Finally Together (The Langley Brothers)

By Sara Hooper

The Langley brothers all lead different lives, but they remained close as they travelled the roads of success and love. When middle brother Roger, finds his life suddenly on the path he had always dreamed of, the only thing missing was Jennifer, the love of his life.

Would he ever be able to repair the damage done and bring her back to him? Time would be the one to tell, in this story of love and loss that takes them to a place they never imagined they would be.

Length: 29,200 words
This is an interracial romance novella featuring a hispanic woman and a white man.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sara Hooper
• Release date: Apr 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310935992

Book preview

Finally Together

Sara Hooper

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2014 Sara Hooper

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Peas in a Pod

Mr. Wrong

Free Agent

Crossing the Line

Second Thoughts

Awkward Times

Stepping Back

To the Rescue

Reinvention

Saving the Best for Last

The Way Home

Love So Sweet

Home

Bond of Brothers

About the Author

Peas in a Pod

What are these things? Roger asked, turning the curious little figures over and over in his hands. There were six tiny figurines dressed in colorful clothing.

They are worry dolls, Jennifer told him from across the room.

Worry dolls? he asked with a slow smile.

Yes, you tell them your troubles and then put them under your pillow. They will do the worrying for you so that you can sleep she told him.

Are you serious with this? he asked with a little smile.

Maybe... she laughed. I went to Guatemala when I was a child. My father went there with a group of doctors to render medical assistance during an outbreak of some virus. He brought those back to me. They were made by a group of children at a local orphanage. They sold them to tourists to make money, she said, walking over to take one of the small dolls from his hands and smiling down at it. I can’t believe you’ve never noticed them before.

I have. Well, I’ve noticed the little box sitting on the shelf. I just didn’t realize it was full of miniature voodoo dolls, he scoffed.

They are NOT voodoo dolls. These are good magic, she said, taking them away from him and replacing them in the box. Roger laughed loudly and looked over at the clock.

I think we need to get going. Kayla, James and Kiera will be at the airport by the time we get there if we don’t get a move on. They’re going to be exhausted from the trip to Oakland to see Kayla’s mom and beyond ready to get home. You are coming to Kiera’s first birthday party in a couple of weeks aren’t you? he asked.

Of course I am. There will be cake won’t there? Jennifer laughed.

Yes, cake and balloons, he teased as they left his apartment and headed off to the airport. It was the first time either of them would have seen Roger’s brother, his wife and baby Kiera in weeks. After the two had married in June, a belated wedding after the birth of their child, the couple had been very busy and somewhat scarce other than family gatherings at the Langley parents’ home. Roger’s parents insisted that all three brothers, Roger, James and Keith, gather at least once a month for Sunday dinner.

Roger spent more time than that with his parents. Well, his Dad, at least. As the only one of the three boys involved in the family business, he was with his father constantly throughout the week and sometimes on weekends. He didn’t have much time left for hanging with Jennifer or his brothers, but he enjoyed his work. There was something cathartic about finding a great deal on a large commercial building, putting a bit of labor into it and then reselling it for considerably more money. Flipping properties in this fashion had afforded the Langley family a good life growing up, with all three boys pitching in to help during their younger years.

Later, it paid for their college tuition, but Roger had been the only one that returned to the family business. His younger brother, James, went into software engineering and his older brother, Keith, had continued on to medical school. Roger returned home with a degree in business and picked up where he had left off with helping his father. The only thing that changed was the amount of money he made and the weight of his responsibilities. Someday, his father would retire and he would do it alone.

How are things at work? he asked Jennifer on their way to the airport.

Things are good, she said. I’ll be making a run down to a warehouse in San Antonio that’s donating a large amount of overstock to the food bank next weekend. Maybe if you’re free, you can come with me. I could really use the help and maybe we could spend the night, hang down by the River Walk for a while.

Sounds good. I’ll see if I can’t work it out. You know I would much rather be helping you than Dad, he said.

Yes, I know. I don’t know why you don’t bite the bullet and just tell your Dad that you want to do something else for a change. I had to deal with the same thing with my father. If he had his way, I’d be dressed in scrubs in an operating room somewhere.

You’d probably make a lot more money, too, Roger laughed.

Yeah, but you can’t put a price on the smile of some guy who hasn’t eaten in a week and sees the big plate of food you just put in front of him.

Yeah, I know you can’t, he agreed. I envy you more than you know.

Jennifer smiled. I think you underestimate what I know about you.

So, change of subject, but what’s up with that dude you’ve been seeing? Are the two of you still hot and heavy? he asked.

Sometimes, she said, shrugging her shoulders and blowing off the question.

I know you are a big girl and can make your own decisions, Roger told her, but he just rubs me the wrong way for some reason. I’m really trying to like him, but he always seems too confrontational around me, as if he is just looking for a reason to bust my chops.

Jennifer had been dating a guy named Eddie for the past six months or so. When they first started seeing one another, she had really liked him. He was attractive, funny and very attentive. Now, they spent more time apart than they did together. It was like each time she thought they were getting close, he would sort of flake out on her and become scarce, telling her that things were moving too fast. After a while, he would come back and tell her he missed her. She would take him back and things would be fine between them for a while again. Of course, it never lasted for long. Just when she thought they were over the hump and in calm waters, he would bail again, leaving her to wonder what she had done wrong. It wasn’t like her to let a man string her along, but there was something about him that she was drawn to even though she knew he was bad for her.

Yeah, he has some issues being around other guys sometimes. It’s just a little jealousy. No big deal. Besides, I haven’t been seeing him recently, she said, hoping he would drop the subject.

Roger let it go and they drifted off into silence. Jennifer knew he hoped she’d kick the guy completely to the curb soon. Roger had witnessed first-hand what a piece of work Eddie could be and if there was one thing she knew about her best friend, it was that he might not say anything, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t fully aware of the situation. Knowing it wasn’t his place to get involved in her love-life, he kept his thoughts to himself and let her work it out on her own.

Well, here we are, he said as he pulled into a parking space at the airport and turned off the engine. They climbed out of the car and made their way into the terminal, looking at the boards to see which gate the flight was coming in to and if it was on time. Seeing that it was due in just a few minutes, they hurried to the waiting area to greet the family when they came out. After about fifteen minutes, the trio of vacationers came bounding out to visit them. Kayla was holding baby Kiera and James was lugging a backpack and rolling a carry-on case.

Hey, hey, hey, brother! Roger roared as he grabbed James in a half hug.