by Brie Paisley
This book is a work of fiction. Any names, places, character names, establishments, locations, or incidents are the work of the author’s imagination and is used fictitiously. If any resemblance to actual persons, dead or alive, places, locations, establishments, or events are coincidental.
Copyright © 2019 by Brie Paisley
All rights reserved. This book is not to be copied, shared, or produced in any way without the written consent of the author.
Cover art by Rebecca Marie of The Final Wrap
Edited by Nikki Reeves of Southern Sweetheart Author and Book Services
Formatted by Brenda Wright of Formatting Done Wright
Photograph and photography by Christopher Correia of CJC Photography
Cover model: Josh Voto
Cover model: Sam Ashley
Other books by Brie Paisley:
Worshipped series
Worshipped-book one
The Harlow Brothers Series
Carter-book one
Caden-book two
Caleb-book three
Carter and Shelby: Ever After (coming soon)
Standalone Novels
Temptation
Okay, I’m going to get a little sappy for a moment. I have so many amazing people to thank, but I don’t want to forget anyone. Instead, I’m making this thank you for all of you. Firstly, I would not be here, doing what I love, if it were not for you, the reader. Thank you for taking a chance on me. I honestly don’t have enough words to express how grateful I am for you wanting to read my books. I hope you love it as much as I did, while writing it, and thank you again from the bottom of my heart for reading.
Secondly, to the wonderful ladies in my fan group. Thank you for sticking by me, when things weren’t going so well. Thank you for keeping me sane, and for all the laughs. Thank you for the naughty posts, as they were highly appreciated. You guys are absolutely amazing, and the love and support each and every one of you show me, is awesome. Ladies, you keep me going, and for that, I cannot thank you enough.
To my beta team, thank you for reading and giving me the wonderful feedback. Thank you for your honesty and for wanting to help make Caleb the best. To my review team, you ladies rock. I’m so glad to have such an amazing group willing to read and review for me. It really means the world to me.
Thank you to my talented cover designer. Rebecca, you always make my covers look so amazing and beautiful.
A big thank you to Christopher Correia for capturing the perfect photo for the cover. You’re so talented, and I cannot express how thankful I am for everything you did to make sure I had the right picture. You’re amazing to work with, so kind and sweet, and I can’t wait to work with you again. To the models, Josh Voto and Sam Ashley, I couldn’t have picked anyone else to fit the characters so perfectly. It was a pleasure working with each of you, and I can’t wait to plan more books with you.
A huge thank you to my editor, Nikki. I honestly can’t thank you enough for all your hard work. I really appreciate every single thing you do for me, and not just as my editor. Your friendship means the world to me, and I love you, babe.
Last but not least, thank you to my husband. All of your support will never go unnoticed, and everything you do to help me complete a book. Thank you for giving me the free time, when I need it the most. I appreciate all that you do for me, babe.
“Savage” by Lights
“Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey
“Him & I” by G-Eazy & Halsey
“White Iverson” by Post Malone
“Blue Jeans” by Lana Del Rey
“Dirt Road Anthem” by Jason Aldean
“Like A Stone” by Audioslave
“Venom” by Eminem
“Don’t You Wanna Stay” by Jason Aldean (with Kelly Clarkson)
“Thunder” by Imagine Dragons
Table of Contents
Prologue: Bethany
Chapter One: Bethany
Chapter Two: Caleb
Chapter Three: Bethany
Chapter Four: Caleb
Chapter Five: Bethany
Chapter Six: Caleb
Chapter Seven: Bethany
Chapter Eight: Caleb
Chapter Nine: Bethany
Chapter Ten: Caleb
Chapter Eleven: Bethany
Chapter Twelve: Caleb
Chapter Thirteen: Bethany
Chapter Fourteen: Caleb
Chapter Fifteen: Bethany
Chapter Sixteen: Caleb
Chapter Seventeen: Bethany
Epilogue: Caleb
This one is for you, Nikki.
Every child idolizes their parents.
Whether or not they’re good parents, a child will always love the two people that created them. I, for one, can say I love my parents more than anything in this world. Maybe, even more than the love for the art that I create. When I was little, I wanted to be just like my parents, and I also wanted everything they had. The love they had for each other was as clear as day and ever present, when they glanced at each other. They both were so caring and giving, even to others or complete strangers.
My dad owned a well-known construction company, and he designed houses with such precision. I’d sit by Dad in his office on multiple occasions and watch, as he drew the most beautiful houses for his clients. Every house he built, showed his talent, and that’s where my love for drawing and painting was born. My mom was a housewife, but she was always doing something for the community. Some days, she would volunteer at the hospital, and other times, she would just make her famous casseroles for our sub-division. Mom and I were always in the kitchen together cooking or baking, and sometimes, Dad would even help. Those times were the best because our home was filled with love and laughter.
The thing is my young mind couldn’t see how one mistake could alter so much so quickly.
When I turned fifteen, I noticed the love in my home wasn’t there, as much as it used to be. I slowly began to realize my parents didn’t laugh as much, or at times, they wouldn’t even look at each other. For a while, I ignored what I knew was happening in front of my young eyes. I thought it was just a fight, like any other parents went through, but I was so very wrong. All it took, was one night, when Mom decided to go see my aunt in Alabama. I still don’t have a clue as to why Mom wanted to go away for a week, but then again, I was a teenager, and I was worried about my friends. Now, I wish I had paid attention more. Maybe, if I had, and hadn’t been so worried about what party I was going to get invited to, I might have noticed how far my parents had drifted apart. Maybe, I could’ve changed what happened, but now, I’ll never be able to change what my dad, my hero, did that night.
I’ll never be able to forget what I saw, heard, or even felt, when I realized the woman my dad was kissing wasn’t my mom.
I’ll never be able to take back what he did because he was the one who brought another woman into our loving home.
I thought I’d been mistaken because my dad would never do something so horrible. He would never hurt my mom like that, or even me for that matter.
But he did, and what’s worse, he tried to bribe me into not telling.
No one understood the dilemma I was in. On one hand, I instantly wanted to call Mom and tell her what I saw. Then, once the shock wore off, I didn’t know if I could tell her. If I did, I knew she would be utterly devastated. This secret would ruin her. I struggled with so many emotions for another week, before I could even stand to look at my dad. While he begged and pleaded for me to talk to him, I just couldn’t. He was my hero, my role model, and the one person I trusted entirely. With just one action, he destroyed everything. Which is why, when Mom finally came home, I battled
within myself of what I should do.
In the end, I couldn’t stand the lies anymore, so I told Mom one night, when Dad said he had to work late. A part of me knew the long nights at work wasn’t him actually working, which meant he continued to lie about stopping his affair. It was confirmed, when he came home late, that same night I purged everything to Mom, and he looked at me with defeat and disappointment in his eyes.
For two years, I didn’t see Dad. Once he confessed his transgressions, he packed one bag and never looked back. In those two years, I hated what he had done. I hated how he broke our family, my mother, and my heart. At the time, I had no idea if things could ever be repaired. Knowing everything I had, before the affair, and then what Dad left Mom and me with, it was hard to go on with my life, like nothing happened. It was a constant struggle to see Mom so broken, and how she changed into someone I didn’t even recognize.
But one day, Dad showed up at school and wanted to talk. After not hearing a word from him for two years, I was so angry that he just wanted to talk. In my mind, I didn’t think he deserved a chance to say whatever he wanted. But he was my dad. The man I’d always loved and looked up to, even if he did hurt me. A part of me hoped that he regretted what he’d done and wanted to make things right. I’d prayed every single night for my family to be whole again. I’d prayed for that very moment, and when Dad said those words I wanted to hear, I broke down and cried in his arms.
Mom, on the other hand, wasn’t as welcoming, as I was. For another year, Dad tried constantly for another chance, but the damage had already been done, and there was no going back. Shortly after my eighteenth birthday, we all walked into Harlow: Attorneys At Law. I can’t say for sure what was going on with my parents. They both looked indifferent, as if they’d just been waiting for this moment, but me on the other hand, I felt sick. There was a permanent lump in my throat, and tears constantly persisted. I honestly have no clue how I walked into the small firm without losing my shit.
When a man named Mitchell Harlow, walked up to my parents, I was ushered to sit and wait, until they were finished. So, I sat in the hard chair, in front of a secretary desk, and watched the lady take phone calls. She would smile at me every once in a while, but I knew she felt sorry for me. It was present in her brown eyes, and I hated the pity. When I couldn’t stand her sad glances any longer, I dropped my head and picked at my nails. For the longest time, I picked, until all my dark, blue nail polish was gone. I picked, until my fingers began to bleed. I felt lost and so unsure of what would happen with my future. I didn’t know what to think really, and I worried to the point where I almost lost the contents of my stomach that my parents would try to make me choose between them. Although Dad made his choice, and he was living with it, I had no clue if I could choose one parent over the other. I wish I could say I still hated my father for what he did, but the hard truth was, I could never really hate him. He was still my dad no matter what. Maybe, I was too naïve to feel and think the way I was, but regardless of what was happening, I still loved both of my parents dearly.
“Can I get you anythin’?” Snapping my head up and turning to my left, I swallow hard, seeing a very attractive man, sitting beside me. I had no idea he’d taken a seat by me, and for a long moment, all I could do was stare. My gaze wouldn’t stray from his warm, honey, brown eyes, and for a moment, I felt at ease. For just a second, this attractive man helped me forget where I was, and why I was there.
“I know this is a lot,” he starts, and all I can do is continue to gaze at him. “Your parents have been in there a while,” he says, as he points towards a door to my left. “Actually, they might be in there all day.” And just like that, I’m reminded today is the official and legal day my parents will never reunite. They’ll never be together again, and I’ll never be able to see them happy and so in love like before. My head falls and tears begin to fill my eyes. Sucking in a breath, I swallow hard, willing myself to hold it together. “Hey,” the guy says, taking my hand.
His touch is warm and nice, and I frown, wondering why he’s being so nice to me. I’m a stranger, a no one really, and his kindness is almost foreign. “Why are you bein’ so nice to me?” I ask, once I find my voice.
I’m still staring at his hand on mine, and that’s when I realize how much bigger he is compared to me. My hands compared to his look almost childlike. “To be honest, you looked like you needed a friend.”
Lifting my head, I turn to him. “But I don’t even know you or your name.”
He grins, and again, I forget where I am, and why I’m here. “I’m Carter Harlow. Now, we’re not strangers.”
Carter’s hand never lets mine go, and I take a deep breath, and then say, “I’m Bethany.” Glancing away for a moment, I manage to whisper, “Thank you.” I won’t admit it, but I’m glad Carter came and sat down by me. I don’t think I could’ve gone any longer just sitting and waiting all alone.
Feeling his hand tighten on mine, I look back at him. “You’re welcome, Bethany.” When he finally lets my hand go, I almost want to cry out in protest. Honestly, this doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. I don’t know Carter, but for whatever reason, his presence is so calming.
I realize then, that whatever he started, it might not end very well for me. But like the young and naïve girl I am, I don’t say a word, when Carter stays by my side, until my parents are finally finished with their consultation. I never once say no, when he gives me his card, telling me to call him, whenever I need to talk.
Now, I wish I would’ve stayed far away from Carter Harlow, because he ended up doing what I should’ve known he would do eventually. Not that I can really blame him. He was in love with another, and me like the fool I was, I fell in love with a man that would never love me in return.
If I could go back, I would’ve told myself to guard my heart and never, ever fall in love with Carter Harlow.
Regrets are a fucking bitch.
Seriously.
Sitting at the bar, at the Princess Theater, I glance around the small establishment, wondering how in the hell I got this low in my life. Taking a drink of my beer, I wish I had a magical pill to take away all the regrets and guilt I have. Why can’t it be that easy? I thought seeing my dad cheating on my mom was bad, but this … this is much worse. Slamming the empty bottle down on the bar, I wave to the bartender for another one.
“Haven’t you had enough?”
Rolling my eyes, I lay my car keys on the bar. “Another Corona, and I’ll take a shot of Tequila, too.” Daniel, as his name tag reads, quickly swipes my keys off the bar and turns to get my drinks. I’d really like to give him a piece of my mind, because I don’t drink and drive, plus who does this guy think he is? Before I came here tonight, I knew a taxi would be my only means of getting back home. Advoiding the nosey and apparently judgmental bartender, my eyes roam around the bar, as “Savage” by Lights Skin and Earth plays loudly.
Thankfully, Daniel returns with my drinks, and I quickly down the Tequila. The liquid burns my throat, and as it moves down, I can feel it hit the bottom of my stomach. I can tell I’m getting trashed, but honestly, I don’t care. Anything I can do to make this guilt and regret disappear, just for a moment, I’ll do it. Running a hand through my blonde hair with streaks of teal, I let out a heavy sigh, wishing I could just go back in time and change what I’ve done. But unfortunately, no one has invented a time machine yet.
Like I said before, regrets are a fucking bitch. Wishing I knew how to fix what I’ve broken, I take a long drink of the beer. Turning my back to the bar, my eyes land on the group of college girls singing karaoke. Well, I guess I should say trying to sing. The Princess Theater is well known for karaoke nights, and since it’s located downtown by Mississippi University for Women, karaoke night always has people, like this group. The kind that get too drunk to walk straight, let alone try to sing. Rolling my eyes at their attempt to sing “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, I set the bottle on the bar. I like coming here, though. It’s close
to my home, plus the beer and liquor are cheap. It once was an actual theater, but now, it’s just a bar. It’s fairly small, only holding a few booths, tables, and of course, a small area in the front for stupid people to come make a fool of themselves. Since I hit the legal age to drink, I come here most nights. More so now, that I’ve fucked up my relationship with my best friend.
Carter Harlow.
God, even thinking his name, makes my stomach turn, as my heart clenches. I’ll admit, I did a very dumb thing, but it’s been almost a year, since he and I last spoke. Trust me, I’ve tried countless times to apologize, but he never answers me. I get it, I really do. I fucked up big time, and it’s going to take more than phone calls and text messages to get back to where we were. I’ve known Carter, since his dad handled my parents’ divorce, and he was my saving grace. He and I quickly became friends, and until I fucked it all up, I didn’t think we’d ever be apart.
Carter comes from a very loving and caring home. He has four other brothers, and I began to feel like part of the Harlow gang, after just a few short weeks of being around them. It did surprise me how quickly I felt accepted with the Harlow family. After seeing Dad cheating on Mom, I became a loner. I didn’t know how to handle my family being ripped apart, and there wasn’t anyone I felt like I could confide in. But once Carter took me under his wing, his brothers felt like family in a way. Carter is the eldest brother, and he followed in the footsteps of his dad, Mitchell, by becoming a lawyer. Carter is the one who seems to have the most responsibility out of the bunch. He works with his dad at their firm, and when I became close with him, I realized he was holding out for his long-lost love.
Caden and Cason are next in line, and they are also identical twins. Although they look the same, they each have their own different personalities. Caden is a cop for the local police department, and he has a very laid-back attitude. Not to mention, he loves to crack jokes and make light of every situation. I remember I loved being around Caden just to see what insane things would come out of his mouth. Cason, however, isn’t like his twin at all. He’s more of the quiet type, and he’s also very serious about everything. Cason owns his own gym that’s well known for its self-defense classes. He and I didn’t get along at first, since he’s a closed off type of guy, but after some time went by, I began to realize there is so much more to Cason than he lets on. It was easy for me to spot the differences between the twins, especially since Cason has a scar on his right eyebrow.
