Begin Again

  Natalie Ann

  Copyright 2023 Natalie Ann

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without a written consent.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Also by Natalie Ann

  About the Author

  Blurb

  Prologue

  1. Make It My Own

  2. Hard To Forget

  3. Built To Last

  4. Potential and Possibilities

  5. Had Her Back

  6. Daring Him

  7. A Challenge

  8. Normal Dating Couple

  9. The First Time

  10. Your First

  11. Changes Nothing

  12. Searching Her Out

  13. Innocence Of Youth

  14. Gave Just Enough

  15. Last One Standing

  16. Smile On My Face

  17. Ratting Me Out

  18. Delicate Situation

  19. Darkest Part Of Her Life

  20. Finding A Way

  21. Tight-Knit Family

  22. Say This Now

  23. Safe Thing

  24. Proud Of Her

  25. Big Family Affairs

  26. Be Content

  27. Some Nostalgia

  28. A Panic Moment

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Author’s Note

  Author’s Note

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Also by Natalie Ann

  The Road Series-See where it all started!!

  Lucas and Brooke’s Story- Road to Recovery

  Jack and Cori’s Story – Road to Redemption

  Mac and Beth’s Story- Road to Reality

  Ryan and Kaitlin’s Story- Road to Reason

  The All Series

  William and Isabel’s Story — All for Love

  Ben and Presley’s Story – All or Nothing

  Phil and Sophia’s Story – All of Me

  Alec and Brynn’s Story – All the Way

  Sean and Carly’s Story — All I Want

  Drew and Jordyn’s Story— All My Love

  Finn and Olivia’s Story—All About You

  Landon Barber and Kristen Reid- All Of Us

  The Lake Placid Series

  Nick Buchanan and Mallory Denning – Second Chance

  Max Hamilton and Quinn Baker – Give Me A Chance

  Caleb Ryder and Celeste McGuire – Our Chance

  Cole McGuire and Rene Buchanan – Take A Chance

  Zach Monroe and Amber Deacon- Deserve A Chance

  Trevor Miles and Riley Hamilton – Last Chance

  Matt Winters and Dena Hall- Another Chance

  Logan Taylor and Kennedy Miles- It’s My Chance

  Justin Cambridge and Taryn Miles – One More Chance

  The Fierce Five Series

  Gavin Fierce and Jolene O’Malley- How Gavin Stole Christmas

  Brody Fierce and Aimee Reed - Brody

  Aiden Fierce and Nic Moretti- Aiden

  Mason Fierce and Jessica Corning- Mason

  Cade Fierce and Alex Marshall - Cade

  Ella Fierce and Travis McKinley- Ella

  Fierce Family

  Sam Fierce and Dani Rhodes- Sam

  Bryce Fierce and Payton Davies - Bryce

  Drake Fierce and Kara Winslow – Drake

  Noah Fierce and Paige Parker - Noah

  Wyatt Fierce and Adriana Lopez – Wyatt

  Jade Fierce and Brock James – Jade

  Ryder Fierce and Marissa McMillan – Ryder

  Fierce Matchmaking

  Devin Andrews and Hope Hall- Devin

  Mick McNamara and Lindsey White- Mick

  Cody McMillian and Raina Davenport – Cody

  Liam O’Malley and Margo West- Liam

  Walker Olson and Stella White – Walker

  Flynn Slater and Julia McNamara – Flynn

  Ivan Andrews & Kendra Key- Ivan

  Jonah Davenport & Megan Harrington- Jonah

  Royce Kennedy & Chloe Grey- Royce

  Sawyer Brennan & Faith O’Malley- Sawyer

  Trent Davenport & Roni Hollister- Trent

  Paradise Place

  Josh Turner and Ruby Gentile – Cupid’s Quest

  Harris Walker and Kaelyn Butler – Change Up

  Philip Aire and Blair McKay- Starting Over

  Nathan Randal and Brina Shepard – Eternal

  Ryan Butler and Shannon Wilder – Falling Into Love

  Brian Dawson and Robin Masters – Mistletoe Magic

  Caden Finley and Sarah Walker- Believe In Me

  Evan Butler and Parker Reed – Unexpected Delivery

  Trey Bridges and Whitney Butler – Forever Mine

  Dylan Randal and Zoe Milton- Because Of You

  Cash Fielding and Hannah Shepard – Letting Go

  Brent Elliot and Vivian Getman – No More Hiding

  Marcus Reid and Addison Fielding- Made For Me

  Rick Masters and Gillian Bridges – The One

  Cooper Winslow and Morgan Finely- Back To Me

  Jeremy Reid and McKenna Preston- Saving Me

  Christian Butler and Liz Carter- Begin Again

  Cal Perkins and Mia Finley- Angels Above

  Amore Island

  Family Bonds- Hunter and Kayla

  Family Bonds- Drew and Amanda

  Family Bonds – Mac and Sidney

  Family Bonds- Emily & Crew

  Family Bonds- Ava & Seth

  Family Bonds- Eli & Bella

  Family Bonds- Hailey & Rex

  Family Bonds- Penelope & Griffin

  Family Bonds- Bode & Samantha

  Family Bonds- Hudson & Delaney

  Family Bonds- Alex & Jennie

  Family Bonds- Roark & Chelsea

  Family Bonds- Duke & Hadley

  Family Bonds – Carter & Avery

  Blossoms

  A Love for Lily – Zane Wolfe and Lily Bloom

  A Playboy For Poppy- Reese McGill and Poppy Bloom

  A Romantic For Rose – Thomas Klein and Rose Bloom

  A Return For Ren – Ren Whitney and Zara Wolfe

  A Journey For Jasmine- Wesley Wright and Jasmine Greene

  A Vacationer for Violet – Violet Soren And Trace Mancini

  A Hero For Heather- Heather Davis and Luke Remington

  A Doctor For Daisy- Daisy Jones And Theo James

  An Investigator For Ivy- Ivy Greene and Brooks Scarsdale

  Love Collection

  Vin Steele and Piper Fielding – Secret Love

  Jared Hawk and Shelby McDonald – True Love

  Erik McMann and Sheldon Case – Finding Love

  Connor Landers and Melissa Mahoney- Beach Love

  Ian Price and Cam Mason- Intense Love

  Liam Sullivan and Ali Rogers - Autumn Love

  Owen Taylor and Jill Duncan - Holiday Love

  Chase Martin and Noelle Bennett - Christmas Love

  Zeke Collins and Kendall Hendricks - Winter Love

  Troy Walker and Meena Dawson – Chasing Love

  Jace Stratton and Lauren Towne - First Love

  Gabe Richards and Leah Morrison - Forever Love

  Blake Wilson and Gemma Anderson – Simply Love

  Brendan St. Nicholas and Holly Lane – Gifts of Love

  About the Author

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  Blurb

  They say you never forget your first and that is true for Christian Butler. He is the laid back one of the family. He never plans things out more than a few weeks or months in advance. He can pivot and change when need be. Life is just simpler that way and it works for him. But there are things he'll never get out of his mind that will always make him wonder if he could have done something differently.

  Liz Carter never forgot her first. They were young and in love, but her life was a mess and she didn’t want to drag him down. She moved out of the area to get away and start over. What she found was even more drama than at home and eventually returned to begin again. The last thing she ever expected was running back into Christian and bonding over a house he always wanted but she ended up getting.

  Prologue

  “I need you to go with me tomorrow night to my boss’s house for a dinner party,” Tanner Carter said to his wife, Liz.

  “I can’t,” she said. “I’ve got to work. You know that.”

  She worked third shift as a nurse and had for years. That was how she’d met Tanner. When he’d come into the ER one night hurt, having been in an accident.

  “Yeah, but call in,” he said, waving his hand, dismissing every word she ever said like always. “It’s not like they can’t just call someone else in to do your job. I don’t have that luxury.”

  Liz held back the snort. She’d never considered her job a luxury
and hated when he talked to her that way.

  That everything in her life was trivial and could be discarded or replaced so easily.

  “I can’t,” she said again. “You had me call in two months ago for something else that wasn’t an emergency. I said I was sick and someone saw me out that night. I’m lucky I didn’t get written up or fired.”

  Tanner turned his back on her like he always did. He was rude more times than not. She had no idea where the sweet loving man she’d married four years ago went. The one that sought her out with roses and candy all the time when she got off her shift.

  “You can find another job easily,” Tanner said. “You need to be with me tomorrow. Figure it out.”

  “No,” she said.

  Tanner turned and scowled at her, grabbed her arm and yanked her close to him. Her face was inches from his. “I’m not going to tell you again. You’re going to get your fat ass to that party tomorrow night and you’re going to put on the hottest dress you’ve got even if you’ve got to squeeze into it. You’re going to have a smile on your face like you want to be there too.”

  She was sick of this. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take.

  The comment about her weight just set off a flood of emotions in her.

  She wasn’t fat. She’d never been fat. But she’d been so thin lately that people at work were commenting on it even though she tried to hide it in her baggy scrubs.

  Liz didn’t like to be questioned about anything so she’d been trying to eat more so they’d see she wasn’t starving herself. Like she did around Tanner to avoid his comments and nasty remarks toward her.

  “I’m not calling in,” she said. “Make up an excuse for me.”

  “I smell something sweet on your breath,” he said. “Have you been eating chocolate again?” She yanked her arm away only for him to grab it and bring her back. “Answer me,” he growled.

  “No,” she lied.

  He let go of her arm and took a step away. She thought this was over and she could finish getting dinner on the table. She’d go to work in a few hours.

  She didn’t even get to take one step before he backhanded her across the face.

  He’d never hit her before. Ever.

  He’d grab her. He’d push and shove her. He’d insult and use verbal abuse. But this...this was new.

  Her hand went to her face. It was burning and stinging like nothing ever had before.

  She stared him down in shock.

  He almost seemed to realize what he’d done at that point too. “See what you made me do,” he shouted.

  “Me? You hit me!”

  He turned and grabbed his keys and then stormed out the door.

  She was thankful for that.

  She ran up to her room and looked in the mirror at her face. It was going to bruise. She knew it. She’d put ice on it, but there was no way she could hide this from anyone at work.

  She was sitting on the couch an hour later with her second ice pack on her face trying to figure out what she was going to do.

  She had money in an account that Tanner didn’t know about. One she’d had before they met and she’d never told him. For the past few years she’d kept putting little bits of money in there without his knowledge.

  It’d be enough for her to move out. She could stop her check from going into his account. She didn’t want anything of his anyway.

  The front door opened. She’d hoped she could be gone before Tanner returned. Normally when they fought that was what he did. He’d leave and come back when she was working and they wouldn’t have to face each other again for a day or so.

  He’d be nice and sweet to her. Apologize and things would be good for a month or longer. Then they’d start up all over again.

  “Liz, are you okay?”

  She didn’t expect to see her mother-in-law standing there. She moved the ice pack down but knew there would be a mark on her face from Tanner’s hand.

  “Yeah. Just tripped.”

  “No,” Donna Carter said. “You didn’t. Let’s go right now.”

  “Where?” she asked. Her mother-in-law had never liked her that much. At least she didn’t think so.

  “You’re leaving.”

  “I’ve got time before I go to work,” she argued.

  “No,” Donna said. “You’re leaving Tanner. Enough is enough. He’s out getting drunk with his brother right now. He won’t come home for hours. That’s enough time for you to pack everything you care about and get it in your car. I’ll give you money.”

  This was all too much. “Where am I going to go?”

  “I’m not sitting around anymore and watching this.” Donna pulled her phone out of her purse. “Do you still have that account that Tanner knows nothing about?”

  Her jaw dropped. She didn’t know how Donna knew that. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes, you do,” Donna said. “Yes or no on the account?” Donna’s lips were firm.

  “Yes,” Liz said quietly.

  “I’m transferring one hundred thousand dollars into it right now.”

  “What?”

  Her mother-in-law was still pushing buttons, then stopped. “Look right now. It’s there.”

  She pulled her phone out and logged in and was stunned to see the money sitting there. “How did you do that? How did you know?”

  Donna waved her hand. “It doesn’t matter. Up. Now. Let’s get you packed and out of here and don’t come back. Don’t say a word of this night to anyone.”

  Liz ran to her room to find boxes and bags. There were some in another closet, but right now she’d just grab everything off the hangers if she could and toss them in her backseat.

  Donna was on her heels and snatching clothes out of the closet. Shoes too. Things were going into garbage bags in a haphazard mess.

  “Why are you protecting him?”

  Donna stopped and looked at her. “I’m not. I’m protecting you.”

  “By buying me to not say a word about what Tanner does? And how did you even know?”

  “We can talk and pack. He’s always been a troubled child that thought he could get away with murder thanks to his father spoiling the boys. I don’t want to have to worry about that. Murder. I’d never be able to live with myself. I didn’t expect to see the mark on your face and it’s enough for me to do this now. I’ve seen the signs slowly over the years. You could say preparing me for this day but hoping and praying it wouldn’t come.”

  Guess she wasn’t doing too good of a job of hiding anything.

  “Why do you care?” she asked. “You don’t even like me.”

  Donna grabbed her arm—not hard like Tanner had done—but when she flinched, Donna dropped it and sighed.

  “I’m sorry. I should have stepped in sooner, but you’re good at hiding things. Just not good enough. I do like you, Liz. I’d had hopes that Tanner would settle down when he met you...but it didn’t happen.”

  She wasn’t going to ask if this had happened before with another woman. It didn’t matter at this point.

  All that mattered was that she had money and the means to get the hell out and she was doing it.

  “What are you going to tell Tanner?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” Donna said. “I’m going to act shocked. He won’t come after you. Trust me. He’ll blame it all on you and say good riddance.”

  Liz didn’t care. “I don’t know where to go,” she said.

  “Go home,” Donna said. “It’s time you do. Your father will understand.”

  “I don’t think I have much of a choice,” she said.