Eveline's Fall. A StoneBrook Series Novel. By Janet Byers

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Eveline’s Fall

A StoneBrook Series Novel

Coming this Christmas!

Excerpt

Ghostly Visitors. 

I was in that place of awake and asleep, so it didn’t resonate at first.

But as I started to wake from the very pleasant dream I was having, I began to realize that something was touching my foot.

Turning to my side, I buried my face in the fluffy pillow. “Max,” I said with a muffled groan, “it’s too early.” My lovable little Chihuahua had recently started waking me up before dawn to go outside to do his business. And while I loved my little dude, it was way too early, and much too cold, to leave the warmth of my bed.

Hearing his sweet little cry, I came fully awake, and as I’d done every morning for the past two years, my sleepy gaze wandered to the framed picture on my nightstand.

“Hello handsome,” I whispered with a drowsy smile. Daniel's twinkling brown eyes smiled back at me as I turned to my side with a stretch. “Ok, little guy,” I sighed, waiting for Max to saunter over and nuzzle my leg. “I’m awake. Let’s get this over with.” I was not looking forward to the bone chilling air facing me when I opened the back door to let my little dog outside. But I knew he wasn’t gonna wait.

With another heavy sigh, I sat up, flipping the covers off and meandering over to the bay windows that overlooked my modest backyard. Reaching for my long robe on the bench under the frosty window, I looked up at the still shining moon in the Colorado sky as snow flurries swirled in the cold, dark night, letting out another loud groan as I closed my eyes with a resigned sigh. Yeah. It was gonna be damn cold.

Hell of a way to wake up after the beautiful dream I’d been having.

About Daniel. Always about Daniel. I’d been dreaming about the first time we’d shared this room together. One year after we’d met, when Daniel had carried me over the threshold of his cozy country cottage. What a perfect night that had been.

“Yeah. It sure was.”

With a shrill scream, I nearly jumped outta my skin and turned back to the bed.

And there, casually sitting at the foot, with my sweet little dog lying blissfully in his lap, was a man who looked exactly like my husband. My dead husband.

“Hey darlin,” he said, with just a hint of that southern accent that I’d loved to listen to, and the smile on his lips that used to drive me crazy.

My eyes wide with shock, my heart started pounding. I couldn’t move. I just stood there, staring, my senses reeling.

This had to be a dream. So many times in the past two years, I’d dreamed of seeing him again. Of hearing that sensual drawl just one more time. But this was impossible.

“Ev?” the voice said, the concern there in his tone. “Eveline? Darlin.” And there it was again. That deep, sweet as molasses voice that used to make me melt.

Suddenly, I felt my whole body go limp, and as my eyes rolled back in my head, I heard a tiny cry escape from between my lips as my body went completely numb and I fell to the floor.

With a sigh, Daniel looked down at Max, then put his hand to the little dog’s head, giving it a gentle pat before he stood and walked over to the windows.

Shaking his head, he crouched down next to his wife. Smoothing a hand over the hair at her temple he let his hands fall between his thighs as he stared at her beautiful face.

“Yeah,” he uttered. “I was afraid that was gonna happen.”

Eveline’s Fall

A StoneBrook Series Novel

By Janet Byers

Available this Christmas.