Trust (#2, Chasing Shadows Series)

By Mia Fox

***This is a new adult contemporary romance and contains sexual content. It is not intended for young adult readers.***

Ella’s struggle...

After losing Nate, trusting her heart to love again seems impossible for Ella. In spite of her family’s desire that she move on with her life, it’s the last thing she wants...especially since she has a connection to Nate’s ghost.

Ethan’s resolve...

Ethan knows about grief. Not only does he counsel people suffering from loss, he’s also lost a loved one. When he meets Ella, he makes it his mission to heal her broken heart. With time the boundary between patient and doctor blurs as Ethan finds himself falling in love. Yet he must suppress his feelings for fear of crossing a line that is based on trust.

Nate’s determination...

Being without Ella while in Afghanistan was hard. Having to say goodbye again is even worse. Although now a ghost, Nate can still make Ella happy when he visits. Their time together is precious, yet fleeting. Although being with Ella again is life’s sweetest gift, Nate is desperate to heal her troubled mind and broken heart.

An unbreakable bond...

When Ella becomes increasingly reckless and sets off on a dangerous journey into the rugged wilderness, it’s up to both Nate and Ethan to find her. One man represents her past and one her future. One will use his marine training and the other his knowledge of psychology to keep Ella safe and help her...Trust.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evatopia
• Release date: Jul 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9781630990275

Mia Fox

Mia Fox is a Los Angeles-based novelist who writes across varied genres including Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, Steampunk, and Chick Lit. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from U.S.C.Before writing full time, she worked as an entertainment publicist, a career she chronicles in her novel, “Alert the Media.” However, she is happy to leave that world behind her, preferring that any drama in her life is only that which she creates for her characters.She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, three children, Casey, the Wonder Westie, and Bean, his brother.

Book preview

Dedication

For my children...

You are the three most amazing people I’ve ever met. I love you more than one could ever imagine.

Prologue

Search and rescue teams are scouring the mountains above Calabasas with particular focus on the Backbone Hiking Trail near Mulholland Highway and Stunt Road for two missing hikers.

Ella Logan, age 33, has been missing since Sunday. Family members say that Ella is an experienced hiker who regularly frequented the trails of this area. However these trails are said to be extremely treacherous, particularly in these winter months.

Also missing is Ethan Feinfield, 28-years-old, who is on record as Ella’s physician following the car accident that recently took the life of her boyfriend, Nate Holden.

Nobody has heard from neither Ella, nor Ethan for 48 hours.

#  #  #

Lily, you’ve got to stop pacing. There’s going to be a trough in the floor soon. Please...come sit down. Zach patted the spot on the couch next to him and opened his arms to Ella’s sister, who begrudgingly joined him. Although she took the seat next to her boyfriend and leaned into his body, the closeness didn’t seem to ease her mind. A wayward tear trailed lazily down her cheek and because her head rested on Zach’s shoulder, it traveled to her mouth, forcing her to angrily wipe it away.

Zach turned toward her, kissed the salty trail, and then gently pushed her hair away from her bloodshot eyes. Give that thing to me, he said prying the television remote from her fingers. Her knuckles were white from her viselike grip of the device. Finally, Lily relinquished the controls and Zach no sooner pressed the ‘off’ button, filling the room with silence, a much needed reprieve from the unbiased and removed tone of the newscast.

I hate listening to it, Lily said, indicating the television.

Then why have we had it on all afternoon? You know they’ll call us the minute they find them.

Lily nodded, more to herself than in answer to Zach’s statement. And then, her absent-minded nod suddenly changed to a shake of her head and the fear that Zach managed to send away for just a moment returned. What if they don’t?

Are you kidding me? You just have to remain calm. It’s going to be alright.

Lily answered in a tone that was the complete antithesis of the word she echoed. Calm?!

Yes, he soothed. That’s right.

Easy for you. You’re a Marine...just like Nate was. You’ve experienced adversity...how to deal with it...how to live through it. Ella..., her voice trailed off, but she took a breath and continued her thought. Ella hasn’t been handling Nate’s death well, and running off like this is evidence of that. I just feel like something is wrong. Lily buried her head in her hands.

Zach gently massaged her shoulders as he spoke in a quiet tone. Ethan will find her.

But how? They went hiking and then they left separately. Isn’t that what he said? Lily’s voice rose, the panic returning.

Exactly. He knew where she was hiking and he’ll go back and find her. Trying his best to calm Lily once more, Zach added, Come on, he was an Eagle Scout. And now, he’s a psychiatry resident. Plus, he’s darn fit. So, what have we got? A guy who is strong, knows how to get in her head, and is determined to find her. Those are good odds.

Zach, I know what you’re doing and I appreciate it. I do. But, it’s been two days and now we haven’t even heard from Ethan. I know something happened between them. Maybe something that got her upset. He practically said so himself when he came back here and expected Ella to have returned home.

Lily, you’re jumping to conclusions.

But he was totally surprised to learn that she hadn’t come back. And something else...he seemed worried. And now, he’s missing too.

Zach pulled Lily against his chest and smoothed the hair down her back. She had the same thick waves of brown that Ella did and as he held her, a photo of the two sisters that stood on the end table caught his gaze.

He cares about her. That much is obvious. He’ll find her. He even had gear packed.

Zach?

Yeah? he mumbled against her hair.

Even if Ethan was prepared, Ella wasn’t. She was wearing just a light outfit. She never packed necessities for hikes.

...unless you call Flicks jumbo chocolate chips a necessity, Zach added and in spite of herself, Lily smiled.

She loved those so much that she had to ration them and then half the time, they would melt inside the foil cardboard tube and she ended up drinking them.

Lily met Zach’s gaze and kissed him on the cheek.

She always had her band-aids, Zach added.

Because her inappropriate shoes caused blisters.

Zach took the cue to remove Lily’s shoes and rub her feet. Close your eyes. Try to relax.

Lily inhaled and then exhaled deeply, her chest rising and falling, and her body relaxing into the couch. The phone’s sudden ringing jarred her and she jumped for it.

Hello? her voice was anxious. Hello? She turned back to Zach as she hung up the phone. There was nobody there.

Within a minute the phone rang again and just as before, Lily jumped to respond.

Hello? Ella? Ethan?

A pause and then her tone grew angry.

No comment! she said, pressing the hang up button and throwing the phone to the other end of the couch.

"Just a reporter...wanting to know the nature of Ella and Ethan’s relationship."

Why are you letting them upset you? He was her doctor. End of story.

Is it, Zach?

He turned to Lily with a tired expression. Does it matter?

Maybe. She was vulnerable after Nate’s death.

And she responded to Ethan.

Maybe too much. If she’s just a patient, then why does she leave him in a huff, making him think she’s driven home. And for that matter, don’t you think it was weird that they went hiking in the first place?

Ella needed treatment, but didn’t want it. This was the only way she would agree  to see Ethan. He obviously cares about her enough to help in any way he can. Listen..., he took Lily’s hand in his own. Ella and Nate were perfect for each other, but I’m not convinced that there’s only one person out there for each of us.

Ethan and Ella? What you’re implying is certainly crossing a line.

I’m not implying anything, just that Ethan wanted to help her and now, more than ever, he’s committed to doing so. We just need to say a prayer that he’s successful...and that Nate is watching over both of them.

Part I - Love Lost

I know that's what people say-- you'll get over it. I'd say it, too. But I know it's not true. Oh, you’ll be happy again, never fear. But you won't forget. Every time you fall in love it will be because something in the man reminds you of him.

-- Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Chapter 1 - Nate 

Two Days Earlier...

If I weren’t already dead, it would kill me to say this, but Zach was right. Ella deserved every happiness, and if Ethan was the one to give it to her then...On second thought, maybe I’m not that well-adjusted. He’s the psych doctor. I’ll leave the rational mindset for him. As an ex-Marine, I’m still trained to fight and right now, my instinct is to fight for my girl.

One would think that emotions would start to tune out and disappear in death, but it’s not so. I still love her. I still want her. And somehow, some way, we’ve been able to find each other. Through the planes of life and the afterlife, I’ve been able to comfort her and she’s done the same for me.

I know it can’t last. Or maybe I should say that it shouldn’t last, which brings me back to Ethan. Even if I was totally in favor of them being together, Ella can be so damned stubborn. Like now, suddenly tuning