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Life’s Next Chapter
The Life Series
Book Two
Copyright © 2014 by Sarah Goodman
Cover Design by Book Designs by Dee
Edited by Raelene Green of word·play by 77peaches,
a division of 77peaches enterprises, LLC. www.77peaches.com
Formatting by JT Formatting
All rights reserved.
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products, bands, and/or restaurants referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Kate
Chapter 2: Kate
Chapter 3: Luke
Chapter 4: Kate
Chapter 5: Kate
Chapter 6: Luke
Chapter 7: Kate
Chapter 8: Kate
Chapter 9: Luke
Chapter 10: Kate
Chapter 11: Kate
Chapter 12: Kate
Chapter 13: Kate
Chapter 14: Kate
Chapter 15: Luke
Chapter 16: Kate
Chapter 17: Kate
Chapter 18: Kate
Chapter 19: Kate
Chapter 20: Kate
Chapter 21: Luke
Chapter 22: Kate
Chapter 23: Luke
Chapter 24: Kate
Chapter 25: Luke
Chapter 26: Luke
Chapter 27: Kate
Chapter 28: Kate
Epilogue: Luke
Acknowledgments
About the Author
To my husband, I love you beyond words to write in this small dedication. Thank you for loving me since I was sixteen years old. Thank you for making every chapter in our lives filled with joy, laughter, and love. I look forward to the many more chapters we will fill up in our story. I love you!
To my best friends, Erica and Kristan, may you find hope and faith in “Life’s Next Chapter” and know that wherever your next chapter leads you, I will be right by your sides. I love you both!
Finally, I dedicate this book to all the men and women who have served our country, past, present and future. Thank you for your selfless and courageous service so we can be free.
“JULIA, FOR THE fourth time stop spinning Nicole around in circles!” I shout to my daughter, as I witness my twin daughters slowly torturing each other on the tree swing.
“But, Momma, Nini likes spinning,” she says in her sweetest voice.
I don’t fall for sweetness anymore because if I do, I’ll be overrun. “Julia, you keep spinning Nicole like that, she’s going to throw up on you.” Her big brown eyes widen and her hands instantly go to her sides.
“Really, Momma? Cool.”
“Yes, Julia, now, please stop so Momma can finish cleaning up this mess in here.” I look at her, and I know by her devilish laugh my warning hasn’t discouraged her one bit.
“That’s so cool…Nini, hold on! I want to see you throw up.” I watch as she turns around and grabs a hold of the wooden swing.
“Julia Caldwell! Get over here, now!” I watch as she drops her head and walks to me as if she’s walking “the green mile”. She crosses the yard to the concrete slab, where I’m leaning my body weight onto the shovel. “Grab that bucket of chalk, and you can sit here, next to the stall, and draw me a picture.
“But, Momma, it stinks in here.” She pouts, as she sits Indian style and places her elbows on her knees. Julia pinches her nose closed with one hand as she grabs the chalk with the other hand and begins scribbling on the concrete slab.
“Sorry, sweet pea, but poop stinks, and when you don’t listen, you have to sit here and smell the poop.
“Momma, what did you do that was so bad that you have to scoop it?”
I just giggle at how innocent she is, my precious little girl. What I really want to tell her is Momma picked a sorry-ass father for them, that he would rather blow their child support money on stupid sluts and gambling. Timing couldn’t be worse. When my granddaddy knew I was going to college to become a veterinarian, he promised me his practice once he retired. I’ve saved every penny since that day to make this practice into something more. Well, a decade later, it’s mine as promised, but the office still looks like something out of an Austin Powers movie. I’m in the process of having the office and stables remodeled. And since every nickel and dime is tied up in the remodeling, I’ve had to cut back the hours of some of my staff. “Nothing, baby girl, Jeremy and Chad are on vacation, so they can’t do this for Momma.”
I know she’s miserable sitting here smelling this shit. I’m miserable shoveling this shit. Jeremy and Chad are high school seniors; they didn’t mind cleaning the stables. Hell, I paid them more than you can make at McDonalds. My beautiful girl hates her time out, and I hate seeing her unhappy. “Go play with Nicole. But, I mean it, Julia, I see you swing her like that again you’ll go to your room. If you’re good and listen to me, then after nap you and Nicole can play in the sprinkler.”
She jumps up and runs to me. “I’ll listen, Momma, I don’t want to smell poop, anymore.” And with that she runs to the swing to be with her sister. I walk across the stable to turn the radio up a little louder. Nothing like cleaning out horse stalls while listening to Luke Bryan.
It’s a couple days before Labor Day weekend, and hot as hell outside. I’ve only been doing this for two hours and I already look like I took a dip in the pool. The fans in this place are worthless. Even the flies give off more of a breeze than these fans. Four stalls later, and I’m done for the morning, and just in time to feed the girls lunch.
I’m just pulling my gloves off when I hear Nicole screaming, “Momma…Momma…there’s a beast out there,” as Julia and her come running into the stable.
“A beast, what kind of beast?” I inquire, squatting down to their level and my blood races when I see the terror in their eyes. Drying my sweaty hands on my shorts, I muster my best “Super Mom” voice, “Okay, girls, let’s go check this beast out.” I grab their hands and march out of the stable, determined to be brave for my girls. As soon as I round the corner of the barn and start in the direction of the driveway, I run into a mammoth of a man. And do the least brave thing in the world: scream.
“AAAHHH! Mother fucker!” I blurt as I swing the girls behind my back. Stepping back, the “beast” pulls off his aviator sunglasses and holds out a long tube as a shield for whatever is hurled at him next.
“Ooh, momma said a naughty word.”
I turn around, giving my girls the look, “Girls, enough. Go play on your swing set. I will be there in a minute.”
The girls race back to their swing set, but before they get far Nicole turns and shouts, “Momma, I told you there was a beast…he’s huge!” I give her my best mind your business and run along look, which sufficiently stops any further comments.
Turning back around, I have to step back to look at the giant man. Reflexively, I wipe the sweat trickling down my face with my shoulder before looking down at my shirt, which is covered in dirt and s
weat. Realization hits—I look, and very likely smell, like horse shit. SHIT! “Don’t mind them…out of the mouths of babes.” I shrug, in a weak attempt at nonchalance.
When the giant finally speaks, it’s with a very sexy voice, the kind you want to wake up to first thing in the morning. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m looking for a Dr. Caldwell. There wasn’t anyone at his office. Do you know where I could find him?”
“You are?”
“Sorry ma’am, I’m Luke Ashton with Ashton Architecture and Design. I’m the contractor assigned to work on Dr. Caldwell’s remodel.” He holds his hand out to shake mine. I accept his handshake while looking him over. He is huge, but huge in a sexy fine way. He is extremely tall, almost a foot taller than my 5’6” frame. His dark brown hair is cut short, like a military cut. His gorgeous green eyes match his olive skin. A nose that looks like it has been broken a few times and beautiful full lips complete the face of the best looking guy I’ve ever laid eyes on. I make note of arms that are bigger than my thighs, as I make it back to those big beautiful eyes and give him a smile.
“Did you just call me ma’am?”
He smiles his sexy smile back and chuckles, “Yes, ma’am, I did. Do you know where Dr. Caldwell is? I have blue prints I need him to look over and sign off on so we can start demolition and remodeling.”
I kick some dirt around and give him a mischievous grin. “Oh, well that is a shame because he is not here.” Emphasizing the “he” before biting my bottom lip to keep myself from grinning, knowing I’m teasing him as payback for scaring the girls and me.
“Are you kidding me? My cousin, Brody, said he would be here.” Understanding brings another smile to my face. I went over everything I want done with the office and the stables with cousin Brody. Brody is the architect part of Ashton Architecture and Design.
“Are you sure Brody said ‘he’?” I sweetly ask, giving him one more chance before I clue him in.
The long cardboard tube is steadily passing between his hands. Sweat is starting to trickle down his neck and into the starched collar of his light blue shirt. I glance at his wide chest and see the perspiration seeping through. Looking at his sculpted arms, his sleeves are clinging to him. Why in the hell would he be wearing long sleeves in this heat? He seems irritated.
“I think he said Dr. Caldwell is male. Why, is Dr. Caldwell a female? Here, just give me a second, so I can call Brody.” He rambles and takes a few steps back, attempting to pull his cell phone out of his khaki cargo pants pocket.
“Mr. Ashton,” I say, stopping him, “Dr. Caldwell is a female.” He looks to me with appreciation and relief.
“Thank you, do you know where I can find her? I really need to get these signed off, and I have another meeting soon.”
Giving the ruse just a moment more for my own amusement, I furrow my brow and tap my finger on my lips, thinking, “Let’s see…I believe you’ve already run into her.”
“Wha…? You’re Dr. Caldwell? There is no way you are a doctor.”
“Well, thank you, I think, Mr. Ashton, but the four years I spent in Veterinarian school would disagree with you.”
“I apologize, I didn’t mean it like that, it’s just…I’ve never seen such a beautiful veterinarian, and I just assumed a male doctor lived out here. You don’t seem the type to…well, what I mean to say is when you said Dr. Caldwell is a female, I pictured an more mature woman, and you’re so pretty…ah, shit. I—”
I cut him off, unable to stop the giggle from escaping, “Mr. Ashton, I believe you’ve suffered enough for scaring my girls and me. How about we start over, and you promise to stop assuming, and I’ll promise not to hold any of your comments against you. Well, except the one about me being beautiful. The animals sure don’t flatter me that way.” Taking a moment to wipe my hand on my pants, I extend it again, “Hi, I’m Dr. Kate Caldwell.”
“Hi, I’m Luke Ashton, with Ashton Architecture and Design,” he says, on a long sigh of relief. “I’m terribly sorry I scared you and your girls, and blabbered all over you. I was not prepared to run into such a beautiful woman today.”
Blushing, I quickly turn and start toward the house to see what my girls are likely getting into. I call over my shoulder, “I have to feed my girls lunch before they tear apart the kitchen and gorge themselves on junk. Follow me and we can look over the plans while they eat.” When I open the front door, the girls are playing with their baby dolls and eating from a bag of pretzels on the living room floor. Grabbing the bag of pretzels, I scold, “Girls, you know better than this.” Sighing, I hold up the bag of pretzels to Luke, “Exhibit A. Girls go wash your hands and sit at the table. Momma will make you peanut butter and jelly.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize your girls were twins. I fully understand your exasperation,” he replies as he leans against the kitchen island and crosses his arms against his chest. “I have a twin sister, and we gave our parents a run for their money when we were little.”
I look at him, completely horrified, “A twin sister? Please, dear God, tell me she’s not as big as you.” He laughs—oh, man—he has a great laugh, the kind that makes your stomach catch butterflies.
“No, she’s a tiny thing, just like you. We also have a younger sister, who’s five years younger than us.” Heat suffuses my face, despite the air conditioning in the house. I quickly head for the pantry and grab the ingredients to make the girls lunch. Hearing the giggles across the hall, I know they are up to no good, again. “Girls that water has been running too long, you have five seconds to get your bottoms in a kitchen chair. Five…four…three…two…one.” They make it to the table with barely a second to spare, just as I set their plates and glasses of milk in front of them. “Eat. I’m going to be with Mr. Ashton in the family room. No playing.” With that, I grab Luke’s arm and pull him into the family room. “Have a seat and place the prints on the coffee table. Do you want anything to eat or drink?” I ask as I walk back to the kitchen, mentally kicking myself for touching him.
“I’ll have water, if you don’t mind.”
“Nope,” is all I get out. I need to drown myself in a cold shower. This man is making me hotter than the weather outside. I bring him a bottle of water, which he takes and chugs the whole bottle down in just a couple gulps. Oh Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, my womb just started to spasm. Needing to escape before I do something crazy, I suddenly blurt that I need to change my shirt. Running upstairs, I pull off my tank top and yank my shorts off as I run into my room. I spray body mist all over me, hoping to smell a little better than the barn I was just in, and throw on clean shorts and a shirt. I brush my hair and redo my sweaty ponytail and wash my face.
Rushing back downstairs, I stop short when I see the beast of a man, calmly sitting on the couch, expertly dressing a baby doll. Julia has peanut butter all over her face, and Nicole is tentatively watching him dress her doll. I have to say he’s handling the girls well. I could stand here and watch him play with dolls all afternoon. Damn, this man is such a turn on. Shaking myself back to reality, I sigh, “Girls, leave Mr. Ashton alone and go finish eating.” They scurry back into the kitchen as I take a seat next to him on the couch.
Luke has rolled out a topographical map of my property, with the various buildings marked across the property. Seeing my home from this perspective sends me down memory lane. My life revolves around this property. I’ve lived here my whole life and knowing that my girls will grow up with the same lifestyle I grew up with brings me so much joy. I look forward to the days when I see my girls riding their horses throughout this land. The clinic is right off the road. Many years ago, it was my grandparents’ house. They eventually converted half of it into the clinic, leaving the other half as their living space. Behind their house is the stable; behind the stable is six acres of land. My mother rode horses from when she was young ‘til she had me then she stopped. Until recently, the stable hadn’t been used since. In order to the pay bills and loans, I started boarding horses for people wh
o want horses, but don’t have the land to properly exercise a horse.
When Keith and I were expecting the girls, we built our home on the property, parallel to the stable on the other side of the driveway. Just a month ago my granddaddy retired and left me his practice to take over. I’ve spent my entire life on this property. I was raised in the clinic. Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to follow in Granddaddy’s footsteps. But leaving me his practice left me with huge shoes to fill.
The clinic is over forty years old with not a drop of design or decorating done to it since my granddaddy opened the doors. Now, that I am taking over, it needs a new makeover. I can’t work in that environment, anymore. It’s gross. As soon as Granddaddy gave me the okay, I got in contact with Brody Ashton, the architect that designed our house, and two weeks ago he started drawing up the designs. Now, seeing it laid out before me, all I can do is smile as I gaze at the prints. I can’t believe this is going to happen.
“So, here’s what we’re looking at,” Luke begins, moving his fingers across the prints as he describes the plans. “We’ll take out the living quarters, turning it into a bigger waiting room, two more exam rooms, and a bigger operating room. But, in doing so, you’ll end up with this extra room,” he points to an unlabeled space on the drawing. “We can either make it a supply closet, another exam room, or whatever you feel you need. It’s just with these supporting walls and the other rooms’ measurements you have an extra room, approximately nine by ten.”
I look at the layout and love it. The unnamed room is right off my office. I stare at the plans a little more, thinking about what this space should become. Just then my girls come running into the room and start pestering Luke. “Girls, give Momma ten minutes. Please, go play in your room.” Surprisingly, without complaint, they turn on their toes and run out of the room. I watch their dirty blond curls bounce off their shoulders as they run up the stairs, and it hits me what to do with the room.
“You know what, can you make this room into a playroom for my girls? I’m sure there are going to be days I don’t have someone to watch them. Maybe add some shelving along this wall for toys. And this wall here that connects to my office, maybe make a door, here?” Luke grabs a pencil and writes a note, drawing details on the plans as I describe the changes, nodding his head in agreement.
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