Second chances in cheshi.., p.1
Second Chances in Cheshire Bay, page 1
Second Chances in Cheshire Bay
Published by H.M. Shander
Copyright 2023 H.M. Shander
Second Chances in Cheshire Bay is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used factitiously. Any resemblances to actual people, living or dead, events or locals, are entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored, in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written consent of the author of this work. She may be contacted directly at hmshander@gmail.com, subject line ‘Permission Requested.’
www.hmshander.com
Cover Design: Eleanor Lloyd-Jones @ Shower of Schmidt Designs
Editing: PWA & IDIM Editorial
Shander, H.M., 1975—Second Chances in Cheshire Bay
Table of 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
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Dear Reader
Other Reads
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Chapter One
The speed-dating ad jumped out as I scrolled through my social media. Someone had been doing her job correctly because there it was in my timeline; a beautiful, sponsored ad with the most adorable picture of a couple deeply in love. The dream.
Of course, Summer had mentioned she was putting the event together, mostly as a tongue-in-cheek type of thing to get people out mingling, but I hadn’t given it any serious thought. At the time of her wild idea, I was dating someone. Justin. A fresh out of high school jock, thirteen years my junior but with a stamina that came from being young and full of raging testosterone. Sadly, it hadn’t lasted as long as I would’ve preferred. The rumours became too much to handle. Cradle robber was not a name I wanted to be connected to me in any way, shape, or form, not as Cheshire Bay’s family practitioner.
But I needed that release. The kind that comes with an intense carnal workout. I’d been without for the past nineteen days. A long stretch. Solo time was getting boring, as there was no teasing, no heightened build-up, no connection – just a wham, bam, thank you Stan (the name of my hand-held friend). Desperate for a little fun, it made the idea of a speed dating event an interesting one, and something to give serious consideration to.
One evening, nine minutes each, for a total meeting of six guys in the first hour.
After reading over the brief FAQ, I learned the entire event was two hours long. Short, sweet, and surely, out of twelve candidates, one had to be suitable for a romp in the hay, right? Perhaps there could even be a long-term potential in one of them?
“Damn you, Summer.” I shook my head and rocked my fist through the air.
Summer wasn’t even around. My best friend and event coordinator extraordinaire was running Bayside Market – a farmer’s market which brought vendors from all over the region. It was a huge hit, and she had an extensive waitlist. I couldn’t have been happier for her.
Pocketing my phone into my lab coat after saving the event information, I walked up to the reception area. The waiting room was empty, not unusual for a Saturday afternoon, but not as busy as I’d like. Kudos to people for keeping themselves healthy.
“No more patients?” I stood behind the newly hired receptionist.
“No, Dr. Tarkin. Mr. McGill was the last one.”
That had been fifteen minutes ago.
“Alright. Let’s close up for the day.”
Sara clicked away, doing whatever it was the receptionists did to keep the place running smoothly. There was never an issue as she was a stellar employee, so I left her to do her thing while I went to the back to lock up.
I glanced at the clock hanging above my wall of certifications and diplomas. It was nearly three, and Summer still had an hour left of the market. By the time I arrived, I should be able to grab some last-minute bargains and help her and Adam, and whoever else assisted, in tearing down the tables and tents. After three months of the weekly market, tear down was getting easier and easier. Of course, all the extra hands made the work light.
We dimmed the lights in the reception area and headed to the alarm panel. Setting it, my nurse, the receptionist, and I stepped out.
“Great work today, ladies. Have a restful couple of days, and I’ll see you bright and early on Tuesday morning.”
Having our weekend shift from the typical Saturday and Sunday to a Sunday and Monday had taken some getting used to, but it worked out amazingly well for my patients and my staff. Not one to shift gears so quickly, but I was finally starting to settle into the slower-paced lifestyle of the tiny town, population 4500. A far cry from the bust-an-ass of the big metropolitan city.
I arrived at the market fifteen minutes later. I would’ve brought treats and drinks, but Libby, Sylvia’s Bakery’s finest employee, always had a few extra yummy muffins and sinful pastries I bought for the people who hung around to dismantle the tents and tables, if they gobbled them up, then I didn’t need to, and wouldn’t be tempted either. I could live vicariously through the delightful scents and aromas of the baked goods and listen to them moan with each bite. Damn.
The market was packed, and I ended up parking on the side of the road. Thankfully, I’d changed at work from business attire into black shorts and a white tee and had the foresight to slip into decent footwear for the long walk.
At the grand entrance to the market, I spotted my long-time best friend, her smile never waning as she greeted each incoming customer and thanked the exiting ones for coming by.
“Hey, Chloe.” Upon closer inspection, Summer looked exhausted. The lines around her eyes were deeper, with a smudge of mascara under her eyes, no doubt from the heat making them sweat.
“How was the sale?”
“Where did you park?” She laughed and brushed a few strands of hair off her face. Her natural beauty was effortless, something I envied.
“That good, eh?” I watched as the crowds ebbed and flowed.
“It’s amazing, and I’m so happy for the vendors.”
That was my Summer, a burst of sunshine. She didn’t want the market to succeed for her own financial gain, she wanted it to do big things for the vendors. And by all accounts, most were beyond happy, which fueled Summer to make it bigger and better as she was already in full planning mode for next summer.
“Adam and I are going to Glass Beach afterward for a picnic. Why don’t you come along?”
“Three’s a crowd.”
“Want me to have Adam bring his friend? He’s still single.”
“No, thanks. I’d rather be responsible for my own adventures.” I pulled the phone out of my pocket. “Oh, by the way, I stumbled across your speed-dating mixer.”
“And?” She leaned over to peer at the screen. “Oh, you haven’t registered yet.”
“Maybe I have, and maybe I haven’t.” There was just something about hitting the submit button that kept me from doing it. Fear, maybe? Worried that I couldn’t find someone on my own? Whatever my reasonings were, I hadn’t jumped in.
Summer waved at another passing customer. “Thanks for coming by.”
“But I am curious. I read the FAQ.”
“So, you are interested?” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Maybe I just want something a little more… I don’t know, involved?”
“I thought Justin was involved?” She air-quoted the last word.
“But I saw no long-term with him, and you didn’t either.”
“I just thought he was young. Too young. Maybe in a few years, it wouldn’t be too bad.” She put her hands in a mock hold-up position. “But, hey, I’m hardly the relationship guru.”
“It’s working out for you though.”
Summer had started dating Adam a couple of months ago. Her first relationship in seven years, but at least she had finally swallowed some courage and made the leap. She was happy and Adam was too, and after years of sheltering her soul, she was starting to bloom. She claimed – repeatedly – it was all the sunshine and fresh air in Cheshire Bay, but I knew it was something more.
“Anyway,” I said, glancing back at my ringing phone. I was on call until six, so any forwarded calls from the clinic were redirected. However, this was a reminder call from the dentist, definitely not important. “Justin got his acceptance letter.”
Justin had been my much younger now-ex-boyfriend, young enough to be finally heading off to university after two gap years.
“Kind of late, isn’t it?” Summer fanned her tank top.
It was July and the sweltering heat and humidity made our clothes stick to our skin. Thank goodness there were tents for the vendors; it would be brutal to bake in the sun all day.
I shrugged. “Apparently, it was a last-minute decision.”
“And where’s Justin going? UBC or Vic?” She waved as another guest left.
“U of T.”
She nar
I nodded. Forty-five hundred kilometres away, not that I’d checked.
“That’s across the country.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m sorry.”
I dragged my foot through the grass the vendors set up on. “With Justin clearly out of the picture, I did manage to look a little deeper into this mixer you have going on. Birch Bay Burgers is really going to be the venue for it, eh?”
“David was totally on board, and really, how could he say no?” A devious grin stretched out. “I asked nicely.”
I cocked an eyebrow, remembering how her flirtatious moves were taken the wrong way by a terrible individual. No doubt, there wasn’t going to be a replay.
“And Adam pulled a couple of strings on my behalf.”
There it was, and sweet relief washed over me with that detail.
“And the ladies get nine minutes with each guy?”
“Yep.” A smile stretched out her eyes, making them dance even more.
“And in that time, I’m just supposed to know if he’s the one?” Seemed so farfetched.
She shook her head. “Of course not, but you’ll be able to weed out the nasties, guys you aren’t attracted to, or who don’t share your interests.”
“You didn’t add anything about looks on the form.”
Her gaze widened, and her smile deepened, pushing the apples of her cheeks nearly into her eyes. “You really did check it out.”
“Fine. I did. I’m curious, but only because I’m so lonely.” It wasn’t supposed to come out as a whine, but it sure did.
“It’ll be fun, you’ll see.” There was an unmistakable bounce in her step.
“Do I dare ask if there are a lot of people who have expressed interest?”
“I’m not telling.”
And she wouldn’t say a thing either. I could try and tickle it out of her, but she’d never cave.
“Want to come and do some last-minute shopping?” She tipped her head to the line of tents behind us. “It’s now free admission. Besides, who knows, maybe one of those guys will be at the speed dating event.”
“Do you have an age limit?”
“I have a minimum age, yes. All applicants must be twenty-one.”
“Twenty-one!” The legal age in British Columbia was nineteen.
“Yes. My event, my rules.” Summer closed her laptop and stuck it into her shoulder bag. “Do you really want a teenager at a dating event mixing with forty-year-old women? Besides, weren’t you concerned about how relationships appear? The whole cradle-robbing thing?”
Damn it, she got me. “Fine, I want a younger guy who looks older. I want the stamina of the horny teenager mixed with the refinement of a guy who looks thirty. Better?”
“Oh, so you want a unicorn?” She giggled and walked to the entrance. “Let’s go say hi.”
I stopped in front of the wood carver’s setup. Erin had some amazing pieces. Every week she brought the most exquisite hand-carved decorations and pictures, one of which I purchased for the clinic. Each piece was remarkable in the detail, and I figured she could easily fetch more than what she asked. Typically, at the end of the day, she went home with an empty truck, or so I was told.
She stopped her setup and glanced in our direction, her hand on her latest piece – a grey whale.
Summer admired it. “That’s great, Erin. Be sure to show Ales over there, as he’s one of the whale expedition tour guides.”
The tour company was a recent addition to Bayside Market and, from what Summer mentioned, was nearly fully booked into the fall for tours. I lost track of how many times she mentioned excitedly how we should reserve a date before they were completely full.
“Oh, don’t worry. I will.” Was Erin blushing? Perhaps something was brewing between her and the tour guide?
Even though the weather hadn’t yet hit its peak in Cheshire Bay for mid-July, love was heating up everywhere I looked. Except when I’d glanced in the mirror. Seemed no one was interested in the town doctor.
We continued walking and checking out the setups, and I purchased another bracelet to add to my collection. As Summer was checking out one of the handcrafted necklaces, I straightened out my aching back and looked down at the end of the tents.
Two tables over from Adam, roughly fifty feet away, was a face I hadn’t seen in years. It was as if the crowd parted just enough to make it easy to set in my sights.
I smacked Summer, who sprung to her full height. Her smile fell to the ground as she rubbed her arm. I hadn’t hit her that hard. “Hey, what gives?”
Letters failed to form into words, which failed to make coherent sentences. “Who’s running… that table? The one with… the books?”
She looked at me curiously. “Adam.”
As in her boyfriend and the owner of A Whole New World, he had a table booked every week since the inception of the markets.
“Not him, the other guy. There.” I pointed at the table to the side, my finger twitching.
“Oh, that’s BJ Sutcliff, our local author of the week. Have you read his stuff?” Her voice pitched.
“BJ Sutcliff.” I rolled the name over my lips, a tinge of heartache and trepidation swirling in sourness in the pit of my stomach. “First name Benjamin, by any chance?
She flipped her gaze over to him, and then casually back to me, giving me a half-assed shrug. “Could be. I think his form just said BJ.” She nudged my arm. “He’s kind of cute, don’t you think?”
“What’s not to admire? The thick locks of dark wavy hair, the scruff across his cheeks and chin. His lean build with broad shoulders and dark eyes, highlighted with long lashes.”
“Oh my god, you can see his eyelashes?” She narrowed her gaze, searching my face.
“I just know. It goes with the type. Probably drives a high-end sports car, and wears clothes that reek of old, stale family money. No doubt if you don’t conform to his brand of perfection, you won’t last long.” The words rattled off my tongue rather than stay permanently stuck in my head where they belonged.
“Do you not like him? Is he a horrible patient or something?”
Suddenly, BJ’s eyes connected with me, and with it, came a curious tip of his perfect little head.
Wanting to avoid him at all costs, I huddled behind Summer while pretending to be interested in something – anything – on the table full of handmade jewellery. I peered around my friend and stole another glance. There was zero doubt in my mind he was Benjamin Walter Sutcliff the third, and the reality of knowing he was in the area clenched my ribs into a tight, protective fence around my heart.
Just like that, with one swift glance and a flash through the memories, my good mood was gone. “I need to go home. I’m sorry I can’t stay to help.”
“What’s going on? How do you know BJ?”
“Not as BJ, but he was known commonly as Benji.”
“Benji? Wait a sec?” Her doe brown eyes went as big as saucers. “As in GiGi… the guy you claimed was the love of your life?”
That was all she knew, was all I’d let her know. Whenever she asked for more info on who this GiGi was, I managed to redirect onto something else, twisting the conversation away from the one guy who didn’t just manage to break my heart – he shattered it into unrepairable pieces that no skilled surgeon could ever repair.
But I couldn’t speak, and my feet were chained to the ground.
Until he slowly rose from his chair, like Triton from the sea, and inched himself between the tables, head tilted in confusion as he made his way in my direction.
“I’m going home.” I lovingly patted Summer on the arm and spun around.
Pushing my way through the crowds, I made it to the entrance, scanning for a garbage can, worried I was going to be sick.
I swore when the door closed on me, literally and figuratively, that was the last I’d ever see of Benjamin Walter Sutcliff the third. He was supposed to live in his prissy posh paradise for the rest of his privileged and entitled life. What in hell was he doing in this small town? It wasn’t big enough for me to hide from him.
Chapter Two
The soft rap against my door was barely audible, but I heard it nonetheless and held my breath hoping she would just walk away.
