The Seacroft: a love story (Paines Creek Beach Book 2) Read online

  She smiled that lazy, sweet grin again and I felt my heart melt.

  “Okay. That’s better.”

  “I haven’t seen you at my school. Are you from around here?” I asked.

  “I just came back for the summer.”

  “Back from where?” I said. “Reform school?”

  She hit me again and I knew I deserved it.

  “Just for that, I’m not telling you. You’re horrible!” Her smile belied her words.

  I grinned back at her. “So, what’s your name?”

  “Guess.”

  “What?”

  “Guess.”

  “Okay.” I sat up, furrowed my brow, and placed fingertips against my temples, staring at her. “I’m getting something. It’s coming.”

  She laughed and poked my chest. “Oh, really? What do you see?”

  I gave it a shot. “Jennifer?”

  She snorted. “No!”

  I tried again. “Sarah?”

  She giggled. “Heck, no.”

  I tried to think of the most popular names of our generation, hoping it was one of them. “Allison?”

  “Uhnt-uh.” She shook her head.

  “Give me a hint.”

  “No.”

  “Oh, come on!” I frowned. “How can I guess?”

  “You have to.”

  “Okay. Hannah? Jessica? Carly? Jenna? Lisa?”

  “No, no, no, no, and no.”

  “Hey. How ‘bout if I tell you my name?”

  “What is it?”

  I hesitated. “It’s a weird one.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Okay. It’s Finn.”

  She tilted her head. “That’s not weird. I like it. Finn.” She seemed to taste the letters on her tongue, enjoying the feel of it. “It’s different. But nice.”

  “Okay. Your turn.” I sat forward expectantly.

  “Nope. I’m not telling. You have to keep guessing.”

  I ran through all the names I could imagine, and didn’t hit on it. Frustrated now, I flopped back on the sand. “Okay. Then I’m gonna make up a name for you.”

  She made a face. “Really?” Quickly, she leaned over me, her face blocking the sun.

  In a sudden rush of feeling, I wanted to pull her to me, to smother her in kisses, to taste the salt on her skin.

  “Okay, what’s it gonna be? What’s my new name?”

  “Let me think.”

  Her hair danced over my bare chest. I caught it and played with it. “You are sweet. I could call you Honey.”

  “Boring,” she said.

  “How about Candy?”

  “Sexist,” she pouted.

  “Bambi?”

  “Even worse! I’m not a playboy bunny!”

  “Okay, Well, you look delicious. How about Cupcake?”

  She hissed. “That sounds like a chubby girl. Or a pony.”

  “Okay, okay. Let me think. Maybe I need some inspiration. How about a kiss?”

  At first I thought she’d reel back and hit me. But to my surprise, she lowered her lips to mine, stopping just an inch apart. “Okay. Just a little one, though.”

  I reached my arms up to her neck and pulled her toward me. At the last minute, just as I felt the soft sweetness of her mouth brushing mine, she pulled back.

  “Nope. Too soon.” She got up and laughed, twirling around with the ball. “Come on. What’s my nickname?”

  I sat up, trying to control the heat surging beneath my bathing suit. “Okay. I’ve got it.”

  “What? What is it?”

  “Sassy.”

  She pranced toward me. “I love that! Okay. From now on, I’m Sassy to you.”

  Her father appeared out of nowhere, his face a study in disapproval. I think he hated me from the moment I’d asked her to toss the ball around. I also figured he’d probably seen us lying near each other, and got nervous.

  He glared at me. “Time for lunch. Let’s go.”

  There was no arguing with his stern tone. She tossed him the ball and wiggled her fingers at me. “See ya ‘round, Finn.”

  I grinned like an idiot. God, she was cute. “Okay, Sassy. See ya.”

  I watched her link arms with her father and sashay away from me. The sun winked on the brilliant sand, almost blinding me. As if hypnotized, I stared with slack jaw until I could barely make out her figure among the crowded, colorful throng of beach-lovers.

  Sassy.

  Oh, Sassy. You’re the one for me.

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to my wonderful editors and beta readers: (in alphabetical order, because they are all so great!)

  Alice Grimes, Colleen Kendzierski, Donna Paddon, Gabriela Scholter, Heather Joseph, Joan Miller, KC Spiker Curtis, Lorraine Lanier, Sheila Deeth, Shelly Small, Sonia R. Martinez, and Uvi Poznansky.

  I would like to say a special thank you to my publicist, Aileen Aroma, and her street team: Marsha Thalleen, Amanda Ray, Karen Palmer Arrowood, Anne Gemmell Nelson, Viv Drewa, Alisa Shelton Russell, Darleen Iskickinback, Karen Vaughan, Tina Myers, Debbie Benefield King, and of course Aileen Aroma herself, and ALL the others who share, repost, and support writers and readers on Facebook and on the web. If I missed anyone on the list, I apologize.

  The name of my heroine in The Seacroft was chosen to honor a very hard-working member of this team. My new character is Vivian Wood, after our very own Viv Drewa, who spends time every day promoting fellow authors. Viv Drewa's work celebrates the spirit of the adventuresome woman. Viv is a Michigan native who has enjoyed reading and writing since 1963. Though she studied medicinal chemistry at the University of Michigan, her passion has always been writing. She spends her free time working with physically and mentally challenged adults, a cause close to her heart. She and her husband, Bob, live in Fort Gratiot, Michigan with their cat, Princess. You can find her paranormal thrillers and mysteries here: http://www.amazon.com/Viv-Drewa/e/B00J1PTJ20/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1413249574&sr=1-2-ent

  In honor of another fellow author who has provided amazing support, group events, books sets, and tutorials, I have named a second major character in The Seacroft after Uvi Poznansky. Her mysterious namesake, Uvi Polansky, although exotic and beautiful, is also quite evil, which is completely unlike Ms. Poznansky in real life.

  Uvi Poznansky is a California-based author, poet and artist. “I paint with my pen,” she says, “and write with my paintbrush.” She earned her M.A. in Architecture from the Architecture Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Then, taking a sharp turn in her education, she earned her M.S. Degree in Computer Science from the University of Michigan. Uvi writes across a variety of genres: literary fiction, historical fiction, biblical fiction, poetry, dark fantasy, and children’s books. You can find Uvi’s fiction here: http://uviart.blogspot.com, or her Amazon author page, http://www.amazon.com/Uvi-Poznansky/e/B006WW4ZFG/.

  Aaron Paul Lazar

  About the Author

  Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. A multi award-winning author of three addictive mystery series, romantic suspense novels, love stories, and writing guides. Aaron enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his website at http://www.lazarbooks.com and watch for his upcoming releases. You may contact him at [email protected].

  Books by multi-award winning author Aaron Lazar

  LEGARDE MYSTERIES

  DOUBLE FORTÉ

  UPSTAGED

  TREMOLO: CRY OF THE LOON

  MAZURKA

  FIRESONG

  DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU

  THE LIAR’S GALLERY

  UNDER THE ICE

  LADY BLUES

  THE LEGARDE MYSTERIES OMNIBUS

  MOORE MYSTERIES

  HEALEY'S CAVE

  TERROR COMES KNOCKING

  FOR KEEPS

  TALL PINES MYSTERIES

  FOR THE BIRDS

  E
SSENTIALLY YOURS

  SANCTUARY

  BETRAYAL

  LOVE STORIES

  THE SEACREST

  THE SEACROFT

  BITTERSWEET HOLLOW, ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NOVELS

  DEVIL’S LAKE

  DEVIL’S CREEK

  WRITING ADVICE

  WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volumes 1, 2, 3

  Aaron Lazar’s Book Awards

  Devil’s Lake

  2015 Semi-finalist in Kindle Book Review Awards

  The Seacrest

  2015 Semi-finalist in Kindle Book Review Awards

  2014 Best Beach Book Festival WINNER, Romance category

  2013 ForeWord Book Awards, Romance, FINALIST

  Double Forté

  2012 ForeWord BOTYA, Mystery, FINALIST

  Tremolo: cry of the loon –

  2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards: Grand Prize Short List

  2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards: Honorable Mention, Eric Hoffer Legacy Fiction

  2011 Global eBook Award Finalist in Historical Fiction Contemporary

  2011 Preditors & Editors Readers Choice Award – 2nd place Mystery

  2008 Yolanda Renée's Top Ten Books

  2008 MYSHELF Top Ten Reads

  For the Birds

  2011 ForeWord Book Awards, FINALIST in Mystery

  2012 Carolyn Howard-Johnson's Top 10 Reads

  Essentially Yours

  2013 EPIC Book Awards, FINALIST in Suspense

  2013 Eric Hoffer Da Vinci Eye Award Finalist

  Healey’s Cave

  2012 EPIC Book Awards WINNER Best Paranormal

  2011 Eric Hoffer Book Award, WINNER Best Book in Commercial Fiction

  2011 Finalist for Allbooks Review Editor's Choice

  2011 Winner of Carolyn Howard Johnson's 9th Annual Noble (not Noble!) Prize for Literature

  2011 Finalists for Global EBook Awards

  Terror Comes Knocking

  2013 Global Ebook Awards, Paranormal – Bronze

  For Keeps

  2013 Semi Finalist in Kindle Book Review Book Awards, Mystery Category

  Websites

  www.lazarbooks.com

  www.murderby4.blogspot.com

  www.aaronlazar.blogspot.com

  http://aaronlazar.younglivingworld.com

  www.pureoils.blogspot.com

  Contact

  You may contact the author via email at [email protected].

  Connect with Aaron Lazar:

  Facebook

  Twitter

  Goodreads

  Amazon Author Page

  LinkedIn

  Google+

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  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

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Books by multi-award winning author Aaron Lazar

  Aaron Lazar’s Book Awards

  Websites

  Contact