WE'RE DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO TODAY'S GUEST AUTHOR, ELKE FEUER, WHO IS SHARING WITH US AN EXCERPT FROM HER NOVEL, 'THE TROUBLE WITH SOULMATES' #RWRTeamBlog #ReadWriteRepeat

"When I dream about people I often see them in real life if not the next day then sometime shortly after my dream. They were usually people I know. One night I had a dream about someone I didn't know and that never showed up in my life. That started the premise for my book The Trouble with Soulmates. While I didn't have the kind of intense connection that Michael and Rachel have, the dream and the man did leave an impact."

THE TROUBLE WITH SOULMATES

EXCERPT

Rachel glanced across the room at Michael. He’s here. He’s really here. She never doubted he’d return to Cayman, since he owned a company here, but she never imagined he’d reach out to her. Between the time passing and the fact he’d never tried to reach out before now convinced her that he’d moved on. Or so she’d thought.

Then, out of the blue, she dreamed about him. The dream was nothing like the ones they shared, but it was vivid and powerful. Meaning she’d see him again. What she didn’t know was when and how they’d react and feel when they saw each other. Each day that passed and he didn’t show up in her life, she rationalized it was her way of letting him go. That theory went out the window when she got his message with a request to meet her for dinner.

When she’d walked into the crowded restaurant and saw him sitting at the table, her heart jumped in her chest when he smiled. Her reaction to him was the same, but she chalked it up to the shock of the moment.

The noise of people talking and laughing around her went silent. So did the clinking of glasses and silverware against plates. Every sound and person around her disappeared as she walked toward him. For her, they were the only two people in the room.

He’d changed. Hints of gray peeked through his hair, which he wore a little longer. He hadn’t aged much, but it had only been a year, although in some ways it seemed so much longer. She was a completely different person than the one he met and got to know. Had he changed too, or was he still the same?

Michael rose and greeted her with a polite kiss on the cheek before pulling out a chair for her. The kiss surprised her, sending a wave of warmth down to her toes and back through her body and out through the top of her head. Uh oh!

The clatters and clinks resumed with a vengeance, drawing her back to her body and the restaurant, reminding her they weren’t alone.

“Nice to see you, Rachel.” His voice was calm, as if he hadn’t experienced the same sensation. Michael motioned for the waiter. “Would you like a glass of red wine or water to start?”

He remembers what I like to drink. “Red wine, please.” I’m going to need it. Rachel watched Michael peruse the menu and then ordered their drinks when the waiter arrived. He then continued to glance at the menu.

“Do you know what you want to order?”

The last thing on her mind was food. She hadn’t even glanced at the menu. Not that she needed to. She’d eaten at this restaurant more times than she could count, and they hadn’t even heard the specials. Wanting to provide him with an answer, she picked up the menu and flipped through the pages for her favorite dishes to see which one jumped out at her for tonight. None of them did, her mind and eyes wandering to Michael, curious as to why he arranged this meeting. Deep breaths, Rachel! She hadn’t had to say to herself in a long time, as deep breathing throughout her day now came naturally and she did it unconsciously. A wave of calm and peace came over her once she breathed deeply behind the menu. This encounter with Michael was a wonderful opportunity for her to enjoy his company and maybe tie up any loose ends with their connection—if any presented themselves. She was out to dinner with a nice-looking and charming man, and that was something to be present for and appreciate. It was the words she used to convince herself.

She told him her meal choice. “What are you having?”

His eyes remained on the menu. “I haven’t decided yet.”

She rattled off a few of her favorites as recommendations and waited for him to glance at her, but he didn’t. “How’s business?”

“Busy, but good.”

A generic response, and still no glance away from the menu. He was different, for sure. The old Michael would’ve chosen and been plying her with questions by now. Rachel did a mental shrug. Whatever the reason for this meeting, it would present itself soon enough. “How is your family?”

Those words got his attention and he finally pried himself away from the menu and set it down on the table. She’d hit a nerve, obviously. Was he about to tell her about an engagement, or some big family announcement? Thinking of him engaged pricked at her heart. I’d be happy for him, right? Rachel honestly didn’t know how she’d feel.

“They’re well. Thanks for asking. How are yours?”

“Very well, traveling around the world.” Rachel laughed. “Actually, they’ve been at it for some time now, and loving every minute of it. They became silent partners in my business, and we’re both enjoying that new arrangement.”

Michael smiled. “Sounds like your relationship with them has improved.”

“It has. A lot—and for the better. We’re planning to meet up for the holidays, although I’m not sure where it’s going to be yet. Celebrating Christmas somewhere different will feel strange, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Have you done any traveling yourself?” Michael asked after the waiter set down their drinks and left.

“No. I’ve been too busy with the business, but I take a spa day once a month to destress and reset myself.” Rachel sipped her wine. And a crap load of meditation and sessions with Sky.

“I’m glad to hear you’re taking care of yourself and not getting burned out with work. I’ve been trying to do the same. I took up golfing, but I plan on trying something else because I really suck at it, and I’m not getting any better.”

They laughed.

“Do you enjoy it?”

He nodded.

“Then that’s all that matters. And if it helps you to relax...”

“It does for the most part, but I also go for a massage once a week and I’m training for a marathon.”

“Wow! That sounds like a lot of time away from work for you. How’s your father taking it?”

Michael chuckled. “He wasn’t thrilled at first, but he’s settled into an unhappy grudge. I’ve promoted other people within the company to handle more of the workload.”

“He’ll come around,” Rachel offered. Anything was possible. Look at how things had changed with her parents’ relationship and so quickly too.

“Perhaps,” Michael answered just as a waiter came to take their food order.

Their food arrived and the conversation took twists and turns, and Michael still hadn’t said why he asked to meet with her. She was enjoying herself so much that she didn’t care. If they’d been on a date, she would’ve rated it as the best one in a long time. The conversation flowed easily, along with the laughter and Rachel felt more at ease with him than other times they were together, and that said a lot. Being in Michael’s company was always inexplicable. She felt at ease, as if they’d known each other for years, but the sexual tension was so poignant it could make things uncomfortable. But maybe that’s because their relationship had been different before. Their in-person meetings were confusing because of the dream connections. They’d never shared a physical connection in real life, but the one in their dreams made it clear it would be amazing no matter where it was.

Being around each other now was different, but in a good way. The attraction wasn’t overpowering or uncomfortable and everything felt easier. Rachel smiled. This was why they’d needed to connect at this dinner, to close out any possible “what-ifs” about their relationship. Now there’d be no wondering when she thought about him in the future. Their connection was meant to happen, to wake her up, heal her—and things in her life that needed to heal—and she’d be forever grateful to him for that. Their relationship had to happen the way it did. It was okay that they’d moved on. Their strong connection didn’t have to become more, and they’d both be just fine to go about the rest of their lives, trying to find love that would better fit them and their lives. The lessons she learned from her relationship with Michael were some of the best, and she’d cherish their shared experiences.

Michael surprised her, reaching for her hand on the table. “I appreciate you agreeing to have dinner with me. I wasn’t certain you’d accept my invitation.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Their last meeting didn’t end as badly as the last time they were in a dream together, and they’d been civil to each other on the phone when they talked business.

“I thought maybe you’d shut the door on me after your contract ended, and wouldn’t want to think about or remember me.”

Not remember you? I couldn’t forget you if I tried. “I didn’t want to forget you, Michael. Even with everything that happened between us, you changed my life in a way no one else has.”

He squeezed her hand. “I’m happy to hear that, because I feel the same way too. Knowing you has changed me, and my life, and I’ll be forever grateful to you for that.”

The longer they held hands, the more the emotions and energy between them grew and expanded, making Rachel realize that what had happened between them wasn’t truly over in the way she thought or hoped. She removed her hand from his. A long dead fear rippled through her, piercing her heart like a small chard of ice, spreading to every cell in her body. Not good.

“Are you okay?”

The words “I’m fine,” almost slipped out. She didn’t want to speak that lie, as it betrayed who she was now. She never wanted to go back to that person, filled with fear, doubt, and self-loathing, and knowing she was pretending to be someone she wasn’t. Someone she didn’t want to be.

“No.” Rachel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stared into his sea-blue eyes, hoping the emotions were fleeting, but when she felt the ice chard twist, she understood they weren’t going anywhere. “I agreed to meet with you because I wanted to see if I’d still feel the same way. I didn’t realize that was the real reason, and not the one I convinced myself of: that you were someone I used to care for, but things didn’t work out because we were in different places in our lives.”

“And what did you discover?”

“That things are different between us. We’ve changed in some ways and are the same in others. I’m a stronger person now than when I first met you, both inside and outside our dreams. I know exactly what I want for my life now, even though I’m still navigating my way and enjoying each moment to the fullest. I discovered that while I not only survived while we were apart, I thrived, both professionally and personally. I healed parts of myself that I didn’t realize needed healing, and I’m complete and fully happy for the first time in my life.”

“But?” Michael voice was lined with question and anticipation.

“But I also discovered how much I missed spending time with you like this. Missed how easy it is to talk and connect with you in ways I haven’t with other men. I missed your smile, your jokes, and laughing with you. Missed the way you look at me like I’m the most beautiful woman in the room, and it’s only me you want to be with. The way I want to run my fingers through your hair and touch your face while I listen to you speak.”

The words flew from her mouth. He needed to hear them as much as she needed to purge them from her mind and heart. She was ripping the bandage that covered her heart and showing it to the person who hurt her the most, hoping he wouldn’t tear it out but cover it with something more substantial. The moment was excruciating and exhilarating at the same time. Rachel finally gazed up at Michael to see his reaction.

“Rachel, I—” His words were interrupted by the waiter who came over to ask if they needed anything else. “Just the check.”

Rachel's heart sank to her high heels. His asking for the check was a death sentence to their conversation. It meant he had moved on—maybe even found someone. Stop making assumptions! The truth was, she didn’t know what he was thinking or going to say, only that he asked for the check, and she had to be patient and see how the rest of the night would unfold. Spilling her heart to Michael wasn’t part of her plan. In fact, she was certain in her original thoughts that their time together was complete with this meeting. But each time she looked at him, part of that thought was chipped away to the truth: She still loved him deeply and wanted to be in his life. The realization made her feel stupid, with a lesson she was doomed to repeat. Nothing of their reality had changed.

Rachel stood when the check was paid and walked to the exit with Michael. No words were said as they headed toward the parking lot. He followed her to her car. “Thank you for dinner.”

“You’re more than welcome.” He took her hand. “We should finish our talk. How about I follow you home?”

Rachel nodded, got inside her car, and watched him in the rear-view mirror, waiting for him to get in and follow her.    

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COMING SOON: On Friday, 26th September, our fabulous team member and author, Lorraine Carey will be sharing Chapter 1 of her novel, 'Camp Cougar' which was co-wriiten with author Becky Robbins.