Title: SECOND TIME AROUND
Author: Beth Henderson
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Book Blurb:
Three years ago, Tim Starling ran from Veronica Dey, the "M" word hanging in the air behind him. But three years is a long time, particularly when a guy is counting the days that have passed since he made the biggest mistake in his life. Three years is also long enough to realize what he really wants is be married and become a father . . . as long as his wife and the kid's mother are Roni Dey. Three years is also long enough for her to realize she just might not need him in her life after all. But he isn't the CEO of the family firm just because he was born into the executive office. He has a plan, the funds to see it to fruition, and a willingness to do whatever it takes . . . come rain or come shine . . . to win her back for the perfect happily ever after. Even if it looks like she's replaced him in her life with a Nordic god.
Excerpt:
Roni let Tim's friends monopolize the conversation. She was soon seated at a linen-draped table and had a crystal goblet of champagne in her hand. The Bergmans didn't even notice when she set the drink aside, but Tim did. Unobtrusively, he signaled one of the roving waiters and placed an order. Camille was still babbling happily away when a glass of white wine arrived.
What could she do but meet Tim's eyes and faintly smile her thanks? He hadn't forgotten that she disliked champagne.
Tim raised his own glass in a silent toast and grinned warmly at her.
Without warning, a memory washed over Roni. He had raised his drink to her in a silent toast once before. There hadn't been champagne or white wine that night. They had shared a pizza, washing it down with beer. Tim hadn't held a crystal goblet that evening, merely an aluminum beer can, but the look in his eyes had been the same. Admiring. Caring.
This is how it will always be, she had thought happily back then.
It was how she still felt around Tim Starling, Roni realized. Content.
Which was ridiculous.
Yet when she looked across the table at Tim, Roni felt a warm wave of contentment wash over her. One she was sure she would never feel in the company of any other man.
How could she, since – whether it was for better or worse – she was still stupidly in love with Tim Starling?
"I was never so surprised in my life than when I realized Tim had not only come to the ball, but that he had brought you," Camille declared before taking a sip of champagne.
"He tells me his mother and father are off on an extended second honeymoon in the South Pacific," Roni said. "Apparently Betsy really turned the screws to get him to fill in for them here this year."
"Betsy did more than that," Camille confided, dropping her voice to a whisper. "She timed the trip so that she and Les would be away right now. She thinks he should be more involved in community work, too. I'm not sure she knows her son very well. I mean, Tim and community work?"
Roni thought he would be very good at it. "I don't think he'd mind, if he cared about the cause or the person touting the cause. The museum has counted Betsy Starling as one of its favorite patrons for years and he showed up to please her tonight, didn't he?" Roni suggested gently.
"I suppose so," Camille said.
"What pet charities do Sarah Pellier, Penelope Cox, and Cynthia Arthur espouse?"
"The Upper-Crust Three?" Camille asked, surprising Roni. "What's it matter what those three consider good works?"
"Well, I would have thought that one of them would be in a position to exert influence by now," Roni murmured. "His name is frequently linked with one or the other's."
Camille shook her head. "Nothing to any of it," she insisted. "I'm not saying Sarah or Cyn wouldn't give their eye teeth to land him, but they haven't got a prayer."
"So it's Penn, then." Roni pictured Penelope Cox in her mind. Up until this minute, she'd actually liked Penn.
"Hmm," Camille murmured, sipping champagne again. "I thought she'd be here with him tonight, considering that neither of them is seeing anyone special at the moment. They've known each other all their lives and the folks on both sides had hopes, but Tim's a one-woman sort of man and, well, Penn's not the woman."
Meaning, apparently, that she was? Roni doubted that. "He probably cares about Penn far more than you realize," she said. "After all, I hadn't seen or heard from Tim in three years."
"I've got a very good reason for believing that Penn isn't the woman for Tim."
"Such as?" Roni asked.
Camille looked sly. "Look around, darling. Do you see Penn Cox anywhere? No."
"She's probably out of town or...or had promised to attend another affair," Roni said. "Tim did wait until almost the last moment to find someone to accompany him tonight."
Camille shook her head again. "Penn was looking over the cable listings when I talked to her earlier, prepared to spend an evening alone."
Roni wasn't willing to give up the idea that she'd been Tim's last resort, though. "Penn probably was miffed with him and thought turning down the invitation was a way to punish him. I was his last choice."
"You, Roni dear, were his only choice. Don't be blind, darling. The man is crazy about you. He always was and he always will be. Why don't you just marry him and put him out of his misery?"
In a way, she'd tried to do that three long years ago, and look where it had gotten her.
"Tim isn't like Carter, Cammy," Roni said. "He has never been interested in settling down with one woman."
"Isn't he?" Camille leaned back in her seat, a wry grin curving her lips. "Things change. Maybe you'd better give him plenty of opportunity to ask that all-important question."
And maybe, just maybe, she'd better convince herself that if Cammy was right and Tim did propose, that she knew which was the right answer to give. Was it "yes", as her heart wanted to shout, or the "no" that common sense dictated?
Oh, if only being with him didn't feel like old times – the good times. But it did. She was comfortable, relaxed, and content.
Or had been. The idea that Tim might indeed be trying to make a comeback knocked "comfortable" out of the park. It jumped up "relaxed" until she felt hyped on straight shots of caffeine. And as for being "content"...
Well, forget it. There was only one word for how Cammy's suggestion made her feel, and that was "anxious."
No, add "nervous."
And "antsy."
But most of all, Roni admitted, what she felt was "excited."
Drat it all! She was doomed for good!
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
If money were no object, where would you go for a Spring Break vacation and why?
Well, I dislike sand and the heat, so I’d be hitting someplace I’ve never visited where there are lots of historical sites and museums. As I’ve never been to either Ireland or Scotland, it would require a coin toss on which to head for, but I loved the three weeks I spent in England decades ago . . . back before acquiring the first husband.
Why is your featured book a must-read this spring?
SECOND TIME AROUND plays out in the Spring, so the setting suits the season. I first wrote this in the early eBook era when I called it Mr. Far From Perfect, but when I updated it after getting the rights back, it needed a change of name, too. I do think it’s one of my funniest romantic comedy’s though. There’s a construction theme running through it because at the time I was filling in for the secretary at a masonry company as she dealt with her parents’ health problems. This was a case of using some of what I took calls about and typed up contracts for during the day, then wrote into the story at night.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon US or Canada gift card
Open internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon CA account to win.
Runs April 1 – 30, 2023.
Drawing will be held on May 1, 2023
Author Biography:
Beth Henderson has been a published novelist in romance since 1990 when her first romantic suspense/romantic comedy novel was published. Since then she's had a long list of titles released through various publishing houses, and also under a variety of names. In 2021 she launched a 4-volume paranormal lite cozy mystery romantic comedy series, the Whichur-Wolfe Detection novels, all of which swept up 5* reviews. Her latest release is GHOST NOTES, a romantic suspense released by The Wild Rose Press, also a 5* collector. She also writes Old West historical romantic mysteries. But Tim Starling of SECOND TIME AROUND is one of her favorite guys to spend time within a book.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.4TaleTellers.com
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Twitter: @Beth__Henderson