Foundation (A Golden Beach Novella)

by Loraine, Kim

  Table of Contents

  FOUNDATION

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  FOUNDATION

  A Golden Beach Novel

  KIM LORAINE

  SOUL MATE PUBLISHING

  New York

  FOUNDATION

  Copyright©2016

  KIM LORAINE

  Cover Design by Ramona Lockwood

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

  Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Published in the United States of America by

  Soul Mate Publishing

  P.O. Box 24

  Macedon, New York, 14502

  ISBN: 978-1-68291-054-2

  www.SoulMatePublishing.com

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  To my little loves.

  Thank you for making me a mother.

  Acknowledgements

  As always, I’m forever grateful for the support I get from my family. My husband, who spends hours brainstorming with me (usually on long car rides as we navigate the Japanese roadways to parts unknown); my children, who gave me first-hand experience with the joys of pregnancy; and my friends, who read the draft of Foundation before any eyes should have seen it. Thank you so much for supporting my need to tell stories.

  Thanks to my awesome editor. You always know what I meant to say even if I didn’t say it right. To Soul Mate Publishing, thanks so much for being supportive of my writing and giving my characters a home.

  Lastly, thank you to my readers. Every review, every comment, every friend request and email makes me smile.

  Kim

  www.kimlorainewriter.com

  Chapter 1

  Grace McConnell Tensley stretched and groaned as her skin slid along the impossibly soft fabric of the hotel sheets.

  “God, I love Egyptian cotton.” She almost moaned.

  “Careful, love, you’ll make me jealous.”

  Her heart swelled at the sound of her husband’s soft English accent. Drew stood in the doorway of their honeymoon suite, clad only in his boxers and holding a steaming mug in each of his hands.

  “Coffee?” she asked, hopeful.

  “Yes, sludge for the Yank and a proper cup of tea for me.”

  She didn’t miss the twinkle in his eye as he handed over the cup of liquid gold.

  “Lord, it’s so nice to be away from it all. With the wedding and the expansion of the grocery, I think I’ve aged ten years.” Drew grinned and cocked a dark eyebrow. “So, what shall we do today? See the sights, dip our toes in the Pacific Ocean?”

  “I thought you’d want to spend our honeymoon locked in our room so you could ravish me at your leisure.”

  Sitting up slowly, she let the sheets pool around her waist, exposing her full breasts to the cold air.

  His ears went charmingly pink at the tips, and he spluttered on his tea.

  “Well, love, I thought you’d like to spend some time soaking up the Hawaiian sunshine. But if you’d rather me shag you senseless, I’ll happily oblige.”

  His tea sat forgotten on the dresser as he dropped his boxers to the floor and crawled up the bed.

  “I’m one bloody lucky bastard.”

  She giggled. “My husband is such a charmer.”

  “Mm, say it again, love.”

  As he nibbled on her breast, she cried out. “What?” The word escaped in a harsh whisper.

  “Your husband.” He kissed his way down her torso, licking and biting, leaving her shaking with need.

  “My husband,” she sighed.

  His dark, unkempt hair tickled the soft skin of her lower belly while rough stubble found its way to much more sensitive flesh.

  “Quite right, wife.”

  A blinding wave of sensation took away all other thoughts. All the important things she needed to tell him washed away on a wave of pleasure.

  “Oh God, Drew,” she groaned as he flicked his tongue a final time and threw her over the edge.

  “Careful, love, you don’t want the sheets to be jealous.” She couldn’t fight the grin spreading over her lips at the sound of his voice—husky, with his accent thickening along with his arousal.

  His eyes held a humorous glint as he watched her come back down from the orgasm.

  “Now that we have that settled, where are we going today?” He sat up and grinned wickedly.

  “Isn’t it your turn now?” Her phone danced across the dresser and she sighed, holding up one finger. “Hold that thought.”

  A glance at her screen sent her stomach lurching as she read the name of Drew’s biological aunt, Breanna.

  “I have to take this,” she explained, as Drew sprawled his lanky frame across the bed.

  “Your loss. I suppose that’s what I get for marrying an architect.”

  Slipping on a robe, she padded into the adjoining sitting room and answered the call, careful to keep her voice low.

  “Breanna, everything okay?”

  “I found Maggie.”

  The statement sent a shiver of anticipation through her. She risked a glance at Drew, who was engrossed in a paperback novel.

  “Are you sure it’s her? The last time you thought you’d found her turned out to be a bust. She’s really his birth mother?”

  “It’s her. I gave her your address a few weeks ago. We’ve been exchanging messages, healing old wounds. Have you let Drew know we’re searching?”

  “I haven’t. I didn’t want to get his hopes up. He’s always been so at ease with being adopted. I didn’t want him to think there was anything wrong with that.”

  It had been such a leap for Drew to reach out to Breanna the year before. So much of his life had been unearthed since he and Grace had found each other. Her skin prickled with nervous energy as she thought of his reaction the first time she’d brought up the subject of finding his birth family. He’d been less than thrilled about the idea, unwilling to tarnish what he’d had with his adoptive mother.

  “She’s sent a le
tter.” Brenna’s voice was tight with emotion.

  Grace’s heart caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected Maggie to initiate contact. She had to clear her head before she could muster a response. “Thanks for the heads up.”

  “You need to tell him, lass.”

  “I will. It’s a tender topic.”

  Grace chewed on her lip as she hung up the phone. She thought about the ramifications of telling Drew she’d found his birth mother. Best case, he’d be happy. More likely, he’d be angry she’d gone behind his back. All she really wanted was to stay wrapped in their post-wedding cocoon.

  “All done, love?” he murmured when she came back into the room.

  “Yeah. Just some business.”

  “So, what to do today?”

  She tapped a finger on her chin. “There’s the beach. We’ve got a private beach along with this room, right? The resort has a luau tomorrow night, so that’s all set.”

  “Private beach, then?”

  She nodded.

  Later—she would tell him later.

  “How private is this beach exactly?” Drew smirked as he rose and pulled her to him. His breath tickled the nape of her neck as he brushed her hair over one shoulder and kissed the exposed skin.

  “Not that private.”

  Laughing, she dropped her robe, turning in his arms. He snaked a hand around her waist as his gaze found hers.

  His eyes darkened with lust as he pressed their naked bodies together. “Not just yet, love.”

  “Hey, you’re the one who wants to get out. I’m perfectly happy to stay in our sex bubble.”

  “Sex bubble?”

  “Yes, a place in which sex is the only activity allowed.”

  Drew’s answering smile had her fighting a laugh.

  “Okay, Mr. Tensley. I’ve got to hit the shower before we leave this room. Give me ten minutes?”

  “Care for some company? I know a bloke who might fancy a snog in the shower.”

  A slight wave of nausea hit her as she was about to agree. “Uh, no. If you join me, we’ll just dirty each other up again.”

  A look of concern passed over Drew’s handsome features, creasing his brow and turning down the corners of his mouth.

  “Are you well, love? You’ve gone quite pale.”

  She was going to throw up. “Yep, fine. I’ll be out in a minute.”

  Grace rushed into the bathroom and locked the door. She turned on the shower, full blast, and waited for the nausea to either win the battle or pass. It won.

  With shaky legs, she stood as she flushed the toilet. Eyeing her leather toiletries bag on the counter, she sighed. She really needed to take that pregnancy test she’d packed. Her period was two weeks late, but she’d been so busy with the wedding she hadn’t found time to pee on the stupid stick.

  “Well, now’s as good a time as any,” she muttered under her breath as she retrieved the small box.

  She turned the test around in her hands, a knot of worry dampening her excitement. The last time she’d been pregnant they’d lost the baby just as they’d found each other again. Taking a breath to build her courage and push away painful memories, she carefully opened the test and followed the instructions. After laying the stick on a square of toilet paper, she placed it reverently on the counter. Nerves jangling, she stepped into the steaming shower, fairly certain of what she’d find when she got out.

  As she soaped her body, Grace noted changes already. Her breasts were fuller, heavier, and tender. Even Drew had commented, appreciating the subtle change without understanding the possible reason. The sound of the door opening startled her. She swore she’d locked the damn door.

  “Grace, do you know where my bloody shaving kit got off to?”

  She grinned. She’d forgotten to pack it for him. “Nope, guess you’ll have to go another day without shaving. Sorry.”

  She expected a teasing retort but was met with silence. Popping her head out of the shower, her words died on her tongue. He stood stock still, his eyes locked on the piece of plastic that held their future.

  “Grace?”

  “One line or two?”

  He cleared his throat. “Two.”

  Butterflies fluttered up a storm in her stomach.

  “Two means what I think it means, doesn’t it, love?”

  She nodded, unable to speak.

  “Wow.” His face was unreadable and her heart sank. This was not the reaction she’d expected.

  “I thought you’d be happy. It’s not like we were trying to prevent it.”

  He looked at her, still not speaking, his chocolate brown eyes holding a flurry of emotion.

  “Say something.”

  He didn’t. He pulled off his shirt and swim trunks without a word and stepped into the shower with her, wrapping her in his arms.

  “I love you, you brilliant woman.”

  “Two weeks of paradise, and we’re welcomed back home with gray skies and rain. How English,” Drew teased, closing his umbrella and turning the lock to their cozy house.

  As they walked into the dark and empty entryway, Grace sighed contentedly. Gray and rainy it might be, but Braley had become her home over the last few years.

  “Welcome home, husband.”

  He placed a gentle palm over her flat belly, sending a tingle racing up her spine. “Welcome home indeed.”

  Slipping off her shoes, she started switching on the lights while Drew began sorting through the two weeks of mail their neighbor had collected for them.

  She frowned as realization struck her. “Hmm.”

  He looked up from the envelopes. “Yes, love?”

  “We need a bigger house.”

  “What for?”

  “The baby,” she said, anxiety beginning to tighten her chest as she looked around the small space. “We only have two bedrooms and one of those is the office. What will we do when my parents come visit? Where will the baby sleep?”

  Drew’s eyebrows shot up. “Slow down. We’ve plenty of time to get it all sorted. First off, your parents will stay in the cottage, as planned, remember? That’s what we bought it for.”

  Her head swam with fear and her stomach churned.

  “Breathe, love. It’s nothing to fret over. We’ll see to it that the baby has a place.”

  “Okay.” She steadied herself and stared into his eyes, calming little by little. “Sorry, I just had a little freak-out.”

  Drew laughed. “A little?” The sarcasm in his voice was hard to miss.

  Picking up a final piece of mail from the table, she tossed it at him. “Hormones. I blame hormones.”

  As he bent down to scoop up the envelope she’d thrown, his face took on a curious expression.

  “Must be for you. It’s from Golden Beach, someone called M. Snow.” He held the envelope out to her and hefted the luggage to their bedroom while she took in the return address.

  Snow? Mrs. Snow? She tore through the paper, expecting it to be a card congratulating her on her marriage. Her mother had told anyone who would listen about the wedding. But why was the letter addressed to Drew and not her? As she read the words on the page, her mouth dropped open.

  Mother . . .

  Your brother . . .

  I’m sorry . . .

  Her world tilted on its axis as she dropped to the floor.

  “Grace? Oh Christ, are you all right?” Drew rushed out of the bedroom, his face a mask of worry.

  “I’m fine.”

  He helped her to the couch, his eyes never leaving hers. “Should we call the doctor? Is it something to do with the baby?”

  She shook her head and handed the letter to him. “It’s for you.”

  Watching his face, her heart clenched and she
held her breath. His hands began to tremble and she couldn’t take it for another second.

  “I think I’m going to throw up,” she announced, running for the bathroom as he began reading.

  When she emerged—teeth freshly brushed—she found him sitting on the couch where she’d left him. The letter fluttered to the floor as he raised his eyes to hers. The bewildered look on his face broke her.

  “Do you know her? Did he know her?” His voice was soft, filled with hurt.

  She fought the pang of heartache at the mention of his twin, John. “Yes. She was the secretary at our middle school.”

  Drew winced. “How long have you known her?”

  Walking to the kitchen, unsure of how to answer him, she busied herself by bustling around. While she gathered her thoughts, she put the kettle on, checking to see if they had any unopened biscuits. This was the beginning of a crisis. Drew’s adoptive mom, Mary, had always said tea was the only helpful thing in a crisis.

  “How long?”

  “Since John and I were kids. I was eleven or twelve, maybe even younger than that. She and her husband moved to town when we were in elementary school.” Her chest tightened as the thought of all the years Mrs. Snow had been part of their lives. “I can’t believe this.”

  He picked up the letter and placed it gingerly on the coffee table. Standing, he walked into the kitchen where she was leaning against the counter, watching warily. His lips pressed into a grim line as he grasped her shoulders and turned her into his chest.

  “I need you to take away what I’m feeling right now. Make me feel something different, because my brain is a jumbled mess of jealousy, confusion, and anger.”

  Tense eyes searched hers, but for the first time in a long time she didn’t know what he was looking for. So, she did the only thing she could think of.