Always on my Mind Read online

  Contents

  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

  Epilogue

  A Preview of A Girl Like You

  Chapter 1

  About the Author

  Also by Samantha Chase

  SAMANTHA CHASE

  Copyright 2022 Samantha Chase

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  All Rights Reserved.

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  No part of this book, with the exception of brief quotations for book reviews or critical articles, 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 express written permission from the author.

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

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  Cover Design: Kari March Designs

  Edits: Jillian Rivera Editing

  Praise for Samantha Chase

  “If you can’t get enough of stories that get inside your heart and soul and stay there long after you’ve read the last page, then Samantha Chase is for you!”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Melanie Shawn

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  “A fun, flirty, sweet romance filled with romance and character growth and a perfect happily ever after.”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips

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  “Samantha Chase writes my kind of happily ever after!”

  -NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Erin Nicholas

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  “The openness between the lovers is refreshing, and their interactions are a balanced blend of sweet and spice. The planets may not have aligned, but the elements of this winning romance are definitely in sync.”

  - Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

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  “A true romantic delight, A Sky Full of Stars is one of the top gems of romance this year.”

  - Night Owl Reviews, TOP PICK

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  “Great writing, a winsome ensemble, and the perfect blend of heart and sass.”

  - Publishers Weekly

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  “Recommend Chase to fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Well-written and uniquely appealing.”

  - Booklist

  One

  Coming back to Magnolia Sound was never part of the plan.

  But then again, Parker Bishop rarely had one.

  Unfortunately, right now she desperately needed one.

  Driving aimlessly around her small hometown, she wondered how she was going to get herself out of her current crisis. Sure, she could pick up the phone and there were countless friends and relatives who would offer to help her out, but…if the last eight days were anything to go by, it was only a matter of time before she would need assistance again.

  Tears stung her eyes–which she loathed because she never cried–and decided to pull over for a few minutes and attempt to pull herself together.

  “I hate this,” she murmured as she parked her car. This was the first time in her entire life that had her feeling like a complete failure and the one person in the whole world that she could normally turn to…well…that was no longer a viable option.

  Resting her head back against the driver’s seat, Parker closed her eyes and it was as if she were back in Florida that awful day so many months ago…

  “I’m getting married!”

  “Um…what?” She was certain she’d misunderstood what her best friend–her rock, her everything–Tyler was saying. “What are you talking about?”

  He smiled so brilliantly and everything in her melted a little–just like it did every time he smiled at her. His words, however, devastated her.

  “Maybe I’m being a little premature,” he went on. “I mean…I haven’t officially asked Kaitlyn yet, but I’m doing it tomorrow night.” Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out the box to show her the gorgeous ring he planned to propose with.

  Her heart was beating erratically and her stomach clenched hard as he held out the box to her like she always imagined he’d do for her one day.

  But he wasn’t.

  Ever.

  “Tyler,” she began, her voice shaking. “Don’t you think it’s too soon? You’ve only been dating for a few months! How well do you even know this girl?”

  And that’s when things went from bad to worse.

  “Does she know you’re allergic to apples or that you hate all the new superhero movies? Is she aware of your Harry Potter obsession? How she’ll never get you on a roller coaster? Or…or…how you only eat M&M’s in even numbers of the same color? And the fact that you wet the bed until you were nine?”

  His eyes went wide before he carefully put the ring back in his pocket. Then his expression softened before he reached out and took her hand in his.

  “Parks…you know she’ll never know me the way you do. You and I have been best friends since the second grade.”

  “But…” Taking a steadying breath, Parker decided to lay it all out on the line. She’d harbored this secret for years and maybe if Tyler knew exactly how she felt, he’d realize proposing to Kaitlyn was a mistake. “Pick me.”

  “What?!”

  She nodded vigorously. “Me. Marry me. We would be amazing together! Hell, we already are! I always thought you and I would be the perfect couple, and if you’d just give me a chance…”

  “Parker…” He paused and gave her a smile that was full of pity.

  “Just…I love you, Ty. I’ve always loved you, and if you’d just give us a chance…”

  “You are my best friend and I love you, just…not like that. I’m in love with Kaitlyn. I’m happy and I’d hoped you’d be happy for me.” He squeezed her hand, seemingly at a loss for words. They sat in awkward silence for what seemed like forever before he finally said, “C’mon, I’ll treat us to sundaes down on the pier. I know how much you like that.”

  And just like that, she’d realized she was getting a consolation prize.

  She’d lost him and there wasn’t anything she could do about it except try to move on.

  Only…moving on didn’t go quite as smoothly as she’d hoped.

  Kaitlyn had, of course, said yes to Tyler’s proposal and they wanted to get married right away. Parker had started packing immediately because she didn’t want to be there for the big day, but…Tyler convinced her to stay–saying he couldn’t imagine getting married without her. And because she was a glutton for punishment, she stayed and watched him marry someone else.

  And left for home the very next day.

  Leaving Florida wasn’t a big deal. Parker had been house-sitting for months and working odd jobs, so it wasn’t like she had any big commitments.

  But figuring out where to go hadn’t been easy and she was beginning to notice a pattern.

  Okay, she didn’t notice it, per se, but when she told Tyler her plans, he didn’t hesitate for a second to share that observation with her.

  Apparently, Parker was a runner.

  At eighteen, she ran from the only place she’d ever known and swore she’d never look back. It had always been her dream to travel, but because Tyler knew her so well, he pointed out how that was only an excuse. S
he ran from her family–both immediate and extended–because she never had the same ambition they all do and always felt like a slacker comparatively. She also ran from any real responsibility. The steady stream of house-sitting, dog walking, and a dozen other little jobs that sustained her without any heavy commitment. She traveled thanks to her inheritance from Pops, but rather than enriching her life, it simply gave her the excuse to keep avoiding being an adult.

  It would have been impossible to argue with him because he was completely correct. What he didn’t realize, and what she couldn’t tell him, was that he had been the only constant in her life. Tyler Burke–the person who she both clung to and took for granted–was the only person who ever kept her grounded. He was the one person who truly understood her and never passed judgment on her.

  Until now.

  That final conversation went downhill after he called her out on the way she was handling this whole situation. And, to add insult to injury, he told her he’d never had romantic feelings for her and he felt that what she was claiming to feel for him wasn’t real. His final words to her before he walked out of her life had hurt more than she ever imagined.

  “I’ve been nothing but a crutch for you, Parker. It’s time for you to grow up and move on.”

  Back in Magnolia, however, it was like she was back in school and never left.

  Once she had decided to sever all ties with her life in Florida, it just seemed logical to go home and figure things out. For years she’d been flitting in and out of town, visiting her family on her own terms, but when she showed up unannounced, it didn’t take long to realize how much everyone’s lives had moved on without her.

  Tears rolled down her cheeks and she didn’t bother to wipe them away. Right now, she was essentially homeless. She’d lasted all of two days with her parents and, for once, it wasn’t her mother who made her want to leave. Her parents were doing major renovations on the house and leaving on a month-long cruise, so staying there wasn’t an option.

  “Really, Parker, if you only bothered to call once in a while, you wouldn’t be in this situation,” her mother had harped.

  Oddly, it was almost comforting to get that bit of disapproval.

  Then, she stayed with her brother Mason and his wife, and that lasted another two days before she was asked to leave. It wasn’t his fault. Apparently, Parker was a bit too much of a distraction for her young nephews and her poor sister-in-law was pregnant again and feeling way too overwhelmed.

  “I still say I could have been a great help if they’d just let me spoil the boys for a little while,” she whispered sadly. “We all would have calmed down eventually.”

  The last stop was staying with her sister Peyton and her fiancé, Ryder.

  Just thinking about the two of them gave her a massive headache.

  Two overachievers who were hell-bent on fixing her. Every minute of the four days she spent with them had been filled with them giving her suggestions and helpful hints for getting her life in order. It was like living with two over-caffeinated motivational speakers in her face from dawn till dusk!

  Exhausting

  As soon as Peyton left for the cafe, Parker pretty much packed her bags, tossed them in her car, and took off.

  And was driving around aimlessly since.

  Now she was tired, hungry, homeless, and her head was pounding. Forcing herself to straighten and look around, she realized she was in the library parking lot. Her cousin Sam’s wife worked there and maybe she could help.

  Pushing the car door open with a heavy sigh, she murmured, “Even though I’m probably beyond helping.”

  Yeah, she wasn’t feeling particularly good about herself, but the next option was leaving town and, honestly, Parker had no idea where she would even go.

  Which was a first for her.

  Stepping inside the Magnolia Public library, she took a moment to get her bearings. It had been years since she’d been here and yet it somehow managed to still look exactly the same.

  “Just like everything else in this town,” she said quietly with a sigh.

  “Parker! Oh my goodness! I heard you were back!” Shelby Westlake–her cousin’s wife–came walking over with a big smile before giving her an even bigger hug. When she pulled back, she was still smiling. “Sam and I were just talking about you last night! How long are you in town for?”

  This was her opening.

  “Actually, I think I’m going to be sticking around for a while…”

  “Really? That’s wonderful! Are you staying with your folks?”

  Shaking her head, Parker quickly shared the tale of the cruise and renovations.

  “Well, that’s too bad. So…are you over with Mason and Scarlett?”

  “Um…I was, but…Scarlett’s pregnant again and I think I added a little too much chaos for her.”

  Now Shelby started to look as uncomfortable as Parker was feeling. “I guess that means you’re over with Peyton and Ryder. I know they have a ton of space and…”

  Parker held up her hand. “I’m going to stop you there. I was staying there, but they were both a little…um…overbearing? I think that’s the word. They saw me as a project and…I don’t know…it was all just a little too much. They were totally smothering me with ideas and opportunities and trying to push me into things I’m not ready for. I moved out this morning.”

  “Then where are you staying?”

  The nervous laugh was out before she could stop it. “That’s the million-dollar question, right? I’m sort of trying to figure that out.”

  For a moment, Shelby didn’t say a word. Then she took Parker by the hand and led her to a table back in the far corner of the library. It wasn’t until a box of tissues was put down in front of her that she realized she was crying.

  Mortified, she wiped her tears.

  Taking a seat beside her, Shelby gave her a moment to compose herself before saying anything. “You can crash on our sofa if you need to. Our place is a little crammed right now, and you’ll probably step on your share of toys, but you are always welcome to stay until you figure things out.”

  “Thanks, Shelby,” she said softly.

  “Maybe it’s not my place, but…you know Peyton and Ryder were just trying to help, right? I mean…they both have a ton of connections, and I know Ryder owns a lot of properties around town. Maybe you can rent one of them?”

  “We talked about it, but none of them are vacant right now. The place Peyton used to rent was what I really wanted, and I thought she was holding on to that lease, but…she didn’t.”

  “Why would she hold on to it?”

  Shrugging, Parker realized how ridiculous it would have been for her sister to do that. It was her own selfish dream.

  They sat in silence for several minutes before Shelby asked, “So what brings you to the library?”

  A small snort was her first response. “I honestly had no idea where I was pulling into. I’ve been driving around all morning and just sort of zoned out. Then I started to cry and knew I needed to get off the road and…here I am.”

  “Oh, Parker…I’m so sorry.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Do you have any plans? A job or…anything?”

  That made her chuckle a little. “You and I haven’t spent a whole lot of time together, have we?” It wasn’t really a question.

  “Maybe not, but I do know you’re the free spirit in the family. I’m sure coming back here wasn’t an easy decision for you.”

  “It wasn’t, but…I’m here and I need to make the best of it.” Then she laughed again. “Once I get this whole homeless thing figured out, I’m sure everything else will fall into place.”

  “You’re never going to be homeless in Magnolia, Parker. Trust me. There will never be a shortage of relatives willing to take you in. And I told you, you are more than welcome to stay with us.”

  “And I appreciate it. It’s just…” Her words trailed off as she watched a guy walk across the library to a large bulletin board. W
ho knew those were still a thing? He looked vaguely familiar, but considering what a small town Magnolia was, she figured they either went to school together or were neighbors or something. “Um…what’s that?” she asked, pointing to the board.

  “Oh, that’s our community bulletin board. People come in and post flyers about local events or for jobs and services they either offer or are looking for.” Pausing, she let out a small gasp. “You know, it’s also a great place to either find a place to rent or a roommate! I’ll bet if you looked, you might find something for yourself!”

  It wasn’t the worst idea…

  “I don’t know…”

  “Shelby?” someone called out.

  “Excuse me for a minute. I should have told them at the desk that I was taking a break. I’ll be right back.”

  Parker nodded but her gaze stayed on the board. “No worries.”

  It wasn’t until Shelby was out of sight that Parker let her words sink in. Maybe finding a roommate wasn’t the worst thing in the world. After all, it would mean cheaper rent. She could try to find a house-sitting situation, but houses here on the coast tended to rent out year-round so it wasn’t really a viable option.

  The guy at the board was still standing there and she couldn’t figure out if he was searching for something specific or getting ready to post something for himself. It looked like he had a sheet of paper in his hand but he was gripping it tightly rather than pinning it up. He kept looking around and that’s when Parker got a better of a look at him–chocolate brown hair, stubbled jaw, glasses, khakis, a thick sweater, and loafers…he had the whole hot nerd look going on and it was totally working for him.