Second Tear

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His heart was broken and mine just healed after experiencing the most heartbreaking pain a woman can live through.

The blazing chemistry we share is immediate. Powerful enough to set the small town we live in on fire.

He is the stranger with a chip on his shoulder. Retired rock star at twenty-three, I’m the girl with big dreams and this new life out of the limelight I’m building for myself.

After traveling the country to escape the fact his life has been spiraling downward, he walks into my shop by mistake. Tall, sun-kissed skin, whiskey eyes, and a jaw that could have been sculpted in marble. He’s lost and is asking for my help. How can I stay indifferent when as soon as he glances at me, I forget how to breathe on my own? Sparks, lust, attraction. The cocktail is deadly (for me) and impossible to ignore. Even my body agrees.

I’m not ready for a relationship. My husband died and I’m still trying to make sense of my single mom status. And he’s just passing through our small Tennessee town. He’s not here to stay. No matter how intoxicating our budding relationship is, we set rules and promised each other we’d be just friends. What a joke. Because now all I think about is how to be more. How to keep him to myself. And forfeit all those rules once and for all.

After I’m finally in a good place in my life, can I trust him with my heart knowing that love comes with risks?

The Second Tear duet is a standalone novel and includes Cruel Destiny and Beautiful Salvation.

*Due to mature subject, this book is only suitable for people over 18 years of age.

I repeated to myself an hour later. For the one-hundredth time. Why was I so nervous? Because I wasn’t really a date person. And the last woman I kinda dated turned out to be crazy in her own kind of way.

I had a good feeling about Dahlia, though. Over the years, I’d fine-tuned my crazy-radar. It should work fine now.

But still, I didn’t want to screw things up with Dahlia. For some reason, it got me fretful. I wanted everything to be perfect. We got along great last week. But a formal date sounded more official. Like a real deal. Like I had no room to mess it up. Not that I had a track record of bad dates, but still. Dahlia Ellis wasn’t the kind of woman you let down.

In a swift movement, I discarded the towel wrapped around my midsection and rummaged through my wardrobe to find something decent to wear.

Casual, but not too casual. Dressed, but not too dressed.

Those were the words Greta used when she sent me the link to the restaurant.

That sounded easy, right? It should. But right now, her dress code tip confused me instead of helping me.

I scanned every piece of clothing I owned, trying to come up with the best outfit possible. And yet, nothing seemed nice enough. I ended up picking a pair of dark jeans and a black shirt. I couldn’t go wrong with that.

Buddy, who’d been spending all his time over at my place, neared me and sniffed around. “It’s called aftershave, old pal.” I patted his head, and he snuggled next to my feet. “You know you’ll have to move out by the time I go, right?” He snored as a reply. Great.

Half an hour later, after I fixed my hair away from my face and grabbed the bouquet of daisies I’d bought earlier, I made my way to my truck. Jitters invaded my belly. I sucked in a cleansing breath. Dahlia and I hit it off the other day. Except I hadn’t gone on a date in a while. How could Tuck do this all the time? I hoped for his sake it got easier with lots of practice.

My stomach tightened in a chain of knots at the idea that Dahlia and I could be much more than friends someday. Even if I tried to ignore it, tangible attraction simmered between us when we spent the afternoon together last Friday, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it all week. No, I hadn’t imagined the connection we shared.

No need to lie to myself. All my conclusions ended with the hope that we could evolve into something more.

“Okay, bro. Wish me luck. I still can’t believe tonight is happening,” I said, glancing at the sky. “I’m going on a date with one of your idols. Or rather, his best friend. Maybe you have something to do with it. Or not. In either case, if you do, thank you for watching over me. Now go play and let the adults be.” I winked, kissed two fingers, and raised my hand over my head toward the sky.

The door opened, and Dahlia stood on the other side, radiant in her blue dress, her wavy hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes twinkling, and her smile disarming. My shoulders relaxed at the sight of her. “Hey, you look beautiful,” I said kissing her cheek.

Her eyes roamed over me in a torturous, slow motion. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Carter Hills appeared in my peripheral vision. He was much taller than I’d pictured him to be. For a second, I prayed Derek could see this moment from that cloud. Or wherever he was. I still couldn’t believe this was my life at the moment. The musician towered over me by a few inches. My back tensed again at the way he stared at me as if he could burn me alive only with his gaze. Flickers of apprehension woke up inside me. I felt so out of my element. Seeing him next to Dahlia, it all seemed surreal. She told me about his protective side. Right now, he looked like he was about to blow a gasket.

Ignoring him, I focused my attention back on Dahlia’s face. She was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her smile soothed my angst. Only she mattered. No one else.