Kindred Spirits: A Romantic Comedy About Love, Life, and the Afterlife . . ., page 1
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Richard Bingham - Chapter 1
Dating in New York - Chapter 2
Philippa Fielding - Chapter 3
Dating in London - Chapter 4
New York - Chapter 5
London - Chapter 6
New York - Chapter 7
London - Chapter 8
New York - Chapter 9
London - Chapter 10
New York - Chapter 11
London - Chapter 12
New York - Chapter 13
London - Chapter 14
The Plan - Chapter 15
New York - Chapter 16
London - Chapter 17
New York - Chapter 18
London - Chapter 19
New York - Chapter 20
London - Chapter 21
New York - Chapter 22
The Flight - Chapter 23
Chicago - Chapter 24
Preparations - Chapter 25
The Wedding - Chapter 26
The Aftermath - Chapter 27
New York - Chapter 28
London - Chapter 29
The Auction - Chapter 30
New Beau - Chapter 31
Leaving London - Chapter 32
Second Best - Chapter 33
Chicago - Chapter 34
Thanksgiving - Chapter 35
London - Chapter 36
Skating On - Chapter 37
Leeds - Chapter 38
Richard - Chapter 39
Pip - Chapter 40
Richard - Chapter 41
Pip - Chapter 42
Richard - Chapter 43
The Date - Chapter 44
The Courtship - Chapter 45
The Couple - Chapter 46
London - Chapter 47
The Trial - Chapter 48
The Awakening - Chapter 49
Raves for Kindred Spirits
“In Kindred Spirits, Whitney Dineen entertains and teaches – the hallmarks of a true storyteller; this book is an excellent read.”
— Readers’ Favorite, 5/5-Stars
“Like the heroine of Kindred Spirits, this book is an absolute pip! In its pages you'll find romance, laughs, a compelling story, and unforgettable characters you'll enjoy spending time with. Pip may see dead people, but what I see in Kindred Spirits is further proof of what a talented author Whitney Dineen is!”
— Tracie Banister, Author of Mixing It Up and Twin Piques
“Engaging, funny, & heartwarming! Another winner from Whitney Dineen- I didn't want it to end!”
— Becky Monson, Bestselling Author of Thirty-Four Going on Bride
“The perfect blend of humor and romance with just enough quirky angels to keep you guessing. A highly entertaining chick lit read!”
— Kathryn Biel, Author of Once in a Lifetime
“Everyone needs a guardian angel when looking for love. This book will inspire you to never give up on meeting your own soulmate. I hated putting it down and couldn’t wait to pick it up again. Hurry up and write the sequel, Whitney!”
— Bookworm
“Get ready for a supernatural good time. Kindred Spirits is the perfect blend of paranormal romance and chick-lit. It’s the kind of book that will have you staying up way past your bedtime without an ounce of regret in the morning when you’re living off caffeine.”
— Jennifer Peel, Bestselling author of Trouble in Loveland
Also by Whitney Dineen
Romantic Comedies:
She Sins at Midnight
The Reinvention of Mimi Finnegan
Mimi Plus Two
Memoir/Humor:
Motherhood Martyrdom & Costco Runs
Middle Reader:
Wilhelmina and the Willamette Wig Factory
Who the Heck is Harvey Stingle?
Children’s:
The Friendship Bench
Kindred Spirits
A Romantic Comedy About Love, Life, and the Afterlife . . .
Whitney Dineen
This is a work of fiction. All incidents, dialogue, and characters are a product of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.
Copyright © 2017 Whitney Dineen
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.
Published in the United States by Thirty-Three Partners Publishing.
Library of Congress Cataloguing In-Publication Data.
Dineen, Whitney
Kindred Spirits: a novel/ Whitney Dineen
ISBN-978-0-9988620-3-3
First Edition
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Richard Bingham - Chapter 1
Dating in New York - Chapter 2
Philippa Fielding - Chapter 3
Dating in London - Chapter 4
New York - Chapter 5
London - Chapter 6
New York - Chapter 7
London - Chapter 8
New York - Chapter 9
London - Chapter 10
New York - Chapter 11
London - Chapter 12
New York - Chapter 13
London - Chapter 14
The Plan - Chapter 15
New York - Chapter 16
London - Chapter 17
New York - Chapter 18
London - Chapter 19
New York - Chapter 20
London - Chapter 21
New York - Chapter 22
The Flight - Chapter 23
Chicago - Chapter 24
Preparations - Chapter 25
The Wedding - Chapter 26
The Aftermath - Chapter 27
New York - Chapter 28
London - Chapter 29
The Auction - Chapter 30
New Beau - Chapter 31
Leaving London - Chapter 32
Second Best - Chapter 33
Chicago - Chapter 34
Thanksgiving - Chapter 35
London - Chapter 36
Skating On - Chapter 37
Leeds - Chapter 38
Richard - Chapter 39
Pip - Chapter 40
Richard - Chapter 41
Pip - Chapter 42
Richard - Chapter 43
The Date - Chapter 44
The Courtship - Chapter 45
The Couple - Chapter 46
London - Chapter 47
The Trial - Chapter 48
The Awakening - Chapter 49
Epilogue - Chapter 50
About the Author
Excerpt: The Reinvention of Mimi Finnegan
Excerpt: She Sins at Midnight
Acknowledgments
First of all, I want to thank all of my fans who take the time to read my books, review them, and reach out to me via my website and social media. You are the reason being an author is the best job in the world, and I’d surely fall without you.
Much love and gratitude to my family who allows me the time and quiet necessary to spin my stories. Your support and encouragement make it possible for me to create even though I can often be intolerable whilst in the throes.
Huge props to my author friends, who read my books and itemize everything that’s wrong with them, then help me tweak them until perfection is reached. Becky Monson, Tracie Banister, Kathryn Biel, and Jennifer Peel, I’m talking to you!
Paula Bothewell, thank you for your proofreading skills and knowledge of the English language. You rock!
Karan Eleni, my website and newsletter wouldn’t exist without you. You’re the bomb diggity!
And finally, a huge high five to my angels who sit on my shoulders and whisper stories into my ears and then nag me to death until I write them down. Any chance you can cut out the 3 a.m. suggestions? A girl needs her sleep.
“Important encounters are planned by souls long before the bodies see each other.”
— Paulo Coelho
Richard Bingham
Chapter 1
“Mr. Bingham,” the overtly stylish reporter from Manhattan Life magazine started, “tell me what it’s like to be voted one of the top ten eligible bachelors in New York.”
Forty-one-year-old Richard smiled humbly and replied, “I’m not sure who did the voting, but I’m flattered to be thought of so highly. I can assure you, I’m a pretty ordinary guy.”
Taking a slow sip of her latte, the reporter replied, “Yes, well I can assure you, no ordinary men made the cut.” Then coquettishly lifting her eyes from her notebook, Shelly Milton asked, “What exactly are you looking for in a woman?”
Oblivious to her flirtations, Richard looked beyond her as if lost in his own thoughts. “I guess I want to find someone who’s unique, unpredictable, and spontaneous—somebody who loves to have fun.”
“That’s quite a list,” she opined before asking, “What does your ideal woman look like?”
Richard laughed easily, “That’s hard to say as I haven’t met her yet.” He explained, “I don’t have a physical type as much as a personality type.”
“So,” she quipped, “any single gal in New York has a chance with you as long as she’s got a good personality? You sound too good to be tru
“Shelly, I appreciate you making me seem like such a great catch, but I’ve got my flaws. I’m just looking for a woman who will overlook them, someone who’ll love me in spite of them.”
Touching the tip of her four-inch high-heel to Richard’s leg, she inquired, “What exactly are your flaws? Because from my angle, you look darn near perfect.”
Taking a sip of his french roast, Richard responded, “I work too hard, I don’t play enough, and I don’t laugh enough. I’m hoping the right woman can change all of that.”
After another thirty minutes of banter, Shelly turned off her recorder and announced, “I think I have all I need to write a great piece.” After a beat, she added, “Magazine rules don’t allow me to ask until our professional relationship is over, but maybe once I’ve written my article, we could go out to dinner sometime?”
Richard was shocked and answered, “That would be lovely, but isn’t that an engagement ring on your finger?”
“Maybe,” she replied coyly, “but an engagement ring isn’t a wedding ring, is it?”
“Perhaps not, but it does indicate a prior commitment.”
There was no way Shelly could misconstrue the judgment in his voice. She immediately knew she didn’t have a chance with Richard Bingham, so she responded, “I guess it does.”
Uncomfortably, Richard met her direct gaze and said, “I don’t mean to be rude, but once I ask a woman to marry me, I would hope she’d stop shopping around for someone better.”
“Mr. Bingham,” the reporter icily replied, “I’m sure in your case, she will. But not everyone is lucky to be engaged to a paragon like yourself. Sometimes people reach an age and place in their lives where they compromise their ideals a bit and settle for something instead of continuing on with nothing.”
“That’s a sad commentary on single life. No one should settle for anyone less than they truly desire.”
“Unfortunately,” she retorted, “only a handful of singles are considered as desirable as you. I’m afraid life is a bit different for those of us who live in the real world.”
Richard realized he’d gone too far and tried to amend his earlier statement by adding, “I think you sell yourself short, Ms. Milton. As far as I’m concerned the only reason I won’t have dinner with you is that you’re promised to another.”
Shelly responded, “That’s very noble of you.” Gathering her things together, she stood up and declared, “I wish you luck in your great love search, Mr. Bingham. I’m sure you’ll have a better selection of potential mates than the rest of us mortals.”
There was a gleam in her eye that Richard found disconcerting. For a moment he wished he’d merely accepted her offer and reneged at a later date. Shelly Milton looked mad, determined, and offended. Not exactly the trifecta of emotions you want to leave a reporter with right before she writes an article about you in a well-respected and well-circulated magazine.
When Richard got back to his office, he sorted through his mail and phone messages. He wondered why in the world a woman as attractive as the magazine reporter was engaged to a man she thought of as less than ideal.
Richard had been married once to a woman he still considered a good friend. They’d been divorced for nearly thirteen years, and in all that time he’d never felt the urge to rush back to the altar, until recently.
In the last few months, Richard had started to feel the need for a family of his own. If he were honest, he’d admit it went beyond need and bordered on a burning desire. He was ready to enjoy the benefits of all his years of hard work. He wanted to start the next phase of his life and all of a sudden he couldn’t wait to do so.
As he rifled through his in-box, he thought of the women he’d dated in the last several years. By-and-large, they were wealthy, successful, and beautiful. While that looked good on the surface, that’s as far as it went. In reality, most of them were entitled, bored, and void of passion. Richard wanted more and he was determined to find it. He wasn’t going to be like Shelly Milton and settle for someone who wasn’t perfect for him.
Using his letter opener, Richard made a slit in what appeared to be an invitation. The heavy card stock suggested it was for a wedding. Yet when he pulled the missive out of the envelope he discovered his mistake. He wasn’t holding a wedding invitation; he was holding a request to engage the services of the Eastside Yenta, a well-known matchmaker in Manhattan.
Richard had never considered using a matchmaker. As a rule he was capable of getting as many dates as he wanted. It wasn’t until recently that he started to question the quality of those encounters. On impulse, he filed Rachel Feinman’s card away in his Rolodex. If things didn’t pick up for the better, he might just have to give her a call.
Richard buzzed his secretary, Gemma. Within moments, she waddled in carrying a file he’d requested. After handing it off, she dropped down on a chair opposite him and declared, “If this baby doesn’t come out soon, I’m going to yank her out myself.”
Richard laughed, “If that were possible, I’d help you. You look downright miserable.”
Gemma slipped her shoes off and grumbled, “Richard, if it was up to men to carry the babies, the world’s population wouldn’t be half of what it is today.”
He agreed, “I’d be way less inclined to have seven children if I had to do the incubating. What I want to know is why are you still coming into the office and not starting your maternity leave now?” He added, “I already told you to take as much time as you needed and not worry about your paycheck.”
“While I think it’s very decent of you to continue to pay me while I abandon you for an undisclosed amount of time, I already told you, you’d never survive without me and my replacement can’t start until next week.”
Richard laughed, “How in the world do you think I survived before you? I promise I won’t ruin all your hard work in a week’s time.”
His secretary retorted, “Of course you will. The problem with you, Richard, is that you’re successful because you’re so darn charming. The problem with order is that it doesn’t care how charismatic and dreamy you are. It requires the steel hand of organization, which is what I bring to the mix.”
“Ah, Gemma,” Richard teased, “how did I wind up not marrying you? You’re the perfect, bossy woman who tells it like it is. We would have made beautiful children together.”
“Yeah, well, you snooze, you lose, Daddy Warbucks. Plus you’re too dashing and debonair for my tastes. I like a good beer-drinking man who can burp the alphabet.” Then she doubled over in a cramp and declared, “Crap, I think my water just broke.”
While Richard grabbed the phone to have a car brought around to take his secretary and friend to the hospital, he thought about how much he looked forward to the day his wife would go into labor with his child. Of course he had to meet his wife first, which was becoming more problematic than he’d originally anticipated.
Dating in New York
Chapter 2
Richard Bingham gazed attentively at the woman sitting across the table from him. For all intents and purposes, she’d make the perfect mate. She was a businesswoman in her own right, so she wasn’t interested in him solely for his money. She was successful, beautiful, and an engaging conversationalist. She was thirty-four, blonde, and very feminine. Her name was Amanda.
Richard knew picking a wife after only three dates was jumping the gun a bit, but he was itching to get on with the next phase of his life. So he’d set a certain criteria for the women he dated in order to expedite his goal of matrimony. The first date’s agenda was to find out as much about her family life as possible, in order to evaluate whether she would make a suitable spouse and mother.
Date two was all about discovering her desire for a family and how many children she envisioned having. Was she planning to continue her career after becoming a mother and have a nanny raise her offspring, or did she intend to quit her job and be a full-time parent? Many women exited Richard’s life at this point.
