Now and Forever 4, The Renovated Heart
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NOW AND FOREVER 4,
THE RENOVATED HEART
Jean Joachim
Contemporary Romance
Moonlight Books
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A Moonlight Books Novel
Contemporary Romance
THE RENOVATED HEART
Copyright © 2012 Jean Joachim
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62622-819-1
First E-book Publication: July 2012
Cover design by Sandy Sullivan
Edited by Ariana Gaynor
Proofread by Sky Beaumont
All cover art and logo copyright © 2015 by Moonlight Books
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Moonlight Books
Other books by Jean C. Joachim
FIRST & TEN SERIES
GRIFF MONTGOMERY, QUARTERBACK
BUDDY CARRUTHERS, WIDE RECEIVER
PETE SEBASTIAN, COACH
DEVON DRAKE, CORNERBACK
THE MANHATTAN DINNER CLUB
RESCUE MY HEART
SEDUCING HIS HEART
SHINE YOUR LOVE ON ME
TO LOVE OR NOT TO LOVE
HOLLYWOOD HEARTS SERIES
IF I LOVED YOU
RED CARPET ROMANCE
MEMORIES OF LOVE
MOVIE LOVERS
LOVE’S LAST CHANCE
LOVERS & LIARS
His Leading Lady (Series Starter)
NOW AND FOREVER SERIES
NOW AND FOREVER 1, A LOVE STORY
NOW AND FOREVER 2, THE BOOK OF DANNY
NOW AND FOREVER 3, BLIND LOVE
NOW AND FOREVER 4, THE RENOVATED HEART
NOW AND FOREVER 5, LOVE’S JOURNEY
NOW AND FOREVER, CALLIE’S STORY(series starter)
MOONLIGHT SERIES
SUNNY DAYS, MOONLIT NIGHTS
APRIL’S KISS IN THE MOONLIGHT
UNDER THE MIDNIGHT MOON
LOST & FOUND DUET (with BEN TANNER)
LOVE LOST & FOUND
DANGEROUS LOVE, LOST & FOUND
SHORT STORY
SWEET LOVE REMEMBERED
Dedication
To my sons, David and Steve, who have been renovating my heart all their lives.
Acknowledgment
Many thanks to my readers, friends and supporters: Diana Finegold, Sally Joachim Gallagher, Lisa George, Larry Joachim, Marilyn Lee, Sandy Sullivan, and my editor, Ariana Gaynor.
THE RENOVATED HEART
Jean Joachim
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Kit Alexander ordered a Cosmopolitan, then sat back, her heart racing in anticipation of tomorrow’s departure. After twelve years of marriage, a career in banking and raising an eleven-year-old daughter, Kit was finally going to live her dream of becoming a published author.
With their daughter safely enrolled in boarding school, Kit could accompany her husband, the newest band member of Blue Waters band, on a world tour. Tagging along as a band wife, Kit planned to write a book about her experiences.
A tinny version of Johnny’s favorite song came up. The familiar sound meant a text message arrived.
Are you all packed? Is Johnny there yet? Wishing you an amazing trip, Hugs, Sarah.
Kit typed in,
Yes, no. Our first three cities are Amsterdam, London and Prague. Thanks, lady. Hugs, Kit.
Sipping her Cosmo, Kit looked around La Nuit Française—a posh, intimate French restaurant decorated in turquoise, red and gold, tucked into the west side of Manhattan. Beautiful people dressed in expensive clothing pretending to be someone important filled the restaurant. In addition to paying through the nose for the good food, they were also paying to be seen. Save me from such pretention. Clad in a sexy, midnight blue silk dress, her dark cerulean blue eyes shining, her spun gold hair draping well below her shoulders in loose curls, she stood out as the loveliest woman in the room, She smiled at her husband, Johnny, as he plopped down in the empty chair across from her. He ordered a beer plus another Cosmopolitan for Kit.
“You look great, Kit,” Johnny said, taking a swig of his beer. His gaze lowered to her neckline then returned to her face.
“A new look for…a re-invented life I start tomorrow. We both do.” She picked up the second Cosmo and took a sip.
“We need to talk about that,” Johnny said, looking down at the silverware.
“I’m ready. I’ve crossed off almost everything from my to-do list.”
“You and that damn list. Always lists. Look, the trip…the trip is… Well. The trip is just for me, Kit.”
“What do you mean?” Her brow furrowed, her eyes darkened.
“I mean, I’m not taking you with me,” he replied, shifting in his seat, avoiding her stare.
“What?” she asked as her breathing became shallow, her chest tightening. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. I can’t be hearing right.
“This is my big break. I’ve been playing in crummy clubs for ten years, waiting for this chance. I…I want to do it alone,” Johnny said, finally able to look at her.
“Johnny, you can’t be serious?”
“I am. I filed for divorce, Kit.” His hands toyed with his beer glass.
“Divorce?” Tears stung the back of her eyes.
“Yeah. We never see each other. You work days, I work nights. We haven’t really been a family for a long time.”
“I thought we were working toward something together,” she said, taking a deep breath to force tears back.
“Maybe. But I don’t remember what our goal is anymore. I want to go on my own. You can stay here, watch out for Zoe.”
“You’re leaving me?” Disbelief clouded her eyes as she stared hard at him.
He nodded.
“Can’t we talk about this?” she asked. Gotta change his mind.
“Talking means you talking me out of something. This is a done deal,” he said, finishing his beer.
“But Johnny, this is my big break, too. I have an agent interested in a book deal. I quit my job, we sublet our apartment...” she couldn’t finish, her mind reeled, a lump grew in her throat, choking her, cutting off her breath.
Kit took a big gulp of her Cosmo to push down the blockage as tears pricked at her eyes.
“Why would you do this…on the night before we leave?” She tried to steady her voice.
“I didn’t want to
hurt you, but I don’t want to be married anymore,” Johnny said, his stare rooted to the floor, avoiding her eyes.
“You want other women?” she asked her lip quivering as she fought for control.
“Maybe. Maybe I want to be free to do…whatever.” He tapped his foot under the tiny table.
Johnny reached into his breast pocket and took out an envelope.
“Here are the papers. I’m giving you the apartment plus most of our savings. I took out ten thousand dollars for expenses on the trip.” He tossed the packet on the table.
“What?” she said, looking at him in disbelief, still unable to get her mind around what he said.
“Look, I don’t want to screw you financially. You’ve been earning most of the money so I’m giving you the apartment. Sell the place. I’ll be making good money with the band.”
“I can’t sell our home, it’s been sublet.”
“Well, sell the place in a year then,” he insisted.
Kit tried to steady her hand as she took the envelope and tucked it away in her purse.
“You’ve got to sign those then send them to Mason.”
“Mason? Mason Carter? What about Jack, our attorney?”
“I left him for you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before…when…when…”
“I didn’t want you to talk me out of leaving, like you always do. It’s finished. I’m leaving tomorrow. You can do what you want, find what you want.” He briefly looked in her eyes.
Kit tried again to blink back the tears, but couldn’t.
“Does Zoe know?”
“I didn’t tell her. You’re better at those things than I am. I’ll come see her in five months, at Christmas.”
She looked at him with disbelief in her eyes. He shattered her world into a million pieces in five minutes.
“I have no job…no place to live…”
“You’ve got a lot of friends, bunk in with one of them. Now you can have whatever life you want, Kit. You’re free.”
“Am I, Johnny? Why don’t I feel free?” she said, unable to stop the pain gathering in her chest, making breathing normally difficult.
“Trust me; this is better for us both. I bet you have a great new life by Christmas. And when I get back, we can hoist a few and laugh about this.”
“Laugh? I doubt I’ll be laughing for some time. How could you leave me flat?” Still refusing to believe the facts he laid before her.
“You’re strong…smart. You can take care of yourself. You don’t need me. You never have. In a month…maybe two, you’ll agree with me,” he said, finishing his beer.
Kit gulped the rest of her Cosmo, then felt sick.
“Excuse me,” she said, retreating to the ladies room.
Once inside, she entered an empty stall and dropped to her knees. The woman at the sink left quickly as Kit threw up then burst into tears.
“Some women can’t hold their liquor,” the stranger mumbled before opening the door. Kit waited for the tap on the shoulder or the jarring ring of the alarm clock. But relief never came. This wasn’t a bad dream. No waking up…she felt totally lost.
When she finally came out of the ladies room, Johnny had gone. He had strewn some bills on the table to cover their drinks. The waiter returned shortly after.
“Would you like to order now?”
“No. Thank you,” she said, getting up on unsteady legs. Kit grabbed the table, stopping to take a deep breath before walking across the room to the door.
* * * *
When she returned home, to get her suitcase and drop off final instructions for the people subletting her place, Johnny’s suitcases were gone. Tomorrow the renters would arrive. She couldn’t bear to spend the night alone in the apartment, so she checked into the Broadway Continental hotel. Three hundred dollars for one night! So what? I can’t go back there.
Once in her room, she whipped out her laptop and set it up on the desk facing the window. She stopped for a moment to stare at the midnight sky. The twinkling stars chilled her as the reality of her situation hit home. Alone. Totally alone. A chill ran up her spine causing her to push further thoughts about her predicament out of her mind.
Sarah. Sarah will help me.
Kit sat down at her computer to contact her Facebook friend, Sarah Morgan, also an aspiring writer. Sarah had recommended the boarding school Kit picked for her daughter, Zoe, located in Willow Falls, where Sarah lived.
Sarah,
Johnny dumped me on the eve of our trip! I can’t believe it. He is divorcing me. Now I’m alone, with no job, no place to live…no book to write. All my plans for the future are finished…I have no future.
Kit
Her computer dinged.
Sarah - You’re kidding. Tell me you’re kidding.
Kit - I wish I was.
Sarah - How horrible! Come to Willow Falls. Stay with me and the kids for a few days until you know what you want to do. You can still write, you just have to find a new topic. You can spend some time with Zoe. The train leaves at 11am tomorrow. Be on it. I’ll pick you up at three. After all, you’re all packed, ready for a trip anyway.
Kit - I’ll be on the train. But I’ll stay at the Willow Falls motel. Can we have dinner together?
Sarah - Sure. I’ll make my little sister’s pot roast recipe. It cures anything. See you tomorrow.
Kit got into bed exhausted, but not too tired to cry herself to sleep.
* * * *
When Kit stepped off the train in Willow Falls, she perceived the small town with new eyes. Her last trip had been to bring Zoe to her new school. Kit had barely noticed the town, being completely preoccupied with getting her daughter comfortably set up. She took a deep breath, pulling fresh, clean air into her lungs. Beats New York City air by a mile.
Her smile faded quickly. She found Willow Falls lacking when compared to Paris, London, Rome and other capitals of the world she’d have visited if on the tour with Johnny. Reminding herself the option to take the journey no longer existed made the tiny town become more appealing. It must be cheap to live here. I can’t afford New York anymore.
She checked into the Willow Falls Motel, within walking distance of the train station. After placing her suitcase on the bed, she left the modern three story edifice to stroll through the town.
Kensington State University anchored Willow Falls, population about five thousand. The little town had had a renaissance resulting in many beautifully renovated Victorian houses plus large brick homes with businesses on the first floor, apartments above. These buildings showcased the town’s charming history.
In the center of town, an intriguing hundred-year-old, three-story bed and breakfast called Gracie’s Mansion commanded attention. The inn, a three-story Victorian with burnt orange and gold curtains billowing through open windows in the warm August breeze, had inviting rocking chairs on the porch. The proprietor, Grace Cooper, a former New York City school teacher, perched on the porch sipping a tall, frosty glass of iced tea. Drawn to the inviting atmosphere of the house over the sterile surroundings of the motel, Kit warmed to Grace’s friendly greeting.
Right across the street from Gracie’s sat Bon Appetit, an excellent French restaurant. She and Johnny had eaten there with Zoe when they arrived to drop her off at school. The cuisine was as good as any in New York City.
Perhaps Kit would spend some time in Willow Falls. After all, she had no place to live back in New York City. Her city friends had been warm, gracious, sympathetic, but most had little enough space for themselves. “Bunking in” with her friends, as Johnny had suggested, meant sleeping on a couch and disrupting the lives of people she cared about—not an appealing solution.
Sarah picked her up in front of Bon Appetit. Dinner with Sarah, her seven-year-old son Scott and her eleven-year-old daughter, Laura, promised to be a lively one. She marveled at the difference in Sarah’s children with Scott being talkative and Laura the quiet one. Keeping her thoughts to herself, Kit tried to guess wh
at had happened to Sarah’s husband. Her friend had never mentioned him. At dinner the children didn’t either. “Callie’s pot roast”, as the kids called it, tasted out of this world to Kit, soothing her as promised.
The two women stayed up late drinking wine, sorting through the mess Kit called her life.
“A make-over would help…nothing wrong with the way you look. Hey, I’d love to have your figure. But a change might make you feel better. Some new clothes, haircut, manicure? Wadda ya say?”
“I can’t afford much. I don’t have a job.”
Kit didn’t feel much like getting made over. How can you make over a disaster, a failure like me? Any way you dress me, I’m still a woman who’s been dumped.
“I think I have a coupon for a mani-pedi.” Sarah got up and rooted around in a small wicker basket on a table by the door.
“Got it! Special two for one. Let’s go together tomorrow. Then a haircut.”
“Okay, but I have to face Zoe.”
“Can’t you wait one more day?”
* * * *