Bayside Evenings Page 19

  Three chatty couples filed down her row. Haley brought out her phone again, hoping they wouldn't pay her any attention.

  "Oh, my gosh. Haley? Haley Faraway?"

  So much for that. She slid her phone back into her purse and glanced over to see Elena Todd.

  Her big blue eyes widened. "You look amazing, girl! I never thought I'd see you again. Not after the way you took off right after graduation."

  Haley forced a smile. "I've been busy."

  "I heard." Elena wrapped her arms around Haley. "Is it true you're a big shot real estate agent?"

  She hugged Elena back with stiff arms. "I wouldn't say big shot, but I'm doing pretty well for myself."

  Elena released her hold. "I'm really sorry about your dad. He was so young."

  Haley nodded. She probably needed to come up with a pat answer to that, as everyone would likely bring up his untimely death. But what was an appropriate reply when a parent was shot and killed in a bar fight? She needed a canned response for the people who asked why she didn't come to his funeral, too. Not that any of it was anyone's business. "Well, it—"

  "I'm so excited about Dakota's wedding, aren't you?" Elena's eyes shone. "She's planned so many weddings—even celebrity weddings, did you know that?—I'll bet hers is to die for." She turned and gushed over the decorations.

  "I'll bet it is." Haley glanced around the stunning courtyard. Soft music played from a couple harpists. Flowers of every color and shape hung everywhere she could see.

  Dakota Hunter was the little sister of Sullivan, best friend of Haley's high school sweetheart, Jackson. Dakota and Haley had known each other through Sullivan, so at least Haley wasn't crashing a complete stranger's wedding just to give Jensyn moral support on her first day of work.

  The music grew louder, and the conversations all hushed. A bridesmaid and groomsman walked down the aisle, arm in arm. Though it took a moment, Haley recognized the bridesmaid. It was Freya Hunter, Dakota and Sullivan's youngest sister. She had long, thick dark hair and an enormous smile—every bit as gorgeous as every other Hunter sibling.

  The next couple was a girl she barely recognized from high school and Sullivan Hunter. Haley's breath caught. He'd grown even more handsome over the last decade, and he'd really filled out. Wow, had he filled out. He'd been good-looking back then, but now… It was as though he'd stepped off a runway.

  She stared at him as he made his way down the aisle. Who had been lucky enough to marry him? There was no way he was still single. Haley couldn't take her gaze away from him as the rest of the wedding party made their way onto the platform.

  Finally, everyone rose. She cleared her throat and tried to forget about Sullivan. He certainly wasn't a distraction she needed. Keeping Jensyn out of trouble would be a full-time job outside of the difficulties of trying to sell houses in a town she wasn't familiar with anymore.

  Dakota came down the aisle with her dad. Tears shone in his eyes despite the grin on his face. It was nice to know some fathers actually cared about their daughters. Dakota still had the same stunning red hair she'd had as a kid. It was beautifully braided into a crown with small white flowers woven into it. The gown sparkled in the sunlight and flowed behind her as she walked. She was a vision, but her gaze focused solely on her soon-to-be husband.

  Her dad gave her away and then took a seat in the front row next to his wife and the two other Hunter siblings who weren't in the wedding—Shale, Freya's twin, and Logan, the oldest of the bunch.

  Haley tried to focus on the ceremony but found her attention kept landing on Sullivan. She'd never thought of him in a romantic way back in high school because she'd only had eyes for Jackson back then. Now she couldn't help wondering how things might be different if she'd have chosen Sullivan instead of Jackson.

  Not that any of it mattered. She would have fled town right after graduation to get away from her father's drunken rages and verbal abuse. Tears stung her eyes. It was bad enough that she had to spend the summer in that house full of painful memories. Would everything in town remind her of what she'd run from? She wiped her eyes and sniffled.

  Elena put her hand on Haley's arm. "I know. It's such a beautiful ceremony."

  ~~~

  "You may kiss the bride."

  Sullivan Hunter couldn't keep the smile off his face as, just in front of him, his younger sister Dakota became a married woman. Clay lifted Dakota's veil, pulled it behind her head, and kissed her. Sullivan and the other groomsmen were the first to cheer, followed by everyone else.

  Dakota took Clay's hand and raised it high into the air. They headed down the aisle, through the doors, and into the hallway. The flower girls followed them, and then the bridesmaids and groomsmen paired off and headed in. Everyone offered hugs and congratulations to the newlyweds.

  Sullivan waited and then threw his arms around his sister and squeezed tightly. "Finally, the wedding planner gets her wedding."

  She squeezed him back. "And we have you to thank for introducing us."

  He laughed. "Well, I was just trying to help my buddy get a job. All this,"—he gestured with his hands around the wedding hall—"that was you two."

  Dakota kissed his cheek. "Still, it wouldn't have been if not for you." She turned to their parents, who had just come inside.

  Sullivan turned to Clay with a serious expression. "You'd better treat her right."

  Clay broke into a grin and hugged him. "Sully, you know better than to worry about that."

  Sullivan returned the embrace. "True, but you can't blame a guy for watching out for his sister."

  He chuckled and shook his head.

  Logan Hunter came over and patted Sullivan's shoulder. "Don't let my little brother intimidate you. You're one of us now."

  Sullivan stepped back to let the happy couple receive more congratulations.

  After a few minutes, one of the wedding planners waved everyone out of the hallway. "The reception hall is ready. No sense in standing around here."

  Freya Hunter came over to Sullivan as they headed for the reception. "Another married Hunter. Feeling the pressure yet?" She pushed him playfully.

  He stood taller. "Not at all. I'm perfectly happy focusing on the business."

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  The Hunters

  The Seaside Hunters

  Seaside Surprises

  Work hard. Play often. Love unconditionally.

  Tiffany Saunders is on the run. When she winds up stranded in a seaside town, she wants nothing more than to forget her horrific past and kept moving. But a chance meeting with a handsome local changes everything.

  Jake Hunter has some deep emotional scars and is trying to cope with running the family business. The last thing he wants is a relationship—until a mysterious brunette walks into his store and complicates it all.

  Tiffany prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong—in her rear view mirror. But dark secrets cannot stay hidden forever. Just as the walls around Tiffany's heart start to come down, the past catches up with her. Will true love be able to conquer all?

  Seaside Heartbeats

  Sometimes love shows up when you least expect it.

  After years of hard work, architect Lana Summers just wants a relaxing vacation in the beach town of Kittle Falls. Instead, she suffers unexpected heart problems, and finds herself in the office of a gorgeous cardiologist—who only makes her heart work harder.

  Brayden Hunter left his successful cardiology practice in Dallas to be closer to his aging parents. Focused on building a health care clinic in his hometown, he doesn't want any distractions. However, the beautiful Lana is one he can't seem to avoid.

  As their attraction grows, they stumble upon a 160-year-old mystery. Brayden catches her adventurous spirit as they chase after answers, and he can't help falling for her. But can he convince her to stay in the small beach town and with him?

  Seaside Dances

  Dream big. Dance often. Love completely.

  Zachary Hunter is
no stranger to rejection. After multiple failed efforts to get his novel published in New York, he's counting on a trip home to turn his luck around.

  Jasmine Blackwell has big dreams. She hopes her internship as a dance instructor in Kittle Falls will be the stepping stone she needs to achieve her lifelong goals.

  After a chance meeting, neither Zachary nor Jasmine can deny their attraction. They fear their aspirations are too big to let a relationship tie them down. Can they have both love and the careers of their dreams?

  Seaside Kisses

  People change, but some feelings last forever.

  Rafael Hunter never thought he'd return to Kittle Falls, but life gave him no other choice. Los Angeles chewed him up, spit him out, and sent him back to square one.

  Amara Fowler has lived in the small beach town her entire life. She's overcome her shyness to grow into the woman she always knew she could be, but she never forgot her secret crush. When the alluring Rafael returns, he can't help but stir in her a whirlwind of old feelings.

  They've both changed so much. Has life kept them incompatible or has it molded them into a matching set?

  Seaside Christmas

  He can't stand her. She thinks he's crazy. Will their feelings stay etched in permanent ink?

  Cruz Hunter has always stuck out in his small hometown. Now that he's covered in tattoos, the residents peg him as even more of an outcast. It seems like the whole world is against his dream of opening a local tattoo parlor.

  When he finally finds the perfect place for his new business, Cruz discovers a pastor and his daughter have already bought it. The only thing more irritating than the change in his plan is Talia, a beautiful and feisty argument in a dress. Cruz would like nothing more than to have her out of his life and his mind, but for some reason, she's the only thing he can think about.

  If Cruz and Talia can stop arguing long enough, opposites may do much more than attract.

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  Seaside Hunters Short Stories

  Seaside Beginnings

  This is the story of Robert and Dawn, the five Hunter brothers' parents. We meet them in each of the Seaside books, and they've grown on readers almost as much as the brothers themselves. Now we get a glimpse into their story.

  Seaside Memories

  Sophia is the youngest of the Hunter siblings. Each of her brothers hold her memory in a special place. Her story is one of first love, second chances, and enjoying life.

  Seaside Treasures

  Allen and Jackie's story is of an unlikely love and healing old wounds. They couldn't be more different, but that could be exactly what they need.

  Read these and many other short stories in Tiny Bites, a snack-sized multi-genre collection by Stacy Claflin.

  The Bayside Hunters

  If you enjoyed falling for the Seaside Hunters, you'll love their Oregon cousins just as much. We've already met Logan, Sullivan, and Dakota. They and their two other siblings—twins, Freya and Shale—are about to find the loves of their lives… they just don't know it yet.

  Bayside Wishes

  She's guarding a family secret. He's investigating a murder. Will a second homecoming lead to true love?

  Freya Hunter is living the fabulous life. The west-coast girl rakes it in as a fashion model in New York City, but everything changes after she returns home for a quick visit.

  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?

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  Indigo Bay Sweet Romances

  A shared-world sweet romance series by multiple authors.

  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?

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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 Evenings. I hope you enjoyed it whether it was the first or seventh Hunter book you've read. Even though the sweet romances are so different from the other stuff I write, I really love this family! It's so much fun to get to know each Hunter a little better with each new book. I'm excited to get to know Sullivan next! I hope you're just as excited for the upcoming rides!

  If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review wherever you purchased 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.