For a fun twist, let’s take a look at the story from a character’s point of view. Peggy Jaeger, interviewed Lacey Montgomery, the heroine of Casi McLean’s multi-award-winning novel, Beneath The Lake. Her interview has become as timeless as the time travel romantic suspense. Discover, first hand, why enchanting tales await at Lake Lanier.

But today is Lacey’s day to shine, so join us for our brief interview: 

Lacey: Good morning, Peggy. Thank you so much for your interest in my story. I never would have believed the stream of events if I hadn’t lived through them. I mean the concept of a time slip is intriguing, but I never dreamed the idea held merit beyond books and movies.

Peggy: I agree, but when I heard what happened to you, I felt compelled to share your story with our readers. Let’s begin by telling us a little about yourself and what led to your amazing experience.

Lacey: Well, I’m a lawyer so, under normal circumstances, I’m not prone to fantasizing or hallucinations, but when you walk in on your boyfriend in a lustful tryst with another woman, a momentary lapse in judgment is totally reasonable.

After dumping a vase of narcissus over both of them I took off, not even thinking about the twisting mountain roads or torrential rain. When my car slid out of control I hurtled into the lake. In hindsight, I could have handled the situation with a little less emotion. The accident was on me. But what happened afterwards would freak out anyone.

It sounds like you had a rough evening…

Peggy: but every woman dreams of meeting her soul mate. If you could relive the night, would you react differently?

Lacey: That’s the thing. I wouldn’t. Sometimes events you believe are the worst that can happen, turn out to be the pivotal moments in your life. When the whirlpool thrust me into the murky depths, I was sure I was dead. Even if I had the strength to fight against the swirling current, the water was pitch black and my lungs ached for oxygen.

The next thing I knew, this angel-an angel dressed in jeans  and a tight, white T-shirt-was carrying me, soothing me. Was I dreaming, or had I died and gone to heaven?

It took me a while to figure out where I was…or should I say when I was. But I’m living proof that traveling through time is possible. A portal at the bottom of the lake sucked me back in time to 1949, thirty-four years before I was born.

Peggy: I can’t imagine. Weren’t you scared? I’d probably be ready for the men in white coats to haul me away.

I was terrified, at first.

Lacey: And yet, from the first moment I opened my eyes in Bobby Reynolds’ arms, he made me feel safe. He sparked something inside of me I’d never felt before. Of course, my record with men was less than stellar, but as hard as I tried to fight the connection, my heart melted every time we were together. I knew I found the man of my dreams, but the crack in time didn’t get the memo. The gateway had its own agenda.

Peggy: So what happened? Did you end up with the love of your life?

Lacey: Let’s just say after evading treacherous bootleggers, a creepy stalker and a ceaseless search for the key to the portal, we found a happy ending. But if you want to know how and the details of what happened, you’ll have to read Beneath The Lake. I’d sacrifice anything for Bobby and he’d do the same for me. But the future isn’t always in your control.

I hope you enjoyed our interview with Lacey.

Now, scroll down for your special sneak peek of Beneath the Lake.

Description:

A ghost town time forgot…A romance you’ll remember forever.

A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery’s car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy, black water, she awakens in the arms of a handsome stranger, in a place she’s never heard of––thirty-four years before she was born.

When the twenty-first century lawyer tangles with the 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes. Learning the truth about her origins does nothing to stop the passion from taking root in his heart, and leaves him torn between finding a way to help Lacey return to her time or convincing her stay with him.

The desperation to find her way home dissolves as Lacey falls in love with a town destined to be erased from the face of the Earth, and the man who vows to protect it. Will the couple discover the key to the mysterious portal before time rips them apart? Or will their star-crossed spirits wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake?

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Prologue

Lake Lanier, Georgia—Present Day—June

A final thud hurled him backward, flailing through brush and thickets like a rag doll. Grasping at anything to break his momentum, Rob’s hand clung to a branch wedged into the face of the precipice. Spiny splinters sliced his skin. Oozing blood trickled into his palms and, one by one, his fingers slowly slipped.

A sharp crack echoed through the silence of the ravine as the bough succumbed to his weight. He plummeted into free fall. Clenching his eyes, he drew in a deep breath, terrified of the pain, the mauling waiting on the jagged rocks below.

When icy water broke his fall, the chill kept him from losing consciousness. He swirled, straining to see, but darkness enveloped him. Soggy clothing pulled him deeper—deeper into the murky, fathomless depths. He wrestled to squirm free from the saturated jacket dragging him down to a watery grave, and watched the coat disappear into black obscurity. Panic clenched his stomach, or was it death that snaked around his chest, squeezing, squeezing, squeezing the air and the life from his body? Lack of oxygen burned his lungs, beckoning surrender. A shard of rage pierced his gut as reality set in. He lunged upward with one last thrust and burst from the water’s deadly grip, gasping for air. A gurgling howl spewed from the depths of his soul and echoed into silence.

Sunlight shimmered across a smooth, indigo lake, but aside from the slight ripples of his own paddling, nothing but stillness surrounded him. He floated toward the shore, sucking deep breaths into his lungs until the pummeling in his chest subsided. When he reached the water’s edge, he hoisted his body onto the soft red clay and collapsed while the sun’s warmth drained the tension from his body.

No one knew he survived. The rules had shifted. Rob mused. Now, he could reinvent himself, become a stealth predator. His target: Lacey Madison Montgomery.

Chapter One


One Year Later—June

June ninth began like any ordinary day, but for me, nothing would ever be ordinary again. In hindsight, I realized a rainy night wasn’t the catalyst for my twist of fate. The storm was more like a vortex, with currents reaching out beyond imagination. Within twenty-four hours, I would lose my ability to distinguish dreams from reality. But I digress. The chain of events really started before the storm. As I left Buckhead Plaza on Thursday evening, my cell phone rang.

“You’ll come, Lace, won’t you? Please. You have to see my new lake house.”

My best friend, Piper, refused to take no for an answer. Of course, she forgot to mention the extravagant charity party she planned. So, here I was, Lacey Montgomery, an introverted attorney, caught amid a crowd of wealthy people I abhorred.

“Ahh, this must be Lacey.”

The voice wrapped around me like a warm blanket, familiar—and yet unidentified. Perhaps I heard it long ago or conjured him in a forgotten dream. I’m not sure what I expected when I turned around, but one glimpse of the incredibly hot man standing behind me and my legs went weak. A warm tingle slithered into my most sensual spots.

Piper cocked her head and beamed a familiar I-told-you-so smile. “Lace, this is Rob, the neighbor I bragged about last night.”

As he leaned forward to kiss her cheek, his gaze anchored to mine.

“I’m glad you could attend our little soirée, Miss Montgomery.”

“Rob is an architectural genius,” Piper gushed. “I never could’ve pulled off the design of my deck without him.”

An eerie sense of déjà vu washed over me. Strange. I’d never seen him before, but something about this man made my heart race.

“You flatter me, Piper. I’m sure you would’ve devised a plan of your own.”

As Rob’s gaze deepened, his conversation with Piper waned to a muted echo. Was I the only one who noticed his stare probing mine? The party faded into the background and for several heartbeats time stood still. No one else existed except the man standing in front of me. A surreal heat surged between us. An energy so intense, I wasn’t sure if I felt passion or panic.

Before last night, I’d never heard of Rob. He was a perfect stranger. And now, I’m captivated by this hot, mesmerizing…a breath caught in my throat. Snap out of it, Lace. The man was married and, according to Piper, blissfully happy. And what about Cole? A wave of guilt flashed through me. I wasn’t a free agent, despite my boyfriend’s abrupt departure, bailing on our weekend getaway again for yet another client emergency. Still, for some odd reason, Rob stirred something deep inside of me.

“He does have a knack for getting things done.” Piper’s friend, Travis, chuckled.

Geez. Did I say my thoughts out loud? Rob enchanted me and drew me into a mesmeric daze. But surely, I didn’t utter my curious attraction or dissed Cole aloud. Did I?

Travis patted Rob on the back. “This guy is the most inspired man I’ve ever known.” He arched an eyebrow. “And speaking about inspiration.” Eyeing a voluptuous young woman strutting by Travis trolled after her.

Thank you, God. I didn’t say a word. No one had an inkling of the visceral responses Rob’s gaze evoked in me, or my momentary zone-out into la-la-land. I’d never felt a rush like that before.

Piper pursed her lips. “See, Rob, even Travis thinks you’re amazing.” Tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear, she glanced around to inspect the crowd.

Rob didn’t respond to her comment. His eyes, twinkling like pools of cobalt fire, burned into mine, melting my inhibitions.

Finally managing to speak, I extended a hand, anticipating an intense reaction to his touch. “It’s nice to meet you, Rob.”

He reached forward in slow motion.

I’d have stood there for hours, staring into those gorgeous blue eyes, totally spellbound, if Piper hadn’t ripped me away.

“Oh, Lace, there’s Riley.” She tugged on my arm. “Come on, you have to meet her.”

Piper dragged me in tow just as Rob’s fingers grazed mine, and I could swear a flux of electricity tingled between us.

“Riley is a defense lawyer, too, but she represents…”

My friend kept talking as she led me toward the ballroom, but I didn’t hear a word she said. Still captivated by Rob, I glanced over my shoulder and shrugged, offering an apologetic smile.

“I’ll see you later?” I intended my comment to be a statement, not a question. But I couldn’t help myself. Why did this man have such a profound effect on me?

“I’ll catch up to you.” Rob offered an oddly intoxicating grin. “You can count on it.” He turned toward Travis and the lady he managed to charm.

Despite my disdain for swanky parties, not to mention being tricked into attending this one, I actually enjoyed the distraction. Something about Piper’s friends made me feel relaxed, comfortable, as if I’d known them for years—except for Rob. No matter who I spoke to the entire evening, I found myself constantly searching the room for a glimpse of him. Part of me felt guilty about the physical reaction I sensed when we met. The attraction could never evolve into anything. Still, I couldn’t wait to get Piper alone to ask her more about her intriguing neighbor—and his wife. Unfortunately, I never got the chance.

Between the music and voices, no one noticed the storm approaching until a powerful gust of wind blew open the main entry door. I slipped outside to check my car windows, then scooted upstairs to the parlor for my purse so I could comb my disheveled hair and dry the mist from my arms.

When I opened the door, I inadvertently walked in on a man and woman stretched across the chaise lounge in a lustful embrace, passionately fondling each other. Dress hiked up around her waist, the woman closed her eyes. The man’s face burrowed between her bulging breasts while his hands roved over her thighs.

“Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry.” Turning to leave, I caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. I froze. “Cole?” Anger seething, I spun, trying to make sense of what I saw. A gut-wrenching wound wrought with adrenaline throbbed in the pit of my stomach. Taking a deep breath, I forced the familiar ache into a closet in the back of my mind, then slammed the door shut. The ice queen took over.

Cole looked up, and his gaze met mine.

“Lacey? What the hell are you doing here?” He twisted around, pushing the woman aside, his confused glare fixed on mine.

“I was invited.” Controlled rage shot adrenaline through my body that bubbled through my gut. “I thought you were in New York with your big client.”

My cold reply must have stunned him.

His face went pale. “Right, well, he…” Squirming, Cole fumbled for words, then frowned. “Wait, a minute.” He sat up straight and brushed his rumpled hair from his face. “How did you know where I—were you following me?”

“Following you?” I sneered. “Don’t flatter yourself.” I clenched my fists so hard my nails cut into my palms. If testosterone fueled my behavior, I’m certain my knuckles would have landed squarely on his jaw. Forcing my fingers to relax, I rested my hands on my hips and waited for his lame response.

“No, you’d never think to. I mean…never mind. I can explain.” He stood and tucked in the back of his shirt.

The woman pulled down her dress. Straightening her hair, she spoke in a voice laced with annoyance. “I can’t wait to hear your explanation, sweetie.”

Did Cole actually say I’d never think to? Was I that easily manipulated? “Don’t bother, Cole.” I stomped around the chaise to gather my belongings, having every intention of storming out the door without uttering another word. Instead, on impulse, I picked up a large crystal globe filled with fresh-cut narcissus from the table beside the sofa, calmly turned, and tossed the entire contents over both of them. “Fitting flowers for a narcissistic jerk, wouldn’t you say?” I grabbed my shawl and purse, turned on my heel, and marched out.

Maybe my actions had something to do with my discussion with Piper the night before, but seeing Cole’s reflection, stunned and drenched in daffodils, I felt a sense of satisfaction that tempered my anger.

He tore after me, his messy hair and half-buttoned tux shirt dripping and a sprinkling of white and yellow petals lingering on his neck and sleeve. “Lacey, wait. You don’t understand.”

I paused at the top of the staircase and coolly replied, “I understand perfectly. Too bad a flower vase full of water was the only thing handy.” Raising my voice a notch, I yelled toward the parlor, “He’s all yours, honey.” My gaze bored into his. “Go back to your client, Cole.”

The emotion behind my icy comments must have resounded a lot louder than I intended. The crowd below hushed. I turned in a huff. Glancing over the banister, I realized I wasn’t alone. All eyes stared as if some starlet had spilled fine Bordeaux on her snow-white Valentino dress. Dropped jaws and blank stares fell over the entire room and followed me step by step down the lavish, never-ending staircase. To make matters worse, soft background music amplified through the silence. Anxiety bit at the base of my neck, while the indistinct lyrics blurred together. Perfect, a romantic ballad confirming my loveless life.

When you find your true love

fly to her side

or you’ll dream all alone

Get a grip, Lace. I had to say something to break the tension. “Lawyers,” I announced, wishing I could just fade into the woodwork and disappear altogether. Halfway down the steps, I felt a rush of emotion explode inside. My head swirled. Dear Lord, please don’t let me collapse right here in front of everyone. I gripped the handrail to keep from losing my balance.

A single pair of hands in the middle of the crowd clapped, slowly at first, inviting others to join.

When Rob’s cobalt eyes met mine, a flood of tranquility flowed through me like warm honey, calming me as if he had willed my composure.

One by one, the guests followed suit, clapping until the entire room boomed with a boisterous ovation.

I marched down the rest of the stairs with head held high, strutted through the ornate foyer, then sailed out the front entrance toward my car. Surely, Piper would understand why I had to leave. I’d call her when I got back to the house, but after the entire ordeal with Cole, there was no way I could return to the party.

I pulled off my heels and wrapped my shawl around my purse and shoes, then darted through pouring rain. The deluge pelted my arms, and the wind whipped my gown around me. Totally drenched by the time I reached my car, I fumbled with my fob, pressing the remote over and over before the lock finally released. Once inside, I pressed start, then sped away, leaving a trail of rubber, despite the rain. Still furious with myself, as well as Cole, I tightened my grip on the steering wheel to keep my hands from trembling.

Rain peppered the convertible top like the thrum of a rolling train, beating in unison with the swish-swish of the wipers. My headlights reflected off sheets of rain instead of lighting the way ahead, and the curvy road that was tricky in broad daylight now twisted hypnotically, daring, luring me forward. The downpour distorted my view. I could barely see the secluded mountain road. Nothing looked familiar.

Tears trickled down my cheeks as the emotion behind my confrontation with Cole sank in. When I brushed the moisture away with the back of my hand, my eyes blurred for an instant. The car hydroplaned, slid sideways, and skidded across the flooded highway as if it was sheer ice, smooth and deadly. Water spewed upward, spraying everywhere. I battled the steering wheel, turned into the slide, and managed to regain control. Trembling, I slowed to a crawl and stopped on the narrow shoulder of the road.

Relax, Lacey. Just breathe. I filled my lungs, held the breath for a few moments, then blew tension out with the air. How could Cole bail on our weekend and blatantly lie to me to hook up with that pretentious, plastic skank?

That’s when it hit me. If Cole broke our date to go to Piper’s party, he must’ve known about the event before I did. But that made no sense. Piper’s only knowledge of Cole was what she heard from me, and from all indications, she had little interest in meeting him.

Thunder boomed. I jerked in response, pressing harder on my brakes. The wind whirled around my Lexus, pushing it against the night while rain interspersed with tiny nuggets of hail bounced off the hood. Fiddling with my phone’s GPS proved useless. No bars confirmed the nonexistent service on my car GPS as well. My instincts told me Piper’s lake house was close, but where? I could barely see the road through the downpour. The defrost fan, turned up full blast, did little to clear the condensation fogging the windshield. I grabbed my shawl to wipe the moisture-ridden glass.

A flash of lightning burst through the obscurity. Glancing in the rearview mirror, I caught a glimpse of a shadow skulking in the distance behind my car, but the image quickly faded as inky darkness swallowed the light. A chill ran down my neck to the middle of my back and clenched.

“It’s just the storm, Lace. Get a grip.” Reassuring myself didn’t work. Another burst of lightning streaked through the night, followed by a roll of thunder. Lurching around, I saw a ghostly figure hovering a few yards behind me. The image darted forward. With my foot pressed to the floor, I threw the car into gear and peeled off down the road, gravel spitting behind me. A single thought flooded my mind—escape.

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About Casi:

Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense, like Beneath The Lake, WINNER: 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.

Casi’s powerful memoir, Wingless Butterfly: Healing The Broken Child Within, shares an inspirational message of courage, tenacity, and hope, and displays her unique ability to excel in nonfiction and self-help as well as fiction. Known for enchanting stories with magical description, McLean entices readers in nonfiction as well with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in storylines they can’t put down.

Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you’ll devour. You’ll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You’ll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you’ll want more.

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