Love Again, Love for Them: A Novel Read online

  Love Again, Love for Them: A Novel

  By R. A. Lee

  © Copyright 2011 by R. A. Lee

  All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, in any manner, is prohibited.

  Product of the U.S.A.

  Third Revision

  Second Cover Art

  Obooko Edition

  The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any living person past or present, or sleeping in my bed, is purely coincidental.

  This is a legally distributed free edition from www.obooko.com

  The author’s intellectual property rights are protected by international Copyright law. You are licensed to use this digital copy strictly for your personal enjoyment only: it must not be redistributed commercially or offered for sale in any form.

  If you enjoy reading this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from obooko, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

  Dedicated to my mother, the love of my life, and my family.

  TalesByRALee.com

  [email protected]

  Cover image by Autumn Angel Designs trademarked and copyrighted 2013

  Other eBook Titles by R. A. Lee

  “The Fountain of Truth: A Novel”

  “The Beauty at the Bus Stop: A Novel”

  “My Vegas Valentine: A Novella”

  “Desert Town Angels” Trilogy

  PART ONE “The Last Will and Testament of Howard Thornbon”

  PART TWO “The Kin of Ms. Honey Hallowell”

  PART THREE “The Final Showdown in Golden Peaks”

  Check Website for Other New Releases!

  Other eBook Titles by R. A. Lee

  “The Fountain of Truth: A Novel” By R. A. Lee

  Tim Jaskin has no time for sentimental notions even when it comes to his own family. The old town his family reputedly established generations earlier is on the brink of being demolished by eminent domain. Although he doesn’t side with the city, his grandmother implores him to help the family preserve the fountain in Fountain Way for future generations.

  The only evidence Tim has is a tale his family has told for generations about how his great-great-great-great-grandparents met at a fountain, the origin of Trader Fountain. A historian only interested in facts, Tim needs more than just sentimentality to obtain historical status for Fountain Way.

  Cherish Tiswell is heading cross-country to be with her fiancé. Unable to maintain the family business through a dire economic cycle, Cherish has given up her family home when her late parents’ medical bills make it impossible for her to keep up with the mortgage. Her only ties to family now rest in her future marriage to her fiancé. Lost on a country road looking for the Interstate onramp, Cherish stumbles on the fountain and finds herself in the middle of a family feud to protect a heritage threatened by a complacent heir.

  Cherish teaches Tim a valuable lesson in the value of family, and it’s up to Tim to decide if his legacy is compelling enough to preserve even without the proof he needs to believe the family tale is true. (Adult contemporary romance)

  “The Beauty at the Bus Stop: A Novel” By R. A. Lee

  Laid off from his bank job, Mountain Wood, Colorado, native Evan Hillaway takes a risk and accepts an offer from his cousin to work for a friend in Los Angeles. Within days of arriving, Evan sees a woman at a bus stop and instantly falls in love.

  Ashley Cooper is also a small-town girl who has been laid off and looking for a way to meet her financial needs. The only difference is that her “small town” is the Westside of Los Angeles. Through a series of fortunate events, Evan meets the woman but soon learns she’s looking for someone with more financial security than Evan can provide.

  With love on the line, Evan risks everything just to prove to her that they belong together. Now it’s up to Ashley to decide if love is enough to take their relationship to the end of the line. (Adult contemporary romance)

  “My Vegas Valentine” A Novella By R. A. Lee

  There is a code between sisters: Thou shall not be intimate with a guy your sister dumps, not without her permission. Faith lives in the shadow of her more glamorous twin, but on a trip to Vegas she bumps into a man she takes for her sister’s ex-lover and debates breaking that code when she inadvertently spends Valentine’s Day with him after dumping her cheating boyfriend.

  Arriving on a commercial flight, Faith’s adventure takes her on a local’s tour of Vegas and a stay in a private Villa before she boards a private jet home to get away from her Vegas experience and back to her normal small town life.

  When co-workers learn of her exploits from her ex-boyfriend, a co-worker who trashes her reputation, they refer to the stranger as Faith’s “Vegas Valentine.”

  Realizing that she’s been settling, Faith begins an adventure that takes her from the comfort of her carefully planned life and into the arms of a stranger who may break her small town heart, but for whom her heart beats. “My Vegas Valentine”

  “DESERT TOWN ANGELS” TRILOGY

  “Desert Town Angels” PART ONE “The Last Will and Testament of Howard Thornbon”

  (Free on obooko.com)The patriarch of Golden Peaks is dead. The fate of the desert town is in jeopardy as the residents fear Howard Thornbon’s daughter will sell the dying town and displace them.

  But when Howard’s Last Will and Testament is read, everyone is distressed when a stranger is announced as the person chosen to carry out his final wishes.

  As drastic changes are made in the town, the full fury of Sheri, Howard’s daughter, is unleashed.

  When the mysterious stranger is introduced, Golden Peaks Property Manager Ryan Camden realizes Sheri has met her match in the person Howard has chosen to inherit Golden Peaks.

  As Sheri and the stranger clash over who is the rightful owner of the desolate desert town, Golden Peaks Property Manager Ryan Camden attempts to keep them from destroying Golden Peaks and each other.

  “Desert Town Angels”

  PART TWO “The Kin of Ms. Honey Hallowell”

  “No!” Sheri shouted as the table shook with her pounding fist. “This is my place!”

  “Are you so sure?” Van taunted. “Are you sure you are his daughter?”

  “She is,” Nelson snapped and they both sat back. “She is. Sheri is legally Howard’s daughter.”

  “Legally?” the lawyer said, sensing the meaning of the descriptive word.

  The will of Howard Thornbon has been read and the kin of Ms. Honey Hallowell, a woman named Van, has taken over the town of Golden Peaks.

  Moving into the old hotel, the mysterious Van invites the residents to dinner to introduce herself. Then, Ryan learns that the fate of the town is still in limbo.

  Time is ticking. Howard has stipulated Van must remain in the town thirty days before taking full ownership, otherwise the property reverts to his daughter, who will do everything in her power to take back her birthright.

  Thirty days to decide the fate of Golden Peaks. Thirty days to learn why Howard left Golden Peaks to the kin of Ms. Honey Hallowell.

  Thirty days before a secret is revealed changing all of their lives forever.

  “Desert Town Angels”

  PART THREE “The Final Showdown in Golden Peaks”

  “They want to discuss some DNA results with us,” Ryan said as he hung up the phone later that night.

  “They already gave them to us,” Van whispered horrified.

  “The lawyer says he’ll meet us in Hamptonville,” Ryan said as he hugged her tight.

  The only thought holding her together was, “Please, don’t let this all be a lie.”

  The secrets have been revealed. Wit
h the fate of Golden Peaks no longer in limbo, Van and Ryan are free to engage in their own pursuits beyond the desert town.

  Van attempts to come to terms with her role in Golden Peaks, and Ryan is ready to reconcile with his past and his parents.

  As more strangers reveal the ongoing saga involving the residents of Golden Peaks, Van has learned to adapt to everything about her new life except her feelings for Ryan.

  A visitor looking for Nelson unleashes the memory of how the octogenarian ended up in Golden Peaks. Grace’s condition worsens and Van turns to an unlikely adversary to find the dying woman’s grandson.

  Before her first year in Golden Peaks has passed, Van makes a decision with Ryan that goes against her core beliefs.

  The struggle for control of Golden Peaks continues.

  Van prepares for one last showdown with Sheri.

  But in the second year, it may be something under the soil that will decide Van’s future in Golden Peaks.

  Saving the town she inherited becomes a mission that may cost Van more than the desolate town is worth.

  Chapter 1

  Ignoring the “Notice of Foreclosure” sign on her front door, Brooke Sandstrom struggled with her bag of groceries as she found the right key and opened the door to her townhome.

  Setting the bag in the kitchen, she turned on her voicemail and listened while putting away the groceries.

  One message got her attention.

  “Mrs. Sandstrom, this is Katrina down at the elder care center,” she said without emotion. “We’re going to have to discuss your mother’s options, please give us a call.”

  Tapping in the number to the facility, which she knew by heart at this time, Brooke asked for the woman who handled her mother’s care.

  “What ‘options’ are you talking about?” she said, without greeting the woman.

  “Health care won’t pay for a longer stay,” Katrina said. “If you come down to the center, we can discuss other options. Maybe a state run home in the city,” she lectured. “We could also leave her in your care, that would be another option.”

  “How am I supposed to take care of my son, and my mother, I just got laid-off and my home just got foreclosed on?”

  “I can only discuss the options with you Mrs. Sandstrom,” Katrina said as if they were discussing a late credit card payment and not her ailing mother’s health care.

  Outraged, Brooke kindly told Katrina she would be by tomorrow to talk about the “options.”

  Brooke stood in her kitchen and held the phone to her chest. Slamming it back down on the cradle, she picked up a bag of frozen peas and threw it at the refrigerator and it popped open. Peas flew like a hailstorm of hard frozen little green pellets. Sinking to the floor, Brooke cried. Sobbing loudly and screaming, she finally fell against the cold tile floor exhausted.

  Looking at the clock she realized it was time to pick up her son from kindergarten, so she pulled herself up, washed her tear-streaked face and combed her hair. Only looking long enough to see she was presentable, she carefully walked around the boxes marked “Matthew storage” and touched a picture of her and Matthew smiling and holding baby MJ before heading out the door.

  Walking to the school, Brooke hoped her son’s teacher wouldn’t want to have another “discussion.”

  Just like Katrina, MJ’s teacher always wanted to talk “options” regarding his education. MJ was thought to be slow. Brooke had sent him to a specialist and they determined he might have to go to a special school. They didn’t have a clear diagnosis. Brooke had set up an interview for a second opinion. Her son was not slow.

  Right now, buying food and keeping their health insurance was a priority for Brooke. Getting the best education for her son was also a high priority, but if they couldn’t eat, what would an education matter?

  MJ greeted her at the gate and Brooke signed him out quickly before his teacher could lecture her. Brooke didn’t want to hear she was a bad parent today. Katrina already thought she was a negligent daughter. A person could only handle being bad at one thing at a time.

  Arriving at home, a new sign had been placed on her door. It was a “3 Day Notice.” Fear ripped through Brooke but she didn’t want her son to get concerned, so she acted as if it were just another ordinary notice.

  “Why do they keep putting notes on the door, mom?” he asked while putting away his backpack and waiting for a snack.

  “I wasn’t home, and they wanted to make sure I got the message,” she said, spreading jam on a piece of wheat bread.

  “What’s the message?” he asked, getting jam all over his face.

  Get out.

  “Nothing, just a reminder to pay a bill,” she shrugged.

  After dinner, there was a bath and story time. Kissing him good-night, Brooke looked into her son’s eyes before he closed them to go to sleep.

  Eyes the same as his father’s always made her sad. His father was extremely intelligent, there was no way MJ had developmental problems. There has to be another explanation, she thought as she turned out the light and went to the living room.

  Dialing her friend Melinda, Brooke sat down and looked around the room wondering how long it would take to put what she needed in storage.

  “It’s Brooke,” she said when her friend answered the phone.

  “How’s everything going?” she asked while distracted with work.

  Unable to contain herself, Brooke started crying.

  “I’ll be over when I can,” Melinda sighed and hung up the phone.

  “Damn it,” Brooke hissed as she put the phone in the cradle. Wiping her tears away, Brooke assembled a packing box and started filling it angrily with books and toys that were laying around.

  Assembling another box, she threw all her clothes and shoes from her room into it. Pictures were removed from their frames and placed in a baggie. Stuffed animals and tchotchkes of personal value were packed among the clothes. Her life fit in two brown cardboard boxes.

  Melinda showed up late and hugged Brooke after seeing the sign.

  “So it’s official?” she said, taking off her coat and sitting on the couch.

  “Almost nine months without a payment,” she said, trying to find the bright spot in her dark hour.

  “What’s the plan?” Melinda asked.

  “Put some stuff in storage and find another place,” she shrugged.

  “I only have an extra room, so it’s yours until you find another place,” Melinda offered.

  Brooke lowered her head. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “My other offer still stands,” her friend asserted while putting on her jacket and getting ready to depart.

  “I am at the point of accepting,” Brooke said. It was a last chance, end of the world scenario that seemed unimaginable just three years earlier. But she had run out of insurance money and didn’t have a job. Going on welfare was only lower on her list. That would still leave her mother with less than sub par care. Not to mention what that would mean to MJ if he were in special education and on welfare. This was not the future she intended for her child, for their child.

  “You say the word and I’ll set something up,” her friend urged.

  Brooke nodded, and they hugged before Melinda left Brooke in the aftermath of her life.

  Grabbing the special family photo by the door, Brooke stared at it and wondered how she got here, in a foreclosed home without a job raising a child with special education issues and a sick mother about to be thrown out of the facility that had provided her care for the past five years.

  Why aren’t you here to help? she insisted to the photo of the happy family.

  Packing the frame carefully in clothes, Brooke taped up the boxes, and put them in her room so her son wouldn’t wonder why she was packing in a hurry. He knew they were moving, but Brooke didn’t want him to worry that they were leaving in two days.

  After sending him off to school with a friend and his mother, Brooke packed up her son’s room, filled two suitcases with j
ust enough clothes and toys to get by at Melinda’s and then packed a suitcase for herself.

  Calling a storage facility that offered moving services, Brooke packed her life into a 5x10 foot space and headed to the elder care facility.

  Meeting with Katrina in her office, Brooke reminded herself to leave her other problems on the other side of the door or else they would remove her mother from her care entirely.

  “I wanted to know what you think of the options,” Katrina announced after reading the short list.

  “How long until this takes effect?” Brooke asked in the same unemotional monotone manner.

  “Two months,” Katrina noted, looking at the paperwork.

  “I will let you know in a month,” Brooke said and left while Katrina stammered for her to not leave until a decision was made.

  Heading to her mother’s room in a blur of fury she had to contain, Brooke sat in the chair next to her mother’s bed and waited for her to recognize her only child.

  “Is that you, Brooke,” she asked, reaching out for her.

  “It’s me, mom,” Brooke choked then took a deep breath and asked her mother how things were going.

  “I’m fine, dear,” she said, patting Brooke on the arm. As a child, Brooke remembered how comforting it was in her mother’s care. There was never a problem she couldn’t solve. Now, she had to solve all of her mother’s issues but she no longer had the support financially or emotionally.

  Not able to confide in her mother without causing her more distress, Brooke stayed and talked and then said she had to pick up her son.

  “You look so tired, Brooke,” her mother said as Brooke got up to leave.

  “I’m working hard, mom,” she said, trying to get out of the center before breaking down.

  “I love you, Brooke,” her mother said, clasping her hands in prayer. “I pray for you, dear.”

  Me too.

  “I love you, too, mom,” Brooke said and headed out. Walking to the bus stop, Brooke sat down and cried in her hands until the bus pulled up. Waving it away, she caught her breath, wiped her tears and waited for the next one.

  When she got home with her son, she had to console him because he was distressed that his room was almost empty.