point, I found it hard to express my feelings. We were at an impasse, one she decided to break. I was, of course, a willing participant."

His sexy grin at this point hinted at exactly which method the mystery woman had employed. Giggles and gasps abounded throughout the room.

Karina was mortified. She tried to hide her burning face.

Susan reached over and whispered, "Good for you!"

Mark was standing at the back of the room. Karina could feel his stare on the back of her neck. She didn't have to see him to know the look on his face, however, the pull was too strong. She swiveled her head.

He was staring at her, his expression filled with unholy merriment. In an exaggerated gesture, he blew her a big kiss. Hastily, Karina turned away, but not before she realized that several people had noticed the exchange.

Now people were starting to talk and point.

Oh Lord, how could Brian do this to her? She sank lower in her chair.

Brian was speaking again. "However, I in my insecurity pulled back. And wouldn't budge." Now his grin widened, his eyes danced. "But not only was this woman confident enough to speak from her heart, she was comfortable in gaining assistance that would help her cause." Brian reached into his pocket and held up the doctor's envelope that she'd given him earlier.

Karina groaned aloud and hid her face in her hands.
She should have stayed home tonight.

By now, the audience was well-clued-into the fact that something special was happening here. They were also a very willing audience, eagerly tagging along for the ride and avidly awaiting to see how the next scene in this play was going to unfold.

"She actually went to her doctor and had him write me a note, which he did, even going so far as sealing it in an envelope and addressing it to me." At this point Brian walked down the two steps of the front podium and moved closer to the audience. He held up the note for all to see.

"She has no idea what he wrote." Pure devilment leapt out of his face as he carried on. "There was, of course, a good reason for that. She never would have given this to me, otherwise."

Karina gasped at that. Just what had that doctor done? She didn't know where to look, so she stared down at her lap, fervently wishing she could just sink out of sight.

Brian continued, "Because the doctor actually wrote a poem instead. One that I'm going to share with you." The audience was truly caught in the drama now. Faces turned to follow Brian as he walked towards Karina.

He locked his gaze on her and recited,

"Take this woman to bed—that's long overdue,

Hold her close and rejoice in her love for you.

Understand the painful doubts that misconstrue

Your reasons for not binding her — as you want to do,

She's honest & loving, yet she's single, that's true,

So wed her, bed her and love her each day, anew.

And if you don't take my advice—I'll steal her from you."

The audience howled with laughter and joyous applause echoed throughout the room. All eyes watched the two of them.

Karina was thoroughly mortified, and too stunned to even think—except for the random thought that she just might have to kill her doctor. Susan and Sandra hugged her tightly, delight shining from each of their faces.

She could hardly feel Brian's hand on her shoulder, but there was no missing his words.

"I'd like you all to meet the special woman in my life. This is Karina. She's made my life blossom in a way I couldn't have imagined. Then again, I couldn't have imagined a doctor's prescription like this one, either. By the way, I'm not an idiot and she'll definitely be getting a new doctor after this."

Hysterical laughter ensued. Karina looked at Brian in disbelief.

As the place started to quiet down, Brian picked up the conversation. "So, on doctor's orders, I intend to make sure this woman is safe, well-loved, well-bedded…"

He grinned to the audience, lustful anticipation beaming across his face. "And if she'll have me," he ignored the gasp from Karina, "I'll keep her happily wed."

He tugged Karina up and into his arms, and then pulled a small golden item from his pocket.

"The only question left to ask is—will you marry me?"

There wasn't a sound now from anyone. The audience waited in breathless anticipation.

Karina was in shock, staring down at the diamond ring before her and what it implied. He'd had it all along. He really did love her. Her eyes filled with tears, but she beamed with joy. She couldn't speak. Tears clogged her throat and happiness warmed her soul. God, she loved him.

With a tiny nod, she gathered her voice and shouted, "Yes!" She threw her arms around him, wanting to hold him to her forever and ever.

Cheers rang through the room and the applause was deafening. Everyone bounced up from their chairs, hugging one another and shouting their congratulations into the air.

Mark bounded over and pulled both Susan and Sandra into his arms. "About damned time, too!"

Even in the midst of deafening chaos, Karina and Brian barely noticed.

Brian, following doctor's orders, was kissing her soundly and 'loving her well.'

Nine months later

K
arina sat in the sand beside Chelsea, helping the little girl build a sand castle. Her stepdaughter and the twins were visiting the cabin for the weekend. And not for the first time, either. The hot summer was still a few months away but the beach was beautiful all the time.

And with it being spring break, the twins were full of energy. Sandra much less so, but stretched out on a blanket beside Karina, she obviously wasn't suffering too much.

"I was afraid this week would be too hard on you, being pregnant and all," murmured Sandra. "Instead, I'm the one that's exhausted."

Karina laughed. "I'm fine. And I love having you here. I spent so much time alone in Vancouver with just my friends, Cat and Serena, that I'm happy to be surrounded all the time now." She sighed. "And after all that nasty Ian stuff, this is something I don't take for granted."

"I'm grateful Ian isn't competent to stand trial. Saves all of us lots of pain."

Now that was an understatement. But Karina was satisfied that part of her life was over. Maybe now Ian could get some help and find peace for the rest of his life. As long as he stayed away from Karina, she'd be happy.

"Are the girls still arriving on Friday night as planned? I'm looking forward to seeing them again."

"Yes, they are. Serena is even considering the idea of moving here. She says Vancouver just isn't the same without both Cat and I there. She's also thinking of opening a bookstore herself, preferably one that includes a built-in coffee shop. She's as much an addict as I am," Karina confessed.

"Oh that's perfect." Sandra lifted her head to look at Karina. "We should see if there's an appropriate space in our little mall."

"That's exactly what I told her." Karina laughed. "She'd fit in perfectly."

"And what about Cat?" Sandra sat up, looking for her boys and relaxed as she spotted them building a fort out of driftwood a short way down the beach. "Does she want to go into business, too?"

Karina smiled as she stared down at Chelsea's white-blonde curls. There was more sand on her scalp than hair at this point. "Cat is special. She's already got her own business. She's in computers. Very high-tech, hush-hush stuff."

"Sounds exciting." Sandra grinned. "I'm definitely looking forward to their visit."

Thinking back to all she'd gained since making the move to Victoria, Karina realized just how lucky she was. If her friends could find the same happiness, her world would be complete.

Only time would tell.

What she doesn't want...is exactly what he needs.

Shunned and ridiculed all her life for something she can't control, Samantha Blair hides her psychic abilities and lives on the fringes of society. Against her will, however, she's tapped into a killer – or rather, his victims. Each woman's murder, blow-by-blow, ravages her mind until their death releases her back to her body. Sam knows she must go to the authorities, but will the rugged, no-nonsense detective in charge of tracking down the killer believe her?

Detective Brandt Sutherland only trusts hard evidence, yet Sam's visions offer clues he needs to catch a killer. The more he learns about her incredible abilities, however, the clearer it becomes that Sam's visions have put her in the killer's line of fire. Now Brandt must save her from something he cannot see or understand...and risk losing his heart in the process.

As danger and desire collide, passion raises the stakes in a game Sam and Brandt don't dare lose.

 

Death had touched anthropologist Jade Hansen in Haiti once before, costing her an unborn child and perhaps her very sanity.

A year later, determined to face her own issues, she returns to Haiti with a mortuary team to recover the bodies of an American family from a mass grave. Visiting his brother after the quake, independent contractor Dane Carter puts his life on hold to help the sleepy town of Jacmel rebuild. But he finds it hard to like his brother's pregnant wife or her family. He wants to go home, until he meets Jade – and realizes what's missing in his own life. When the mortuary team begins work, it's as if malevolence has been released from the earth. Instead of laying her ghosts to rest, Jade finds herself confronting death and terror again.

And the man who unexpectedly awakens her heart – is right in the middle of it all.

 

It's the first day of Ninna's job in the local animal shelter...and a dog is talking to her. Not just any dog...a fat, old, smart-alecky Basset Hound who says his name is Mosey.

She can't quit, she needs this job. And then there's the yummy vet. Who turns out to live across the street from her in a much bigger house than her tiny house. Big enough to hold a few animals – including the mouthy Mosey. With all this going on, she doesn't have time to worry about the rash of break-ins and the sense of being watched. She's too busy worrying that she's nuts.

When Ninna agrees to dog sit for the cute vet from work, she sees it as a trial at being a pet owner and a way to build on her budding relationship with the vet. For Mosey, this weekend means time to get to know each other.

For the stalker who's tracking Ninna's movements, it means…opportunity.

Dale Mayer is a prolific multi-published writer. She's best known for her Psychic Visions series. Besides her romantic suspense/thrillers, Dale also writes paranormal romance and crossover young adult books in several different genres. To go with her fiction, she also writes nonfiction in many different fields with books available on resume writing, companion gardening and the US mortgage system. She has recently published her Career Essentials Series. All her books are available in digital and print formats.

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Vampire in Distress

Vampire in Design

 

Design Series

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Deadly Design

Deceptive Designs (fall 2013)

 

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Psychic Vision Series:

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Death Series

Touched by Death

Haunted by Death (fall 2013)

Second Chances...at Love

Second Chances

Book 2 - Winter 2013

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