Love's Second Chance (Second Chances Series) Read online

  By L.P. Dover

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  Amazon Edition

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  Love’s Second Chance

  Copyright © 2013 by L. P. Dover

  Editor: Tabitha Short

  Cover Artist: Regina Wamba

  Formatting by JT Formatting

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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  Prologue

  What do you do when you have nothing else to live for? When the world closes in on you and rips your soul apart, leaving you dying and aching on the inside. How does one regain the pieces that have been scattered to the wind?

  On the day I lost Carson, my world went gray and dark. The light inside me died when he was taken from me. I remember wiping the tears angrily away from my eyes as I sat there beside him. I wanted to see him clearly, to remember everything about my final moments with the man I had loved, cherished, and called my husband for the past two years. We were building a life together, and now it was going to be lost.

  Holding his hand while he lay broken and battered in the hospital bed, I couldn’t begin to fathom what my life was going to be like without him. As strong as Carson was, I knew it took all of his strength to even try to hold on. I wanted to take that pain away and keep it as my own. No one should ever have to see the person they love die in front of their eyes. I knew I would never forget the love and adoration in his gaze when he spoke those final words on his last dying breath.

  “I love you, Kori,” Carson says to me, his breathing raspy and forced, and I know it’s agony for him to breathe because of the broken ribs. His face is almost unrecognizable from the damage of the crash, but no matter what, I’ll always see the angelic face of my husband in my mind. My heart has broken into a million pieces just looking at him so helpless and visibly in pain. If I could trade places with him to spare him the anguish I would. A million times over I would.

  “I love you so much, Carson. You can’t leave me, please don’t leave me.” I choke as a sob escapes my lips. I have to remain strong for him, but how can I when he’s facing death and I’m about to lose him. A tear escapes from the corner of his eye, and before I can speak again he grips my hand tightly.

  “Shh, don’t cry. I need you to promise me …”

  I lean over him, desperate to hear what he wants me to promise him. I’ll promise him anything if it will keep him here longer. “Promise you what, Carson?” I say quickly, knowing time is running out. The beeping of the machines begins to slow down … slower and slower. Breaking down into tears, I desperately try to cling onto him, to feel the life inside of him before it dies away. How can his time be up when he has so much to live for?

  With quivering lips, I kiss him gently, branding the feel of him in my mind so I will always remember. Our final kiss, the last one we will share forever. His eyes flutter open one last time and on his last breath he cries, “Promise me you’ll …” But that’s as far as he gets. I sit there frozen, stunned into silence, when I see that he’s breathing no more.

  “Promise you what, Carson?” I scream desperately. I need to know what he was going to say. I take his face in my hands, willing the life back into his body, but his eyes stay locked onto mine as his soul is set free. The machines begin their long and drawn out beeping, signaling the passing of my beloved husband. I am frozen in place, numb on the outside but in despair on the inside as I stare at the lifeless form of the man I have grown to love and cherish. His body is still, so very still. My tears flow like hot rivers down my cheeks, landing on his bruised face. “I love you. I will always love you,” I cry. My lungs feel constricted and the world seems to be closing in around me. I can’t breathe, I can’t think, and I sure as hell can’t believe that my husband is now gone ... forever. How am I going to face the future without him? He’s gone … and from this moment on, so is my heart.

  Just when I thought moving on was possible, that day and the way it felt would come stumbling back in like a plague, consuming me with its pain. Sometimes I wanted to imagine it was all just a bad dream, but then reality would strike and the memories came flooding back of the day Carson died, and of the fear that if I ever decided to love again I’d be doomed to face the same torment. Bearing that kind of pain again was not something I wanted to endure.

  Chapter One

  “Are you sure you want to move back? You know, you can stay here as long as you like.” My mother’s warm face showed her concern, and if she had her way she would have made me live with her and my father forever. As much as I loved my parents, we all knew that I’d be miserable if I stayed there.

  When Carson died, I decided to live with my parents for a while. I needed to get away to try to deal with my grief, but mostly I didn’t want to be alone. I had no siblings or close family in Charlotte so I had no other choice except to stay with my parents. For six months I had lived with them at their beautiful home in the historical district of Charleston, SC. I loved it there, but it was time for me to go. After loading the last of my belongings into the trunk of my car, I turned around to face my mother. I had been told I looked just like her, except for the hair color. Mine had always been a golden-blonde, whereas hers has always been a deep, chestnut brown. Also, we both happen to be as stubborn as mules, but my mother never owned up to it.

  “I know I don’t have to leave, Mom, but I can’t stay here anymore. I appreciate everything you and Dad have done for me, but I have to live my life the way I want to live it,” I said boldly.

  She shook her head in disbelief. “But that’s just it, Kori. You’re not living it! You’re twenty-eight years old and have so much to live for. It’s been six months since Carson died.” At the mention of Carson, I knew my mother could see the hurt that passed over my face. Her voice turned soft and concerned. “You need to move on and get your life back on track.”

  I had heard those words from her over and over, and every time it took more and more control to keep my calm. I didn’t think she would have said that to me if she knew what it felt like to lose the man you loved. I gritted my teeth and put on a fake smile like I always did in this situation. My mother knew it was forced, but she went along with it anyway.

  “I’m trying, Mom. That’s why I’m moving back to Charlotte, so I can start over. I’m going to start working again and go from there,” I informed her, anything to appease her so I could leave. What I hadn’t told her was that I was moving back, but I wasn’t going back to mine and Carson’s home. I rented a condo and planned to stay there until I got the strength to go back home. I knew my parents would find out eventually, but for now I didn’t plan on telling them. My mother sighed and pulled me in for a tight embrace. Hugging her with all I had, I breathed in her motherly scent, the aroma that had been my comfort growing up. Other than my grandmother, my mother had always been my biggest supporter.

  “That sounds great, sweetheart. You’re always welcome to come back any time you want.” Rele
asing her hold, she looked me in the eyes. “I love you, care bear. You will get through this. You’re strong and I have complete and utter faith in you.”

  I nodded, quickly averting my eyes so she couldn’t see the tears building up, about to fall. “I love you, Mom,” I said as I opened the car door. “I’ll call Dad when I get on the road to tell him good-bye.”

  “He’d appreciate that,” she agreed.

  I hated that I’d missed him, but his job had called him away on business. He spent most of my childhood years on the road, so I figured that’s why my mom and I were really close. She was all I had growing up. My father was a hard man to get along with, always so stern and overprotective. However, after being here and spending time with him, it made me realize that all he ever wanted in life was to make me happy and to make sure my mother and I had everything we needed. My mother began waving at me before I started to back out of the driveway. When I sidled down the road, I took one last look in the rearview mirror. She was still waving, and as she slowly disappeared out of view, that’s when the tears began to fall.

  Chapter Two

  “Mr. Matthews?”

  “Yes, Rebecca?” I replied over the intercom to my assistant. Her desk was right outside my door, so all she had to do was poke her head in to speak to me, but she insisted on using the intercom. I liked to amuse her, so replying back on the intercom was only a small price to pay. Rebecca was in her early sixties and the sweetest lady I’d ever known, other than my mother. She was a close family friend and had been in my life since I was a boy. Ever since my father died, she had started calling me ‘Mr. Matthews’ and not Galen. I tried many times to convince her to stop, but she thought it sounded more professional when the clients were around.

  Her high-pitched voice came back over the speakers. “Your brother is here. Should I send him in?”

  Not expecting to hear this news, I bellowed out a laugh in disbelief. I couldn’t believe my little brother actually came. “Send him in!” I called out.

  It only took a few seconds before my brother, Brady, came barreling into my office with a huge smirk on his face. His reddish-brown hair had grown longer since the last time I’d seen him, and now it curled over his ears and looked slightly unkempt. That was my brother though. He lived life like it was a playground; all fun and games, and care-free. Everyone would always tell us we were complete opposites, and opposites we were. I loved having fun and doing crazy things just like him, but sometimes life demanded more from me. With my conflicting work schedule and Brady living a couple of hours away, I never really saw him except on holidays. This was definitely a good surprise and a distraction I sorely needed.

  “Wow!” Brady exclaimed, looking wide-eyed as he examined my office. Smiling and extending my hand, I thought he was going to acknowledge me, but he ignored the gesture and traipsed over to the windows. From the view that high up, you could see the whole expanse of downtown Charlotte. It was an amazing view and the sole reason why I had chosen this specific office.

  “It’s nice to see you, too,” I mumbled sarcastically, letting my hand drop.

  Brady laughed and caught me off guard by pulling me into a brotherly hug. “It’s good to see you, brother. You know, I think I made a mistake in not pursuing the family business,” he teased.

  “Hey, it was your decision to play football instead. You could have easily had all of this, too,” I stated, glancing around the office. Brady was never one to want a lot of responsibility, and he made a point to avoid it by all means possible. He also had no interest in architecture so it wouldn’t have worked out too well for him anyway.

  He looked at me incredulously. “I don’t think so. I enjoy not working eighty hours a week, and having a life. Tell me, when was the last time you went out and had any fun?”

  I shrugged. “I’ll admit it’s been a while since I’ve gone out for pleasure, but it’s not so bad working the hours. It keeps me busy, and … I love it.” I do love doing what I do, but my brother was right about one thing. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I went out and had any fun. “So what brings you here early? The party isn’t until tomorrow night,” I asked curiously. “You’re never early for anything, and if I recall correctly you were even late to your own wedding.”

  He bellowed out a laugh. “Hey, I can’t help it that the keys to my car got flushed down the toilet.” Brady took the seat across from my desk and smiled at me while he rested his chin in his hand. When my brother looked like that it could only mean one thing … trouble. He was twenty-seven years old and still the same jokester he has always been. I may only be three years older, but the weight of my responsibilities had made me feel a decade older.

  “The last time you had that look we were in college and were almost kicked out because of your schemes. What are you planning now?” I groaned, but in all reality I was actually curious to know what he had up his sleeve.

  “Well …” he paused. “It’s not me that’s planning it, it’s Jenna.”

  Jenna is Brady’s wife, a very beautiful and talented woman. My brother met her in college, and has been whipped ever since. She’s also an artist, and her work is absolutely amazing. Every gallery in the area who has exhibited her paintings was completely wiped out once they went on display. There were probably about fifty of her works on my floor of the building alone.

  “What may I ask is your wife planning? Please tell me she’s not trying to set me up with someone. I think I had enough problems with my last one,” I groaned.

  “Yeah, your last girlfriend was a bitch. I always wondered what you saw in her. She had a nice body, but that was about it. We’re actually here early because Jenna’s best friend just moved back from Charleston. She wanted to spend some time with her and wondered if you wouldn’t mind if we brought her to the party.” This definitely caught my attention, and my eyes went wide at the mention of Jenna’s ‘best friend.’ I knew this best friend, and I knew her well. I couldn’t help the thoughts circling through my mind at the possibility of seeing the woman he spoke of again. The last time I saw her was years ago and she had just gotten married.

  “Is her husband coming with her?” I asked skeptically. As much as seeing her would be amazing, I really didn’t want to see her with her husband.

  Taking a deep breath, Brady heaved a large sigh. A frown now marred his face and his eyes grew sad. Not knowing what to expect, I wasn’t prepared to hear his next words. “That’s the thing, Galen. Korinne’s husband passed away about six months ago. He was in a car accident and suffered severe internal injuries. She was devastated and left Charlotte to live with her parents in Charleston for a while. We just heard she moved back and Jenna had this crazy notion that if we got you two together it’ll help her friend. Apparently, Korinne hasn’t been coping too well with the loss.”

  This news stunned me into silence. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anger over the tragedy, anger from no one telling me and anger for the pain Korinne had to go through. Brady should have known I would want to know. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I demanded incredulously.

  My brother shrugged his shoulder, and it was clear in his eyes that he realized he should have told me, knowing that if it involved Korinne I would have wanted to know. I could remember her as if it was yesterday. When we were in college, her golden-blonde hair was long and wavy, resting just past her shoulders, and her smoky gray eyes could see straight through your soul. She was also a fun, caring young woman with a heart so passionate it would make any man fall hard for her. I know I did, so much so that to this day I still think of her often. A short time after Jenna began dating my brother, they introduced me to Korinne. Before she decided to transfer to a design school in Raleigh, we spent a lot of time together and grew really close, even though we knew we were doomed for heartache. We knew a long distance relationship would be tedious and complicated, so we kept it as casual as we could in the beginning. It didn’t work for long, because feelings started to develop on both fronts, and there was
no way I could hold back after that. I fell in love hard. The night before she left, I showed up at her apartment to tell her good-bye. We were both devastated and heartbroken, and then one thing led to another. Even though we had sex plenty of times before that, there was something about that night that drew me in more, against my better judgment. I needed her, and she needed me. I held her while she cried, and made love to her the entire night. We both knew there would never be another chance, so we took the night for ourselves.

  Brady hesitated and then finally answered, “I don’t know why I didn’t say anything. It was really tragic the way it all happened. Jenna was heartbroken for her friend, and we just didn’t discuss it for a while. I’m giving you fair warning though … Jenna’s on a mission, and I’m sure you can imagine what that mission is.”

  “I just wish you would have told me. There probably wasn’t anything I could have done, but it would have been nice to know.” I paused to let that sink in and then I asked, “So Jenna’s playing matchmaker again?”

  Nodding sheepishly, Brady smiled. “If I could stop her I would, but you know how she gets. She’s a determined woman.”

  “I think I can handle it, and anything else your wife has in mind. As a matter of fact, I’m looking forward to it, but I wonder what Korinne will say about all of this.”

  “There’s no telling. Jenna was nervous about asking her.” Laughing, Brady stood from his seat. “Well, I better get going since I’m sure you’re dying to get back to work.”

  “Very funny, little brother. I guess I’ll see you all tomorrow night.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it.” He turned to head for the door, but paused and turned back around. “Oh yeah, I have another favor to ask you,” he said while cringing.

  “What do you want now?” I questioned.