A new business. The wedding of the year. But when a health scare jeopardizes their plans, can Steven and Rose learn to dance or will this be their swan song?
Title: When Swans Dance
Series: The Love Birds 2
Author: Katie Eagan Schenck
Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Release Date:
A new business. The wedding of the year. But when a health scare jeopardizes their plans, can Steven and Rose learn to dance or will this be their swan song?
Fresh off the closing of his late mother’s estate, Steven is ready to start the next chapter of his life—marrying Rose. Though he struggles to find that ever elusive work/life balance, he’s optimistic about the future of his new law practice.
One double shift too many makes Rose an unhappy nurse, but all that overtime will not only help fund her upcoming nuptials, it might earn her the coveted head nurse position as well.
But when Steven suffers a health emergency, suddenly all of their plans—and finances—are thrown into a tailspin. Postponing the wedding makes the most sense, but Steven won’t hear of it. Rose fears if he doesn’t slow down, he’ll make her a widow before she ever becomes a wife. As questions arise over whether they’ll ever take that walk down the aisle, can a pair of swans help them find their way back to each other?
When Swans Dance continues the emotional saga of The Love Birds women’s romantic fiction series. If you like spunky heroines, tenacious heroes, and stories of rekindled love then you’ll adore Katie Eagan Schenck’s bittersweet tale.
Buy When Swans Dance to learn the steps today!
“Steven?” she called. The late-summer-evening sun poured into the room from behind her, basking the hallway in an orangey hue.
No response came, but the distinct sound of keys clacking on a keyboard drifted down the hall. Unbelievable. She prepared to catch him in the act.
Sure enough, Steven scrambled to shut his laptop as she entered the living room. He was in his chair beside the couch. His hazel eyes widened, and he bit his lower lip in quite possibly the guiltiest expression she’d ever seen. If she wasn’t so angry, she might have laughed.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She crossed her arms.
“Nothing,” he said a little too quickly. “I mean, it’s not what it looks like.”
“It looks like you’re working.” She raised an eyebrow.
“Not really. I mean, I’m trying to catch up on email, I swear.” He raised his hands as if in surrender. “I’m not working on any briefs or pleadings, nothing that would cause me undue stress.”
She scoffed. “Knowing some of your clients, I find that hard to believe.”
With a wry smile, he slid the laptop onto the coffee table. He moved over to her cautiously. When he grabbed her hand and began pulling her into his lap, she stiffened, and he released her with a frown.
“What are you doing here?” He searched her face.
“I came to finish our argument,” she said coolly, narrowing her eyes. “But it appears we’re about to have another one.”
He sighed. “I told you Lanie brought the laptop here so I could catch up on work.”
“No.” She jabbed him in the chest. “Lanie brought the laptop home to write the advertisement for a law clerk, which you’ve done. She should have taken it back to the office where it belongs.”
“Be reasonable, Rose,” he whined. “I can’t just sit here day in and day out doing nothing while my business goes to hell.” He leaned closer to her, both eyebrows raised in a challenge. “Do you want me to fail?”
That caught her off guard, and she staggered back. “Of course not, but I don’t want your heart to either.”
Taking her hand, he placed it on his chest. His pulse pounded beneath her palm. “It’s still ticking.”
A faint smile pulled at her lips before she could stop it. She tried to rearrange her features into a sterner expression. “For now.”
But Steven took advantage of her faltering anger and brushed his hand over her cheek. She started to pull away, but he slid his other hand around her waist, pulling her into his lap and kissing her.
“Not fair,” she murmured against his lips.
He chuckled and released her. “But the best part of fighting is the making up.”
“You assume we’re done fighting,” she retorted as she stood and put her hands on her hips.
“I took a nap earlier, and I’ve taken multiple breaks. I promise you, even though I’m working, I am heeding Dr. Myers’s advice.”
Rose was losing the battle, but she held on to the last shreds of her aggravation at finding him typing away like he hadn’t just suffered a heart attack. “How long a nap?”
His gaze went to the ceiling. “I didn’t time it.” After a quick glance over his shoulder, he turned back to her. “But I’d guess maybe forty-five minutes?”
She pursed her lips and nodded. “I suppose that’s better than nothing.”
“And I have an idea for how to pay off the remaining balance for the wedding, though it might not be easy.”
Despite her apprehension about the direction of the conversation, she laughed. “What do you propose?”
“Mr. Willoughby,” he said. Her face must have betrayed her shock and misgivings because he hurried on.
“I spoke to him this afternoon. While he’s still not happy with me for not taking his calls, he was much more focused on the latest response from his wife. She was open to the settlement I had sent her before my accident, but she had some minor adjustments, which he is, of course, blowing out of proportion.” Steven let out an exasperated sigh.
“He’s bound and determined to take this to court, and that means if I can keep him happy, he’ll owe me an even larger retainer fee than what he’s already paid.” His teasing grin melted her heart.
“The irony is he may single-handedly ensure our marriage through his divorce.”
She giggled, then her face fell. “But he’s your most demanding client.”
“And the law clerk will help alleviate some of that demand.”
“It’s a start,” she admitted.
Slipping his arms around her waist again, he pulled her close. “Can we make up now?”
“There’s something I want to show you,” she said.
“Are we going swimming?” Steven joked as they neared the water’s edge.
Once they reached the fence, Rose locked the wheelchair’s brakes before stepping around to kneel beside Steven. She searched the pond for her favorite birds.
“Look,” she said when she spotted them. “Those are our resident swans.”
Steven followed her finger and smiled. “They’re quite beautiful.”
“Aren’t they, though?”
The swans glided through the water, seemingly without a care in the world. Rose couldn’t help envying them. How simple their lives must be in comparison to hers. Find a mate, raise a brood of cygnets, and live in such a peaceful place.
“Did you know there’s an ancient belief that swans sing before they die?” Steven asked.
Rose frowned. “Really? Why?”
He shrugged. “No idea, but that’s where the term ‘swan’s song’ comes from. The idea is they’re mute most of their lives, but right before they die, they sing a sweet, mournful song.”
That didn’t sound right to her. “They aren’t mute. I can hear them grunting from here.”
“I’m sure it’s just some old folklore,” Steven said with a laugh.
Like Lanie’s cardinal. A smile tugged at her lips. She liked having her own legend, especially since she could share it with Steven.
“Did you know swans have their own mating dance?” Rose asked, remembering the man she had seen fishing the last time she was at the pond.
“Most animals do.” Steven winked at her. “But I’d rather not sit around waiting to see if they start going at it.”
A laugh bubbled up in her throat. “Too true. We should get back anyway. I need to start dinner if we want to eat before midnight.”
He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I wouldn’t mind if it meant I got to spend more time with you.”
Her heart melted. She missed moments like that. Sometimes she worried they got too caught up in the day-to-day of life and didn’t take time to really enjoy each other’s company. With the accident, there had been even less opportunity.
Impulsively, she leaned forward and cupped his cheek before pressing her lips softly against his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her into his lap, almost tipping over his chair in the process.
Her laughter echoed off the buildings, and she kissed him once more before standing and brushing off her clothes. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
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When Cardinals Appear
The Love Birds Book 1
She has a promise to keep. But when her plans are thrown into a tailspin, will a persistent red bird show her how to let her dreams take flight?
Lanie McAllister is ready to move on. Wrestling with her mom’s death, the young woman just wants to settle the estate and soar off for good to her boyfriend in California—far away from painful memories. But she suspects the lucky cardinal she keeps seeing is trying to send a message when a flat tire puts her back in the path of the man who broke her heart.
With fate constantly throwing the man her mother always hated in her way, Lanie can’t seem to shake the wounds of the past. And when her current love makes a serious misstep and she discovers her ex harbors a secret, she starts to rethink what will make her truly happy.
Questioning her vow to her mother to never look back, is the cardinal a clue Lanie’s true happiness is hiding in plain sight?
When Cardinals Appear is the emotional first book in The Love Birds women’s romantic fiction series. If you like heroines who grow, overcoming loss, and second chances, then you’ll adore Katie Eagan Schenck’s bittersweet tale.
Buy When Cardinals Appear to read the signs today!
“What changed your mind?”
His words brought me back to the present, and I worked to keep my face neutral while my shoulders sagged in relief. Curiosity danced in his eyes, along with another emotion I couldn’t place, but at least he didn’t seem angry or upset.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I laughed, shaking my head. “Let’s just say a little bird told me I should.”
He rubbed his chin, and a slow smile broke over his face, stealing my breath. But he still hadn’t said what he thought, and that worried me.
I frowned. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”
“I’m a little speechless,” Nate admitted. He slid his hand across the table, and I tentatively placed mine in it. “And I’m not sure what’s… safe to say.”
I cocked my head. “Safe? What do you mean?”
“Just that, well, the other day, you wouldn’t even consider applying, and now, you’ve applied and interviewed.” He pulled away and ran his hand through his hair. “I guess I’m trying to understand what changed.”
The oven timer beeped, and I jumped up to toss the rolls in the oven, grateful for the interruption. I wasn’t sure how I should answer him. To blame it on James and the apartment felt childish and reckless. Besides, I wasn’t even sure if Nate knew about James. We’d never talked about him.
And I couldn’t very well tell him that my neighbor thought my mother’s spirit was trying to communicate with me through a bird. My joke about it earlier had been more for my benefit than his.
When I returned to him, he stared at me with that same intensity again, and it was all I could do not to fidget. I decided that a half-truth was better than nothing.
“My dad is dead set on me staying in Cedar Haven,” I said, forcing a smile. “And I feel like I owe it to him, as the only parent I have left, to at least see how that would work. I’m not making any promises, but it might get him off my back for a while.”
“Did they say when they would make their decision?” Nate asked, and I breathed a little easier.
“As soon as possible.” I shrugged. “But you know the government. I’m sure there are levels of approval they’d need to go through. It went well, though.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Nate said. “If you stay, do you think you’ll still sell the house?”
“Probably. I can’t afford to buy Steven out of his share of the estate, and I don’t know that I’ll ever feel comfortable here without her.” I took another sip of wine. “I haven’t really thought about that. It was an impulse decision, and I hadn’t expected to be interviewed so soon.”
“I don’t think they’ve had a lot of applicants,” Nate said. “Not many people looking for small-town life these days. I’m glad you applied. It’s good to have options.”
I spun around at his words, and he gave me a wary look. Swallowing, I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, it’s… I… I, er, that’s something my mom would say.”
Nate sat perfectly still, and I had the distinct impression that he was choosing his next words carefully. All the air seemed to leave the room as I waited, wondering if he was about to reveal whatever secret he’d been keeping from me.
“Perhaps I heard her say it once or twice,” Nate finally replied, his voice strained. “But it’s a common saying.”
I nodded, choosing not to force the issue. The oven timer went off behind me, and I bent to check dinner.
Nate stood and got plates and silverware while I set out the shepherd’s pie and rolls on the table. I refilled our wineglasses, though the last thing I needed right then was more alcohol, and took a seat, gesturing for him to serve himself. After spooning out a healthy portion, he passed the spoon, grazing my fingers. His eyes met mine briefly before looking away.
“This is delicious.” He scooped up a mouthful of mashed potatoes.
“Better than a TV dinner?” I teased.
“Not even in the same neighborhood.”
“You never learned to cook?”
He shook his head. “I’m afraid the most I do is grill.”
A laugh bubbled up in my throat. “Cooking is just grilling indoors.”
“I disagree,” he said as he reached for his wine. “There’s something about burning something over an open flame that brings out the caveman in all of us.”
I snorted. “‘Burning something’? So what you’re saying is, you’re not good at grilling either?”
“Hey now, I said I grill. I never said how the food turned out!”
“Did you learn your skills from Max McAllister? He never met a hamburger he couldn’t turn into a hockey puck.”
“I don’t believe I ever had the pleasure of your dad’s, er, culinary experiments.” His mouth twisted as he stumbled over the words, and I laughed again.
Ping. I glanced down, and my stomach dropped.
Hey, Nate here. I need to drop off my contribution as well. Happy to pick you up on the way, Lanie.
I set my phone down and grabbed the mug, gulping down the scalding liquid and instantly regretting it. My throat burned, and for a moment, I thought I might be sick. But I yanked a chair out and slid into it, laying my head on my hands. The nausea passed, and I took another tentative sip of coffee. Still too hot, but the warmth and caffeine helped to wake up my brain.
What should I do? On the one hand, I needed a ride, and Nate’s offer was more than gracious, though I suspected he felt obligated since my car was still in his shop.
On the other hand, my attempts to avoid Nate had so far been unsuccessful, and agreeing to a ride would be the equivalent of admitting defeat. How many more awkward conversations could one person be expected to survive?
I weighed my options. Rose and Steven were both off that day. However, they were planning to visit a caterer for a tasting. While they could likely drop me off on their way, I would be stuck at the school until they were finished, giving the universe ample opportunity to throw Nate in my face again. Perhaps it would be better to accept my fate and meet him willingly. Then I would avoid any surprises like the other day at lunch.
Torn over what to do, I picked up my coffee and stepped to the window. My eyes swept over the backyard, taking in the shortening shadows as the sun rose in the sky. A familiar flash of red caught my attention, and I leaned toward the glass. The little cardinal was back, perched on the railing and staring right at me.
“Am I crazy to see him again?” I asked. The bird flitted closer and settled on a branch right outside the window. I’d never seen a cardinal so close before. The distinctive black dots resembling freckles were clear near its beak, confirming it was the same cardinal I’d seen before.
“It feels like a bad idea,” I continued as the little bird flitted closer to the window.
“Maybe I should say no and take my chances with Steven and Rose.” The bird cocked its head and chirped. Was it my imagination, or was there a hint of disapproval in the bird’s song? Shaking my head, I tried to snap out of it, but something about the tilt of the bird’s head and the way it fluffed its wings was eerily reminiscent of a look Mom used to give me.
Before I could process the resemblance, the bird flew away, and I was left disquieted. I ran a hand over my face. Great, I was talking to birds. Was I going crazy? I returned to the table and drained the last of my coffee. The weird resemblance between the cardinal and Mom meant nothing. My confusion over Nate was causing me to wish my mom was there. That was all. With that justification, I rinsed out the mug in the sink.
As I picked up my phone, Nate’s message stared at me, waiting, mocking. With a sigh, I typed a message back, hoping I wouldn’t live to regret it.
Sounds good. Thanks, Nate.
“I can’t believe you still have this car,” I finally said as I strolled over to him.
“She’s in mint condition,” Nate confirmed, a hint of pride in his voice.
I grinned as I climbed in and set my bags on the floor, feeling like I was stepping back in time. I recalled many evenings with Nate, cruising down back roads and stopping to take in the sunset over the water. It made me wish for a simpler time, before a broken heart and Mom’s death completely altered my life.
He slid in, a warm smile pulling on his lips. He had always loved that car, and the change in his mood was palpable. We pulled out onto the road, and I relished the vibration of the rumbling engine as he switched gears. Something about that moment felt more like coming home than anything I’d experienced since my plane landed.
Within a few minutes, we pulled up in front of an unfamiliar building with a sign outside that said McAllister and Associates.What? We’d already arrived?I bit my lip and tried to get control of myself. Get a grip, Lanie. The man was giving me a ride, not taking me on a date. I pulled the bag into my lap.
“Well, thanks for the ride.” I turned toward Nate with a forced smile. “And the rescue.”
“No problem.” He nodded toward the bag. “What’s all that?”
“My mother’s life, essentially.” I opened the bag and gestured to one pile. “This is to put her house on the market. The rest is her will and other related documents.”
“How long will you be in town?”
“Not long, I hope!” I met his gaze and realized a moment too late I’d suffered from foot-in-mouth syndrome for the second time that morning. The warmth he’d had moments ago disappeared in an instant.
“I hope it all works out for you,” he said, his voice hard and cold.
“Nate, I didn’t mean—”
“I’ll call you when the car is ready.” He stared at the road, and I took that as my dismissal.
“Thanks.” I snuck one last glance at him, but he refused to look at me. As soon as I climbed out and closed the door, he merged onto the highway, leaving me alone on the sidewalk.
“Welcome home, Lanie,” I whispered to myself.
🖋 about the Author 🖋
Katie Eagan Schenck writes sweet romance and women’s fiction that warms the heart and gives all the feels. She has an MFA in creative writing from Queens University of Charlotte and her debut novel, A Home for Christmas, was released in October of 2022. When she’s not writing she’s either drafting regulations for the federal government, baking delicious treats, or binging Hallmark movies. She lives in Maryland with her husband, daughter, and their three cats.
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