Not My OwnComing soon
A Romantic Suspense Prologue After nine years of being estranged from her father, Megan Phillips now faces the second most difficult time in her life. The man, who hurt her the most, has summoned her back to Vail, Colorado, and her childhood home. Even in death, her father dishes out the last word. One thing she knows for sure is she won't allow her father to dictate her future from the grave. Megan must procure responsibility for Adam, a seven-year-old brother she hadn’t known existed, or she loses a vast inheritance. Megan wants nothing from her father, and refuses the inheritance. But, her father's love child has nothing to do with the rift between her and her father. She won't abandon Adam without placing him with family or in a good home. Unable to locate the mother and after finding out the boy's grandparents are only after Adam's inheritance, her search ends. Megan's life is altered in ways she never dreamed. Then, there’s her father's lawyer, the hunky Bret Evans. A bachelor, all business, Bret is married to his law practice. Love and a family of his own are far down the ladder of achievements. Megan, the woman who catches his eye from the start, could be the one who removes a few rungs in his ladder. Whatever will Megan do with a man who makes her forget she never wanted children, a family? The man who takes her breath away. Hidden in the shadows and bent on revenge, is a man Megan helped put away for abusing his children. Now it's payback time. |
Chapter One
In a couple of hours, life as Megan Phillips knew it, would be forever changed. She'd tossed and turned, and at five am, rolled over, popped off the alarm, then burrowed back under the covers. What she wouldn’t give to sleep the morning away, to erase the dreadful memories that floated inside her head. Instead, she kicked back the covers and crawled from the bed’s warmth, tied her hair back, tugged on sweats, then headed out the door for her usual morning run. The relocation to Helen next week had its drawbacks, but she could do with a fresh start, one without immediate reminders of Brian and Seth that haunted her every thought. At least that’s what several friends had advised. She had yet to believe it herself. No amount of distance could wipe out the memories. She knew that. The house was full of memories. Haunted memories. Everything she touched set off new waves of nausea, or each time she passed by their photos, they reduced her heart to ashes. Still, she wanted those reminders around. Reminders of a kind, loving husband. A priceless gift from God. Her son. Their deaths had driven her to the edge of collapse. She'd lost her reason for living. Nothing or anyone could ever fill the void. Some where, some time, she’d have to find peace. She couldn’t live this way forever, but finding that peace didn’t seem close. Moving forward was her only option, no matter that her mother always said, ‘You can’t run from your problems, sweetheart.’ She wasn’t running, only relocating. She prayed her decision was as it should be, not based on self-seeking needs and one she wouldn’t regret. Megan jogged at a cool down pace, then followed the trail back to the entrance of her apartment a little before six. At seven sharp she'd applied make-up and paid special attention around the barely visible scar on the left side of her upper lip. The scar, a reminder of being thrown from the horse her father had bought for her when she was twelve. The phone’s shrill ring whisked her back to reality. Megan gripped the phone while her pulse soared like a hot-wired sports car. “Excuse me? Would you repeat that?” The voice on the other end popped across the lines, stiff and professional. “Bret Evans, Mrs. Phillips. I represent your father.” Megan’s first reaction was to hang up, instead she fought down the demons, pushing dread deep inside her belly. Instead, curiosity won out. To ignore the call, now that he’d found her, was a waste of time. Mental images of deceit assaulted what contentment she’d found in nine years. Thomas Hall was about to slip into her life again. “Mr. Evans, I’m on my way out the door. What can I do for you?” Regardless that the masculine voice on the other end intrigued her, now Megan wished she’d censored the call. “I’m sorry. I’m not at liberty to discuss this information over the phone. What I can tell you is, it’s urgent that you come to Vail. At once.” “That’s out of the question.” “Mr. Hall asked if you’d be kind enough to honor this one request. A number of legalities require your presence.” After a long pause, she thought they’d been disconnected. “When can we expect you?” Megan took offense that a stranger would exude so much control. Still, she reserved the irritation in her voice. “Mr. Evans. Please extend regrets to my father. It’s impossible to get away at this time.” Or any other time for that matter. Megan despised the day she and her father Thomas Hall argued about her future. Their estrangement hadn’t centered on one disagreement though. It seemed they’d always been at odds with each other, especially when it came to his ambitions versus her own goals. The hurt hadn't gone away. “It’s crucial you be here, Mrs. Phillips.” Outside, lightning bolted across the sky and rain came quick and hard, giving birth to a vapor rising from the pavement on a warm May's morning. Her finger automatically reached to touch the scar on her lip as waves of nausea battered her stomach. She’d felt safe enough, until now. “I’m sure it is. It always was. You have my answer,” Megan said, then punched the end button on the phone. Megan leaned against the wall and pressed her fingers into her temples, closeting a moment of despair. She was still dealing with the loss of her husband and son, that was more than enough. The last person on earth she ever wanted to see again was Thomas Hall. |
Copyright ©2022 by Carol DeVaney
All rights reserved. These novels, stories and any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.
All rights reserved. These novels, stories and any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.