The Love Doctor

by S. W. Andersen

  The Love Doctor

  ♥

  By: S.W. Andersen

  ©2019

  Swandersenwrites.com

  THE LOVE DOCTOR Copyright © 2019 by S.W. Andersen.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction - names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Cover design by: Cindy Bamford

  Edited by: S.W. Andersen, et al

  Published by: S.W. Andersen Books

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Edition – May 2019

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

  In my research for this story I learned there are no right or wrong answers when it comes to dealing with the loss of a spouse. There is also no shortage of opinions. Like most of life's traumas, unless you've lived it, it's impossible to understand. Each situation is unique and everyone has their own journey. For some, the transition is easy, while others never recover. If you've been there, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, then I wish you strength and perseverance if and when that time comes.

  In writing this story, I pray I've cast a light of hope to anyone struggling to move on, whether in acceptance or the willingness to explore love again. Life is beautiful, even when it's not. The seasons never fail to change and the days never stop coming. There are good things out there for each of us to discover if we can open the door and escape the darkness. Often, they are things we'd never expect. But that is the beauty—and the pain—in it all, isn't it? The unexpected brings joy and sadness, giving us the opportunity to be grateful for the good when we are lucky enough to enjoy them. But it can also leave us bitter, wondering what if and why?

  Each day we get out of bed and put our thoughts, our energy, out into the universe. They can be positive or negative. The best part is we can choose. It may not be easy, but we can. My dream is that we all choose the positive, that we take the leap, that we reach for the stars and hope for the best. Whether or not it works out as planned, it will take you on a new journey where anything is possible.

  Life is all about hope, for without it, we have nothing.

  ♥

  I'd like to thank everyone who continues to support my pursuits whether it be writing, my career, or any other dream I can think up. I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family and I am especially lucky to have my wife, Dianna, who sticks with me through it all.

  They say it takes a village and I'm so very grateful for my tribe. Much thanks to Mari and Georgia and the Beta's who did read throughs, offered feedback, and helped edit. A special tip of the hat to Mari for the promo video and gifs. Cindy, oh Cindy, I am so very grateful for your creative genius (again) on the cover art. To Jyo, for helping to shape Reyna. And to everyone who helps spread the word about my books, my eternal thanks. Finally, a shout out to the Con Crew for all the pep talks and support.

  Thank you all and I hope you love the finished product.

  DEDICATION

  To those who have loved dearly and lost greatly.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  THIRTY-TWO

  THIRTY-THREE

  THIRTY-FOUR

  THIRTY-FIVE

  THIRTY-SIX

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  THIRTY-NINE

  FORTY

  FORTY-ONE

  FORTY-TWO

  FORTY-THREE

  FORTY-FOUR

  FORTY-FIVE

  FORTY-SIX

  FORTY-SEVEN

  FORTY-EIGHT

  FORTY-NINE

  FIFTY

  FIFTY-ONE

  FIFTY-TWO

  FIFTY-THREE

  FIFTY-FOUR

  FIFTY-FIVE

  FIFTY-SIX

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  CHAPTER ONE

  They hired them because they were the best. Sofia Delacruz had a special gift for bringing two people together and she and her business partner had just delivered, big time. Love was a wonderful thing and no greater reward existed than helping others make that once in a lifetime connection.

  A victorious smile commanded her lips. Standing tall and confident, hands on hips in her favorite tailored navy pants with matching vest, she stared out the floor to ceiling window of their new twelfth floor corner office. The view of sunny Miami Beach never looked so good. Uniting Duke Cash and Alicia Hornbrook had been no easy task and she wasn't ashamed to bask in a rare moment of pride.

  Duke had been their first high profile client, the best hitter in the major leagues and star of the Miami Sands. Alicia, the team owner's daughter, had sworn to never date a ballplayer, much less marry one. And for good reason. Ballplayers were often referred to as grown men playing a boy's game who, on occasion, acted like ill-behaved children themselves.

  Then, there was Duke Cash, who had embraced that stigma and taken it to a new level. His reputation alone had been a monstrous mountain to scale. But scale it, she had. With pick and rope in hand, Sofia had slowly, patiently, continued to climb. Despite each slip in Duke's demeanor and every avalanche of failed opportunity due to the sabotaging of her plans with a not-so-brilliant thought of his own, she finally reached the peak.

  It had required a heart to heart with the stubborn, brooding slugger to make it happen—why had he enlisted her services if he hadn't planned to listen? Lord knows, there had been a number of clients who never had, but to her surprise, Duke had experienced the all-important moment of clarity. Soon after, she'd found a way for him to break the ice with the woman he'd been head over heels for and the sparks could be seen throughout the city. When the pair were together, there was no denying the match was true.

  How could two people floating in the same social circle miss such an explosive connection? The thought had always boggled her mind. Heck, if he hadn't come to her, they'd still be orbiting one another—Alicia keeping him a moon's distance away and Duke helplessly reaching for the stars like a child on a dark summer night.

  A deep sense of fulfillment rose in Sofia's chest, then did a slow roll through her body like the very waves she stood admiring. The feeling never got old. Every time she helped another couple find the same joy she once knew, it was like experiencing a contact high. The crazy mix of pride, satisfaction, and exhilaration left her feeling the effects for days, though it was always tinged with envy and laced with the slightest touch of sadness. Her hand moved to the pendant that hung from her neck. Held delicately between two fingers, she gently rubbed across the golden bands reshaped into a heart, inset with the profile of a half moon. A diamond nestled beside it as a star.

  Tiny flashes of memories would peek out from the corners of her mind whenever she'd see a happy couple. The somber mood w
ould last only the briefest of milliseconds before she would once again be grateful she'd ever had the chance to experience a love that pure and true. Those days seemed like a lifetime ago. But like all bad things, she believed, if you persevered, you would find something good.

  And she had.

  Her journey through the darkness had revealed her true purpose. Things weren't always easy, but she had made it to the other side. Now she was happy. She and her best friend, Reyna Jha, co-owned a thriving business and got paid to help others discover love. Life was good.

  "We. Are. Ah-mazing," Reyna melodically strung together the words with a rising pitch, ripping Sofia from her moment of joyful serenity. For a petite woman, she sure could make an entrance. "Yet another satisfied customer, Doc."

  Sofia turned and Reyna held up an ornate-looking cream envelope—another wedding invite. Always wonderful when a match continued to flourish. Great for business too.

  Reyna dropped the envelope on Sofia's desk, then added, "Margo and Van. That was quite the interesting pair. A socialite who loves to hit the mall and an introvert who only shops online. Damn nice job there, Sof."

  Reyna set her hands on her hips, highlighting the shapely curve of her waist that led to a tight, gray, knee-length skirt. Her "power stance"—that's what Reyna had always called it—and the pearly white smile that accompanied it would get her anything she wanted eight times out of ten. Silly as Sofia had thought naming a pose, she had witnessed it happen often enough to know it was true. Seemed they were both brimming with confidence today.

  The pendant was gently set back against her skin. Sofia abandoned the tranquility of a picture-perfect beach day and slid with grace into her black leather executive chair. A wry grin stretched her lips as she leaned back and clasped her hands behind her head with swagger. She spun toward her best friend of fifteen years. "They don't call me the Love Doctor for nothing."

  "Indeed." Reyna laughed, tossing her long, straight black hair over her shoulder. The dark color contrasted nicely against her olive skin tone and her white sleeveless blouse. "Let's go celebrate. I'm in need of a drink and a stiff one. And I'm not talking about the drink." A twinkle of mirth gleamed in light brown eyes the shade of a fine scotch.

  "Oh gag," Sofia groaned, but the chuckle that followed betrayed her display of disgust.

  "Seriously though," Reyna's words fell out with a heavy breath. "If I don't find 'the one' soon, I may enlist your help myself."

  "Rey, I'm not the Millionaire Matchmaker. I don't recruit love interests. You know that. I merely help two people who keep missing one another to connect."

  "Potato, poh-tato. I'm sure you could make it happen for me."

  With a roll of her eyes, Sofia brushed off the vote of confidence. Her best friend was rather picky and despite replaying the very same conversation monthly, Reyna preferred to play the field. "I don't know." A sly grin took shape. "Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and the Palm Beaches have a lot of bodies to search since you go either way."

  Reyna narrowed her eyes at the joke, but then a heavy sigh filled the room. "True." Her posture sagged as a pout pulled at her lips. In a blink, she shrugged it away. "But, guy or gal, I'll know when it's right. I'm sure of it. Just like I knew you and I would be lifelong best friends the minute we met in tenth grade science."

  "Because you wanted me to help you pass." Sofia grinned at Reyna's unamused frown.

  "No, it's because I know a gem when I meet one." Her eyes held a glimmer as she smiled. "Now come on, we can wing-woman one another."

  "Thanks, but I'm fine," Sofia said, dismissing the request. "I could go for a stiff one though, of the liquid variety."

  "Sof-"

  "Please, Rey, not tonight." Irritation popped her bubbles of happiness. She abruptly stood and stomped toward the door. "I'm fine. And it's not like I never date," she added with a huff. Her fingers sifted through short, wavy locks.

  "Who's talking about a date? Just get laid. Have some fun." Reyna slumped the minute the words left her mouth. Sadness chased away her smile. The air between them grew as heavy as the proverbial elephant in the room.

  "I do have fun," she snapped. Would the scrutiny of how she lived her life ever end? "And it's not like I haven't slept with anyone since..." A tired sigh filled the silence. "Let's just drop it. I'm happy, okay?"

  "Okay. Fine." Reyna moved to her desk. She lifted her suit jacket to her shoulder and one by one, slipped her arms in. "What are you feeling tonight?" she asked as she approached, all judgement removed from both her words and her expression. "O'Malley's? Maybe, The Fish Bowl? Oh, how about that trendy place, Rafael's on the Beach?"

  A soft smile formed as the cloud lifted, sending Sofia back into a celebratory mood. Tonight was supposed to be about their success, but was there any harm in mixing in a little research? Nah. "You know I love O'Malley's, but in the interest of adventure and checking out new date places, let's try Rafael's."

  "Perfect. You got first round." Reyna threw her a knowing wink.

  "I believe I usually get stuck with all the rounds." Sofia's soft laugh carried throughout the empty room.

  "That's because you love me and I do such a kick ass job for you."

  Tipping her head left, then right, Sofia shuffled her lips side to side in contemplation. When Reyna's smile dissolved into a taut line, a teasing grin took over and Sofia said, "I guess."

  Arms folding tight across her chest like a pouting child, Reyna muttered, "You're mean."

  "Aww. Buck up, buttercup. I do love you." Sofia leaned in and wrapped an arm around Reyna's waist, pulling her closer until they were hip to hip. Though Reyna was several inches shorter, high heels put her on even ground with Sofia's five-foot, seven-inch frame. "And I'm grateful you never used that degree in civil engineering."

  "I don't even know why I got that degree." Reyna shook her head and laughed. "I'm glad you gave up working in a boring lab and put my suave social and I.T. skills to use."

  Sofia hummed and lifted her eyes to the ceiling, chasing away the memories of what had sparked the career change. "Yeah well," she returned her gaze to Reyna, "this kind of chemistry has been far more rewarding than the kind in a lab, so I guess we're a match made in heaven."

  "That we are. Now let's celebrate."

  CHAPTER TWO

  "Hey, sis."

  The front door of Allie O'Leary's apartment slammed shut. The sound of clunky boots stomping rapidly across the cream-colored ceramic tile echoed throughout the house. Kat's arrival could often border on inconsiderate.

  A grunted "hey" was returned. Allie remained lounged on her sofa, her eyes never leaving the television. There was a marathon of The Walking Dead playing and even though she had seen them all several times over, she couldn't resist some Daryl and Carol. Those two were kick ass. The tinkling of glass and chink of ice cubes disrupted her focus and drew her attention toward the kitchen. Kat was already into her liquor. Why would today be any different?

  "You up for hitting the town?" Kat called out. An appreciative "ahhhhh" followed, which meant the first drink of the evening had been voraciously consumed.

  "It's Wednesday," Allie answered, as if the two words explained everything.

  Kat poked her head around the corner. A single brow rose in question before one word followed, "Annnnddd?"

  Allie groaned. Apparently, it hadn't explained shit, but what the hell? It had been a long day. What was the harm in a few more hours? But then, she'd be tired tomorrow and the day would feel even longer. However, a change in routine could be a great rut buster. She rolled her eyes and grumbled a bit more with indecision. Finally, she said, "Yeah, I'm up," and begrudgingly extracted herself from her couch.

  "Awesome." Kat brushed the dirty blonde bangs from her brow and victoriously thrust her fist into the air. "Two hot chicks on the prowl," she purred, wiggling her pencil-thin hips side to side. Her black miniskirt shimmied around matching leggings and her silvery sleeveless top sparkled in the light.

  While Kat danced around t
he kitchen and got a head start on her drinking, Allie slipped into her room to change. What a difference seven years made. She couldn't deny having been quite the partier herself when she was twenty-two—anything at any time—but her little sister's exploits put hers to shame. Still, on a Wednesday?

  Allie paused mid-step into her closet. Why did it matter what day? When had going out become old hat? "Oh yeah," she muttered. Since she'd gotten that promotion at work. Now she just wanted to chill after a long day with some takeout and mindless television. Looking down at her clothes, she hadn't even bothered to change before crashing on the sofa. Allie laughed to herself. At this rate, she was on the fast track to early bird specials. Going out was probably a good idea.

  She rummaged through her war zone of a closet, frowning at the disorganization of it all. She should really clean it out. One of these days… "There you are," she muttered as she swooped down and grabbed the shoes she'd been searching out. After swapping her boring black heels for the good time red ones and her work skirt for a pair of painted on gray jeans, she stopped to apply a touch of eye shadow. She didn't wear much make-up, but a little smoke around her dark brown eyes gave her a completely different look. Her long, chestnut hair was still pulled back. Too constrained. She let it loose to cascade down her shoulders. Still not quite feeling it, she fluffed it with her hands.

  Finally satisfied, there was one last change needed to successfully free herself from the chokehold of her uptight work persona. Her burgundy dress shirt. The blouse was still buttoned up formal and tight for her conservative job. A favorite of hers, she considered it her "take no prisoners" blouse and wore it whenever she needed a boost. Feeling she could still use that boost for her night on the town, she opted to keep it, but in the name of letting loose, she undid three buttons from the top. The little touch never failed to garner attention, though these days, Allie was careful when and where she tried to attract that attention.