The Season Of Love

By Lavada Dee

A collection of short stories.

Bahama Christmas
It has been two years since Maddie fiancés death, and it’s Christmas, the time of family and couples. She is tired of feeling like the fifth wheel. Solution, a cruise.
Santa Claus or maybe the Christmas Angel has a gift in store for her.

A Divorce For Christmas
Unable to get pregnant Lori Harper is taking the getting there to a new level. With How-To-Books in hand she has become a woman with a mission. With ‘things’ down to the clinical, Brad is feeling anything but amorous. In fact he has had enough of the command performances and wants out.

The Age of Love
Ariana doesn’t know how she let it happen, but she’s fallen in love with Joel who is eight years younger than she is. The relationship is complicated by the fact that Joel’s mother is Ariana’s best friend. Joel presses for marriage but Ariana can’t bring herself to come out with their relationship. The only solution Ariana see’s is breaking off with Joel. He isn’t giving up on them and sets about bringing their relationship out in the open.

No Perfect Marriage
When Kade gets a call in the middle night from his wife saying their teenage son is in jail he knows he needs to take a position. The marriage is over so they need to make it official. But first they need to get Josh home, and to do this they need to present a united family image to the judge. Is the house big enough for both of them and can they live together until after the holidays?

Spontaneous Love
Leah and Dean Coogan feel that their marriage in trouble, but can’t seem to stop the downward spiral. Leah’s solution is to make everything perfect for Dean. The perfect house, perfect meals, perfect everything. The harder she works the more Dean feels left out. She doesn’t hear him when he tries to explain that he wants her to do things with him, not for him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lavada Dee
• Release date: Dec 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370499953

Lavada Dee

Lavada Dee writes Contemporary and Romantic Suspense. She loves to read and gained a love of the romance genre from sneaking her Mother’s True Confessions from under the bed. That was many many many years ago and she has since advanced into reading just about every genre out there. From a love of reading she naturally evolved into writing.She lives in the Pacific Northwest where they encourage friends to drop in. While's it's impossible for all of us to physically drop in to chat we can do it via cyburspace. She loves to get better acquainted with you and invites you to subsribe to her Blog/News on her website.

Book preview

Prologue

Maddie scanned the small café looking for Georgia. She was almost half an hour late. Spotting her friend in a back booth she hurried over and slid into the seat opposite.

Lue Anne’s was a favorite stopping off place for the after work crowd and every booth was full. Sorry. Good thing you got here in time to get us a place or we’d be out in the rain looking for another restaurant.

Georgia nodded to the coffee she had pre-ordered for Maddie. No problem, I enjoy people-watching. She smiled and fixed her gaze on a booth by the door.

Maddie glanced over to see who had gotten her friend’s attention. Not that it took much these days. Georgia was bored with the single life and was openly looking for a relationship. Still, when Maddie saw the two guys, she had to agree with her friend that people-watching was good. Okaaay, almost too good to be true. With our luck they are probably a couple.

Georgia made a face. So what kept you after school? A hopeful gleam gave her away before her next words. Please, please, please, tell me it was that hot new principal.

Hot? She hadn’t even given the guy a thought let alone a second look.

Maddie taught third grade at Medley Elementary and Georgia taught sixth. If anyone should have been staying over it was Georgia as her pupils, pre-teens, were a lot more difficult than the delightful, fun students Maddie had. Don wanted to talk to me about the remedial reading class I proposed. We need to do something. There are just too many students reading below their grade level. He thinks third grade is the place to start the program and I agree.

Georgia started to say something but Dodie, their waitress, interrupted. Whew, busy tonight. You two ready to order?

They ordered and then watched Dodie wind her way back across the café. Maddie braced herself for more of Georgia’s speculation about the new principal, Donald Delaney. Trying to avert her friend’s thoughts she said, I’ve got to hand it to Dodie. I don’t know if I could do this job.

Looking surprised at the turn of the conversation, Georgia good naturedly replied, We did it when we were in college. Only worse, we worked at the Dairy Queen.

Oh yeah, that was worse. Remember that bummer of a milkshake maker?

They parried memories back and forth until their order came. Georgia took one look at Maddie’s plate, and like Maddie knew she would, wrinkled her nose. How do you stay so skinny eating those huge hamburgers and fries?

Thin, maybe trim, not skinny.

Okay, so how? Here I eat salads with low-cal dressing and you…

Maddie bit into her cheeseburger and tried not to sigh. Swallowing, she said, Don’t complain to me, girlfriend. You are the one who never had to wear a training bra past puberty, or stuff tissue down your front to fill out a sweater. I’d gladly eat salad for the rest of my life for curves like yours.

No you wouldn’t, Georgia grumbled back.

Dinner done, Maddie ordered a decaf coffee for both of them. I have something I want to talk to you about.

At the happy look on Georgia’s face, Maddie hurried to open the topic before her friend could again launch into their love lives, or lack thereof. Christmas is less than a month away. How would you feel about taking a holiday cruise with me?

Honestly. I’d love to. Maybe one of those single cruises."

So why am I not seeing that love on your face?

Because I can’t. At least, not this year. My grandmother is coming, and as my mother has reminded me a zillion times, she is ninety years old. Georgia looked over and managed a smile. Maddie had known it was a long shot. Especially with such short notice, but she just couldn’t face another Christmas with everyone looking sorry that she was alone, or worse, parading every eligible man for miles around in front of her.

Georgia reached over and squeezed her hand. I’m sorry, honey. I know that holidays are hard for you.

It isn’t that. I’ve gone through all the firsts since Ethan died. The first Thanksgiving, the first Christmas. In fact, I think last year was easier. For one thing, I had Ethan’s parents, who felt his loss as much… She stopped for a second. They have to feel it worse. We aren’t programmed to have our children die. It has to be horrible for them.

Maddie again fell silent and so did Georgia. Her voice felt strained when she picked the conversation back up. The past six months have been...different. At first everyone sort of skirted around me, trying not to talk about Ethan. Now everyone thinks I should move on with my life.

I know Maddie. I wish I knew what to say.

Maddie hated to see the look in Georgia’s eyes. Her friend had loved Ethan, too. The three of them had been almost joined at the hip in high school. In college, Georgia had broken away a bit so that they more often made a foursome with her current romance when they went out. But still the three had remained close. Maddie often wondered, if she hadn’t been in the picture, if Georgia and Ethan would have become a couple. Speculation had ceased, as had the world as they knew it, with Ethan’s tragic accident. That Maddie’s and Ethan’s parents were close friends made it better, and worse.

She smiled at Georgia, trying to silently reassure her that it was okay. Then, taking a breath, Maddie brought them back around to discussing the trip. Georgia was a full participant, asking questions about where Maddie planned to go.

After her initial disappointment, Maddie felt a tingle of excitement at going on her own. She had never done anything or gone anywhere alone. That was going to change. First the trip and then moving into a place of her own. Twenty-four was too old to still be living at home. Her parents said they loved having her, but Maddie knew it was time to cut them loose as much as it was time for her to move on with her own life. I haven’t decided for sure because if you could go, I wanted you to help select the cruise.

Great, because even though I can’t go, I can live vicariously by helping with the choice of where to go. So what are your priorities? I’d think some place warm for sure.

Maddie laughed, feeling light-hearted and so thankful she had her good friend to share the planning with. I don’t think there are northern cruises this time of year, but you’re right, even if there were, I would want someplace warm enough to sunbathe on the deck.

So Mexico?

That is one of my first choices, but what about the Bahamas?

Georgia clasped her hands and almost gushed. Ohhh, I love that idea. She sobered, but just for a second. Then with a smile said, I wish I could go with you. The next minute, Georgia reverted to her romantic self. You’re going to meet someone. I just know it, and he’s going to be perfect for you.

For just a second, hope flared through Maddie. Was there someone made just for her? Had it been Ethan? Almost immediately the image of his older brother, Dane, imposed itself in her mind, and with it the ever-present guilt she had learned to live with.

Georgia picked up on her change in mood almost at once, and in part correctly interpreted it. You don’t need to feel guilty, Maddie. Ethan would want you to live. For you and him.

Chapter 1

Maddie could feel the humid heat the minute she stepped out the plane’s door and into the portal taking her to the Miami terminal. After the cool, wet climate of Seattle, Florida was a bit of a shock. Not that she would be here all that long. The trip itinerary had her spending a night in an upscale hotel and then boarding the ship early the next afternoon.

Excitement gave way to confusion, and a little bit of concern. Traveling by herself was scary, not so much in a bad way, just different from what she was used to. A man bumped into her as he briskly moved past. She mumbled an apology and stepped to the side. This was no place to take stock of the environment. She was holding up passengers.

When she got to the terminal, Maddie looked around for signs pointing the way to baggage claim. Her instructions were to pick up her luggage, and then look for a sign with her cruise ship name. Someone would take it from there, and get the group to the hotel.

Sliding into the seat of a large van, Maddie let out a sigh. So far, so good. Flexing her arm to relieve a sore muscle, she made a mental note to pack lighter, and to check into getting better luggage before her next trip. The thought caused a smile to spread over her lips. The next trip. It had a freeing ring to it.

You look happy.

Maddie glanced over as a guy slid into the seat beside her. He was cute, but Maddie reminded herself that she wasn’t interested. Guilt along with grief that was still ebbing, made her promise herself there would be no holiday romance. It was the main reason she stayed away from booking a singles cruise.

She nodded, but made no comment.

Undeterred he asked, This your first cruise? Persistent, he didn’t wait for an answer. It’s mine. I wanted to book one on the West Coast. I live in Alaska and it’s a long couple of flights to get here.

Maddie had to agree. Despite herself she readily answered. Wow, and I thought mine was long.

So you started in Seattle? Are you meeting someone?

Here it goes. Maddie opened her mouth to respond, but he was on a roll.

I’m meeting my fiancé, he said. She lives in Colorado, so it isn’t as far for her, and she had her heart set on the Bahamas.

He smiled over at her and Maddie felt…what did she feel? Envious, lonesome? All that, and more. Maybe this trip wasn’t such a good idea.

Giving herself a mental shake, she forced herself to lighten up. Just because he was handsome didn’t mean he couldn’t be offering friendship. Would she have rejected his attempt if he had been more the grandfatherly image? No. So okay, note to self, use that image as a future measuring stick.

He was seemingly oblivious to Maddie’s switch in and out of moods, and kept talking. We are getting married in March, but with her moving to Alaska, a honeymoon then will be a push, so we decided to flip things around. First the honeymoon, then the wedding.

His joy was rubbing off on Maddie, and she joined him in laughing out loud at the idea of reversing the order. Half an hour later, they pulled up in front of an impressive hotel. Leaving cold, wet, Seattle, it looked like paradise with palm trees and blooming hibiscus. The man stood up and took a step back to let her go ahead of him. By the way I didn’t introduce myself. Tom Gilmore, and my fiancé’s name is Penny. Hopefully, we’ll see more of you. He stepped away and then turned back with a grin on his face. You will love Penny.

Maddie laughed, and assured him she would.

Checking in went like the well-oiled procedure of a professionalized cruise, and it wasn’t long before Maddie found herself in a large, too large for one person, room. Moving to the window she looked down toward the harbor where a couple cruise ships were docked. Tomorrow she would be on one. Everything felt so fresh, new, and different. She had traveled with her parents, but never like this. Would she have done it with Ethan? Somehow she doubted it. He was more the guys’ baseball team kind. His idea of a trip was an away-from-home-game, and even then he didn’t do any sightseeing, just the game and back home. Again, a melancholy mood settled over her. Giving herself a shake, Maddie, vowed to get over it. She hadn’t come on this trip to be morose, or think about what could have been, or more to the point, what maybe wouldn’t have been. It was time to move on and it was up to her, and her alone, to do it.

The big bed looked inviting. A nap sounded good, but then again, maybe it would be better to opt for an early night instead. Deciding for the latter, Maddie picked up her toiletries and headed to the bathroom and a shower. Dinner was looming and she didn’t want to think about eating alone, something she hadn’t done before. Oh, maybe an occasional lunch, but not dinner in an exclusive dining room. She eyed the room service menu on the desk and tried not to think too hard about ordering in.

Chapter 2

Maddie entered the dining room still working on whether to be seated or get takeout like she wanted to. There was a group of four ahead of her and she looked at them with envy. She wanted to be part of the couples scene again. Even though Ethan hadn’t liked to travel, they had a lot of friends. People they had both grown up with. Sometimes, it seemed the whole world was made up of couples. Her thoughts were broken off when a young woman approached and ushered the foursome into the dining room. Now or never. A little voice whispered.

Are you eating by yourself? Maddie turned to see the young man she had sat with on the van. He didn’t wait for an answer. I’m starving and Penny isn’t getting here until almost midnight.

Maddie felt relief wash over her. Perfect.

It was short lived when another man came up behind them and greeted Tom Gilmore. So you going to introduce me to your fiancé?

Tom’s face turned red. Stammering he said, No, I mean…she’s not…ummm, we just met on the van ride to the hotel. Penny’s flight isn’t in yet.

Maddie kept herself from laughing. This was one guy she’d bet would never stray. She held out her hand, more confident in light of Tom’s discomfort. Hi, I’m Maddie. It seems Tom and I are both on our own tonight so were thinking to share a table.

Tom recovered and joined in. What about you? Waiting for someone?

The man smiled and Maddie couldn’t help herself from staring. At first glance, he was handsome, but then he smiled and it ratcheted him up a couple more notches on the hot scale. He was looking at her when he answered. Yes, and I’d love to join you. He made it sound like he was waiting just for her. Wow! And, double wow. Maybe… After all, if she just happened to stumble onto someone, it wouldn’t be like purposely joining a singles group on a hunting expedition.

The three followed the hostess to a table. The dining room was crowded but the staff looked like they were used to handling busy as it didn’t take them long to place their order. That done and their drinks orders in front of them, the man introduced himself. Matt Evans. Tom and I sat together on the plane so we got a little acquainted. Coming out to the hotel, I guess I was in another van, because I’m sure I would have noticed you.

Was he flirting? Maddie didn’t have much experience with it. In fact, make that no experience. She’d grown up with Ethan and had missed that phase of life. Not for the first time, she wished Georgia was here. Maddie was sure her friend had been born flirting. What would Georgia think of the handsome man in front of her?

Hello? Matt laughed pulling her attention back to the dining room.

Sorry, must be jet lag. It’s been a long day.

It’s okay. I’ll probably be joining you before dinner is over. We got on in Anchorage so have a few hours on you.

Tom joined in and it wasn’t long before the three settled into a comfortable exchange of information about their lives. Matt was originally from Seattle and working in Alaska on a contract, while Tom was a native Alaskan and had grown up in a small fishing town. Tom told them he had three brothers all of whom still lived in the town he’d been born in. They want me to settle down there, too, but I’ve had a hard enough time convincing Penny to move to Anchorage, so I doubt that’s going to happen.

Maddie looked over at Matt. What about you, will you stay in Alaska?

No, too cold, too long winters, too… He laughed. Not sure where I’ll settle.

Maddie couldn’t help wondering if his choice would depend on a partner, and if he had one. Dinner arrived and talk ebbed. By the time they finished, all three were noticeably drooping. The serving staff were prompt with their checks, and thankful, Maddie picked hers up. I’m going to call it a night while I can still stand upright. Thank you for a very enjoyable dinner.

We’re right behind you.

Maddie didn’t wait. She had been glad for the company, but now wanted to be by herself. Miami was three hours ahead of Seattle. Too late to call her parents, but Georgia was another story. With a smile she headed for her room.

Chapter 3

Maddie woke with an optimistic outlook. Talking and laughing with Georgia before she went to sleep had done wonders for her disposition. Mood shifts weren’t in character for her. No doubt yesterday’s blip in her normal sunny nature was due to travel fatigue. Or if she were completely honest, maybe due in part to being out of her comfort zone. Ready to start a new day, she slid out of bed. Hopefully she would make friends, albeit short term ones, to pal around with. She smiled, thinking it wouldn’t be Tom and his fiancé as they would be in a world of their own. Maybe Matt? The thought brought a twinge of excitement.

The instructions were to have all of her luggage outside the door by ten o’clock. More than a reasonable hour. She had heard horror stories of it needing to be out in the wee hours of the morning. She glanced at the bedside clock. Plenty of time, but she didn’t need anything in her bag so better to just set it out now.

There was a decided bounce in her step as she entered the coffee shop. The hostess took the voucher the cruise lines had put in her packet when Maddie checked in, then led her toward a cluster of tables. Maddie was happy to see it was group seating.

It didn’t take long for the six people already seated to introduce themselves. Two of the couples were traveling together and seemed anxious to exchange stories with her and the other couple. As would be expected the two who knew each other were from the same place, Chicago. The other couple was closer to home, Montana. She told them she was about thirty miles south of Seattle.

The woman whose name tag read, Cookie smiled, and said, That’s a beautiful place. A lot like Western Montana.

Maddie placed her order, and turned to the woman that had spoken. All of the couples were, she would guess, in their late fifties, or early sixties. She felt comfortable with them as they reminded her of her own parents. I’ve been to Montana and loved it. I’d like to go back and maybe spend more time there.

Oh, where? the woman asked.

Missoula. I was there with my parents, we were passing through on the way to Yellowstone and stayed over. I’d like to visit north of there, up around Flat Head Lake. Maybe stay over in Kalispell.

I hope you do, you’ll love it.

Conversation flowed around the table and Maddie was glad she had set her luggage out so she didn’t have to hurry. No one had asked if she was meeting someone, or traveling alone, and she relaxed.

A few minutes later, she saw Matt enter the room. Dressed in cargo shorts and a T-shirt he looked even better than the night before. He didn’t see her and she watched as he followed a waiter to the other side of the room. Maddie took a drink of her ice water. Good grief. Hopefully she wouldn’t react like this when she met up with the guy again. How big would the ship be, certainly not big enough to avoid him. Foreign heat crept over her body. Maybe Matt was just what she needed to move on with her life…and forget Ethan’s brother. It was time she gave Dane up in her heart the way she had in her life. She had never been more to him than a little sister.

Thankfully the others at the table didn’t notice her interest in Matt. Thinking of her call to Georgia the night before, she blushed and dipped her head to hide it. She’d started out telling Georgia about Tom and his fiancé, but perceptive as ever when it came to romance, it didn’t take Georgia long to ferret out the other man. When