On this wide, white strip of waterfront property, I spent some of the most glorious, relaxing, deliciously happy days of my life. My parents retired to Bonita and lived in a small house directly on the Gulf. On any long weekend when I could get away, I headed to that beach to spend time in paradise with two of my very favorite people.
The days were sunny and sandy, but the best part of the beach life were the early evening chats on the screened-in porch with my dad, watching heartbreakingly beautiful sunsets, sipping cocktails until the blue moon rose to turn the water to diamonds on black velvet. All the while, I soaked up my father’s rich memories of a life well lived. And, I’m sorry to say, a life that ended too soon. My last trip to Bonita was little more than a vigil at his hospital bed, joined by all my siblings who flew in from around the country to share the agony of losing the man we called “the Chief.”
My mother left the beach house almost immediately to live with us in Miami, and more than twenty years passed before I could bear to make the drive across the state to Bonita. I thought it would hurt too much to see “Daddy’s beach.”
But just before I started writing the Barefoot Bay series, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of writers in that area of Florida, and I decided a trip to the very setting of my stories would be good research—and quite cathartic.
Imagine my dismay when I arrived at the beach and it was no longer desolate or undiscovered. The rarefied real estate had transformed in two decades, most of the bungalows replaced by mansions. I didn’t have the address, but doubted I could find my parents’ house anyway; it couldn’t have escaped the bulldozers and high-end developers.
So I walked the beach, mourning life’s losses, when suddenly I slowed in front of one of the few modest houses left, so small I almost missed it, tucked between two four-story monsters.
The siding had been repainted, the roof reshingled, and the windows replaced after years of exposure to the salt air. But I recognized the screen-covered porch, and I could practically hear the hearty sound of my dad’s laughter.
I waited for a punch of pain, the old grief that sometimes twists my heart when I let myself really think about how young I was when I lost such a fantastic father. But, guess what? There was no pain. Only relief that the house where he’d been so happily retired still stood, and gratitude that I’d been blessed to have had him as my dad.
And like he had in life, my father inspired me once again. For one thing, despite the resort story line I had planned for the Barefoot Bay books, I made a promise to keep my fictional beach more pristine and pure than the real one. I also promised myself that at least one of the books that I’d set on “Daddy’s beach” would explore the poignant, precious, incomparable love between a father and a daughter.
That book is BAREFOOT IN THE RAIN. The novel is, first and foremost, a reunion romance, telling the story of Jocelyn and Will, two star-crossed teenagers who find their way back to each other after almost fifteen years of separation. But there’s another “love” story on the pages of BAREFOOT IN THE RAIN, and that’s the one that brought out the tissues a few times while I was writing the book.
The heroine is estranged from her father, and during the course of the story, she has to forge a new relationship with the man she can barely stand to talk to, let alone call “Daddy.” Unlike my father, Jocelyn’s dad can’t share his memories, because Alzheimer’s has wiped the slate clean. And in their case, that’s both a blessing and a curse. Circumstances give Jocelyn a second chance with her father—something many of us never have once we’ve shared that last sunset.
I hope readers connect with Jocelyn, a strong heroine who has to conquer a difficult past, and fall in love with the catcher-turned-carpenter hero, Will. I also hope readers appreciate how hard the characters have worked to keep Barefoot Bay natural and unspoiled, unlike the beach that inspired the setting. But most of all, I hope BAREFOOT IN THE RAIN reminds every reader of a special love for her father, no matter where he is.
ALSO BY ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE
BAREFOOT BAY
Barefoot in the Sand
THE GUARDIAN ANGELINOS
Face of Danger
Shiver of Fear
Edge of Sight
PRAISE FOR
Barefoot in the Sand
“Barefoot in the Sand—the first in Roxanne St. Claire’s new Barefoot Bay series—is an all-around knockout and soul-satisfying read. I loved everything about this book—the indomitable heroine, the hot hero, the lush tropical setting, and secondary characters I can’t wait to read more about. Roxanne St. Claire writes with warmth and heart, and the community she’s built in Barefoot Bay is one I want to revisit again and again and again.”
—Mariah Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of the Chesapeake Diaries
“Lovely, lush, and layered—this story took my breath away. Rich, believable characters, multilayered plot, gorgeous setting, and a smokin’ hot romance. One of the best books I’ve read all year.”
—Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author
“I enjoyed the typical mother/teen relationship Lacey had with Ashley—so comfortable and believable. Lacey is older than Clay, but the difference never matters. The chemistry between them is scorching hot. I adored her friends and I’m looking forward to their stories as well. Barefoot in the Sand is a wonderful story with plenty of heat, humor, and heart!”
—USAToday.com
“4 ½ stars! St. Claire, as always, brings a scorching tear-up-the-sheets romance combined with a great story: dealing with real issues starring memorable characters in vivid scenes. Best of all, since this is book one in the Barefoot Bay series, there’s more to come.”
—RT Book Reviews
—JoyfullyReviewed.com
“There is nothing I didn’t love about this book, from the wacky secondary characters to Lacey and Clay themselves… With a cast of zany troubled friends and neighbors, this book will have you dreaming of love all while picturing yourself on a sandy beach with the waves tickling your toes… I cannot wait to return to Barefoot Bay.”
—GoodReads.com
“I loved and adored this book… such a fun, lighthearted, and super sexy read… I just know that St. Claire is going to rock the rest of the series, especially if this first book is any indication… Fans of Jill Shalvis, Carly Phillips, and Susan Mallery will definitely want to check out this series! I give Barefoot in the Sand an A!”
—TheBookPushers.com
ACCLAIM FOR
Roxanne St. Claire
“St. Claire is one of the best romance writers in the genre today.”
—TheRomanceReader.com
“Her stories are ripped from the heart.”
—Winter Haven News Chief (FL)
“St. Claire writes books that keep the reader engrossed in the story from cover to cover.”
—Booklist
“Roxanne St. Claire’s writing is spellbinding.”
—BookLoons.com
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Contents
Welcome
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
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
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Epilogue
A Preview of Barefoot in the Sun
The Dish
Also by Roxanne St. Claire
Praise for Barefoot in the Sand
Acclaim for Roxanne St. Claire
Newsletters
Copyright
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2012 by Roxanne St. Claire
Excerpt from Barefoot in the Sun copyright © 2012 by Roxanne St. Claire
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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First e-book edition: October 2012
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ISBN 978-1-4555-0828-0