Second Chance Christmas

Second Chance Christmas

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by

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Merrillee Whren

Book Description

Melanie Reid wants only one thing—for her estranged husband to be a father to the son he has never acknowledged. JD may not love her, but she hopes he can love their little boy.

When an injury ends J. D. Reid’s professional tennis career, he must deal with his sham of a marriage. He believes seeing his wife again will open up the old hurts and guilt, but he never expects to learn he has a three-year-old son.

Can they put their Humpty-Dumpty marriage back together again for the sake of their son, or can they find true love this time around?

Copyright 2016 © Merrillee Whren

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, in whole or in part, without permission from the author.

Merrillee Whren

http://www.merrilleewhren.com/

Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. All characters and events in this story are the author’s invention. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, or institutions is completely coincidental.

Table of Contents

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter One

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Melanie Reid fingered the piece of paper in the pocket of her tennis dress as she traipsed down the hallway of her parents’ Amelia Island vacation home. Chris, where are you?

Out here, her sister called from the cedar deck at the back of the house.

Looking out the wall of windows in the family room, Melanie spied Chris sitting on one of the blue-and-white striped chairs surrounding an umbrella table. As Melanie opened the French doors leading to the deck, the folded paper seemed to burn a hole in her pocket. She wondered what Chris would think when she saw it.

Hi. Approaching the table, Melanie wished she could summon the courage to tell Chris her discovery, but Melanie didn’t want to hear Chris’ vehement denouncement of her foolish past. Where’s Danny?

Believe it or not your live-wire son is out for the count. He had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, and now he’s taking a nap.

Melanie smiled. What did you put in the peanut butter? Tranquilizers?

I think I wore him out at the beach. How was your tennis lesson?

Fine. Melanie touched the paper again.

Have you had lunch?

Melanie shook her head as she pulled out a chair. Is there any of that fruit and cheese left?

Sure, I’ll get it.

Moments later Chris returned carrying a tray containing Melanie’s lunch and two glasses of iced tea.

Thanks. Biting into a strawberry, Melanie savored its sweet juice.

You’re certainly quiet. Something on your mind? Chris raised her eyebrows so they disappeared beneath the fringe of light-brown bangs.

They were handing these out this morning at the pro shop. Melanie offered the paper to Chris, who took a seat beside her.

Tennis clinic, featuring instruction from one of the world’s best tennis players, J. D. Reid, Chris read aloud as she looked over the flyer. Well, what do you know? My wonderful brother-in-law has returned.

Don’t be sarcastic.

What do you expect me to be? Overjoyed at his appearing?

No. Melanie sighed, twisting the plain gold band on her left hand.

I’m sorry, Mel. Chris reached over and patted her sister’s hand. You know just thinking about JD makes my blood boil.

Melanie gave Chris a faint smile. Swallowing a lump in her throat and closing her eyes, Melanie fought back the tears.

What do you intend to do? Chris asked.

I’m going to talk with him. Melanie steeled herself against the hurt. She didn’t want to face him, but she had to.

You’re going to talk with him? I hope you let him have it with both barrels.

I don’t want to fight with him. Still curbing the tears, Melanie pressed her lips together. What did one say to an estranged husband? I’m going to talk with him about Danny. It’s time he dealt with the reality of the son he’s ignored. I just want a chance to talk with him and show him some pictures—

JD didn’t respond to a whole year’s worth of pictures. Isn’t that enough to tell you he’s not interested in his son? Trying to force Danny on him will be a big mistake. Chris frowned. Why do you think anything will be different now? You can’t do that to Danny. It’ll break his heart.

Danny won’t know a thing about it unless JD wants to see his son. Besides, I’m tired of skirting the truth. We can’t continue to let Danny think his daddy can’t be with him because he’s too busy traveling the world playing tennis. JD’s tennis days are over...at least on the pro tour.

Melanie sat without speaking for a few moments. The sound of the waves breaking on the beach at high tide filled the silence. Could Chris ever understand any of this? Melanie wondered whether she understood it herself. Her rebellion against her family had led her into this marriage. Now that she had reconciled with them, what did it mean for a marriage that hadn’t been a real marriage in years?

You know what surprises me? Chris asked, breaking Melanie’s train of thought. That after four years of ignoring your existence, suddenly he shows up where he knows your family has a vacation home.

He wouldn’t know we’re planning to spend Thanksgiving week here.

Chris narrowed her gaze. You aren’t still in love with him, are you?

No! Melanie sat up straight. When he first left, I thought I’d never stop loving him. When I realized he wasn’t coming back, I stopped caring.

Doesn’t sound that way to me.

Melanie paused. Was Chris right? Melanie pushed the question away. She wasn’t going to deal with those feelings now. You won’t understand. I still think there’s a chance he’ll accept Danny.

You were always hopeless when it came to JD. Chris glared at Melanie with an incredulous expression. I know you like to see the best in people, but thinking JD will welcome Danny with open arms is stretching it.

Melanie held up her hands in protest. I need to hear it from his own lips that he’s not willing to have Danny in his life. I need this closure.

In my opinion, closure would be ending this farce of a marriage.

Taking a deep breath, Melanie stared at her sister. Melanie wanted to do the right thing, especially in terms of how it affected her son. He needed a father. I know that’s what you think, but I have to do this, Chris. I want to talk with him. Maybe this doesn’t have anything to do with Danny. Maybe I just want to see JD again and show him what I’ve done with my life since he left me. Maybe I want to see the look on his face when he sees me again. Melanie lifted her chin in a defiant gesture."

I guess I can’t do or say anything to change your mind, but I hope you aren’t making a mistake. Chris knit her brow.

I appreciate your concern, Chris. But you’ve got to admit things can’t go on like this indefinitely. As Danny gets older, his father’s absence won’t be as simple to explain. Now that I know where JD is, I might as well confront him. Melanie sighed. If nothing else, maybe I’ll find out why he’s never asked for a divorce.

I’m sure I don’t know, Chris said with a disgusted grimace. The whole family thought it was a mistake for you to marry him in the first place.

I know. You thought I couldn’t make a decision for myself. That’s one of the reasons I married him. I wanted to quit college and get away from what I considered this family’s efforts to control my life. Melanie stood, eager to end the discussion. Do you mind keeping an eye on Danny while I take a walk on the beach? Maybe fly a kite?

Chris chuckled as she rolled her eyes around in mock disbelief. And here I thought you’d finally grown up.

Me? Never.

That’s what I’m afraid of. Chris shook her head.

Melanie gave Chris a big cheesy grin as she hurried into the house.

A few minutes later Melanie returned dressed in workout shorts and a T-shirt emblazoned with love means nothing to a tennis player printed across the front. She plucked a kite from the storage chest that sat near the pool. I’ll be back before Danny wakes up from his nap.

The boards of the deck were warm beneath her bare feet as she made her way toward the beach. When she crossed the warm, loose sand near the dunes, the breeze ruffled her hair in several directions. Watching the waves chase each other on the incoming tide, she came to the ocean’s edge, where the cool water flowed over her feet and eroded the sand out from under them.

Wriggling her toes down into the soft wetness and letting out a deep sigh, she looked ahead at the bright-blue sky and cotton-puff clouds, a scene fit for a postcard. She’d been looking forward to a few relaxing days here leading up to Thanksgiving with her extended family, but what would happen now that JD was here, too?

Finally, she tore her gaze from the ocean and started walking toward the hotels and condominiums. People strolled along the beach. A few tourists were stretched out on beach chairs or sitting under brightly colored umbrellas. She paused to watch a family engaged in building an elaborate sand castle. The father and son worked side by side as they built the wall. She wanted Danny to have the chance to share