Bayside Promises Read online

  The reunion with friends and family in Enchantment Bay is sweet, especially when she hits it off with Nico Valentin, a ruggedly handsome police sergeant. As Nico investigates a murder, Freya learns a family secret big enough to turn her world upside down.

  Freya is torn between her new life and her hometown — the life she loves vs. the brother who needs her and the sergeant who wants her. When her decision doesn’t go nearly as well as she planned, she wonders if she can help her brother and keep her growing feelings for Nico at bay before they consume her.

  Bayside Evenings

  She’s single and stuck. His relationship is going nowhere. Will the next wedding they plan… be their own?

  Dakota Hunter is great at wedding planning but terrible at finding a guy. Each one she encounters is worse than the one before… until she meets Clay. There’s one teensy problem: her attractive new assistant has a long-term girlfriend.

  Clay Harper is thrilled to land his new job with Dakota, surrounding himself with happy couples day in and day out. But when he sees true love in person, he realizes his own relationship is far less than happy. It doesn’t help that being around Dakota feels easy. It feels right.

  As Dakota and Clay grow a deeper connection, Clay’s girlfriend refuses to go down without a fight. Can the wedding planners go from seeing happy couples… to being one?

  Bayside Promises

  She's wounded. He's driven. Could they be exactly what the other needs?

  Ten years earlier, Haley Faraway fled home without looking back. After her father’s death, she reluctantly returns to Enchantment Bay to help her mom and sister. Painful memories haunt her, and Haley finds herself pouring her heart out to the one person she least expected—the impossibly gorgeous, albeit short-tempered, Sullivan Hunter.

  Sullivan wants nothing more than to focus on his newly-acquired realty business. But when Haley comes back to town, he can't deny his attraction to her. After a string of bad relationships with gold-digging women, she's a breath of fresh air. Or is she? Just as he begins to get comfortable with their burgeoning relationship, he discovers she’s a realtor, too. His temper gets the best of him as he suspects he’s being used by yet another woman.

  Every time Haley and Sullivan clear one hurdle, another looms larger in their path and they push each other away. Can they move on from from their painful pasts and find love—or are they doomed to repeat old mistakes?

  Bayside Destinies

  What do a fifteen-year-old pact, a fake engagement, and a stalker have in common? Audrey Hughes.

  Audrey’s ex-boyfriend won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. A master manipulator and a violently selfish man, he’s decided Audrey is his property. And he’s determined to get her back. Forcibly, if necessary.

  She flees to the one place she ever found ‘family’—to Enchantment Bay. More precisely, to Logan Hunter.

  Logan is a successful attorney and consummate bachelor. His work is his wife, and that’s the only long-term relationship he sees for himself. Until a childhood sweetheart shows up and reminds him of the pact they made years earlier—to get married.

  It surprises him that she remembered, stuns him that he’s intrigued, and shocks him to discover her reason for returning. He uses all his influence and connections to protect her, only to be the one who causes her unbearable pain and drives her away.

  Can Logan find a way to keep Audrey safe, make things right, and mend both their broken hearts?

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  If you liked Haley’s friend Sky, you’ll love Sweet Dreams!

  Indigo Bay Sweet Romances

  A shared-world sweet romance series by multiple authors.

  Now Available!

  Ever since her twin became a singing sensation, Sky Hampton has struggled to be appreciated for who she is—apart from her sister. She wards off Aspen’s fans, who beg for autographs and selfies everywhere Sky goes. She can’t even find a guy who likes her for her. Sky flees to the small coastal town of Indigo Bay in hopes of blending in and building her blossoming career.

  Jace Fisher is the textbook definition of the strong silent type—nobody can break through his tough exterior. He has suffered more than his fair share of tragedies, and to protect his shattered heart, he pushes everyone away. Jace spends his days fixing the Indigo Bay cottages, and his nights… nobody really knows. He keeps to himself.

  When Jace shows up to fix Sky’s AC, he barely notices her and she’s distracted with settling in. It takes an emergency situation to get them talking, and when they do, the two find they have more in common than first appeared. As their attraction grows, defenses soar. Will they be able to risk love when they’ve both been burned in the past?

  Sneak Peek of Sweet Dreams

  Sky Hampton pulled into the parking spot, double-checked the address on the quaint building, and turned off the car. The little Yorkie in the passenger seat gave a curious whine.

  She stretched and rubbed Pixie’s head. “Yeah, I’m ready to get out, too.” Sky unbuckled the doggie seat belt and held open her large Coach bag for the pup to hop into. Once Pixie was settled, Sky got out of her Audi. The humidity clung to her like a wet towel. She slid on sunglasses, donned a hat, then headed for the building marked Guest Services.

  “Are we going to be guests, or will we settle?” Sky pulled at her collar. “We’re not in Oregon anymore, are we?”

  Pixie gave a little yap. Her tail whipped lightly against the purse.

  “You’re right. That’s exactly what we want. Something completely different. We’ll adjust to this—assuming they have AC.” It was only springtime, and the heat and humidity were already oppressive. She didn’t even want to think about what the summer might be like. At least they could ease into the heat.

  Sky pushed the door open and took in the little building. No one sat at the reception desk, and everything was quiet. A plate of sticky buns sat next to a pot of coffee.

  “Hello?” Sky called.

  A brunette about her age came out from around the corner. She smiled wide at Sky. “Hi! I didn’t realize we had guests.” She nodded toward Sky’s purse. Pixie had popped her head out.

  Sky rubbed the Yorkie’s head. “I’m Sky Hampton. I’m renting a cottage.”

  “Oh, yes. I talked with you on the phone. My name’s Zoe.” She typed on the computer. “Have a bun or some coffee. Do you want to take off your sunglasses?”

  Sky didn’t reach for the refreshments or her sunglasses.

  Zoe glanced up. “You should really try one. They’re from Sweet Caroline’s, and they’re to die for.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.” Sky smiled.

  An awkward silence followed.

  Zoe quickly grabbed a key and some paperwork. “You’re in the dark blue cottage. Looks like you’re paid for the month. Staying longer, by any chance?”

  “Hopefully. We’ll see.”

  “Vacationing?”

  Sky chewed on her lower lip. What was the best way to describe her situation? She’d probably get asked about that a lot in the small town of Indigo Bay. “It’s complicated.” That would have to do for now.

  “Hmm. Well, I hope you enjoy your stay. Let us know as soon as you know if you’ll be staying or leaving.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Zoe shoved the papers across the desk. “Just sign where the X’s are.”

  Sky grabbed a pen and signed.

  “If you need anything, the numbers are on this sheet.” Zoe handed it to her. “If you have anything that needs fixin’, Jace is your man. He’s the cottage handyman.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Zoe handed her some other papers and a key. “Hope you enjoy your time in the cottages. There’s lots to do. The beach is real close, and so is a lot of other stuff. Stop by Sweet Caroline’s for refreshments—it’s a great place to meet people, too.”

  “Thanks so much.” Sky returned the smile that h
adn’t left Zoe’s face, and took her stuff.

  “Don’t forget, if you need anything, just holler.”

  “Will do.” Sky tucked the papers in her purse next to Pixie and headed back to the car. It was a short drive to the dark blue cottage. She parked in front and studied the structure. It was bigger than she’d imagined and looked well cared for. She scratched Pixie behind the ear. “Ready to see our new home?”

  Pixie licked her hand.

  Sky got out of the car and set the pup on a patch of grass, holding tightly to the leash. Pixie jumped around and sniffed the ground. She marked her territory and then went right back to sniffing, her tail and ears both high in the air. She barked and panted, giving her seal of approval.

  A couple walking down the street waved and called hello.

  Sky returned the wave and hurried to the cottage, eager to settle in. As soon as she opened the door, a wave of cool air greeted them. Sky smiled and let go of the leash. Pixie ran inside, her claws tapping on the hardwoods as she explored. Sky stepped in, closed the door behind her, and took in the sight of her new home.

  Most everything was in dark hardwoods, and she loved it. The fully furnished cottage made her feel like kicking her feet up and relaxing after the long drive. She set her purse on the kitchen table and headed back out to the Audi, making half a dozen trips before remote-locking the sedan and locking herself inside the little bungalow.

  “Pixie! Where are you?”

  Tapping sounded before the little copper-and-black fluff-ball appeared around a corner.

  “How do you like it?”

  Pixie ran around her legs until Sky scooped her up and snuggled her. “Feel free to wear yourself out running around. We don’t have to get back in the car anytime soon.”

  The pup covered her in kisses until she couldn’t take it, and Sky set her down. Pixie scampered off, sliding around a corner. Sky chuckled and then looked at her pile of bags and luggage. As tempting as it was to crash on the overstuffed couch and close her eyes, she really just wanted to get settled in. It had been a long drive from Oregon, and she’d barely slept so she could make the best time possible.

  Her body ached, but she reached for a few of the bags needed in the bedroom and searched her new home until she found it on the other side of the cottage. An hour later, she was fully unpacked and ready for a nap.

  Pixie skittered into the bedroom. She yapped and jumped around.

  “Aren’t you ready for a nap?”

  “Ruff!”

  Sky rubbed her eyes. “Right. You slept the whole way here.”

  Pixie tugged on Sky’s pants—she’d put them on that morning in Kearney, Nebraska out of habit from the chilly weather she was used to in Oregon. The pup continued pulling.

  Sky picked her up. “You’re lucky you’re so cute, but we still need to break you of that habit.”

  Pixie squirmed until Sky set her down and followed her to the sliding glass door. On the other side, a family of ducks wandered around, quacking.

  “Oh,” Sky gushed. “They’re so cute.”

  Pixie barked.

  “Hush. You’ll scare them away.” She picked her up and rubbed between Pixie’s ears.

  A loud beep sounded from somewhere, followed by a thunk, thunk.

  The pup raised her ears and looked at Sky.

  Thunk. Thud. Crash!

  Silence echoed around them.

  The AC had died.

  ~~~

  Jace Fisher dug through his toolbox, grumbling about the AC at the dark blue cottage. He needed to convince Dallas it was time to replace the unit. Jace could only do so much for a machine on its last legs, and with a new resident calling on her first day, it just looked bad for the whole resort.

  He stuck the tools he needed into his smaller box and headed outside. Jace lowered his baseball cap in hopes of avoiding eye contact with everyone he came across—though most of the regulars knew he preferred to keep to himself and usually respected that.

  When he came to the dark blue cottage, he set the toolbox down and knocked. “Here to fix the AC!”

  The door opened, and in front of him stood a tall, slender brunette with enchanting deep brown eyes. Their gazes locked, and Jace studied her. She seemed familiar, like he knew her, but he was certain he’d never met her before. He’d have remembered those eyes. Of that much he was sure.

  He cleared his throat and stuck out his hand. “Jace Fisher. I’m here to fix your AC unit.”

  She shook his hand. Hers was so smooth and soft, and it smelled fruity and sweet. He quickly pulled his hand away.

  “Thank you.” A tiny, fluffy dog ran to her feet and she scooped it up. “I don’t know what happened,” she said quickly. “It made all these noises, and then just went out. Oh, I’m Sky Hampton.”

  Hampton. Why did that seem familiar? “Nice to meet you, Sky.”

  She stepped back and pulled her long hair away from her neck and fanned herself, balancing the fur ball. “Come on in. It’s over here.”

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  Other Books

  If you enjoy reading outside the romance genre, you may enjoy some of Stacy Claflin’s other books. She is a USA Today bestselling author who writes about complex characters overcoming incredible odds. Whether it's her Gone saga of psychological thrillers, her various paranormal romance tales, or her sweet romance series, Stacy's three-dimensional characters shine through bringing an experience readers don’t soon forget.

  The Gone Saga

  The Gone Trilogy: Gone, Held, Over

  Dean’s List

  No Return

  Alex Mercer Thrillers

  Gone Saga spin-off

  Girl in Trouble

  Turn Back Time

  Curse of the Moon

  Lost Wolf

  Chosen Wolf

  Hunted Wolf

  Broken Wolf

  Cursed Wolf

  Secret Jaguar

  The Transformed Series

  Main Series

  Deception

  Betrayal

  Forgotten

  Ascension

  Duplicity

  Sacrifice

  Destroyed

  Transcend

  Entangled

  Dauntless

  Obscured

  Partition

  Standalones

  Fallen

  Silent Bite

  Hidden Intentions

  Saved by a Vampire

  Sweet Desire

  Short Story Collection

  Tiny Bites

  Standalones

  Haunted

  Sweet Dreams

  Love’s First Kiss

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  Author’s Note

  Thanks so much for reading Bayside Promises. I hope you enjoyed getting to know Haley and Sullivan as much as I did. Although this story is fictitious, the reality of verbally abusive relationships is not. If you or someone you know is experiencing this, please reach out for help. You don’t have to suffer in silence. A good starting resource is the book The Verbally Abusive Relationship by Patricia Evans. Counseling will also likely be needed to fully recover.

  On a lighter note, I hope you’re looking forward to the rest of the Bayside books! Logan is up next, followed by Shale. Also, if you enjoyed Sky Hampton, Haley’s wine-and-chocolate bearing friend, you’ll want to read her love story in the shared-world of the Indigo Bay Sweet Romance series, coming in May 2017.

  I’d love to hear from you. The easiest way to do that is to join my mailing list (link below) and reply to any of the emails.

  Anyway, if you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review wherever you p
urchased it. Not only will your review help me to better understand what you like—so I can give you more of it!—but it will also help other readers find my work. Reviews can be short—just share your honest thoughts. That’s it.

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  Did you love Bayside Promises? Then you should read Lost in Romance by Stacy Claflin!

  Work is her life. He’s the boss’s son. Will she risk it all for love?

  Alisyn has thrown herself into her job to avoid facing her past. It has been perfect so far. And as a bonus, working as a nanny lets her be part of a family that she adores. Her job is perfect until the day her boss’s grown son comes to town and takes her breath away.

  The last place Shane Rockford wants to be is at his dad’s house with his new family. He just wants to survive the trip without losing his mind or his temper. After meeting his dad’s nanny, Shane finds a compelling reason to be in Romance, Oregon—Alisyn Bennett.