Chasing Happy (Texas Desires #1) Read online

  Chasing

  Happy

  By Rylie Roberts

  Chasing Happy

  Copyright © Rylie Roberts 2015

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Edited by Jae Ashley

  Cover art by Reese Dante

  http://www.reesedante.com

  First Edition September 2015

  Published by: Rylie Roberts

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, Kindle Alexander LLC, [email protected]. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without permission from Kindle Alexander, LLC. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author's rights and livelihood is appreciated.

  Chasing Happy is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Licensed material is being used for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted in the licensed material is a model.

  Trademark

  Acknowledgements

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following trademarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Perot Museum of Nature and Science: Petrus Management Holding Company, Inc.

  Sperry: SR Holdings, LLC

  Advil: Wyeth, LLC

  American Express: American Express Marketing & Development Corp.

  Armani: Giorgio Armani, SPA

  Bentley: Bentley Motors Limited

  Blue Ribbon: Pabst Brewing Company LLC

  Cinderella: Disney Enterprises, Inc.

  Dior: Christian Dior Couture, S.A.

  Facebook: Facebook, Inc.

  Forbes: Forbes LLC

  George Foreman Grill: Spectrum Brands, Inc.

  Google: Google, Inc.

  Grey Goose: Barcardi & Company

  HBO: Home Box Office, Inc.

  iPhone: Apple, Inc.

  Jimmy Choo: J. Choo Limited Liability Company

  Keurig: Keurig, Inc.

  Lamaze: Lamaze International, Inc.

  MAC (makeup): Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd.

  Neimans (also Neiman-Marcus): NM Nevada Trust Corporation

  Porsche Carrera: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG Corporation

  Rolex: Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc.

  Samsung S5: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

  Soffe: M.J. Soffe, LLC

  Sprite: The Coca-Cola Company

  TED Talks: Ted Conferences, LLC

  The Godfather: Paramount Pictures Corporation

  Twilight Zone: CBS Broadcasting Inc.

  University of Texas: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System

  Vogue: Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.

  Wake Forest University: Wake Forest University

  Dedication

  Jae, thank you for the love and support. This wouldn’t be what it is today without you.

  To my little girl.

  It’s always about you.

  A, I love you my dear sweet friend.

  Lisa Jane, thank you for always being there.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  September, 1992

  Wind ruffled Reed Prescott’s hair as the cool crisp breeze filtered through the driver’s side window of Mr. Bryant’s new pickup truck. Mr. Bryant and his wife sat up front, Reed chose the back, sitting utterly still, and quietly looking out the window. The night made it impossible to see much, but even at eight years old, he knew these roads reasonably well. Lubbock, Texas, wasn’t known for its interesting scenery.

  “The boys are lookin’ forward to you comin’ home tonight,” Linda Bryant said in a thick, Southern country accent. Reed didn’t answer because he didn’t know what to say. Instead, he bit his lip and waited, jostling a little as Mr. Bryant took a turn off the county road, heading down the long driveway to their house.

  He’d visited this place many times throughout his short life. Even though it felt like home, he’d learned to hold his excitement. Nothing ever worked out too well for him, and no matter what Mr. and Mrs. Bryant said, Reed wasn’t completely certain that Child Protective Services wouldn’t come for him someday.

  Mr. Bryant circled the drive and pulled the truck right up front. Reed saw four boys and one girl standing outside on the porch. He remembered Bray and Candy—they were Mr. and Mrs. Bryant’s children—but he didn’t recognize any of the others who stood there watching him arrive. Mrs. Bryant opened the front passenger-side door while looking back over her shoulder with a gentle smile that reached her voice when she said, “They couldn’t wait for you to get here.”

  He was slower to open his door. Reed reached for his backpack before leaving the truck. It wasn’t much, but held everything he owned in the world. He slung it over his shoulder as he used the side rail to climb down from the truck. Bray and Candy were the first ones down the porch steps to greet him. Candy had always been sweet to him. She was littler than Bray, but bounced up to him, giving him a giant hug. Bray came toward him too, but stayed about a foot back, a big toothy grin on his face.

  “Daddy says you’re finally our new brother,” Candy said, showing a missing tooth up front. “Momma, says you’re gonna share a room with Bray until you get comfortable enough to move into your room.”

  “Baby, let him get inside the house,” Mr. Bryant said, placing a hand on his daughter’s shoulder, and shooed her back toward the house. Reed followed the group up the stairs, and Bray stayed by his side as they walked. He’d always liked Bray a lot. He shared his toys when most kids he knew never would.

  “Dad said you could play baseball with us if you want,” Bray said quietly. “Do you like baseball?”

  “I guess, I haven’t ever played before,” Reed confessed.

  “We could teach you,” one of the boys on the porch said. He stood at the rail watching him closely.

  “That’s Cole. He lives on the farm next to ours. That’s Connor and Tyler. They’re in my class. I’ve known them since kindergarten. They said you can be in our group,” Bray offered, pointing to the two other guys.

  “We’re the Bandits. We named ourselves after our baseb
all team because we couldn’t think of anything better,” Cole explained. Reed watched Mr. and Mrs. Bryant disappear behind the screen door. Candy was there too. Mr. Bryant had his hand on her shoulder again, guiding her forward even though her eyes watched them. He could tell she wanted to be out there with them.

  “He talks a lot. You gotta ignore him,” Tyler said, hooking a thumb toward Cole.

  “Boys, we have cake and ice cream. Let Reed come in and get settled,” Mrs. Bryant said, coming back to the screen door. “Y’all come on in and celebrate!”

  “So, are you really their new brother?” Connor asked, trailing behind as they followed Mrs. Bryant.

  “I don’t know,” Reed said.

  “Yep, he is. Mom and Dad adopted him and the paperwork’s signed. Nobody can come take you again.” Candy had been right by her mother’s side and now stood close to Reed, explaining everything to the guys. Reed hoped with all his heart that her words were true. “And Mom bought you cookies and cream. She said that’s your favorite. It’s mine too.” She squealed with delight. Mr. Bryant waited in the living room and took his backpack. Reed followed the group to the kitchen where there were balloons and a big welcome home sign with Reed’s name on it.

  With every eye on him, Reed fought the urge to cry. More than anything, he really wanted this to be true.

  Chapter 1

  “Seriously gonna be late…”

  Yeah, and there was absolutely no surprise in those words. Lara Hunter resisted the urge to give a quick, sharp comeback while the irritation of the morning had her throwing a random high-heeled shoe out of her crime-scene looking bedroom closet. The quickly ignited anger fled, turning to hopelessness as she dropped her arms to her sides. Less than twelve hours ago she’d had her good-luck Jimmy Choo’s right here, waiting to be worn today.

  “I just don’t understand what happened to them. They have to be here,” she said, her eyes roaming once again over the closet floor until she pivoted on her heels and turned to carefully gaze back across her bedroom.

  The small room was as messy as the closet. Lara and her roommate, Kade, had a marathon dressing session yesterday afternoon while planning today’s attire. Besides her clothes, they’d done nails, hair, and makeup, trying for just the right sophisticated look to help her represent well in the new job she started this morning.

  They’d been meticulous in combing through various fashion magazines in order to pick the best style. Kade was a master at understanding the language of fashion. While he would rather have her dolled up in air-quoted “North Dallas” fashion, as he dubbed the look, Lara focused on being business professional—nondescript—as she’d been schooled by her mentor and professor in college. She’d worked hard to achieve the look she’d planned today, which was completely out of character for her. She was a “throw on a pair of jeans and toss her hair in a messy ponytail” kind of dresser. Absolutely a zero-maintenance girl, never really paying much attention at all to the way she looked.

  Funny how two years of hitting a brick wall while trying to break into her chosen industry had her changing her ways. After so many employment rejections, she’d had to reevaluate everything. As much as she hated to admit it, in Dallas, image mattered. She was primped from her home-performed pedicured feet to the Vogue-suggested sophisticated knot she wore in her hair. Her makeup had been applied with absolute care. Kade could have coordinated any glamour squad on entertainment television.

  With all the pre-planning, she should be set to start this day. But her entire ensemble hinged on those particular shoes—her good-luck, consignment store purchased Jimmy Choo high heels—and they were nowhere to be found.

  Honestly, she wasn’t superstitious, not really, but without any doubt, those shoes were crucial to the success of her first day on this job. Everything good that ever happened to her came while wearing those particular shoes. She kept them in a place of honor in her closet and only pulled them out during important milestones. No way could she walk out the front door without them on her feet.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kade’s bulky body lounging against the doorframe. He wore his standard cut-off-right-above-the-knee gray sweatpants and nothing more, leaving his muscular torso bare. Even with his disheveled bedhead and tired eyes, he was still the best-looking man she’d ever seen. Kade Michaels had been her best friend since their elementary school days back in Maplesville, North Carolina. She loved him like family, even though right now she wanted to ball up her fist and punch him in his handsome face for giving her that indulgent grin he had whenever he thought she was being unreasonable.

  “I don’t care what you think. This is a sign. I shouldn’t have taken this job. I’m not ready for something this big.” Her thought processes shifted from being excited about new beginnings to crafting her resignation email as defeat coursed through her. Wait… Did she need to resign if she had technically not even started the job yet?

  Kade brought his hand out from behind his back, twirling one of her dainty high heels around his finger. He shoved a shoulder off the doorframe to reveal another dangling from his other hand. “I found them under the blankets on the couch. No idea how they got there.”

  “Thank God!” She crossed the room and grabbed the shoes, forgetting all about her last declaration. She dropped one to the floor while strapping the other on her foot.

  “Your purse and coat are by the door, but you really have to get going.” He leaned back against the wall in the hall, letting her out of the bedroom as she stalked past him. She could hear him following her down the hallway.

  “I can’t believe it’s raining. We’ve been in a drought for months, but this morning, of course it has to rain.” As if her words were on some sort of cosmic connection with Mother Earth, a flash of lightning struck seconds before a clap of thunder rattled the apartment so hard the windows shook.

  “Go Texas weather. Never know what you’re gonna get,” Kade said absently. She reached for her color-coordinated trench coat, the one bought specifically for this particular business suit. She tugged it on, buttoned each button quickly, and lifted the collar up around her neck for better protection against the storm.

  “You got this today, Lara. No self-doubting. Call me when you can.” Kade reached for her purse and umbrella before opening the front door.

  “I’m nervous.” Lara came to stand right in front of him, taking what he offered then dropping the purse strap over her head to let it hang artfully across her body. Vogue had suggested that look too. “Do I look okay?”

  “Business professional like a good little business woman should.” Kade leaned in to kiss her cheek.

  “The makeup feels like too much,” she said, stalling.

  “You wanted to look older. Now, rock it,” he encouraged, adjusting her collar. “It’s raining hard.”

  “Do I look like a country girl trying too hard or like a North Dallas fashionista?” she asked, taking a step backward so he could better survey her appearance.

  “Would I let you leave this house looking anything less than perfect? You’re doubting my ability.” He cocked a brow and actually gave a pout. Her super-hot, military-trained, hardnosed police officer of a roommate actually curled his lips into a playful frown—a strategic diversionary tactic generally reserved for boyfriend breakups, that time of the month mood swings, or any other drama-filled moments that ever arose between them.

  Man, she must really be a mess this morning.

  “This is a bad idea.” She didn’t concede to his attempt to change her line of thought.

  “Stop! We need this job to pay for this grossly expensive apartment we just had to have. Go. You belong there. Stepping stones and all that bull we keep saying!” He used his body to move her out the front door and into the hall.

  “Fake it until you make it,” she muttered the saying she’d learned from her most favorite TED Talks program. Her words didn’t have nearly the same conviction she’d heard from the lecturer.

  “Right! And you ha
ve fifteen minutes to get there. Get going. We’ll talk tonight.” He took her by the shoulders and turned her toward the elevators, giving her a gentle nudge between her shoulder blades to spur her on.

  Finally getting a position in her field of study with such a massive global corporation like Press International was a dream come true. Until late last night when reality set in. Since then, panic ensued. Her whole master plan in life hinged on the concept of jump in head first and figure things out as she went. That philosophy had driven her out of the security of her small town to attend Wake Forest University on a full scholarship. Then had her moving halfway across the country to live with Kade when she completed her graduate work. When this position opened in the public relations department of Press International, she didn’t think twice before applying. At that point, she had just applied for any position dealing with public relations.

  Surprisingly, she landed an interview and made it past the first round. She insisted she was the most qualified when she certainly had nothing to back that claim except her education and desire to get her foot in the door. She’d even boldly demanded they hire her or lose out on all of her enormous potential in this market.

  Now, she rolled her eyes at the arrogance of those words and felt the condo hall walls closing in on her as the weight of her inexperience slammed into her. Why had she ever thought she had the cojones to pull off working in the public relations department of such an enormous company? How dumb had she been? Honestly, she wasn’t entirely certain what Press International did. Acquisitions and transitions were proprietary. She had a huge learning curve before she ever got to the point of being effective at representing them to the world.

  A deep sigh escaped as she reached down to press the call button. The doors dinged open and she gave Kade one last helpless look before stepping inside the small box. The doors closed to him chuckling at her—probably because of the look on her face—and she gave another exaggerated sigh. With her apartment on the twentieth floor and the elevator’s slow descent, her fifteen minutes were quickly ticking away. Her eyes stayed locked on her good-luck shoes as she gathered her nerve and steeled her spine. Once she got outside of this building, she had one block to go before her world dramatically changed.