Unexpected Life: Silver Fox Falls, #3

By Rose Bak

After looking death in eyes, she's ready to live life on her terms – not become someone's wife again.

 

Muriel
The only thing harder than going through cancer treatment was getting dumped by my husband of twenty years. Apparently, he thought the "in sickness" part of our vows was optional. After clawing my way back to health, I'm determined to live the life I already wanted. Sure, some might say that fifty-seven is a little too old to start over, but I'm ready for the challenge.

 

After my ex-husband and I sell our house, I take my friend Julie up on her offer to sublet her condo at the Silver Falls Active Living Community. I've got a new lease on life, and I'm determined to focus on myself. I'm going to try new hobbies, make new friends, and focus on growing my grant writing business. One thing I'm not going to do is settle down with another man, even if I can't stop thinking inappropriate thoughts about my new friend John.

John
It's been nearly two years since my wife died, and my kids keep hinting that I should start dating again. Little do they know that I'm hopelessly in love with someone, but unfortunately the woman who's caught my attention has stuck me firmly into the friend zone.

 

Muriel is fiery and eclectic, funny and stubborn, and she doesn't care what anyone thinks about her. Being around her is like getting a breath of fresh air. But when she suggests that we become friends-with-benefits, I decide to show her that I'm the man she needs not just for friendship, but for forever.

 

This isn't the life either of us ever expected, but it's the life we have and we're going to live it to the fullest.

 

"Unexpected Life" is a steamy instalove later in life romantic comedy.

 

Welcome to Silver Fox Falls, where residents soon learn that midlife is the best time to find true love. Expect spunky and independent women, charming and sexy older men, and nosy neighbors who are intent on matchmaking to help get their friends to a sweet happily ever after.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rose Bak
• Release date: May 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224794065

Rose Bak

Rose Bak has been obsessed with books since she got her first library card at age five. She is a passionate reader with an e-reader bursting with thousands of beloved books.  Rose's contemporary romance books focus on strong female characters over age 35 and the alpha males who love them. Expect a lot of steam, a little bit of snark, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Book preview

Copyright

UNEXPECTED LIFE

© 2024 by Rose Bak 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No portion of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage retrieval system in any form by any means without express permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact the publisher at [e-mail].

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, organizations, or locals is entirely coincidental. Trademark names are used editorially with no infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.  All activities depicted occur between consenting characters 18 years or older who are not blood related. 

Cover design by Paper or Pixels

About This Book

After looking death in eyes, she’s ready to live life on her terms – not become someone’s wife again.

Muriel

The only thing harder than going through cancer treatment was getting dumped by my husband of twenty years. Apparently, he thought the in sickness part of our vows was optional. After clawing my way back to health, I’m determined to live the life I already wanted. Sure, some might say that fifty-seven is a little too old to start over, but I’m ready for the challenge.

After my ex-husband and I sell our house, I take my friend Julie up on her offer to sublet her condo at the Silver Falls Active Living Community. I’ve got a new lease on life, and I’m determined to focus on myself. I’m going to try new hobbies, make new friends, and focus on growing my grant writing business. One thing I’m not going to do is settle down with another man, even if I can’t stop thinking inappropriate thoughts about my new friend John.

John

It’s been nearly two years since my wife died, and my kids keep hinting that I should start dating again. Little do they know that I’m hopelessly in love with someone, but unfortunately the woman who’s caught my attention has stuck me firmly into the friend zone.

Muriel is fiery and eclectic, funny and stubborn, and she doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her. Being around her is like getting a breath of fresh air. But when she suggests that we become friends-with-benefits, I decide to show her that I’m the man she needs not just for friendship, but for forever.

This isn’t the life either of us ever expected, but it’s the life we have and we’re going to live it to the fullest.

Unexpected Life is a steamy instalove later in life romantic comedy.

Welcome to Silver Fox Falls, where residents soon learn that midlife is the best time to find true love. Expect spunky and independent women, charming and sexy older men, and nosy neighbors who are intent on matchmaking to help get their friends to a sweet happily ever after.

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Dedication

To all the survivors, all the health warriors, and everyone who’s looked illness right in the eye and fought back with everything they have.

Muriel

Wow. How did this happen?

The young handyman looked around the destruction in my bathroom with wide eyes.  It looked like a tornado had whipped through the room.

The cheap plastic shower head was broken off, leaving just the silver shower arm protruding from the wall.  The tempered glass door was mostly on the floor, miraculously unbroken although a thin crack ran through it diagonally.  The metal frame that held the door to the wall was bent and ripped almost completely off, pulling the long screws out of the wall.  In turn, those screws had cracked and chipped the surrounding tiles, pieces of which now lay on the floor of the shower.

Subconsciously I rubbed my bruised ass, still feeling the force of the impact.  In my mind’s eye I could see the entire incident five days ago as if I were watching a movie.

John was sleeping when I woke up, and I came in to take a shower. Things got a little wild when John wandered in, stroking his morning wood, and wanting to join me for some morning delight.  God knows we were both too old for shower sex, but that hadn’t kept me from opening the door and letting him into the small shower stall with me.

Like every time we were together, as soon as John kissed me, I was almost frantic with need.  Things got the tiniest bit out of hand, and I found myself boosted up against the wall, kissing my friend-with-benefits passionately while he pounded into me like his life depended on it.

Then we shifted somehow, spinning around until my back was slammed against the shower door, and then it all went downhill from there...

Ma’am? The handyman waved his hand in front of me.  Are you okay? I was asking what happened to cause all this?

It was a freak accident, I lied. I slipped, and when I tried to grab the showerhead to stop myself from falling, it broke off and I wound up crashing right through the door.

He looked suspiciously at the mangled door frame.  Hmm. Usually these shower doors are made to withstand more pressure than that.

I pasted on a self-deprecating smile and backed out of the bathroom. 

I guess I’ll let you get to it.  You just give me a holler if you need me.

John

Three months ago....

Did you hear that Amy is moving in with Sam now?

I gripped the weight bar to help Dante set it on the rack while he took a break between weightlifting sets.  My friend might have just turned sixty, but he was still freakishly strong.

Then again, he never let himself go like I’d done while my wife was still alive. I’d definitely grown soft over the years, so it had taken a lot of hard work to get back into something resembling decent shape, at least for someone my age.

Amy who moved into Julie’s apartment after Julie moved in with you? I clarified.

Julie was Dante’s wife. They’d gotten off to a rocky start when they first met – which was at least partly my fault—but now the two of them were madly in love.  After a whirlwind courtship they’d gotten married this past Valentine’s Day. I was glad for my friend. Julie was a great woman.  Smart and sassy, the perfect match for my sometimes arrogant millionaire friend. 

Yeah. You’ve met Sam right? Dante asked. He lives next door to Julie?  He’s a financial advisor?

I mean, I’ve never hung out with him or anything, but I know who he is, I answered.  That didn’t take long. Didn’t Amy just move to Silver Falls over the Christmas holidays?

Dante shifted, lifting his hands to grab the bar for another