Second Chance with Love Read online

  Contents

  Second Chance with Love

  Copyright

  Sneak Peek!

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  About the Authors

  Second Chance with Love

  A Second Chance Romance

  By

  Alana Hart & Ruth Tyler Philips

  Copyright © 2015 Alana Hart & Ruth Tyler Philips

  All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Please note that this work is intended only for adults over the age of 18 and all characters represented as 18 or over.

  Published by Hartfelt Books

  Cover Design by Resplendent Media

  Editing by Rearing Horse Editing

  Sneak Peek!

  Nathan spied the red hair of a petite woman walking with a small man. There was something about her that provoked his attention. The red hair perhaps? Without being able to say how, the color of her hair had a unique quality, distinguishing it from other redheads he had seen. He never saw the profile of her face, since her back was turned to an angle. Her hair was shoulder length, but looked as if it should be longer. From where he stood it looked like she was walking away from the man, gesturing to the far end of the building. She pulled an iPhone from her backpack. The man was talking to her, but her attention seemed fixated on her iPhone. Another couple came to join them, and Nathan watched as the man's shoulders slumped and he huffed in frustration at being interrupted. At this point, the woman took this opportunity to put a little distance between her and the man. Nathan shook his head, and wondered if some guy would ever crack the code to how women thought.

  "Hey Scott, thanks for the pep-talk, I'll make sure to stop by on my return." Nathan watched the redheaded woman stand apart, impossible not to stand out in the crowd. He was forced to stare.

  "Okay bud, have a safe journey." Scott hung up.

  Nathan kept his attention on the woman; it felt odd that he could not look away. When her companion approached her, Nathan almost broke his gaze, but then the woman turned to the man abruptly to say something.

  Nothing prepared Nathan for the blow.

  It was her. She was here, after all these years.

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  Prologue

  Angel Hilda,

  I am truly sorry that I will not see you grow into the beautiful woman you shall one day become. For the brief time I held you, I want you to know that I loved you with all my heart, and we could not have asked God for a greater gift. Please don't be upset that I'm not here in the flesh; instead, carry me in your heart. Don't blame people or the world for this. All our lives are in God's hands. I pray for the Lord to give you strength during the hard times when I am not there to support you. Have faith and God will sustain you. Sometimes my faith is weak and wish I didn't have to suffer with this illness. I wish things were different, but they are not.

  Not even one year old and you are so talkative. we've had a lot of talks even though I sometimes fail to understand what you are trying to tell me. Every time I'm with you I pray to have more time for us to chat, to hear your voice as a toddler, to listen to your liveliness as a adolescent, and to hear your complaints as a teenager.

  I believe it's the hope of every father to have decades to grow with his daughter, to chat around the dinner table, to dish out advice. To worry as you go off to school. To take comfort and be proud that God has blessed me with a beautiful daughter.

  I am sorry I have succumbed to my illness, and I pray that God gives you light in the darkness.

  The dark

  Do not be afraid of the dark. God's light shines brightest even when you can't see it. There may come a time when you are scared because it is so dark; we all get scared of the dark sometimes. Even though it's hard for me to accept that I won't be there to hold you, pray if you are scared and God will keep you safe. And you don't have to pray for yourself, you can pray for anyone else who may be scared of the dark and be too scared to pray.

  School

  Yes it is important to work hard at school, but all I want from you is to do your best. There is no such thing as failure if you continue to learn from your mistakes. Do not let pressure get to you.

  Boys

  Let's get straight to the topic that will have every father in maximum security mode. By the time you're reading this, I very much hope you are at the stage where daddy's words are akin to the Law. You are so young that I can't imagine you changing, growing up. But Hilda, as you get older you will make friends, girls and boys, whereas you might learn to understand girls better and even find kinship. Boys, on the other hand, will become different, opposite, and as you get older you probably go from finding them pesky, annoying, and stinky to eventually finding out that they can be quite nice.

  Boyfriends Well even know I'm wracking my brain trying to imagine a Christian boy worthy enough for my little girl's heart, and falling short, I can say what the bible teaches us about giving our affections. Guard your heart, keep good company, and choose a boy who is well mannered and shows you respect.

  A harsh reality that comes with relationships is the possibility of heart break, no matter how perfect things may seem. Don't worry, have faith and trust in God to guide you toward finding that special man.

  Marriage

  Your mother and I often spoke about our wedding. Sarah's eyes always filled with tears when remembering how wonderful that day had been. It is one of many happy moments in our life. Now hopefully, you shall be equally as happy on your special day.You will find a good man to make you happy, and even though I'll not be there to walk you down the aisle in the flesh, I'll keep me in your heart.

  Mom

  Your mother had a look in her eye as if she were an artist. She looked at things as if she wanted to transform them.

  Love

  They say you fall in love. I’ve never known whether or not that was true. I’ve always seen things a little differently. Love has always been with us. God is love. When I first saw you in the hospital, you were so beautiful. A true gift from God. You touched a part of me that I never nurtured myself, and you brought love out of me. You don't fall in love, you rise in love.

  When there is love betwee
n two people, they nurture and grow together. Each person brings love from the other, love that they never knew existed, perhaps from neglect or simply because they have never been told.

  You

  I can see you as a woman, flowing red hair warmed by the sun, held in the strong arms of a good man. Both of you together in the grace of God. You will find love, have patience. Let love warm your heart. Sometimes the heart turns cold when you've suffered. Don't dwell in suffering. If love lets you down, give love a second chance.

  There is a saying that wherever you go, there you are, and if you love someone, wherever you are they will be there.

  - Your father

  Hilda folded the letter, placed it on the dresser, and walked to the window.

  For Hilda Borja, their love was a roller coaster of pleasure and pain.

  She had to leave him. She let her gaze sweep across the Tuscaloosa lakefront from the balcony, and tears obscured her view of the azure waters spread below her. If she'd known a year ago that their relationship would have been like this, she might have reconsidered his offer to sit at her table that day.

  The lengths they'd taken to hide their sin were extreme. The pain, intense. The pleasure, equally so. Their parents and friends never stopped to question where they disappeared to. Friends and family where not even aware they were a couple. Condos, rentals, long drives to different cities. Anywhere, to avoid being caught. It freed them from the nagging guilt about their secret affair.

  The faded-denim blue sky hung over the area decked with greenery. Usually, such a vibrant spring scene would have her rushing for her camera with joy. But she felt nothing like that. Only guilt. And the more she looked out, the more everything before her looked flat, as if the excessive sky bore down with an intolerable weight, pressing the essence out of everything.

  She toyed with a red curl. She'd leave. He would not follow. Pursuing her would risk exposure. Surely he'd never go to such lengths?

  Hilda scanned the bedroom, and looked at the half-naked man asleep in the bed. He who'd convinced her to risk her faith to be with him. She felt weak. Pathetic and alone.

  All the pleasure he promised her from her first time was never delivered. And at that point, Hilda got to her knees and spoke to God.

  Please forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I have fornicated, lost my faith, and lied to my mother and my church. I am weak and easily swayed by a man I consider too handsome to resist. Please forgive me, Father. Give me strength to leave him and start a new life.

  Hilda got to her feet, collected her belongings,, then whispered in his ear, “Goodbye Nathan.”

  The beginning - A year ago

  "Don't look up!"

  Interrupted from her reading, Hilda Borja wanted desperately to look up. The command yanked her away from her book. The chirps of melodious chatter turned to comprehensive speech patterns that rang out joyously throughout the room. She was back in the bar.

  "What's the matter, Mel?" Hilda snapped her book shut.

  "Hilda, your nose is always in a book. Now more than ever it shouldn't be, not at a singles bar. We’re likely to meet the perfect guy. Maybe someone we’re destined to be with, and you're not even paying attention.”

  "Well, you did just say not to look. Now you want me to pay attention? What's so important?” Hilda started to look around.

  "No." Melanie shrieked, pulling Hilda's shoulder. Catching herself before her voice traveled, Melanie said, “He’ll see us looking."

  Hilda signed. “Melanie, you were enthusiastic about coming here, so you can't be nervous now. Just walk up to him and introduce yourself."

  "I can't do that, he's so handsome." Melanie's tone become a childlike sort of whine.

  Hilda slowly peered up at Melanie while the other girl was distracted. She covertly glanced towards the far corner of the room and caught a glimpse of two guys seated by a window.

  "Which—?” Hilda began.

  "Don't be so obvious!" Melanie snagged Hilda's attention in her alarmed cry. "Here's what we're going to do...”

  Hilda peered down at her book, Irving Stone's The Agony And The Ecstasy. Was not wanting to enjoy a social event really so odd? She wanted to read the sweet comforting words of the letter she hidden inside the book. What she wanted most of all was to escape the whole overblown dating scene.

  "Hilda, are you listening to me?" Melanie delivered a wide eyed look. "You're blocking me out again."

  "Sorry—”

  "Never mind, he's just walked by our table and you missed it. He's standing at the counter now." Melanie bounced in her seat.

  "Did he look at you?” Looking up as she said this, Hilda saw a man in sunglasses standing at the counter. "Mel, he's wearing glasses." Hilda frowned and looked back and forth from her friend to the stranger.

  "I know. A bit mysterious, but I like it." Melanie said, straining a glance from her peripherals.

  "Did he even see you?"

  "I'm going to speak to him." Melanie shot up and grabbed her bag.

  "What am I supposed to do, Mel?" asked Hilda, suddenly feeling the room closing in on her.

  "Hilda, I know you're still having trouble getting comfortable with the idea, but this is a singles club. you are single. I also know it has escaped your attention that the moment you walked in here the jaws of several guys dropped."

  "Well that-" Hilda began.

  Melanie raised her hand. “You've been gifted with natural beauty. Trust me, you'll be okay. When a guy approaches you, just listen to what he has to say. You feel too nervous to speak? Then don't. He’ll do all the talking. Trust me on this. You’ll be fine, okay?” And with that she spun on her heel and made a beeline to where the man stood.

  Hilda felt her shoulders raising and her neck sink. Knowing that guys might have set their sights on her only added to her discomfort. She scanned the room, careful not to catch the eyes of guys who may have faced her direction.

  If you get the offer, then you know they’ll want you down in New York, right?

  Nathan groaned and set his phone back onto the table. A twitch of nerves took root in his stomach. They were not only going to fund his charity organization, but there was also an offer to work in the biggest venture capital firm in New York.

  He sat in the easy chair by the window, staring into the middle distance, and he thought about his mother for the first time that day. He had shut the gentle-hearted woman from his mind to create a space for his life's ambition – leaving Tuscaloosa, his home, to pursue the opportunity of a lifetime, working under Gerald Grady. Leaving friends and family he loved with all his heart. And who loved him. The thought made him uneasy. His heart pounded deep and his breathing grew thready; he became a conscious participant in his respiratory process. Just breathe, Nate.

  In

  Out

  In

  Out

  The choice placed him midpoint between two paths. He was at a crossroads.

  All about him swirled the low rhythmic murmur of chatter and cheer, laughter and conversation. With his body tensed into the chair, he needed to draw his mind away from the physiological angst that raged within, to extrovert his attention away from his internal discord, away from indecision, from the torment.

  He looked out at the vibrant city to see crowds of people moving along to coagulate in chunks and blocks, only to eventually break apart and melt into a fluid rush, separating, disappearing into bars, around corners. The streets first darkened and then shined shimmering from, what seemed to Nathan, to be a cleansing rain. The rain cleared up quickly and light illuminated the streets, creating a spectrum of color.

  "Is that a wig, bud?"

  "Huh?"

  "You're pulling on your hair."

  Nathan released his grip on his hair and stared into the smirking face of Scott. He brushed his hair back and mirrored Scott's infectious smile, which the man was known for.

  "Hey, what's up bud?" Nathan looked at Scott, who held two cups of coffee.

  "Me? You’re lik
e Mr. Moody over here. Either that or you should've taken me up on my offer to go out for a few drinks before we came here. Loosen up. Can't you at least pretend to smile? You'll frighten every girl off who looks this way. And, you know, this is a singles bar." Scott slumped into the chair opposite Nathan and fixed a warm smile on his friend. In Scott's 25 years, he'd seen and experienced a lot as an entrepreneur and a venture capitalist, which always led Nathan to wonder how his friend could be so carefree after making the decisions he recently made. To leave the world of business for teaching. Nathan always thought Scott, a traditional venture capitalist, was ruthless in negotiating and an aggressive businessman. But since leaving finance, the hard side of Scott disappeared.

  Nathan raised an eyebrow at Scott, who wore black shades.

  "It's that bright in here?" Nathan leans back and rested his hands behind his head. "Or are you going to impressive chick with your accolades. Scott Thompson, former venture partner for the great Gerald Grady.

  A decade his senior, Scott Russell, former music executive, was one of the few people Nathan considered a friend.

  Scott removed his shades and dipped his head.

  "About that. There were a few obstacles on my way here." He lifted his face to flash a megawatt smile at Nathan who, in turn, flinched.

  "Good gravy, what happened to your eye? It's bloodshot red."

  Scott sighed. "Allergies and bad timing. But no way I'm letting a small thing like that stop us." He pulled the sunglasses back down over his eyes. "I at least want a fighting chance to speak to a girl by not having her run for the hills first.”

  "I couldn't agree more." Nathan took a sip of his coffee.

  "So, how are things getting along?" Scott stirred his own.

  "Still nothing. Things aren't easy. The meeting was last week. Mr. Grady is a real pain. He was more interested in debating my faith rather than the funding." Nathan frowned. "When I walked out, I just knew they weren't interested in funding the Good Hope charity organization."