Someone to Trust (Life Unexpected Book 2)

  Life

  Unexpected

  Book Two

  Someone

  to Trust

  Melanie D. Snitker

  Someone to Trust (Life Unexpected: Book 2)

  © 2017 Melanie D. Snitker

  Published by

  Dallionz Media, LLC

  P.O. Box 6821

  Abilene, TX 79608

  Cover: Blue Valley Author Services

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Please purchase only authorized editions.

  For permission requests, please contact the author at the e-mail below or through her website.

  Melanie D. Snitker

  melanie@melaniedsnitker.com

  www.melaniedsnitker.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Life Unexpected: Book Two

  Someone to Trust

  By Melanie D. Snitker

  All rights reserved

  Copyright © 2017 Melanie D. Snitker

  ISBN: 9780997528947

  ASIN: B06ZZDJBTR

  Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

  whose confidence is in him.

  He will be like a tree planted by the water

  that sends out its roots by the stream.

  It does not fear when heat comes;

  its leaves are always green.

  It has no worries in a year of drought

  and never fails to bear fruit.

  Jeremiah 17:7-8

  Table of Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Books by Melanie D. Snitker

  Finding Peace Chapter One

  Chapter One

  Brooke Pierce’s Kia Rio barely made it through the busy intersection before it rolled to a stop at the curb. “Oh, come on!” She smacked the steering wheel with her palm, even though she knew it wouldn’t make a difference. What was wrong with it this time? All it had to do was get her to the post office and back during her lunch break. Car trouble was the last thing she needed.

  She tried to start it again. When that didn’t work, she checked the time on her phone. She had forty minutes to make it back in time for her next appointment. She could walk to the Quintin Family Hair Salon by then, but most of her customers expected a hairdresser who looked decent and didn’t smell of sweat. Considering it was August in Texas, she wouldn’t be smelling too pretty by the time she got there.

  Since her friends, Joel and Anna, were away on their honeymoon, it narrowed her list of potential rescuers down to Chess.

  Brooke dialed his phone number, and he answered on the second ring.

  “Hey, Brooke. Everything going okay?”

  That deep voice made her pulse stutter like usual. She ignored her response to him, a process she should have patented after years of practice. “My car stalled and I can’t get it started again.”

  “Where are you?”

  Brooke craned her neck to see the street sign behind her. “I’m on the corner of Lockhart and Hyacinth.”

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes.” The connection went silent.

  She released a sigh of relief. She could always count on her friends — her family — when something like this happened. That’s what was so great about their group of four. They rallied together and helped each other in a way a lot of biological families didn’t even do.

  Someone knocked on the window and Brooke jumped. A guy she didn’t know peered in at her. “Do you need help?”

  Brooke shook her head but refused to roll down the window. She smiled. “No, thank you. Someone’s on the way. I appreciate it though.”

  The guy returned her smile, waved, and jogged back to his vehicle. It’d been nice of him to stop.

  She took another glimpse at the clock. If Chess said he’d be here in ten minutes, it meant he’d show up even sooner. Right on cue, his dark blue Ford F-150 pulled into the parking lot nearby. He got out and jogged to the passenger side where Brooke had rolled down the window.

  Chess stooped and leaned in. “It won’t start at all?”

  “Nope.” To illustrate, Brooke turned the ignition and all they could hear was a faint clicking sound.

  Chess frowned. “All right. I’ll push and you steer into the parking lot where my truck is. I’ll take you back to work and then call to have it towed.” He gave the door a smack. “You ready?”

  “Good to go.”

  With a firm nod, Chess moved to the back of the car. Brooke put it in neutral and easily guided it to a space next to his truck.

  Chess ran his fingers through his sandy brown hair. He stood four inches taller than her and didn’t seem the least bit bothered by having pushed the car. Not that it surprised her.

  Chess held a hand out. “Let me have your key and I’ll take care of everything.”

  Brooke didn’t argue as she took the black key off her key ring. “Please bring me by when they’re done so I can pay the bill.” He reached for the key, but she held onto it. Their fingers touched, sending a jolt of electricity into her arm and jump-starting her heart rate again. She gave him a pointed look. She wouldn’t put it past him to pay the bill for her since he knew she was trying to build up her savings account.

  A corner of his mouth pulled to the side. “Fine.”

  “Thank you.” She released the key, and he pocketed it. Despite the fact they were only friends, she could still feel where his hand had touched hers as though he’d left an imprint. The realization frustrated her. How many ages had she fought against this attraction? Sure, he all but saved her life when she and Joel were eighteen. But he was as good as family.

  Besides, Chess had never seen her as anything but a younger sister of sorts. She prayed, one day, her heart would finally grasp that truth and quit torturing her with dreams that would never be.

  Chess put a hand on her back and steered her toward his truck. “Come on. I’ll drive you back to work. You off at five today?”

  “Five-thirty.” She stepped up to the passenger seat and buckled in.

  He walked around the front of the truck and got in behind the wheel. “I’ll be there to pick you up. Why were you on this side of town?”

  “We needed stamps.”

  Without saying another word, he drove the two blocks to the post office. “I’ll wait here.”

  Brooke flashed him a grin before getting out and jogging to the main door. Thankfully, the line wasn’t too long. She examined the stamp choices, made her decision, and rejoined Chess in minutes. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She thought about their newlywed friends. “I hope Joel and Anna are enj
oying Hawaii.”

  Chess checked his rearview mirror and switched lanes. “Me, too. I still can’t believe Joel took three weeks off from work. That’s unheard of.”

  “He deserves the break. He works too hard. I’m glad they were able to take that much time off to start their lives together.” The wistful tone in her voice surprised even her. “How’s Epic doing without them?”

  Anna’s Great Pyrenees was staying with Chess while his owners were away. Unlike Brooke’s tiny second-floor apartment that was completely unwelcoming to a monster-sized dog, Chess’s house had a large backyard where Epic could run.

  “He finally stopped sitting at the front door waiting for Anna yesterday. He’s still moping a lot, though.”

  “Poor fella. He probably thinks she’s gone for good. Don’t tell her he’s having a hard time or Anna will just feel bad.”

  Chess glanced at her. “Have you heard from either of them?”

  She shook her head. “Not a peep since they let us know they got there safely.” Joel and Anna got married a week ago in the park where they first met. “I imagine we’ll hear from them soon, though.”

  They drove the rest of the way to the hair salon in silence. Brooke took in Chess’s handsome profile as he maneuvered through Quintin. With a strong chin, wide shoulders, and determination in spades, he exuded confidence. She could count on a single hand the times he hadn’t been in command of a situation. One of the many things that had drawn her to him — yet had also been the source of frequent disagreements. They could both be ridiculously stubborn. Even so, she respected him, counted on him.

  She fought back a groan and leaned against her door. It was time to focus on something else. Anything else.

  “Were you going anywhere this evening?”

  Chess’s words caught her off guard. “What?”

  “Tonight. Did you need your car?”

  “Oh. No. I have a date with Larry, but he’s picking me up.” Larry. The guy she should be thinking about, for crying out loud. She didn’t miss the disapproving glance Chess shot her way as he pulled into a parking space in front of the salon.

  “Someone new?”

  “Second date.”

  Chess said nothing else, but his hazel eyes shifted to a shade of green, a sure sign there was more he wasn’t voicing. He’d made his concerns clear about her frequent dating. Sure, she usually didn’t see the same guy more than a handful of times. But when it was clear her date wasn’t “the one,” what was the point? She and Chess had had several arguments about that subject in the past.

  Brooke knew he didn’t approve, but it wasn’t his business anyway, right? She forced down her irritation and gave him what she hoped was a normal smile. “Thanks for the ride, Chess. I owe you.”

  “Don’t work too hard.”

  “I never do.” She waved over her shoulder and pulled on the salon’s door. A little bell announced her entrance as the combination of shampoo, conditioner, and hairspray welcomed her.

  Brooke spotted her twelve forty-five appointment waiting for her. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Weston. If you’ll come with me, we can get started. How are you today?”

  The older lady stood and positioned her leather purse on her shoulder. She smiled brightly. “I’m wonderful, dear. How are you?”

  Brooke learned long ago that it was best to keep her side of the conversation light. Being a hairdresser was a lot like being a bartender. You listened to your customers, gave them someone to talk to, and chatted about different hair products or styles. But you kept your problems to yourself. She shoved the myriad of concerns about her car into the corner of her mind where thoughts of Chess usually took up residence. “It’s Friday. That always makes everything better.”

  Mrs. Weston laughed. “Isn’t that the truth?”

  Brooke led the way to a chair in front of a wide mirror and waited for her to take a seat. “So, what are we doing today?”

  Mrs. Weston patted her hair. The silver strands cascaded to the middle of her back and shined under the salon lights. “Let’s cut it to just above my shoulders. You know what? I’m tired of being gray, and I refuse to have my hair dyed a color no one believes is really mine.” She laughed again, her eyes bright and almost mischievous. “What would it take to turn my hair purple?”

  Brooke checked her customer’s reflection in the mirror. Mrs. Weston appeared to be completely serious. Covering her surprise, Brooke’s lips lifted in a smile. “Are you kidding? Purple would look great on you.” She reached for a pick and gently began to work through the hair. “What gave you this brilliant idea?”

  Mrs. Weston gave her a wink. “Honey, I only get to live once. I might as well make it colorful.”

  ~

  Chess watched as Brooke closed his truck’s door. The sun hit her dark brown hair, bringing out the subtle red highlights. She disappeared into the salon.

  Thinking about her date tonight brought a frown to his face. How many guys had she gone out with in the last few months alone? He certainly couldn’t keep count. It wasn’t healthy. And none of her relationships ever lasted long. He’d tried talking to her about it, but she got defensive.

  All he wanted to do was sit and have a rational conversation about her relationship issues. It turned into an emotional argument he’d rather not repeat. Now he tried to mind his own business.

  That didn’t mean he stopped worrying — or caring — about her.

  Brooke turned twenty-eight last month. She deserved to settle down with the right guy. But the men she usually dated… they weren’t worth her time, much less her heart. Most of them deserved a good right cross — and there’d been a couple guys in the past where he’d been happy to oblige. He thought about one back in April who had cheated on Brooke because she wouldn’t sleep with him. Yep, that guy received the good sock to the chin he deserved.

  His smile faded as he backed out of the space and headed home again.

  He had a lot of work left to do before he called it a day. They had a deadline for this software launch in two weeks, which meant they were all working overtime. Since he was on salary, that translated into evenings spent in front of the computer with not a lot to show for it.

  Chess walked into his house where Epic greeted him, the dog’s large tail sweeping back and forth in the air. Chess had to admit it was nice having someone to come home to. He’d shared this place with Joel and Brooke for a long time. When Anna joined the group earlier this year, she and Brooke decided to rent a house together.

  Now that Joel moved into Anna’s house after they got married, Chess had the place to himself. He still wasn’t used to it. Brooke’s old bedroom had a bed in it and Joel’s held only Chess’s desk and a bookshelf. It was nice having some office space, but he’d rather have his friends there instead.

  He let Epic outside and then sat down at his computer. Three messenger screens blinked, waiting for a response. After pulling a granola bar out of a drawer, he set about answering the questions his long-distance co-workers had asked.

  Sometimes this job frustrated him, but most of the time, he was grateful for it. Few employers out there would allow him to work from home three days a week. Mondays and Tuesdays, he made the nearly two-hour commute to the office on the east side of Dallas.

  As a software engineer, being home allowed him to get more coding done. Not to mention, he could help his friends like he did Brooke today. So yeah, he had a lot to be thankful for.

  Once he had everything back under control, he called to have Brooke’s car towed to a mechanic they used. Sam promised he’d check it today. Since it was the end of the week, he probably wouldn’t get to the repairs until Monday, which was what Chess had expected.

  He was in front of the computer for the better part of the afternoon, glad to have an excuse to leave a little early to pick Brooke up again. When he parked in front of the salon, she was outside waiting for him.

  She got settled in the passenger seat, and then Chess relayed the information about her vehicle.


  Brooke frowned. “Thanks for having it towed. I just hope, whatever’s wrong with it, it isn’t something major.”

  “No sense in worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet. We’ll deal with it as it comes.” Chess waited for the light to change and pulled out of the parking lot. “Someday, though, you’re going to have to get a new car.”

  She shot him an exasperated look. “Like I need to waste money on one. This car has served me well.”

  “Except when it doesn’t.”

  Brooke shook her head. “Fine. Point taken. But it’s going to have to keep limping along for a while.”

  “It’ll all work out…” he started.

  And they finished together “… it always does.”

  He smiled at her, glad to see the sparkle back in her eyes. “You need to stop anywhere before going home?”

  Brooke said she didn’t. Except for the country music playing on the radio, the rest of their short drive was silent.

  Chess pulled into a parking spot below her apartment. “Be careful tonight.”

  Brooke offered him a mildly annoyed glare. “I will.” She’d gone around the front of the truck when he rolled his window down and called her back over.

  “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

  She leaned down, her eyes on him. They were some of the deepest brown he’d ever seen. Most of the time, they were windows to her soul. With one hand on the door, she flashed him that smile he was sure could melt any man’s heart. “Thanks, Chess.”

  She waved before walking toward the apartment building and the set of stairs that took her to the second floor. She had a tiny balcony decorated with a single rose bush.

  Back when Anna and Brooke moved into a rental together, Chess had bought the bush as a house-warming gift and planted it in the front yard. It’d grown from a scrawny thing into a healthy bush that regularly produced cream-colored blooms with pink edges. Brooke had been so sad about leaving it behind, that he’d dug it up again. He then planted it in a pot and made it possible for her to take it with her to her new apartment. The grateful smile she’d given him when he carried it up to the balcony for her had made the work worthwhile.