Seaside Kisses: A Sweet Romance (The Seaside Hunters Book 4) (29 page)

He tapped her nose, smiling and shook his head. "Like
I
said, I want it to be the most impressive wedding ever."

She pretended to think about it. "Oh, all right."

Laughing, Rafael rose and helped her up. She ran into the bathroom and he changed into his clothes before she came out. He went over to the mirror and ran his hands through his hair, fixing a few rebellious strands. She came out, and they joined the crowd, dancing until the shop emptied.

His family and Alex's were the last ones remaining. Rafael's parents and brothers were already cleaning as he said goodbye to the last customer, leaving with the grand prize basket. He turned around to see Alex's three kids jumping all over their aunt. She laughed, playing with them. Ella, Alex's wife, sat on a chair, her eyes closed.

Rafael went over to her. "Are you okay?"

She opened one eye and then sat up. "Yeah. Just tired. Congratulations on the big event—and the engagement. Alex, the kids, and I are all thrilled for you guys. You two are adorable." She smiled through the dark circles under her eyes.

"Congratulations to you, too. I should have Alex take you home. I can't imagine having three kids and expecting another."

She laughed weakly. "Me, neither."

Rafael held out his hand and helped her up. "Hey, Alex," he called across the shop.

Alex came over. "Yeah?"

"You should get her home. I think she's about to drop."

Concern covered Alex's face. "Oh, Ella. I'm so sorry. I didn't realize."

Ella shook her head. "Don't worry. I didn't want you to miss any of the big event."

He and Amara said their goodbyes, and then Rafael helped his family clean. It was amazing how much of mess had been made, but at least he didn't have to deal with it on his own.

A hand rested on his shoulder. Rafael turned around to see Logan. "You're still here? I thought you left already."

"I did, but then I got a call about Tony and Kristine."

Rafael arched a brow, and Amara came over to them, holding onto Rafael's hand.

"What's going on?" Amara asked.

Logan scrolled through his phone. "Let me make sure I don't forget anything. I took notes… hold on. Okay."

Rafael realized he was holding his breath. He released it, trying to focus. Part of him feared that the charges had been dropped.

Logan continued. "The hospital staff found some video footage that had been tampered with, and it took some work, but they found evidence of both Tony and Kristine there after you'd been admitted. Tony was the one who got into the computer system and made it look like you hadn't been admitted anywhere after the ER. Then Kristine is the one who injected you with the medicine. The videos show she was interrupted. If she'd have used all that she had, it would have killed you."

Amara gasped and clung to Rafael's arm tighter. She stared at him with wide eyes. "What if—?"

He placed a finger on her lips. "It didn't." Fear ripped through him at what could have happened, but he couldn't let Amara know. "It's okay, and that's all that matters."

She shook, and he pulled her close. "What else?" he asked Logan.

"A witness who saw the accident came forward, identified Tony, and said that though you ran the red light, he had already entered the intersection, aiming straight for you."

Rafael felt dizzy. "And they're still free?"

Logan shook his head. "Just arrested, and currently without bail. They're both facing attempted murder charges and also…"

Rafael held onto Amara tighter, unable to focus on Logan. He'd known that Tony and Kristine were bad news, but multiple attempts on his life?

"But the good news," Logan said, interrupting Rafael's thoughts, "is that they should stay in jail for a long, long time. The evidence against them is really strong."

Rafael released a long, slow breath. "You don't think they're going to get out?"

"Let's just say I'd hate to be the attorney assigned to their cases."

"You don't think Rafael is in any danger, do you?" Amara asked.

"Not unless they get out, but I can't see that happening. Juries around here don't tend to give light sentences to murderers and those who attempt it. Also, he has a pile of financial lawsuits against him back in LA. Enough to keep him locked up for years. He's dug himself in deep."

Amara stared into his eyes, her face full of worry. "I can't believe we came that close to losing you." Tears filled her eyes.

Rafael's heart broke. "Don't cry." He wiped a tear that escaped. "It's like Logan said, I'm safe now."

She blinked and more tears spilled out. "At least you're here, in my arms. Safe."

He kissed her cheeks where the tears fell. "And I'm not going anywhere. I'm yours for life."

Meet the Hunter brothers of Kittle Falls…

Seaside Surprises
: Jake, the heartbroken son who never left Kittle Falls

Seaside Heartbeats
: Brayden, the successful cardiologist

Seaside Dances
: Zachary, the struggling writer

Seaside Kisses
: Rafael, the disillusioned fashion designer

Seaside Christmas
: Cruz, the wild tattoo artist

More Information

Seaside Christmas - Coming Soon

He can't stand her. She thinks he's crazy. Will their feelings stay etched in permanent ink?

Cruz Hunter has always stuck out in his small hometown. Now that he's covered in tattoos, the residents peg him as even more of an outcast. It seems like the whole world is against his dream of opening a local tattoo parlor.

When he finally finds the perfect place for his new business, Cruz discovers a pastor and his daughter have already bought it. The only thing more irritating than the change in his plan is Talia, a beautiful and feisty argument in a dress. Cruz would like nothing more than to have her out of his life and his mind, but for some reason, she's the only thing he can think about.

If Cruz and Talia can stop arguing long enough, opposites may do much more than attract.

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Other Books by Stacy Claflin

Click the covers for more information.

The Transformed series

The Gone series

Mercy Books

Chasing Mercy

Searching for Mercy

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Author's Note

Thanks so much for reading Seaside Kisses. I hope you're enjoying the series as much as I am. With each new book, I fall more in love with the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Rafael and Amara are such a fun couple, and I could relate to both of them on various levels. And yes, that means I'm a reformed nerd. At least I hope I've been reformed! :) If not, it doesn't bother me. I'm quite happy with my life, geeky or not.

Anyway, if you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review wherever you purchased it. Not only will your review help me to better understand what you like—so I can give you more of it!—but it will also help other readers find my work. Reviews can be short—just share your honest thoughts. That's it.

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I've spent many hours writing, re-writing, and editing this work. I even put together a team who helped with the editing process. As it is impossible to find every single error, if you find any, please contact me through my website and let me know. Then I can fix them for future editions.

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