Be My Reason Read online

  Contents

  Song List

  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

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Epilogue

  Other Books by Brooklyn Taylor

  Acknowledgments

  Contacts for Brooklyn Taylor

  Copyright Brooklyn Taylor 2020

  No parts of this story can be duplicated, copied or sold without the rights of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Edited By: Karen Hrdlicka

  Cover Designer: Cover Me Darling

  Interior Formatting By: DL Gallie

  My loving Husband. You are and will always be my reason.

  Song List

  Prayed for You - Matt Stell

  My Way to You - Cody Johnson

  With you I Am - Cody Johnson

  You Make it Easy - Jason Aldean

  Always on my Mind - Willie Nelson

  Wrong Again - Martina McBride

  Believe- Brooks & Dunn

  As Good As You - Kane Brown

  Nobody But You - Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani

  Brooklyn Taylor does not own these songs and is no way affiliated with them. Rights belong strictly to the artists.

  “Man makes plans and God laughs.”

  ~ Unkown

  1

  WYATT

  Galloway. Most people around Houston, Texas hear that name and think royalty: Texas oil, money, privileged, never having to work for anything, born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Until you meet me, and I tell you I’m not related. Very few know the truth; I am the youngest son to my father who would have inherited everything he had. Well, my half. My elder brother followed in his pathetic footsteps. My brother, Cash, I know ironic, isn’t it, lived the life that was set out for us. The life I had decided to live against. If I was going to feel important, I was going to earn it, unlike my father and my brother. Respect wasn't inherited, not as far as I saw it.

  I knew at the ripe age of twelve that the life I was born into wasn’t the life I wanted. I didn't belong, to say the least. I wasn't the black sheep per se, but rather felt in my bones I wasn't a true Galloway. You would have thought I committed murder or treason when I decided to pull away, to live a life where I worked for everything I had. I had walked away from everything that was given to me and started fresh. If I didn’t earn it myself, I didn't have it.

  Best decision I ever made. I guess that depended on who you asked though.

  When I had decided to have a career in public service, my father lost it, quite literally. The last thing he wanted was a sheriff in the family. Then when he heard I was going to work toward my dream, of becoming a Texas Ranger, he really became enraged. He felt humiliated.

  Some people get pleasure out of making their father happy, me, on the other hand, the exact opposite. I found much joy in making him mad, frustrated even. Should I have taken the higher road like I had been told? Probably, but I had no interest in such.

  I was going to live my life how I pleased, to everybody else’s dismay.

  And for those of who don’t think I can, watch me. I love a challenge.

  BREIGH

  There were a lot of things people wanted out of life… and what I wanted was not the norm. I had been run through the gamut and had my heart broken, as well as broken hearts. As a single woman at age twenty-eight, everything had come into perfect perspective. Maybe it was because I had already done my fair amount of running around, or maybe it was because of my harder than normal upbringing. Nevertheless, I had a great career, my Grammy, and best friend, Emma, by my side. What else did a girl really need?

  But truth be told, I felt like I had forgotten how to live. How did a person get that back again?

  My life had become days of working long hours and not having any fun. “You need to get out and have fun before you aren't able to anymore.” In my Grammy’s words, the wisest woman and one of the loves of my life.

  My Grammy and my grandfather were the ones who raised me, having lost my mother very early in life. Unfortunately, my father wasn’t how he should have been, but truthfully, I hit the jackpot being raised by my grandparents. I had learned to be grateful for my shortcomings rather than be remorseful for them. A lesson I learned early in life. My cup was half full rather than half empty.

  I decided I was going to start to live again, if it killed me, come hell or high water.

  2

  WYATT

  I was standing at the bar, waiting for my drink; I started surveying the crowd to see if my brother was here yet. This place, Kellye Joe’s, seemed far below his normal standards but he always seemed to surprise me. I, on the other hand, enjoyed this place. I had been here a few times and it was great for people watching. I guess with my career as a sheriff’s deputy, I was always observing people in some way or the other.

  Cash, my older brother, was in town for the weekend on a business trip. He traveled often, for business, or so he said. There wasn't any business to do though with my father’s company. Cash just liked to make himself feel important, something he inherited from my father.

  I was surprised by his call, especially when he asked to meet me here rather than my house. Although, I knew he would have rather been caught dead than walk into my home again. That was the one and only time he had entered my “shack.”

  “This is a dump. Is this thing on wheels still?” He laughed and then continued, always wanting to insult me. “Why in the hell would you not use a little of the… never mind… I know what you are going to say.”

  “I have no interest in touching anything I didn't earn, Cash. Hell, do we have to go through this all the damn time? I love my job, I love my life, and I love my home.”

  “I wouldn't bring a woman back here if my life depended on it. In fact, I’m willing to bet my car is worth more than this crap hole.”

  “I don’t bring random women back to my house. I have never met anyone I would trust with it anyway. Plus, do you really think I have time to date? I work and sleep.”

  “They would go running for the hills if you did. This is beneath even you.” He paused. “Well, I guess we are both working our asses off.”

  I blurted out a “Right” and then smirked. Yeah, he was probably right, but believe it or not my life didn't revolve around women. It revolved around my work. That is what I lived to do.

  Cash strolled in, acting as if he was God’s gift to women. Luckily, I only had to put up with him a couple times a year. Sad, right? We had that kind of relationship and it was fairly mutual.

  “Hey, Cash.” He gave me a half hug then a pat on the back while eyeing the dance floor, more than likely looking for his next victim. “Good to see you.”

  “Do you see me, though?” I smirked back, knowing I was just a bystander in his hunt through the jungle.

  M
y brother snapped his order of a Crown and Coke and threw down a twenty-dollar bill. He didn’t take notice of the man behind the bar since, in Cash’s eyes, he was beneath him.

  He turned around and leaned on the bar, beginning his conversation with me. He liked to own the room, and act as if he was the only man there.

  “Did you come here to find you a girl or did you really need to talk to me?” I asked. Watching my brother look for a woman always annoyed me. I felt like I needed to warn the women a lion had entered and they were going to quickly become prey.

  Run for your life if you know what’s good for you!

  “Who is that brunette dancing in the black silk short thingy, with those sexy legs?” He pointed nonchalantly.

  “How would I know?”

  “You live here. This is your town, right?”

  “Are you implying I know every woman in the town?” I raised an eyebrow, questioning his stupidity.

  “Of course you don’t. But you’re a deputy… I’m sure you have been surveying the entire dance floor and bar area, hoping to catch someone breaking the law… what an underage drinker?”

  He laughed to himself while I rolled my eyes. My job was a joke to him, like his was a joke to me.

  “Whiskey,” the bartender said, and Cash turned around to get his drink.

  My brother and I couldn't look more different. We were the perfect contrast with the exception of our eyes, both green. My dark blond hair had gotten lighter through my years but nevertheless dark. I always had a stubble of facial hair, preferring a slight gruff look. Our smiles were similar, but my bottom teeth had a slight crookedness.

  Cash, on the other hand, was always clean-shaven, wore his sideburns a little lower than mine, had blond hair, and his teeth were so perfect they looked fake. Coincidence? I think not.

  He sucked down the drink he had just purchased, and moved his way over to the two women he had eyed. So much for getting to talk to my brother…

  As in most of my life, I took a seat and kicked back… watching him do what he did best. In actuality, this usually worked to my advantage since he was known to self-destruct.

  BREIGH

  “For the love of God, Emma, just sit down and go along for the ride. Just for once stop griping.” I rolled my blue eyes, frustrated with her constant complaining.

  “I just don't want to get wet. Or dirty. Then I get sick…” she responded, and I gestured to her as if I was going to choke her. And I just might. Emma, along with my Grammy, had been pushing me to get out and back in the dating pool after my bad breakup. Yes, it was bad, but it was over, so I was thankful for that.

  The rain was pouring down in buckets. I fought the urge to leave, but I had spent more time than I cared to admit on getting ready. I guessed I was out of practice on that as well.

  Screw it.

  “Live a little.” I made eye contact with her, showing my determination. “On the count of three…One… two… three…” I left little time for Emma to argue and instead opened the car door. I took off full speed and went running to the front door of Kellye Joe’s, letting the rain pelt my skin. The worn wooden door was soaked from the rain that had been falling sideways from the storm.

  Okay… it was raining a little harder than I had realized, but I couldn't admit that to Emma. My skin felt like it had been pelted with paintballs.

  I reminded myself of the pep talk earlier this evening, convincing myself that I could do it. I could get back out in the fishpond, or the shark pond. We shall see.

  Emma’s favorite band was playing and a smile lit up her wet face through it all.

  I was glad she had agreed to getting out of the vehicle, because I would have hated to pull her out of my truck kicking and screaming.

  I threw my arm around her. “Now that wasn't so bad, was it?”

  “Give me a break, Breigh… you know I love going out…just…”

  “It will be worth it.”

  Thirty minutes later Emma was on the dance floor, owning it like she always had, for all the years I had known her. I always wished I had the sparkle she had.

  Our soaked hair—mine dark blonde, hers a perfect medium brown—was now beginning to mix with sweat. My shirt was sticking to me just sitting, so I was sure Emma was sweating even more so.

  Emma had insisted on dressing me today, and I wished I would’ve put up more of a fight, and picked my own clothes out. The blouse she had picked for me, along with the blue jean skirt that barely reached mid-thigh, made it difficult to dance. But the boots I donned gave me an iota of confidence that I didn’t look like a baby deer learning to walk as I danced. My mother’s boots, one of a handful of things I had of my mother’s. I cherished them.

  Emma wore her one-piece, black silk romper and booties that showed off her strong thighs and legs. It was cut low, displaying her other assets. Her jewelry matched perfectly, popping out with color to compliment her style, Kendra Scott, which she had in every color.

  I had insisted on my leather earrings that were light but showed my simple style, the look of not sticking out, but belonging.

  The cover band was playing their fair share of hits and she hadn't sat down once. She had memorized all the words after hearing them so often. She could probably recite the words a cappella. As in normal Emma style, she was getting the attention she always craved. She had always been the one whose eyes were immediately taken with, the star of the show.

  I was the exact opposite though. It always took people a second look before they realized I was worth looking at. Maybe it was the brunette hair in contrast to my blonde, or maybe it was just the energy she radiated.

  But, in all friendships, I think there was that person who was immediately noticed, and then one who wasn’t.

  I had sat tapping my foot, ready to dance, but wasn't going to go out there by myself. Not yet anyway. I had to get my nerve up. I was getting there, but just wasn't there yet. I needed a break-in period of sorts and some time to work myself up.

  “Would you come on and dance?” Emma pursued me, grinning with her white smile and raspberry lipstick pulling me along.

  “I guess…” She wasn't exactly giving me a choice.

  “You made me run through the rain, getting my hair soaked, and could have ruined my makeup and now you are sitting there… Nah…”

  Feeling the music was never one of my problems. It was just the getting started part. I had no problem making a fool out of myself, but I had to switch into that next gear to get ignited.

  Moving my hips with my arms in the air, I lost myself in the words of a song I was in love with. The lights were blinking around, setting the mood of the music, and changing to the beat in the song with a rhythm that was taking over my movement. My body had begun to move on autopilot and my brain had paused.

  Yes, this was exactly what I needed.

  Then the next song came on and Emma and I danced together, swinging each other around, not caring on who would be watching, mouthing the words.

  Tonight was about us.

  Until it wasn't anymore.

  “Hi, ladies, would either of you like to dance? Or have a drink?”

  I smiled at Emma and she was immediately smitten. I was not impressed in the least. Cocky much? And did he bathe in his damn cologne? I was getting a headache just smelling it, and he had been standing here for less than two minutes.

  He reached out his well-manicured hand out for us to shake. “I’m Cash.”

  Emma spoke up, introducing both of us, giddy with excitement. She was acting as if he was a famous star.

  His long-sleeved business shirt was pressed and rolled up his forearms, with jeans that looked as if they had only been worn once. A businessman, not my forte, or my interest. Been there done that. Move on.

  “I’m good. Emma?” I passed the hot potato to her, hoping to brush him off and make it noticeable that I had no interest. Hopefully, she’d do the same. It was girls’ night, after all.

  I had hoped she would tell him to get lost s
ince tonight was about her and me. We hadn't been out in forever and it was my first night out in a long time.

  “I would love a drink… dance… sure both.” Okay… I was wrong. Her focus had been redirected. She would be in love by the end of the night with the stranger who would be more in love with himself than her.

  She began to follow the stranger and I shrugged my shoulders in frustration. I stood there for a minute before following them, throwing my hands up in the air.

  They stopped at a small circular wooden table and I followed suit.

  “This is my brother, Wyatt.” He introduced him as if he was dismissing him at the same time, not worth the breath in his lungs.

  “I’m Breigh.” I announced with a little wave.

  I watch as Cash’s brother, Wyatt, took a sip of his beer and then sat it back down, clearly irritated. I knew the feeling. The look in his eye was of anger, frustration, or disgust.

  Mr. Full of Himself and Emma walked off to the bar and I took the seat farthest from the brother.

  I wasn’t a scorned woman, but I just didn't have any desire to fraternize at this point in my life. Okay, maybe a little scorned. I’d always given everyone a chance when it came to guys, but that stopped after my ex. I would proceed with caution.