Lorraine Beatty - Rekindled Romance

Old Love, New Neighbor

Forced to return home after a health scare, Shelby Russell winds up next door to none other than Matt Durrant. Her onetime fiancé and now a widower with two kids, Matt plans to keep Shelby at arm’s length. Even if she’s the logical choice for a nanny. Even if his kids love her. Even if he’s happier than he’s been in years. But Matt was the one left behind when Shelby went to follow her dreams. After losing so much, Matt knows his courage is faltering. And when he learns the truth about what Shelby faces now, they’ll both need a heavy dose of courage if they dare hope for a future.

Shelby searched for something to say. “Matt, I—”

“You met my kids.” His tone was flat and cool.

Shelby nodded, mentally scurrying to regain her footing at his abrupt change of subject. “They’re adorable. I like their dog, too.” She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of them. “They were very well behaved. You and your wife should be proud. You’ve done a wonderful job with them.”

Matt paled. His eyes turned dark and cold. “My wife died three years ago.”

She gasped. “Oh, Matt. I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.” He pinned her with a cold blue glare.

“My kids have been through a lot. They’re emotionally vulnerable and they tend to give their hearts too easily. I don’t want those hearts broken by a stranger passing through town.”

Stranger? Was that how he thought of her now? Before she could respond, he turned and walked to the door.

He stopped, looking over his shoulder. “Do we understand each other?”

LORRAINE BEATTY

was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, but has been blessed to live in Germany, Connecticut and Baton Rouge. She now calls Mississippi home. She and her husband, Joe, have two sons and six grandchildren. Lorraine started writing in junior high and has written for trade books, newspapers and company newsletters. She is a member of RWA and ACFW and is a charter member and past president of Magnolia State Romance Writers. In her spare time she likes to work in her garden, travel and spend time with her family.

Rekindled Romance

Lorraine Beatty

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A time to tear down and a time to build.

—Ecclesiastes 3:3

To my grandchildren: Cameron, Casie, Chey, Andrew, Anna and Addie.

You are my treasures.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

Shelby Russell steered her gray Malibu onto Highway 34 past the city limits sign of Dover, Mississippi, bracing herself against a sudden rush of painful memories. Coming home was the last thing she wanted to do. She’d turned her back on the small Southern town fifteen years ago and never looked back. Every goal she’d set for herself had been achieved. She’d risen through the ranks of Harmon Publishing to become senior editor of Tween Scene magazine, the top-selling publication for preteen girls in the country. It was a high-energy, high-stress job, and she loved every minute of it. But it was also the reason she was coming home.

Shelby eased the car to a halt behind a short line of cars waiting for a train to pass; the blinking red warning lights at the crossing were an unwelcome reminder of why she was back in Dover. A heart attack. She’d laughed in the doctor’s face when he’d delivered his diagnosis. Heart attacks were for old people. She was only thirty-four. True, she’d had only a very mild one, but the tests didn’t lie, and if she didn’t eliminate the stress and change her lifestyle, she wouldn’t be around to continue her exciting career. She’d already lost two grandfathers and an aunt to heart disease. She couldn’t ignore her medical history.

The crossing gate lifted, and Shelby eased forward with the traffic. So here she was, coming home to stay with her grandmother, her life in chaos, her future in doubt. She was thankful that she had someone here who still cared about her, someone she could turn to when the world didn’t make sense anymore. And right now, nothing did.

Her gaze surveyed the changes in the once-familiar surroundings as she followed the two-lane road toward town. The fields and piney woods surrounding the small town had been replaced with new shopping centers and an industrial park. A sprawling attendance center filled what once had been cotton fields. Courtesy of the new auto plant no doubt. Gramma had told her the plant, situated between the towns of Dover and Sawyers Bend, had brought about huge changes to both the once-dying towns.

As the highway gave way to downtown, the changes became more evident. The majestic courthouse still dominated the center of the town, but the surrounding trees were bigger and the elegant wrought-iron fence was a crisp shiny black. The historic gazebo, Dover’s iconic symbol, still stood proudly in one corner of the grounds, like a Victorian jewel in the late-afternoon sunshine. The four streets flanking the square, lined with 19th-century brick buildings, all sported freshly painted facades in a variety of colors. Many storefronts had bright awnings providing shade; others had flower-draped balconies. The entire area looked like a watercolor painting of the quintessential small Southern town. The Dover she remembered looked nothing like this.

Shelby pulled to a stop at the red light, willing herself not to look at the store on the corner, but the temptation was too great. Her gaze traveled to Durrant’s Hardware. The real reason she’d stayed away so long. Matt Durrant was here. Her heart pounded. Was Matt in the store right now? Had he taken over the family business? Probably. It was the reason she’d left. They had wanted different things out of life. Incompatible things.

The light changed and she focused on the road ahead, trying to push all thoughts of Matt to the back of her mind. She failed. Did he ever think about her? Was he as handsome now as he’d been then? Had he married?

Gritting her teeth, Shelby forced all thoughts of Matt and the past aside and focused on making the turns that would take her to Willow Street. She pulled into Gramma’s driveway and stopped, taking a moment to appreciate the two-story redbrick house. Nestled on a tree-lined street on the south edge of town, the foursquare-style home was a mirror image of the house next door. Their expansive lots butted up against the woodlands. Both homes had been built by Gramma’s great-great-grandfather and his brother, who helped found the railroad town, then known as Junction City. Her heart warmed as she gazed upon the stately dwelling. The large front porch, the potted chrysanthemums and the massive live oak tree in the yard all welcomed her home.

Home.

Memories of feeling safe, loved and happy flowed through her even as tears burned behind her eyes. She’d left here so full of dreams, determined to conquer the world, but she was returning with her life in turmoil. Mentally she kicked herself for holding a pity party. She might be down, but she wasn’t out. She would beat this. She would not let this health issue ruin her future. It was merely a matter of blocking out the fear and taking control of her life. She’d learn to relax. She’d learn to de-stress. She’d learn to be peaceful if it was the last thing she ever did.

Shelby let off the brake, guiding the car to the left of the Y-shaped driveway between the twin houses, and parked beneath the shade of a giant live oak. Her cramped muscles protested angrily as she unfolded herself from the vehicle, and a wave of exhaustion and defeat settled upon her shoulders. The long drive from New York to central Mississippi had been intended to give her time to relax and slow down. Instead, it had allowed too much time for regret and introspection. Neither of which eased her stress.