Somewhere by the Sea Read online

  SOMEWHERE

  by the Sea

  Finding SOMEWHERE Series

  Book One

  Verna Clay

  The miserable have no other medicine but only hope.

  –William Shakespeare

  SOMEWHERE by the Sea

  Finding SOMEWHERE Series

  Book One

  Copyright © 2016 by Verna Clay

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  [email protected]

  Website: www.vernaclay.com/

  Published by:

  Verna Clay

  Cover Design: Verna Clay

  Picture: (© Karin Hildebrand Lau: Dreamstime.com)

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

  Preface

  I enjoy romance series that evolve gradually around small communities, and since Oregon is one of my favorite states, I naturally chose it for the location of my fictional town, Somewhere. To me, the name was perfect, because my desire was to create characters longing for acceptance and a sense of belonging "somewhere." And so, for the first book in this series, I introduce Faith Bennison, a woman who suffered the loss of two loved ones, and in the aftermath of tragedy, leaves her home in St. Louis to travel to the small seaside community of Somewhere.

  I then fashioned a man who could restore Faith's happiness, Baxter Hope, but only after confronting his own demons.

  And to add depth, mysteries were touched upon to be solved in future books. The main plot of each story, however, is resolved within that story.

  And lest I forget, the heroes and heroines of Somewhere occasionally receive help from those residing on the "other side."

  Verna Clay

  Sequence of Books in the Finding SOMEWHERE Series

  SOMEWHERE by the Sea

  SOMEWHERE to Spend Christmas (coming soon)

  SOMEWHERE to Hide (coming 2017)

  Table of Contents

  Preface

  Prologue

  1: Somewhere

  2: Owen

  3: Gabby

  4: Baxter

  5: Trail

  6: Jennie and James

  7: Sandy

  8: Mama Pink's Diner

  9: Hope Museum

  10: Stone House

  11: Rex

  12: Warmth

  13: Noah

  14: Vee

  15: Accusation

  16: Frustration

  17: Warning

  18: Doris and Dave; Darren, Dirk and Dog

  19: Taylor

  20: Outdoor Market

  21: Dinner

  22: Problem

  23: Collision

  24: Michael

  25: Resolve

  26: Commission

  27: Dilemma

  28: Key

  29: Flood

  30: Painting

  31: Revelation

  32: Sorry

  33: Truth

  34: Lighthouse

  35: Fault

  36: Disclosure

  Epilogue

  Author's Note

  Dream Kisses (excerpt)

  Romance on the Ranch Series (#1)

  Stranded in Oasis (excerpt)

  Oasis Series (#1)

  Novels and Novellas by Verna Clay

  Prologue

  As was her daily routine, Faith Bennison again opened the large tabletop picture book of Oregon's coastal towns and flipped to page ninety-two, the same page she studied every day. She knew every nuance in the photo—the way the sun reflected golden rays across the ocean at noon, the man fishing on the pier with his little boy beside him, and in the background a couple strolling hand-in-hand toward the end of the pier. Below that picture was another showing the curve of a beach with sunbathers along its shore and a close-up of five children playing in the water. She moved her gaze to the full page photo on page ninety-three showcasing a quaint and lovely town with outdoor cafes, antique shops, art gallery, beauty shop, clock shop, and in the distance, a large Victorian home. The caption below the picture said Downtown Somewhere with Hope Bed & Breakfast in the distance.

  Releasing a long sigh, Faith returned her gaze to the man and child. The boy looked to be about eight, the same age her boy would have been had he survived the car accident that also killed his father. Faith traced her fingers over the paper people and swallowed the lump in her throat. For years, she and Hammond had dreamed about moving to a small town on the west coast, but his career, and life in general always got in the way. Now, three years after that terrible accident she was still perusing the same book that had given them such wonderful dreams. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, willing herself not to cry, but then suddenly she slammed the book shut and reached for her jacket. She grabbed her purse, pulled out her car keys, and rushed through the kitchen to the garage. Within minutes she was on the freeway and headed for the outskirts of town. At Horizon Cemetery she navigated a winding road and pulled to the curb, then, following a grassy corridor bordered by graves, strode toward the ones she knew so well. Just as she reached the gravesites of her loved ones, an arrow of lightning streaked across the sky and buckets of water were unleashed. She ignored both and the earsplitting thunder that followed.

  Kneeling between the graves she cried out, "I'm going to do it, Hammond and Charlie. I'm going to Somewhere." Another bolt split the sky and thunder rocked the ground. Prostrating her body between the graves in emotional pain, she sobbed, "I have to leave because if I don't, I'll soon be joining you."

  1: Somewhere

  WELCOME TO SOMEWHERE

  by the Sea

  Faith read the sign and couldn't believe she had actually arrived in the small coastal town of Somewhere. She drove past the sign onto Main Street, curious to see if the town resembled the photo she'd been studying for years. About a quarter of a mile from the sign she entered the town proper and inhaled sharply; it was even better than the photo. It was colorful and inviting, with vibrant flags decorating both sides of the street and the word "WELCOME" written in different languages on each one. Pedestrians strolled the sidewalks and entered brightly painted businesses of red, yellow, blue, green, and orange.

  Faith was so caught up in what should have been a Norman Rockwell painting, that she didn't see the signal light turn green. A horn tooted behind her and she absentmindedly murmured apologies, even though the driver couldn't hear her. Slowly, she drove through town until she reached another light. After two more lights she came to a stop sign at the end of Main Street, which was intersected by a road that only turned south—Ocean Boulevard. On her right was the beautiful Victorian Bed and Breakfast from her picture book, but before checking in she decided to drive along Ocean Boulevard. She turned left at the stop sign to follow the shoreline and marveled at the azure sea mimicking the color of the sky. After passing a public beach and parking lot she reached a stretch of stunning homes on both sides of the boulevard, and then a marina. Tears stung her eyes as she said softly, "Hammond and Charlie, I'm here."

  Gabby Evangeline Hope frowned at her son and replied to his remark, "Baxter, do you really think I don't know the plumbing needs updating?" She blew a wisp of hair off her forehead and smoothed her hands down her 1970s' style peasant blouse and tie-dye hippie skirt. At the age of fifty-seven she was several pounds overweight, but not concerned about it since she'd never been prone to vanity. She rarely wore makeup, or even visited Betty B. Breverton's Beauty Boutique. Her once brunette hair still reached her waist, but was now a lovely shade of silver. She supposed that b
y the time she was seventy, it would be pure white, and looked forward to that day.

  Baxter said with exasperation, "Mom, why are you so stubborn? You know I have the funds to completely renovate this home." His voice rose in volume. "And if you don't do something soon you won't have a bed and breakfast."

  Gabby's frown turned into a grin and she reached to cup her son's cheek. "It's not as bad as that, and you know it. You're a good man, Baxter, and I appreciate your concern, but you know I'd never take money from family members, especially my son. I've seen too many families torn apart by finances."

  Baxter opened his mouth to counteract her, but Gabby continued, "Besides, I had a dream recently that things are about to change around here. I'm not sure if it's for the better or worse, but change is a comin'. However, if the plumbing fails, which it won't, I can always borrow money from the bank. Mr. Swift was telling me just yesterday that money is available if I need it."

  Baxter puffed a breath. "Mom, the guy would give you the money. Why don't you just date him and put him out of his misery. He falls all over himself whenever you're around."

  Gabby huffed, "Son, I can't believe you just said that. You know your father was the only man for me. He and I were polar opposites but never was a marriage more stable than ours. Why, we–"

  "He's been dead for six years, Mom, and you deserve more than just this home–"

  "I love this home! After your father inherited it from his father, he and I worked side-by-side to make it so successful. Why, people come from all over the country, and even the world, to spend time here and on our private beach, we–"

  "You're talking to the choir, Mother. All I'm saying is having a man in your life might be exciting."

  "And who are you to talk? Where's the woman in your life? Where's the excitement?"

  Baxter lifted his hands in surrender. "Point taken. But at least I date occasionally."

  Gabby lifted her shoulders and stood as tall as her 5'5" frame allowed. "This conversation is over. Your room is ready for you and the account books are on the desk in the sitting room." She glared at her son. "You're staying the entire summer, aren't you?"

  Suddenly, Baxter grinned and hugged his mother. "I always do. Besides, you know how much I love trying to untangle your accounting."

  Gabby chuckled and returned his hug. "You realize, don't you, that we have a verbal sparring match every summer."

  Baxter stepped back and held his mother's shoulders. "Looks like this one will be no different. It's going to be a long, argumentative one, Mom."

  Gabby grinned. "I'm looking forward to it."

  2: Owen

  On her return trip along Ocean Boulevard Faith pulled into the public beach parking lot and parked her Toyota Camry in a space next to a family of four unloading beach paraphernalia from a van. Two boys, the oldest who looked to be around nine and the youngest six or seven, were squirting each other with water pistols, and their mother stopped what she was doing to chastise them. "Robbie and Lonnie, if I have to warn you one more time, you'll both be grounded from swimming for an hour!" She glanced at Faith who was exiting her car. "Boys!"

  Faith gave her a fake smile and nodded. She needed to get away from this family. If she didn't, she might burst into tears. Stashing her purse in the trunk, she grabbed a water bottle and towel and hastened to the beach. Walking past the pier she had viewed so many times in her tabletop picture book, she couldn't believe she was actually here. Three fishermen were scattered across the pier and a man walking his dog reached to pet him.

  Being a weekday the beach wasn't overly crowded and Faith followed the shoreline. She spotted a boulder that lent shade from the sun and spread out her towel. She then discarded her T-shirt in favor of the tank top beneath and rolled the cuffs of her shorts higher. Leaning back on her elbows she watched waves ebb and flow. The beach was perfect for children and the family she had parked beside was now walking past her. The young mother waved at Faith and smiled, as if they were friends. The father, carrying an umbrella and beach chairs, laughed with his boys and even started to awkwardly chase them, hampered by his cumbersome load.

  For a moment Faith visualized herself as the mother and Hammond as the father walking the beach with Charlie. She closed her eyes and listened to the family's laughter, pretending all was right with her world. Seconds later she opened her eyes and stared blankly at nothing. All was not right. Her husband and son were dead and she was sitting on a beach in Oregon two thousand miles from the home they had lived in, and wondering what to do with the rest of her life. Her house in St. Louis was on the market because living there day in and day out with the imagined voices of her loved ones, was making her crazy. Every time a floor creaked or a shutter banged, she turned, expecting to see her husband or child—expecting they could somehow feel her misery and would appear one last time to say goodbye. The very fact that she'd been unable to say goodbye compounded her sadness exponentially. She closed her eyes again seeking peace in the sound of the waves, and unexpectedly felt something nudge her foot.

  She jerked her eyes open. A large red dog, probably a collie mix, was pushing a Frisbee against her toe as he retrieved it. For a moment she forgot her sadness and reached to pet the dog that had paused to watch her. "Hello there. Aren't you a handsome fellow?" She gazed around for the owner and saw a boy of maybe nine or ten wearing a blue ball cap approaching her. Her heart twisted.

  "Hello, ma'am. I'm sorry about my dog bothering you."

  Faith swallowed against the lump in her throat. "He didn't bother me."

  The dog returned to the boy who was only a few feet away and laid the Frisbee at his feet.

  Against her better judgment, Faith said, "What's your name? My name is Faith."

  The boy picked up the Frisbee and said, "Owen." He tossed the toy down the beach and the dog ran after it.

  "Do you live in Somewhere?" she asked.

  "Yes."

  He didn't say anything else so Faith volunteered, "I just arrived today. I'll be staying at the Hope Bed & Breakfast for a while."

  The boy's face lit up. "Miz Gabby is a really nice lady and she bakes the best cookies. You'll like her."

  Faith's mouth lifted in a smile. "Oatmeal raisin cookies are my favorite. I hope she bakes them."

  "Oh, she does. She makes all kinds of cookies. She even sells them at Mr. Lucky's Grocery. The store is only two blocks from Miz Gabby's house and I work there part time. Mr. Lucky pays me to help him stock shelves after school." The boy stopped speaking when his dog returned with the Frisbee and again dropped it at his feet. Owen bent to retrieve it and said, "Guess I better go. But I'll see you again and maybe we can help each other." He turned and ran down the beach.

  Faith didn't understand his parting words, but watched him for a long time before lying back on her towel and covering her eyes with her forearm. It was a struggle to keep from crying.

  An hour later she strolled along the shoreline enjoying the feel of wet sand beneath her feet. When the sun was past its zenith her stomach growled and she started walking back to the boulder to retrieve her towel. She needed to check in at the bed and breakfast which would begin a new phase of her life, but for some reason she was reluctant to do so. Would doing so distance her from Hammond and Charlie? Would their memories begin to fade? She didn't want them to fade.

  She passed a volleyball game in progress and the participants were the family with two boys. The mother whacked the ball, lost her footing, and tumbled laughing onto the sand. She smiled up at Faith. "Hello again."

  Faith returned her greeting and added, "You have a beautiful family."

  The woman opened her mouth to reply, but Faith was already rushing away. She didn't want to be drawn into a conversation about anyone's family.

  3: Gabby

  Returning to the intersection of Main Street and Ocean Boulevard, where Hope Bed & Breakfast was the last business on Main Street, Faith followed the driveway of the B & B to a parking lot at the back of the Victorian manor. For lo
ng moments she sat in her car and gripped the steering wheel. Her lengthy, cross-country journey was about to end and she wondered if her emotional journey would also end, or at least get better. She had all summer to find out. After making the decision to come to Somewhere she had called the B & B and worked out arrangements for a long-term stay, and although expensive, it was much less than the nightly rate. And even if she hadn't gotten a break on the cost she would have stayed for a few weeks anyway, before finding a less expensive place. Her husband's life insurance policy had been more than adequate and now it was time to fund her new life.

  The back door of the home opened and Faith watched a tall man, probably about her age, mid thirties, with short-cropped black hair, carry a bag of trash to a green painted enclosure that blended with the surrounding foliage. On his way back to the house he paused when he saw her, nodded, and then continued to the door. Faith wondered if he was the custodian or maintenance man, and then discarded that notion. There was something commanding about his presence, as if he were a man of some stature in the community. Perhaps he was the owner of the B & B. Soon she would find out. Garnering her courage she reached for her purse and decided to retrieve her suitcase later, just in case her escape from her former life was a mistake and she needed to hightail it back to St. Louis. In her heart she knew that wouldn't happen, but just knowing she could run was comforting.

  She stepped from her car and followed a pink, azalea bordered pathway that led to the main entrance. She paused when she reached the porch steps and the wheelchair ramp beside it. Inhaling a calming breath she whispered, "Hammond, I'm here. Let's see if this home is everything we dreamed of." She climbed the steps and again paused at the screen door. The inside door was open and she could make out a foyer. Beside the entrance was a sign that read: