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  A New Dawn

  From Rich Housewife to Suddenly Single

  J.A. Pierre

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

  Copyright © 2015 by J.A. Pierre. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

  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

  Epilogue

  Preview-The Rich Housewives of Bon Avenue-

  Chapter One

  Chapter One

  Two Years Earlier

  “You’re wearing my favorite lingerie.”

  Dawn Delaney cringed at her husband’s words. There was no awe in Gary’s voice. The words fled his lips as if he were reading the weather report.

  She tried to fight the panic demanding to take over. She had to contain her emotions if she wanted to seduce her husband of over eighteen years. She wore an expensive white La Perla bra and panty set that framed her curvy shape nicely. Her skin glowed from a generous rubdown of mango and papaya body butter. Dawn could smell the vanilla fragrance she’d spritzed at key spots on her body. If Gary walked a bit closer, he’d be able to smell it too. But so far, Dawn’s efforts had no effect.

  She wasn’t a size six, seven, or eight for that matter. And after years of marriage, Dawn wasn’t too keen on wearing the revealing lingerie when one of her regular nightshirts was more comfortable. Still, she made the effort.

  Gary strolled over to the La-Z-Boy recliner in their bedroom and picked up the Clarks shoebox. He’d asked Dawn to buy the black leather shoes for him earlier that day. She’d called him while shopping at Pentagon City Mall. It’d save him the trouble of driving there later in the week. As usual, Dawn obliged his request.

  She watched as he examined the Clarks, turning them upside down to take a look at the soles. New shoes held Gary’s interest more than their marriage—their old marriage.

  Dawn stood waiting. She recoiled further because she knew she deserved better treatment from Gary despite being a stay-at-home mother and a housewife. But what was she to do? She wanted for nothing because of him.

  She sighed and rested both hands on full hips. Another man would devour me right now, she thought. Dawn tried to squelch the desire she still had for Reginald. The fling with the contractor, though physically satisfying, only made her more confused about her marriage.

  Dawn thought about the good times she and Gary’d had in the past. How he used to make love to her two and three times a day. She thought of the grand way he’d proposed to her and the utter feeling of bliss that had consumed her when she’d said yes. She thought of their daughter, Sherine, whose simple existence comforted Dawn. Gary and Dawn had raised a great kid together, who’d soon be off to college when summer ended.

  They had to get their marriage back on track. It was one thing to miss Gary, who often travelled, while Sherine had lived at home. But Dawn couldn’t imagine being alone in the family’s spacious house with no one to talk to.

  It was the memories of the good times that made her hang on.

  She cleared her throat. Gary finally put down the shoes. He sighed and put his hands in the pockets of his Armani pants. His jacket wasn’t on. Dawn knew that it was downstairs, hanging on the back of a kitchen chair. Gary always took off his jacket and placed it on a chair as soon as he got home. It was a constant in an otherwise impulsive man.

  “Why don’t you go take a quick shower and then let’s have some fun?” Dawn rested most of her weight on her right foot, tilted her head, and smiled seductively.

  Gary exhaled and adjusted his tie. “I don’t think this is working for me anymore.”

  “Excuse me?” Dawn straightened her posture. She couldn’t have heard Gary correctly.

  “Us.” Gary moved his hands back and forth in the air. “I want a divorce.”

  Gary, please. But the words didn’t come out. Anger temporarily muzzled Dawn. She felt it surge. “You’ve chosen your mistress over me,” she spat.

  Gary shook his head. “It’s not that.”

  “That WASN’T a question.” Dawn’s chest heaved up and down. She felt like she couldn’t breathe under the pain pounding down on her. “You told me…promised me, that you’d end things with her.”

  “We’re different people now, Dawn.”

  She shook her head. “You’re the one who changed.”

  Gary shrugged. “I guess money can do that to you.”

  “It was your choice.” Dawn stared at him. She couldn’t deny that she no longer loved him the way she used to.

  Loneliness, lies, and cheating had dulled that emotion.

  “She’s worth more to you than our marriage?” Dawn began to cry. She didn’t want to, but it couldn’t be helped. “More important than your wife, you child, your home!”

  Gary stuck out an arm and held his hand up as he went, “Shh.”

  “What?” Dawn looked around wildly. “Don’t ‘Shh’ me. No one’s here but us and the neighbors can’t hear.”

  They argued viciously.

  Dawn soon realized there was no way she and Gary would see eye to eye. The only thing they agreed on was that things had changed.

  “We’ll have to figure this out,” Gary said finally, surveying their large bedroom.

  Dawn snorted and wiped her runny nose. He’s already talking about sorting through our assets. “How can you be so cold? You don’t want to—” she began to plead.

  Gary shook his head before she could finish.

  “Get. Out!” Dawn flung her arms up and pointed to the door. She charged toward Gary. Her breasts bounced and her thighs jiggled. It wasn’t vertical movement Dawn had been looking forward to when she’d put on the lingerie.

  Gary had crushed her.

  “GET OUT!”

  He moved around her, his eyes wide with uneasiness, and opened their bedroom door. Then he was gone.

  Dawn collapsed on the floor, covered her head, and sobbed.

  Chapter Two

  Present Time

  Dressed in a pink pantsuit, Dawn walked through the lobby of the chic office building in northwest Washington D.C. She’d lost twelve pounds since changing her diet, eating more fruits and vegetables and less carrot cake. To some, twelve pounds might’ve seemed like a small number, but Dawn’s dress size was down and regular exercise had her feeling better than ever.

  The brightly colored outfit was a gift she’d bought herself. With every milestone achieved, Dawn celebrated—even if she celebrated alone. When she’d signed the papers that ended her marriage, she booked a spa day. She’d wanted to block out one day to be good to herself to combat the days spent at home, crying.

  When her feisty lawyer secured the spousal payments from Gary that Dawn had asked for, Dawn took the savvy young woman out to dinner. Dawn didn’t see herself as greedy, but after years of being a housewife, she’d need the money to get on her feet. And when her daughter, Sherine, graduated from high school, she and Dawn spent a week together luxuriating in H
awaii.

  She scanned the list of businesses on the wall and spotted the name Bradford Shaw and Company. The accounting firm was on the fourth floor. She walked to the elevator and made her way up.

  A redhead with a big smile observed Dawn as she walked into the accounting office.

  “Good morning, may I help you?”

  “Good morning. I’m here to see Mr. Shaw. My name’s Dawn Delaney.”

  The woman nodded. “I’ll let him know that you’re here. Would you like some coffee or tea?”

  “Water will be nice.”

  “Okay.” The woman picked up her phone and announced to the person on the other end that Dawn was there. After hanging up, she reached behind her desk, got something, and then stood. “I just got two bottles of Dasani from the refrigerator.” She handed Dawn one.

  “Thanks.” Dawn turned to sit on one of the chairs in the waiting area.

  An older woman soon appeared and escorted Dawn to Mr. Shaw’s office. Dawn thanked the woman, who gave a curt nod as she closed her boss’s door.

  “It’s a nice day outside. Please have a seat.”

  Dawn turned toward the man’s voice. He was smiling at her. Dawn felt her knees weaken. “Good morning, Mr. Shaw,” she said as she walked demurely toward the chair near his desk. He had golden brown sugar skin and dark eyes with flashes of amber. He watched her closely as she sat.

  He leaned forward. “Call me Brad.”

  Her attraction to Brad caught Dawn off guard. His eyes were a mixture of brown and green Dawn had never seen and his smile was effortlessly charming. “All right.”

  “Laurel told me you’ve got a sweet hand.”

  Dawn smiled.

  “She says you can throw down and I trust my girl, Laurel. We go way back so a lot’s riding on this staging.”

  “Okay,” Dawn said slowly.

  Brad chuckled. “I’m just pulling your leg. The event at my house is important, but I know things will work out great.” Ding. Brad looked at his computer screen. “Just give me one second.” Dawn drank Brad up with her eyes while he focused on the screen. “I need to respond to this message because I’ll be leaving the office after you and I get done.”

  His jaw was angular and his lips full. Dawn liked how his shoulders were broad. She smiled at the thought of him being strong enough to pick her up. She felt a sudden heat flow through her body and she cleared her throat.

  Brad turned to her. “Sorry. I’ll be done in a second.”

  “Oh, no.” Dawn gave a close-lipped smile. “I’m in no hurry.”

  Brad tapped the keyboard and logged out of his computer. “Maybe, but your time is as important as mine, beautiful.”

  Dawn knew she smiled a bit too widely. But from the way Brad looked at her, she knew he meant every word.

  Laurel had recommended Dawn’s catering business to Brad. He was Laurel’s client, but with his multimillion-dollar home on the market a month longer than expected, Laurel was getting nervous. As a real estate agent, Laurel had a reputation of selling clients’ houses quickly.

  The newly married woman had seen Dawn piece her life together after Dawn’s divorce. Laurel was also the one who’d encouraged Dawn to enter a pastry program.

  “You can cook better than anyone I know, Dawn. Get trained in a culinary program. Get a certificate and start a business. What do you know about office life?” Laurel had asked over drinks. Back then, Dawn had been embarrassed that Laurel saw so clearly her unhappiness. Dawn felt a bit envious that Laurel had just gotten married while her own marriage was disintegrating before her very eyes. But Laurel had been right.

  Now Dawn shook her head. Smart cookie. Dawn was proud of Laurel. She was glad they still kept in touch though she no longer lived on Bon Avenue. She couldn’t afford the pricy Zip Code.

  “I brought some menu samples for you to look at.” Dawn pulled a folder from her bag. She’d be preparing the food for a home staging at Brad’s house. Laurel had invited top Washington, D.C., real estate agents to view the house. She was “spiffing” up Brad’s house, adding accent pieces to warm it up. Like most people, agents enjoyed free food.

  “If the agents attend a good staging with great food, they’ll be more enthusiastic to tell their clients about Brad’s home,” Laurel had said. If another agent’s client wanted Brad’s house, Laurel would give them a percentage of the profits.

  “Okay. I’ll take a look at it,” Brad said.

  Dawn slid forward in the chair and handed Brad the folder with sample menus. “The first section’s for smaller catering events. Laurel told me about twenty people were invited to view your home on Thursday.”

  Brad nodded. “Only a few days left.”

  Dawn allowed him to look at his choices. She liked the snow globe on his desk. Besides his ringless finger, she’d noticed that Brad didn’t have any framed photos in his office.

  He looked up. “I like menu three,” he said, returning the folder.

  Dawn smiled and made a note on her iPad mini. “That’s an excellent choice.”

  “Well,” he said as he adjusted his tie, “I’ve always had excellent taste.”

  Dawn liked the pinstriped tie which matched his gray suit perfectly. “That you do.”

  “I’d like the salmon to have an extra kick of lemon,” Brad said.

  They talked about the food Dawn would prepare for the event. Dawn noticed that Brad actually seemed interested in what she was saying. But she was doubtful he was actually interested. Her ex-husband never cared about any part of the cooking process. So why would Brad? Yet he asked questions, and Dawn obliged him with answers.

  “Everything sounds like it’ll be great.” Brad drummed his knuckles on his desk. “I’d like to sell my house before fall comes.”

  They wrapped up their discussion. “Well, if that’s it—,” Dawn began to organize her things.

  “It isn’t.” Brad smiled. “I’d like to take you out to dinner.”

  “Oh.”

  “Only say yes if you really want to.” Brad crossed his hands at the wrist. “It doesn’t affect the event in any way.”

  Dawn twisted her mouth to the side. It was a yes. Why wouldn’t she want to spend more time with this man? “I’d love to.”

  “All right.” His telephone rang and Brad picked up. He glanced at the clock on the wall and nodded. “I’m leaving the office now.”

  Dawn took that as a cue and stood.

  Brad turned his chair and pulled a wheelchair from behind the posh executive chair he sat on. “Okay, later.” He brought the wheelchair closer and transferred himself out of the executive chair.

  Dawn was astounded. She’d never suspected Brad had a disability.

  He glanced at her then. The shock must have registered on her face, because he chuckled and looked down at his legs. “Do you want to reconsider?”

  Dawn noticed Brad’s dimple when he laughed. You’re so cute. “Of course not,” she said, thinking he’d be nice company. She’d go on at least one date. It’d be a shame to judge him on a disability. But Brad still seemed hesitant. “You already know my profession. A girl’s always down for good food and good company.” She angled her head and looked at him sideways, flirtatiously. Brad laughed then and something stirred inside Dawn. She looked forward to their date.

  Chapter Three

  Brad sat behind the wheel of his silver Lexus. His brother was on his way outside to help Brad transfer into his wheelchair. Brad could maneuver on his own, but transferring from a car was always easier with assistance. He was glad he’d only have to use the wheelchair another month or two once his left leg and foot were healed and he continued to do well in his physical therapy sessions. His therapist had told him the next step was using a walker as his feet got reacquainted with the weight of his body, and then on to a cane.

  No one was sure if he’d get past the cane.

  Brad rested his head on the steering wheel. He didn’t want to think about the accident, though scenes sometimes flashed across his
mind. The memory was too painful. He closed his eyes and smiled when Dawn’s face entered his head. He opened them and looked out the window. I’ll have to think of a nice place for our date.

  Brad wanted to impress Dawn.

  The look on her face when he’d transferred to the wheelchair was telling. He suspected she’d thought the wheelchair was a permanent fixture, yet Brad didn’t confess the truth. Something inside Brad softened when Dawn didn’t back out from seeing him again.

  She was the type of woman he wanted.

  *

  Brad sat on a therapy mat with outstretched legs. He’d eaten a bit too much at lunch with his brother. The two were close and Brad looked up to Teddy. The boys had grown up without a dad around, and Brad sometimes saw his older brother as a father figure. Teddy’s was the first number recited when the ambulance asked Brad for an emergency contact on that ghostly rainy night.

  “I’ve got some therabands here for you to use,” the physical therapist announced as he neared Brad. “This will help keep those muscles loose.”

  “Come on, I exercise enough at home.” Brad had taken two prescription pain pills beforehand. They helped lessen the pains he felt in his bones. The body was a funny thing and there were plenty of aches long after the trauma had ended.

  “Just add this to your routine. If we do some therapy here at the center and you do your part at home, you’d be up and running sooner rather than later.”

  Brad snickered. “Well, I don’t think I’m ever going to be running again. At least, not according to my doctors.”

  The therapist shrugged. “Maybe not, but you still have to do what I say.”

  Brad sighed. Many days he got tired and didn’t want to go through the therapy process, but he fought through his fatigue.

  They went through resistance exercises with the band. Afterward, it was leg rotations and lifts, strength training, and balance training. By the time the hour-long session was over, sweat dripped from Brad’s forehead. As he wiped the sweat with a small towel, again, Dawn popped into his mind. Brad smiled, wondering if he’d soon have another reason to sweat.