One Hot Summer

by Heidi McLaughlin

  The room threatened to spin, and my breakfast flirted with the notion of making a return appearance. I’d only just read her full name and hadn’t quite processed the implications of it being on this particular list, when I heard the classroom door click shut with one more late arrival.

  As if I’d conjured her by reading the black and white words on paper, she stepped inside the classroom the same way she’d appeared in my bed two weeks ago.

  Silently. Without a word of explanation.

  My heart pounded in my chest, rushing blood into my ears so quickly that the morning announcements on the overhead PA system seemed muffled. She kept her head down as I scrutinized the name on the list again to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating.

  She took her seat and finally looked up at where I stood, her wide, panicked eyes meeting mine.

  The only woman I wanted in the one place in the world I never wanted to see her.

  Emersyn Tyler.

  The art major.

  A high school student.

  A liar.

  My complete and utter destruction.

  Want to see what happens with Aiden & Emersyn?

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  Sneak Peek

  Student Seduction

  Bestselling author Caisey Quinn returns to indie publishing with an edgy, sexy standalone about an overwhelmed young woman beginning an illicit affair with her history teacher. Sex, lies, and shocking betrayal collide because, after all, this is high school.

  When a summer fling turns into something real…

  Aiden

  I met her over the summer. She was ready to lose her virginity and I was happy to help.

  Then she ghosted me, disappearing as if she never existed. Until our paths crossed and I saw her again—in the front row of my homeroom class.

  A high school student.

  A liar.

  Everything I ever wanted wrapped up in one perfect package. I should protect my career and play her pretend-we-never-met game.

  If only I could.

  Emersyn

  The first day of senior year, his name was already the steady hum in every hallway.

  Mr. Singleton.

  He was single all right. And more attractive than any high school History teacher had a right to be. With his perfect face and chiseled muscles, he easily rivaled a Greek god.

  The worst part? I already know him.

  We spent an unforgettable weekend together this summer. Naked and together.

  I didn’t intend to seduce my teacher. It just happened, somewhere among the chaos of my life. I see it every time our eyes meet—the undeniable connection that brings us closer to crossing the line every day.

  What we feel is forbidden but…he wants me.

  I need him.

  We are so screwed.

  Also by Caisey Quinn

  Summer Seduction

  Book #2 (TITLE TBA - COMING 9.2019)

  The Arrangement Series

  Inconvenient Arrangement

  Temporary Arrangement

  Casual Arrangement

  Complicated Arrangement

  Live Wire

  Deadly Retribution (TBA)

  Protective Detail (TBA)

  Neon Dreams Series

  Leaving Amarillo

  Loving Dallas

  Missing Dixie

  Small Town Girl (formerly Girl with Guitar)

  Cross My Heat (formerly Girl on Tour)

  Play it Again (formerly Girl in Love)

  Falling for You

  Falling for Fate

  Keep Me Still

  Give Me You

  Last Second Chance

  Dark Net Novels

  (written as Trinity Scott)

  Blood & Lace

  Sin & Silk (TBA)

  Shadow & Glass (TBA)

  About Caisey Quinn

  Caisey Quinn is the bestselling author of more than 15 full-length books, including the Neon Dreams and Nashville's Finest novels. She splits her time between a small town in Alabama and Nashville, TN where she lives with her husband and two young children.

  Since beginning her career with the indie release of Girl with Guitar (Kylie Ryans #1) in May of 2013, Caisey has achieved a great deal. Keep Me Still was a top 10 Amazon best seller for 3 weeks. Both Last Second Chance and Falling for Fate made it into the top #40 rankings on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and remained there for several weeks. Her first traditionally published novels, Leaving Amarillo, Loving Dallas, and Missing Dixie, were published in 2015-16 and were followed by the Nashville's Finest novels (Intermix/Berkley) Lit Fuse and Live Wire.

  Her first traditional publishing deal came from Avon/William Morrow (HarperCollins) and was a significant three book deal for the Neon Dreams series. She continues to publish independently as well as traditionally. Her latest novel, Blood and Lace was published by Pocket Star Books (Simon & Schuster) under her new dark erotic romance pen name, Trinity Scott.

  Caisey is a huge fan of her fellow romance authors and enjoys reading, trying new recipes from Pinterest, and pushing herself to run long distances without dying. You can find her online as @CaiseyQuinn and www.caiseyquinn.com.

  She is represented by Kevan Lyon of the Marsal Lyon Literary agency.

  By the Seaside

  Heidi McLaughlin

  1

  Kelly

  The early morning sun was beautiful, but near blinding as its rays proved to be more than Kelly’s sunglasses could handle. She moved her visor back and forth as her direction altered on the winding road. She was going home. Back to the town where she grew up, hoping for a fresh start. As the sign for Gray came into view, she smiled and glanced into her rearview mirror at her daughter. Kori was content to watch the trees go by while she sang a familiar song playing on the radio. Kelly smiled, despite the troubles that she’d faced over the past few months. Kori had been her lifeline, the one who’d kept her from drowning.

  Another sign passed by, this one informing travelers of amenities the small town up ahead offered them. She recalled them easily. The arcade, bowling alley, and bumper cars were all staples of her adolescence and she loved the idea of Kori being able to experience them as well. Her favorite though was the row of sherbet colored stores. As with any small town, the stores turned over with new ownership, but a few stayed the same like the t-shirt shop where you could walk in and get any slogan put on a shirt in a matter of minutes. She had spent a pretty penny there a few times while growing up, and even kept a few of her favorites. Of course, over the years they had become ratty, but they held memories she never wanted to let go.

  The beach was one of her favorite spots. It’s where she learned to surf, where she and her friends had camped out, where she first fell in love and subsequently fell out of love as well — the moment where her life changed forever. People, who she thought were her friends, weren’t. She laughed at this, reflecting how her life wasn’t much different now. Friends she thought she’d had, no longer existed. It was like her life was a history lesson, repeating itself.

  Kelly stopped at a red light, her blinker signaling left. In front of her, the ocean’s waves ebbed in and back out, the frothy foam building with each pass. The beach was empty, something she wasn’t used to seeing. It was still early in the season, and the tourists hadn’t arrived for the summer yet. She pushed the button to open her window and leaned out, inhaling the salty air. “Home,” she murmured to herself. Up until recently, Kelly thought home meant loud noises, honking horns from deadlocked traffic and a high-rise apartment. She thought it meant bumping shoulder-to-shoulder with complete strangers, with nei
ther her nor the person she slammed into muttering an apology.

  When she moved away from Gray, she always assumed she would end up in another small town along the eastern seaboard. In college, she took summer classes to double up her degrees, until she started spending time in the Hamptons. She majored in business management with a focus on tourism because she wanted to make towns like Gray thrive. Research showed a dwindling number of people were willing to live in small towns. The economy wasn’t what it used to be, and though people weren’t willing to drive hours into the bigger cities for work, jobs were becoming scarcer in rural areas. Then there were the tourists. Although they brought in business, of the people that would visit few of them were families. Young kids today were too busy with summer school and sports, and with their faces stuck to their phones — tourists and locals alike. Kelly wanted to change all that.

  Someone waved as she turned onto Main Street. She returned the gesture and parked in front of her new store. She was now the proud owner of Java Hut. A name she loathed but had no intentions of changing. Familiarity went a long way in a small town.

  The summery colors of turquoise, orange, yellow and pink adorned the buildings along Main Street. These were what she affectionally called the sherbet stores, and was happy to see that no one ever thought to paint them any other color over the years. Java Hut sported what the Real Estate agent deemed Tropical Pink. It wasn’t Kelly’s favorite, but Kori loved it.

  Kelly turned off her Jeep Wrangler, her gift to herself when she decided to move from New York City back to the beach. A Mercedes Benz had no business being in a place like this, and the last thing she wanted was to look like a tourist. Plus, this was her dream car. It always had been since she got her driver’s license. Hard to believe that was almost twenty years ago.

  “We’re here,” Kelly said over her shoulder and found that her daughter had drifted off to sleep. As if an automatic response, Kelly yawned even though she was far from tired. Energy flowed through her. Excitement from starting a new chapter in her life. She reached for her daughter and gently roused her. She watched as Kori rubbed the sleep away from her eyes and yawned. Despite everything, Kori was the best part of her life.

  “Grammie’s?” Another highlight of moving back to Gray meant Kori would spend more time with her grandparents. Over the years, Kelly’s parents came to the city, opting for Broadway plays and the Hamptons.

  “Not yet. But Papa will be here shortly to help us unpack.”

  “Maybe Papa wants to take me for ice cream.”

  “Of course, he will.” Kelly’s voice drifted off as she stared at her new business. Very few people were on the Boardwalk, and those who were, waved. As far as she could tell, no one knew it was her sitting there, but that didn’t matter. The people of Gray were overly nice and welcoming.

  Above the coffee shop was the two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment where the previous owners had lived and now where she and Kori would reside. The space was perfect for them, and a bit too practical for her liking. Living and working in the same building didn’t exactly appeal to her but living in the house she grew up in didn’t either. Her mother would hover, and that was something she didn’t want or need right now. She needed her space. She needed to heal and didn’t want her mother pestering her with questions and I told you so’s. She didn’t give her mother enough credit. Her mom had been her rock, aside from her best friend Melody, when everything went south. It was her mother’s suggestion that she buy Java Hut and return home.

  Kelly continued to sit in her parked car, staring at the long stretch of storefronts. Every seaside vendor you could think of was here, from the Hawaiian Ice stand, which happened to be her favorite and a luxury she didn’t have living up north, to the stores that carried just about everything from sunblock to flip flops. For as long as she could remember, the boardwalk was the busiest part of town with everyone, including tourists, riding their bikes, roller blading, and running.

  “Mommy,” Kori said into her mother’s ear, having let herself out of her booster seat. Kori’s fingers touched the back of Kelly’s neck, playfully fingering the random strands of her auburn colored hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. She leaned toward her daughter, thankful to have her and hopeful Kori would never know the depth of the pain she had experienced.

  “What do you think, Kori? Should we go look at our new coffee shop?” She glanced up at her daughter through the mirror. She saw herself, only smaller and with lighter hair. Their eyes matched, the perfect green, as her father used to say, and they had the same thick beach wavy hair. Kori smiled and nodded her head so fast her own ponytail bobbed up and down, causing her to giggle and fall away from the seat. Kelly finally opened her door and waited for her daughter to climb over the console so she could help her jump down. Hand in hand, they crossed the street and took the necessary steps toward their next adventure.

  “Mommy why’s the sidewalk brown?”

  Kelly crouched down, setting her hand on the old familiar wood that her father helped repair every year. “It’s called a boardwalk.”

  “It’s different,” Kori said.

  “It’s unique. It gives our little town some character.” Kelly stood and moved behind her daughter, placing her hands on her shoulders. “In a couple of days, we’ll open those doors and people will come in to buy our coffee and cupcakes, and hopefully come back to buy their lunch. Do you see that big window right there?”

  “Uh huh. It’s so pretty.” Kelly laughed. Anything bright or pink was pretty according to her five-year-old.

  “In front, we’ll set out some tables and chairs and a water bowl for dogs. Everyone will love it.” Even as she said the words, Kelly hadn’t fully convinced herself. Moving home was the right thing to do, but investing in a business that depended solely on the locals and tourism made her question her decisions. What’s done was done and she couldn’t go back now. She sighed heavily and marched forward with her keys poised to open the door. The lock made a satisfying click and the bell above the door chimed.

  Inside, Kelly walked around slowly, taking in the interior. The pictures hadn’t done this place justice in the sense that changes needed to be made. First off, the walls and furniture needed to be painted. The floor was in good shape, the same black and white checkered design that she loved. Another plus were the countertops. Her father had installed them before the previous owners put Java Hut up for sale. They were black and shiny, which complemented the stainless-steel coffee urns. Kelly knew the owners had put the shop on the market and bailed in the middle of their remodel, which was lucky for her because the asking price was well within her range.

  To the left of the counter was a glass display case. Kelly ran her hand along the top and imagined it filled with cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and muffins for those early morning folks. Kelly couldn’t recall the day she wanted to own a bakery, but it probably started when the moms from Kori’s playgroups started ordering her cakes and cupcakes for their kid’s birthday parties and other events. At one point she had so many orders she was up all night, frosting until her eyes blurred. Now she was going to have an opportunity to really hone her hobby. She was fully aware of the long hours ahead of her but wanted the challenge. She wanted to create recipes and share them with whoever wanted to try something of hers.

  The overhead lights came on causing Kelly to turn. She didn’t hear the bell chime, likely too lost in thought. Standing there in the doorway was one of the main reasons Kelly chose to return to Gray, her best friend Melody.

  The two women rushed to each other, embracing as if they hadn’t seen each other in years instead of months. “I’m so happy you’re home,” Melody whispered. The word home struck Kelly square in the chest and tears prickled in her eyes. She covered her face in an attempt to shield her emotions from Kori.

  “It feels good to be back,” Kelly said. She wasn’t lying. She wasn’t exactly telling the truth either. She felt indifferent. In Gray, she felt like she could breathe without being judged
, and that’s how she felt in New York. All eyes on her, no matter where she went or what she did.

  “Auntie Melly,” Kori crashed into Melody’s legs, jostling Kelly out of the way. When Kelly and Melody were growing up, they often said their children would be best friends. Mel had a one-year head start when she became pregnant with twins. Shortly after the birth of Brett and Carolyn, Kelly discovered she was pregnant. For two best friends, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “Where’s Cary?”

  “She’s in school, but as soon as the bell rings, uncle Chad will pick her and Brett up and bring them over.”

  Kori shook her head. “Only Cary, not Brett. He has cooties.”

  Both women laughed, but secretly Kelly loved the fact that her daughter thought boys had cooties. Now, if she could keep this thought process in her daughter’s mind through college, Kelly would be happy.

  “Why don’t we check out the upstairs?” Kelly suggested. The three of them walked through the kitchen. As much as she wanted to stop and admire the state of the art oven, she was more eager to see her apartment. Through one of the back doors, they climbed the staircase to the top floor landing where there was a white door. Kelly slid the key in and twisted the doorknob.

  The first thing that caught her attention was the view. From here, she could see the ocean without any obstructions. “Oh my,” she said aloud to anyone who wanted to listen.

  “Wow, Kel. I have to say, I’m jealous.”

  Never mind the wide planked hardwood floors, the beautifully arched walls, the wainscoting or farmhouse sink, it was the view that kept Kelly mesmerized, especially as she stepped out onto her small terrace. She inhaled the sea salt air and closed her eyes, getting lost in the sounds of the beach life.