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    Once and Again: Once Series, #2
    Once and Again: Once Series, #2
    Once and Again: Once Series, #2
    Ebook128 pages1 hour

    Once and Again: Once Series, #2

    By MS Kaye

    ()

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    About this ebook

    She was once his secret desire…will she be again?

    Father Aiden, an ex-marine and new priest, falls in love with Maylynn, but he struggles to stay away from her. He’s successful for many years, though he can’t keep her out of his dreams.

    Then one day she shows up for a pre-marital counselling session with her fiancé, Davis. Aiden soon realizes Davis isn’t who he says he is, but what does that mean for Maylynn, and for himself?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInkspell Publishing
    Release dateJun 5, 2016
    ISBN9781939590817
    Once and Again: Once Series, #2

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      Book preview

      Once and Again - MS Kaye

      Once and Again

      ––––––––

      M.S. Kaye

      The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, places, or events is coincidental and not intended by the author.

      ––––––––

      If you purchase this book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have been stolen property and reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher. In such case the author has not received any payment for this stripped book.

      ––––––––

      Once and Again

      Copyright © 2016 MS Kaye

      All rights reserved.

      ––––––––

      ISBN: (ebook) 978-1-939590-81-7

      Inkspell Publishing

      5764 Woodbine Ave.

      Pinckney, MI 48169

      ––––––––

      Edited By Rie Langdon

      Cover art By Najla Qamber

      ––––––––

      This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. The copying, scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions, and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials.  Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

      Dedication

      ––––––––

      For Corey, again.

      CHAPTER ONE

      He knelt at his mother’s deathbed. The doctor said it was a matter of hours. He prayed with her—she’d reverted to Spanish, and he’d followed her lead.

      She touched his arm, and her voice was weak and raspy. I’m not in pain. No need to talk to God so much—I’m going to see Him in a little while.

      He knew that was supposed to comfort him. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on her delicate hand. I’m praying for strength for me, not you.

      She moved her hand, and he let her lift his chin. You’re a strong man. I couldn’t be prouder. She sighed as her hand fell back to the mattress and the blanket she’d brought with her from Mexico. My only regret is that I never had grandchildren.

      He lowered his gaze. He’d taken his vows a year ago, and had spent eight years before that in seminary. He’d hoped she’d let go of the dream of grandchildren by now.

      Aiden, she said.

      He looked up.

      You’ve made noble choices.

      He nodded. Being noble certainly wasn’t the reason he’d chosen to serve God. There were too many reasons to articulate, most of which his mother didn’t know.

      I just... She took a labored breath.

      He shifted to stand, to try to help, to anything.

      She lifted her hand, barely off the blanket, and he settled back into his kneeling position.

      She rested her frail hand on his. I wanted you to have a family. Siblings, nieces and nephews...a father.

      You’ve always been all the family I need.

      Her voice barely made a sound. But I’m leaving you.

      He said nothing. The church was also his family, but he knew he would likely never heal after losing his mother. Like he’d never healed after losing his brother, or watching his father walk out on them.

      She turned her head a few inches—the tendons in her neck strained.

      He knew what she was looking at. He reached across her, took her left hand, and brushed his thumb over her engagement ring and wedding band.

      She kept looking at the rings.

      His father had left them thirteen years ago, after Aiden’s little brother died in a hunting accident. Aiden’s mother had never seen other men, or taken off her wedding band. Aiden used to wonder if her loyalty stemmed from how his father had taken her out of poverty and brought her to America, but he knew now that she simply loved him that much. If she could live with him in a shack back in Guadalajara, she would.

      I want you to find him.

      Aiden looked up. She was still looking at her rings.

      Then she met his eyes. I’ve been looking.

      What?

      I think I’m getting close. Or I suspect.

      Mamà, why didn’t you tell me?

      She hesitated. You would’ve worried.

      His back straightened. It’d been a long time since he’d felt this protective aggression flood his body, not since his days in the Marines.

      His voice was level and low. Why would I have worried?

      She squeezed his hand. Her grip was weak, and yet her hand shook, as if she was holding as tightly as she could.

      Aiden focused on relaxing his frame. This could be his last conversation with his mother. She’d always been there, always supported him. I’ll do anything you ask me, he said.

      She smiled a little, and he realized she was straining just to do that.

      It’s okay, Mamà. Relax.

      I am, she murmured. Too much.

      He stood and leaned over her. He touched her cheek, skin paler than he’d ever seen it. She was usually golden, sunny.

      Not yet, he whispered. Please not yet.

      She took a halting breath.

      Mamà.

      I love you, she barely forced out. My dear son.

      Mamà.

      Her eyes fell shut, like how the sun falls behind the ocean.

      His heart seemed to stop in his chest.

      She’d made him promise to let her pass at home, not to fight it. Her disease was too strong. He knew he couldn’t save her, but he didn’t know how to just stand here.

      Looking at her limp frame.

      Alone.

      He knelt at her bedside for a long time, holding her hand. He prayed for her soul, asked God to take care of her, and asked for strength to get through this.

      With shaking hands, he anointed her skin with perfumed oil and completed the last rites.

      It took all his strength to make the call—to have her taken away.

      ~* * *~

      It was the middle of the night when he returned to her house, the house she’d managed to hold on to by herself for all these years. There were a few repair issues, but it was impeccably clean. He figured he’d donate it to charity.

      Not able to sleep or go back to the rectory yet, he ambled through the rooms.

      The last one, he hadn’t entered in years. He hesitated at the door, not sure what his mother had done with it—the room he’d shared with his little brother.

      He opened the door and walked inside.

      It looked the same as it had the day he’d left for boot camp, only a few days after his brother’s death. It wasn’t until months later that he found out his father had run off as well. Aiden had signed up for a four-year tour of duty and couldn’t get back to his mother. He still felt guilty for that—it was probably why he’d volunteered for such dangerous assignments.

      He looked around the room. The same blue quilts covered the bunk beds, and all of Andrew’s Raven football memorabilia still dominated the top of the dresser, all except the penny stamped with Ravens Football that Aiden carried in his pocket—Aiden had stamped the penny for Andrew on his first trip to the Ravens Stadium.

      He opened one of the drawers—all of their clothes were still inside. He held up one of his old, plain black T-shirts. He was still about the same size. He’d always had to buy XL shirts to fit his shoulders and chest, and that meant the waist was huge. He set the shirt back down and moved to close the drawer.

      Then he remembered his promise.

      She’d said she was looking for his father, that she was close to finding him. That meant she likely thought he was still in Baltimore—Aiden had always assumed to the contrary. And the fact she hadn’t told him what she was doing probably meant she was looking in rough areas. Knowing her, she’d have notes stashed somewhere.

      Now was as good a time as any to

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