Seventeen Years Ago

SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO JEANNETTE WINTERS An original work of Jeannette Winters, 2023. All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, places, events, business establishments or locales is entirely coincidental. DEDICATION This book is dedicated to all who believe in second chances and that fate always wins. Also a huge thank you to Deepti Mahajan, one of my editors, at [email protected]. We make a wonderful team. And to my wonderful readers. You continue to challenge me and I love it. Please keep those emails coming! CONTENTS Jeannette Winters Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Epilogue Also by Jeannette Winters By Jeannette Winters & Lena Lane Jeannette Winters Author Contact website: JeannetteWinters.com email: [email protected] Facebook: Author Jeannette Winters Twitter: JWintersAuthor Newsletter Signup: www.jeannettewinters.com/newsletter Also follow me on: BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/jeannette-winters Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13514560.Jeannette_Winters Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorjw/boards/ Facebook Twitter SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO He left her heart in pieces, but now he’s returned seventeen years later. Are they both too damaged or did time heal old wounds and this time they find love in this second chance romance? Steven Morse I was asked to come to Tabiq on business. It’s the last place on earth I want to go. I never forgot what happened the first time I was there. It’s haunted me for years. I left her knowing that she was going carry the burden of a lie to protect those she loved. The truth could set her free, but she’d given her word, even though it meant her living in shame. But it’s a big island. What are the odds of us crossing paths again after all this time? Tempting fate is something I know better than to do. It always wins. The moment I see Aiza, my heart stopped. She might not remember who I am, but those gorgeous eyes of hers are etched deep in my mind. I should run, not walk, and get my ass back to the states before the past catches up with us. Leaving her a second time is proving to be difficult but staying risks breaking her heart all over again. We’ve been given a second chance, and we found love. One question remains. Is love enough or have we run out of chances? CHAPTER 1 Steven Morse “Mr. Pintino is on line one for you,” my secretary Kimberly announced. I shot her a puzzled look. There was no way Caydan was reaching out to me after all these years. When I had heard from him last, he was running some huge hotel that was linked to a casino. He had wanted me to go into business with him, but the guy was so full of anger that I couldn't trust him as a business partner. He always had a hidden agenda. I wonder what it is now. “Thank you, Kimberly. Can you close the door on your way out,” I instructed as I picked up the phone to answer his call. Once I was alone, I pressed line one and said “this is Morse. What can I do for you?” “It’s been a long time. How is business going?” Cayden asked. He didn't care how my business was going, he wanted something And I wanted to know what it was. “Let's cut through the bullshit. I have a full schedule of meetings and I'm not about to blow them off for idle chatter.” He laughed. “I see that some things never change.” So much has changed, but unfortunately not everything. My father may have passed away, but everyone looked at me expecting me to be the same ruthless bastard that he’d been. His last words to me were that I was a disappointment to him and that I didn't have it in me to be the successful businessman he had been. That might be true, but I didn't want to be anything like my father. If that meant sleeping under a bridge in a cardboard box, so be it. “If you are referring to the fact that I'm still not interested in becoming a business partner with you, then you're correct. I have no interest in running a casino.” Cayden chuckled. “I'm no longer in that business either. Allyson, my wife, wasn't a fan of it.” I was shocked. “I didn't know you were married.” “Celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary next week.” I was happy and yet jealous. “Congratulations. Was she one of the cocktail waitresses at the casino?” I half-joked. “Allyson is nothing like you would have imagined being with me. She was an HR manager and was always by the book,” he replied. Now I laughed. “They say opposites attract.” I still had no idea why he was calling me. “I am sure that you called me for something other than letting me know of your nuptials.” “You are correct. I do have a business proposition for you. I'm hoping you can meet with me next week so we can discuss it in person,” he stated. “I thought you said it was your anniversary next week,” I reminded him. “It is. She and I will be traveling and would like you to join us.” “Obviously you're not the romantic type if you're planning on conducting business on your romantic getaway.” I wasn’t the one who should have been talking because I'd be doing the same damn thing. But Allyson wasn’t just a girlfriend or a hook-up. She was his wife. Somehow, I would think he’d treat her better than that. “Trust