Her Fresh Start Family

Nina’s irritation waned at the sincerity in his deep voice. He meant well, and he did have a way of making her feel better, but he had no idea what she was facing. “No. It’s not your fault. I need time to adjust. Everything here is so different.”

“I suppose we do take a little getting used to.”

“Maybe next time.” How could she explain that this was a difficult time of year for her, which only added to her stress. She’d hoped the move here would keep her too busy to dwell on the anniversary, but it wasn’t. She glanced at her phone. “I have a patient due in a few minutes, so if you’ll excuse me...”

He held her gaze a moment, his green eyes probing and filled with compassion. “Sure thing.”

She pulled her gaze from his.

He started out of the room. “If you need anything, just ask.”

“I will.”

Alone, in the quiet of her office, she poured a drink from the watercooler and let the chilled water dampen the heat in her throat. She should never have come to Hastings. Never agreed to fill in for Kathryn. It was much harder than she’d ever expected.

She sank into her desk chair, her gaze landing on the calendar displayed on the corner. Her nerves screamed at the upcoming date. How was she going to get through Friday in her present state? Reaching out, she grabbed the calendar and shoved it deep into the bottom drawer before picking up the next patient file and losing herself in the contents.

* * *

Bret marched into his office and closed the door, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He’d messed up again. He’d convinced himself that the shy Nina simply needed a little push to get her out of her shell. It always worked with his daughter Livvy. A little urging and she could move past her reluctance.

Unfortunately, Nina wasn’t an eight-year-old child. Pushing her had only upset her and shoved her deeper into her hole. He’d have to find a different approach. He knew behind that rigid exterior was a sweet, vibrant woman longing to get out. Maybe he could get a better read after they rode back and forth to work a few times. People often opened up while driving. He thought about calling Kitty, but his concerns would only make her worry about her friend, and she didn’t need that right now.

The bell tone on his cell chimed, and he smiled. His girls were calling. School was out, and they always checked in. He tapped the speaker button. “Hello, princesses. How was school today?”

Livvy spoke first. “Georgie got in trouble.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Did too. She had to stay in at recess. She pushed Justin Collins down.”

“Livvy, it’s not nice to tattle on your sister. Georgie, we’ll talk about this later.”

“Okay. Grandpa is taking us to get art supplies. I have to make a poster.”

“Can I make a poster, too?”

“We’ll see. You behave for your grandpa until I get home.”

“Did you have a nice day, Daddy?”

Bret’s heart warmed. His oldest girl was the nurturer in the family. Always thinking of others. “I did.” A memory of holding Nina in his arms flashed into his mind, making him smile. That had been a very nice part of his day. She’d felt so soft and warm in his arms. He shoved the notion aside.

“Will you be home soon, Daddy?”

“No, Georgie, I have to work tonight, but we’ll talk when I get home, okay?”

After a few phone kisses and a couple of love yous, Bret ended the call and closed his eyes, rubbing them to ease the tiredness. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to get the hang of working and being a single dad. If it wasn’t for Alan, he’d be at the office every night. If the company would turn a profit, he might be able to take on more help, but right now, that was out of the question. They were barely staying afloat.

It was nearly five o’clock when Bret finished preparing for the computer class he would be conducting this evening. He needed to check with Nina about tonight. The widows’ group met this evening, and he suspected she planned on taking a cab back to the hotel. Not a good idea.

The door to her office was open when he entered the reception area, which meant she didn’t have a patient. He stopped at the doorway of her office. She was deep in concentration, no doubt preparing for her first group therapy session with the widows. He had to admire her diligence.

He tapped on the door frame. She looked up and smiled, causing an unexpected catch in his pulse. She had a beautiful smile. She needed to display it more often. “I just wanted you to know that I have a class tonight, so I can still take you home when you’re done.”

“Are you sure I won’t be putting you out?”

“Not in the least. Knock on my door when you’re ready to leave.” She nodded, and he tore his gaze from her pretty blue eyes, reminding himself that he had a lousy track record with women. He scolded himself mentally and turned away, making a beeline for his office.

He had to watch himself where his new tenant was concerned. She obviously had issues, and she wasn’t like one of his vets, whom he could easily connect with. They had shared experiences. He had no idea what Nina had been through. But something about the woman had latched on to him and he couldn’t ignore her.

Chapter Three (#u48386583-7ad6-518c-ad07-56cacedcb93a)

Nina glanced at the clock in her office Tuesday evening, tapping her fingernails on the desktop. The ladies would be here in fifteen minutes, and she was having a full-blown anxiety attack. She’d tried a few deep breathing exercises, several stress-relieving stretches and even resorted to a brief prayer, but nothing helped.

Intellectually, she knew she was prepared for this group therapy session. She’d read the files and all of Kathryn’s notes, and she had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Still, the thought of trying to guide a group of widows triggered all her insecurities. No. Her fears. These women could shatter all the windows in her shrine of grief.

The door swooshed open, and a tall blonde woman entered carrying a large purse over her shoulder. She was dressed in skinny jeans that fit the way they’d been intended, and a soft green flowing top. With her long hair and bright green eyes, she looked like she’d stepped off the pages of Vogue. She saw Nina and a huge smile brightened her face.

“You must be Nina. Ooh, I’m so glad to meet you. I’m Evelyn Clark.” She spread her arms and hurried forward, wrapping Nina in a huge, perfume-laced hug. Thankfully, the awkward moment ended quickly, and she was able to hide her discomfort.

The door opened again, and two more ladies entered. One was a middle-aged woman with salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a simple pair of jeans, plain knit top and tennis shoes. The other woman was close to Nina’s age and wore leggings under a long tunic, and large gold earrings that accented her dark curly hair. They introduced themselves as Paula Ingram and Charlotte Kirby. Nina knew the names from her files. Evelyn had lost her hubby to cancer many years ago. Paula’s husband had been killed in an oil rig accident in the Gulf. Charlotte was a military wife who lost her husband in the line of duty.

The ladies made their way into her office and got comfortable. Nina took a seat and glanced at the door. Officially, there were eight women in the group, but according to Kathryn’s notes, not all of them attended regularly. “How many more are you expecting?”

Evelyn placed her purse on the floor beside her chair. “Jen and Trudy are coming, but Rona has a school thing, and Elise has a migraine.”

Nina checked her file. “And what about Yvonne Monroe?”

The women all wore silly smiles. “I don’t think she’ll be back. She’s met someone and it’s getting serious. I think we’ll hear wedding bells soon.”

Nina remembered several notes in Yvonne’s file. Her husband had been murdered. Her file was the thickest. She had a long, hard climb back to mental health. It was good she was transitioning forward into a new life, but the thought of doing the same for herself knotted Nina’s stomach.

The door opened once more, and two women hurried in. The first was a small woman wearing a simple skirt and blouse and dark-rimmed glasses. The other was plump with graying hair and a cheery smile. Her perfectly tailored linen outfit suggested she was well-off.

“Sorry we’re late.” The older woman grinned and hurriedly took a seat. “I’m Jen. And she’s Trudy.”

Trudy took a seat in one of the side chairs slightly apart from the others, who had gathered on the sofa. Nina made a mental note of this, and then settled in, being sure to make eye contact with each woman and ignore the butterflies in her stomach. “I’m glad to meet you. Kathryn tells me you’ve been a group for a number of years.”

Jen nodded. “We’ve had some come and go. Several have remarried and are living happily-ever-after.”

“Since I’m the new one here, why don’t we start by telling me what you usually talk about.”

The women shared glances and knowing smiles.

Evelyn spoke first. “Well, actually, we want to get to know you.”

Paula leaned forward. “Before we spill our guts, so to speak.”