A Beautiful Thought Read online

  Copyright © 2014 by Alicia Rae

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Designer: Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations

  Editor and Interior Designer: Jovana Shirley, Unforeseen Editing

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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

  Visit my website at www.aliciaraeauthor.com

  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

  Epilogue

  Beautiful Ties Excerpt

  Dear Readers

  Acknowledgments

  To Mom and Dad,

  Thank you for giving your three kids unconditional love and guidance each and every day, especially when we need it the most, for helping each of us strive to become the best we can possibly be, and for your never-ending faith and support in us that we can achieve anything we set our hearts and minds to.

  I love you, Mom and Dad.

  Always.

  All it takes is one idea, one thought, one spur-of-the-moment decision to change a life…forever.

  The past cannot be altered in anyway—only the future.

  ~Gail~

  I was one of those people who always wanted to live an organized yet simple life.

  From the summer after my sophomore year in high school, I’d known I would never give up until I was a physical therapist.

  My determination had come from a horrible car accident that occurred three months after getting my driver’s license. A man had illegally made a left turn in front of me while I was going approximately fifty-five miles per hour. From that very second, I’d known I wouldn’t be able to stop in time, yet my natural instincts had kicked in, and I’d slammed on my brakes. From the very first moment of contact with his car, I’d closed my eyes and prayed I would be okay.

  The impact had been so loud with a nail-on-the-chalkboard sound of metal grinding against metal. I would never forget that awful shrieking sound.

  I’d later found out that slamming on the brakes was worse than just hitting the other car at full speed—well, for my knee at least. An orthopedic surgeon had removed sixty percent of my damaged cartilage, and he’d said I still had irreparable lesions all the way down to the bone.

  And so the physical therapy had begun. I’d had to suffer through three grueling days a week at the office with additional exercises at home twice a day. On the days when I’d felt like giving up, my therapist had pushed me harder, saying I would suffer ten times worse if I did not keep my surrounding knee muscles strong enough to support my cartilage injury.

  I’d lost my softball scholarship due to the second surgery I had to have six months later to help regenerate new cartilage.

  Then, to top it off, everything had gone wrong in my lawsuit at the time. I could only afford a public defender, and I’d ended up walking away with nothing but a boatload of medical bills because my car insurance had maxed out.

  Going through such an ordeal at a young age was the biggest test in my life. It was an extremely hard lesson to learn, yet to this day, I believed it had made me work harder in every aspect of my life. I was extremely grateful that some good had come from it.

  I had pushed my way through college, my past keeping me motivated, and I’d earned my physical therapy degree. I specialized in helping football players recuperate from all types of injuries, so they could maintain their top performance throughout the season.

  I let out a deep breath after remembering that particularly trying time during my younger years, and I continued to clean up my exam room after a long day packed with patients.

  Once finished, I headed over to my boss’s office. Dr. Greg Donahue was the owner of Fit ’N’ Healthy Rehabilitation Center, and I admired and respected him profoundly. Two years ago, he had taken me under his wings and given me a remarkable opportunity even though I was fresh out of college. He had truly been another blessing in my life.

  I knocked on his partially opened door and then peeked my head inside. “Hey, Greg.” I smiled over at him. “I’m just letting you know that I’m going to head out for the night.”

  “You made good timing this evening.” He beamed my way, removing his reading glasses. Then, his face suddenly looked gloomy and sad. “Hey, do you have a minute? I was hoping to speak with you about something tonight.”

  “Of course,” I said in a low tone. I slowly ambled into his office. I took a seat in front of him. “Is everything all right?”

  “No,” he answered gravely, looking disturbed. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

  “Oh,” I murmured in dismay. “Anything I can do to help out?”

  “Gail, I’m afraid I have to”—he sighed and shifted uncomfortably in his chair—“temporarily cut your hours back. I can only have you here about thirty-five hours a week max until I get things back on track.” He lowered his head, shaking it. “I’m so sorry, Gail.”

  I gawked directly at my boss sitting across the desk. My mind was reeling, and I was at a loss for words. That was fifteen hours less on each weekly paycheck instead of my regular fifty or more hours—not to mention, the loss of overtime pay.

  I ran the rough ballpark of numbers in my head while fidgeting with my hands in my lap, and then I recounted all my bills a second time to double check my numbers. I would never be able to make my monthly rent, living expenses, and three student loan payments with my hours decreased so heavily. I wouldn’t even come close.

  Plus, when I’d received my promotion a few months ago, I had spoken with my parents, and I’d upped my financial commitment to help with my sister, Caroline’s, medical expenses for her autism. Because of that, she could meet with a therapist every week, and she could also get additional special help she needed with her education outside of the public school system. Of course, my parents had never expected me to help, but Caroline was my sister, and I loved her deeply. I would do anything in my power to help give her the best of what she could possibly have in life.

  Even with my savings, I would be in over my head without overtime on my paycheck. My heart sank in my chest.

  Crap…

  I forced myself back into the present moment. With a few blinks, I somehow managed to close my gaping mouth.

  “But I thought business was going well,” I finally murmured in confusion. “You just gave me a promotion a few months ago, and we’ve been picking up new patients.”

  “Again, I sincerely apologize, Gail.” Greg stood from his office chair and started to pace. “We lost a huge account last week, and it represented a large portion of our patients. They went with a bigger company who is in-network with their new insurance carrier.”

  I racked my brain, wondering which company would sacrifice quality rehabilitation care for the sake of saving a few bucks. There was always at least one.

  “It was Midwest,
wasn’t it?” I asked out of curiosity. I felt as though my world was crumbling to pieces around me, and I did not have the power to stop it. It was an awful, helpless feeling that I was not coping well with.

  He came to stand at my side, and then he sat in the empty chair next to me. His fingers ran through his hair in frustration. “Yes.”

  I shook my head, still in a state of shock. “That doesn’t surprise me. They always seem to care more about every penny they can save rather than the recovery of their clients.”

  Greg tilted his head over at me. “It’s sickening to think that a health care company is allowed to do such a thing.” He paused and let out a troubled sigh. “Gosh, Gail, I’m so sorry,” he said again. “If there were any other way, trust me, I wouldn’t be doing this to you right now. I know you have a lot on your plate, too.”

  I shifted my eyes to look directly at Greg, observing the remorse in his expression.

  This man had become such a dear friend to me in a short amount of time. He was an excellent doctor, a fantastic boss, a loving husband, and a wonderful father to his two teenage daughters. Greg had so much more weight on his shoulders than me. He had to do whatever was necessary to keep his business afloat during our not-so-great economy. And if I knew him at all, he was not making this decision lightly. He would only decrease my hours if he had no other option.

  So, I sat up in my chair and let out a deep breath. I dug deep within myself for inner strength that I desperately needed. “I understand that you have to do what is right for the company.” I smiled reassuringly. “So, please don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.”

  He gave me that look, the one that called bullshit. “Are you sure?” he asked uneasily. “Maybe I can squeeze in a few extra hours.”

  I could not allow Greg to compromise what was best for his company or his family just for me. He had a wife and two children to take care of at home.

  I rose from my chair and told him, “Seriously, Greg, I have savings to fall back on, and I can find something to do on the weekends to make extra cash if I need it.”

  A whoosh of air expelled from Greg. “All right.” He pointed his finger at me, reminding me of my father’s same reaction when I would get in trouble as a kid.

  I stifled a grin.

  “But you let me know if you need anything, and I mean anything, kiddo.”

  Now, I had to smile.

  Greg always called me kiddo in a friendly yet fatherly sort of way even though I was twenty-five. And just like my dad, I would not dare argue with Greg.

  “Got it.” I winked in agreement. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I offered a small smile.

  “Take care.” He waved.

  I shut the door before I lost my composure, and I left the building. I strode across the parking lot and got into my car. With shaky hands, I started the car and then retrieved my sunglasses. I flipped down the visor, glanced up into the mirror, and stared back at myself. My medium-length hair was pulled back into a ponytail, the common style of a health care professional. My normally bright brown eyes now reflected worry as I wondered how in the world I was going to pay my bills in the upcoming future for an unknown amount of time. No matter how many deep breaths I took, I couldn’t calm myself. I definitely needed my best friend right about now.

  It was my best friend, Abbey Madison’s, turn to gape across the table at me in shock after I finished explaining my predicament with my job. Sitting in a booth at TGI Fridays, we sipped on our 7-and-7s.

  With an evening crowd, the restaurant was rowdier than usual. A group of teenage girls were sitting near us, all giggling and having a good time. My brows pinched together while a minor part of me wished I could have experienced being a teen without worries.

  With Caroline having a great deal of needs for as long as I could remember, I’d had a job at the age of fifteen, so I could help out around the house and pay my own way. Therefore, my parents could focus solely on my sister’s needs. I had no regrets, and I’d do it all over again because I loved my sister more than words could ever convey.

  “Didn’t you just get a promotion a few months back?” Abbey exclaimed, snapping me back to reality.

  “Yep,” I replied, sulking inwardly. I let out a defeated sigh. “But the company lost a huge account last week, and it was detrimental to us.”

  Abbey’s bright blue eyes filled with sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Gail. What can I do to help?”

  Normally, if one of us were feeling down, we would go out to lunch and then hunt for the best deals during a shopping spree. Afterward, we would be cured from our troubles. Today, that plan was definitely not an option. If anything, I should be asking the manager of TGI Fridays for an application to work nights and weekends, so I could compensate for my lost income.

  “You’re doing exactly what I need right now, Abbey.” I gave her a soft smile. “Just being here for me and lending an ear while I blow off some steam means the world to me.”

  “You always do the same for me, so back atcha, girl.” Abbey winked at me.

  Abbey was such a sincere, kindhearted woman, and I treasured our friendship dearly. I had no idea what I would do without her, and I never planned on finding out. We were attached at the hip. Since the first day when we’d met back in college, she was always there for me in good times and bad. Whether Abbey and I ranted about our daily stresses, shared our memorable moments, or even argued with each other like all humans do from time to time, we would always be there for each other—unconditionally. That was the most precious part of having a best friend.

  The waitress appeared with our cheesy nachos, and she placed them in the center of our table before leaving. I dug in to the delicious appetizer while Abbey took a sip of her 7-and-7. As I swallowed my bite, Abbey suddenly sat up straight in her chair and set down her drink with force, nearly spilling the contents.

  “Oh my gosh! I just had the most random”—she lifted her hand in the air—“yet perfect thought come to me out of the blue!”

  Uh-oh…I have heard those words come out of her mouth before.

  Since our college days, Abbey had a very long, horrible history of random ideas.

  My eyes widened in pure anxiety over what was running freely through her mind this instant. I briefly shook my head. “Oh no…I know that look.”

  Her brows rose, and her expression feigned innocence. “What look?”

  “That look right there.” I pointed my finger at her jokingly. “You only get that shimmer in your eyes right before you tell me one of those crazy, erratic notions you get in that head of yours.”

  Abbey pinned her eyes on me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She smirked in denial. “And when has an idea of mine ever turned out badly?”

  “Oh, let me see.” I lifted my hand and tapped my fingers along my jaw, pondering for an exceptional comeback.

  “See!” She snorted with humor. “You can’t even think of one.”

  “Oh, I can. I’m just trying to make it a good one,” I retorted.

  Abbey popped a chip into her mouth as she waited with a victorious smirk spread across her face, appearing as she always did whenever she thought she had the upper hand.

  There were just so many memories with Abbey. I needed one that would stand out and get me off the hook with her most recent spontaneous idea. The perfect memory clicked into place.

  I raised my arm and snapped my fingers. “I got it!” I snickered. “Remember that random thought you had in college when you said we should play beer pong with our roommates across the hall?”

  “Uh…” Abbey cringed. “Yeah.”

  “Funny, I remember that one, too.” I laughed silently and somehow managed to keep a straight face as the events of that night years ago played out in my thoughts. “And do you recall what you said to me when I kept missing the shot glass, and I had to chug more beer?”

  “Yes,” she admitted guiltily. “I told you to keep going, and you’d soon get the hang of it.”

  “And how did t
hat work out?”

  “Not so good. You spent the rest of the night hugging the good ole porcelain toilet in our bathroom while I held your hair,” Abbey admitted sheepishly. “But in my defense, I didn’t know you had such a low tolerance for beer at the time.”

  “Totally irrelevant,” I replied, playfully dismissing her excuse.

  Abbey raised her brows at me with a hopeful expression on her face. “Do I get points for holding back your hair, so you wouldn’t get puke on it?”

  “Nope.” I laughed.

  “Damn.” She sighed. “Well then, I at least get to take credit for making you a beer pong champ by the time we graduated with our degrees.”

  “Okay, I’ll give you that one.”

  I grinned, and we both fell into an uncontrollable fit of giggles.

  The waitress appeared with another round of drinks. We each picked up our new glasses and took a sip. The cool liquid contrasted the warmth my body felt from the alcohol.

  Abbey abruptly set down her drink and peered back up at me. “So, back to my original thought.” A grin slipped past her lips as though she could not resist. “You remember Damon Johnson, Jason’s brother, from a few weeks ago, right?”

  My body froze, and my heart stopped midbeat for a split second before I nearly choked on my 7-and-7.

  Jason was Abbey’s fiancé, and Pearl was their utterly adorable seven-year-old daughter they’d recently adopted. Upon Pearl’s first official night at Abbey and Jason’s condo, they’d had a beautiful welcoming home party for her. Family and friends had greeted Pearl with open arms, hugging her and welcoming her to the family. We all had cried, smiled, and rejoiced over such a heartfelt, sacred moment. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen, and I was honored to be a part of it. I loved Abbey’s family like my own, and I was so pleased to see her so happy and at a great place in her life.

  That part of the night was the easiest to reminisce.

  Damon, on the other hand, was the man who I had been deliberately trying to block from my thoughts since that day. From his soft blue eyes and brown hair to his muscular, tall form, every inch of him was delectably gorgeous.