Text copyright ©2017 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Roxanne St. Claire. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Barefoot Bay remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Roxanne St. Claire, or their affiliates or licensors.
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Giving Chase
A Barefoot Bay Kindle Worlds Novella
Cypress Corners, Book 8
by
JoMarie DeGioia
Contents
Welcome to Barefoot Bay Kindle Worlds
Discover other books by JoMarie DeGioia
Connect with me online
GIVING CHASE
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Acknowledgment
About the Author
Welcome to Barefoot Bay Kindle Worlds
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Barefoot Bay Kindle Worlds, a place for authors to write their own stories set in the tropical paradise that I created! For these books, I have only provided the setting of Mimosa Key and a cast of characters from my popular Barefoot Bay series. That’s it! I haven’t contributed to the plotting, writing, or editing of Giving Chase. This book is entirely the work of author JoMarie DeGioia, a fantastic writer and dear friend.
With her second title set in Barefoot Bay, JoMarie gives readers a lot to love. We’ve got a reunion romance, a one-night-stand turned serious, and a surprise pregnancy all packed into one flirty, fun, fantastic story! Since the heroine works at the spa…the only thing you can do is relax and enjoy!
Roxanne St. Claire
PS. If you’d like to read all of the Barefoot Bay Kindle World novels, or would like to explore the possibility of writing your own book set in my world, stop by www.roxannestclaire.com for details!
Discover other books by JoMarie DeGioia
The Gentlemen Undercover series, including
A Hero and a Gentleman
Shopgirls of Bond Street series, including
That Determined Mister Latham
The Dashing Nobles series, including
More Than Passion
Pride and Fire
Just Perfect
More Than Charming
The Cypress Corners series, including
Finding Harmony
Taming Jake
Loving Cassie
Winning Ben
Showing Jessie
Seeing Shannon
Dreaming Eli
Giving Chase
Kissing Bree
The Gifted Young Adult Fantasy/Adventure Trilogy, including
Gifted
The Braunachs of the Dell series, including
Luke’s Gold
Patrick’s Promise
Sexy Historical Novellas, including
In the Baron’s Bed
In the Knight’s Chamber
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoMarieDeGioia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoMarie.DeGioia.Author
Website: www.jomariedegioia.com
Giving Chase
By JoMarie DeGioia
One heated night under the stars
A reunion that could change everything
Can he give her a reason to trust in forever?
Or is he pushing for too much too fast?
Chase Harris has always longed for family. His mother ran off when he was a kid and his late father was distant at best. He was still stinging from his divorce when he met the woman of his dreams at his cousin Billy’s wedding in Cypress Corners. Their night together in a rustic tent-cabin gave new meaning to the words “great outdoors.” When Billy asks him to go to Barefoot Bay on business six weeks later, he jumps at the chance to reconnect with the girl he just can’t seem to forget.
Carrie Boyles is never impulsive, but Chase was the perfect balm to her bruised heart that magical night under the stars. She’d been cheated on and dumped, and Chase was sweet and the hottest guy she’d ever met. Now that she’s back to work at the Eucalyptus Spa in the Casa Blanca Resort, she realizes that her one fling will have forever consequences.
She can hardly believe it when Chase shows up at the resort on the very day she discovers she’s pregnant. He stirs up all sorts of feelings, tender tempting feelings, but she doesn’t want to be hurt again.
When Chase sees Carrie, it’s like lightning struck twice. He wants to find out what they can be to each other, and her little surprise just might give him what he’s always wanted.
Will Carrie give Chase the chance to make them a family?
Or will she protect her heart and risk losing any chance at happiness?
Chapter 1
Cypress Corners, Florida
“You don’t have to do that, man.”
Chase Harris looked over at his cousin Billy as they waited for their drinks at the coffee shop.
“Yeah, I do.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Besides, it’s literally the least I can do.”
Billy smiled, looking a lot like the orphan he’d been when Chase’s father had taken him in all those years ago. “Thanks, man.”
Billy might be his cousin, but he’d been raised as a brother even though they were never close growing up. Chase shouldered the blame for that, he and his dick of a brother Zach. Neither of them had made a place for Billy, and when his father had left a fortune to him? Chase had been a little pissed and let Billy know it. That was only one of the things he’d been trying to atone for where his cousin was concerned.
Wild Harry Harris hadn’t shown any more affection towards Billy than he had to Chase and Zach. That didn’t stop Chase from missing his father though, dead and gone since last summer. In truth, he didn’t begrudge Billy his inheritance since he and Zach shared the ranch over in St. Cloud. His father had known cattle, and he and Zach had learned enough to turn the ranch into a moneymaker.
He and Billy got their drinks and headed out into the February sunshine. There was a slight chill in the air, and Chase took in a deep breath. The air here in Cypress, a sprawling property of ten thousand acres featuring upscale retail, state-of-the-art homes and an award-winning golf course, was surprisingly fresh. And since his brother was making noise about buying Chase out of his share of the ranch, he figured it might be a decent place to settle. Billy sure had found his own home here.
They sat down at a table beneath a winter-bare tree hung with paper hearts. The damn things seemed to be everywhere. It was like Valentine’s Day threw up all over the town square.
“So why isn’t Shannon going with you to Barefoot Bay?” Chase asked as he took the lid off of his cup.
Billy chuckled. “You know, I had to do some pretty fast talking to get her to leave the Casa Blanca Resort, but now I can’t drag her away from Cypress.”
Billy’s new wife was a beauty and a great girl, from what Chase could tell. Billy had met her in St. Cloud, but had gone down to Barefoot Bay on the gulf to bring her back. From where Chase was sitting, it had been a good move for him.
“You got her wedded and bedded, Billy. Nice job.”
Billy smiled again. Chase’s chest
tightened. This guy was friendly and easygoing, and could have been a great friend growing up. They were the same age, twenty-nine, and should have been close. They were both tall, broad and dark-haired, and looked a lot alike except for the eyes. Billy’s were blue but Chase had hazel eyes like his mother.
They had both been ten years old when Billy’s parents were killed in a car crash. Maybe if Chase’s mother had been around things might have been different, but she’d taken off with an equipment salesman two years before Billy had moved in.
“Tell me what you need,” he told Billy.
“You’ve been a big help out at the worksite, Chase.”
Chase nodded. “Yeah.”
“The plans are coming along, thanks to the work of the Cypress architect.”
“He’s supposed to be the best,” Chase said.
“It’s no big deal if I don’t go down to Barefoot Bay right away.”
Chase leveled a look at him. “This woman, this Frankie Becker?” At Billy’s nod he went on. “She has some samples and other some such for you, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Something she can’t mail?”
Billy smiled and wiped a hand over his jaw. “No. She doesn’t want to mail it.”
Chase spread his hands. “Then leave it to me. I’ll go get whatever it is and bring it back to you.”
Billy tilted his head. “Why?”
Chase blew out a breath. “Because you’re family.”
“Like that ever mattered to you.”
Chase nodded. “I know. I was a prick. I aim to fix that, if you’ll let me.”
“You know I’m a big believer in second chances, Chase.”
Yeah, he was. His life was built on them, and now he had a perfect woman to share it with.
Chase thought for a second about Carrie. The spunky red-haired friend of the bride who Chase got to know biblically at Billy and Shannon’s wedding. He’d still been stinging from his ex-wife Cheyanne’s swift exit six months before. Carrie had been sweet and hot and just what he’d needed to forget the implosion of his dismal, short-lived marriage.
“So give me whatever I need and I’ll head out tomorrow,” Chase said.
Billy turned his coffee cup on the table. “I booked a one-week stay at the resort.”
“A whole week?” Chase gaped at him. “Why?”
A smile teased his cousin’s mouth. “Nostalgia, I guess.”
Chase gave a slow nod. “That was where you won back your girl.”
“Yep. The Casa Blanca Resort is amazing. The view of the gulf, the tropical setting of Mimosa Key. I think you could use a break. Why not stay there and chill for a week?”
Chase sat back and crossed his arms. “I couldn’t do that.”
“Why not? Didn’t you say Zach wants to handle the ranch from now on?”
Irritation bit at Chase’s belly. “Yeah, he does. Wants to run the place like a damn business.”
“It is a business.”
“Don’t you start.”
Billy held up his hands. “Hey, I don’t have a stake in the ranch. I just think you can do with a little bit of an escape.”
Chase wondered just how much Billy knew about Chase’s failed marriage. He’d downed a lot of liquor at the wedding, and he remembered bitching and moaning about his ex to just about anybody who would listen. He didn’t normally drink that much, but being in the sight of such a love like Billy and Shannon had? It had been the last straw.
A paper heart broke free above him and fluttered down to land in his coffee. Muttering a curse, he fished it out and slapped it down on the table. “What the hell is with all the hearts?”
“It’s almost Valentine’s Day, cuz,” Billy said.
“So? Cypress has been dressed like a two-dollar whore for weeks now.”
Billy laughed and Chase found a smile. “Go down to Barefoot Bay, man. Maybe you can look up a certain friend of Shannon’s while you’re there.”
Chase thought again about Carrie. They’d had a real good time out at that secluded tent-cabin thing on the far lakeshore. The memories were clear despite all the drinking he’d done, and gave a whole new meaning to the words “great outdoors.” No words were ever exchanged that their encounter was anything more than two people scratching an itch, though.
“We kind of put a period on the end of that sentence, Billy.”
“Maybe you can show her that a period isn’t necessarily the only end to a sentence.”
Chase felt a smile curve his lips. “Maybe.”
***
Casa Blanca Resort & Spa
Barefoot Bay, Mimosa Key, Florida
“A period is just the end of a sentence,” Carrie Boyles murmured as she stacked the creamy goats-milk soaps on their display.
The tall round table was draped with a sheer yet rustic length of net fabric in a soft rose, the color picking up the pink tones in the bars of soap set on top. These were some of Frankie Becker’s best, handmade and so popular Carrie felt like she spent half of her time restocking. Giving a nod, she tweaked the raffia bows dressing the soaps.
Valentine’s Day had made its way in here too, from the decorated lobby of the resort. Pretty, pierced-paper hearts dripped from the ceiling and the shop carried more items intended for use by couples than they normally did. Just a couple of months ago she would have grabbed up all of the luscious-looking soaps and washes to share with Doug. Ugh, not now.
Stepping back, she pulled off her lacy headband and brushed her hair back from her face before setting it back on her head. A period might be the end of a sentence, but oh what she wouldn’t give to see one right now. It would be way more welcome than the little blue lines she’d seen this morning on that plastic stick. It was nearly three-thirty on a Wednesday afternoon, hours had passed, and she still couldn’t shake her shock. How the heck had this happened?
She’d worked in the shop at Casa Blanca for nearly a year now, and the small retail space adjacent to the Eucalyptus Spa felt like home to her. The fact that she had the absolute best boss in the world in Jocelyn Palmer might have something to do with it. That, and the New Age music tinkling softly over the sound system the shop shared with the spa next door.
She ran her hands over her uniform, consisting of a crisp white wraparound shirt topping khaki capris. It might be February, but the weather on the gulf was pretty mild most days. Come the evenings it might drop into the mid-fifties, so she often needed the cardigan she brought with her for after her day’s work was done. Right now, though? Her clothes, the shop, her present-tense felt very insular. Safe.
On her feet she wore a pair of her ballet flats, in pink leather today. They were super soft and resilient. Resilient. Just like she hoped to be. These shoes were staying on her feet, too. No more of that “kick off your shoes and fall in love” stuff Barefoot Bay was famous for. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
“What’s with that look, Carrie?” her boss asked from beneath the archway separating the two spaces.
Carrie shook her head with a smile. “What look?”
Jocelyn smirked at her. “You’re glaring at your shoes. Pinching, are they?”
“No. Not at all.” Carrie took a breath and straightened her shoulders. “They’re very comfortable. I might never take them off.”
The other woman’s eyes sparkled and Carrie knew she’d gotten her message loud and clear.
“And here I thought after you got back from Cypress Corners last month that you might be open to falling again.”
Carrie stilled. Cypress Corners. That little slice of almost-wilderness in Central Florida where she’d gone for her friend Shannon’s wedding last month. Where she’d hooked up with a hot guy saddled with more baggage than even she’d dragged up there. A hot guy she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since, but still. And where, apparently, she’d acquired the little tagalong she’d never expected.
“Nope.” Carrie shook her head. “Never again.”
Jocelyn came closer. “Beca
use of that ass hat?”
“Doug plays a big part in my decision, yes. The fact that he cheated right here at Casa Blanca? Yeah, that sucked.” She blew out a breath. “It’s more than that, though. I’m done with the whole thing.”
Jocelyn laughed, tossing her long dark hair over one shoulder. “Honey, you’re way too young to be so bitter.”
Carrie found a smile. “I’m twenty-seven, I’ll have you know.”
Jocelyn snorted. “A baby. That’s what you are.” She placed her hands on Carrie’s shoulder. “Didn’t you have a ringside seat for Shannon’s fall last summer?”
“Yes, and she and Billy Goat are ridiculously happy now.”
“Theirs was a second chance.”
Carrie shook her head again. “They were in love, Jocelyn. Truly in love. It was clear whenever you saw the two of them together.”
“And you weren’t?”
Carrie bit her lip. “I thought I was. Doug clearly didn’t feel the same way, despite the fact that he told me he did so many times I’d lost count.”
“So you’re going to let that slug dictate the course of the rest of your life?”
Carrie paused for a beat. “That’s the big question, isn’t it?”
Jocelyn stepped back. “You don’t have to make a decision today on the rest of your life, although Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. You, my dear, have all the time in the world.”
Carrie lips thinned but she just nodded again. All the time in the world? Not if that stinkin’ plastic stick was right.
Thankfully the whoosh of the doors to the spa opening reached them through the archway. Jocelyn patted her arm and breezed back into the spa.
Shannon had worked the front desk last summer, until her Billy Goat had come and swept her off her shoeless feet. Now Carrie’s boss was trying out a rotation of semi-competent people to fill Shannon’s kicked-off shoes. Carrie had no horse in that race, though. Her job was to sell the amazing products that the spa massage therapists and receptionists, hopefully, recommended. These soaps? They were the most popular item the spa shop carried.
Barefoot Bay: Giving Chase (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Cypress Corners Book 8) Page 1