Sand, Salt, and Spirits--Last Chance Beach Romance
Page 1
Sand, Salt, and Spirits
Last Chance Beach Romance
Best Selling & Award Winning Author
Kathryn Hills
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Sand, Salt, and Spirits
Last Chance Beach Romance
COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Kathy Hills
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: kathrynhills.author@gmail.com
Cover by Kristian Norris
Images – depositphotos 48564299, 202821426
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
ABOUT THE BOOK
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
ROMANCE NOVELS BY KATHRYN HILLS
ABOUT KATHRYN HILLS
ABOUT THE BOOK
Can a weekend visit to Last Chance Beach undo decades of brokenhearted memories? Conjuring up some island magic might just be the trick. Or treat!
Kyle Worthington hasn’t returned to Last Chance Beach in years. He’s worked hard to prove himself to his overbearing father and the rest of the world. Now it’s October, and the vacation island paradise is celebrating the season with an island-wide Fall Festival. Family obligation demands he participate. Everyone will be there, including the ghost that haunts his grandparents’ B&B.
The running joke that Kyle never sticks with anything—not a career or a woman—will continue to plague him. Unless he brings a knockout of a date to the weekend-long event. Cassandra Corwin fits the bill perfectly. Kyle’s had his eye on his brilliant, beautiful coworker since day one. But Cassie is an enigma, a loner. There’s no room in her life for anyone except Odin, her goofball of a Great Dane.
Will this woman of mystery agree to Kyle’s scheme to impress his family? Can two near strangers from opposite worlds survive family gatherings and back-to-back Halloween events while pretending to be a couple? Kyle’s father seems hell-bent on derailing everything before they even shout “Boo!”
Or will the island’s magic prove too powerful for them to resist?
CHAPTER 1
Kyle Worthington leaned back in his chair, sipped his beer, and listened to his favorite, most intriguing, person speak. Soft with just a hint of rasp, Cassie Corwin’s voice suited her perfectly. Sexy. Mysterious. Different.
“It’s just not the same here, people,” she murmured with a secretive smile. “I’m telling you...Halloween is way better in New England. At least, it was for me.” She shrugged, unrepentant when those around her jeered. “What can I say? It’s the truth. If you haven’t experienced October in Salem, Massachusetts, you don’t know what you’re missing.”
Everyone conceded they’d either visited the world-renowned witch city and loved it, or it was on their bucket list. Now, with autumn fully upon them, it sounded like the perfect place to be. Especially the way Cassie described it.
“Why did you leave, Cass?” one of their co-workers asked her.
A flicker of sadness crossed Cassie’s beautiful features, yet she quickly masked it. “The Company. My program was moved to Chicago, and then here.” She downed the dregs of her margarita, licking the last bit of salt from its festive rim. “Follow the money, my mama always said.”
Their server in the popular Tex-Mex eatery arrived just in time to scoop up the empties. “Another round here?”
Kyle seized his opportunity. “I’m buying. If I can join you guys. Does anyone mind?”
Surprised laughter and shouts of enthusiasm came from the group that included individuals from all departments within the big pharma company they all worked for. Hasty introductions of those he didn’t know bounced around the too-tight table, as Kyle squeezed in.
Sultry dark eyes connected with his over the flickering candles in the round table’s center. Long, sooty lashes fluttered beneath equally long, black banks. He’d never seen hair so shiny. A silken curtain draped around one perfectly formed woman.
“Do you know Cassie?” everyone’s friend, Margo, asked? “She’s a researcher in the Discovery Lab.”
Kyle flashed his best and brightest smile. “We haven’t been formally introduced, but I’ve seen her around.” Warmth rushed to his face. “Hello, Cassie from the lab.”
The hint of a smile tugged the woman in question’s red lips.
“Okay...who’s having another?” their server bellowed above the bar noise.
Everyone chimed in at once. Except for Cassie.
Kyle snuck another look her way. She was checking her phone. Damn...don’t leave yet. Give a guy a chance.
“So, Cassie...” he began.
She glanced his way with a stand-off-ish look.
“You lived in Salem?”
“Nearby. When I was young.” She flipped her long hair over one sleek shoulder, the tinkle of bangle bracelets reaching his ears despite the restaurant commotion surrounding them.
A flash of memory sparked in Kyle’s brain. The many windchimes on the back porch of Sandpiper Cottage. The beachfront B&B his grandparents owned and operated for fifty years.
He shook the odd remembrance off yet took it as a sign. “I’ve never been there, but I hear it’s amazing. Bet it’s super-busy this time of year. Halloween and all.”
She gave him a polite, tepid smile and nodded.
“Do you must miss all the fall color?”
Wait...was that an actual smile?
“I do. Fall leaves are great. The way they look, sound, and even smell. There’s nothing like walking through crunchy leaves on a chilly October morning.”
“Another margarita, hon?” the server interrupted them.
Cassie met Kyle’s riveted stare. No doubt, she could see the hope in his eyes. “Sure, why not. Classic with salt, please.”
“Can we get some chips here, too?” Kyle tossed out loud enough so everyone could hear. “How about wings and maybe a round of sliders? That sound good, everyone?”
The happy group cheered except for the sleek woman, assessing him across the table. When the two ladies sitting between them got up to hit the rest room, Kyle made his move, sliding into the seat next to hers.
Cassie smirked. “Big spender?”
“Expense account,” he admitted with a sheepish grin. “I’m a sales rep for the Company.”
“Ah, I see, the Company’s tab then. And how will you label this expense?” she asked with a dubious look.
“Team building,” he shot back, showing off his most confident face.
Drinks arrived, followed by plates of steaming food, and everyone happily dug in.
“Slider?” Kyle offered the stunner by his side.
“No, thank you, I’m vegetarian.”
His smile fell to the floor. “Excuse me,” he hollered to the server, his hand shooting up to ensure attention. His gaze snapped back to Cassie. “Do you like the veggie quesadillas here? They’re good.”
Holy shit! An actual tooth smile. Score!
“Yes, I do,” she practically purred.
“Can I get a plate of veggie quesadillas for the lady here? Thanks,” he hastily added, loving his life.
“So...tell me, Kyle from sales...What’s your story?” Cassie asked, focusing on him for the first time.
“Oh...there’s not much to tell...” he hesitated, formulating his strategy.
“How long have you been with the Company?”
Kyle sat forward in his seat, sensing this was a first interview. “About five years now.”
“Do you like it?”
He squirmed and shot her a forced smile. “Most days.”
Her dark-eyed stare captivated him, demanding the truth.
“I’m on the road a lot. Bets old sometimes,” he found himself admitting. “It’s hard to strike a good balance between work and...”
“Life,” she chimed in, as if commiserating.
“It’s all good. I’m in a sweet spot. Just got bumped up to a bigger territory,” he bragged, hoping to impress her. Yet somehow, he knew that wouldn’t work.
Cassie studied him as she sipped her drink. She licked her pouty lips, sending a shot of yearning straight through him. “Won’t that mean more work and less balance?”
“Undoubtedly.” He remembered he had a new beer in front of him and took a swallow. “What do you do for fun?” he skillfully switched the subject back to her.
Food arrived before she could answer, and Kyle cursed its timing. The woman on the opposite side of him nudged his arm and asked a question, forcing him to turn away. The entire time he chatted with her, his mind was working to find a polite way back to Cassie. More people piled into their conversation, and before he knew it, he’d lost his one-on-one time with the mysterious beauty.
All too soon, Kyle was handed the long tab. Everyone thanked him profusely before standing and moving toward the door. Cassie was going too, with Margo by her side and a couple of hopeful dudes, trailing behind them. He watched in utter fascination as her lithe form strolled away. Long, black, sleeveless dress with strappy sandals...Man, look at that strut. Like a panther. Queen of the jungle.
Kyle shook his head to clear it. He focused on the bill and walked it over to the register rather than waiting.
In a mad dash, he bolted for the exit. Heat and sunlight assaulted him when he burst out into the parking lot. There she was—target acquired—and he took off in a jog. Cassie opened the door of her powder-blue Volkswagen Beetle convertible. Vintage. A car my grandma once owned. Yet totally befitting Cassie’s quirky, never-pin-me-down vibe.
“Great car,” he tossed out, causing her to look his way again.
She tossed her purse and phone to the seats covered in peace signs and daisies. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I like it.”
Kyle fidgeted, feeling uncharacteristically at a loss for words.
There it was...The obligatory smile. The one that screamed, “Okay...leave me alone now, please!”
“Have a good weekend,” he said, walking away. He hated himself for not being smooth enough to come up with some clever line. Something that would pique her interest, or at least make her smile again. Get her to see him as a man, a prospective suitor, not just a co-worker. Her car door slammed, and he knew he’d missed his chance. Damn...It was a solid try if nothing else.
Her little car’s engine sputtered to life, and he gave a light laugh. Maybe it was for the best. Even their taste in cars was different. His attention always went for flash, speed, and horsepower. Cassie obviously liked classic and cute. Or quirky. Vegetarian verses carnivore, sales guy verses lab squid. Did opposites attract? Yeah...probably not in real life. Maybe the universe knows best after all.
His phone rang just as he got to his two-door, luxury coupés. He glanced at the caller ID. Stone Worthington. With a groan, he accepted the call from the man he didn’t even have listed as “Dad.”
“Yo,” he said in a clipped tone, bracing himself. He listened, then dropped his head. “Why the hell are you telling me this when you should be talking to Mom?”
CHAPTER 2
Cassie checked the clock for the hundredth time, thinking...My God, why do Mondays drag? She sighed and attempted to focus on her work. Yet a disturbance in the normally pin-drop quiet work-zone of her office distracted her again.
“Kyle Worthington. Dude, what’s up? Good to see you, bro,” one of the guys was saying. His voice filled with obvious happiness at seeing the sales rep from the other night. They talked for a bit, joked, and laughed loudly, until she heard her name mentioned.
Groaning, she sank deeper into her chair, hoping the sterile, beige cubicle walls surrounding her would somehow magically keep out intruders.
“Cassie, what a surprise.”
She inwardly groaned and sat up straight to face him. “Kyle, right?” she said, forcing a smile.
He gave her a brilliant one in return. “Hey...” he began slowly and then paused, as if collecting his thoughts. “I was thinking after our dinner the other night...”
Cassie shot a look to her nosy co-worker in the opposite cube. The woman’s eyes widened at what definitely sounded like a date for them.
“...the way you talked about Salem and missing home during Halloween...”
She focused on Kyle; her curiosity piqued.
“My family is hosting a thing...Well, it’s not a thing. And they’re not hosting it entirely. It’s part of an island-wide, weekend celebration. A Fall Festival, to be precise.”
Cassie arched a brow, waiting for him to finish his pitch.
“The place is Last Chance Beach. I know...it sounds like just a beach, but it’s actually an island. My grandmother runs a B&B and antique shop out there. Has for decades.” Kyle cleared his throat. He tugged at his starched collar, his face looking a bit dewy. “I’ve been called in as reinforcement to help with some of the events planned at the inn. A haybale maze and pumpkin patch. You know...Halloween stuff.” He kicked imaginary dirt on the carpet. “And I was wondering...Would you like to come along with me? You know...get your Halloween fix since you won’t be going home to Salem this year?”
It was all Cassie could do not to gape at him, open-mouthed. This guy had a giant set of balls if he thought one order of veggie quesadillas earned him the right to ask her to go away with him for the weekend. She’d heard of Last Chance Beach. Everyone had. It was a vacation island, hours away by car. Not a day trip. Not a nice time for a couple of hours, then see ya later sort of destination. Kyle Worthington was asking her to go away with him. AKA have a tryst.
“Why would you ask me something like that? We literally just met,” she managed to say without scoffing. Or punching him.
Kyle rested his arm casually against her partition wall and leaned down to speak softly. “I’ve been watching you. For a while now.”
Cassie stared at him in stunned disbelief. She cracked a saucy grin, as her dark humor clambered to be let loose on the outrageous salesman. “Statement like that will get you anything from a misdemeanor to life in prison, depending on whether you’re a stalker or a serial killer.”
Kyle’s expression went blank. Then he burst out laughing. His blue eyes watered as he held his stomach, gasping for breath. “Woo. You are so right. That sounded really bad. Let me start again. I’ve seen you around, and I enjoyed your company the other night, Cassie Corwin. I think you’d have fun while celebrating your favorite time of year. We’d both have fun. That’s it, nothing more. I’m nowhere near as exciting—or depraved—as you think I am. As I said, my grandmother has a B&B. Sandpiper Cottage. Look it up. You’d have your own room. Nothing creepy. I swear. I was just trying to be nice.”
Cassie leaned her chair back, considering him. Huh...Self-deprecating humor? Plus, straight to the point when challenged. Not a hint of sleaze after that first fiasco of a line. She let her guard down a bit. “That’s nice of you to think of me, but I’m swamped right now, as you can see.” She indicated to the stacks of books and papers on her cluttered desk.
Sadness crept into those impossible blue eyes. “Sure. I get it.” He backed away with his hands up. “Offer stands if you change your mind. I’m leaving Thursday and staying on un
til Monday morning. I’ll be driving, but I can certainly spring for a plane ticket if you’d prefer. Festival kicks off on Friday night with a Halloween dance.”
He came forward again, placing his business card before her. His drop-dead gorgeous smile returned. The one that short circuited her brain the other night at the restaurant.
Cassie couldn’t help but think she’d never met a cover model, up close and personal. Dude should be a firefighter on a calendar, not a pharmaceutical sales rep.
“WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, you need to fumigate for bugs?” Cassie held the cellphone away from her ear and mouthed a curse. “You know I have a dog. That can’t be good for either of us, right? I understand. That’s why you’re recommending we move out for the weekend. But that’s not convenient.”
Her landlord wasn’t a jerk. In fact, he was a good guy, trying to keep his tenants safe. But why this weekend? When I’m overworked, stressed, and struggling with being alone.
She jotted down the instructions on when spraying would begin and how to prepare. Also, how to collect the money the landlord was offering to help pay for her inconvenience. She hung up, tossed the phone, and huffed an exasperated sigh. Another lost weekend. Even worse, she’d be spending it alone in some drab hotel with her dog. Big woof.
Odin—her goofball of a Great Dane—watched her from his favorite place on the loveseat. Ears perked; his massive black head erect as if waiting for her to explain why she was upset.
“What do you want from me? It’s not my fault. Not like we’d be carving pumpkins or having a costume party.”
A bomb detonated in Cassie’s brain.
What the heck? Did Kyle Worthington possess some sort of supernatural powers of manifestation? Somehow conjuring up this glitch in her life so she’d go away with him?
She snatched up her purse from the coffee table and dug through it until she found his business card. Her fingertip slid over the expensive linen-like cardstock, his name and title embossed in slate blue. Kyle S. Worthington, Senior Sales Representative. Even his card screams class and old money. The polar opposite of who she was and where she came from.