It's Love that Really Counts

By Candy Caine

When love comes around a second time to Claudia Bell and Henry Williamson, their children are far from supportive of their newfound happiness. Henry’s daughters resent the fact he isn’t with an African-American woman. Claudia’s children would rather see their mother dating a Caucasian, as well.

Their children conspire to destroy their parents’ relationship. But will Claudia and Henry squander their second chance at happiness by choosing family over their passionate love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Candy Caine
• Release date: Sep 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463098080

Candy Caine

Whether she's writing red-hot interracial erotica or less edgy contemporary romance as Candace Gold, Candy Caine believes in living life to its fullest with her husband and best friend, Robert, in their Arizona home.

Book preview

It’s Love That Really Counts

When love comes around a second time to Claudia Bell and Henry Williamson, their children are far from supportive of their newfound happiness. Henry’s daughters resent the fact he isn’t with an African-American woman. Claudia’s children would rather see their mother dating a Caucasian, as well.

Their children conspire to destroy their parents’ relationship. But will Claudia and Henry squander their second chance at happiness by choosing family over their passionate love?

Candy Caine

IT’S LOVE

THAT

REALLY COUNTS

Copyright © 2012 Candy Caine. All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, no portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the express written permission of the author.

All names, characters and incidents featured in this publication are imaginary. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead) is coincidental. They are not inspired even distantly by any individual or incident known or unknown to the author.

It’s Love That Really Counts

Claudia Bell walked into her kitchen to fetch a fresh carafe of coffee, but was cornered by her oldest daughter, Melinda.

How could you mother?

How could I what?

Don’t play games with me. You know exactly what I’m pissed about.

What’s upsetting you more? That I asked Henry over for dinner or the fact that he’s black?

If Dad knew you were intending to replace him with some black guy, he’d be turning over in his grave.

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Claudia shook her head. Her long blonde hair shimmered under the fluorescent lighting. The stress Melinda was giving her over her relationship with Henry was undoubtedly the reason for the new sprouts of grey she’d noticed in the mirror lately, contradicting the trim figure that helped Claudia look so youthful and making it hard for people to believe she was the mother of three grown children in their twenties. I really thought that I’d brought you, Mandy and Mark up better than that.

Than what, Mother? Melinda folded her arms across her chest. Is it wrong to prefer to be with your own kind? I doubt if Henry’s kids are any happier with the situation.

First of all, nobody is going to replace your father—black or white. No man ever could.

You know what I’m trying to say, she answered, her eyes narrowed. You’ve been hanging around with him for quite a while.

So, you’re worried that we could be serious. Is that it?

Yes.

We enjoy each other’s company and have a great deal in common.

"Well, we don’t!"

"We? Are you referring to your brother and sister?"

Yes. And Richard.

It’s Love That Really Counts

Well, that’s no surprise, Claudia thought. She doubted her daughter’s husband ever had an original thought of his own. Melinda wore the pants in that family and they were quite tight.

I never expected my children to turn out so narrow-minded. As for Richard, he’s as mean-spirited as they come. He even hates most of his own family.

We’re not discussing Richard.

You brought him into it. Regardless, my choice of men friends shouldn’t be a topic of discussion, either. Now if you’ll excuse me, I should get back out there with more coffee, Claudia replied, turning her back to Melinda and poured the freshly brewed coffee into the carafe.

Claudia couldn’t understand Melinda’s objection to Henry Williamson. Her daughter had known the man practically all her life. Not only did he live in the same suburb of Manhattan, a small town on the north shore of Long Island called Lake Shore, as they did, he’d taught computer technology at the high school her children attended. Melinda had been in his class, but when the time had come for her daughter, Mandy, to take the course, Henry had left teaching to care for his ailing wife, Josie, who’d been diagnosed with MS.

She recalled how she, her husband, Dave, and the kids had occasionally seen Henry and his family at church or a restaurant in town. She’d enjoyed an active social life with her husband. But all that ended on the morning of September 11, 2001. Dave had been one of 658 people employed by Cantor Fitzgerald who were working between the 101st and 105th floors of the World trade Center’s North Tower in Manhattan. A hijacked plane slammed into the tower and

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all of the 658 people were killed. After that, Claudia had no desire to do much of anything, let alone go to church. It took a long time for her anger to subside and allow a God, Who hadn’t prevented such horror from taking place, back into her heart.

Claudia had been a stay-at-home mom at Dave’s