Second Chance Dance

What’s a staid, predictable grandmother to do when…

She has a first and only one night stand with a man who makes her feel all the best things a woman can feel…and she’s so scared she runs…

And when he walks into her place of work on a first date with someone else?

She dives to the floor to hide, that’s what.

And so it begins for Laurel Tabor, a longtime widow who did one wild, crazy thing only to have her best mistake walk all the way into her life.

Nick St. John has wondered for weeks what happened to the lovely Laurel, a woman he fell hard for too quickly. Finally accepting that he’d never find her again, he returns to online dating…only to walk into the diner where she works in Dickens.

But Laurel’s not interested in a repeat of that fabulous night and Nick is determined to prove that sometimes fast can be oh-so-right.

Especially when he learns his former son-in-law is now married to Laurel’s daughter and he has stumbled into an extended family he didn’t know he needed.

How can Nick woo a reluctant woman when they share a loving, but nosey, family?

Read this warm-hearted, small town Christmas, later-in-life rom-com and laugh, cringe, and cry as this widow and widower come to accept that Dickens holiday magic can give them a second chance at love.

 

Rock Bay Casino Hotel – 50 miles from Dickens

Dutiful, boring, predictable grandmother Laurel Tabor stepped into the elevator, leaving behind her group of lady friends from her condominium building. To a person they loved the slots, and because she was a bore, she hated gambling. Or at least that’s what she told herself. She’d let them convince her that this time, the weekend trip would be different, that she’d have fun.

She was still waiting for the fun to start, and she’d already been here two days, faking it.

Predictably, she’d had no fun. At all. Dutifully, she’d already called Trix, her daughter, to say she was on the way to her room. Boringly, that’s where she intended to go.

Until he stepped into the elevator.

A man. Handsome, about sixty give or take, a head taller than her. Finally, something interesting happened. She leaned against the back wall of the car to give him room. Before she could study his face, he turned and tapped the button for the lobby.

She let her eyes and her mind wander. She fancied she’d be the perfect height to nuzzle his neck. Maybe lick his ear. Taken with her wild musings, she forgot to ask him to tap the button for her floor and ended up riding down to the lobby, where he got off without another glance her way.

Unpredictably, and with a quiver of excitement, she followed him. Actually walked a pace behind him on his left as he crossed the marble floored lobby and headed toward the bar. He drew to a halt at the entrance and glanced at her, then looked again.

He turned, giving her a full view of his face. Oh, mama, he was handsome. Square jaw, freshly shaven, kind deep brown eyes, and a friendly expression.

“I’m here for a quiet drink before I turn in. Care to join me? I’m on a road trip alone and haven’t had a soul to talk to today.” His voice sounded like silk on gravel and sent a new kind of quiver down her spine. Up close he appealed to her more than he had in the elevator.

“I’m on a weekend trip with friends, but I’m not much for gambling. I’m here for a quiet drink, too.” Okay, she made the bold new decision as his words washed over her. As his eyes took in her figure, quickly and shyly. Why not be less predictable for a change? Less boring? She smiled at the man and hoped the fun was about to find her. “I’m Laurel, and yes, I’ll join you,” she said.

“I’m Nick. Nice to meet you, Laurel.” His gaze settled on her smile, which made it widen. Oh, my. Things were about to get interesting.

Four hours later, she scooped up her panties, shoved them in her jeans pocket, scrabbled to grab her far-flung shoes and bolted out the door of his room, strangely exhilarated at her daring. Nick had left their nest of warm, rumpled sheets for a quick shower, so she didn’t have a lot of time to make her getaway.