by Fiona Rivers
Harbor Falls
Fiona Rivers
Sandi Lynn Romance, LLC
Contents
Harbor Falls
Mission Statement
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
About the Author
Harbor Falls
New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal
Bestselling Author Sandi Lynn writing as
Fiona Rivers
Harbor Falls
Copyright © 2020 Sandi Lynn Romance, LLC
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 publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Created with Vellum
Mission Statement
Sandi Lynn Romance
Providing readers with romance novels that will whisk them away
to another world and from the daily grind of life – one book at a time.
1
Adalyn stood in the master bathroom of her and her husband’s multi-million-dollar penthouse holding a white stick in her hand as she had done every month for the last year and a half. The same disappointment shrouded her as tears filled her eyes when she saw only one pink line appear. Anxiously waiting, and with hope, she stared at it waiting for the second line to appear. Just like all the other months, it never did. Throwing the stick in the trash can, she quietly walked down the stairs and entered her husband’s office where he was finishing up work for the night.
“Well?” He glanced up at her behind his black rim glasses.
She slowly shook her head in disappointment as she stood there with her arms folded, trying to hide the overwhelming pain that coursed through her.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he spoke as he got up from behind his desk and wrapped his arms around her. “We can try again next month.”
“It’s been a year and a half, Darren. I don’t understand. The doctor said after my miscarriage I would have no trouble getting pregnant again.”
“I know.” He kissed her head. “Maybe the timing isn’t right. Why don’t you go up to bed and I’ll make you a cup of tea?”
Adalyn nodded her head and headed up the stairs. She’d suffered a miscarriage two years ago when she was sixteen weeks pregnant. It took her a long time to accept the fact that it wasn’t meant to be. She had doubted if she was ever meant to be a mother, because now at the age of thirty-four, her biological clock was ticking away.
Her previous pregnancy was a surprise and one that wasn’t planned. They had been married for a little over a year and wanted to wait at least two years before starting a family. But it had happened, and Adalyn was more than happy.
She climbed into bed, pulled the covers over her and waited for Darren to come up. It was a rare night he was home and not working late at the office, like he did most nights. Picking up her phone, she sent a text message to her sister, Hannah, a fashion designer who lived in SoHo. Being only two years apart, they had always been the best of friends.
“I took another test and it was negative again.”
Within seconds, her sister replied.
“Aw, Addy, I’m sorry. Let’s meet tomorrow morning for breakfast and we can talk about it.”
“I wish I could, but I have to be at the museum early. A new collection is coming in.”
“Then how about lunch?”
“That might work. I’ll let you know tomorrow.”
“Okay. Chin up. It will happen. Love you, sis.”
“Love you too.”
Darren walked in the room and handed Adalyn a cup of piping hot chamomile tea.
“Here you go, sweetheart.”
“Thank you. Are you coming to bed?” she asked with the hopes he would say yes.
“I still have some work to finish up, but I’ll be up in a while.”
“It’s already eleven o’clock.”
“I know what time it is.” A small smile crossed his lips as he leaned over and kissed her forehead.
When he left the room, Adalyn sighed as she brought the cup up to her lips and sipped her tea. She needed her husband right now. She needed to feel his arms securely around her as she tried to get over the fact she wasn’t pregnant. As much as she wanted to believe she came first to him, as he always stated, she didn’t. His number one priority was his work.
Darren Richards worked for his father’s company. A hedge fund firm that was started by his grandfather with only one hundred dollars to his name. Once his father retired, Darren would be appointed CEO and take over the billion-dollar company. When they first met, Adalyn knew his work was important, as was hers at the museum. They were both career driven and that was one of the reasons why she fell in love with him. But she knew there were times when her and their relationship had to come first.
2
Adalyn stepped into the museum with her head held high and her Louis Vuitton sunglasses that covered her tired eyes. A new art collection was being delivered and it was her job as an art curator to set up a special exhibition.
“Good morning, darling,” Luis, her assistant spoke as he hooked his arm around her. “What’s with the sunglasses? It’s a perfectly cloudy day outside.”
When she removed her sunglasses and Luis took one look at her, he instantly knew.
“Oh no. Was it negative again?” A pout formed on his mouth.
“Yep.”
“I’m sorry, Addy.” His grip around her tightened.
“Me too, Luis. But enough talk about my non-existent pregnancy. We have a collection to display.”
“Art always does make you feel better.” He smiled.
“I’m not so sure about this time.”
Luis Maldive and Adalyn Richards had been friends since she first started working at the museum seven years ago. He, along with her sister, was her confidant and best friend. Standing six feet tall with medium jet-black hair that was swept back, big brown eyes and a chiseled face, he looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ. He lived in a Manhattan high-rise with his investment broker husband, Alfred, and their little white Pomeranian named Queen B.
“Hello,” Adalyn answered her ringing phone knowing her sister was on the other end.
“Addy, I won’t be able to do lunch today. There was a major screw up with the fabric that came in and I need to handle it which involves phone conferences and meetings.”
“It’s okay, sis. I totally understand. Get your fabric situation straightened out and we’ll talk later.”
Two Weeks Later
Adalyn walked out of the fertility center at 425 5th avenue feeling hopeful. She’d wished Darren would have been with her to meet with Dr. Shaw, which he did
intend to, until he was called into an emergency meeting. As he put it, if he didn’t attend, it could be financially disastrous for the company. As much as she wanted to understand, she couldn’t. He knew how important this meeting was to her and she thought it was important to him as well.
When she arrived home, she kicked off her heels and went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine before starting dinner. Darren told her he would be home around eight o’clock and asked her if she would make her famous chicken tetrazzini and they would talk about her meeting with Dr. Shaw. She was still upset with him for not coming, so she decided to order take out instead of cooking him dinner herself. When he arrived home, he kissed her cheek and looked around the clean kitchen.
“Where’s dinner? I’m starving.”
“I didn’t feel like cooking, so I ordered Chinese food instead. It’ll be here soon.”
“Okay. You told me you’d cook tonight. I was looking forward to your chicken tetrazzini,” he sighed as he removed his suitcoat.
“Sorry to disappoint you. I guess that makes two of us today.” She picked up her wine glass.
He turned to her and narrowed his eye as he studied her body language.
“I told you I had an emergency meeting. It couldn’t be helped, Adalyn. Now please stop this childish behavior.” His voice was stern, but there was something about it she sensed wasn’t right.
The doorman called up to let them know their food had been delivered.
“I’ll go get it and then we’re going to talk.” He pointed at her as he walked out of the kitchen.
Adalyn took two plates down and set them on the table. Within minutes, Darren came back up with the food and set it on the table. As they settled into their chairs and began eating, Darren told her he didn’t think IVF was a good idea.
“Why not? We’ve been trying for over a year and a half and it’s not working. This is the next step.”
“I just think it’s best it happens the natural way, no matter how long it takes.”
“Darren, what is wrong with you?”
“Nothing is wrong with me, Addy. I’m just not for IVF and I think we should wait.”
Tears filled her eyes at the fact her husband was being so unsupportive, and she couldn’t believe he was behaving this way.
“Well, I don’t want to wait. I’m thirty-four years old.” She threw her napkin on the table and went upstairs.
All she wanted was a baby with her husband, but he didn’t seem to share in the enthusiasm, which hurt her to the very core of her soul.
“Listen, sweetheart,” Darren spoke as he sat on the edge of the bed and held her hand. “I just think IVF is going to be harder on you and I don’t want to see you go through that. I know plenty of women from the office who have been through it and it didn’t work. It left them more depressed than when they didn’t get pregnant naturally. Chloe had invitro six times and it didn’t work.”
“That doesn’t mean it won’t work for us.”
“True, but it may not, and I don’t want to see you anymore hurt than you already are. Let’s just keep trying ourselves for another six months. That’s all I ask. If it doesn’t happen then, you are free to go back to Dr. Shaw and start the process. Okay?” he placed his finger under her chin and lifted it, so she was looking at him.
As much as she hated the idea, she knew she wouldn’t win this one. One of the qualities she didn’t like about him was he was stubborn, and he liked things done his way. She didn’t want to wait to start IVF, but knew she had no choice.
Another month had passed, and when Adalyn climbed out of bed in the morning and went into the bathroom, she found her monthly time had arrived which meant no baby again. She gripped the edge of the marble countertop, lowered her head and let the tears fall. After composing herself, she decided she needed a day to herself, so she called her boss and told him she was taking a personal day.
“Why aren’t you ready for work?” Darren asked as he sat at the island eating a bagel and drinking a cup of coffee.
“I started my period,” she spoke in a somber voice.
Reaching up into the cabinet, she took down a cup and filled it with coffee.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Come here.” He held out his arms to her.
She climbed in his lap and pressed her forehead against his while he held her.
“Are you just going to sit around here all day?” he asked.
“No. I was thinking about taking a few things to Goodwill and then heading over to the spa for a facial and a massage.”
“Good idea. You deserve to be pampered. If you’re going to Goodwill, I have a couple of old suits you could take if you don’t mind.”
“No. Not at all.”
“They’re in the back of the closet. The black pinstripe and the navy blue one. I really need to get going.” He glanced at his Rolex.
Adalyn climbed off his lap and he kissed her goodbye.
“I love you. Enjoy your day, sweetheart.”
“I love you, too.”
3
After Adalyn got dressed, she went into the closet and pulled a few of her things out and tossed them on the bed, reaching all the way in the back, she grabbed Darren’s two suits and set them with the rest of the clothes. She thought she’d better check the pockets first, since it wouldn’t be the first time her husband had left something in them. In the left inside pocket of the navy-blue suit, she found a folded white piece of paper. Holding it in her hands, she stared at it as her lip began to quiver and her body started to shake. The paper was from the office of Dr. Fisch, a Urologist on the Upper East Side. The only words her eyes could focus on were the ones typed in a box in the center of the page.
Vasectomy – $3,500
Paid in Full
Her eyes diverted to the date which had happened to be three days after she miscarried their child, two years ago.
A wave of heat and nausea rushed through her, forcing her to lie down on the bed. Her heart raced like it had never raced before and the churning of her belly was so fierce, she flew off the bed and into the bathroom. After wiping her mouth and splashing some cold water on her face, she climbed on the bed and sobbed. She was in a state of shock. How could the man she loved and trusted do such a thing? Her mind was spinning with different scenarios. Scenarios about what he’d say or how he’d explain himself. Little did Adalyn know that when she woke up that morning, it would be the day her marriage to Darren Richards would come to an end.
Adalyn didn’t leave the bed once the entire day. The clothes she had taken from the closet laid in a pile on the floor. The many times she picked up her phone to call her sister and Luis, she would set it down, for if she had told them what she’d found, then it would make it all that more real. She couldn’t bring herself to tell them out of humiliation.
Darren walked into the bedroom and stared at the pile of clothes on the floor.
“Sweetheart, what’s going on? I tried to call you earlier and you didn’t answer. You didn’t end up going out today?”
The sadness Adalyn had felt all day turned to the rage the moment she saw him.
“Why did you get a vasectomy?” The words fell out of her mouth in a harsh and bitter tone.
“Wh—What are you talking about?”
He began to walk over to the bed, and she stopped him.
“Don’t you dare come any closer.” Her voice was shaky and unsteady. “I found this in one of the suits you wanted me to take to Goodwill.” She threw the paper at him. “How could you do that to me? To us?” Her voice raised as she climbed out of bed. “Who does that to their wife?”
He knew he had no choice but to tell her the truth and how he really felt. He knew this day would eventually come.
“I don’t want kids, Adalyn. Plain and simple. I decided that after you had the miscarriage.”
“You decided?” she shouted. “You decided you didn’t want children, so you just went out and got a vasectomy without even discussing it with me?”
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“You need to calm down so we can talk about this like mature adults.”
“Calm down?! You did the cruelest thing to me that anyone could ever do. I never had a chance of getting pregnant and you knew that, but yet you led me to believe every month I had a chance for the last year and a half! You saw what it did to me, Darren.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you. I thought maybe after you realized it wasn’t happening, you’d give up and we could go about our lives like we were before you got pregnant. I thought I wanted children and I realized I didn’t. I don’t want to be responsible for another human being. I like my life the way it is.”
“You are a despicable human being.” Tears flowed down her face. “This marriage is over, Darren. Completely over. I will not be married to someone who is capable of such betrayal and dishonesty. I thought I knew you, but it turns out I don’t know you at all. Just get out!” She went into the bathroom and locked the door.
“We can talk about this once the shock wears off and you calm down. I’ll stay at the Plaza tonight.”
As far as Adalyn was concerned, there was nothing more to be said. Once she made sure he had left their home, she packed her things and headed to her sister’s house.
