Fate's Intentions Read online

  Fate's Intentions

  by

  Dawn Nicole Stevens

  Copyright © 2013 by Dawn Nicole Stevens

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

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

  Dawn Nicole Stevens

  Visit me at

  facebook.com/DawnNicoleStevensBooks

  Check out my site at

  DawnNicoleStevens.webs.com

  Chapter 1

  Scarlett Williams sat in the passenger seat of her best friends purple cobalt staring out into the interstate ahead. She had dark circles around her green eyes due to the lack of sleep even though Ashlynn had been doing all the driving. Her brown hair stuck to her face in spots where tears had slid down. The sun was just beginning to come up and everything seemed to glow an eery orange. They had been driving for almost 18 hours now with very little breaks. "Ash, am I really that bad of a person?"

  Ashlynn laughed at her and said, "You know I'd still love you no matter what you've done! After all, I still love you after you wrote my name and number in the men's bathroom stall at the truck stop back home!"

  Scarlett chuckled a little, but then her brow furrowed again. "I feel like such and awful person. I mean, I cheated on him. I've been cheated on before and I know how it feels. I can't believe I did that to him."

  Ashlynn let out an exasperated breath. "Come on Scarlett, your 21 years old! You are too young to be living like an old married lady! And it's not totally your fault, if he would have treated you better you would have been happy and would not have got sucked into Tyler's bs!"

  "I don't know Ash I just feel so guilty! Really living up to my name huh? I should be wearing a scarlett letter!"

  "Girl, Tyler is the one who should be branded for all to see! He should have 'scheming liar' tattooed onto his forehead!"

  Scarlett laughed but her smile quickly turned back into a frown. "All this time I thought he was such a good friend to me and it turns out he was like a snake in the grass just waiting for his opportunity to strike."

  "Well, somebody shoulda took a shovel to that snake! I'm surprised Aaron hasn't done it!"

  "He's still upset with everything that happened but I have a feeling it's coming! You know Aaron really wasn't a bad guy, he just wanted more than I was ready to give. After living together since graduation it makes sense that the next step would be marriage and children but I just wasn't ready for that. If I could redo things though, I think I might consider it. I really do love him Ash. If only he could still love me after what I've done."

  "Hopefully if you ever get the chance to do it all over, you'd know going in this time that Tyler is a piece of crap and tell him not to let the door hit him in the ass on the way out! Tell me again why you hired him."

  Scarlett looked out the passenger side window, not looking at anything in particular. "He seemed like a nice enough guy. I thought he had a good sense of humor. But his references were all really good, that was the biggest reason."

  "Well maybe you should have asked for a list of girls as references Scarlett!"

  "I'll start making that a mandatory part of all our applications." Scarlett said with a snort.

  "That's even if you go back to the ole grind, you could just stay in smalltown nowheresville with me!" Ashlynn said through a grin.

  "I thought about it Ash, I really have. I could enroll in a couple classes at college with you. Maybe some business management courses.

  "Now what would be the point in that Scarlett? You already run your Aunt's grocery store. You have all sorts of hottie stocker boys to manage."

  Scarlett laughed. "Maybe I should just hire you as stock manager since you make all the guys in the town your business anyway."

  "I would so take that job if it didn't mean I had to work nights. But you know that working third shift would cut into my fun time!"

  Scarlett's gaze shifted down into her lap. "Do you think maybe things would have been better between Aaron and I if I hadn't worked so much?"

  "I think that if you were home more he would've only pushed the marriage issue harder."

  "You're probably right. Maybe I should've been more open to the idea. I did plan to marry him. I accepted the engagement ring after all. I just wanted to wait a couple more years. But really, why should I have been waiting? If I planned to do it anyway, I should have just married him."

  "Scarlett I can't see you settled down baking cookies and making casseroles with a couple kids running around just yet! That is what he would have wanted next."

  "Maybe so, but it sounds kind of nice now that I'm facing a future without him, knowing him and I will never share that experience. Kids are an adventure I can't imagine myself taking without him. I keep going back to that night, I see myself going back into the store instead of making up with him after our fight. Why didn't I just stay home? And why why why did I let Tyler talk me into going for a drink after work? If only I could have seen through him, realized his intentions!"

  "At least you did the honorable thing and told Aaron what happened."

  Scarlett sighed. "Not telling him wasn't an option. He's my best friend, present company excluded. I tell him everything. Why couldn't I see through Tyler's lies and know he was just feeding me crap talking about being young and I shouldn't live life only knowing one man? I feel a little better knowing I wouldn't have fallen for it had I been sober, but still."

  "I know you don't want to hear it Scarlett, but he did kind of have a point. It's a big world and you shouldn't get married and settle down with kids before you've seen at least some of it."

  "I know Ash but that is something I wanted to do with Aaron. I had plans for him and I to take vacations and travel, but I could never seem to get the chance, something was always going on with the store."

  "At least now your Aunt Ellen is better and can take over at the store while you run away with me. I'm glad her cancer is gone."

  "Yea me too. Her doctor said she's lucky, everything seems fine now. If only this all hadn't happened I would finally have the chance to spend more time with Aaron."

  Ashlynn didn't reply and Scarlett didn't say anymore. They drove for another hour in silence as Scarlett wiggled and turned in the seat trying to get comfortable and get some sleep but sleep wouldn't come.

  They passed a road sign telling them that the town of Black Forest was two miles up the interstate.

  Ashlynn tapped Scarlett's thigh. "Hey, perk up Scarlett, we're coming up on our exit!"

  They turned down the exit ramp, coming to a stop sign. Ashlynn looked around and spotted a Denny's down the street to the right.

  "How about some breakfast? You really need to eat! I haven't seen you put anything in that belly except coffee and ice cream."

  "I'm not hungry Ash, but I'll eat a little. I know you won't leave till I do."

  They sat at the booth in Denny's after having used the restroom and ordering their food.

  Ashlynn looked down at her phone. "It's 7:30, you think it's too early to call the landlord?"

  "I don't know Ash, but I really don't want to spend the day here."

  "You're right. Hopefully he's up cuz I'm really not wanting to wake him up and get on his bad side. I'd hate to call Pappy Joe every time we need manly work done around the house."

  "Ash I still can't believe you decided to go to community college in this little spe
ck of a town. I would've imagined you going to some huge college and living in the dorms, not staying in tinyville where you have family to tell your parents your every move."

  "Well as shocked as I too am about my decision, I like that Pap and Grammy live here so I have someone near if anything were to happen. It's better than staying home and going to community college there."

  "Hell I'm still surprised by you going to college!" Scarlett said, smiling sleepily.

  "Well I discovered after all my adventures since high school that I wasn't going to meet me a doctor in a club and probably not on a cruise ship either. So what better way to meet one than to become a nurse?" Ashlynn asked with a wink."

  "I'll be right back Scarlett, I'm going to walk outside and try to call the landlord."

  "I'll be right here with my coffee."

  As Ashlynn got up and walked out, Scarlett sat staring out the window. She could see snow covered mountains in the distance. Although they were in the mountains of Colorado, it wasn't as cold as she had expected. The temperature wasn't much different from back home in Illinois. The view wasn't the greatest, but she could see enough of the mountains to admire them.

  She sat in a daze, imagining spending a few weeks in a cabin up in those mountains with Aaron. She could envision them cuddled up with one another in front of a stone fire place, kissing and laughing and feeding each other chocolates. Then, she imagined sitting on a beach, between his legs with his arms wrapped around her from behind, both watching the waves crash to the shore. She thought about how that would've made a memorable honeymoon. She pictured herself wearing a beautiful white dress standing in front of all their family and friends, stars dancing in their eyes. She thought of Aaron running around a little fenced yard chasing a small boy both laughing as she sat on a swing rocking a baby that had her nose and Aaron's blue eyes.

  She was snapped back from her thoughts when Ashlynn plopped back down into the booth. "He was up. He said he'd be here in about half an hour."

  "Good. After all those hours in the car, I'm ready to stretch into a bed. Even if I can't sleep I'll have room to toss and turn."

  They finished their breakfast and headed out to the car. They climbed in and Ashlynn started the engine. "He said he'd be driving a tan F-150."

  "Like that one pulling in?" Scarlett laughed.

  Ashlynn gave him a wave and he turned around and pulled back out onto the road as she followed him.

  The drive wasn't far. Only about ten minutes outside of town. They followed the truck into a driveway that curved into the trees to a little cottage.

  They climbed out of the car and followed the man to the door. He pulled out a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door opening it and allowing the girls to enter first. He stepped in the door behind them and pulled it closed.

  "Your name is Charlie, correct?" Ashlynn asked him with a smile.

  "That is right. Charlie Walker. And you are Ashley?" He replied.

  "Ash-lynn. And this my friend Scarlett."

  "Well it's nice to meet you both. As you know I went to school with both your parents. They're good people."

  "Yea, as much as they criticize me, it's done out of love. I could've ended up with worse." Ashlynn giggled as he raised an eyebrow at her.

  "When I got your call a couple days ago I drove down here and turned on the breakers to get the furnace going. My wife came along and did some dusting although there is more to do since this place has been vacant a year or so. We were surprised when you called and ask about coming a month earlier than planned."

  "Well Scarlett and I needed to get away and have a little girl time." Ashlynn answered.

  "Do you girls need any help with your bags?"

  "We can get them but thank you anyway Mr. Walker."

  "Okay, well my wife has left both our cell numbers on the fridge. If you need anything just give us a ring."

  Ashlynn thanked him one more time as he waved and closed the door behind him.

  She turned to Scarlett. "Alright girl, you wanna try to nap or unload our stuff first?"

  "I think I'd rather get it later. No need to hurry. Not like we have anywhere to be or anything to do." Scarlett said with a grin.

  "Okay then lets check out our new crib!"

  They toured the house room by room, examining every little detail. It was a lot bigger than it looked in the pictures Mrs. Walker had text her dad although it was by no means big in any way. It was only a two bedroom one bath with an eat in kitchen. They walked into the larger bedroom first then into the second. It was only about a 12 by 12 foot room. Ashlynn turned to Scarlett. "I was going to make this my closet but I guess I can make due with that little rod in the corner of my room." She laughed.

  "I can see you now putting shelves and rods all around the room, and then calling your dad telling him you don't even have enough clothes to fill your closet, you need shopping money." They both laughed at the thought.

  "I am way overdue for a nap." Ashlynn said yawning.

  "I'm with you on that. Let's try to get some shut eye before we do anything else. I know your going to wear me out wanting me to help you decorate our new pad."

  Ashlynn walked out of the room murmuring "You got that right sister!"

  Scarlett turned back to the full size bed and lunged onto it. The room didn't have much. Just the bed, a small end table with two drawers and a tiny window with a blind and a white lace curtain. But it did seem to have charm. The walls were painted a soft yellow and the bedspread was a light blue and white quilt with blue roses on it in random places. She didn't climb under the covers or even kick off her shoes, just laid there on her back staring at the ceiling. She tried as hard as she could not to think about Aaron. She tried to think about other things, anything else. But it was in vain. She finally drifted off to sleep with Aaron still in her thoughts and now in her dreams.

  Chapter 2

  Scarlett woke up and grabbed her phone to check the time. It was 2pm. She sat up and rubbed her eyes wishing she had seen 'text from Aaron' when she'd unlocked her phone. As she tried to shake out of her sleepy state, she opened the bedroom door and walked out into the hall, peeking into Ashlynn's room to see if she was still sleeping. She was sound asleep. Scarlett took another little tour of the house and then made her way to the sofa in the small living room. The living room was painted in the same soft yellow as her room and the sofa was over stuffed with giant cushions upholstered in a silky off white fabric with maroon flowers all over it. She reached for the remote and turned on the TV, but there was no cable. She turned it off and sat in silence. She turned sideways and pulled the curtain behind her to the side to see out the window. There wasn't much yard space to the side of the house. She stared into the woods and saw two squirrels chasing one another up and around a tree. Then she heard a voice coming from the short hallway.

  "Are we gonna get some grub up in this joint or what?"

  She laughed at Ashlynn and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess maybe that would be a good idea and while we're out we can pick up some videos. There isn't any cable but there is a DVD player."

  "Well just so you know, Scarlett, we aren't going to be sitting here like two bumps on a log watching TV day in and day out. We need to get out and mingle and meet people. And most definitely need to find out what interesting things there are to do in this town!"

  "In case you haven't realized, I'm not exactly in my normal, smiling, people meeting mood!''

  Ashlynn turned heading for the bathroom as she said, "We'll just have to fix that! Now are you coming with me to freshen up or are you coming to town with me like that?"

  ~

  They drove around until they saw a little market. Ashlynn pulled into the parking lot and found a space near the entrance. The girls got out of the car and walked into the store.

  "Ash, you get some snacks I'm going to go grab stuff to make actual meals. Lord knows if it'd be up to you we'd live on Cheetos and snack cakes."

  "You bet your ass sister! I'm no c
hef. I can't even make mac and cheese. It always sticks to the bottom of the pan."

  Ashlynn grabbed a shopping basket and Scarlett shook her head as she pulled out a cart from its corral. Scarlett weaved through the isles and picked up canned goods, potatoes, meats and vegetables. She pushed her cart into the breakfast isle and got some cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix and syrup. She rounded the corner and found Ashlynn standing in the snack food isle with only Cheetos and Little Debbie snack cakes in her basket. Scarlett walked up behind her and said "All this time and you've only gotten two things?" Then, she looked up and realized Ashlynn was talking to a guy. "I'm sorry!" Scarlett said to him. "I didn't even see you there. I figured she was just confused whether to get Oreo's or Chips Ahoy." She laughed.

  "That's quite okay miss. I was just helping your friend here pick up the junk food avalanche she caused. My name is Adam. You must be Scarlett."

  "Um, yea" she said sheepishly.

  "I was just telling Adam we are new in town. He's a doctor." Ash said with a wink and a nudge.

  "Oh, you look pretty young to be a doctor." Scarlett said looking astounded.

  Adam laughed. "I'm 28. I don't mean to hold you ladies up any longer. I'll let you be on your way."

  "Oh we are in no hurry!" Ashlynn said sounding kind of desperate.

  Adam grinned. He had a beautiful smile. He wasn't a really tall guy standing about 5'10. He had piercing green eyes and dark brown hair, not short but not long. Grown out just enough that it had a little wave to it.

  "Well I'm sure in this little town of ours I will see you around." Adam said staring into Ashlynn's big blue eyes.

  "You can count on it!" Ashlynn told him with a wink.

  She stood looking mesmerized as he turned and walked away. She was still staring as he turned and waved one more time before disappearing around the corner.

  Scarlett glared at her from behind. "Are you okay?"

  Ashlynn turned and began to fan herself. "Girl is it hot in here, or is it me?"