Forever Found Read online

  Table of Contents

  Synopsis

  Acknowledgements

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  About the Author

  Books Available From Bold Strokes Books

  Synopsis

  When fate takes a wrong turn, even a romance written in the stars can be destroyed. Soul mates from preschool, Dana Ryan and Keri Flemons are separated by tragedy when they are eight years old. Twenty years later, fate throws them together again. Dana is a retired pro-soccer player and a rookie sports photographer, and Keri has reluctantly assumed control of a professional football team after her father's untimely death. When Keri offers Dana a position as a photographer for a team project, an opportunity that would make her career, Dana is faced with the challenge of working with the woman whom she holds personally responsible for most of the heartbreak in her life. Despite their rocky history, as time passes their attraction grows—until the past resurfaces to threaten the shape of their future.

  Forever Found

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  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  Forever Found

  © 2006 By JLee Meyer. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 1-60282-288-7

  This Electronic Book is published by

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, New York 12185

  First Edition: August 2006

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editors: Jennifer Knight and Shelley Thrasher

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])

  Acknowledgements

  As a first-time author I have many to thank, not the least of which is the amazing staff at Bold Strokes Books.

  Jennifer Knight - she once described herself as a craft fitness trainer, but she is so much more. She had to do some major whipping this author into shape and did so with humor and understanding. Although the process was, at times, daunting for me, the finished product and those produced in the future are much improved because of it. Thank you, oh goddess of whip-cracking.

  Shelley Thrasher - a fine eye for detail and a steady and, dare I say, relentless way of insisting that details fall into the proper places, you are a wonder.

  Stacia Seaman - several years ago Stacia took pity on a fledgling writer and gave her some pointers. After many rewrites, she finally made the comment, “in fact, I kind of like it.” There was no turning back after that, and I count Stacia a friend. Thank you.

  Radclyffe - for liking the work well enough to take a chance on the possibilities, thank you. For creating a professional organization that nurtures excellence, there are not adequate words.

  Cheryl -reading the first draft of a first novel and declaring it terrific kept me writing. Your unshakeable love and faith have completed me.

  Dedication

  For Cheryl - you are my sun, my moon, my stars, my love. Only you.

  Prologue

  The two little girls were deep in concentration, looking through magazines in the family room of the large home. They sat right next to each other, arms and legs touching, Keri turning a page and Dana taking it from her at the midpoint. Their feet didn’t come close to reaching the floor.

  Keri, the elder by three days of their six years, said, “I like this one. It’s not all gooey with that lace stuff. My grandmother wears that and it tickles when I kiss her.”

  “You’d wear something like that? Can’t brides wear pants? That looks stupid.” Dana had decided she didn’t like dresses at all and hated the few times she’d had to wear one.

  “You think I’d look dumb in my wedding dress?” Keri’s large blue eyes reflected hurt. “Scooter, that’s mean!”

  Quickly regrouping, Dana amended, “No! It wouldn’t look dumb if you wore it. It…it would look dumb if I wore it. You know I hate dresses.”

  They returned to the magazine.

  “I know! Let’s have a wedding! I’ll be the bride and you can be the…the…groom!” Keri’s eyes were dancing now. She started bouncing up and down on the couch.

  Dana wasn’t sure. “Well, I don’t know. Aren’t boys the only ones who get to be grooms?”

  Keri screwed up her face in thought. “Eww. That couldn’t be right. You should be able to marry who you want, right?”

  “And married people have to kiss and stuff. If I have to kiss a boy, I’ll barf.” Dana mimicked getting sick on the magazine.

  Undaunted, Keri asked, “But you could kiss me, right?”

  Dana blushed. “Well, yeah, course I could kiss you. I love you. Silly.”

  They resumed their page turning, but a moment later Dana grabbed the magazine and threw it on the floor. She seized Keri’s hands and the words came out all in a tumble. “MyKeri, will you marry me? Then we could live together and everything forever! I could even stand the kissing part! Please?”

  Keri threw her arms around her best friend and yelped, “Yes! That’s what we’ll do!” She pulled back, looking intently in Dana’s green eyes. “Are you sure, Scooter? We have to ask our parents if it’s okay, you know.”

  Dana thought about it. She wasn’t looking forward to telling her dad. Solemnly, she pushed back the lock of coal black hair that had fallen over her eyes. “I love you, MyKeri. There couldn’t ever be anyone I could love more than you.” Her father would just have to understand.

  Just then they heard Keri’s mother calling from downstairs. “Girls, come on down for chocolate chip cookies. I just got them out of the oven!”

  Proposal forgotten, the two took off like a shot out the door, giggling and scuffling as they raced through the large house on their way to the kitchen.

  “I get the first cookie!” Keri squealed as she rounded a corner and streaked down the hall, Dana hot on her heels.

  “No way! Whoever gets there first, that’s the rule!” Dana’s longer legs pulled even and started to gain distance.

  “Wait! My house!” When that didn’t work, Keri squealed, “My Moms!” She immediately regretted her words when Dana stopped short and turned around, an injured look on her face. Hastily, she said, “I’m sorry, Scooter, I didn’t mean it. I promise. Moms is yours, too.”

  A deeper feminine voice behind them said, “Okay, you two.” They turned to see Carolyn Flemons smiling at them. She motioned toward the kitchen and put her hands on Dana’s shoulders to give her a gentle squeeze. “You’ll share the cookies and me. Let’s go.”

  Once they were sitting at the table, each with a chocolate chip cookie an
d a glass of milk, all seemed forgotten. About halfway through the second cookie, Dana put the delicious treat down and wiped her mouth on her sleeve, neglecting the paper napkin in her lap. She turned to Keri’s mother, who was at the table with them, drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper.

  “Mrs. Moms?”

  Carolyn Flemons paused between sips of coffee. “Yes, Scooter?”

  Sitting up straighter, Dana asked, “Can MyKeri and I get married?”

  The cup seemed suspended in air; both Keri and Dana watched in fascination as it dropped to the table, breaking and soaking their cookies. When it hit, everyone jumped to their feet and ran around trying to find paper towels, the garbage can, a whisk broom. The activity kept them all busy for a few minutes, but eventually they returned to the table and Carolyn asked, “I’m sorry, Scooter, what were you asking?”

  Decidedly more nervous than when she asked the first time, Dana glanced at Keri for reassurance, then tried again. “Can I get married to MyKeri?”

  “Well…” Carolyn talked to the wall above Dana’s head, trying not to sound as disconcerted as she felt. “Usually just a man and woman get married. A boy and girl. But you can always be best friends, right?” When she finally lowered her gaze to her daughter and almost-daughter, she saw only disappointment. Trying again, she added, “Besides, you wouldn’t want to get married until you were grown up. That’s a long time from now.”

  “But I love MyKeri!” Dana said, “I’ll never love anyone else like her, I know it.”

  “Momma, please?” Keri begged. “We talked about it and that’s what we want. Please?”

  Carolyn sat back in her chair. “Look, I’ll tell you what. If, when you grow up, you still want to get married, then you can.” The girls squealed their delight and hugged each other. “But!” They got quiet immediately. “You have to be at least twenty years old and really have thought about it, okay?”

  Keri’s eyes became very round. “Twenty years? That’s older than you are! Momma!”

  Carolyn kept her face schooled to neutral. “No, Keri, in fact I am older than twenty, but that’s how old I was when I met your father. You still have to agree, both of you.”

  Dana asked, “What about Mr. Flemons? Will he say yes?”

  With two sets of beseeching eyes on her, Carolyn finally smiled. “I’ll take care of him. You two just get to be twenty years old, then we’ll talk about it.”

  Keri exclaimed, “Momma! Where’s the Polabear camera? We can take a picture!”

  “I’ll get it and take two pictures, one for each of you.”

  Carolyn went to a cupboard and pulled out the instant camera, dutifully taking two pictures of the little girls, chocolate smeared on their joyful faces, arms around each other’s shoulders. After they watched the pictures form on the paper, they celebrated by another round of cookies.

  The girls were so lost in excitement and sugar buzz they didn’t hear the doorbell ring. Their chatter only stopped when they heard voices being raised.

  Dana put a hand on Keri to quiet her. “Shh. Listen, that’s my dad.”

  An angry male voice said, “Where is she? We’re leaving.”

  They heard Carolyn Flemons’s voice but couldn’t make out what she said.

  “No! I’m taking her now. Dana? Get in here! We’re leaving!”

  Dana said, “I gotta go. He sounds mad.”

  “Why? Are you in trouble?” A look of worry was on Keri’s face.

  Eyes never leaving the doorway, Dana said, “Dunno. Since my mom left us he’s mad all the time.”

  They heard heavy footfalls coming toward the kitchen. Dana quickly took one of the photographs, carefully placing it in the back pocket of her pants.

  Carolyn’s voice was angry when she said, “Sean! Let me drop her off in an hour. You’ve been drinking, it’s too dangerous! Stay here if you want, I’ll make fresh coffee.”

  He wheeled on her. “Listen, you bitch! I’m taking my daughter and we’re leaving. I’m moving us so far away you’ll never see us again. You can ask your asshole of a husband all about it.” He took Dana roughly by the arm and snarled, “C’mon, and shut up.”

  As she was forced from the room, Dana called back to Keri, “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

  “The hell you will,” Sean Ryan growled, and kept dragging her behind him.

  Keri screamed, “Scooter! No!” She ran after them and caught Dana’s hand. “You can’t take her! She’s my friend!”

  Dana’s father raised his arm as if to strike Keri, and Carolyn’s voice cut through the chaos. “Don’t you dare touch her!” He lowered his arm and waited stiffly as she pried Keri’s hand from Dana’s and held the screaming, kicking Keri tightly to her. Tears brimmed in her eyes. “You go with your dad, Scooter. It’ll be all right. We’ll straighten this out. It’s okay.”

  Dana looked up at her father and knew it would not be all right. She refused to walk willingly, so he dragged her out to the car. Keri was hysterical, sobbing and yelling for her to come back.

  “I’ll call you,” Dana yelled as her father threw her in the front seat. “I’ll write every day! I promise!”

  Sean Ryan told her to shut up, got behind the wheel, and started the engine, cursing the whole time. The tires squealed as he roared down the street.

  Breaking away from her mother, Keri ran to the curb to see Dana craning out the window, looking back at her. They disappeared around the corner and out of her life.

  Chapter One

  Dana slowly made her way down the carpeted hallway toward the large conference room. Her attorney, the one who’d magically appeared at her hospital bedside when she regained consciousness two weeks earlier, had picked her up at her apartment in Cow Hollow. He hustled into the meeting room ahead of her and was setting out his papers, probably handing out his card to the big guns. Officious little beast. He was practically salivating when Mike Flemons’s law firm contacted Dana and wanted to meet.

  Dana was in pain. She’d only been using crutches for a week, so her hands and armpits were killing her. When she’d discharged herself from the hospital, she’d refused to use metal canes, afraid they looked too permanent. Told she would always have a limp, she was determined to not only walk normally, but play soccer again. Deep inside, the fear of losing her career was festering, and the constant reminder of the crutches and every nerve in her body didn’t help her mood. She kept moving.

  Her doctor had advised against her leaving the hospital, but after four weeks, Dana couldn’t stand it any longer. She’d also been advised not to live by herself, yet she had no choice. She knew she could manage. She’d discussed this meeting with her doctor, who seemed to think it was too soon. It had only been a month since the accident, and Dana was too vulnerable, physically and emotionally. The physician had wanted to refer her to a grief counselor to deal with her losses before she tried to make important decisions about her life.

  Dana liked Dr. Showalter, but ignored her. There was one reason she was here: MyKeri. As horrible as the Flemons family had been to her father, as responsible as they were for her family’s misery and for her current situation, she still needed to see MyKeri. To meet the woman she had held in her heart since they had drooled over the same toys together as infants. No amount of raving about the horrible Flemons family by her father could erase the secret part of her that still loved MyKeri.

  Dana had been ready to let her lawyer handle everything, as he had suggested. She had listlessly thumbed through the thick legal document he sent to her, shock and medication making concentration difficult. But then she had seen a list of who would be at the meeting. If Keri’s presence had been held out as a carrot, she was the starving rabbit. It didn’t even occur to her to ask why Keri would attend. But, deep down, she hoped Keri would be there because she, too, needed to see her childhood companion.

  Pain shot through her leg when she came down on it instead of putting her weight on the crutches. Dana swore under her breath and stilled until she c
ould breathe again. A thin sheen of sweat popped out on her forehead and upper lip. A few more steps and she’d be at the door, then inside, and there would be MyKeri. She had no idea what to expect. Rationally, she knew not to expect anything but an apology and money. Lots of money, according to her lawyer, Jacob Simon of Wells, Jenkins, and Wells.

  With each step the accident came vividly to mind. They were returning from one of her soccer matches in San Jose, the first one her father had consented to attend. Someone driving a Flemons-owned vehicle had swerved or drifted—she had no memory of it—into their northbound lane, causing Sean Ryan to overcorrect and slam into a sound wall on Interstate 280. And that was that. All of her hard work to reach the pro level, gone. Along with her father.

  Yet here she was, clinging to some idiotic notion that Keri Flemons would still be MyKeri. That she would fly into her arms, never to be separated again. She was embarrassed and ashamed of her own thoughts. Let’s just get this over with.

  The door swung open as she was about to reach for it, and a familiar face registered surprise, quickly screened with a smile.

  “Shelley?” Dana vaguely remembered Mike Flemons’s secretary from when she was a kid. She’d aged. Dana guessed twenty years would do that.

  “Yes. Hello, Dana.” Shelley’s eyes were filled with compassion and concern.

  She had always been nice to her, Dana recalled, and even now she was thoughtful. She showed Dana to a seat and helped her get settled, making sure she had a glass of water. Then, giving her a surreptitious pat on the back, she went to the opposite side of the long table and sat down next to Mike Flemons. The chair on the other side of him was empty.

  Dana thought about the quickly concealed shock on Shelley’s face. She had seen it before. A few teammates had visited in the hospital. The scrapes, cuts, and bruises that peppered her face were purple and yellow now, but the stitches weren’t out in some places, and she’d lost weight. More importantly, she’d lost muscle mass, something that was very depressing to an athlete. She made it a point to avoid mirrors. The full-length cast on her leg was cumbersome, and she hurt everywhere most of the time. But her mind was numb and that was fine.