Excerpt
He tried desperately to suppress the images flashing through his mind in odd sequence and horrid shreds. A fearsome chill seized him in response to his unconscious thoughts, causing him to shudder. The fateful phone call—the panic and desperation he felt as he made his way to Erica—as real at this moment as if he were on his way to her now. He became aware of his breathing, labored and ragged, and the beads of sweat, cold and moist on his forehead, temples, and upper lip. Yet, he was helpless to his own torment.

He struggled to will the memories away, but they were relentless—images of sirens, people, confusion. He had arrived at the hospital just as Erica’s ambulance pulled to the curb. He rushed forward, his eyes fervently scanning the patient, but even though his gaze was fixed intently upon the victim, she was barely recognizable.

Then came a series of desperate gasps and sobs, as slowly he recognized first her jewelry—then her clothing mostly discolored with blood—and finally her long blond locks stained with the same life-threatening liquid. And that was all he could absorb, the details he would recall later in the form of constant, punishing nightmares that would awaken him, his body drenched with sweat, dazed with fear and confusion—much like the night before.

Lunging his body toward her, being pulled away, the struggle, tears, fear, and gripping pain, all of which took only a matter of seconds, but would inevitably take a lifetime to erase.

Then came the waiting, the agony of making phone calls, and then more waiting—the arrival of frantic parents, the tears and questions and guilt—and yes, more waiting.

The waiting and wondering had been nearly impossible. During this time, his mind unwittingly flashed back to their beginning. Happy, cherished times—with a love that bound them so deeply—immersing them in a whirlwind of passion and excitement toward life . . . together.

His first glimpse of her, the first night of lovemaking, the crazy times dancing in the rain, and beautiful sunrises shared at Jones Beach—so much history between them. Their picture-perfect wedding where everything went wrong and they managed to laugh through it all—their first pregnancy, sonogram, Lamaze, and childbirth. The joys of parenting . . . together.

Sundays spent walking the Third Avenue street fair or the South Street Seaport with Marley safe in her snugly, and trips to museums on rainy days. Lexi’s birth and learning to parent two—making love all afternoon while the girls napped, taking turns staying up with sick babies, or scary dreams that ended with a child snuggled between them. Watching their children grow and learn and become independent—precious moments at the pumpkin patch, Christmas mornings, going to the park, and stolen kisses at the swings.

Moments of reconnection—foreplay on top of stale popcorn and spilled apple juice, Barney video tapes and quickies against the nearest wall, midnight rendezvous on the lounge chair in the back yard— so much yet to experience . . . together.

Finally, the waiting had come to an end, but with it so had Erica’s life . . .



***





It seemed so surreal—still did, actually. Chase swallowed back the nausea rising from his belly, opening the car window as he turned onto the Long Island Expressway (LIE). The blast of cold air was as welcome as a sound slap, but it wasn’t enough. Tears trickled slowly from his lashes as he recalled the tragic end to their storybook romance.

Nothing in life could have prepared him for the heart-wrenching pain of love lost, and nothing could stop the all-consuming guilt for his role in the tragedy. Then—thinking things couldn’t get any worse, Chase had to bear witness to the ultimate shredding of his heart as three pairs of sky-blue eyes looked to him for what their future held—the grief-stricken expressions of his little blond beauties. Their individual levels of sadness determined simply by age and maturity, but pure agony felt just the same with the loss of their beloved mother. Even the littlest one knew that much.

"What a wonderful book! I read alot of romance novels from several authors, mainly Nora Roberts, Danielle Steele, Sandra Brown. Your book tops my list on one of the best books I have read. Ask my husband, Todd Bell, he knows instantly when I am reading a book I can't put down. All he has to do is look around the house and see the lack of production and the bags under my eyes. Keep up the good work and I am anxiously waiting to read your next book."
-Amy Bell
Omaha, NE

"With millions of women successfully supporting their children, confident in their abilities to function independently, and secure enough in their capabilities to embrace new love — the focus of LOVE ENOUGH FOR ALL is not the travesties and implications of divorce or untimely death, but the enhancement of lives through the blending of families — without sacrificing one’s children or career. It’s okay to fall in love again, to combine the fragments of two very different families in order to find wholeness. With as much as fifty percent of marriages ending in divorce, the market for an uplifting story told from both a female and a male point of view would appeal to people of all ages."
-Fan

Ms. Success meets Mr. Maybe?
"With millions of women successfully supporting their children, confident in their abilities to function independently, and secure enough in their capabilities to embrace new love — the focus of LOVE ENOUGH FOR ALL is not the travesties and implications of divorce or untimely death, but the enhancement of lives through the blending of families — without sacrificing one’s children or career."
-NYC reader

Love is Enough!
"Taking an innovative approach to the antiquated complexity of divorce, Lori Zecca presents a poignant story of love in its truest form — from parent-child relationships, to adult-intimacy issues — LOVE ENOUGH FOR ALL depicts critical states of transition with a warmth and respect for family values."
-The Book Worm

"It’s okay to fall in love again, to combine the fragments of two very different families in order to find wholeness. With as much as fifty percent of marriages ending in divorce, the market for an uplifting story told from both a female and a male point of view would appeal to people of all ages.”
-Writing Space