Book 8 Waiting for Love
Sometimes the best offense is a good rebound…
Adam McCarthy has had a really bad week.
In addition to nearly losing his three brothers in a tragic boating accident, his now ex-girlfriend double-crossed him out of the successful computer company he founded in New York City.
What he needs is a few days at home on Gansett Island to make sure his beloved brothers are safe and to get back in touch with what really matters—his family, his friends and the tiny island that soothes his battered soul.
On the ferry ride home, he runs into an old family friend who’s had her own share of heartache, and Adam helps her through some rough moments, sparking an unlikely alliance.
Abby Callahan has come home to Gansett, single once again, after her relationship with Dr. Cal Maitland blew up in her face.
After two epic failures in the game of love, she’s decided this is going to be the summer she busts loose and finally has some fun—and she’s shaking things up in a big way!
The new Abby swears, drinks, gets a tattoo, sleeps around and generally does anything her kinder, gentler alter ego wouldn’t have dreamed of doing.
Before too long, Adam has appointed himself her guardian and is determined that the only sleeping around she’s doing is with him.
That is… unless his brother Grant is willing to risk his newfound happiness with Stephanie to keep Adam from rebounding with his ex.
And what happens when Adam and Abby realize their summer fling has taken a serious turn, especially when he gets the chance to return to New York and fight for the company that’s rightfully his?
Abby has already followed two men off the island.
Does she have it in her to find out if the third time really is the charm?
Another wild summer on Gansett Island is underway, complete with new stories for many of your favorite couples from past books!
You’ll also see more of Dan and Kara, David and Daisy, and find out whether Carolina has made peace with her relationship with the much younger and very sexy Irishman, Seamus O’Grady.
Ready? Set? Let’s go back to Gansett Island!
Main Characters:
*Adam McCarthy, owns computer company in New York City.
*Abby Callahan, owner of Abby’s Attic, ex-girlfriend of Grant McCarthy, ex-fiancée of Cal Maitland.
*Indicates recurring throughout the series
Supporting Characters:
*Janey McCarthy Cantrell, married to Joe Cantrell in READY FOR LOVE.
*Grant McCarthy, engaged to Stephanie Logan in SEASON FOR LOVE.
*Aunt Joan, Linda’s sister.
*Linda McCarthy, grandmother of Thomas McCarthy in MAID FOR LOVE and Hailey McCarthy in FALLING FOR LOVE.
*Carolina Cantrell, involved with Seamus O’Grady in LONGING FOR LOVE.
*Captain Seamus O’Grady, Involved with Carolina Cantrell in LONGING FOR LOVE.
*Ned Saunders, engaged to Francine Chester in FALLING FOR LOVE.
*Francine Chester, grandmother of Ashleigh Sturgil, Thomas McCarthy and Hailey McCarthy, engaged to Ned Saunders in FALLING FOR LOVE.
*Rebecca, owner of diner in South Harbor.
*Luke Harris, married to Sydney Donovan in SEASON FOR LOVE.
*Mac McCarthy, Jr., married to Maddie in FOOL FOR LOVE, father of Thomas Chester McCarthy in MAID FOR LOVE, father of Hailey McCarthy in FALLING FOR LOVE.
*Big Mac McCarthy, Sr., grandfather to Thomas McCarthy in MAID FOR LOVE and Hailey McCarthy in FALLING FOR LOVE.
*Laura McCarthy, engaged to Owen Lawry and mother of Holden Newsome in SEASON FOR LOVE.
*Maddie McCarthy, mother of Thomas, married to Mac McCarthy in FOOL FOR LOVE, mother of Hailey McCarthy in FALLING FOR LOVE.
*Hailey McCarthy, daughter of Maddie and Mac, sister of Thomas McCarthy, born in FALLING FOR LOVE.
*Grace Ryan, involved with Evan McCarthy in HOPING FOR LOVE.
*Evan McCarthy, involved with Grace Ryan in HOPING FOR LOVE.
*Josh Harrelson, sound engineer at Island Breeze Records.
*Alex Martinez, landscaper, co-owner of Martinez Lawn & Garden, brother of Paul.
*Paul Martinez, landscaper, co-owner of Martinez Lawn & Garden, brother of Alex, member of Gansett Island Town Council.
*Dr. Cal Maitland, Abby’s ex-fiancé.
*Carol Callahan, Abby’s mother.
Sasha, Adam’s ex-girlfriend and business partner.
*Victoria, nurse practitioner/midwife, Gansett Island Clinic.
*Dr. David Lawrence, medical director, Gansett Island Clinic.
*Dr. Kevin McCarthy, psychiatrist, brother to Big Mac and Frank.
*Daisy Babson, housekeeper at McCarthy’s Gansett Inn.
*Laura McCarthy, engaged to Owen Lawry and mother of Holden Newsome in SEASON FOR LOVE.
*Owen Lawry, engaged to Laura McCarthy and stepfather of Holden Newsome in SEASON FOR LOVE.
*Sarah Lawry, involved with Charlie Grandchamp in LONGING FOR LOVE.
*Charlie Grandchamp, involved with Sarah Lawry in LONGING FOR LOVE.
*Chelsea, bartender at the Beachcomber.
*Tiffany Sturgil, mother of Ashleigh, involved with Blaine Taylor in LONGING FOR LOVE.
*Blaine Taylor, chief of Gansett Island Police, involved with Tiffany Sturgil in LONGING FOR LOVE.
*Holden Francis Newsome, Laura’s son with ex-husband Justin Newsome, stepson of Owen Lawry, born in SEASON FOR LOVE.
*Cissy, bartender at Stephanie’s Bistro.
*Duke, tattoo artist
*Jeff, tattoo artist
*Joe Cantrell, married to Janey McCarthy Cantrell in READY FOR LOVE.
*Rebecca, owner of Rebecca’s Diner.
*Doc Potter, veterinarian.
Rick Levinson, Adam’s attorney.
*Marion Martinez, owner of Martinez Lawn & Garden, mother of Alex and Paul, widow of George Martinez.
*Shane McCarthy, divorced from Courtney McCarthy.
*Judge Frank McCarthy, grandfather of Holden Newsome.
*Betsy Jacobson, mother of Steve, who was killed in the boating accident.
*Dan Torrington, involved with Kara Ballard in LONGING FOR LOVE.
*Kara Ballard, involved with Dan Torrington in LONGING FOR LOVE.
Places:
Shore Point Road, location of Grant and Stephanie’s home.
Southeast Light, lighthouse on the southeast side of the island.
Island Breeze Records, Evan’s studio, near the Southeast Light.
Martinez Lawn & Garden, owned by the Martinez family.
Computronic Solutions Incorporated, Adam’s company in New York City.
WAITING FOR LOVE Headlines:
Abby and Cal have broken up!
Adam lost his business in NYC!
Something is up with Grant after the boating accident!
Carolina tells Linda she’s seeing Seamus!
Introducing Marion, Alex and Paul Martinez!
Janey takes a year off from school to stay home to have her baby!
Surprise! Laura and Owen are expecting twins!
Evan and Grace get engaged!
Sydney is having tubal ligation reversal surgery!
Steve Jacobson’s mother, Betsy, has come to visit the McCarthys!
Grant is tormented that he couldn’t save Steve and Dan!
Abby is going to rent Janey’s house in town!
Adam sells his business and comes home to Gansett to be with Abby!
“I’m absolutely, positively, totally and completely done with men.
Done. Done. Done.” With that statement, Abby Callahan makes her last stand on a crowded noon ferry to Gansett Island, where she grew up.
She’s chased two men, one to Los Angeles and another to Texas, and is no closer to the marriage and children she craves than she was ten years ago.
Adam McCarthy is sitting near her on the boat and recognizes the voice but can’t place it.
She’s slurring her words as if she’s been drinking.
The seas are rough, and Adam has enough of his own problems. He isn’t about to take on someone else’s.
When the woman behind him gets seasick, he turns to see who she is and is shocked to see his brother Grant’s ex-girlfriend, Abby.
He escorts her outside to get some air and asks when she started drinking.
She’s done being a good girl because what good has that done for her?
She’s going to drink and party and swear like a sailor and have sex with strangers.
Adam thought she lived in Texas with her fiancé, Cal Maitland, now.
Not anymore, she replies as he notices she’s not wearing an engagement ring.
He’s had a hellacious week with a nightmare at work that resulted in him losing the company he founded, followed by the news that his three brothers were missing after a sailboat accident.
Abby walked away from a successful business, Abby’s Attic, to follow Cal to Texas after his mother had a stroke, for all the good that did her after she found out Cal still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend.
As she rants, Adam encourages her to test out some of her new swear words, but he doesn’t think she can have sex with strangers.
“How do you know? You don’t know me at all.”
“You dated my brother for ten years.”
“He didn’t know me either. I’ve never had the real deal. Have you?”
He thought so until recently, when his girlfriend screwed him out of his own business when the board found out they’d been seeing each other outside of work.
The best part is he’s the only one who knows anything about how to do the actual work.
There’s no way they can run the place without him.
Abby is upset to hear about the accident that nearly cost Grant his life.
They’ve been broken up for a while, but to hear he could’ve died…
She’s so upset that Adam finds himself hugging her and noticing what a sexy, curvy, beautiful woman his brother’s ex is.
He has to remind himself that this is Abby, his brother’s first love.
Hands off. They agree to keep each other’s secrets.
She’s staying at the Beachcomber, so she doesn’t have to hear her mother say she was right about Abby chasing after another man, only to have it not work out.
She tells Adam to come by if he wants to talk, since they don’t plan to tell anyone else their tales of woe.
He’ll be at his parents’ house if she needs him.
When the ferry lands, he helps her get her luggage across the street to the Beachcomber.