2003 Hardin Way

2003 Hardin Way

An Anthology

with Novellas

by

Nell Dixon, Laura Hamby, Kathi Robb Harris and Kris Starr

Healing Time by Nell Dixon

Starting Over by Laura Hamby

Jack of Hearts by Kathi Robb Harris

The Law of Attraction* by Kris Starr

*Reader Advisory: Adult content

Cover design by Paula Reynolds

www.scribblesense.com

Copyright 2013

Smashwords Edition

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the author. 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 you should return it to the distributor and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the authors’ work.

Once upon a time, there was a Cave filled with Bats at eHarlequin.com, the electronic home of publisher Harlequin Books. These Bats shared the ups, downs, joys and miseries of writing, and, as years passed, they shared the ups, downs, joys and miseries of life. We’ve celebrated births, mourned the loss of loved ones, watched each other’s children grow up, raised children with challenges, witnessed divorces, marriages and remarriages, celebrated publication, sympathized with rejection...well, you get the idea. We’ve had retreats, visited in real life, formed friendships that would defy destruction by nuclear weapons. Ours is a friendship without borders--we are in the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, and Australia--or, as we like to say, Bat World Domination.

Then, one day, in the course of a discussion, somebody said, Hey! I can’t get that idea out of my head. Let’s do an anthology.

So we did.

Well, not all of us. But several of us did, and this is the result.

We collectively hope you enjoy these novellas based around the idea of a safe haven for women in need. Strong women who don’t need to be rescued by a Knight in Shining Armor (that’s just a bonus!), but women who have Survived. These are their stories, centered at 2003 Hardin Way.

If that isn’t great enough, each author has her own plans for donating partial proceeds to a local women-centered charity of her choice. So not only will you be entertained for a few hours by reading this book, your purchase will also be helping women in need around the world.

And if you think we had fun pulling this together let us assure you we didn’t. That would be against Cave rules.

Laura Hamby, anthology coordinator

Tanya Saari, editor

Healing Time

Nell Dixon

Dear Reader,

Nell Dixon is a UK-based author living in the Black Country with her husband, three teenage daughters, a tank of tropical fish and a cactus called Spike. She writes warm-hearted contemporary fiction with a dash of humour and a dollop of suspense. In 2007 and 2010 she was the winner of the Romantic Novelist Association’s Romance Prize for best category-length fiction in the UK. She is the only person to have ever won it twice. She is published by Astraea press, Myrmidon, Headline, Mira, E-Scape Press, Samhain and Freyers Bower.

You can find her on Twitter and Facebook or check out her website at http://www.nelldixon.com.

Other titles available from Nell include:

Things to Do

Marrying Max

His Darling Nurse

Animal Instincts

Blue Remembered Heels

Brief Encounters - anthology with Elizabeth Hanbury and Phillipa Ashley

Passionate Harvest

Dangerous to Know

Be My Hero

The Cinderella Substitute

Cue Me In

Renovation, Renovation, Renovation

Making Waves

September Song

A Cornish Christmas

Easter Holiday

A New Bay Wedding

Chapter One

Fliss Martin opened her eyes and tried to focus in the unfamiliar semi-darkness of her new apartment. She raised her head from the pillow and listened, trying to catch the noise that had disturbed her sleep. The only sound in the tiny room came from Rufus. Her elderly dog snored gently in his basket in the corner of the room.

Some watchdog you are. Fliss thumped her pillow trying to make it more comfortable. Rufus ignored her and continued to sleep, one hind leg waggling in the air as if he were dreaming of chasing rabbits.

Fliss sighed and placed her head back on the pillow only to hear the faint scraping noise that had disturbed her before. It sounded as if it was coming from inside the wall behind her bed.

Mice! I bet this place has mice. Probably why the rent is so cheap. She would have to speak to Mr. Hess, the building supervisor, in the morning. She pressed her lips together in a bid to stop them trembling. Mice in her new home would just about be the last thing she needed right now. Turning over in her bed, she curled into a ball and closed her eyes, picturing Rufus running through a field full of wildflowers.

She woke the next morning with a headache and gritty eyes. The scratching, scuffling noises had continued through the night. Combined with the stifling heat she had tossed and turned into the wee hours. Not that it had disturbed Rufus at all.

There were two headache tablets left inside her purse, along with a meager amount of money. She swallowed the pills with a glass of water and wondered if she could risk breaking a bill to buy a takeout coffee later on.

Rufus padded over to the door and, lifting a front paw, scratched at the woodwork to let her know he wanted to go outside.

Okay, I’m coming. Fliss slipped a thin cardigan on over the top of her pyjamas and scooped up his lead from the countertop. Hopefully no one would be around at this early hour of the morning if she walked just outside her apartment.

Her top clung damply to her back as she waited for Rufus to finish investigating all the interesting scents in the dog walk. Once he was finally satisfied Fliss started back towards her apartment, glad she hadn’t bumped into any of her new neighbors. Her uncombed hair and Eeyore pjs would probably have left a lasting impression, and not the kind she wanted to make.

Miss Martin!

Fliss’s heart sank into the soles of her fluffy mules. Miss Addison. I, um, wasn’t expecting to bump into anyone so early in the morning. She ran a hand through her tangled curls and turned to face the woman who had rented her the apartment.

The older woman raised an eyebrow. I don’t expect you were.

Although the woman’s tone was mild Fliss flushed to the roots of her hair.

I’m glad I’ve seen you. Are you still looking for work?

Fliss nodded, not daring to hope that Miss Addison might have heard of a post to suit her.

Miss Addison delved into her capacious leather handbag and produced a business card which she proffered to Fliss. Jack Connors is looking for a receptionist and someone to restore some order to his office. I mentioned your name.

Fliss glanced down at the card, scarcely believing her luck. A vet’s office?

Miss Addison’s face showed a glimmer of a smile. Jack’s last assistant left at short notice and he’s been trying to run things himself. It’ll take a brave soul to take on that mess.

Fliss swallowed the lump in her throat. Rue Addison might try to act like a tough old coot but this was the second nice thing she’d done for Fliss since their paths had crossed only a few days earlier.

Thank you. I’ll call him as soon as I’ve showered and changed.

His bark is worse than his bite, dear, so don’t be perturbed if he sounds a little out of sorts. He’s not had a happy time lately.

Fliss blew out a breath. That would make two of them then. Okay, and thanks again, Miss Addison.

Clutching the business card tightly in her hand, Fliss headed indoors. Maybe, just maybe, her luck was finally starting to take a turn for the better.

* * * *

Jack Connor muttered a curse under his breath and started shuffling through the untidy heaps of paper on his desk. He needed to find his cell phone before it stopped ringing.

Connor’s Veterinary practice.

Mr. Jack Connor? The voice on the other end was female with an accent he couldn’t quite place.

Speaking.

Miss Rue Addison gave me your card this morning. She mentioned that you were looking for a receptionist and office assistant. My name is Felicity Martin.

Jack scrabbled around the desk for a pen and a blank sheet of paper. Thank heavens for Rue. She’d promised she’d help him to find someone who could restore some semblance of normality to his office. He vaguely recalled her telling him about some English girl who was looking for a post.

Have you any office experience? He tried to wedge the phone between his ear and his shoulder while he scribbled the pen uselessly against the paper. No ink. It figured.

Yes, I could drop by with my resume if that would help?

Jack gave up with the pen. That would be great. If you could call here at midday we can discuss the position.

Great. See you at twelve.

Jack slipped his phone inside the breast pocket of his shirt. He hoped this Felicity Martin was as good as Rue Addison had said she was. After the mess Eloise had left behind both in the office and in his personal life he needed to restore order in his work place, at least. His heart would probably take a little longer.

* * * *

Fliss’ hand shook slightly as she pushed open the door to Jack Connor’s practice. After she’d called Jack and secured her interview she’d spent time tracking down Mr. Hess, the building supervisor. If there were mice in her apartment she wanted them evicted as quickly as possible. Much to her relief he’d promised to stop by later that day. Now she needed to focus on landing this job.

The reception area of the practice was small and empty. Only the disarray of the chairs in the waiting area told her there had been patients present that morning.

Fliss walked over to the small counter and looked around for a bell to announce her arrival. The top of the counter was littered with forms and paperwork but there was no one in sight.

Hello, is anyone there? She tightened her grip on the shoulder strap of her bag.

Come through, a disembodied male voice instructed her.

Tentatively, Fliss lifted up the counter flap and stepped through into the office. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the state of the desk. No wonder Rue had said Jack needed help.

In here.

She followed the voice through another door and into a small corridor. One area obviously led towards the practice rooms and operating area whilst the other led to the kennels. She made her way towards the kennels smoothing her one-and-only suitable-for-interview skirt over her hips as she walked.

When she’d spoken to Jack on the phone earlier his voice had given her no clues to his age. Her only knowledge of him was Rue Addison’s cryptic statement about his bark being worse than his bite.

She rounded the corner to see a tall, wiry dark-haired man holding a small puppy of indeterminate parentage.

Be with you in a minute. The man didn’t look up from his task. Could you open the door on that pen for me? He nodded his head towards a large empty wire cage.

Fliss scurried over to undo the latch.

Thanks. With the dog safely stowed inside its comfortable container the man turned his attention to Fliss.

Sorry about that. The staff left early today. I’m Jack Connor. I assume you must be Felicity Martin.

Fliss’ breath caught in her throat. His bright-blue gaze was mesmerizing. Um, yes. Please call me Fliss.

Jack crossed the nearby sink and washed his hands. Fliss studied his long, lean fingers as he scrubbed them under the tap. She decided he had nice hands.

So, Fliss, I assume you have a resume and references? He turned to face her, drying his hands on some paper towels.

Fliss dug inside her bag. I have a resume and Miss Addison is my reference. She held the papers out to him.

His eyebrows lifted slightly as he scanned her CV. This is all very impressive but I don’t see a reference from your last position?

Fliss’ heart sank. I’m afraid I can’t give you that.

He lifted his head to stare at her.

There is a good reason. Fliss bit her lip. She really needed this job. The meager amount of money she’d been able to draw from her bank account before Steve had stopped her funds was almost gone.

Jack folded his arms and continued to look at her as if assessing her character. This is quite a responsible job. There are drugs kept on the premises and it involves invoicing and billing, handling cash. I can’t afford to take chances.

Fliss’s face heated under the intensity of his scrutiny. My resume lists my last job as a partner in a marketing firm. My partner was my ex-husband. I left our marriage under difficult circumstances and I don’t want him to find me. She clasped her hands more tightly together in front of her to stop them from shaking.

She couldn’t afford for Steve to be able to find her. It had taken all her courage to escape the first time.

Jack continued to watch her as if assessing if she was telling him the truth.

What about your clients? The people you dealt with? Couldn’t they give you a reference?

Fliss shook her head. I can’t risk them letting Steve know where I am. It was hopeless. She might as well go back to her apartment and start scanning the local paper for some cleaning job someplace. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. She could understand why Jack was wary of taking her on. If the shoe had been on the other foot then she would have doubtless felt the same.

Jack rustled the papers in his hand and proffered them back to her. Fliss’s last tiny thread of hope snapped. Thanks for considering me. She tucked her resume away and went to leave the room.

Could you start tomorrow?

Her head lifted and she stared at Jack. Tomorrow? Yes, of course but…

Rue is prepared to vouch for you. She doesn’t do that for just anyone and you’ve seen the state of my office. Do you think you can restore some order in there?

She nodded and hoped he couldn’t see the relief shining in her eyes. Yes, of course. If you can explain your system then I can soon get things tidied up.

Jack made a sound that was suspiciously like a snort. You’d better come and see what you’re taking on. I’m not sure that Eloise actually had a system beyond stuffing everything out of sight.

Her heart thumped against her chest wall as she followed