The Moment Just Before

First, there was Aaron. My only. My forever--a warm and tender husband who put up with my ice-cold hands in bed and kissed our dogs without a hint of embarrassment. A man who knew how much I wanted to be emotionally uninhibited like him, but who understood I couldn’t be.

When my “forever” died unexpectedly at thirty-four, there was debilitating grief. An aversion to the color maroon. And an intense refueling of my sexual appetite: mindless, shameless hook-ups with random men....and with not-so-random Dr. Tony Dalton, my charming, cocky, womanizing colleague. As strange as it sounds, these encounters help me feel close to Aaron (did I mention I see his image during them?).

Being a veterinarian and the single mom of a feisty teenager are challenging enough, but things get more complicated when Tony starts expressing feelings for me and urging me to take risks. Adding another layer of confusion: new hire Nathan, who is as mysterious as he is gorgeous.

Amidst all of this, I need to decide if I’ll continue teetering on the edge of life--or if I’ll dare to take the leap.