When I See Your Smile (eBook)

Christine Anthony (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
296 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-9403-2 (ISBN)

Infos

The heartwarming sequel to When I See You Again! Ethan Miller is ready to make some changes in his life. After waiting five years for Jillian to return to Haunted Harbor, he is finally ready to concede that dream is lost. Though memories of the woman he loves still haunt him, Ethan begins the process of finding a home where he can start over. Just as he takes the first step toward finding his special place, he crosses paths with a woman who fascinates and intrigues him. Willow James has come to Haunted Harbor on a mission - find Ethan Miller. She has no idea where to begin searching for the handsome veterinarian, but then Fate intervenes. Ethan literally runs right over her shortly after she arrives in town. Desire flares, but what will Ethan do when he discovers Willow is hiding a secret that will change his life forever? Conflicts arise as they struggle to navigate their way through a situation that has the potential to ruin other lives as well as their own. Can a matchmaking ghost help them find their way to happily ever after? Or, will they destroy their one chance to find a love that will last forever?

Christine Anthony is an award-winning author and photographer. Her debut novel, When I See You Again, received an Eric Hoffer Award (Honorable Mention in Romance) and was a Finalist in Romance in the Independent Author Network Book Awards. When I See You Again earned a five-star gold seal rating from Reader Views. Good Citizens, the first book in her Love & Murder Series, also attained a five-star gold seal rating from Reader Views.

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The heartwarming sequel to When I See You Again!Ethan Miller is ready to make some changes in his life. After waiting five years for Jillian to return to Haunted Harbor, he is finally ready to concede that dream is lost. Though memories of the woman he loves still haunt him, Ethan begins the process of finding a home where he can start over. Just as he takes the first step toward finding his special place, he crosses paths with a woman who fascinates and intrigues him. Willow James has come to Haunted Harbor on a mission - find Ethan Miller. She has no idea where to begin searching for the handsome veterinarian, but then Fate intervenes. Ethan literally runs right over her shortly after she arrives in town. Desire flares, but what will Ethan do when he discovers Willow is hiding a secret that will change his life forever?Conflicts arise as they struggle to navigate their way through a situation that has the potential to ruin other lives as well as their own. Can a matchmaking ghost help them find their way to happily ever after? Or, will they destroy their one chance to find a love that will last forever?Enjoy this second story set in Haunted Harbor, Maine, a charming little town with a big secret. New characters and old favorites mix and mingle as Willow attempts to fulfill the promise she made to her best friend, a promise she won't break, not even for Ethan. Believe in the impossible in this story filled with romance, hope, and love.

Textauszug

CHAPTER 1

The sun had barely peaked over the horizon as Ethan Miller jogged on the beach. He loved this time of day, this moment when opportunities seemed endless and life’s pressures had yet to settle upon his shoulders. Rarely did he see anyone else at this early hour, and usually if he happened to meet another person, they tended to keep to themselves.

The small town of Haunted Harbor, Maine, came into view as he rounded a headland, and in the distance he could see a light burning in one of the windows of the old cannery. Smiling, he wondered if Allie, Lucien, or both of them, were up and about at this early hour. His money was on Lucien since as of late, Allie needed an extra hour or two to get going in the mornings. Pregnancy certainly agreed with her, Ethan decided, but morning sickness did not.

His steps slowed as he imagined Allie and Lucien welcoming their firstborn child, and a twinge of jealousy ran through him as he thought about how happy the two of them were now that they were married. Still practically newlyweds, they hadn’t wasted a minute before deciding to start a family. The only downside to not waiting, as Allie had told him, was having to go through the summer while she was in her last trimester. Summers in Maine weren’t as hot and humid as in other parts of the country, but there were days when the season wasn’t pleasant.

Thoughts of summer always triggered a feeling of melancholy, and Ethan wondered if there would ever come a day when he looked forward to the longer days and higher temperatures instead of dreading them. Come this summer, it would be five years since he last saw Jillian. Five years since the woman he thought he would marry had disappeared. Shaking his head, Ethan moved away from the water’s edge as he tried to push all thoughts of Jillian out of his mind.

“You’re out awfully early this morning.” Lucien Dukaine raised his voice to be heard over the rolling waves.

Smiling, Ethan angled away from the ocean. “So are you. It’s been a while since I managed to catch you here at this hour.”

“Allie’s got a doctor’s appointment later so I wanted to come by and check on things since I won’t be here this afternoon.” Lucien motioned for Ethan to follow him into the building. “Come take a quick look at the seats. They just put them in yesterday.”

Eager to see the newly installed theater chairs, Ethan picked up his pace as he headed for the open door on the beach side of the building. The old cannery had long been abandoned when he had purchased the large structure, but he had believed the historical building was worth saving. With tons of space, the possibilities were endless when it came to deciding how to repurpose the property. Fortunately, Lucien had presented him with an idea which surprisingly had appealed to his desire to make the former business something special.

A music school in Haunted Harbor, Maine, wasn’t what anyone in the community had expected, but over the last few months the citizens had embraced the idea with great enthusiasm. Lucien Dukaine, world renowned composer, was determined to make the school a success and with Allie by his side, Ethan had no doubt the school would flourish.

“The color looks fantastic.” Lucien led the way to the main auditorium where concerts would be held. “The pop of red isn’t overly bright and makes all the woodwork really standout.”

Ethan had to agree as he followed his friend down the main aisle. “I can’t believe how much work has been done in such a short amount of time.”

“Well, the outside of the building didn’t need much repair.” The composer tucked his hands into his front pockets. “Lucky for us, we had workers who were willing to stay in Haunted Harbor through the winter to get the inside completed.”

Glancing around, Ethan realized there wasn’t a great deal of work left to be done. “Are the other rooms this close to being finished?”

Nodding, Lucien gave him a smug look. “They are.” He rocked back on his heels. “If things keep going as smoothly as they have been, we’ll be ready to take on students in the fall.”

“Are you and Allie ready for that?” Ethan gave him a questioning look.

“Allie’s doing a great job getting everything set up, but we’ll have to hire an assistant since the baby will be here by then.” Lucien briefly frowned as he thought about that unexpected need. “We didn’t really think about how children would change our plans, but Allie made a few adjustments to her office space so she can bring the baby to work with her.”

Later, as they were standing in the redesigned main office of the school, Ethan had to give Allie credit. The changes she had made had given her the space for a nursery/play area without sacrificing any of the things she needed in her office. Still, once the school was up and running, she would need help. Thankfully, there was plenty of room for more than one person to work in the multi-room headquarters.

“It looks like everything is under control here.” Ethan glanced at his watch. “I’d better get moving. Now that the weather’s nice, people tend to come in earlier than they do during the winter.”

Lucien followed him as they made their way to the main door of the building. “I can’t believe how busy you are when you live in such a small town.”

Ethan stopped as they exited the building. “For the most part, people around here take good care of their pets. Plus, since I grew up here, people know me and they help bring in business from the surrounding towns.”

“I don’t see how you do it some days.” Lucien shook his head. “It seems like every time there’s a holiday or special event you have to leave on a call.”

“Being a vet is no different than being a people doctor.” Ethan’s shoulders lifted and fell. “You can’t schedule when you’re going to get sick or injured, and neither can animals.”

“That’s true,” Lucien acknowledged. “But a people doctor can usually get another doctor to cover for them. Sometimes, you don’t have that luxury.”

Grinning, Ethan waved goodbye. “What can I say, I’m irreplaceable.” He heard Lucien laugh as he broke into a jog again.

It didn’t take long to reach the charming main street that ran through the center of town. Lined by quaint shops, a few professional businesses, and a couple of specialty food stores, the thoroughfare was quintessential America at its best. Other towns in the area had a much more modern look, but Haunted Harbor, in many ways, hadn’t changed over time. It was a quiet peaceful place, a unique haven that residents loved and appreciated.

Ethan continued jogging for a couple of blocks before making a right turn onto a side street. The small cottage he called home was located on a corner lot at the end of the lane. With only one bedroom, a bathroom, and a combination kitchen/dining/living space, the house wasn’t very roomy. Setting up his practice had taken priority over everything else, but now that his business was well established, he was considering investing in a larger home. Maybe, if he had time today, he would stop by Jim Caldwell’s realty office to see what was currently on the market.

Another glance at his watch confirmed he had better get moving if he didn’t want to be late for work. Used to showering and dressing in a short amount of time, Ethan made it to his office before his assistant arrived. He turned on the lights, made a pot of coffee, and booted up computers and other equipment he would need during the day. After pulling on his white lab coat, he began checking through the supplies in the storage room. Since the COVID pandemic, there had been occasional glitches with delivery times and he wanted to make sure no animal would be put at risk just because he didn’t have what was needed on hand.

“Morning, you’re here awfully early.” Megan’s voice came from behind him.

“Good morning.” Turning, Ethan returned the greeting before flashing his receptionist a smile. “You’re in a good mood this morning. Any particular reason why?”

“Nope.” She leaned against the door frame. “It looks like summer is on its way and I’m looking forward to spending some time on the beach.”

“Just make sure you don’t fall asleep like you did last summer.” Ethan knew he sounded like a father even though Megan was only four years younger than he was. “It took a long time for you to recover from that sunburn.”

Grimacing, she moved out of his way as he headed for the door. “I’ll be careful. That’s not an experience I ever want to repeat.”

He certainly hoped not, Ethan thought. Megan’s burn had been severe enough that she had been forced to make a trip to the emergency room. She had missed a full week of work and it had taken even longer for her to completely recover. Accidents happened as he well knew, but he didn’t want to see a second incident this summer.

“I’m going to flip the sign over if you’re ready to get started.” She headed down the hallway toward the front door.

“I’m ready.” Ethan closed the door to the supply room. “What’s on the schedule for today?”

Megan eased into the chair behind her desk and checked her computer before answering. “Looks like you’re booked this morning.” She skimmed over the information on the screen. “Mostly vaccinations and a couple of after-surgery checkups.”

He hesitated, once again thinking about that visit to...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 2.6.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3509-9403-2 / 9798350994032