Page 3 of Second Chances

Pulling the heavy rack of sundresses out onto the sidewalk, she took a moment to just breathe summer in.

The main street of downtown Silver Cove was abuzz with tourists already at this time of the day. Early morning was normally slow, since most of the out-of-towners were enjoying baked goods or home-cooked meals at one of the various diners, or just sleeping in at their rentals.

The streets were lined with brightly colored flowers that hung from the old-fashioned streetlamp posts or filled wooden and metal flower boxes on each street corner and shop window. They were replaced once a month by a local group of older women in town that was hired by the city. Each month the flowers were changed out with a new color, giving the town a new look. This month’s color was purple, and the streets had never looked better.

At this point, she knew everyone in the small town of Silver Cove. Over nearly eight years, she’d made this her home, not just a place she’d been dragged to by her ex.

This was her place. Hers and Simona’s. She’d found a small cottage on the bay last year and had saved up enough money to purchase her first home. She never would have believed that she could be a homeowner.

She could credit Crystal and the rest of the Holley family for helping her stand on her own and recover after the police had hauled Brock in for questioning.

He’d denied breaking her arm, but it had only taken a few hours for his hand marks to show up clearly on her skin. When she’d woken from surgery, she’d had a long discussion with Crystal and had finally admitted to what was going on. She’d been convinced to tell the police and officially press charges.

It had been the best day of her life. She had finally earned her freedom. Hers and Simona’s. To this day, she hadn’t looked back. Brock had gone to court and Olivia had had to stand in front of a judge and tell the woman about the years of abuse at her ex’s hands. She’d been lucky that they were divorced, or so the lawyer Crystal had found her had said. That way there hadn’t been a big messy divorce amongst all the other issues. She’d earned full custody of Simona that day, and Brock had been hauled off to the county jail with a five-year sentence.

She hadn’t had the guts to look into his eyes as he was hauled out of the courtroom in cuffs. But she’d held her head up high and promised herself once again that she would never allow anyone to push her around ever again.

She hadn’t expected to be as lonely as she was. Sure, she’d gone through a sexual hiatus when she’d still been married to Brock. Looking back at it, she was pretty sure it was due to the fact that he was getting it on the side with Bethany or whoever. Actually, when she thought about it, she was thankful Brock hadn’t touched her back then.

Now, however, all these years later, she was beginning to realize that she didn’t know how much longer she wanted to be alone. Letting someone in her life could mean going against her new life code, but there were ways around that. If she could find someone who just wanted sex without a commitment… But could she do that? Was she that kind of woman?

She didn’t want to bring anyone around her daughter that she didn’t trust, and trust came with a relationship. Right?

“Hard at work, I see.” Kayla stopped directly in front of her, pulling her out of her thoughts. She hadn’t realized she’d been standing on the sidewalk, staring, unseeing, at the busy street.

Kayla was pushing a stroller with two-year-old Willow fast asleep inside and Blue, their small rat terrier dog, snuggling up against the blonde-haired child.

“You caught me daydreaming,” Olivia admitted. “It’s so nice out here.”

“It’s why we decided to take a walk this morning,” Kayla answered with a smile.

“I hate to tattle, but both of your walking partners are fast asleep on you.” Olivia smiled down at the sleeping duo.

“Oh good.” Kayla sighed. “Willow was up early this morning, and I swear she only got a few hours of sleep last night. She’s going to go into preschool next year.”

“Scary.” Olivia shook her head.

“I know. CJ’s first day of school, I was a wreck. I don’t know what I’m going to do without my little Willow around for a few hours,” Kayla admitted.

“Sleep,” Olivia suggested with a smile. In the past few years, she and Kayla had become close. Closer than she had with anyone else. Maybe it was because the two of them had a lot in common.

They both had bad experiences with men in their past. Kayla’s ex, the father of her son Connor James, or CJ, had been a complete douche to Kayla and had ended up killing himself shortly before Kayla and Rowan had married.

Where Kayla was now completely happy with a perfect family while married to one of the sexiest and nicest doctors in town, Olivia was still sleeping alone. Well, at least when Simona didn’t climb in bed with her.

“I know, I just wish she would settle down to a normal schedule. I mean, she’s two.” Kayla sighed.

“A kid’s schedule can be knocked off kilter so easily.” Olivia remembered the struggles she’d had with Simona and smiled. “But she’ll get back in the groove soon enough. You’ll see.”

“I’m just thankful for Crystal. I swear the woman has more energy that both Rowan and I.” Kayla shifted and started rolling the stroller slightly.

Olivia laughed and then held the shop door open for a couple.

“Well, that’s my cue. Talk to you later.” She waved as Kayla took off down the sidewalk.

Olivia didn’t mind her work. She actually loved it. It somehow leveled and settled her.

By the time lunch rolled around, she’d hit a lull with customers. She found that the best time to restock items was shortly after lunchtime. She could get a lot done without being interrupted.