Hayden stopped, tried to harness the emotions that were welling up inside of her. “I want to thank you all for being a part of our story … a part of our family. Thank you for celebrating this day, celebrating love, with us.”
Dear Reader:
Thank you so much for picking up Briar Hill Road. I hope you enjoyed this story that’s so near and dear to my heart. If you did, please consider leaving a review to help others find it.
Bio:
Award-winning author Holly Jacobs has three million books in print. The first novel in her Everything But . . . series, Everything But a Groom, was named one of 2008’s Best Romances by Booklist, and her books have been honored with many other accolades. She lives in Erie, Pennsylvania, with her husband and four children and two dogs, Ethel Merman and Ella Fitzgerald. You can visit her at http://www.HollyJacobs.com.
If you enjoyed Briar Hill Road, read
Same Time Next Summer
Prologue
“CARO. CARO, COME ON.”
Twelve-year-old Carolyn Kendal threw open the cottage door and ran out onto the porch. The force of the wind took her breath away.
She looked out at Lake Erie. The wind had whipped it into a frenzy, pounding wave after wave onto the shore.
Stephan Foster, her best friend each summer, was on his family’s porch, waving at her.
Caro tugged at the leg of her swimsuit. The suit didn’t fit as well as it had when she’d arrived with her mom and dad at their Heritage Bay, Ohio, summer-home last month. She smiled as she continued pulling it into place. Normally, she didn’t like things to change but she was pleased that she’d finally started growing. For two years she’d been lamenting her lack of height, certain she’d never get any taller than four feet eleven.
She glanced down at her chest and hoped that if she was growing taller, she’d also start growing out, but truly, she didn’t feel very optimistic. Optimistic was her word of the week. She liked the way it felt as it rolled off her tongue.
Optimistic.
It seemed like such a happy word. And on days like this, when the beach was this perfect, it was the right word to describe herself. She was optimistic.
“Caro.” Stephan’s voice was laced with exasperation. “Come on. We haven’t had a day like this all summer.”
He was now down on the beach, waiting for her.
“Caro,” he called again, louder, more impatient.
And though she knew they were getting too old for this game, there was a comfort in it. She might be starting seventh grade in September, but this was familiar and hadn’t changed. She stopped pulling at her yellow suit, quit playing with words and ran to him. Her bare feet made a slapping noise on the cement walkway then quieted as soon as she reached the rocky sand.
“Here comes one.” Stephan stood poised, ready to run.
Caro got ready, too. She extended her right leg, bending at the knee, waiting for just the right moment. She knew from years of experience, it was all about the right moment. Too soon, too late … either would ruin the run.
“Go.” Stephan sprinted forward and she followed on his heels.
The wind whipped the marshmallow-puffy clouds across the sky. Pushing. Pushing. The clouds bumped into the sun high over head. That was the moment that signaled they could start
They ran between the rocky cliff and Lake Erie, on the small swatch of pebbly sand, chasing the edge of the sun’s shadow.
Sometimes, if the breeze was lazy enough, they would catch it. But on days like today, when the wind really kicked up, they never did. But it didn’t matter. The joy was in the chase.
“We lost it.” Caro stopped, panting for air.
“There will be another shadow in a few minutes.” Stephan, a year older than she was, had the weight of that extra twelve-month’s wisdom. This time he nodded sagely, his summer-long hair flopping onto his forehead, and added, “Yep, everything always changes. We just have to wait, catch our breath, ’cause there’s always another shadow.”
Everything always changes. There’s always another shadow, she thought.
Other Holly Jacobs Books
Romance and Romantic Comedy Single Titles
Just One Thing
Same Time Next Summer
Not Precisely Pregnant
Can’t Find NoBODY
Hung Up On You
I Waxed My Legs for This?
Her Second-Chance Family
PTA Moms Trilogy
Book 1 Once Upon a Thanksgiving
Books 2 Once Upon a Christmas
Book 3 Once Upon a Valentine’s
Words of the Heart series
Book 1 Carry Her Heart
Book 2 These Three Words
Book 3 Hold Her Heart
Cupid Falls series
Book 1 Christmas in Cupid Falls
Book 2 A Simple Heart: A Cupid Falls Novella
Dear Fairy Godmother … series
Book 1 Mad About Max
Book 2 Magic for Joy
Book 3 Miracles for Nick
Book 4 Fairly Human
Everything But … series
Book 2 Everything But a Bride
Book 3 Everything But a Wedding
Book 4 Everything But a Christmas Eve
Book 5 Everything But a Mother
Book 6 Everything But a Dog
Maid in L.A. Mystery series
Book 1 Steamed
Book 2 Dusted
Book 3 Spruced Up
Book 4 Swept Up
Perry Square series (A Holly Jacobs Classic)
Book 1 Do You Hear What I Hear?
Book 2 A Day Late and a Bride Short
Book 3 Dad Today, Groom Tomorrow
Book 4 Be My Baby
Book 5 Once Upon a Princess
Book 6 Once Upon a Prince
Book 7 Once Upon a King
Book 8 Here With Me
WLVH Series:
Book 1 Pickup Lines
Book 2 Lovehandles
Book 2 Night Calls
Book 3 Laugh Lines
Whedon Series
Book 1 Unexpected Gifts
Book 2 A One-of-a-Kind Family
Book 3 Homecoming Day
Book 4 A Father’s Name
Valley Ridge Series
Book 1 You Are Invited …
Book 2 April Showers
Book 3 A Walk Down the Aisle
Book 4 A Valley Ridge Christmas
Short Stories and Novellas
Able to Love Again
The Book
Labor Day
There He Was
13 Weeks
Bosom Buddies
Cinderella Wore Tennis Shoes
Nothing But … Short Story Series:
Book 1 Nothing But Love
Book 2 Nothing But Heart
Book 3 Nothing But Luck
Love all the books? Try a bundle or boxset!
Short Stories for the Overworked and Under-Read Anthology
Maid in L.A. Mysteries Bundle