Easy Melody
Book Three in the
Boudreaux Series
By
Kristen Proby
EASY MELODY
Book Three in The Boudreaux Series
Kristen Proby
Copyright © 2015 by Kristen Proby
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Cover Art:
Photography by: Kristen Proby
Models: John Kirton and Ashley Duty
Cover Design: Okay Creations
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Kristen Proby is the author of the popular With Me in Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type—fiercely protective and a bit bossy—and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, and sunshine. And naps. Visit her at KristenProby.com.
Website
Goodreads
Other Books by Kristen Proby:
The Boudreaux Series:
Easy Love and on audio
Easy Charm and on audio
Easy Kisses (preorder)
The With Me In Seattle Series:
Come Away With Me and on audio
Under the Mistletoe With Me and on audio
Fight With Me and on audio
Play With Me and on audio
Rock With Me and on audio
Safe With Me and on audio
Tied With Me and on audio
Breathe With Me and on audio
Forever With Me and on audio
Easy With You
The Love Under the Big Sky Series, available through Pocket Books:
Loving Cara and on audio
Seducing Lauren and on audio
Falling for Jillian and on audio
Baby, It’s Cold Outside and on audio
An Anthology with Jennifer Probst, Emma Chase, Kristen Proby, Melody Anne and Kate Meader
Table of Contents
About Kristen Proby
Other Books by Kristen Proby
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
Epilogue
Other Books by Kristen Proby
Prologue
~Callie~
“What do you mean, he left it to me?” I ask, leaning forward and pounding my fist on Bernie’s desk. “He knew I didn’t want it!”
Bernie shrugs and sits back in his creaky chair, folds his hands over his round belly and sucks on a peppermint from the jar on his old oak desk. “Doesn’t change that he left the bar and all of its contents to you, Callie.”
“And all of its debt, no doubt,” I mutter and rub my fingertips on my forehead. “I have a life in Colorado, Bernie. What am I supposed to do?” I sit up straight as a brilliant thought occurs to me. “I’ll sell it!”
“Well, here’s the thing.”
“Don’t tell me that there’s a clause in the will that says that I have to marry a virgin and live in a haunted castle for a year in order to inherit,” I reply dryly. “That’s cliché, even for my dad.”
Bernie grins. “No, nothing that dramatic.”
“Good.”
“Your dad tried to sell it a few times over the years, but it never sold. It needs some work, Callie.”
I stare at him, confused. “He never told me he tried to sell.”
Not that I spoke to him often.
“He never even got a nibble.”
“But, it’s located in the heart of the French Quarter. Surely, someone would want to buy it, fix it up and either flip it or run it.”
Bernie’s face transforms into a smug smile. “Perhaps someone would.”
My eyes narrow. “I’m not buying it.”
“No, you’re inheriting it.” He leans forward again, and his brown eyes soften. Eyes just like my dad’s. “I loved your father, despite all of his faults. He loved three things in his life: your mother, The Odyssey, and you.”
I refuse to cry in front of my uncle.
“He was awfully fond of whiskey too,” I reply, but he just narrows his eyes at me. “Uncle Bernie—”
“You’ve been spending all these years up in Denver, running that club and flipping houses, and your dad was real proud of you. But maybe it’s time to come home, darlin’.”
Denver is home.
“I’ll flip it,” I reply and stand to leave his office. “I have savings.”
“Call me if you need me,” he calls as I saunter out of his office and down to my rental car, then swear like a sailor when I see the parking ticket on the windshield.
This isn’t my fucking day.
I pull my phone out of my purse as I pull into traffic and call my long time boyfriend, Keith, who owns Boom, a popular nightclub in Denver that I also happen to manage.
“Babe,” he answers, making me smile.
“Hey.”
“Are you coming back yet?” he asks. I can hear voices in the background and check the time. Mid-afternoon. They’re getting ready for tonight at the club, I’m sure.
“So, there might be a snag in that,” I reply and change lanes, headed downtown to the bar. “Turns out that I have some work to do here regarding my dad’s bar.”
“How long will that take?” he asks, his voice calm but hard.
How long will it take to flip a bar and make a profit? Too long.
“Honestly, I might be here a couple of months.” I cringe. “But I can commute back and forth.”
“Actually, Cal, I’ve been wanting to talk to you anyway, and this is as good of a time as any. Remember when I asked you to come in for a meeting last week?”
“The morning my dad died,” I reply, not at all wanting to hear the next words to come out of Keith’s mouth. Because I’m pretty sure it’s not good.
“I think it’s time for you to move on, Callie. You’re a great manager, but I feel like the club has stalled.”
I pull into a parking space, throw the car in park, and stare straight ahead. “Bullshit. You’ve never made a secret that you can be a dick, Keith. That’s something we have in common, and over the two years we’ve been together, we’ve never lied to each other.”
“You’re right.” He sighs and I can picture him loosening his tie. “It’s time for us to move on, Cal.”
“You’re firing me and breaking up with me?” This day just keeps getting better and better.
“I’m going to offer you a very generous severance, Callie.”
I want to tell him to shove the money, but I’m not that stupid. “Why?”
“It’s time,” he replies simply.
“Because you don’t do forever,” I add, remembering all the times he’s warned me of that very fact in the past.
“I’m sorry, Callie. I’ll give you an excellent letter of recommendation. And if you ever need anything, all you have to do is call. In fact, if you decide to relocate to New Orleans, I’ll have your things moved for you.”