Remnants (A Golden Beach Novel)

by Kim Loraine

  Table of Contents

  REMNANTS

  Acknowledgments

  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

  Epilogue

  REMNANTS

  A Golden Beach Novel

  KIM LORAINE

  SOUL MATE PUBLISHING

  New York

  REMNANTS

  Copyright©2018

  KIM LORAINE

  Cover Design by Ramona Lockwood

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

  Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Published in the United States of America by

  Soul Mate Publishing

  P.O. Box 24

  Macedon, New York, 14502

  ISBN: 978-1-68291-691-9

  www.SoulMatePublishing.com

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  BY KIM LORAINE

  THE GOLDEN BEACH SERIES

  Restoration

  Renovation

  Resonance

  Foundation

  Redemption

  Resolution

  Devotion

  Remnants

  For anyone who believes in second chances,

  I believe in them, too.

  Acknowledgments

  Every author has a list of people who’ve helped shape and mold each book into the end product. I’m no different. Golden Beach has been a long journey of stories in a community I love dearly. Closing the book on this series gets me a little weepy. I couldn’t have written these characters without encouragement. So I’d like to say, thank you to the following amazingly supportive people.

  My critique group. Without you guys, I’d be lost in the sea of what if?

  Heather and Rachel. Your feedback is everything.

  K.K. Allen and R.C. Boldt. You two keep it real for me and I appreciate every conversation we have.

  Sarah Robinson. There aren’t enough words for how much our friendship means to me.

  My editor, Caroline. So much of what you’ve suggested shaped this book.

  My readers and awesome group on Facebook. You guys share, read, and review and I’m floored by the support with every book.

  My amazing husband and three kids. Thanks for letting me disappear into my chaotic brain so I can write books. I love you.

  The rest of my family, for being so supportive and listening to my plot ideas.

  If you got to the end of this sappy ramble-fest, congratulations! Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it!

  xoxo,

  Kim

  Chapter 1

  Sloan Thomas turned up the volume in her earbuds as she wandered the aisles of the Golden Beach Public Library. With only one month left until she began her job as a second grade teacher, she wanted to soak up the last few weeks of summer sun on the beach with a good book. Even after fifteen years away the place still smelled the same. Old paper, faint traces of the ancient librarian’s perfume, and a little bit of dust, all took her right back to high school. She roamed the romance section, her fingers playing across the spines of the books as she searched for a title that stood out. The driving bass and distorted guitar of her favorite band drowning out everything else, she snagged two Regency romances. Dashing viscount or rakish earl?

  She smiled, deciding to take both. She was a fast reader and considering all she had to do this week was finish unpacking the last of her boxes, two novels should be no problem. As she made her way to the desk she paused when a familiar blue velveteen chair caught her eye. A laugh built in her chest and she let her mind wander to the childhood days she’d spent tucked away in the oddly placed piece of furniture. The people in Golden Beach never questioned why the librarian would put a chair behind the end of a bookcase facing the corner. The only explanation was, it had always been this way. Now, Sloan found that little bit of nostalgic certainty comforting. The rest of the town had grown and changed, but this little corner of her past had stayed locked in its place in time.

  Checking the time, she sighed happily. She still had two hours before her coffee date with the co-teacher she’d been paired up with. The deep cushioned chair welcomed her like an old friend, allowing her to crack open her first choice and begin reading.

  Absorbed in the world of Regency England, she was jolted out of the story when her earbuds were ripped from her ears and a blaring alarm assaulted her senses.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” An angry male voice had her blinking past the confusion.

  A firefighter loomed above her. Her heart sped. There must be an emergency, but as her gaze traveled up his body she gasped when her brain recognized the features she’d never expected to encounter again. He looked older, of course, his face lined and more rugged with the shadow of a short beard on his jaw, but if it was possible, he was more handsome than ever. “Carson?” His name came out on a faint croak.

  “Can’t you hear the alarm? There’s a fire and you’re sitting here reading a goddamn book!” Gazing into his startling blue eyes, she expected a flicker of something. Recognition, hatred, heartbreak. But he didn’t react. “Come on, we’ve got to get you clear of the building.” He grabbed her arm and helped her to her feet, tugging her toward the exit.

  The name on the back of his jacket made her heart clench. Sullivan. It was him. He’d crushed her, broken her beyond repair when she was seventeen. But then again, she’d done the same to him—maybe worse.

  The warm air hit her face as they breached the door and headed into the small parking lot. Two fire trucks filled most of the space as firefighters worked to put out the blaze she could see burning in the back of the library. Holy hell, she’d been inside and hadn’t even realized she was in danger.

  Carson ushered her to the ambulance without a word and handed her off to a paramedic. Her chest gave a squeeze as he turned to leave and she couldn’t help but call out his name, even as the EMT began checking her oxygen levels.

  Carson spun on his heel and shot her a withering glare. “Don’t.” That’s all he said, one word laced with hatred and dis
missal. In that brief moment he’d done two things, reduced Sloan to nothing, and admitted he knew exactly who she was. Then he stalked toward the burning building.

  Stomach churning, she watched him clench his fists before disappearing inside. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Not in Golden Beach. Not anymore.

  ~ ~ ~

  Fifteen years ago

  Her hair and delicious scent were the first things Carson Sullivan noticed as he took his seat behind her on his first day of class his senior year. Her long blond tresses were pulled carelessly into a ponytail, high on her head, baring the nape of her neck. He longed to touch her sun-kissed skin and see if it was as soft as it looked. And then she turned around, and he couldn’t breathe.

  “Mr. Sullivan.” The teacher’s hard voice barely stole his attention from the beauty in front of him.

  “Yeah,” he muttered, not making eye contact with the woman leading class.

  Laughter filled the air around him.

  “Mr. Sullivan?”

  The stout woman strolled toward him, forcing him to tear his gaze away from the girl’s heart-shaped face and delectable lips. Oh, he was going to love this school.

  “Yes, ma’am?” He forced an innocent tone to his response.

  “If you’re done staring at Miss Carmichael, since this is your first year at our school, I thought you might want to introduce yourself to the class. Tell us a bit about yourself.”

  He had to clear his through the nervous tightness blocking his words. “My name is—” he began, but the teacher interrupted almost immediately.

  “Please go to the front of the classroom.”

  Oh, no. He couldn’t do that. If he stood right now everyone would see exactly how Miss Carmichael made him feel. His cheeks burned as he did his best to tamp down the impressive hard-on he was sporting. But that gorgeous fucking girl leaned close and brushed his arm with her fingers.

  “It’s okay. You’ll do great,” she whispered.

  No. He wasn’t going to do great. He was about to embarrass himself publicly in front of the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.

  After putting on his most charming smile, he glanced up at the teacher. “If it’s all the same, ma’am, I’d like to stay in my seat. Public speaking makes me nervous.”

  Her sharp features softened. “Oh, all right. Go ahead.”

  Thank God for small favors. “My name is Carson Sullivan. I moved to Golden Beach three months ago from Seattle, Washington.”

  A few people in the class murmured, “Nice to meet you,” and the teacher carried on with the lesson.

  As the class wore on he managed to pull his mind away from the girl. Hopefully she’d get up and leave before he had to talk to her. He was certain if she turned those eyes on him again he’d have the exact same problem he’d had earlier. Sure enough, when the bell rang, she stood, her denim skirt showcasing long, tanned legs and a trim waist. He almost groaned aloud when she bent over and picked up her bag. It was unavoidable, his body functioned just like any red-blooded seventeen-year-old boy’s. But he wished more than anything for some control as she faced him with a smile.

  “I’m Sloan.”

  He had to force his name from his lips as he took her in. “Carson . . . but everyone calls me Sully.”

  She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “Nope. That’s not the name your mama gave you and that’s not what I’m going to call you, Carson.”

  A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Fine. Nice to meet you, Sloan.”

  “Want to walk me to my next class?”

  She was direct. That was so different from the girls at his last school. They’d been all flirty and fawned all over him. “Sure.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Carson breathed deeply, trying desperately to hold on to his sanity. How could Sloan be here? He hadn’t seen her in fifteen fucking years, but with one word she’d reduced him to the shattered seventeen-year-old boy who’d been head over heels in love with her.

  Unwanted memories raced through his mind, first kisses, the smell of her hair when he’d hold her tight against him, the sound of her laughter, and most of all, the moment she ruined him. Left him with only shreds of his heart.

  “Sully, you look like you’re about to hurl. You need to take a break?”

  Alex Oliver eyed him suspiciously as they inspected the structure for any signs of a flare up. The blaze had been small, contained to one room, but these old buildings were tricky, and leaving any room for hot spots could spell disaster.

  “I’m good.”

  Sully caught the shrug of Alex’s wide shoulders but wasn’t about to admit he needed a breather even if his mind burned with the need to see if Sloan was all right. How could she have been absent for almost half his life and still have this effect on him? His chest tightened without warning, making his heart hammer and his jaw ache. Shit. He was fucking dying. Right here at the goddamn library. He was going to drop dead of a heart attack.

  “Sully. Hey, man. Sit down. What the hell? You’re white as a sheet.” Alex guided him to a retaining wall at the back of the building, settling him down before crouching and staring straight into Sully’s eyes. “You need a medic?”

  The pain in his chest had already eased, and as Sully took a fleeting glance around Alex, he caught sight of Sloan in the ambulance. He closed his eyes and took slow and steady breaths, working to calm his pulse and take control of his body. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t having a heart attack, but seeing Sloan had stirred up way too much for him to handle without warning.

  “I’m fine.” He waved Alex away and after a few more deep breaths, stood. “Let’s get this shit done and head back to the station. We’ve got a ride-along coming in at noon.”

  “Who? No one told me.”

  “Jamie Donalson.”

  “Don’t tell me, he wants to be a firefighter?”

  “Turned eighteen a month ago. He’s already applied at the academy.”

  Alex grinned. “Sounds like me.”

  “Yeah, well hopefully his ass isn’t as grumpy as yours, old man.”

  The dig was only half-hearted. Sully forced a smile and walked on shaky legs toward the engine. He needed to pull his shit together.

  “You see any evidence that this was intentionally set? Seems awful fishy for it to start in such a tight space while there were people in there.”

  Alex wasn’t wrong. The Golden Beach area had been the target of sporadic arson over the last few years. The firebug had started out burning abandoned barns, but had recently gotten bolder, choosing to start blazes closer to town where people ended up hurt or even killed.

  “Not sure. I didn’t see anything, but I’ll make sure to send Michael out to investigate.”

  His heart rate spiked as the medic unit came into view and he had to work to keep his head from turning toward the ambulance. Was Sloan still there? She hadn’t had a scratch on her, but he’d taken her to the aid car anyway. As he reached the safety of Engine 31, he risked a glance at the open back of the aid car. Curious disappointment settled in his gut when all he saw was the medic packing up.

  “Miller comes back on shift tomorrow, doesn’t he?” Alex asked as he started up the truck and put it in gear.

  Donovan Miller and his wife had adopted a baby only a few weeks ago. He’d been on leave since they’d gotten the call that their baby was born. “He does. I’ve got to tell you, I’m not big on kids, but at the rate you idiots are making them, I think I need to get over my aversion to them.”

  “Speaking of . . .”

  “You’re kidding? You knocked Lauren up again?”

  Alex laughed and nodded, a wide smile spreading across his face. “She’s due in April.”

  “Well, shit. Congratulations.” He didn’t know what else to say. All the guys on the cr
ew had moved on from the dating scene. They were settled as fathers and husbands. That wasn’t in the cards for him. The idea of giving his heart to one woman again made his stomach hurt.

  The shift wore on and by the time eight a.m. rolled around, he was dog-tired. It had been call after call. Luckily, keeping busy meant he had little time to think about Sloan. But now, as he pulled into his driveway, there was nothing stopping him from going down that path.

  “Stop it, Sullivan. She’s not here for you.” He ran a hand over his closely cropped hair and down his face. Did he want her to be here for him? No.

  No, he fucking did not.

  A deep bark resonated from the side of the house, followed by the jingle of Zeus’ collar as the old mutt ambled toward him. His neighbor, Dot, smiled as she walked behind the dog, wrapped the leash around her hand to keep control of the animal.

  “Talking to yourself again?” she teased.

  “Eavesdropping isn’t a way to win friends.”

  “It’s not? Well, shit. I guess I’ve been doing it wrong for the last sixty-seven years. If we’re not friends I suppose you can find a new doggy-daycare.”

  “Hey, now. Don’t punish Zeus because I’m a grumpy asshole.”

  She grinned and nudged him with her elbow. “What’s on your mind?”

  He took the leash from her hand and let the dog lead him around the yard, not planning on answering her.

  “Fine. I’m here if you want to talk. You get me, Sully?”

  “Yeah, I get you, Dot. I had a rough day is all. I’ll be fine after a little sleep.”

  Without another word, Dot headed next door. She’d been taking care of Zeus for years, watching him while Sully was on shift. The woman was like family now. She knew him, and thank fuck that meant she knew when not to push.