R.M. Neill - Twice in A Lifetime

Twice In a Lifetime

Sheltered Connections Series

By R.M. Neill

Copyright 2021 R.M. Neill

All Rights Reserved.

May not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout prior written permission of the publisher.

For permission requests contact: rmneillauthor@gmail.com

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

Cover by: Cate Ashwood Designs

Edited by: Kats Literary Services

ISBN: 978-1-7776524-6-3

Behind every book, there's a team of people to make it happen.

To you dear reader, the biggest thank you of all. Thank you for taking a chance on someone new. With so many great indie authors clamoring for attention, I'm grateful you chose me.

An immense thank you to Hayden and Lindsay for the early input. It was invaluable to me and I appreciate your time more than you know.

Janice and Brandie, I owe you a thanks for allowing me to use your names and present you in the funniest way I could. Your banter, some of which you force me to be a part of, has provided so many comical ideas. Please don't make me kill your characters off, I'd really like them to stick around.

Alex, thank you so much for proofreading for me when you already have so much on your plate. I appreciate it so, so much.

To all of you that have rallied around me, lifted me when I'm down and gave me the boost to believe in myself - Thank you!

Table of Contents

1.Dominic

2.Micha

3.Dominic

4.Micha

5.Dominic

6.Micha

7.Dominic

8.Micha

9.Dominic

10.Micha

11.Dominic

12.Micha

13.Dominic

14.Micha

15.Dominic

16.Micha

17.Dominic

18.Micha

19.Dominic

20.Micha

21.Dominic

22.Micha

23.Dominic

24.Micha

25.Dominic

26.Micha

27.Dominic

28.Micha

29.Dominic

30.Micha

31.Dominic

32.Micha

33.Dominic

34.Micha

35.Dominic

Epilogue

About Author

Also By

Introduction

Twice in a Lifetime is the first book in the Sheltered Connections Series.

This series was inspired by events in my book The Perfect Pass. You don't need to read it first, but you will get a background on several of the characters that appear in this series, as well as the history on how the shelters in this book came to be.

Animals and their unconditional love are truly inspiring. If you would like to help a charity that pairs animals with members of the LGBTQ+ community, consider looking into the Don't You Want Me Project.

From their website:

The Dont You Want Me project examines the lives of queer people and their rescue dogs, and creates a visual global platform for them to tell their stories. Finding strength and purpose in the unconditional love, compassion and non-judgemental nature that is embodied in dogs, we watch the participants heal and transform. This bond - and the stories and personal growth that spring from it - forms the backbone of Dont You Want Me.

Coupling compelling images and personal narratives, Dont You Want Me shows that individuals of all stripes have the ability to transform their lives when they are given love. The question of who rescued who IS universal, no matter how you identify.

The doorbell bongs as I enter the Screaming Bean, my best friend's coffee shop and bakery. Owen looks up from his task behind the register to greet his newest customer, just like he always does. A giant grin splits his face when he sees it's me.

"Dominic! Have a seat buddy and I'll bring our lunch out shortly."

I wave in acknowledgement as he hands over the duties to his staff and pull out a chair at our usual table. The Screaming Bean has evolved so much in the five years since Owen opened it. He grew The Bean from a quick stop for your morning coffee to a bakery and now light lunch. He even hired a pastry chef recently and has started taking on custom orders.

I cock my head and smile at how far Owen's come. Since we met in first grade, we've been inseparable. Our history runs through my mind, like an old jerky film you'd watch in public school history class. Our first dates, prom, winning the championship football in senior year, graduating college. They all stutter through my mind jumping from one scene to the next, but when the sad memories start, I turn the movie off. I don't like to keep replaying those.

"I can tell by your frowny face you didn't have a good date."

Owen slides our lunch tray onto the table and pulls out the chair opposite me, plopping into it like he's a teenager and not the successful businessman who owns the place.

I run my hand down my face with a sigh. "I guess she was nice enough."

"I feel there's a but coming on here." He slides me half the clubhouse we always share, and I take a bite while I consider my next words.

"We didn't connect. We had a conversation over dinner and that's where it ended. I didn't want to ask her out again. I didn't want to bring her home. There was nothing beyond a friendly conversation." I look him the eye. "There was no spark."

I stir the tomato macaroni soup he placed in front of me earlier and wonder if I can find an answer to my loneliness at the bottom. Maybe today's macaroni can magically spell out an answer for me. I feel Owen's weighted stare and I finally raise my eyes back to his. He's my best friend, he cares for me, and I know he's concerned. But it's the pained glance and half smile I don't want. I'm done with the pity. I don't want it anymore.

"Nobody will ever be like Jenny, Dom. She's never going to be replaced." He sighs. "She would hate to see you struggle like this."

We eat our lunch with the weighted grief of remembering someone we lost. I know he's right; Jenny would hate this version of me. I'm angry with myself for being like this. That familiar thickness builds in my throat, and I sigh.

"I just don't want to take the first person I might like even a little, ya know? I need to find someone that I connect with on all the levels. Someone I can talk to about everything and burns a fire in my soul too. I need passion. I don't want lukewarm love."

I lean back in my chair and stare at the ceiling. It's very white.

"I'm not asking you to accept anything you aren't one hundred percent happy about Dom. I'm just asking that you make sure you're not pushing these women away simply because they aren't Jenny."

He has a point. When I first started dating again a year ago, I compared every date to her. Her smile, her laugh, how she could hold a conversation about how to clean a wild turkey. Even how she dressed. I wanted to replace my Jenny with a replica. After several failed dates and a long talk with Owen, I knew that was no way to live. I had to try and find someone that brought me joy and connection like Jenny never did. It was a tall order to fill.

"It wasn't that. She was nice enough. I just didn't feel it. I think if there isnt even a teeny, tiny spark at the first meeting, I'm not going to try to force it. Maybe I'm being too hard, but I honestly feel like if I meet you the first time and nothing draws me to you, why continue?"

"Sorry boss, can I get you in the back for a moment?" Owen's pastry chef interrupts and I notice a flicker of annoyance cross his face.

"Sure, Parker, give me a sec."

He watches Parker sashay his way back to the kitchen before turning back to me. "This guy really gets under my skin some days. I'll be right back. He probably wants me to count the chocolate chips or something ridiculous."