Fading Rose

By Tamrie Foxtail

Aubrey Rae is happy on her own, running an antique toy store in Lawton, Oklahoma, until her world is upended. Jim Tanner walks into her store and she falls in love for the first time. How can she tell the man she loves the truth, that she has only months to live? Following the death of his mother, Jim Tanner returns to Oklahoma to help his father. A chance encounter with a cursed scrimshaw doll brings him to an antique store where he meets Aubrey Rae and falls for her, hard. He knows she feels something for him too, but she's hiding something from him. He won't give up until he unlocks her secret, and her heart. Aubrey Rae and Jim must battle illness, a jealous ex-lover, an obnoxious parrot, and an ancient gypsy curse if they are to have a life together.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Mar 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781628300376

Book preview

Inc.

Fading Rose

by

Tamrie Foxtail

Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll

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

Fading Rose

COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Tamrie Foxtail

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Tamra Westbury

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Champagne Rose Edition, 2014

Digital ISBN 978-1-62830-037-6

Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll

Published in the United States of America

Praise for Fading Rose…

Tamrie Foxtail has written a beautiful tale of hope, healing, and the kind of love that makes life worth living. Fading Rose surprises and inspires with a groundbreaking storyline, toe-curling romance, and relatable characters that feel more like friends. I will always remember this incredible story, and look forward to reading more from this gifted author.

~Anna Kittrell, award-winning author of

Skinbound and Another Man’s Treasure,

both available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

Dedication

On the morning of April 19th, 2003, my husband and I received a long-awaited call. A perfect-match kidney was being flown to the hospital.

Family and friends joined our daughters and me in the waiting room. We bowed our heads as a family elder led us in prayer. While we prayed for my husband and the transplant team, we prayed also for the family of the donor.

Fading Rose is dedicated to that family. We never learned their names, though they remain in our hearts and our prayers.

To all the families who have donated a loved one's organs, and to everyone who has marked donor on their driver's license or made clear to their family their wish to donate—Thank you. Our lives, and the lives of countless others, are brighter because of you.

Other Titles by Tamrie Foxtail:

The Bone Bride

(Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll)

Prologue

Aubrey Rae tugged on the dark red door of her shop, fighting the wind that was determined to keep it closed.

The door finally opened enough for her to slip inside, her flowing skirt barely clearing the door before the wind slammed it shut.

I expect the wicked witch to fly past any minute, Tess said.

Don’t even joke about tornadoes.

Tess looked up from the cell phone, her fingers paused over the letters. Relax. Who ever heard of a tornado in January?

Aubrey stuffed her purse behind the counter. Thought you didn’t like to text?

I don’t. But lately it’s the only way I can get my boys to talk to me. How’d it go at the doctor’s?

Aubrey shrugged, avoiding her friend’s eyes. You know. She made a vague motion in Tess’s direction.

No, I don’t, Tess said, sounding very much like the mother of teens.

My creatine’s almost seven.

I don’t know what that means.

They’d like it a little lower. She didn’t tell Tess that a normal level was around one.

Aubrey hung her coat on a wall hook. Any buyers?

Yeah, I wrote everything down on that pad next to the register. She put on her own coat and took her purse from behind the counter.

I’m worried about you, Aubrey. You don’t look good.

Thanks a lot.

You know what I mean. Your coloring’s not good and you’re puffy. Not to mention you have about as much fizz as a day old soda.

I have dialysis tonight.

Tess paused, her hand on the door knob. Just take care of yourself, okay?

The frog motion sensor gave out a loud Ribbit, when she opened the door.

Shit fire. Shit fire.

Aubrey rolled her eyes at the parrot. Thanks, Einstein. You’re a big help.

Einstein had been her grandfather’s parrot. She’d inherited the bird, along with his colorful vocabulary, when her grandfather passed away six months earlier.

She took a peppermint from the little dish on the counter, unwrapped it, and popped it in her mouth. She needed something to ease the dryness and the tight, painful feeling in her throat.

You might start getting things in order, her doctor had said that morning. Just in case we don’t find a kidney in time.

Plan my funeral, you mean.

I won’t lie to you, Aubrey. There are thousands of people on the list for a kidney. It’s a long wait.

She knew the parrot would be cared for. Tess’s boys adored Einstein. No problem there. Neither of her brothers was interested in running an antique toy store. She supposed they’d sell the building and its contents, split the money and return to their jobs and their families. Her passing would barely make a ripple in their lives.

Chapter One

Four Months Later

No, Jim Tanner said. Your left.

Vicky let out a dramatic sigh. What difference does it make?

Jim lowered the camera and tried for patience. If you’ll take two steps to the left the sunlight will accent your beauty.

Vicki took two quick steps to her left. Here?

Perfect. He raised the camera as she produced a sultry smile.

The sunlight did accent her blond hair and high cheekbones, but what he was really after was the rock grouping in the background. He snapped a few pictures of Vicki and several of the rocks.

Damn it.

Now what? Vicki asked in her best long-suffering tone.

Trash. He started toward the bit of white poking out from behind one of the rocks.

Should you be picking up someone’s trash? No telling what it is.

A doll. He scooped it up.

What is it, a Barbie doll?

Nope. He traced a finger over the doll’s features. It’s almost like bone china, but there’s not a chip in it.

Jim looked up, holding the doll in one hand and shielding his eyes with the other.

You’re not thinking someone dropped it from the top of Mount Scott. The road’s closed. We’re the only ones insane enough to walk up it.

He pinched a bit of the material, holding it up for her to see. Look how dirty it is. I think it’s been here for a little bit.

It’s in a wedding dress.

He held it out to her. Do you want it?

No.

He canted his head to one side, studying the doll. I don’t think it would photograph that well. There’s a toy store in Lawton. I’ll drop it by Monday evening, then we’ll go to dinner.

Why on earth would you remember a toy store?

Because of the name.

****

Aubrey glanced up from the paper when the door opened.

Hi. Can I help you?

The man held out his hand. I’m Jim Tanner.

When their palms touched a low, warm current ran up Aubrey’s arm.

Aubrey hoped her cheeks weren’t red. As fair skinned as she was a blush became extremely noticeable. She let go of his hand. The woman with him stood with her hands clasping the straps of a brown leather purse.

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