I began this story probably a year ago after reading the book "Everything She's Ever Wanted" by Mary J. Forbes. It's an older book in the Harlequin book series "Special Edition." She wrote a series of books based on a group of brothers living in the made up town of Misty River, Oregon. Since I've been an Oregonian my entire life, I was drawn to this book. I ended up loving everything about it including identifying with the male character's teenage daughter. At the end of the book, I found myself disappointed that there wasn't more. Immediately, I began to formulate the ideas for my own continuation. That's what I have here. I've still got more work to do on this, but I will one day complete it. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Reviews are always gratefully appreciated :)


Chapter One: A New Beginning

One Year Later…

The air was crisp, yet frigid. A fresh layer of snow had fallen in the night and it crunched under Breena's boots as she walked along the path searching for the morning paper. She tugged her bathrobe tight around her as she leaned over looking into the shrubs that lined the front of the house hoping the paperboy had better aim this morning. She didn't feel like crawling through the rose bushes again just to find out the news of the day.

As she inspected a bump in the snow bank, that could have been the newspaper, a set of strong, workman's hands rested on her waist. "What are you doing out here," a deep male voice asked.

She swung around on instinct and met the tall, broad shouldered man that was her husband. "Seth," she gasped in relief. She shoved him in the arm in annoyance, "I hate it when you do that!"

He smiled down at her and chuckled. His beautiful blue eyes danced with amusement. "So, did Jason come close to the front step this time?"

"I can't find it anywhere. Want to get the ladder to check the gutters again?"

He looked up toward the eaves and said, "Not really."

"I could check around the side of the house. Sometimes Roach takes it to his dog house."

Before she could take off, he took hold of her arm and pulled her into an embrace. "Don't worry about it. I don't have time to read it this morning anyway."

"So you'll be gone all day?"

"Yeah. I'll be in Portland to pick up that order. I should be back by dinner, but if I'm not go ahead and eat without me. I don't know how the roads will be."

"I really don't like you driving in this weather, Seth."

He thought about his rig that could withstand anything including whatever weather the Oregon climate decided to throw at him. "As long as I'm in my truck, I'm fine. I'll call when I get there and when I'm heading back. Just like always." She nodded. "Hey," he said lifting her chin to meet his gaze. "I'll be fine. I make this trip, what, a few times a month."

"I know. I just worry."

He smiled and gave her a gentle kiss. "It's freezing out here," he said ushering her back inside the house.

"I think the coffee's ready," Breena said as they entered the kitchen. "I made some eggs," she continued grabbing a pan from the stove.

"Oh, Honey, this all looks great, but I have to hit the road." He filled a thermos of black coffee and looked back at the table. She had set the table for three and had fixed toast, eggs, bacon and laid out a box of corn flakes. In any other home, this might have seemed like any other day or any other breakfast, but for Seth it was much more. This woman who stood before him in her winter boots, bathrobe and her hair unbrushed was the woman he knew he was meant to spend his life with. He had waited so long for happiness that he no longer took the simple things for granted. At this moment, though, he wished for nothing more than to sit with his family and enjoy breakfast with them. He spied the clock on the wall and cringed. He'd be cutting it close if he waited any longer.

"You aren't leaving without seeing Hallie, are you? She was so excited about something last night. She said she would tell you this morning."

He smiled and said, "I'd never leave without saying good morning."

That next second, Seth's sixteen year old daughter, Hallie, bounded into the room with her backpack slung over one shoulder. "Good morning," she chirped.

"Good morning," the two adults greeted back.

Seth smiled at the girl who sat in her usual spot at the table. He couldn't remember her ever being so happy. The social workers still visited the house, but no longer as frequently. Just routine visits every few months. They were satisfied that Hallie was in the right home. She was doing better than anyone had ever expected - in school, in sports, in after-school activities and with her friends. She even brought her friends home which pleased her father to no end. Especially when he'd come home to a houseful of girls chattering with his wife in the mix serving snacks and offering homework help.

After Hallie had dished up her breakfast, she looked up at her father and said, "Are you leaving, Dad?"

"Yeah, Hal, have that order to pick up in Portland."

"Did you tell him," she asked Breena.

"No," she said filling a glass of orange juice for Hallie. "I told you I wouldn't."

The man was perplexed looking between the two women in his life. "What?"

"I got the lead in the play, Dad. I'm going to be Juliet." She glowed with excitement.

"Hallie, I had no idea…that's great," he congratulated her.

"You'll come see me, right."

"Of course. Wouldn't miss it." She smiled and looked down at her food. "Well, I hate to celebrate and run, but I have to get out on the road." He walked over to Hallie and kissed the top of her head. "Have a good day at school, Kiddo."

"I will," she smiled.

"Say 'hi' to Tristan." The girl blushed at the mention of her boyfriend.

He turned to Breena who was just standing at the sink holding a cup of tea. He walked to her and pulled her to him with one motion. "And you I'll talk to later." She gave him a smile and he continued, "You got everything today?"

"I'll be taking Hallie to school and then Kimmy's mom will bring her by the shop after school."

"We're having our meeting there tonight, Dad. We're going to help make baskets for the Christmas bizarre. Isn't that cool?"

"Yeah, that's great, Honey," he said with a smile at his daughter. "You can handle all this okay," he said turning back to Breena

She nodded her head at him and gave him a smile. "We'll be fine. We'll see you tonight. I'll keep a plate of food in the fridge."

He looked her over a moment before he gave her a kiss and said, "I'll see you tonight. Call if you need anything."

"Don't worry," she said with a calming smile. "Everything will be fine. But you call me if you run into trouble on the freeway."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a salute.

She laughed and said, "You'd better go or you'll be late."

He gave her another kiss and said, "Bye, Ladies. I'll see you tonight."

With a wave, he left the room and they were both silent until they heard his truck start and pull out of the driveway. Breena sat next to Hallie with her cup of tea. The girl with the same blue eyes as her father looked over at Breena's lack of breakfast and asked, "Aren't you hungry?"

"Not really. Don't feel well this morning."

"Are you sick? The kids at school have been spreading this nasty flu around. I hope I didn't bring it home."

"Maybe it's just a cold or something. Not a big deal."

In a short time, Breena threw some clothes on although not feeling the energy to devote to fully putting herself together that morning, and came downstairs just as Hallie was loading the dishwasher with the breakfast dishes.

"Ready," Breena asked as she pulled on her warmest jacket.

"Yep," the girl said grabbing her backpack and heading toward the door.

Immediately upon opening the side door, Roach jumped them excitedly. The women greeted him, but then hurried onto the car. Hallie was dropped at school where she happily met her friends. Breena was so pleased to see her so happy instead of the way she was when she'd met her - with a dark cloud over her head. She seemed like a completely different child.

Arriving at work turned out to be the biggest challenge of the day. Marla the woman she had hired only five months prior was just opening up the shop. She was a pleasant woman, single and fresh from Georgia looking to make a fresh start in a new town. Breena wondered secretly what she had been running from, but knew better than to ask. Everyone had a past, some best left untouched.

As Breena walked up the front walk, Marla greeted her happily and then seemed crestfallen. "Breena, you look awful."

"Don't feel so well today."

"Maybe you should go home."

"I'll be fine. Once the day gets going, anyway."

The women opened shop and were immediately informed from a supplier that their order for their Christmas baskets wouldn't be filled for a week. They didn't have enough for the bizarre that was the coming weekend, so Breena felt panic mode coming on. She informed Marla to search the Internet for anyone who could fill their order. Even advising to call the nearest Wal-Mart to check on the simplest of supplies. Maybe they could get by with some crape paper and a few of their usual items they kept on hand. They had one shipment coming in that day. Breena's mind began to work overtime.

By lunch, she wasn't feeling much better. Mrs. Hastings from the next block over brought by some goodies for the ladies to sample for the bizarre. "I know you help out those poor girls after school. Thought they'd enjoy these as well."

Breena hadn't wanted to seem rude and not take any, so she took a seemingly innocent sugar cookie in the shape of a snowman. As soon as she took a bite, though, her nausea returned. Although she hadn't felt like throwing up that morning, she did then and she rushed to the bathroom at the back of the store. After her bought of sickness had passed, she felt like a wrung out dish rag.

Marla materialized in the doorway of the bathroom as Breena leaned back against the wall to get her bearings. "Want some tea," the dark-haired woman asked.

"Thanks, Marla, but I think I just need to lie down for a minute." She still had that cot in the back room just in case something like this happened. But before she could rise, the phone rang.

"I'll get it," the woman said setting the cup of tea she'd been holding on the sink.

Breena held her head in her hands trying to will away the dizziness she felt and wondering for a brief moment if she were dying.

"Breena, it's Seth."

"Oh," she said having forgotten his promise to call. She took the phone, "Hi, Honey," she said trying to disguise her discomfort.

"Bree, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Something's wrong, what is it?"

"It's nothing," she said trying to forget that she was sitting on the floor of the tiny bathroom at the back of the store. "Just feeling slightly under the weather."

"If you're not well, maybe you should go home. Can't Marla take care of things?"

"Seth, I'm fine," although she wasn't sure she was convincing herself of that.

"Bree…"

"Really, I'll be fine. How was the trip?"

He wasn't all that ready to give up on this, but found comfort in the fact that she wasn't alone. "Not bad. Traffic was slow, so I lost a little time getting here. Not a big deal."

"When are you coming home?"

"I need to check out a few things, load this stuff up. Should be heading back in a couple of hours. Say, want anything while I'm here? What about that chowder place you like? I could pick up some."

Breena's stomach churned at the thought. She did love the chowder, but at the moment, she couldn't imagine having to smell it. "Some other time, maybe. Not all that hungry today."

"Maybe you should go to the doctor."

"If I get any worse, I will. For now, I think it's just a stomach flu."

"I wish you'd go home."

"Seth, I'm fine. I'll see you tonight."

"I love you, Honey."

"I love you. Be careful."

After ending the phone call, she informed Marla she would be in the back for a little while. Once she laid down, though, she passed out for several hours. When she awoke, it was to Marla shaking her. "Seth's on the phone."

"He just called," she said feeling like she was hung over.

"That was three hours ago."

"Three hours?!" She checked her watch and couldn't believe she had lost all that time. She took the phone. Seth continued to express his concern, but informed her he was on his way home. When she ended the call, she returned to the front of the store where a few women from town were browsing.

The women greeted her and one older woman said, "Why, Breena, you look positively green. You okay, Dear?"

"I will be, Mrs. Davis. Thank you for asking."

Luckily, Hallie and her friends weren't too far behind which gave Breena an excuse to put her sickness on the back burner. She and the girls did their best with the supplies they had to create a batch of baskets. The girls were helpful as well as creative and suggested ideas Breena hadn't thought of to offset their delivery problem. They had a total of 12 baskets at the end of the afternoon, all of the cookies had been eaten and a few problems had been solved as well. After the girls had left, Breena asked Marla if she would mind heading over to the nearest craft store the following morning and pick up the supplies they needed.

Sending Marla home, Breena and Hallie closed up the shop. She couldn't deny her step-daughter was a great helper. She could take inventory better than anyone she'd ever seen and she tidied up like a girl on a mission. After the last of the duties were completed, the two set off for home.

Arriving home, they took to the evening chores. Hallie went out back to feed Roach and give him some much needed attention. Breena put together some dinner while trying not to let her nausea get the best of her. When Hallie came back in, she helped set the table and put the food out. Breena set out the chicken, potatoes and green beans. She sat and watched Hallie take her helping of food as she slowly sipped her tea.

"Aren't you eating," Hallie asked noticing Breena hadn't even taken a plate.

"Not feeling well. Can't eat."

"Maybe you should go to the doctor."

Breena chuckled and said, "Your father said the same thing."

"He's worried about you. I mean, I know I am."

"You both are sweet. I think I need some sleep is all."

After dinner, Hallie made a plate for her dad and stuck it in the fridge with the leftovers. The two cleaned up and retired to the living room. "Do you need any help with homework?"

Hallie pulled her backpack over her shoulder and said, "I'm okay. Don't have much tonight. We had a sub for math and English. I just have to do some reading. Maybe you should get some sleep."

Breena smiled and said, "You're so much like your dad," and laid a hand on the girl's shoulder. Hallie smiled widely. "Maybe I will go to bed."

With that, they went to their separate rooms. Breena prepared for bed and fell asleep nearly immediately upon hitting the pillow. It was an unknown amount of time later when she awoke to a gentle kiss on her cheek.

She opened her eyes and found Seth sitting on the bed next to her. "Didn't want to wake you," he said with a worried expression.

"How was the trip?"

"Fine. How are you?"

"Maybe I should go to the doctor," she said in resolve. She felt worse if that was possible.

"You want me to take you tomorrow?"

"You have to work…and so do I."

"Bree, we have employees. We can take a day or a few hours…"

Breena dropped her head into her pillow and said, "I sent Marla to pick up supplies tomorrow morning. I can't just not show up to the shop."

"We'll work it out in the morning. Okay?"

She didn't want to talk anymore, so she said, "Okay."

Seth crawled under the covers and settled into bed. As he did so, Breena turned onto her side and Seth slid up next to her sliding a hand along her arm that lay atop the covers. Carefully, he wrapped his arm around her leaving the couple to spoon. "I love you," he whispered into her ear.

She smiled just as she drifted back to sleep and she mumbled, "I love you."