by Susan Hatler
An Unexpected Joy
by
Susan Hatler
An Unexpected Joy
Copyright © 2016 by Susan Hatler
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 the copyright owner 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.
License Notes
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
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Cover Design by Elaina Lee, For The Muse Design
www.forthemusedesign.com
Titles by Susan Hatler
Kissed by the Bay Series
Every Little Kiss
The Perfect Kiss
Just One Kiss
The Sweetest Kiss
Better Date than Never Series
Love at First Date
Truth or Date
My Last Blind Date
Save the Date
A Twist of Date
License to Date
Driven to Date
Up to Date
Déjà Date
Date and Dash
Treasured Dreams Series
An Unexpected Date
An Unexpected Kiss
An Unexpected Love
An Unexpected Proposal
An Unexpected Wedding
An Unexpected Joy
An Unexpected Baby
Young Adult Novels
Shaken
See Me
Praise
“It totally made me smile.”
-Getting Your Read On Reviews on An Unexpected Date
“An Unexpected Date is a wonderful and perfect release to a stressful or crazy day.”
-Cafè of Dreams Book Reviews
“Susan has a knack for light hearted dialogue and describing the zing in the connection between Holly and Dave….Be on the look out for this delightful morsel.”
-Tifferz Book Reviewz on An Unexpected Date
“Susan Hatler has a knack for writing books that draw me in from the very first page!”
-Books Are Sanity!!! on Love at First Date
“Ms. Hatler has a way of writing witty dialogue that makes you laugh-out-loud throughout her stories.”
-Night Owl Reviews on Truth or Date
An Unexpected Joy
by
Susan Hatler
In the year and a half I'd been married to Dave, and the year we'd dated before that, I'd never seen him come unglued. Until now. Adrenaline raced through my veins at the white-knuckled grip he held on the steering wheel as he turned off Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier Park, driving toward the Apgar trail where we'd be showshoeing this morning in an attempt to “relax.” Almost there and he hadn't grunted in at least two minutes. Progress.
I stared out the window at the forest of trees surrounding us. We'd chosen the Apgar trail for the gorgeous lake and mountain views, but today I felt my own secret meaning in the trail's name. My belly fluttered just thinking about the unexpected news I'd discovered this morning, which I wanted to share with my hubby. But, I couldn't tell Dave such incredible news with the vein on his temple throbbing up and down. Yikes!
I'd heard that buying a house was one of the top stressors in life, but that rumor turned out to be a major understatement. We currently lived in the small two-bedroom condo Dave bought when he first moved to our lovely small mountain town of Whitefish, Montana. He worked from home as a web developer and used the second bedroom as his office. Since I also worked from home beading jewelry for my small business, Treasured Creations, we were feeling a bit squooshed. So, we were looking for a larger home-which we now needed pronto-but had been outbid on the first two houses that suited us.
Yesterday, we'd fallen in love with a rustic three-bedroom house with a den, which had a breathtaking view of Big Mountain. This was our ideal home and we made a full-price offer immediately. Now, we were waiting for the seller's response, and each hour felt excruciating. But nothing could get me down today, not with the incredible news I'd soon share with my hubby. A warm feeling spread across my chest. I'd planned to wait until the top of the trail to tell him, but suddenly I couldn't wait any longer.
With a wide smile, I turned in my seat, and opened my mouth-
“Still no word!” Dave said, his voice tight.
Or . . . maybe not the right time to share the wonderful news. I put a hand on his arm. “Honey, we have to be patient,” I reminded him gently, but the vein on his temple only picked up speed.
He parked his SUV into a snow-plowed space in front of the horse concession barn, slipped the gearshift into park, then held his cell screen toward me as if this were evidence of some unearthly wrong doing. “Samantha said she'd be back to us by nine a.m. But . . . nothing.”
“It's only nine-fifteen,” I said, gazing into his beautiful blue eyes. His facial features drew tight, contrasting the relaxed style of his medium-length dark hair brushed away from his handsome face and tucked behind his ears. If I told him the news now, he'd likely stress even more about our need for a bigger house. I needed to wait for a better moment. “I'm sure Samantha will call soon and let us know if the sellers accepted our offer. Until then, we should try to think positively. Don't we always say everything happens when it's supposed to?”
His gazed flicked to his lap for a moment, then he blew out a breath. “Yes, you're right.”
“Good.” I leaned forward to kiss his cheek, but he'd already turned to open his door, so my lips were left puckered without a target. Okay. . . .
I sighed, reached for the passenger door handle, and thoughts of last night's phone conversation with my mom invaded my head as I climbed out of the SUV and into the crisp winter air.
“Are you going to start thinking about my grandchildren soon? You've been married a year and half now, and I'm not getting any younger,” she'd said.
“When the time is right, Mom,” I'd replied, feeling guilty for not being more honest with her. Dave and I had been trying for a year to get pregnant, but each month had proved disappointing. I didn't want my mom let down each month, as well. Thinking about what I'd discovered this morning, my mouth curved upward. I'd call my mom as soon as we left Glacier Park.
Suddenly feeling queasy, I staggered past the back of the SUV where Dave was getting our snowshoes, and I hurried to a bench on the side of the concession barn. I'd been having these bouts for several days, and put a hand to my belly. Uh-oh. I pulled saltine crackers from my pocket and chomped a handful down as if my life depended on those crackers reaching my belly. The nausea subsided slightly.
Dave stopped in front of me, looking ruggedly handsome in a gray ski-jacket, matching snow pants, and brown hiking boots. His dark brows came together. “You all right, angel?”
I tilted my head, my chestnut curls falling against my cheek. I hoped I didn't have cracker crumbs on my mouth. “Just . . . getting a snack,” I said, grateful the nausea seemed to be settling down. As we strapped the snowshoes on, I considered telling him th
e good news, but then he checked his cell phone and frowned.
“Ready to go?” he asked, extending his gloved hand to me.
“You bet.” I sighed, slipping on my own gloves, then putting my hand in his. I walked along the unplowed road beside him, listening to our snowshoes crunch over the packed snow. Then my mind drifted back to when Dave and I'd met at the Falling Leaves Festival in downtown Whitefish. Back then, I never would've imagined I could be this happy or this in love. Suddenly, I was bursting to tell him the news. “Honey, Apgar is the perfect choice for today, because-”
“Uh-huh,” he mumbled, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He checked the screen for the umpteenth time since we'd left the condo. “I wish Samantha would call.”
My brows came together. Dave was so fixated on the call from our Realtor that he didn't realize the amazing news I almost shared with him. Sigh. I hoped this hike would ease some of his tension, and give me with the perfect opportunity to share our joyful news.
We trudged across the icy layer of snow on the access road in silence. Dave kept a hold of my hand, but I could tell his mind was elsewhere by the way his jaw tightened. His hand started twitching against my own, making me wonder if he was itching to check his phone again.
“Anything I can do to help?” I asked.
“Hmm?” He turned to me, his breath visible in the air.
I bit my bottom lip. “This hike's supposed to get our mind off the house, but you still seem preoccupied. Want to talk about it?”
He sighed. “I want this house for you.”
“For us,” I corrected him. “I'm sure Samantha will call as soon as she gets a response.”
He tapped the branch of a pine tree, sprinkling snow off in a white flurry. “This is the third house we've bid on, Holly. I'm letting you down.”
“You can't control the housing market.” I squeezed his hand, not wanting to let go even though holding hands while walking with huge snowshoes was challenging. “If we're meant to get the house, we will. If we're not-”
“This is the perfect house for us. You deserve to have everything,” he said, frustration twisting his words into something desperate. My heart squeezed to hear him so distraught. Letting go of my hand, he leaned down, scooped up a handful of snow, and shaped the white flurries into a ball. With a quick flick of his wrist he threw the ball at the trunk of a nearby tree. The movement caused a shower of snow to fall on our heads, and we both started to laugh.
“I love our adventures,” I said, hugging him. “The right house will add to our happiness, but as long as we have each other, we have everything.”
“How did I get lucky enough to find you?” He suddenly stopped, leaned toward me, then brushed a soft kiss across my lips.
Butterflies danced in my belly at the feeling of his mouth against mine. After a moment, he pulled back and I let out a happy sigh before we started walking again. “I love you, Dave.”
“Love you, too.” He smiled, but then his hand slipped into his pocket again. He glanced at his phone. A tiny line formed between his brows, then he tucked the cell away again. “Nothing . . .”
My stomach tightened as we marched through the packed snow, the ridge of the mountains visible in the distance. Clouds hung low, clinging to the rocky face of the mountain across from us. I shivered, wondering if we'd get another snowstorm over the weekend. That would give us a reason to get cozy by the fire with a glass of wine. . . .
Oh! No wine for me. A small smile crept across my face, and I held my giggle in.
At the same time, Dave let out a frustrated sigh and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Still no call from her,” he said, glumly.
I reached for his hand. “Like I said, we have to be patient.”
“But we've waited so long,” he said, shaking his head.
“I know.” I squeezed his hand, wishing I could share the joy I felt inside. I opened my mouth to tell him, but the crease on his forehead stopped me. No, this wasn't the right time either. He deserved to be told in the right way, and I'd know when the perfect moment arrived.
We hiked in silence, and a cold wind whipped through the trees. Somewhere in the distance a bird chirped. There were always a handful of birds that never made the trip south, and I was grateful for their reminder that spring wasn't all that far away.
As we made our way through the portion of the trail that had burned during a massive fire, I shuddered. The spindly, naked trees made me appreciate how quickly life could change, but also how resilient we were. Dave and I had gone through a lot of heartbreak in the last year trying to start our family, but we were still head over heels in love and pushing toward the future.
“You know what?” I glanced over him. “We could always look outside of town.”
His mouth tugged downward. “What do you mean?”
I glanced at the bare trees surrounding us. “I was just thinking . . . if we lose this house, maybe we could rethink living so close to town.”
“I'll get that house for you. Our life will be spectacular.”
My hand dropped to my belly. “Our life is already spectacular.”
He chuckled quietly. “You're right. Ugh. I know you're right. Why am I letting this take over my mind?”
“You see our life a certain way,” I said, touching his arm. I remembered something I'd noticed on the day I met Dave at the Falling Leaves Festival. I'd seen a couple buying an ice-cream cone for their daughter, and I'd longed for a family of my own. “We both have a deep ache for the things we want, but sometimes we have to adjust to what life offers.”
We started up the steep ascent of the mountain. The cold air burned my lungs as I inhaled and I loved the fresh, clean feeling of the outdoors. My legs started to ache slightly and I slowed down considerably, wanting to take it easy on my body today. This trail was strenuous in the best weather, and snowshoeing up on a cold day made the trek even harder. Suddenly putting one foot in front of the other seemed like a monumental task as my stomach churned. More nausea? Ugh. I quickly pulled off my glove, reached for the crackers in my pocket, then started chomping away. This famished behavior felt like new territory for me.
“Are you okay?” Dave asked, slowing his pace.
“Oh, I'm fine.” I pressed my hands against my stomach as a thick heaviness rose in my throat. This was not going to be a pleasant side effect, but I felt grateful nonetheless.
“You sure you're all right?” he asked, concern lacing his voice. His eyes narrowed as he stared right into my eyes, and we stopped beneath a large pine. “You look pale.” He removed his glove and pressed his warm hand to my forehead. “This isn't like you. We should turn back.”
“I'm fine,” I repeated, needing to get to the top point of the trail like I'd planned. “I want to finish the hike. Maybe we can just go a little slower?”
“If you're sure . . .” His dark brows knit together. “I've been too preoccupied with our pending offer. I'm sorry I didn't notice you were coming down with something. If you'd really like to finish the trail, then you set the pace.” He leaned toward me, touching my chin gently as his blue eyes peered into mine. “I'll follow, and do anything you need me to do.”
My heart fluttered in my chest from the loving way he looked at me. Joy surged though my veins. I spontaneously threw my arms around him, and pressed my lips to his. Apparently, he wasn't anticipating my amorous advances because I knocked him off balance, and we both tumbled to the snow.
Pushing himself onto his elbow, he lifted his head. “You all right?”
Once I nodded, our laughter rang through the quiet woods, and I gazed up at the clear sky above me. My worries lifted despite the stress, and despite my churning stomach.
“Sorry for kissing you too aggressively,” I said, giggling. “I couldn't help myself.”
“You won't hear me complaining.” He kissed me again, slow and sweet this time. Then we struggled to right ourselves. Climbing back to our feet, we began walking again. Our tumble had reinvigorated me, and I hi
ked faster than before.
Dave easily kept up. “You don't let anything slow you down, do you?”
I grinned, considering his question. This might be the right time to tell him. . . I opened my mouth to spill the beans, but Dave pulled out his phone. I closed my mouth and sighed. Sabatoged again! There was time enough yet, though, so I tried to focus on the serene beauty around us.
“Any word?” I asked, hopefully.
“No.” His dull tone spoke volumes, and I'd never seen him this upset. “You feeling any better, Holly? Maybe you've been pushing too hard with the new jewelry line for your business. When are you going to tell me what you designed?”
“No, that's not what has me tired . . .” My voice drifted off, and my eyes bulged. “I mean, er, this could be my biggest jewelry line yet. I've just been . . . well, honestly? I was a little reluctant to tell you too much about the new line because of the stress we've been under trying for a baby. I didn't want to make you feel worse.”
He became silent for a moment, so the only sound was our snowshoes going crunch-crunch through the snow as we hiked up the trail. “The disappointment has been hard to take. But you can always tell me anything,” he said.
“If you're sure . . .” My heart squeezed at the sound of sorrow in his voice. “My new project is a line of matching newborn and mommy bracelets.” My gaze flicked to his face to gauge his reaction, but his expressioned remained blank. Treading carefully, I sucked in a breath. “I've finally figured out the design.”
His expression tightened, and I saw his eyes glisten before he cleared his throat. “That sounds amazing, angel.” He squeezed my hand.
We arrived at the ridge underneath the lookout, and relief flooded my body. Getting up to the lookout would be a welcome break to my burning muscles. Apparently, my new physical state would take some getting used to.
“Thanks for being supportive.” I smiled at him as I trekked along the trail. “The problem I had with the line is that I felt the dads were left out, because they didn't have a bracelet. I don't think that's fair to leave them out when there are two parents.”
