Bygones
by Lisa K. Nielsen
GENRE: Romantic Suspense
Dr. Alexandra Hadley would prefer to leave small town life behind forever, but her father’s death forces her hand. In his will, he has left her his medical practice and Georgian-style mansion, and it is up to her to hire a new doctor and settle his estate. Fresh out of medical school, Lexi is happily settled in Chicago, doing research in tandem with her boyfriend. Brian, fifteen years older with impressive credentials and sophisticated tastes, has no interest in visiting her birthplace of Glenmore, Illinois. Lexi soon discovers that home has its attractions, the first being the handsome contractor Joe Manning, her secret crush in high school. Seeing patients is also surprisingly satisfying. When Joe offers to remodel her father’s den, Lexi jumps at the chance to erase sad memories and become better acquainted with her gorgeous handyman. Even as the charms of Glenmore draw her in, a series of break-ins at her father’s house make her fear for her safety. Is the intruder searching for something other than valuables? And how determined is the culprit? Lexi finds her fragile happiness at risk, including her newfound love for Joe Manning.
Lexi yanked her suitcase zipper closed and set the bag on the floor. She’d spent the day in the city—brunch with Brian, a little shopping and back to her place to pack up some clothes to take back to Glenmore.
“What’s the matter, honey?”
She’d been tense all day. It seemed she’d finally gotten through to Brian, her angst now so acute it had poked a hole in his force field of calm. “You mean other than the fact my father’s funeral was yesterday? And now I’m stepping into his practice and I’m reasonably certain I’ll hate it? And some asshole broke into the house? Besides those things, what’s the matter? Is that what you’re asking?”
Hurt shone in his brown eyes until his features relaxed into an expression of appeasement. She’d recently come to resent his way of making her feel like a crazy person in need of placating. Why couldn’t he acknowledge her right to be angry and anxious about taking over her father’s practice?
“Lexi, calm down.” He laid a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little bit?”
“No, I don’t.” She pulled away from him and stomped to the window. Despite her pique, she tried to take a mental picture of the city view that would tide her over in suburbia. She felt Brian lurking behind her all the while, judging. She whirled around. “Why didn’t you come to the funeral?”
He did a double take. “Excuse me?” She spoke slowly and evenly.
“Why ... didn’t ... you—”
He held up a hand. “You told me not to come.”
She groaned, crossing her arms, frustrated. “You told me you had work to catch up on.”
“I did. But all you had to do was ask. Of course I would have come.”
“When you said you had to work, I didn’t feel I could ask. I know your work is important to you, but it was my father’s funeral.” Her voice caught. When she was angry, she had a tendency to get teary. She considered it a personal weakness. And that made her angrier.
“What’s the matter, honey?”
She’d been tense all day. It seemed she’d finally gotten through to Brian, her angst now so acute it had poked a hole in his force field of calm. “You mean other than the fact my father’s funeral was yesterday? And now I’m stepping into his practice and I’m reasonably certain I’ll hate it? And some asshole broke into the house? Besides those things, what’s the matter? Is that what you’re asking?”
Hurt shone in his brown eyes until his features relaxed into an expression of appeasement. She’d recently come to resent his way of making her feel like a crazy person in need of placating. Why couldn’t he acknowledge her right to be angry and anxious about taking over her father’s practice?
“Lexi, calm down.” He laid a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little bit?”
“No, I don’t.” She pulled away from him and stomped to the window. Despite her pique, she tried to take a mental picture of the city view that would tide her over in suburbia. She felt Brian lurking behind her all the while, judging. She whirled around. “Why didn’t you come to the funeral?”
He did a double take. “Excuse me?” She spoke slowly and evenly.
“Why ... didn’t ... you—”
He held up a hand. “You told me not to come.”
She groaned, crossing her arms, frustrated. “You told me you had work to catch up on.”
“I did. But all you had to do was ask. Of course I would have come.”
“When you said you had to work, I didn’t feel I could ask. I know your work is important to you, but it was my father’s funeral.” Her voice caught. When she was angry, she had a tendency to get teary. She considered it a personal weakness. And that made her angrier.
Lisa K. Nielsen was born and raised in West Dundee, Illinois. Her love of books started early on, with a particular interest in mysteries.
Lisa received a B.S. degree in zoology from Iowa State University. She then attended the Physician Assistant program at the University of Iowa.
After graduation, she moved to Peoria, Illinois where her first position as a physician assistant was in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. She then moved on to the specialty of urology.
Her work was busy and time consuming, but she always made time to read. After years of dreaming about it, she finally put a pen to paper and wrote down some stories of her own.
Website: www.lisaknielsen.com
Facebook: 478063095686575
Twitter: @lisakaynielsen
https://www.amazon.com/Bygones-Lisa-K-Nielsen-ebook/dp/B01F9FAK0A/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bygones-lisa-k-nielsen/1123401420
Lisa received a B.S. degree in zoology from Iowa State University. She then attended the Physician Assistant program at the University of Iowa.
After graduation, she moved to Peoria, Illinois where her first position as a physician assistant was in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery. She then moved on to the specialty of urology.
Her work was busy and time consuming, but she always made time to read. After years of dreaming about it, she finally put a pen to paper and wrote down some stories of her own.
Website: www.lisaknielsen.com
Facebook: 478063095686575
Twitter: @lisakaynielsen
https://www.amazon.com/Bygones-Lisa-K-Nielsen-ebook/dp/B01F9FAK0A/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bygones-lisa-k-nielsen/1123401420
