C.J. Carmichael - A Baby Between Them

Harrison Kincaid—During his childhood Harrison and his sister, Nessa, spent all of July and August on Summer Island with their parents. In his thirties Harrison married Simone and became the CEO of his family-owned communications business based out of Seattle.

Aidan Wythe—Raised by his mother in Seattle, Aidan has been Harrison’s best friend for as long as he can remember. They went to Yale together and Aidan is Harrison’s right-hand man at Kincaid Communications.

Emerson Cotley—A local on Summer Island, Emerson took over the family landscaping business after his parents were killed in a car accident.

Jennifer March—Her family owns the Lavender Farm Bed and Breakfast on Summer Island. She and Simone were best friends.

Gabe Brooke—Gabe owns a real estate business on Summer Island, as well as the local newspaper. He married Harrison’s sister, Nessa, after Harrison married Simone.

Simone DeRosier—A renowned jazz singer and pianist, Simone started spending her holidays with her father on Summer Island when she was fourteen years old. She coined the phrase “Forget-Me-Not Friend” in her first Grammy Award-winning hit.

Dear Reader,

In this book I’m taking you back to Summer Island, a locale I introduced this June in the Signature Select Saga novel, You Made Me Love You.

I first dreamed of Summer Island when my family and I spent a holiday with my sister’s family on Saltspring Island. We had a grand time lazing on the ocean shore, hiking in the rolling hills and kayaking on the becalmed sea. One of the highlights for my city-slicker daughters was setting traps for crabs with my brother-in-law Gord. I couldn’t believe it when those picky little children actually ate them, too!

As we explored the Gulf Coast island, I knew I had to write a book about this place one day. No, not just a book, a three-book series. I wasn’t sure what the stories would be about, but I started with a picture in my head….

Five friends sitting around a bonfire on the beach late at night. They’re roasting marshmallows and drinking and kidding around with the ease of kids who’ve known each other all their lives. Then someone new asks to join their group…and their futures are altered forever.

I hope you enjoy this story. The concluding book of this trilogy, Secrets Between Them, will be available in October from Harlequin Superromance. Be sure to watch for it.

If you would like to write or send e-mail, I would be delighted to hear from you through my Web site at www.cjcarmichael.com. Or send mail to the following Canadian address: #1754—246 Stewart Green, S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T3H 3C8, Canada.

Sincerely,

C.J. Carmichael

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Summer Island

AIDAN WYTHE DIDN’T make friends easily, so when the new girl suddenly appeared on the beach in the moonlight, his instinct was to nod politely, and then turn away. His friends Harrison Kincaid and Gabe Brooke, however, reacted quite differently. Harrison scrambled to his feet. Gabe offered her a drink.

“That’s a good fire.” The girl moved closer to the bonfire, holding out a hand as if she were cold.

She was beautiful. No, more than that. Stunning was a better word.

“It’s even warmer over here.” Gabe patted the surface of the log he was sitting on in invitation.

The girl hesitated. “Are you sure I’m not interrupting?”

“Yeah, actually, you are,” Aidan said. Something about her made him uneasy. Just because Harrison and Gabe were already drooling didn’t mean they should invite her to join them. The five of them had been having a great time without her. Aidan looked to Jennifer for support, but even she was frowning at his comment.

“Don’t mind him,” Jennifer said.

“Yeah,” Gabe added. “Aidan was bit by a rabid dog when he was a kid. He’s never been the same.”

Aidan told Gabe what to do with himself. But everyone else laughed. And the new girl sat down.

“My dad and I are here for the summer. My name’s Simone. Simone DeRosier.”

Gabe and Harrison both repeated her name as if to make sure they would never forget it. What idiots. They were still gawking as if they’d never seen a pretty girl before.

“I’m Gabe Brooke. I live here on the island, and these are my friends.” Gabe went around the fire, pointing as he spoke each of their names: “Emerson and Jennifer are locals, too. Aidan and Harrison are from Seattle.”

“Hi, Simone. It’s good to meet you.” Harrison leaned closer and offered his hand.

Aidan cringed. God, Harrison. Shaking hands was what grown-ups did. Not sixteen-year-old guys who were just hanging out on the beach.

But Simone smiled as brightly as if Harrison was the coolest dude she’d ever met.

“It’s nice to meet you, too, Harrison.” She turned to girl beside him. “Is this your girlfriend?”

Jennifer laughed. “No, we’re just friends. We’re all friends.” She pushed her blond hair off her shoulders. “My parents own a bed-and-breakfast on the north end.”

“My folks have a landscaping business,” Emerson added. “We live on Oyster Bay, just a few miles from here.”

Finally Simone’s eyes settled on Aidan. “That leaves you, Aidan. Where do you stay when you’re on the island? Do you rent a place in town?”

He didn’t answer, so Harrison filled in. “He and his mom own the cottage across from our place. Aidan and I go to school together in Seattle. We’re planning to be roommates when we go to Yale.”

“Cool. Have you guys known each other long?”

“Basically all our lives,” Emerson said. “Our moms used to bring us to this beach when we were little kids.”

“How lucky for you.” Simone sounded genuinely envious. “Well, thanks, Aidan, for letting me barge in on the party like this.”

Why would she thank him, when he was probably the only one who didn’t want her here? He looked up from the fire and scowled. He didn’t care if she knew he didn’t like her. Harrison and Gabe were fools. Their tongues were going to be caked with sand if they didn’t shove them back into their mouths pretty soon.

Simone wrapped her arms around her knees and leaned forward. “So what do you like to do?”

“Volleyball. Swim. Hang out,” Jennifer said. “How about you?”

“I like those things, too.” She paused a moment. “Do any of you sing?”

“Around the campfire, you mean?” Aidan’s voice dripped with scorn. He’d known he wouldn’t like this girl. “Not since I was a Boy Scout, when I was ten.”

“But then you’re tone-deaf, Aidan.” Harrison offered the insult with the casual air of a lifelong friend. “My mother makes me and my sister, Nessa, take piano lessons. How about you, Simone? Do you sing?”

She nodded and faked a shy look. She didn’t fool Aidan, though. He knew she was dying for the chance to show off. Sure enough, less than a minute later, Gabe and Harrison had convinced her to sing for them.