Third: Prologue
Story Summary
Written: February - May 2011
Status: Finished
Starring: Zac
Number of Chapters: 10 + Prologue and Epilogue
For: The Spark Inside: Spring 2011
Following his wife's shocking death and the exposure of her dirty little secrets, Zac leaves Tulsa and heads to the Oregon coast for a few weeks to escape his overbearing family. His goal is to be alone, with only the company of his bull dogs Butch and Cassidy, but then he meets Harlow Lowry, a woman who is unlike anyone he has ever met. Will the walls that Zac has built around his heart stay strong or will Harlow find her way in?
Masterpost
Prologue
January 2011
His mind was still reeling at her announcement that she was leaving him for Grant. He hadn’t seen this coming, not really, and especially not with him. Sure, their relationship had become strained during the last few months, but he didn’t think she’d look for companionship outside of their marriage.
He had been in such a state of shock that she had left the house, more than likely to be with her lover, before they could fight about it. By the time he was ready to fight, she had been gone for thirty minutes. He knew he’d have a chance though, because all of her stuff was still here.
When the doorbell rang, a few hours later, he was ready to make her beg for him to take her back or fight for their marriage. But it wasn’t her. It was two police officers wearing matching serious faces.
“Mr. Hanson?” The officer on the left spoke. Zac nodded. “May we come in?”
Numbly, Zac stepped aside and let them in.
“Mr. Hanson, I’m sure you’re wondering what we’re doing here,” the same officer spoke when they were all seated in the living room.
Zac nodded, too afraid to speak. He’d seen enough crime dramas to know a visit from the cops was never good.
“Out with it, Marty,” the other officer said. “Can’t you see you’re making him panic.”
“Oh, right, my apologies,” Marty stated. “Mr. Hanson, I regret to inform you that your wife was involved in a serious car accident this evening.” He glanced at his partner before continuing. “She didn’t make it.” They exchanged looks again. “Her passenger, Grant Scott, sustained minor injuries.”
Zac stared at Marty in shock. There was no way that this was true. No way. This had to be some kind of sick joke.
“Mr. Hanson, we need you to come with us to the hospital,” Marty’s partner said. “We’ll take you and then bring you home, unless there is someone we can call for you.”
“My parents,” Zac whispered, holding his cell phone out.
“I’ll call as soon as we get to the hospital,” Marty’s partner assured him.
They gave Zac a few minutes to get dressed and get stuff together, before they led him out to their unmarked car and drove him to the hospital.
“I want to see her,” Zac said, even surprising himself at the request.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Marty said. “Start filling out the paperwork while you wait.”
Ten minutes later, Marty returned with a male nurse. Together they led Zac to the room where his wife’s body lay under a white sheet.
“Can I have a few minutes alone?” Zac asked.
“We’ll be right outside,” Marty stated.
Once they had left, Zac pulled the sheet off his wife’s face and cringed at all the cuts and bruises that now covered her beautiful face.
“How could you do this to me?” He asked her in a loud whisper. “And with him?”
“I wouldn’t have had to look elsewhere if you had been a better husband,” her voice rang in his head. “My mother warned me about marrying a divorced man. I should have listened to her.”
He shook his head, trying to get her voice to leave him alone, but it didn’t work. Instead, her voice was joined by that of his first wife’s.
“You’re a lucky girl, I always fancied Grant,” his first wife said to his second. “Maybe I should have hooked up with him after I left our poor excuse for a husband.”
“SHUT UP!” Zac yelled and the voices in his head quieted.
“That’s it,” he said several minutes later. “I’m done with women.”
Written: February - May 2011
Status: Finished
Starring: Zac
Number of Chapters: 10 + Prologue and Epilogue
For: The Spark Inside: Spring 2011
Following his wife's shocking death and the exposure of her dirty little secrets, Zac leaves Tulsa and heads to the Oregon coast for a few weeks to escape his overbearing family. His goal is to be alone, with only the company of his bull dogs Butch and Cassidy, but then he meets Harlow Lowry, a woman who is unlike anyone he has ever met. Will the walls that Zac has built around his heart stay strong or will Harlow find her way in?
Masterpost
Prologue
January 2011
His mind was still reeling at her announcement that she was leaving him for Grant. He hadn’t seen this coming, not really, and especially not with him. Sure, their relationship had become strained during the last few months, but he didn’t think she’d look for companionship outside of their marriage.
He had been in such a state of shock that she had left the house, more than likely to be with her lover, before they could fight about it. By the time he was ready to fight, she had been gone for thirty minutes. He knew he’d have a chance though, because all of her stuff was still here.
When the doorbell rang, a few hours later, he was ready to make her beg for him to take her back or fight for their marriage. But it wasn’t her. It was two police officers wearing matching serious faces.
“Mr. Hanson?” The officer on the left spoke. Zac nodded. “May we come in?”
Numbly, Zac stepped aside and let them in.
“Mr. Hanson, I’m sure you’re wondering what we’re doing here,” the same officer spoke when they were all seated in the living room.
Zac nodded, too afraid to speak. He’d seen enough crime dramas to know a visit from the cops was never good.
“Out with it, Marty,” the other officer said. “Can’t you see you’re making him panic.”
“Oh, right, my apologies,” Marty stated. “Mr. Hanson, I regret to inform you that your wife was involved in a serious car accident this evening.” He glanced at his partner before continuing. “She didn’t make it.” They exchanged looks again. “Her passenger, Grant Scott, sustained minor injuries.”
Zac stared at Marty in shock. There was no way that this was true. No way. This had to be some kind of sick joke.
“Mr. Hanson, we need you to come with us to the hospital,” Marty’s partner said. “We’ll take you and then bring you home, unless there is someone we can call for you.”
“My parents,” Zac whispered, holding his cell phone out.
“I’ll call as soon as we get to the hospital,” Marty’s partner assured him.
They gave Zac a few minutes to get dressed and get stuff together, before they led him out to their unmarked car and drove him to the hospital.
“I want to see her,” Zac said, even surprising himself at the request.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Marty said. “Start filling out the paperwork while you wait.”
Ten minutes later, Marty returned with a male nurse. Together they led Zac to the room where his wife’s body lay under a white sheet.
“Can I have a few minutes alone?” Zac asked.
“We’ll be right outside,” Marty stated.
Once they had left, Zac pulled the sheet off his wife’s face and cringed at all the cuts and bruises that now covered her beautiful face.
“How could you do this to me?” He asked her in a loud whisper. “And with him?”
“I wouldn’t have had to look elsewhere if you had been a better husband,” her voice rang in his head. “My mother warned me about marrying a divorced man. I should have listened to her.”
He shook his head, trying to get her voice to leave him alone, but it didn’t work. Instead, her voice was joined by that of his first wife’s.
“You’re a lucky girl, I always fancied Grant,” his first wife said to his second. “Maybe I should have hooked up with him after I left our poor excuse for a husband.”
“SHUT UP!” Zac yelled and the voices in his head quieted.
“That’s it,” he said several minutes later. “I’m done with women.”