Return to Grace
Bethany Surreira
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2020 by Bethany Surreira
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review. For more information, address: [email protected].
First paperback edition December 2020
Cover design by Bethany Surreira
Editing/Proofreading by Amanda Cuff, Savage Hart Book Services
Formatting by Ashley Munoz
ISBN 9798562165343 (paperback)
ASIN B08N47FKRV (ebook)
www.bethanysurreira.com
Created with Vellum
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Epilogue
Enjoy this book?
Acknowledgments
About the Author
For Sabrina and Alexandria.
You, my girls, are magic.
Prologue
“That right there is my favorite sound in the entire world,” Paul said, watching his daughter, Leah, run through the meadow giggling.
“Man, ain’t that the truth,” Brad said, shifting positions and crossing his arms over his chest. “Who knew being a dad would soften us up?”
“Soften? You’re the biggest softie I know!” Paul responded. “Shall I let the ladies in on what happened at senior prom?”
“Um, no. Let’s not go there,” Brad said, a slight blush forming on his cheeks.
“Fill us in on what?” asked Lucia, Paul’s wife, as she walked across the field to where they were standing.
“Nothing,” Brad yelled quickly. A chorus of laughter erupted at his declaration.
“Boys will be boys,” Tammy said, and linked her arm through Lucia’s, leading her toward the weeping willow tree in the corner of the meadow. “Come on. Help me set up the blanket under the tree.”
As Lucia pulled the pink lemonade out of the picnic basket, she glanced up at Caleb and Leah playing in the meadow. She tapped Tammy on the arm and nodded for her to look at the kids.
Leah twirled round and round, her pale-yellow sundress twisting in the wind. She wore a delicate headband to keep the wisps of hair from falling into her face. She flitted around from flower patch to flower patch like a little bee, trying to find the perfect flowers for her crown.
“Caleb,” she called out. “Wanna be my king?”
She motioned to the crown she had started to make for herself, and Caleb stood up and ran across the meadow to her. Before he sat down to make his own crown, he put her sweater over her shoulders.
“You don’t want to catch a cold now,” he said, smiling at Leah while their mothers smiled back at them.
“Ahh, young love,” Tammy said to Lucia. “Should we start planning the wedding now?”
The meadow was on Dooley Butler’s family farm, and while he hated to admit it, he always seemed happy it would be his one day. He loved teaching all the kids how to ride. “A cowboy in New England,” was what Paul and Brad always called him, then they’d tease him about needing a cowgirl by his side.
That particular Sunday, after everyone finished setting up the picnic, Dooley came barreling out of the barn with a bucket of beers. His goofy grin was on full display, as always.
“Howdy, fellas! Anyone want a beer?” he asked, as he tried not to roll down the hill.
“Took you long enough,” Brad teased. “I thought maybe you met a girl or something.”
“Funny you mention that. I actually did meet a girl. Her name is Becky and she’s working with my mom in the garden. Trying to help her with some hybrid flower to win over the judges at the Spring Festival.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell us?” Tammy asked, swatting him on the arm.
“Well, it’s still really new and I wasn’t sure if it was going to go anywhere, so I didn't want to jinx myself,” he admitted.
“Makes sense,” Paul said. “What’s she like?”
“See for yourself,” a voice called out from the barn.
Out came a petite brunette carrying two bottles of champagne. She had a smile that matched Dooley’s, and they looked like the two missing pieces to a puzzle.
“Hi! I’m Becky,” she introduced herself, handing a bottle to Lucia. “Dooley told me you ladies like pink lemonade, so I thought I’d spice it up a bit.”
“Thanks! It’s so nice to meet you. Dooley has told us nothing about you,” Lucia said, teasing Becky back.
“Hey, now! Good things come to those who wait. We can’t all meet the love of our life at an airport,” Dooley shot back.
“An airport?” Becky asked. “Now this, I’ve got to hear.”
“That’s a story for another day,” Paul said. “It’s very nice to meet you, Becky. I’m Paul Abernathy and this is my wife, Lucia. Our daughter, Leah, is over there making crowns with Caleb, Brad and Tammy’s son.”
Brad walked over and put his arms around Tammy’s waist and nodded. Everyone was happy to see Dooley finally have someone. His heart of gold matched his goofy personality, and he deserved to find someone, too. Dooley gave Becky a peck on the cheek, and her skin darkened a shade of pink.
“Let’s eat!” Dooley shouted. “I am starving.”
“It’s good to know that Sunday mass causes you to starve,” Tammy said and laughed. “We’ve got sandwiches today, kids. Chicken salad, egg salad, and tuna salad. Take your pick. I also packed some fruit, veggies and dip, and chips. And of course, brownies for dessert. Dig in.”
“You’re the chef, right?” Becky asked.
“Cook. I’ve never had any formal training, but I do own a small place in town,” Tammy responded. “Dooley really has told you a lot about us all.”
“That’s only cause I love ya.” He winked.
The group continued to eat and laugh and drink. Those were the days they lived for. Unconditional love between friends who had become family. The ladies packed up the food and blankets, and the men threw away the trash. As the men were walking back, Brad started to sweat and sway a bit.
“You okay, buddy?” Paul asked.
Shaking it off, Brad kept walking toward his wife. “Yeah, man. I’m fine.”
Paul looked at Dooley and then over to Lucia. His eyebrows furrowed and his concern read clearly on his face. Brad was a stubborn man, and they all knew it, having grown up with him. Still, he said he was fine, and Paul wasn’t about to push him.
“See you later, Dooley. It was so nice meeting you, Becky. We’ll have to have you over soon,” Lucia said.
“Definitely,” Becky answered.
Dooley and Becky retreated back to
the barn, and the rest of the group headed in the other direction toward their homes. Caleb and Leah, as always, peddled up ahead on their bikes, laughing and singing. Their crowns were still atop their heads.
“Brad!” Tammy screamed.
Caleb and Leah stopped and turned around to see Brad lying on the ground, clutching his chest. Tammy cried over him while Paul ran back to the barn, yelling to Dooley to call 9-1-1. Caleb dropped his bike and ran over to his parents.
“Dad! Dad! What’s happening? Why is he on the ground?” he cried.
Tammy couldn’t answer through her tears, and she grabbed Caleb to hold him close. He shoved her away, yelling, “Help him! Dad, can you hear me?”
“I love you, buddy,” Brad said to Caleb through forced breaths. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Dad. Help is here.”
The ambulance flew down the gravel road to where Brad lay, but he was already gone. Despite the speed at which they arrived, they weren’t able to revive him.
“Heart attack” and “pre-existing conditions” and a bunch of other words that Caleb and Leah didn’t understand kept coming out of the paramedic’s mouth. Tammy sat in the dirt and held Brad’s hand while Lucia held her. Paul and Dooley held each other and cried. Their best friend was dead. Becky stood next to the kids and tried to comfort them.
Caleb cried as he looked at his dad lying on the ground. How was he going to live without his father? He was only eight years old. How could he take care of his mom now?
“It’s okay, Caleb,” Leah said and hugged him tightly. “I’ll always be here with you. I’ll never leave you. I promise.”
1
Okay, so if I could just get through this Vermont project for John, I’d be all set. And if I could secure Portugal, then I was definitely a shoo-in for the international division. I had worked my ass off to be considered, and I wasn’t about to give up hope.
“Leah?”
But that was a lot of time and a lot of work. It was totally worth it, but I could say goodbye to my social life! Not that I ever did much to begin with. My job had taken over the majority of my life already.
“Hello? Earth to Leah,” Sara called, tapping on my desk. “What’s going on in there? Daydreaming about Josh again?”
“Hi, sorry. What’s up?” I responded, ignoring her question. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I daydreamed about Josh. Was that bad? Probably, but I didn’t really care right now.
“What were you zoning out about?” Sara asked, always the nosy one.
“I cannot believe this project is almost done,” I said. “I feel like I’ve been working on it for years.”
“Feels good, huh?” Sara replied, and sat on the corner of my desk, weaving her fingers through the edges of her silk scarf. She had a way of making herself comfortable no matter where she was.
“You have no idea,” I replied, trying to hide my confusion over Josh.
“One day, I’ll be as good as the almighty Leah Abernathy. I bow to you, my queen,” Sara teased, and dodged my swatting hand inches from making contact with her leg.
“You never stop, do you?” I laughed. “Now go away. I have work to do.”
I turned my chair back around to face my desk. This project wasn’t going to finish itself! A landscape of a picturesque Vermont winter stared back at me and I smiled. I hoped to visit one day if all went well with my proposal for John, the owner of the resort I was working with. My cell phone buzzed the second I stopped daydreaming and actually started to get some work done.
Josh: Hey, babe! I’m running late tonight. Still at the office working on this deposition.
Takeout at your place? I’ll pick up.
I sighed, mulling over my response. To be honest, I didn’t much care that he was running late, but I felt like I should care. It should bother me that I hadn’t seen my boyfriend in ages because he was too wrapped up in work, right? Rather than dwell on that emotion, I texted him back.
Leah: That sounds wonderful. I’m still at work anyway. What did you have in mind?
Josh: Anything but pizza! LOL!
Leah: Funny. I’m going to Giuseppe’s on Friday with Sara. How about Chinese? We haven’t had that in a while, and I could go for some dumplings.
Josh: Sounds good to me. Your usual then?
Leah: Yes, please. I’ll see you in about an hour?
Josh: Give or take. Why don’t you pick out a movie or something?
Leah: Okay, see you soon.
I tried to focus on my work, but I couldn’t seem to get back into the groove, so I packed up my things to leave. It had been a while since I had a quiet night in with Josh. With all the hustle and bustle of both our jobs, if we weren’t out at a dinner or a meeting for work, we were grabbing a quick bite to eat before heading to our own apartments. Work was higher on the list of priorities for both of us, and while it left little room for typical romance, it was what we had agreed on. It had always worked for us, but lately, I was starting to wonder if we were outgrowing that arrangement.
“See you tomorrow, Sara.”
“Later, Leah. Tell Josh I said hi,” Sara responded.
I smiled in acknowledgement and continued to the elevator. I pressed the down button and wrapped my scarf around my neck. I wasn’t sure if I was more excited to see Josh or to eat Chinese in my sweats, but either way, I couldn’t wait to get home.
New York City winters were brutal, but I almost always opted to walk to my apartment instead of hailing a taxi. And since I had plenty of time to kill before Josh was set to arrive, I could take my time and enjoy the sights. The city around Christmastime was beyond magical. It still didn’t hold a candle to the Christmas Festival back home, but it did the trick. I smiled, watching as all the tourists lined the streets to get a glimpse at the massive Christmas tree in Times Square. I had lived here for seven years now, and I still wasn’t tired of its beauty.
I popped a ten-dollar bill into a donation bucket a man was holding and sing-songed, “Merry Christmas!” before making my way down the sidewalk.
By the time I got to my apartment building, I had already sung about ten Christmas carols to myself. I even sang my favorite, “O Holy Night,” twice. Thanks to the fresh air and Christmas cheer, I was on cloud nine when the door to my building opened.
“Good evening, lovely Leah,” the doorman, Walter, said with a smile.
“Good evening to you, Walter,” I replied.
“Your gentleman is upstairs waiting for you. He arrived only a few moments ago,” he told me.
“Thank you,” I said with a wink, trying to ignore the feeling of disappointment that tugged at me. I didn’t want Walter to know that, deep down inside, I wasn’t really sure I wanted Josh waiting for me.
I decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator to get a little extra time alone before I saw Josh. The thought made me feel guilty. Something was up with me, but I didn’t know what it was. I sucked in a deep breath before I reached my floor.
“Hey, babe,” Josh crooned when I came into sight. He was leaning against the wall by my apartment door, his jacket thrown over his right shoulder as he balanced our food in his left hand. How did he make holding Chinese food look so sexy?
I lifted myself onto my tiptoes and kissed him hello. He smelled almost as delicious as the Chinese.
“Hey. The food smells amazing. This was such a good idea,” I said as I unlocked my door.
“You want me to grab the plates while you get settled?” he asked, following me inside.
“You can grab one for yourself if you’d like. You know I like to eat straight out of the carton. I’m going to go change real quick,” I said. “Did you want to watch that Christmas movie about the family who adopted a dog and then went on a road trip? Sara said it was cute but not too cheesy.”
“Whatever you want is fine with me,” he said, placing the plates and silverware on the coffee table in front of us.
I turned away from him and rolled my eyes, heading toward
my bedroom. Hadn’t I just said no plate? You’d think after two years of dating he would know that I always eat my Chinese food with chopsticks. I took a deep breath and shook off my negative thoughts. What had gotten into me lately?
After changing quickly and throwing my hair up into my signature messy bun, I rushed back into the room and plopped down onto the couch. I moaned at the sight of all the food in front of me. Josh laughed and handed me the container of lo mein.
“How was your day?” he asked. “Are you getting excited about your presentation with John?”
I swallowed a huge bite of lo mein and paused briefly before answering. “I am. I’m also a little nervous. I’ve never worked with a client of this caliber, and I’ve never had a project this big before. This could make or break my career, and I’m not sure I’m ready for either of those options,” I said, shoving another bite into my mouth.
I was lying; I was ready for the next step. But instead of telling the truth, I said what I knew he wanted me to say. He wanted me to tell him I wasn’t ready so he could build me up and tell me how great he thought I’d do. Then he’d pat himself on the back for being such a great boyfriend despite the fact that he couldn’t even see I was making myself smaller in order to build up his ego.
“Sexy,” Josh teased and wiped a lone noodle from my cheek.
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