Bigalow: Fermosa Bay, #0.5

By Iris Blobel

He came out of nowhere … encouraging her to ask the right questions.

Hannah believes her life in solitude is all she wants and all she needs. She's settled in the small town of Fermosa Bay where she's taken over a medical practice after leaving her husband. When the enigmatic Bigalow steps into her life, turning it upside-down, she can't hide the growing irritation inside. Yet, slowly and steadily, he reminds her what life is all about and what she's missing out on. Especially when she crosses paths with her neighbour, Gideon.

As she begins to ask the right questions, Hannah's fondness for Bigalow gently grows, and so do her feelings for Gideon. But is she ready to hear the answers to her questions?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Iris Blobel
• Release date: Apr 21, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224439539

Iris Blobel

Iris Blobel writes warm, sexy, and sometimes witty Australian Contemporary Romance books for readers who, like herself, still strongly believe in love and Happily Ever Afters. And she knows HEAs. Her couples are hungry for life, done with the past, passionate about family, and emotionally hopeful for a future. The stories are mainly set in Australia but also in New Zealand and even the US, depending on where her travels take her. She loves nothing more than for her readers to join her on her journeys. For more information, join her on FB https://bit.ly/3CGtIk8

Book preview

Bigalow

by

Iris Blobel

Contents

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

the last chapter

bigalow

Copyright © 2022 IRIS BLOBEL

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are used.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in a review and certain non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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For avoidance of doubt, Author reserves all rights, and there are no rights to reproduce and/or otherwise use the Work in any manner for purposes of training artificial intelligence technologies to generate text, including without limitation, technologies that are capable of generating works in the same style or genre as the Work, unless the Author’s specific and express permission to do so is given in writing. Nor does anyone have the right to sublicense others to reproduce and/or otherwise use the Work in any manner for purposes of training artificial intelligence technologies to generate text without Author’s specific and express permission.

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Blurb

He came out of nowhere … encouraging her to ask the right questions.

Hannah believes her life in solitude is all she wants and all she needs. She’s settled in the small town of Fermosa Bay where she’s taken over a medical practice after leaving her husband. When the enigmatic Bigalow steps into her life, turning it upside-down, she can’t hide the growing irritation inside. Yet, slowly and steadily, he reminds her what life is all about and what she’s missing out on. Especially when she crosses paths with her neighbour, Gideon.

As she begins to ask the right questions, Hannah’s fondness for Bigalow gently grows, and so do her feelings for Gideon. But is she ready to hear the answers to her questions?

1

Hannah Vasilakis gazed around Liz’ expensively decorated lounge room, the uncomfortable effort to hold back a second yawn bringing tears to her eyes. The other five women were discussing the latest crime story by some up-and-coming new English author with such enthusiasm and sincerity, yet Hannah had trouble catching their words as they floated through the room. The book had taken her weeks to plough through. She’d re-read every second page as the content wouldn’t settle in her mind, and when she finally did grasp it, the murderer became obvious to her around page twenty-five.

The book debate became heated, and Hannah listened as one of the women said, I wonder whether the part about rescuing her is at all plausible.

Whereas another one commented, Did anybody feel the sex scene made no sense? I didn’t think it was really necessary. She shrugged. I mean, I know sex sells, but it could’ve easily been cut to two or so pages.

Yes, Hannah remembered that part of the book, and as soon as she did, an onslaught of heat shot into her cheeks. She had enjoyed flicking through the few pages, which either made her pathetic or in need of getting a life.

Hannah.

Hauled back from her stray thoughts, she stared at Liz, her assistant from work, who was hosting the book club meeting tonight. I’m sorry. I got distracted.

Liz gave a little shake of her head. You’ve seemed absent all night. You didn’t like the book, did you?

More heat spread across Hannah’s face. No. No, not … not at all, she stuttered. It … it was okay … ish.

Hannah had no idea, why she was going on with this farce, but she had promised her parents to get to know the people in the small coastal town in Victoria, when she’d moved to take over the small medical centre in Fermosa Bay. She had promised her family she’d make friends. And she’d promised her mother not to dwell on the past and be nice to men.

Well, she did make that last promise with her fingers crossed behind her back.

Debbie stood and reached for her jacket on the seat. Hannah, honestly. Why are you here if you do not like any of the books we’re reading?

The tone in Debbie’s question surprised Hannah, and distracted by everyone else getting up, it took her a moment to explain. No, I like the idea of reading something different each month. Otherwise, I wouldn’t read at all.

It was true. She liked reading, although if she wouldn’t force herself, she’d never read anything. Someone once suggested audiobooks to her, and it was an interesting idea she was warming up to. Alas, it was still on her to-do-list.

Liz placed a hand on Hannah’s arm and suggested with a lot of warmth — or was it pity? How about you choose the book for next month’s meeting?

Well, she’d just kicked herself in the butt. How on earth would she be able to choose a book when she’d dislike more or less any of the stories they’d read so far? Why on earth was she even here?

So she wasn’t stuck alone at home.

Any genre? she asked.

The women around her nodded, but the frowns on their faces told her everything.

Okay, I can do that. I suppose it should be available in the library.

Again, everyone agreed.

Can I give you a suggestion at the meeting in two months? That’ll give me a bit of time to find something which I hope you will like.

Yes, that should be okay, Liz agreed.

They left Liz’ house in a group and chatted a little more about the storm front which was on its way as they walked to their cars. Hannah gave a quick wave goodbye as she opened the car, slid behind the steering wheel, and inserted the key into the ignition.

Maya, her book friend, startled her with a knock at the car window, and it took Hannah a couple of seconds to regain her normal heartbeat as she slowly lowered the window.

My apologies. I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you still good for the barbeque on Friday?

Hannah had to dig deep in her memory to find the facts about the invitation, until she recalled the invite to join Maya and some friends for a barbeque to celebrate her husband’s birthday. Maya had been relentless, so in the end Hannah had given in.

Of course, seven-thirty at your place. I look forward to it.

Lovely, Maya said with a few nods and added, I’ll see you then. She gave a little wave before walking to her own car.

A sigh escaped Hannah’s lips. Another night out. Another effort to make small talk with people she didn’t know.

She leaned forward and cranked up the engine.

Another person who would like to play cupid?

Hannah jerked in her seat and hit her head on the visor when she saw a man she didn’t know sitting in the car next to her. How the hell did you get in here?

Instinctively and without giving him a chance to reply, she snatched her bag and almost stumbled out of the car. Fear shot through her as she fumbled with her phone, dialling triple zero. Breathing was hard and she stepped away from the car, taking another look at the man in her car to best describe him.

But he was gone.

A cold shiver ran down her spine despite the warm night. The car lights from the other club members disappeared into the distance, and a sudden sense of loneliness overwhelmed her as she fought with the whim to go back inside the house. But what would she say? Her mind had played tricks on her? She rubbed her eyes vigorously, ignoring her makeup, and looked again.

Gone.

Disconnecting the call, she cautiously edged around the vehicle and even checked the boot.

Nothing.

The spinning in her head slowed, and she gazed into the dark distance but wasn’t able to see anything out there either. Releasing a long sigh, she leaned against the car with her hand. It took her a couple deep inhales to give her heart a chance to find its normal rhythm again. After one final exhale