The Lobster Trap

contents 1. Caroline 2. Dune 3. Caroline 4. Dune 5. Caroline 6. Dune 7. Caroline 8. Dune 9. Caroline 10. Dune 11. Caroline 12. Dune 13. Caroline 14. Dune 15. Caroline 16. Dune 17. Caroline 18. Dune 19. Dune 20. Caroline 21. Dune 22. Caroline 23. Dune Epilogue Also by Heidi McLaughlin About Heidi McLaughlin About Kassidy Maye THE LOBSTER TRAP THE SEAPORT SERIES HEIDI MCLAUGHLIN & KASSIDY MAYE © 2023 The right of Heidi McLaughlin to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000. This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the publisher. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. COVER DESIGN: Designs by Dana EDITING: Edits by Amy Created with Vellum caroline Caroline Taylor stared out of the large train window at the scenery passing by. The train jostled back and forth as it rolled over the tracks. Three more stops and she’d be in the one place she wanted to visit for as long as she could remember, ever since a classmate told her about Seaport and showed her pictures. Caroline couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but the imagery appealed to her, called to her, like birds called to their friends. She spent hours looking at photos of the harbor, the yachts, and wharfs. The cobblestone streets. The homes which dated back to the seventeen and eighteen hundreds, and wondered what it was like to live in one of those. And then there were the mansions, with their expansive yards and breathtaking views of the ocean. She would spend a full summer, by herself, without her parents bugging her about her future. Sure, she could’ve gone to Aruba or some other tropical island, but she wanted to spend her last summer before adulthood took over on this quaint New England Island. And then there were two. The conductor announced the next stop . . . her stop. His voice was fuzzy and hard to understand. None of that mattered though. Caroline didn’t need to hear him clearly to know. Ever since she boarded the train in New Haven she had the stops memorized. As soon as they went across the bridge, and the Atlantic was on either side of them, it was as if nature knew she would arrive at any moment. The sky was a swathe of pinks and oranges reminding her of a tub of sherbet. The train slowed. Caroline could see people going on about their day. They didn't seem to care about the train or the people coming to their town. Everything she had read about this charming island told her Seaport welcomed visitors. She smiled when the train went around the bend, and the land opened to the perfect view of the water. The ocean sparkled like sapphires while the setting sun on the horizon hugged the many boats floating among the waves. All of her research showed her this town deserved to be on postcards and calendars with its cobblestoned streets, clapboard houses, its mansions, and boardwalk. Caroline couldn’t hide her excitement and jumped up before the train came to a full stop. She hit the seat in front of her and apologized profusely and then stepped out into the aisle, hopping on the seat to give herself the boost she needed to yank down her suitcase. “Here, let me,” a kind man behind her said. He brought her luggage down and set it in the aisle for her. “Thank you.” Caroline stacked her bag on top of her suitcase, slung her purse over her shoulder, and waited not so patiently to get off the train. She yearned to smell the salty sea air. Caroline stepped out onto the platform and tipped her head back. She inhaled and let the oceanic essence wash over her. For the first time in months, she felt at peace. She needed this vacation and didn’t regret booking the trip despite her father’s protests. Seaport was going to be her escape from reality for the next three months. A recent Yale graduate with honors, she had a cushy job waiting for her at Goldman Sachs in New York City. The idea of it made her nauseous. Caroline needed a break. There was no way she could start her job without clearing her head. Her father failed to understand her desire for a vacation, probably because he rarely took one unless his heart doctor forced it upon him. The train horn blared as it slowly pulled away from the station. Everyone who had disembarked with her had dispersed and very few people lingered. She grabbed the handle of her suitcase and made her way to the exit where she knew she would find a rideshare with ease. However, as soon as she saw the town laid out in front of her, Caroline wanted to walk. She wanted to experience everything in the moment and a car barreling down the road wouldn’t afford her the opportunity to take it all in. Besides, if a restaurant or store sparked her interest, she’d be able to stop and explore. The light breeze wrapped around her, making her want to be outside while the sun still had some life left. She typed the address to her cottage into her phone and set off in the direction indicated on the map. Her decision to walk was the right one. Her path took her along the water and near the boats docked for the night. She walked past the restaurants and nightlife. Seagulls squawked overhead, which made her laugh. Every time she turned a