Five years ago, British transplant, Jude, left San Francisco after the tragic murder of his lover, Martin. Heartbroken, he settled in Sutter's Bay and opened a small flower shop, hoping that surrounding himself with bright colors and pretty things -- living things -- would somehow lessen the anguish he felt over his loss.<br><br>Jude never expects to find a love like he shared with Martin ever again. Certainly a love like theirs won't come along twice in a lifetime. But then Jude meets sexy Rex Warner, the new veterinarian in Sutter's Bay, and he can't help but wonder if his luck has changed.<br><br>Will Rex be able to stop Jude from dwelling on the painful past and look toward a promising future instead?

Twice in a Lifetime

“You…you’re,” Rex started to say, feeling foolish, but his gaze went to the bloody and scrapped knee of his patient’s owner. The jeans there had been torn. “You’re bleeding.”


He glanced down. “Yes. I fell on the stairs. It’s not been a good night.” He stood up. He wore a sweatshirt with the name Newcastle Unitedprinted on it.


“Jude, right? Put Sebastian on the table and I’ll be back in a second.”


Rex left the exam door open and went to fetch peroxide, gauze, and bandages. When he came back into the room, Sebastian had been placed on the table, looking very unhappy to be there. He handed the supplies to Jude. “Why don’t you take care of you while I look at our friend here?”


Jude went back to the bench and started applying peroxide to his scrapes. “Thanks. Very kind of you.”


“You can take them off if you need to.”


Chapter 6