So excited to share that FOOL OF MAIN BEACH is now available in audiobook!!
It’s narrated by the awesome K.C. Kelly, who has narrated all the previous books in the series!
Listen to a sample of the Audiobook below and share your thoughts in the comments!
Available for purchase at
Audible
The unlikeliest of lovers. The sweetest of loves.
Fool of Main Beach
(Love of Laguna Series, Bk #5)
by Tara Lain
Blurb:
Merle Justice wants to reach for the stars, but it’s tough to get respect when playing a teenybopper vampire on TV. Then he meets a famous director anxious to give him all he thinks he wants—and maybe a bit more. Everything’s looking up until a life-threatening encounter with some homophobes on Main Beach puts Merle face-to-face with a Sasquatch-sized hero in a pink puffer coat.
Tom Henry defies description. As unsophisticated and simple as an angel, he walks through life content with who he is and asking for very little except to care for his sister, Lily, and the dogs he loves. Then he meets Merle, the embodiment of dreams he barely knows he has. Merle knows the people who hold his future in their hands might love Tom—but they’ll never understand Merle and Tom together. Tom knows it too. With lives this far apart, who’s really the fool of Main Beach?
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Also available in paperback
Excerpts
Tom sat on the side of the double bed that
Merle kept for company. “This is nice.”
Merle kept for company. “This is nice.”
“I’ll have a better place when my house is
done. The bathroom is across the hall. The towels are clean. I’ll see if I have
an extra toothbrush.”
done. The bathroom is across the hall. The towels are clean. I’ll see if I have
an extra toothbrush.”
Tom looked up with those big eyes. “Thank you
for saving me.”
for saving me.”
“I’m just glad you called.”
“I didn’t know who else to call. I was
thinking maybe Billy if I couldn’t get you.” He looked at his hands folded in
his lap. “I figured you’d be with Renee.”
thinking maybe Billy if I couldn’t get you.” He looked at his hands folded in
his lap. “I figured you’d be with Renee.”
“No. We left right after you did, and I came
here.”
here.”
Tom glanced up quickly and then back down.
Merle swallowed a little too loudly. “I might
have some pajama bottoms that will fit you, but they’ll be way too short.”
have some pajama bottoms that will fit you, but they’ll be way too short.”
“That’s okay. I’ll wear my undies.”
“So, uh, sleep well.” He turned and
practically raced to his own room before his nobility faded.
practically raced to his own room before his nobility faded.
Tom stared at his hands some more. Merle sure did want to go back to sleep. I
must have bothered him. But I’m still
happy he came to get me. I didn’t want to fuck Aaron or even suck his cock like
he said.
must have bothered him. But I’m still
happy he came to get me. I didn’t want to fuck Aaron or even suck his cock like
he said.
Tom stood and walked to the bathroom across
the hall. He glanced toward the other door just a little way away. That’s where Merle is. Light still
showed under the door. Not asleep yet.
the hall. He glanced toward the other door just a little way away. That’s where Merle is. Light still
showed under the door. Not asleep yet.
No toothbrush. Merle forgot. But Tom found some toothpaste in a drawer and put
some on his finger and slid it around. After rinsing, he peed, washed his hands
and face, and went back into the bedroom, stripped to his boxer briefs, and
hung his jeans and shirt and jacket on hangers in the closet.
some on his finger and slid it around. After rinsing, he peed, washed his hands
and face, and went back into the bedroom, stripped to his boxer briefs, and
hung his jeans and shirt and jacket on hangers in the closet.
He pulled back the covers and found nice
white sheets, then crawled in and flipped off the light beside the bed. Wonder if Merle’s asleep? I hope the boys
are okay and don’t miss me too much. He almost never left them overnight.
Mrs. A. wouldn’t like it if he did it very much. The boys wouldn’t like it
either.
white sheets, then crawled in and flipped off the light beside the bed. Wonder if Merle’s asleep? I hope the boys
are okay and don’t miss me too much. He almost never left them overnight.
Mrs. A. wouldn’t like it if he did it very much. The boys wouldn’t like it
either.
He sighed and stretched his hands behind his
head. I shouldn’t have said I’d go
dancing with Aaron. Why did I do that?
head. I shouldn’t have said I’d go
dancing with Aaron. Why did I do that?
He followed the patterns of headlights
streaking across the wall through a gap in the curtains. I like to dance. His lips compressed in a line. I wanted to dance, but not with Aaron. I
wanted to dance with Merle. He smiled. I
got to and it was rad. Merle’s the best dancer ever.
streaking across the wall through a gap in the curtains. I like to dance. His lips compressed in a line. I wanted to dance, but not with Aaron. I
wanted to dance with Merle. He smiled. I
got to and it was rad. Merle’s the best dancer ever.
Oh
boy. He shook his head. I really like Merle. I never
should’ve said I’d go with Aaron when I wanted to go with Merle. That was dumb.
And not very nice. He blew out his breath in a long stream and felt it
tickle his chest. But Merle didn’t ask
me.
boy. He shook his head. I really like Merle. I never
should’ve said I’d go with Aaron when I wanted to go with Merle. That was dumb.
And not very nice. He blew out his breath in a long stream and felt it
tickle his chest. But Merle didn’t ask
me.
Flipping to his side, he stroked the soft
sheets. But maybe Merle wants me to ask
him. When I called him, he came right
away like—like nobody ever has. What would he do if I just told him?
sheets. But maybe Merle wants me to ask
him. When I called him, he came right
away like—like nobody ever has. What would he do if I just told him?
Tom tiptoed up the stairs carrying the two big boxes. He’d
knocked, but no answer. Mist met him at the top step, giving him a little hop.
He nodded at her, patted her with one hand, then carried the pizza quietly to
the kitchen. Merle was sound asleep. Boy, he must be tired. Maybe I should put the pizza in plastic bags
and carry Merle to bed?
knocked, but no answer. Mist met him at the top step, giving him a little hop.
He nodded at her, patted her with one hand, then carried the pizza quietly to
the kitchen. Merle was sound asleep. Boy, he must be tired. Maybe I should put the pizza in plastic bags
and carry Merle to bed?
“Don’t even think about eating all that pizza by yourself.” Merle
laughed behind him, and it made his whole body feel warm to hear it.
laughed behind him, and it made his whole body feel warm to hear it.
He turned. “I think me and Mist can do it. She gets one and I get
the other.”
the other.”
Merle stood, and he looked yummier than the pizza. “Can dogs eat
pizza?”
pizza?”
“Nope. It’s bad for them. But they do it anyway sometimes.”
Merle nodded. “I guess we’re all like that, aren’t we?”
“Eat pizza?”
He shook his head. “No. We like to do stuff that’s bad for us.”
Merle wiped a hand over his face.
Merle wiped a hand over his face.
The words made his ears feel tingly like they wouldn’t stop
repeating. Tom swallowed. Yeah, Merle
thinks I’m bad for him. People would make fun of him for having me around. I bother him for sex when he should be
making friends with people like Renee. Important people. He turned so Merle
couldn’t see his face.
repeating. Tom swallowed. Yeah, Merle
thinks I’m bad for him. People would make fun of him for having me around. I bother him for sex when he should be
making friends with people like Renee. Important people. He turned so Merle
couldn’t see his face.
I
forgot how much this hurts.
forgot how much this hurts.
Tom grabbed the plates and set them in front of two stools by the
island. “This is a good place to eat, and it’s easy to clean up.”
island. “This is a good place to eat, and it’s easy to clean up.”
Merle touched his back. It made him jump. “I really love the way
you worked out the feeding station for Mist. How did you ever think of it?”
you worked out the feeding station for Mist. How did you ever think of it?”
He tried to smile. “That’s what I’d do if I lived here. I thought
Mist would like it.” He looked up. “I just made it for her. The boys ate on the
floor. They didn’t mind.”
Mist would like it.” He looked up. “I just made it for her. The boys ate on the
floor. They didn’t mind.”
“Where are the boys?” Merle opened the refrigerator. “Oh good. You
want beer?”
want beer?”
“Yes. In the sewing room.”
“What?” Merle looked up really fast.
“The boys are in the sewing room at Mrs. A.’s and yes, please, I’d
like a beer.”
like a beer.”
Merle opened the bottles and put one in front of each place; then
he dished salad onto the plates. “How come you left the boys there? Will Lily
watch them for you?”
he dished salad onto the plates. “How come you left the boys there? Will Lily
watch them for you?”
Tom got the forks. “No, I’ll take them out when I go home.”
“Oh.” Merle looked really surprised. “I thought you were staying
here.”
here.”
His heart leaped so high it tickled his throat. “Oh, I—”
Merle frowned. “Sorry. I don’t mean to take advantage of you. I’m
sure you want to be in your own place.”
sure you want to be in your own place.”
Tom stared at the pizza. It didn’t look quite so good as it did
before. “I don’t have a place, Merle.”
before. “I don’t have a place, Merle.”
“What do you mean? Aren’t you staying with Mrs. Allison anymore?”
“Lily lives in my room now. I just stay in the sewing room with
the boys.” He didn’t want to feel bad about that. He liked having Lily stay,
but he didn’t have anything that was his.
the boys.” He didn’t want to feel bad about that. He liked having Lily stay,
but he didn’t have anything that was his.
“You can stay here.”
He nodded and pushed the slice of pizza on his plate. “Yes. Thank
you. I’ll bring the boys back Monday night and look after Mist and watch the
place.”
you. I’ll bring the boys back Monday night and look after Mist and watch the
place.”
“Oh.” Merle looked unhappy. He took a bite of his pizza and chewed
slowly. “I was thinking you might want to stay tonight.” He looked up. “You
know, go get the boys first.”
slowly. “I was thinking you might want to stay tonight.” He looked up. “You
know, go get the boys first.”
Something strange happened in Tom’s chest. Like growing and
shrinking at the same time. It hurt, almost. Words came out before he could
stop them. “That’s okay, Merle. Thank you. But you need to have fun in your
house. I better go be with Lily since I haven’t been with her too much and she
probably gets lonely too.” He stood before he could even stop himself. “If you
don’t mind, I’ll take some of this great pizza to Lily because she really loves
it. You know that.” He rushed over to the drawer where he’d put the plastic
bags, got one, and stuffed it full of pizza slices. Merle stared at him really
funny. “You have a good sleep, and I’ll come back Monday and stay for as long
as you need me to, okay? I’m really glad you like your house. That makes me
happier than anything.” He waved and hurried toward the steps. “Bye, Merle.”
shrinking at the same time. It hurt, almost. Words came out before he could
stop them. “That’s okay, Merle. Thank you. But you need to have fun in your
house. I better go be with Lily since I haven’t been with her too much and she
probably gets lonely too.” He stood before he could even stop himself. “If you
don’t mind, I’ll take some of this great pizza to Lily because she really loves
it. You know that.” He rushed over to the drawer where he’d put the plastic
bags, got one, and stuffed it full of pizza slices. Merle stared at him really
funny. “You have a good sleep, and I’ll come back Monday and stay for as long
as you need me to, okay? I’m really glad you like your house. That makes me
happier than anything.” He waved and hurried toward the steps. “Bye, Merle.”
Just like that, he was down the steps and out the door and into
his truck with the warm pizza kind of squished in his hand. The front door of
the house opened, so he backed out really fast and gunned it up the street
before he could see Merle and change his mind.
his truck with the warm pizza kind of squished in his hand. The front door of
the house opened, so he backed out really fast and gunned it up the street
before he could see Merle and change his mind.
He made it all the way to the Pacific Coast Highway before the
first sob made him bite his lip. Why did
I do that? Why? I wanted to stay with Merle so bad.
first sob made him bite his lip. Why did
I do that? Why? I wanted to stay with Merle so bad.
He drove straight down the highway in the right lane so he didn’t
have to pass or go too fast ’cause he couldn’t see so good. He hooked his
shoulder to wipe the wet from his jaw where it was about to drip.
have to pass or go too fast ’cause he couldn’t see so good. He hooked his
shoulder to wipe the wet from his jaw where it was about to drip.
Why?
Because
it hurts so much worse when it’s over.
it hurts so much worse when it’s over.
Love in Laguna Series
Bk #1
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Bk #2
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Bk #3
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Bk #4
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