Something lost
BOOK ONE ~ FUNERALS AND WEDDINGS SERIES
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Saying goodbye is sometimes the beginning.
Craig Turner was Coach Diaz’s star player, back in the day. He was held in high regard, until he broke the rules and dated the coach’s daughter. Young and stupid, his affection for her lasted until graduation, and then it was time to face the real world--but his love for her would never leave him. Rachel Diaz became who her father wanted her to be, a well educated, well traveled, successful woman, but she holds a well full of secrets from the outside world. As a high school therapist, she uses her past traumas to help others overcome their own. When the Fabulous Five arrive at Coach Diaz’s funeral, to pay their respects, a rekindling happens between them all—and between Craig and Rachel. Is Rachel woman enough to face her demons and is Craig man enough to accept them? Or will their encounter be as brief as the affair they had a decade ago, behind her father’s back? |
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Other Books in the series
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Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie is known for building families readers want to be part of. Her series The Keller Family has graced bestseller charts since its release in 2011. Since then she has authored and published over forty-five books. The married mother of five sons promises romances with a Happily Ever After always…and says she can write it because she lives it.
Obsessed with the art of writing and the business of publishing, chronic entrepreneur Bernadette Marie established her own publishing house, 5 Prince Publishing, in 2011 to bring her own work to market as well as offer an opportunity for fresh voices in fiction to find a home as well. When not immersed in the writing/publishing world, Bernadette Marie can be found spending time with her family, traveling, and running multiple businesses. An avid martial artist, Bernadette Marie is a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, and loves Tai Chi. She is a retired hockey mom, a lover of a good stout craft beer, and might have an unhealthy addiction to chocolate. |
Something Lost - Chapter One
The thought crossed his mind, had he ever been to a funeral when it wasn’t snowing or raining?
Craig stepped out of his car, opened the back door, and pulled out his overcoat. Shrugging it on over his suit, he buttoned it up and adjusted his scarf. Cars pulled into the lot and he watched as others followed the same routine he did to ward off the cold that nipped at him.
“Hey, Turner!”
Craig turned at the calling out of his last name. A smile came to his lips as Raymond Stewart maneuvered between the cars and headed toward him.
There were no handshakes. Each of the men opened their arms and embraced the other.
“It is so good to see you,” Ray said as he pulled back and scanned a look over Craig.
“What a crappy reason to get together.”
“What an honor though, huh? After all these years, and they ask us to be his pallbearers?”
“I’m not going to lie. I was a bit surprised to get his son’s email,” Craig admitted.
“No matter what ever happened between all of us, and the other players that came and went, the five of us had a bond with him. I can’t help but think we were replacements for Theo—we’ll you know, maybe we dulled his pain some?”
Craig wasn’t so sure about that. How did a man ever get over the loss of a child?
He tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat and pulled out the gloves he’d stored there. Slipping his hands into the lined leather, he watched his breath carry on the cold air.
“When was the last time you talked to him?” Craig asked as he nodded toward the hearse.
Ray tucked his gloved hands into the pockets of his coat as a frigid breeze blew between them. “Christmas card each year. His son got him on Facebook, so I chatted with him a few times there. Otherwise, I don’t know when I actually spoke to him other than at my wedding.”
Craig caught the sadness that flashed in Ray’s eyes. “I heard about your divorce. I’m sorry, man.”
“Shit happens, right? It was a good eight years, and a few really bad ones. But we work well together when it comes to the kids, and that’s the most important part.” Ray pulled his sunglasses down off his head and slid them on his face. “When did you talk to him last?”
Craig noticed they were taking the casket out of the hearse and carrying it inside the church through the side door. He gave Ray’s question some thought.
“He got me my first sub job after college at a high school where he knew the staff pretty well. Gave me some recommendations over the years. Christmas card each year. I guess I didn’t talk to him too much at all. I should have tried harder.”
“He wouldn’t have expected it. His job was to coach basketball and send us on our way.”
Craig had thought about that too. Maybe that was the man’s purpose in his life. Coach had given him skills to advance in the sport he loved, but he’d also helped him grow into the man he’d become. Coach Diaz didn’t have to go above and beyond, but he had, even when Craig crossed the line and dated Coach’s daughter, against his wishes. The man could have thrown in the towel and kicked him off the team. Instead, Coach Diaz helped Craig establish his career.
That was why Craig was there. He owed it to the man who didn’t hold grudges and had continued to care for him, even if Craig had broken his daughter’s heart.
“Look what crawls out of the gutters when there’s a wedding or a funeral,” the voice came from behind them. Craig and Ray turned to see Alexander Burke, Bruce Griffin, and Toby Maxwell all walking their way.
It had been Alex that had called out to them and reached them before the others. He pulled Craig in for a hug, and then did the same to Ray. “Damn, it’s been forever,” he said as he slid his sunglasses to the top of his head.
Bruce and Toby greeted them in the same way, and then the five of them stood in a small circle. Awkward silence had fallen between them before Toby spoke.
“I can’t believe Coach is gone. The memories, huh?”
They all agreed, nodding their heads.
Bruce tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat. “This is like old times. The Fabulous Five back together.”
“Except our hair is different,” Craig joked and they all laughed. “But it’s good to see you guys. Maybe after the funeral we can catch up.”
Alex nodded. “My flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow.”
“Why don’t we all drive to the cemetery together, and then from there we’ll go somewhere. I’ll drive and bring you all back here when we’re done.”
Ray slapped a hand on Craig’s shoulder. “That sounds like a plan.”
“Craig?” This time when his name was called out, it was a woman’s voice. He turned to see Coach Diaz’s daughter, Rachel, standing near the family car.
He turned his back on his friends and walked toward her.
She was bundled up in a long wool coat, a scarf tied around her neck, and that long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Rachel, I’m so sorry about your dad,” he said as he leaned in and had kissed her on the cheek before he thought better of it. She was probably married, and now he’d crossed another line.
“Thank you. I’m pleased that you all came for the funeral and agreed to be pallbearers. It would mean a lot to him.”
Craig studied her dark eyes, which hinted that they’d been filled with tears not too long before she’d called his name.
“It’s our honor. He meant a lot to all of us too. Though we should have kept in better touch.”
Rachel reached out and rested her gloved hand on his arm. “He kept tabs on you all, his Fabulous Five,” she said with a smile as she used his name for them. “He was proud of everything you’ve done,” she said and now Craig could feel the sting of tears forming in his eyes.
“Wow,” he said blowing out a breath. “That means a lot.”
“I have to go inside. Hal will walk you all through the process. I’ll see you at the cemetery too.”
“Yeah. We’re going to drive together and then go somewhere and catch up.”
Rachel’s rosebud lips turned up into a smile. “That would make Dad happy, to know he brought you all back together again.” She retracted her hand and slid it into the pocket of her coat. “I have to get inside. I’ll get your number later. Maybe we could catch up.”
A knot formed in his stomach. “I’d like that.”
Rachel turned back and headed toward the side entrance of the church when another man moved in next to her and slid his arm around her as they disappeared inside.
“She’s still into you,” Ray said as they all walked up behind Craig.
“She’s in mourning.”
“Statement stands. I think this could be an interesting weekend.” Ray put his arm around Craig’s shoulders and the five friends walked into the church to say goodbye to the man who had made them a team.
The thought crossed his mind, had he ever been to a funeral when it wasn’t snowing or raining?
Craig stepped out of his car, opened the back door, and pulled out his overcoat. Shrugging it on over his suit, he buttoned it up and adjusted his scarf. Cars pulled into the lot and he watched as others followed the same routine he did to ward off the cold that nipped at him.
“Hey, Turner!”
Craig turned at the calling out of his last name. A smile came to his lips as Raymond Stewart maneuvered between the cars and headed toward him.
There were no handshakes. Each of the men opened their arms and embraced the other.
“It is so good to see you,” Ray said as he pulled back and scanned a look over Craig.
“What a crappy reason to get together.”
“What an honor though, huh? After all these years, and they ask us to be his pallbearers?”
“I’m not going to lie. I was a bit surprised to get his son’s email,” Craig admitted.
“No matter what ever happened between all of us, and the other players that came and went, the five of us had a bond with him. I can’t help but think we were replacements for Theo—we’ll you know, maybe we dulled his pain some?”
Craig wasn’t so sure about that. How did a man ever get over the loss of a child?
He tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat and pulled out the gloves he’d stored there. Slipping his hands into the lined leather, he watched his breath carry on the cold air.
“When was the last time you talked to him?” Craig asked as he nodded toward the hearse.
Ray tucked his gloved hands into the pockets of his coat as a frigid breeze blew between them. “Christmas card each year. His son got him on Facebook, so I chatted with him a few times there. Otherwise, I don’t know when I actually spoke to him other than at my wedding.”
Craig caught the sadness that flashed in Ray’s eyes. “I heard about your divorce. I’m sorry, man.”
“Shit happens, right? It was a good eight years, and a few really bad ones. But we work well together when it comes to the kids, and that’s the most important part.” Ray pulled his sunglasses down off his head and slid them on his face. “When did you talk to him last?”
Craig noticed they were taking the casket out of the hearse and carrying it inside the church through the side door. He gave Ray’s question some thought.
“He got me my first sub job after college at a high school where he knew the staff pretty well. Gave me some recommendations over the years. Christmas card each year. I guess I didn’t talk to him too much at all. I should have tried harder.”
“He wouldn’t have expected it. His job was to coach basketball and send us on our way.”
Craig had thought about that too. Maybe that was the man’s purpose in his life. Coach had given him skills to advance in the sport he loved, but he’d also helped him grow into the man he’d become. Coach Diaz didn’t have to go above and beyond, but he had, even when Craig crossed the line and dated Coach’s daughter, against his wishes. The man could have thrown in the towel and kicked him off the team. Instead, Coach Diaz helped Craig establish his career.
That was why Craig was there. He owed it to the man who didn’t hold grudges and had continued to care for him, even if Craig had broken his daughter’s heart.
“Look what crawls out of the gutters when there’s a wedding or a funeral,” the voice came from behind them. Craig and Ray turned to see Alexander Burke, Bruce Griffin, and Toby Maxwell all walking their way.
It had been Alex that had called out to them and reached them before the others. He pulled Craig in for a hug, and then did the same to Ray. “Damn, it’s been forever,” he said as he slid his sunglasses to the top of his head.
Bruce and Toby greeted them in the same way, and then the five of them stood in a small circle. Awkward silence had fallen between them before Toby spoke.
“I can’t believe Coach is gone. The memories, huh?”
They all agreed, nodding their heads.
Bruce tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat. “This is like old times. The Fabulous Five back together.”
“Except our hair is different,” Craig joked and they all laughed. “But it’s good to see you guys. Maybe after the funeral we can catch up.”
Alex nodded. “My flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow.”
“Why don’t we all drive to the cemetery together, and then from there we’ll go somewhere. I’ll drive and bring you all back here when we’re done.”
Ray slapped a hand on Craig’s shoulder. “That sounds like a plan.”
“Craig?” This time when his name was called out, it was a woman’s voice. He turned to see Coach Diaz’s daughter, Rachel, standing near the family car.
He turned his back on his friends and walked toward her.
She was bundled up in a long wool coat, a scarf tied around her neck, and that long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail.
“Rachel, I’m so sorry about your dad,” he said as he leaned in and had kissed her on the cheek before he thought better of it. She was probably married, and now he’d crossed another line.
“Thank you. I’m pleased that you all came for the funeral and agreed to be pallbearers. It would mean a lot to him.”
Craig studied her dark eyes, which hinted that they’d been filled with tears not too long before she’d called his name.
“It’s our honor. He meant a lot to all of us too. Though we should have kept in better touch.”
Rachel reached out and rested her gloved hand on his arm. “He kept tabs on you all, his Fabulous Five,” she said with a smile as she used his name for them. “He was proud of everything you’ve done,” she said and now Craig could feel the sting of tears forming in his eyes.
“Wow,” he said blowing out a breath. “That means a lot.”
“I have to go inside. Hal will walk you all through the process. I’ll see you at the cemetery too.”
“Yeah. We’re going to drive together and then go somewhere and catch up.”
Rachel’s rosebud lips turned up into a smile. “That would make Dad happy, to know he brought you all back together again.” She retracted her hand and slid it into the pocket of her coat. “I have to get inside. I’ll get your number later. Maybe we could catch up.”
A knot formed in his stomach. “I’d like that.”
Rachel turned back and headed toward the side entrance of the church when another man moved in next to her and slid his arm around her as they disappeared inside.
“She’s still into you,” Ray said as they all walked up behind Craig.
“She’s in mourning.”
“Statement stands. I think this could be an interesting weekend.” Ray put his arm around Craig’s shoulders and the five friends walked into the church to say goodbye to the man who had made them a team.
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