Cruel Water (Portland, ME, novels Book 2)

by Freya Barker

  I’m just sliding the asparagus into the oven, next to the roast, when another “hello” sounds from the front of the house. From the enthusiastic greetings from my nephews, I know it’s Aaron and my mom. Before I have a chance to go and greet them, Mom comes walking in the kitchen and it hits me how good she looks. Old, sure, but with a lightness in her eyes that I can’t remember ever seeing.

  “Oh look,” she says looking around all the bodies crowding my kitchen. “All my favorite people are here.” Then she lifts a bag up. “Here, I thought I’d stop by Standard to pick up some pain au chocolat. I managed to snag the last ones. They said there’d been a run on them today.”

  I burst out laughing and step aside to show her the two big bags already on the counter.

  Ike

  I’m a little ticked when I walk in my door. Viv is one of those people who never asks for much. In fact, it’s rare I get calls like today, which is why I’m pissed I couldn’t get what she asked for.

  But the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen, and the two boys scrambling off the couch and throwing themselves at me, makes the minor irritation disappear instantly. “How are my two best commandos?” Two faces beam up at me and Ben takes the lead.

  “We beat the next level. You should come see, it’s so cool.”

  I’d taken to playing the odd game of Call of Duty with these two, and although I never grew up with electronic games or owned a system, I really get a kick out of it. “Maybe later, kiddo. First I have a delivery to make to your Aunt Viv.”

  I kick off my boots and shrug out of my jacket as the boys wander back to their controllers.

  “Babe,” I say when I walk into the kitchen holding up the bag, figuring it’s best to pull off the Band-Aid. “Standard was all out of your chocolate croissants, but I managed to grab a few Danish pastries.” I’m not quite clear why this is funny, but the whole kitchen bursts out in loud laughter. Viv can barely speak, she’s laughing so hard.

  “Just ... put them over there. By the others,” she manages before dissolving in a new round of giggles.

  On the counter by the sink are three large bags, exactly like the one I’m still holding in my hand.

  -

  “You have to admit that was funny.” Viv tilts her head back to look at me.

  Dinner was wholesome and amazing, as most everything Viv cooks up tends to be. Coffee and dessert was cause for renewed hilarity. It was good to see the family healing.

  I lost all of mine, but fuck if I didn’t feel I gained one back. I look around the table and feel part of them.

  “It was funny,” I admit to Viv, who’s been sitting on my lap since the chocolate croissants came out. Enough to feed an orphanage.

  I look over to find Cora’s eyes on me. When I first arrived, it had taken her two minutes to come to me, offer me her hand, and say, “Let’s try this again, shall we? Please call me, Cora.” That took guts and although there are some things I will likely never understand, I decided for the sake of this family, I could do this. I could try this again. I lightly squeezed her hand in mine. “By all means, Cora.”

  Now she was looking at me again. Has been off and on during dinner, just quietly observing me. I figure we’re all trying to figure out how to be a family again, so I don’t really mind her sizing me up. I’ve got nothing to hide.

  Owen and Lydia are the first to leave. The youngest was falling asleep on his mother’s lap. Next are Nolan and Dorian, who are both staying in the apartment. That leaves Aaron and Cora, who seem to be in deep conversation with Viv. Nothing stressful, if Viv’s face is anything to go by, she looks totally relaxed. I head to the kitchen to do a bit of clean up, but as I walk in, the phone rings. Being closest, I answer, feeling Viv’s eyes on me from across the room.

  “Hello?”

  “Ike. It’s a boy. Mercy Hospital, room 612. Syd wants to see Viv.”

  I never get a chance to say anything, before he hangs up in typical Gunnar fashion, but my smile is big when I turn to my wife. “It’s a boy,” I tell her and watch as realization sets in, along with the tears. Happy ones.

  “Ohmigod,” she suddenly jumps up. “We’ve gotta go.”

  The next five minutes consists of Viv running around frantically, trying to find the gifts she had bought about a month ago, insisting she can’t go to the hospital without them. When she finally comes downstairs, gifts in hand, her mom catches her in an unexpected hug. Viv doesn’t even seem to register, her mind is set on babies.

  “Congratulate them for me,” Cora says, smiling at her daughter’s antics. Then she turns to me, and with her hands on my shoulders, pulls me down for a kiss on my cheek. Her eyes are bright with tears. “Thank you for standing by my girl. She deserves that. She deserves a good man in her life.”

  I don’t even have a chance to react before she’s out the door, Aaron right on her heels, with only a, “Later” in our direction.

  Viv is almost jumping up and down, as I pull on my boots and shrug into my jacket. I lock up behind us, leaving the mess for another day.

  We’re stopped at a traffic light when I feel Viv’s eyes on me. “Another boy,” she says, a smile in her voice. “I’m thinking it’s up to us to dilute all that testosterone with a girl.”

  I turn to her, reach out, and with a hand at her neck, I pull her in for a quick, hard kiss. “We’ll find out soon enough,” I smile into her eyes.

  With my hand still holding hers, I pull away as soon as the light turns green.

  We have a baby to welcome.

  THE END

  NOTE FROM AUTHOR

  I seem to be drawn to write about situations that are difficult. Topics that are painful and complex. I was not an abuse victim, but I find myself challenged by the emotional complexities that those who where, struggle with. I want to understand what it takes to be that survivor.

  I do however, have a father who suffers from dementia. I was blessed with parents, who are nothing like Viv’s parents in Cruel Water. My father has never touched me inappropriately. My mother has always gone to battle for me without thought.

  My Dad is slipping away. His body is still here, but a large part of his mind is lost. My Mom, just as she fought for me growing up, now fights for the man she has been married to for over sixty years.

  Dementia is devastating.

  I hope that I have been sufficiently respectful and insightful in my writing. The last thing I would want is for this story to have a negative impact. It is meant to show the strength, the resilience and the courage of those who have lived it.

  Thank you so much for reading ‘CRUEL WATER’.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

  As always I need to thank some amazing ladies.... My Barks & Bites group of friends who always, always have my back. They pimp, they tag, they promote—all for the love of my books. I don’t know how I got so lucky with this incredible group of women.

  My beta-readers who never fail me. I message them to let them know another book is ready (often with little or no warning and on a pretty tight timeline) and they do everything in their power to make sure the manuscript I need to get into the hands of my editor, is as clean as can be. They can be brutal, but they are always brilliant and are indispensable.

  Catherine, Lena, Deb, Kerry-Ann, Sam, Pam, Debbie, Nancy and Chris—Love you! Don’t EVER leave me.....

  My fabulous friend and editor, Karen Hrdlicka, whose dry humor is right on line with mine and who seems to understand my characters as well as I do. It is an absolute pleasure to work with you and I’m just thrilled I manage to make you blink away the odd tear. I adore you, woman!

  Daniela Prima, a dear friend and a meticulous proofreader, who has made it her mission in life to not only spit shine my writing, but to educate me on the appropriate use of punctuation. You have become invaluable to me. MUAH!

  I need to include my wonderful, awesome and delightfully politically incorrect friend, Dana Hook in my acknowledgements. She was my Alpha reader on this book and always forces me to be
better than I believe I can be. If not for her ongoing encouragement and faith in me, I might have thrown in the towel a time or two. You have my heart, babe!

  Linda Funk, my twin, my cheerleader. This woman is why I create flawed but indestructible heroines. She is one. She is also that special friend—the one you can have silent conversations with and who will stand by you no matter what. I’m so incredibly blessed to have you in my life.

  I’m always grateful to my family who quietly support, and are quietly proud. I’m the loud one of the bunch and I know it. But they give me the time , the space, and the courage to pursue this ‘wild hair’ of mine into a writing career. I love you and am eternally grateful for you.

  Finally my readers, my reviewers and my critics: With every book I write, you push me further, demand more of me and make me a better writer than I ever thought I could be. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for your kindness, your wisdom and your friendship. I hope we have an opportunity to meet face to face one of these days. Love you all.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Freya Barker inspires with her stories about 'real’ people, perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills, and some hot, sizzling sex in their lives.

  Recipient of the RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for best first book, “Slim To None,” Freya has hit the ground running. She loves nothing more than to meet and mingle with her readers, whether it be online or in person at one of the signings she attends.

  Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

  Freya

  https://www.freyabarker.com

  http://bit.ly/FreyaAmazon

  https://www.goodreads.com/FreyaBarker

  https://www.facebook.com/FreyaBarkerWrites

  https://tsu.co/FreyaB

  https://twitter.com/freya_barker

  or mailto:freyabarker.writes@gmail.com

  ALSO BY FREYA BARKER

  CEDAR TREE SERIES:

  SLIM TO NONE

  myBook.to/SlimToNone

  HUNDRED TO ONE

  myBook.to/HundredToOne

  AGAINST ME

  myBook.to/AgainstMe

  CLEAN LINES

  myBook.to/CleanLines

  UPPER HAND

  myBook.to/UpperHand

  LIKE ARROWS

  myBook.to/LikeArrows

  PORTLAND, ME, NOVELS:

  FROM DUST

  myBook.to/FromDust

  COMING SOON

  The seventh and final book in the Cedar Tree Series is scheduled to be released Spring 2016.

  Not to worry, following Cedar Tree, a spin-off series: Rock Point, will be coming your way!

  But first, here is a taste of:

  HEAD START

  (UNEDITED)

  CHAPTER ONE

  Kendra

  “No, Karly, I’m not going on a singles’ cruise with you.”

  I roll my eyes at Naomi who is chuckling as she walks by the front desk. Naomi is Doc Waters, technically Dr. Morris since she married Joe, but everyone still knows her as Doc Waters. We opened this clinic in Cedar Tree over a year ago. Already Naomi is almost at capacity with patients, and I’m at a point where I’m here almost full time as well. Just two shifts a week left at Southwest Memorial in Cortez. Most of my regular physical therapy patients have already followed me here to Cedar Tree.

  Two weeks from now, I’ll be moving out of my beloved apartment in Cortez and into a cute rental here in town. Actually the house belongs to a friend, who is happier renting it out than selling it. The rent is actually slightly less than what I pay for my apartment so it wasn’t a particularly difficult decision. Not to mention I will have a backyard, a great L-shaped living/dining room and two good sized bed- and bathrooms. The place even has a swing on the porch and I’m really looking forward to drinking my morning coffee there. And the best of it? I can walk to work every day. I love walking.

  The grating high pitched sound of my sister’s lament drags me back to the conversation.

  “Why not? It’s half-price, one of those short notice deals.” My sister resorts to the pre-adolescent whine that gets our Mom to cave every single time. Unfortunately, Karly hasn’t yet figured out that it does the opposite for me.

  “Because those things are like floating sausage fests.”

  “You’re such a stick-in-the-mud. Mom said she’d come too.”

  Oh my God. Like that is enticement. I have to swallow hard to bring the content of my stomach back down where it belongs. I automatically turn my back to the waiting room when I hear the telltale ding of the door opening. “Not helping your case, Karly. Just sayin’... I’m not into quick, convenient fucks. Especially when most of the guys on those trips are looking to score as much and as many as they can manage in the shortest possible time frame. Not keen on being the dessert buffet for a bunch of young idiots, hopped up on Viagra. Besides, as I told you a month ago, I’ll be moving house in two weeks so I can’t come. End of story. You and Mom have fun, but count me out.”

  By the time I get my nympho sister off the phone, my eyes have rolled heavenward a few more times. I should have spared one eye-roll to confirm it actually was my next patient coming in. It wasn’t. A familiar face with a toothy grin is leaning on the damn counter, right behind me. Instantly my German ancestry betrays me with the robust blush I feel burning on my cheeks. Fabulous.

  “What can I do for you, Neil?” I say none too kindly. One of his heavy eyebrows lifts all the way up, and the grin slips into a smirk.

  “That, is a loaded question,” he teases, “especially given the tantalizing conversation I just overheard.” The heat on my face has now reached my hair line while I curse myself six ways to Sunday. “By the way, I like that color on you,” he mumbles, tapping me on the cheek.

  “Neil—that was fast, I just called like twenty minutes ago.” Naomi smiles as she walks in, and leans in for a peck on his cheek. I release a sigh of relief at her timely interruption.

  “I much prefer that kind of greeting,” he rumbles in that raspy dark voice of his, giving me a pointed look. A sound inconsistent with his youthful surfer boy looks and bright blue eyes, yet unfortunately has me steady myself on the edge of the counter.

  “Maybe I should introduce you to my sister then, she’d be about your age,” I snap back and grab the file for my next patient, but not before I see the flash of anger in his baby-blues. Deciding to ignore it, I make my way around the desk only to be held up by Naomi.

  “Have you been on your computer yet? I had problems this morning logging on,” she asks.

  “Haven’t had a chance. Why?”

  “Well if Neil is here anyway to fix whatever’s wrong with mine, he might as well have a look at yours; make sure all the upgrades are up to date and stuff.”

  I shrug my shoulders. “Be my guest, here is my next patient, I’ll be busy for the next hour anyway.” With that I motion to Mrs. Winkler who I’ve been treating for a frozen shoulder. “Come on in. The needles are waiting for you.” With a small smile for Naomi and Neil, she follows me into my treatment room.

  “How have you been?” I ask her once I’ve closed the door behind us. “Are you noticing any improvement?” I have treated her with acupuncture twice a week for the past three weeks and I’m hoping to see some loosening in the joint. She was so seized up by the time she came to see me, there was no movement whatsoever in that arm.

  “I’m still have trouble with the kitchen cupboards and getting dressed in the morning isn’t much fun, but I do believe I have a bit more movement.” She says as she sheds her blouse and lays on the bed in just her undershirt.

  “That’s great. Let’s have a look.”

  The next twenty minutes I manipulate her shoulder joint, finding mobility indeed a bit improved and carefully place the needles. With the tens-machine hooked up to the needles and doing it’s work, I slip out of the room to quickly grab a
coffee. Just as I pass by my office, Neil sticks his head out the door, causing me to almost drop my mug. “Holy shit.”

  “Sorry,” he mumbles a bit sheepishly. “I just wanted to have a quick word if you have a minute.”

  “I do if you follow me to the kitchen. I need more caffeine.”

  I can barely hear him behind me. For a large man he is surprisingly light on his feet. I pull my one indulgence, hazelnut flavored creamer, from the fridge and wave it in his face. “You want one?” The look of disgust on his face is comical, and I can’t stop the snicker. “Guessing that’s a no?”

  “I’ll have my coffee plain, thanks,” he says, opening a cupboard for a mug.

  I’m still smiling as I pour our coffees and almost burst out laughing again when I see him watch me pour enough creamer in my mug to turn my coffee a delicious beige. “So what’s up?” I ask, closing my eyes automatically as the taste of hazelnut with a hint of coffee hits my tastebuds.

  “Two things actually,” he corrects himself. “First do you need any help moving? I have my old truck which can haul a shitload of stuff.”

  I look at his youthful face with the far too serious eyes. Sure, most of the time they shine with a teasing glint, but there was darkness behind it. His eyes seem ancient. “Sure,” I accept, because really—when a young guy built like a tank offers to help you move, especially after your family ditched you for an aquatic meat market, you don’t pass it up.

  “Great. Just let me know when and where, and I’ll make sure my schedule’s clear.” His smile is genuine and I’m struck once again by how utterly tempting it is to give in to his charms. Even though I know he’ll bore of me soon enough in favor of something ‘fresher’ and preferably younger.

  “Sounds good,” I say quietly.

  “Oh, and secondly: I was cleaning your drive when I noticed your cache file pretty full,” he says, receiving a blank look from me, since I do not have a clue what he’s talking about. I can work a computer, but I don’t understand it. “Are you getting a lot of pop ups when you’re online? Those little screens with shit you don’t wanna see that suddenly cover your monitor?” he clarifies, thankfully, and I now understand exactly what he’s talking about. I shiver thinking about the vile, sadistic porn sites that have started popping up on my screen.