So, my friends, I promised you book #2 in the Belfast Series in the Fall - and Fall is definitely here. Seriously here - like it's snowed already and I'm not cool with that kind of Fall. So here is the first chapter of my latest - would love to know what you think! Cover reveal to come soon (I promise) Oh - almost forgot . . . Book will be released November 11, 2019!
Love & Second Chances
Chapter 1 - The Client
Riley walked over to their new job and shoved her wool beanie on over her wet
and icy hair. Why no one had bothered to warn her that Maine winters were literally
the worst, she didn’t know, but she was holding everyone in Belfast Maine responsible
for her frozen fingers and toes. She sighed and ran up the steps and opened the large
wooden door into the old Victorian monstrosity that she and Jack had been hired to
overhaul. She smiled, or at least, she would have smiled if her face could move. Her step
dad had a few space heaters going in the large open work space, and that meant she
might be able to take off one of her three coats. “Jack!” she yelled, making the tall man
with a tile saw turn around. She waved her phone at him and he cut the power and stood
up, walking toward her. “He’s coming in tomorrow,” she said, with a shake of her head.
Jack groaned and put his hands on his hips. “We need at least another two or three weeks,
Riley.” Riley nodded her head and handed Jack the hot chocolate she’d brought him. “If not
four. Dang Charlie Walsh and his schedule. Doesn’t he know we’re in the middle of a
Maine winter here? Greer left yesterday at noon because he said he was too cold to work.”
Jack took a sip and smiled in gratitude at the warmth as he walked over to the window seat
and sat down. She walked over to join him and showed him the text she’d just gotten that
had sent her out into 2 degree weather. She was really starting to hate the fluffy white stuff
people called snow. Jack read the text and sighed, running a hand over his silvering,
wavy hair. “He’s really planning on living here while we finish up everything? Is the man
insane? I mean, yeah, it’s possible, but there’s going to be so much sawdust in the air,
and workers hanging around, he’s going to be miserable.”
Riley groaned and sat down next to Jack. “I guess the master is halfway livable. The
shower is done but the tile around the tub hasn’t even been grouted. The kitchen though . . .”
Jack nodded and groaned along with her. “You know, I’m grateful we have the work and
that Charlie is willing to pay us well, but his deadlines are about to give me an ulcer, and
now he’s going to be under our feet while we finish everything up. He’s gotta give us a few
more weeks.” Riley leaned her head back against the window and frowned darkly. “Well,
by the time we finish up this job, we can rest up until spring when we start the Davies job.
Charlie is paying us well, and even though he’s pushy, he has been very polite. Firm, but
polite.” Jack shrugged and glared at his boots. “I slipped all over the road trying to get here
this morning. I about died, Riley. That’s not worth any job.”
Riley’s eyes went wide. “We’re not in Arizona anymore, are we?” she asked, feeling a little
sad about it.Jack nodded his head. “Ice storms, Riley. Enough said.”
Riley laughed and groaned at the same time. “I feel like we’re fish out of water in this white
death they call winter.” Jack laughed. “Because you are. I tell you what, if we survive this
winter, we should get a medal or something.”
Riley grinned. “As mayor of Belfast, I feel like it would be lame to pack up and move back
out west, but man oh man, why didn’t even one person take the time to let me know what
I was signing up for?”
Jack laughed and put his knit hat back on. “That’s an easy one, because one, we wouldn’t
have believed them, and two, if we had believed them, we would have said adios and been
on our way.” Riley took the hot chocolate Jack offered her and took a sip. “How long does
winter even last here? Honestly, it’s only mid January and I feel like it’s been a year.”
Jack snorted. “I was down at the store yesterday with your mom, and everyone was talking
about what a mild winter it’s been. Cammie’s mouth dropped open so wide, you could fit a
whole lobster roll in there.”
Riley’s eyes bugged out at that insane statement. Having everything and everybody she
knew and loved, covered in layers and layers of ice, was not her idea of a mild winter.
“And they said we wouldn’t see spring until maybe mid May. Maybe. And it would most
likely be a little chilly still.”
Riley’s groaned in horror. “I’m a fan of sweater weather and cute boots, and I can handle
as much pumpkin spice as you want to throw at me, but I will not stand for a chilly May.
I need shorts and flip flops like I need air, and I haven’t kayaked in months.”
Jack laughed and stood up. “We will survive. I promise. I’ve already had to promise
Cammie a trip to Hawaii.”
Riley grinned immediately. “Oh, I’m coming with you.”
Jack shook his head and held up his hands. “Oh, no, you are not. Plan your own trip to
Hawaii.
Heck, you’re supposed to be getting married soon. Go on your honeymoon somewhere
warm. This is a romantic trip for us. No daughters allowed.”
Riley rolled her eyes and looked away. She and Mac hadn’t been getting along very well
lately. They’d talked about marriage off and on, but then the subject of Heidi would always
come up . . . and she’d put the breaks on. “Why in the world would I go on a honeymoon
if I’m not even engaged? You know Mac and I decided to wait until we can . . . figure things
out.” Jack frowned at his step daughter and crossed his arms over his chest. “Honey, you’re
either going to have to forgive Mac and move on, or not forgive him and let him go. You
can’t keep punishing the man for kissing Heidi. Keeping him in this weird limbo you got
going isn’t healthy. For you or him.”
Riley glared over Jack’s shoulder and felt the muscles in her neck tighten at the mention
of Heidi. “There are consequences, Jack. Mac needs to know that.”
Jack shook his head and sighed. “Honey, you gotta let this go. You know Mac loves you.
You know he only romanced Heidi to get your house back. Can’t you forgive him?”
Riley shrugged and felt sad and tired all of a sudden. “I want to . . . but every time I think
of them together, all while my heart was breaking, I just want to scream and throw something
at Mac.” Jack narrowed his eyes at Riley. “All while living in the gorgeous house that you
love with all of your soul. The house Mac made sure was yours in the end. And that’s not fair,
sweetie.” Riley shrugged. “That might be a good point, but my heart is still hurt, and until it
stops hurting, no engagement.” Jack took one more sip of his hot chocolate and threw it in
the garbage can to her left. “You take too much after your momma. All spit and vinegar,
with a small side of sweet. Have mercy on us all.”
Riley laughed and gave Jack a big hug, because it was true. “Let’s finish this tile and get
out of here. We’ll have dinner at Darby’s tonight. I hear Donovan is making something extra
special.” Jack’s face lit up and he nodded. “Grab me some more tile from the back and
we can finish in an hour if we’re fast.” Riley nodded and hurried to the kitchen to grab a box
of tile. She and Jack worked in perfect harmony for the next hour and a half, and when they
stood up, they gave each other a high five and looked at the back splash. It was a gorgeous,
pale cream subway tile, and as soon as the cabinets were delivered next week, the kitchen
was going to look amazing. A far cry from the harvest green fridge, gray linoleum and dirty
brown wallpaper that had covered the poor kitchen. “Charlie Walsh might not be walking
into a finished house tomorrow, but he will be ecstatic with all of our progress,” Riley said,
hopefully. Jack winced. “Charlie doesn’t seem like a man used to taking no for an answer.
I just hope he doesn’t fire us and hire someone else to finish the job.”
Riley grit her teeth at the very thought. “We have a contract.”
Jack grabbed his coat and keys off the stairs and put on his gloves so he could walk
outside and not get frostbite. “Yeah, one we broke because we said we’d be finished by the
end of December.” Riley frowned and wrapped her scarf around her throat. “Yeah, but Maine,
Jack. Belfast, Maine.” Jack laughed and locked up after they walked out. “Belfast, Maine.
You got that right. No one could have foreseen all the ice and delays and disasters we’ve
had to deal with. Charlie should be grateful we’ve made this much progress.”
Riley stared glumly at her truck and just prayed it would start as an icy blast of wind
threatened to push her over. “If Charlie Walsh isn't the most grateful client in the world
tomorrow, I’m going to throw a snowball in his face.”
Jack sighed and walked over to his own truck, and like Riley, prayed it would start.
“You and me both.”
© Copyrighted Material Shannon Guymon 2019
