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“But first I’m going to get an ice cream,” she said. “Want one?”
“Your treat?” he teased.
“Why not?” she said with a grin before skipping off toward the ice cream hut on the beach.
Oliver stared out at the calm water and sighed as his daughter waited for their frozen treats.
Yet another tourist season to survive.
CHAPTER THREE
WHOWOULDHAVEknown the Sealena-themed socks she’d ordered would be such a hit?
A week into the season and Carly had seen four tourists wearing the knee-high socks with their sandals around town; she couldn’t keep the product on the racks. She’d need to place another order that week. The unexpected bestselling product of the season.
Last year’s had been the snake hats that resembled the Serpent Queen’s tiara. She glanced toward the pile of them now in the clearance bin. Not such a hot seller now. It was impossible to guess what the next trend would be. Tourists continued to surprise her.
What wasn’t a huge surprise was the success of the new Sealena-themed fantasy romance series, which had been flying off the shelves. Author Y.C. Salwert’s debut, the first book in the series,A Forbidden Obsession, had hit theUSA TODAYbestseller list for six weeks in a row. Local support for the series was understandable, but Carly was a little surprised by how far across the country the series—and the town’s mythology—had reached. Originally, her store had been the only place stocking the title, but when the online version hit number one on Amazon, the small Alaskan press publishing the title expanded distribution to all brick-and-mortar stores across the US and Canada.
The second book in the series,Love at Sea, had been released the day before, two months ahead of its original release date, as the publisher wanted to ride the wave of success of the first book. Carly was already placing another order for more copies. The third book wasn’t scheduled for release until winter, but the publisher had sent promo and preorder sign-up sheets for the store already.
Carly glanced at the display in the front window that had replaced the children’s series, and seeing the pile getting low, she headed to the back of the store and grabbed another box. They were all signed already and she stared at the cover as she positioned them in the window. The images on both covers shared a similar aesthetic—an image of the sea serpent queen in the background and the picturesque image of a sleepy fishing village, featuring the story’s hero in the forefront. The overall vibe was hauntingly seducing...or at least, that was how the promo pack put it.
Carly’s phone chimed, and reaching into her pocket for it, she saw a message from Rachel.
Two more for book club.
Book club in the small town was a big deal—a favorite night out for many of the locals, even the ones who didn’t do the required reading but liked to enjoy a glass of wine and listen to lively debates. All were welcome, with the only requirement being that they at least purchased a copy of the novel. But none of the book selections had garnered as huge a turnout as the new Sealena series, and it appeared that everyone was actually reading them.
We’re running out of space. Stop inviting people.
The local fire marshal would shut them down if they surpassed the thirty-five people maximum in the store.
Have you finished book two yet? Dying to discuss.
Rachel was truly obsessed with the series, which was ironic, seeing as how the woman had originally come to Port Serenity to dispel the myth of Sealena. When Carly had pointed that out, Rachel had claimed that love was universal and that it was the romance between the pages of the novel that appealed to her most, not the fantasy element.
I’ll be done soon. XX
Read faster! xx
As she tucked the cell phone away, a knock sounded on the front door. She checked the time and frowned. She didn’t open for another hour, but some tourists could be really pushy. If they saw her inside, they expected her to open. The town’s welcoming “we cater to tourists” vibe was to blame. She was tempted to ignore the knocking, but what if it was someone with an early-morning flight, who’d left their Sealena souvenir shopping to the last minute?
She’d hate to think there was a Sealena fan out there expecting a Serpent Queen souvenir who would be disappointed when their relative or friend returned from their trip empty-handed because they’d failed to plan ahead.
Carly sighed and set the box aside. She smiled, seeing not a tourist, but Oliver standing outside. She ran a hand quickly through her hair and straightened her skirt as she opened the door.
“Hey, you,” she said, her heart warming at the sight of him, as it always did. The dull longing she could do nothing about never subsided when it came to the one man in town she couldn’t have in her life in any romantic way. Dressed in a pair of faded jeans, a gray hoodie and running shoes, he made casual look hot. His messy dark hair that rarely saw a comb and the two-day-old stubble along his jawline gave him an adorably unkempt appeal. At least, to her. He was attractive without trying. Attractive despitelackof trying.
He held up a paper bag with the local diner’s logo on it. “Figured you hadn’t eaten anything substantial in days.”
How on earth was she supposed to not be in love with him?
He was gorgeous, kind, thoughtful and considerate. He was as much a landmark in Port Serenity as the Sealena statue in the center of town. He was a fantastic friend and an amazing dad—and he knew when she’d be too busy to eat.
“You figured right,” she said, taking the bag and looking inside. The smell of her favorite bacon-and-egg muffin drifted from within and her stomach growled. “Extra bacon?”
“Would I dare bring you anything else?”
