Summer At The Shore
Saving lives is who they areRisking his life for others is all in a day’s work for Coast Guard Petty Officer Jay Johnston. Until he comes to the rescue of Mia Frasier after her small plane goes down. Maybe it’s because the empathic, blue-eyed vet wants to save the world just as passionately as Jay wants to create a safe haven for his five younger siblings, but there's no denying their bond. Despite his growing feelings for Mia, a romantic relationship isn’t on Jay’s radar. How can two people always on the move stay in one place long enough to create a family of their own?
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Saving lives is who they are
Risking his life for others is all in a dayâs work for Coast Guard petty officer Jay Johnston. Until he comes to the rescue of Mia Frasier after her small plane goes down. Maybe itâs because the empathetic blue-eyed vet wants to save the world just as passionately as Jay wants to create a safe haven for his five younger siblings, but thereâs no denying their bond. Despite his growing feelings for Mia, a romantic relationship isnât on Jayâs radar. How can two people always on the move stay in one place long enough to create a family of their own?
âMy life is very complicated, Mia.â
âBecause of your family situation?â
Jay squeezed his eyes shut, but not before Mia saw the flash of pain. When he opened them again, she felt a hitch in her chest. There was so much raw emotion thereâpain, regret and a sadness that made her own heart ache. He searched her face. âI canât be what you need.â
âHow do you know what I need?â she managed to say.
A sad smile played on his lips. âAs much as Iâd love to find out, Iâm not the man to give it to you, to give you anything.â
âJay, Iâm not asking you for anything.â
He lowered his gaze to her lips. âThis is such a bad idea,â he whispered.
âI know. Thatâs what Iâm trying to tell you.â
âWeâre going to anyway, though, arenât we.â
It wasnât a question, she realized, and knew he was right.
Like a lot of you out there, Iâm an animal lover. Iâve always had pets: cats, dogs, bunnies, gerbils, hamsters, fish, goats. I spent a good portion of my childhood thinking I would be a veterinarian when I grew up. I held on to this dream until the day my cat âintroducedâ himself to my gerbil and I realized that I wouldnât be able to save them all. Fortunately, there are those selfless and insightful people out there who understand that being a veterinarian isnât all about themâitâs about saving or comforting an injured or ill critter in whatever way they can.
Heroine and veterinarian Mia Frasier is this kind of person. She sees the bigger picture and she wants to make a difference, to leave the world a better place. Maybe a little too much sometimes.
A chaotic upbringing combined with years of supplying financial support to his younger siblings have left Jay Johnston focused on his family and confident that he can provide. But when his teenage brother and sister come to live with him, he soon finds life spiraling out of his control. Jay needs help. Mia knows he needs help. Itâs a tricky thing, thoughâhelp. Itâs not easy to ask for, itâs difficult to admit that you need it, and offering it can often cause problems, too. Thankfully, an orphaned dog, a hellish tomcat and two troubled teens get Jay and Mia to finally learn to meet in the middle.
Thanks so much for reading!
Carol
CAROL ROSS lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two dogs. She is a graduate of Washington State University. When not writing, or thinking about writing, she enjoys reading, running, hiking, skiing, traveling and making plans for the next adventure to subject her sometimes reluctant but always fun-loving family to. Carol can be contacted at www.carolrossauthor.com.
For Dr. Katie, to whom I owe a giant debt of gratitude. Not just for meeting with me and answering all of my crazy questions, but especially for taking such wonderful care of our precious fur-babies for all of these years. Your kindness, compassion and generosity are so inspiring. Thank you.
Contents
WHOEVER SAID THAT your life flashes before your eyes right before you die must not have gone down in a plane crash. Because all Mia Frasier could think about was the life she hadnât yet lived. She glanced out the window at the brilliant blue sky and the sparkle of the sun reflecting off the Pacific Ocean below. It seemed wrong somehow to die when it was so gorgeous outside. The plane argued with a wild dip. She gritted her teeth as her stomach mimicked the action.
At this point she supposed some people might close their eyes and sit back, count their blessings, resign themselves to the inevitable, pray, make their peace, or whatever you call it when you give up and accept the inevitable end. Not Mia.
She had plans, things to accomplish before her time was up. Not huge news-making achievements; she didnât need the Nobel Peace Prize or anything. But she did want to make a difference in this world before she left it. She wanted to save some cats. Lucky Cats, her stray and feral cat reduction program, hadnât even gotten off the ground yet. And kids. She really wanted a family. A husband was right up there on the list, too. And a home. Not just a house either, but a home like sheâd never had. One filled with that husband and kids, a couple dogs, and a bunch of rescued cats... Was this all too much to ask for? She didnât think so, because as it was sheâd barely had a chance to enjoy her life, the life she was finally building in Pacific Cove.
