However, Cadence was correct. Working in the same office with her former fiancé would be a form of torture. He’d love to see Bill kicked to the curb, but the fact that man’s uncle was one of the firm’s partners insured the loser would still have a job when he returned from his honeymoon.
“Cadence, maybe I can make a few calls and find you a position elsewhere.” Neil walked up behind her where she stared out the window into the gray, rain-laden sky.
She turned around and gave him the barest hint of a smile.
“Thanks, Neil, for the offer, but no thank you.” She shook her head and rolled back her shoulders. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m leaving. I’ll start over somewhere else.”
“Where will you go? What will you do?” Neil knew she grew up in a middle class home in the suburbs. Her parents worked hard to help put her through college. An only child, Cadence had been by herself since her parents moved to southern Mexico a year ago. They’d been saving their pennies for years to live out their dream of retiring early and moving somewhere tropical. Still, Cadence never thought they would actually go and leave her behind.
Alone.
Maybe that was part of the reason she had rushed to marry Bill. She needed to fill the quiet left by the departure of her parents. Cadence talked to them once a month and emailed them frequently. She also spoke of an aunt who lived out in the sticks.
“What if you go spend some time with your aunt in Oregon? I bet she’d take you in until you can decide what your next step should be,” Neil suggested with fatherly concern.
“Aunt Viv?” Cadence instantly warmed to the idea. Of course! She could spend some time with Aunt Vivian and Uncle Joe in Grass Valley before she made any further mistakes or decisions.
Cadence smiled at Neil. “That’s perfect, Neil. Thank you for the suggestion. I hate to leave you without an assistant, but the sooner I cut my ties and leave town, the better off I’ll be. Besides, I only have my apartment for another three days. I was going to stay at the hotel with my parents until the wedding.”
“You know I hate losing you, Cadence. You’ve been a top-notch assistant. If there is ever anything I can do for you, just let me know.”
Cadence held out her hand and offered Neil a handshake, but he pulled her into a warm hug. “You’ve become like a daughter to me and all I get is a handshake? I think not.”
She released a shaky laugh, hugged him back, and brushed at more tears.
“I better go pack up my desk and get out of here.”
Before she finished cleaning out her desk, Neil walked by and dropped an envelope into the box she filled with her personal belongings.
“You be sure and keep in touch.” Neil smiled as he stood in his office door. “I want to know you landed on both feet and are doing just fine.”
“I will, Neil, and thanks again.”
Cadence picked up the box and her purse, hurrying out to her car. As soon as she set the box down in her apartment, she opened the envelope. Neil not only paid her for wages due, but also included a hefty bonus that would help her start fresh somewhere else. A note from him simply said, “You’ve more than earned it.”
Tears flowed as she sagged onto the one chair left in her apartment. When they subsided, she took a cleansing breath, picked up the phone, and began calling people to tell them the wedding was off.
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The city’s skyline receded to a blur in her rearview mirror and Cadence released a long sigh. Things could not get any worse unless she suffered the same fate as Lot’s wife for looking back and ended up as a pillar of salt. With the sky pouring down a steady drizzle of rain, the salt would quickly wash away and leave no trace behind.
She wished, once again, that her white-knuckled grip around the steering wheel were instead around Bill’s neck. What kind of man runs off with his secretary days before his wedding?
The kind who isn’t worth crying over, as Aunt Vivian had told her multiple times during the last few painful days.
At twenty-seven, she was homeless, jobless, and jilted.
In her worst nightmares, Cadence would never have pictured herself in her current predicament. She was too serious, too organized, too grounded to let something like this happen.
Yet it had.
At least the last three days had passed in a blur. By the time she notified all her family and friends of the situation, returned the gifts, and reclaimed what funds she could from the canceled wedding plans, she was ready to leave and forget she had ever heard the name Bill Aimes.
As she drove south on the freeway toward Portland, she contemplated her journey to the middle of nowhere to stay with her Aunt Vivian in a self-imposed exile until she could figure out what she wanted to do with her life.
With one more glance in the mirror, Cadence mentally waved goodbye to the only life she’d ever known, resolved to face an entirely new one with tenacity and courage.
She made a quick stop in Portland to do a little shopping before she finished the drive to Grass Valley. Her aunt assured her there were no malls, and suggested she might want to pick up a few things before heading east on the freeway.
When Cadence got back on I-84, she was the owner of new jeans, casual tops, a pair of hiking boots, and a heavy waterproof coat.
She’d always dressed professionally. Her wardrobe consisted of the power suits and silk blouses she wore to work and slacks with cashmere sweaters for casual days. Not a single thing she owned would be very useful in a country community, as Aunt Viv repeatedly pointed out.
A couple of hours later, Cadence pulled off the freeway and turned south on Highway 97. She drove through the small towns of Biggs and Moro before she came to Grass Valley, population one hundred and seventy.
A sigh escaped her as she parked the car in front of her aunt’s pride and joy, Viv’s Café, and went inside.
Hello greasy spoon.
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The Women of Tenacity Series
Tenacious, spunky women give the wild, rugged men who love them a run for their money in this contemporary western romance series.
Heart of Clay (Book 1) — Easy-going cowboy Clay Matthews is a respected college professor. He's the man family and friends turn to for help, or when they need a good laugh, since he's a huge tease and practical joker. Life would be almost perfect, except for the strained relationship with his once beloved wife... (Available FREE for electronic downloads.)
Country Boy vs. City Girl (Book 2) — A confirmed city girl finds herself falling for a wanna-be country boy. Sparks fly as a battle of stubborn will ensues.
Not His Type (Book 3) — After spending her entire twenty-four years hiding in the background and perfecting her status of wallflower, Anna Zimmerman arrives at the astounding conclusion it’s time for a change. Tired of living life in the shadows, she steps into the light, unprepared to handle the attention of the charming, handsome cowboy who works across the street.
Hardman Holidays Series
Heartwarming holiday stories set in the 1890s in Hardman, Oregon.
The Christmas Bargain (Book 1) — As owner and manager of the Hardman bank, Luke Granger is a man of responsibility and integrity in the small 1890s Eastern Oregon town. When he calls in a long overdue loan, Luke finds himself reluctantly accepting a bargain in lieu of payment from the shiftless farmer who barters his daughter to settle his debt.
The Christmas Token (Book 2) — Determined to escape an unwelcome suitor, Ginny Granger flees to her brother’s home in Eastern Oregon for the holiday season. Returning to the community where she spent her childhood years, she plans to relax and enjoy a peaceful visit. Not expecting to encounter the boy she once loved, her exile proves to be anything but restful.
The Christmas Calamity (Book 3) — Arlan Guthry's uncluttered world tilts off kilter when the beautiful and enigmatic prestidigitator Alexandra Janowski arrives in town, spinning magic and trouble in her wake as the holiday
season approaches.
The Christmas Vow (Book 4) — Sailor Adam Guthry returns home to bury his best friend and his past, only to fall once more for the girl who broke his heart.
The Christmas Quandary (Book 5) — In need of a place to recuperate from a work injury, Tom Grove heads home for the holidays. He didn’t plan on his parents acting like lovesick newlyweds, being asked to teach at the school, or falling in love.
The Christmas Confection (Book 5) — Can one lovely baker sweeten a hardened man’s heart?
Books by Shanna Hatfield
FICTION
HISTORICAL
Baker City Brides
Tad’s Treasure
Crumpets and Cowpies
Thimbles and Thistles
Corsets and Cuffs
Bobbins and Boots
Pendleton Petticoats
Dacey
Aundy
Caterina
Ilsa
Marnie
Lacy
Bertie
Millie
Dally
Hearts of the War
Garden of Her Heart
Home of Her Heart
Hardman Holidays
The Christmas Bargain
The Christmas Token
The Christmas Calamity
The Christmas Vow
The Christmas Quandary
The Christmas Confection
CONTEMPORARY
Blown Into Romance
Learnin’ The Ropes
Love at the 20-Yard Line
QR Code Killer
Rose
Saving Mistletoe
Taste of Tara
Grass Valley Cowboys
The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan
The Cowboy’s Spring Romance
The Cowboy’s Summer Love
The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall
The Cowboy’s New Heart
The Cowboy’s Last Goodbye
Holiday Brides
Valentine Bride
Rodeo Romance
The Christmas Cowboy
Wrestlin’ Christmas
Capturing Christmas
Barreling Through Christmas
Silverton Sweethearts
The Coffee Girl
The Christmas Crusade
Untangling Christmas
The Women of Tenacity
A Prelude (Short Story)
Heart of Clay
Country Boy vs. City Girl
Not His Type
NONFICTION
Farm Girl
Fifty Dates with Captain Cavedweller
Recipes of Love
Savvy Entertaining
Savvy Autumn Entertaining
Savvy Holiday Entertaining
Savvy Spring Entertaining
Savvy Summer Entertaining
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield spent ten years as a newspaper journalist before moving into the field of marketing and public relations. Sharing the romantic stories she dreams up in her head is a perfect outlet for her love of writing, reading, and creativity. She and her husband, lovingly referred to as Captain Cavedweller, reside in the Pacific Northwest.
Shanna loves to hear from readers. Connect with her online:
Blog: shannahatfield.com
Facebook: Shanna Hatfield’s Page
Shanna Hatfield’s Hopeless Romantics Group
Pinterest: Shanna Hatfield
Email: shanna@shannahatfield.com
If you’d like to know more about the characters in any of her books,
visit the Book Characters page on her website
or check out her Book Boards on Pinterest.