Jess & Sam's Story: A Door County Romance, #2

By Valerie J. Clarizio

After twenty years, Jess returns home to care for her ailing mother. Close proximity to the man she once loved—who'd dumped her on the very day she expected a marriage proposal—reawakens her broken heart and strengthens her vow to never put faith in a man.

By his own choice, Sam's the most elusive bachelor in town, his walls of defense firmly in place. But when the feisty little brunette he dated in high school and college moves back, Sam needs to step up his game, stiffening those walls to concrete. True love? A forever union? What kind of idiot believes in that?

No matter which way Sam and Jess turn in their little home town, they run into each other. And stumbling under the mistletoe isn't what either one needs.

Or is it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trailhead Consulting LLC
• Release date: Apr 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386590644

Valerie J. Clarizio

Valerie Clarizio is a USA Today Bestselling author who lives in romantic Door County Wisconsin with her husband. She loves to read, write, and spend time at her cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She's lived her life surrounded by men, three brothers, a husband, and a male Siamese cat who required his own instruction manual. Keeping up with all the men in her life has turned her into an outdoors enthusiast, of which her favorite activity is hiking in national parks. While out on the trails, she has plenty of time to conjure up irresistible characters and unique storylines for her next romantic suspense or sweet contemporary romance novel.

Book preview

Blurb

He’s a seasoned bachelor and likes it that way.

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She’s a woman scorned who refuses to forgive...or forget.

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Can old hurts be healed after twenty years, or is it too late?

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In the twenty years since moving away, Jess Kadanko rarely visits her small hometown in Door County, Wisconsin. The only reason she came back this time was to care for her ailing mother. When she crosses paths with the man she once loved—the man who’d cruelly dumped her—she reminds herself of his heartlessness and strengthens her vow to never put faith in a man again.

Sam Bley is the most elusive bachelor in town and he keeps his defensive walls firmly in place. When the feisty little brunette he dated throughout high school and college moves back, he realizes she’s the only woman capable of breaking down the well-constructed barriers around his heart. He fortifies his resolve against her—and against love—because what kind of idiot believes in true love? His parent’s bitter divorce taught him the hard way that forever unions don’t exist.

Despite their best-laid plans, Sam and Jess can’t manage to avoid being in the same place at the same time. And stumbling into each other beneath the mistletoe is not what either of them want or need. Or is it?

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Chapter One

I think all women were spawned by the devil himself, Clint blurted before he lifted his bottle of beer off the old wooden bar and took a long pull.

Shit, here we go. Sam stifled his chuckle.

I mean really, Clint continued, is there a good one in the bunch. Yeah, they act all nice and sweet in the beginning, but it’s like their horns grow overnight once you put that ring on their finger. His gaze turned toward Sam. Do you think they all get a pitchfork at their wedding shower?

The comments were actually quite funny, but his recently divorced buddy was so serious Sam knew he would get pissed if anyone cracked a smile.

Sam swung his gaze between the others sitting at the bar, hoping one of them would answer Clint’s question. Nothing from Ryan, the newlywed. Nothing from Skip, the man married for fifteen plus years. Nothing from Clark, the widower. Leaving Sam, the only bachelor, to provide their friend with the answers he needed.

Well? Clint pressed.

Could be, I guess. But I’m a bachelor at forty-four, so what do I know about women?

A lot I guess. You’re the only one here who hasn’t been bamboozled by the manipulative, lying, cheating bunch. Clint tilted his beer bottle toward Sam. Here’s to you. You’re one hell of a smart guy. I should have been more like you. Careful. Carefree. Love ‘em and leave ‘em. But no...I had to go and marry one of these horned devils. And what did that get me? Clint took another slug of beer. I’ll tell you what it got me. My wife living in my house with my children and another man.

Sam looked to his buddy Clark, the widower who’d lost his wife of nearly twenty-five years two and a half years ago. Every time Clint got on one of his rampages about women, the pain in Clark’s eyes was unmistakable. He’d had the perfect life—wife. Everybody knew it. They were a match made in heaven. But now, the poor broken-hearted guy sat on his barstool listening to one of his buddies bashing women, as if they all came from the same batch.

And another thing...

Clark slammed the palm of his fist on the bar. Dammit. Just stop already.

All gazes landed on Clark whose eyes were narrowed on Clint. I’m sorry your wife left you for someone else, but not all women are the same as her. You need to stop feeling so damn sorry for yourself and get over it. Things could have been far worse. You could have lost the love of your life to... Clark’s words faded off as tears formed in the man’s grieving eyes.

To breast cancer were the words his friend still had a hard time saying.

The shocked looks on Ryan, Skip, and Clint’s faces as a result of their buddy’s outburst weren’t a surprise to Sam. Clark wasn’t the type to string two angry words together to save his life, nor swear.

Clint swallowed audibly and pulled away from Clark’s glare. I’m sorry.

Sam glanced at his comrades. What a group they were. Who had it right? Was it Ryan? Though he’d been married just a couple of months he seemed to still be walking on cloud nine.

Was it Skip? Married for over fifteen years, he seemed pretty happy with his situation. Though his kids hadn’t reached the dreaded teenaged years yet.

Was it Clark, the man who’d often told him that he wouldn’t change a thing because you can’t be afraid to love someone out of fear of losing them? He’d made mention that although he’d lost his wife way too soon, as painful as that was, he wouldn’t hesitate to love her all over again, even with the knowledge he’d lose her so soon. He’d said their love had been worth every heartbeat, far outweighing the pain he suffered losing her.

Boiling it all down, he had three happy buddies, and then there was Clint. His wife left him bitter and broken. This is what Sam feared. What if he got married and it didn’t work out? He didn’t want to be angry like Clint.

Sam had gotten this far in life without needing the permanency of a wife, but that little brunette he’d dated in