by Kaylee Ryan
SOUTHERN ATTRACTION
Copyright © 2017 Kaylee Ryan
All Rights Reserved.
This book may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Kaylee Ryan, except for the use of brief quotations in articles and or reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, locations, businesses and plot are products of the author’s imagination and meant to be used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events throughout the story are purely coincidental. The author acknowledges trademark owners and trademarked status of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, sponsored or associated by or with the trademark owners.
The following story contains sexual situations and strong language. It is intended for adult readers.
Cover Design: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative Covers
Cover Photography: Golden Czermak, Furious Photog
Model: Justin White
Editing: Hot Tree Editing
Formatting: Integrity Formatting
1 ~ Jamie
2 ~ Mike
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35 ~ Jamie
Epilogue
Contact Kaylee Ryan
Other Works by Kaylee Ryan
Acknowledgements
Growing up, everyone wants to be on their own, move away from their parents, set off to adventures unknown. Find themselves.
I was never that girl. I have great parents, and city life is all I’ve ever known. Everything I need is close or within walking distance, and there’s always something to do, a show or a concert to attend. I’ve always been content.
Six months ago, that all changed.
It’s been six months today since I visited my best friend, Whitney, in Kentucky. Six months since our camping expedition. Six months of dreaming of the still of the night, stars high in the sky, swimming at night.
And then there’s him. Mike. The sexy owner of Mike’s Tavern, the handsome cousin of my best friend, the gorgeous country boy I’ve not been able to stop thinking about.
I’ve never met a guy like him—hell, like any of them. They treat their women like queens, and not just theirs but all women. And their mommas—that’s what they call them—they love them fiercely. They’re all built to perfection as if they’ve been sculpted. The southern accents and the charm are a lethal combination that’s hard to resist.
But I did resist it, I guess. Mike and I took a midnight swim after everyone else had gone to sleep. He was a complete gentleman, nothing out of the ordinary happened, but that alone drew me in. He didn’t try to cop a feel, no, but he did lead me to the water with his hand on the small of my back. He did dive in first and held his hand out for me to join him, making sure I didn’t fall. He also made sure I was warm and dry, wrapping the towel around my shoulders before grabbing one for himself.
Selfless.
It’s not just his looks or his southern charm—it’s the whole package, who he is, that attracted my attention. Pure southern attraction.
Or maybe I should say distraction.
Speaking of distraction, I pick up my phone to call Whit. I’ve talked to her more in the last month than I have since she moved to Kentucky. Just over a month ago, she and Aaron got engaged. She’s so happy, and Aaron adores her. I’ll admit I’m a little jealous.
“Hey, J,” she answers after the first ring.
“Hey. How’s wedding planning going?”
She laughs. “It’s going. Aaron pretty much agrees with anything I say.”
“Good man.”
“That he is,” she says wistfully. “So what’s up with you?”
“Nothing really. I’m thinking about heading to you a day early, leaving in the morning.”
“Can you get the time off?”
I’m a paralegal and work for a small firm, though the attorney is well on his way to retiring. “Yeah, he’s not taking on as many cases lately. I’m expecting the announcement of his retirement any day.”
“Really? What does that mean for your job?”
“Unless he sells out and they need a paralegal, I’ll be jobless.”
“Have you been looking?”
“Not really. I know I need to, but I don’t want to leave him high and dry either.”
“Well, you’re super talented. I have no doubt you’ll find something. Who knows, maybe you won’t need to.”
“Maybe. So am I crashing any plans if I arrive tomorrow?”
“Never! You know I love seeing you, and we have plenty of space.”
“Soon you’ll be a married woman, Future Mrs. Mills.”
She squeals. “I know!”
“All right, crazy girl. I’m going to head out around seven in the morning. I should be there around two or so after stopping for gas, that’s if I don’t get caught in any traffic.”
“Be careful. Check in with me as you go along.”
“Will do. See you soon.”
“Bye.”
I hit End and my mood is instantly better. I miss my best friend. I also miss the solace of the country and I was only there one weekend. Kentucky and my best friend’s new family sure made a great first impression.
Saturday afternoon, we’re going dress shopping. I was going to get up at four so I could be there, but this way I can sleep in—or at least not get up at the ass crack of dawn—and we can spend some time together. It’s a win-win.
My boss already knows I’m taking off tomorrow. It was his idea. He’s been great to work for. I imagine he’s what my grandfathers would’ve been like; they both passed before I was born. I’ve only ever known my grans, and they too have passed.
I busy myself packing for my trip, throwing in some jeans, flannel shirts—which I just recently acquired—underwear and bras. I grab my new matching sets; you just never know when that’s going to come in handy. I set my toiletries out on the counter so I can easily pack them in the morning, store my spare cell charger and I’m good to go. The only thing left to do is check in with my parents so they don’t worry.
“Hey, sweetie,” Dad says.
I laugh. “It didn’t even ring.”
“It did on my end,” he chuckles. “How are you?”
“Good. Just wanted to let you all know that I’m leaving for Whitney’s earlier than I thought. I’m taking the day off tomorrow and driving down a day early. I’m going to leave around seven in the morning.”
“I like this plan. No sense in driving when you’re tired, and it’ll be daylight,” he agrees.
“I thought you might. Love you. Tell Mom I love her too. I’ll check in when I get there.”
“Will do, sweetheart. Love you too.”
It’s still early, just a little after eight, so I grab my Kindle and curl up with my latest book boyfriend. I’m almost finished with Fly by Mol
ly McLain; a little Colton Wade is the perfect way to end my night.
It’s ten o’clock Friday morning and I’m already at the bar. I feel like I live here, but that’s part of owning a business. Dad did the same before me. Mike’s Tavern is my history, my family’s legacy. It’s not a hardship to be here, and I don’t dread going to work every day. I actually look forward to it, to see my hard work, and my father’s before me, come to life. Mike’s Tavern is a successful business, and I’m proud of that.
“Thought I might find you here,” my sister Olivia says.
I turn from my spot behind the bar where I’m counting inventory. “What are you doing here this early?”
“Well, my dear brother, there has been a slight change in plans. I was hoping if I came in early and helped you get this”—she points to the clipboard I’m holding—“done, we could make it an early night.”
“What plans have changed?” I have no idea what she’s talking about.
“Jamie’s coming in today instead of tomorrow.” She pauses and gives me time to process what she just said.
For weeks after that weekend we all spent at the lake, my sister hounded me about Jamie. No matter how persistent she was, I never gave her what she was fishing for. Not that there’s much to tell anyway. Everyone else was paired up and called it a night, so Jamie and I took a walk and went swimming. She’s fun to hang around. I’ll admit that I have thought about her: those long tan legs, her blonde hair that looks like silk. Silk I’ve dreamed about burying my hands in. Eventually Olivia stopped asking, but that didn’t keep me from thinking about her from time to time.
“Jamie?” I ask in confusion.
She smirks. “Did I forget to tell you? Jamie’s coming into town. We’re going dress shopping for the wedding.”
“So you want to take off early? I have extra staff tonight, so that’s not a problem.” I always have extra staff on the nights she works. This is the family business, and I’ve told her time and time again she should take on more of a manager role, but she refuses. She likes being behind the bar and taking her turn on the floor. My little sister, the social butterfly. I like to have the extra staff to cover the both of us. I’m here just because this is me, this is who I am. One of these days, I would love to see Olivia not be behind the bar, but in the office running things with me.
“Yes, but you are too.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. The whole gang is going to get together tonight. It’s been months since Jamie was here.”
Trust me, I know. “So what’s the plan?”
“It’s too damn cold to go to the pond, so Whitney and Aaron invited us all to their place.”
Just as I’m about to tell her that I didn’t receive said invitation, my phone rings. Looking at the screen, I see Aaron’s name flashing. “Hey, man,” I say in greeting.
“I know it’s last minute, but plans changed yesterday. Jamie was supposed to be here tomorrow so she and the girls could go dress shopping. As of yesterday, we found out that she’s coming a day early. We want to get the gang together at our place tonight.”
“What time?”
“Around eight? Whit wants some time with her before everyone gets here. What do you say, my man? Can you leave the Tavern to the staff for one night?”
“I’ll see what I can do. Thanks for the invite.”
“Anytime. Whit called Olivia, so she and David will be here as well. Other than that, just Evan and McKinley.”
“I have a few things to get done to wrap up the week and prepare for the weekend crowd. I’ll see what I can do.” It’s a lie. Well not completely. I do have to wrap up the week and prepare for the weekend crowd, but that’s the thing about me—I’m always prepared. I always have enough stock, enough staff. The Tavern is a well-oiled machine. This is just where I feel at home. This place is my life; everything else has been on the back burner since the day I took over.
“Sounds good, man. Make sure you try like hell. You know I don’t like to disappoint Whit.”
I laugh. “Yeah, I think the entire town knows.”
“Good,” he chuckles. “That means I’m doing my job. I’ll see you tonight.” He doesn’t wait for me to reply before he hangs up.
“Aaron?” Olivia asks once I end the call.
“Yeah.”
“So.” She claps her hands and rubs them together. “What can I do to knock out that to-do list?”
I hesitate briefly before my decision is made. I hand her the clipboard. “You can finish inventory while I start on the books for the week.”
“Got it, boss.” She salutes me with a cheesy grin. “What else?”
“I have to order after I do the books, then just wait to make sure everyone shows up for work.”
“They will. You have a good team here.”
“We have a good team here. You know this place is just as much yours as it is mine.”
“I don’t have the passion that you do, Mike. I love this place, but I don’t want all the headache that comes with it.”
“You could do the behind the scenes stuff.”
She nods. “I just hate the thought of firing someone, and then what happens when I hire a complete tool and they mess up the flow of what we have going here?”
“That’s every single person in management, Livy. That’s a part of the job. Just think about it. You could take over the books and ordering, that kind of stuff.”
“Why are you pushing this?”
“This is our legacy, not mine. Sure, I’m the namesake, but his blood runs through your veins too. Whenever I thought about taking over, it was always the two of us, not just me.”
“Really?” she asks, surprise in her voice.
“Definitely.”
“All right, I’ll think about it.”
“Great. Now get your ass to work.” I point at her and she flips me off, grinning before turning back to finish the inventory.
The drive to Kentucky is uneventful. I thought for sure with it being Friday I would run into traffic, but it’s been light. The weather is clear though, so maybe everyone called in sick or took a vacation day like me.
I’m just about an hour away from my best friend, Whitney, and her new hometown. This three-day weekend is long overdue for me. Six months is too damn long. I can’t wait to see their house. I’ve seen pictures, and it looks just as beautiful as Whit described. And the ring, I’m sure the pictures don’t do it justice. Aaron Mills holds nothing back when it comes to my best friend. There is no question how much he loves her.
Cranking up the radio, I settle in for the final leg of this trip. Excitement bubbles inside knowing I get to see Whit soon. I miss her so much.
I might also be a teensy bit excited to see Mike. It’ll be good to see if this fantasy I have of him from that weekend holds true. When I was here six months ago, I was dating someone. It was casual, but dating nonetheless. I broke things off not long after my trip. It just didn’t feel right. Seeing how devoted Evan and Aaron, and even David are to their girls, I wanted that. I didn’t see the point in wasting my time with someone who was never going to deliver. After three months of dating, you just know.
As soon as I pull down the long lane taking me to the farm, I unbuckle my seat belt and sit up a little straighter. Following the directions Whit gave me, I drive past the main house and the barns and follow the gravel road around a bend. When the house comes into view, I almost slam on my brakes. It’s a beautiful two-story with a full wraparound porch.
It’s definitely country, and I never thought I would say this, but so Whitney. Kentucky has changed her; her family, both old and new, has brought life back to her. She’s happy, and I couldn’t ask for anything more for her. I was really worried after her mom passed; she was so depressed and… lost.
I smile as I pull up behind Aaron’s truck, knowing she’s not lost anymore. She’s found herself an amazing man who brings with him friends and family who are equally as amazing. I’m both happy for and envious of her.
Before I can climb out of my car, the front door flies open and Whitney comes racing out on the porch and down the steps. I hurry and climb out just in time to accept her hug.
“I missed you!” she says, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
I laugh. “I missed you too.” I spy Aaron over her shoulder. He’s leaning against the post on the front porch, arms and legs crossed with a smile spread across his face. He’s happy she’s happy. Good man, that one.
“Come inside, you two,” Aaron calls out with a chuckle. “You’ll freeze to death.”
It’s February in Kentucky, so yeah, he has a point. Although, compared to a Chicago winter and our winds, this is nothing.
Whit grins, grabs my hand and pulls me toward the porch.
“Wait, I need to get my phone,” I laugh.
She stops, placing her hands on her hips and giving me a “hurry the hell up” look. Quickly, I swipe my keys from the ignition, grab my purse and my phone that’s sitting in the cup holder and close the door. Whit links her arm through mine and leads me up on the porch.
“Good to see you, Jamie,” Aaron greets me.
“Thanks for having me. Sorry for the change of plans.”
“Don’t be sorry. I get more time with you. Six months is just too long,” Whit scolds me.
“Hey, that goes both ways there, sister,” I tease her.
Her face falls. “I know. I’ll do better, I promise.” She squeezes my arm before letting me go once we’re in the house.
“You could just move here,” Aaron suggests.
“Look at you, trying to think of ways to keep her close,” I tease him.
“Damn right. But I also know that would make her happy, having you here.” Aaron places his hands on Whit’s hips and pulls her back against his chest.
“I don’t know if I can hack country living all the time,” I admit. What I don’t tell them is that this place, the serenity and peace of being in the country, is all I’ve thought about since I left. I’m anxious to see if it’s just the way I’ve built it in my head or if it really is as great as I remember.
“Oh please, you could and you know it,” Whit says. “Anyway, we invited the crew over tonight, just to get together and hang out. Tomorrow we’ll meet up with Kinley and Olivia and go dress shopping.”
