Beach Vibes – Exclusive Excerpt for Fresh Fiction
Aunt Agatha drew in a breath. “How are you feeling?”
“Lost,” she said without thinking. “Confused. It’s been a year since the divorce, and I haven’t done anything to have a personal life..”
Agatha touched her hand. “You’re lonely. I’m here for you always, but you need more than that. Friends your own age, a man or two.”
Despite the emotions swirling inside of her, Beth smiled. “Definitely not two men. Unlike you, I’m not interested in playing the field.”
Her aunt raised her eyebrows. “So you’d like to be in a relationship. Intriguing. Last time we talked about your love life, you weren’t interested.”
“Last time I hadn’t scrolled through my ex’s Instagram account and been slapped by the realization that I’m drifting through my days rather than being proactive. I want to do things and travel. I didn’t just lose Ian in the divorce. I lost myself. I don’t regret the end of our marriage, but what about me? Why have I let it be okay to not take care of myself emotionally?”
“When you knew better, you did better,” Agatha told her.
“One of my favorite quotes.”
“I know. I’m glad you’re starting to think about what you want. It’s important. I was devastated when I lost your uncle, but after a few months, I realized I had a choice to make. I could get lost in grief, or I could get on with my life. It wasn’t easy to move forward, but I’m proud of the progress I’ve made.”
She picked up her coffee. “You’re a wonderful, caring woman, Beth. I hate how much the divorce surprised and hurt you, but I’m not sure Ian was ever the right man for you. He was content to do the same thing over and over again. That’s not you. You’re always one to try something different. You could have taken the money from your half of the house and put it into your retirement account. That would have been the safer bet. But you didn’t. You grew Surf Sandwiches, and now it’s more successful than ever. If I had to guess, I would say Ian would never have approved of that.”
“You’re right. He wouldn’t have approved at all.” She looked at her aunt. “I was in love with him, and he didn’t want to be married to me anymore. Sometimes that’s hard to process.”
“I know. It’s not fair. It never was.” Her aunt studied her. “Do you think you still have feelings for him?”
“No.” Beth didn’t have to think about that one. “Like I said, I don’t want him back. But I do want something more than what I have. I want friends.”
“You’ve mentioned meeting someone at the food bank.”
“Jana. I think we could get closer. She’s busy, but we get along, and I admire her.”
“An excellent start. Are you also going to look for a man?”
A more complicated question. “Maybe. I haven’t dated in years. I wouldn’t know where to start. It’s not like there’s a store I can go to and window shop.”
“It’s called a dating app, my dear. There are several to choose from.”
Beth tried not to wince. “I’m not the online dating type.”
“You don’t actually know that. Maybe give it a try before saying it’s not for you.”
“I’d rather have a root canal.”
Agatha laughed. “All right. Be that way. But if you won’t go online, then you need to start looking for single men in your regular life. The next time a cute guy walks into the sandwich shop, flirt with him. Even if a relationship doesn’t happen, maybe you can use him for hot, incredible sex. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a sizzling affair to clear your mind and give you perspective?”
The outrageous suggestion made Beth laugh. “I wish, but I don’t think I’m the sizzling affair type.”
“I don’t think you know if you are or not. You spent your early twenties helping your brother financially as he got through medical school and residency. Then you dated for a couple of years before finding Ian. To the best of my knowledge, you haven’t ever had a relationship that was totally based on sex. Why not try it now?”
Was Agatha serious? “I wouldn’t know how. Plus, you have to be, I don’t know, exotic or outgoing to do that.”
“Says who? Where are these rules coming from? You’re still young, Beth. Live a little. Take a chance.” Her aunt smiled. “Dance around the fire.”
She knew the urging came from love and concern, but the words were a little too close to what her mother used to tell her, Beth thought uneasily. Agatha’s younger sister had wanted to experience all there was, and the more precarious the situation, the better. She believed in risking it all, and had told her kids to be more like her. She wanted them to run toward danger and go out in a blaze of glory. What she’d failed to notice was that the collateral damage of her lifestyle had frequently been her two children.
“I’m not interested in any kind of flames,” Beth said flatly. “Real or metaphorical.”
“If you say so, my dear, but when it comes to a fiery affair, you’re missing out.” She softened her words with a pat on Beth’s hand. “Trust me on that.”
Copyright © 2025 by Susan Mallery
What would you do if you caught your brother cheating on your best friend?
While Beth is proud of her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches, she's even prouder of her charismatic brother, Rick, who rose from foster care all the way through surgical residency. She makes subs, he saves lives. Things takes a turn for the happy after she finds out Rick is dating her new best friend, Jana. Then Jana’s handsome brother adds even more sparkle to Beth’s days…and nights.
But when she catches Rick with another woman—like, with with—her visions of an idyllic family future disappear in one awful instant. Either she betrays her brother or she keeps his secret and risks losing the man she loves and her best friend.
Love and loyalty collide with secrets and betrayal in this witty and emotional tale about the lengths we’ll go to for family, from Susan Mallery, bestselling author of The Boardwalk Bookshop.
Romance Small Town [Canary Street Press, On Sale: March 18, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book , ISBN: 9781335402530 / eISBN: 9780369760890]
Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women's lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan's books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans. Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a tattletale toy poodle. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they're an integral component to a happy life.
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