Return to Maui: Maui Romance Series, #2

By Cynthia Washburn

Sequel to Maui: Here We Come!

Carolyn is back at her teaching job in Surrey but she still has Maui . . . and Dave on her mind. Burned before in love, she is determined to take things slowly this time.

But after four months she’s not even sure if it’s love or friendship. Can a long distance
romance survive and maybe even thrive? Could a return trip to Maui help her sort out her feelings?

A sweet contemporary romance novella of 15,000 words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cynthia Washburn
• Release date: May 26, 2013
• ISBN: 9781497759527

Book preview

Cynthia Washburn

Books in this Series:

Maui:  Here We Come!

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This book is a work of fiction, the characters, incidents and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

Copyright © 2013 

ISBN-13:  978-1484183939

ISBN-10:  1484183932

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All rights reserved.

CHAPTER 1

Carolyn, you can’t be serious.  Another trip to Maui? 

Carolyn clamped her lips down on a sigh and counted to ten.  It certainly wasn’t her younger sister’s place to tell her whether or not she could take two vacations in a year, even if it was only four months since the last one.  She usually telephoned her sister Sunday evenings if she wasn’t going over there to have Sunday dinner with them and their two pre-teen children.  She didn’t call to be interrogated.

Chrissy must have channeled into her sister’s thoughts.  Now, of course, it’s your business what you want to do with your money.  After all, you are single and have responsibility for no one but yourself and  at fifty-one you certain should know your own mind.

Oh, oh.  Did Chrissy sound a little bitter?  Carolyn was very fond of her little sister and decided to probe a little.  Aren’t you and Gord taking the kids on a vacation this summer.

Yeah, right.  A fishing trip to Green Lake.  Swatting mosquitoes is the main entertainment if you don’t fish.  We’re not going to Maui, that’s for sure.  Not with the way the economy is going.

But Gord’s job is secure, isn’t it, Chrissy? 

Sure, but that’s about all it has going for it.  He hasn’t had a raise in four years, not even a cost of living increase.  And people think there’s such an advantage to being a government worker.  Fat lot they know.

Carolyn decided to confide a little in her sister.  After all, she was going to ask her to look after her precious Boston Terrier, Bud.  It’s not really a vacation,  she started and then corrected herself.  Okay, it’s hard to travel to Maui and not consider it a vacation.  But the fact is I’m thinking of buying a condo there.  There she’d said her plans out loud.  Her sister now was the only person, aside from the realtor she’d contacted, who had any knowledge of her plans.

Her sister broke in.  You’re what?  Did you win the lotto or something?

Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything.  No, of course not.  You’d be the first to know if I had.  But, the fact is, I loved it there.  The warm weather, the ocean breezes, the smell of the hibiscus . . . I sound like a travel brochure.

She continued, You know I’ve always found the west coast weather trying.  She laughed a little.  You know that condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder?  SAD?  It means that dark dreary days that go on and on get you down, almost depressed.

You depressed?  You’re the eternal optimist.

You’re right.  I’m too cheerful to be clinically depressed but I do find the weather for about eight months of the year here tedious enough that I think I want to spend them elsewhere.  When I retire, I mean.

You’re retiring?  Chrissy sounded incredulous.  You’ve told me that you’ve barely used the sick days the school district gives you.  Don’t you have something like one hundred and fifty of them to your credit?

This was turning into a long conversation, Carolyn decided, and tomorrow was a work day.  She decided to wrap up the conversation.  No, I’m not retiring, not yet.  Chrissy, I have to be going.  Bud is ringing his bell to go outside.  But, speaking of Bud, you will look after him for a week in July for me, won’t you?  He enjoyed himself so much last time.

Chrissy sounded a little miffed at the conversation being cut-off before all the details had been winkled out from her sister.  Sure, of course.  The kids love having him here.  But, don’t you change the subject on me, Carolyn, I want to hear more about this wild and crazy scheme of yours.

Of course, you’ll be the first to know.  Bye for now.  Carolyn hung up the telephone quickly before Chrissy could think of another comment or question. 

Bud looked up at her from his spot in front of the gas fireplace in the living room of her two bedroom townhouse.  Sorry, Bud.  I hate to use you to deceive my sister but that conversation was going downhill fast.

The Boston terrier had perked his pointy ears at the sound of his