Barrett, p.1
Barrett, page 1
Barrett
The Broken Falls Series
Book 4
Laramie Briscoe
Contents
Author’s Note
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Epilogue One
Epilogue Two
Renegade
Shadows
Also By Laramie Briscoe
About the Author
Connect With Laramie
Copyright © 2024 by Laramie Briscoe
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Editing: Elfwerks Editing
Cover Design: Pilcrow Designs
Created with Vellum
The Broken Falls Series
Boone
Abel
Jasper
Barrett
Vaughn
To Barrett & Gabby who embody this song…
* * *
I hit you like, "Bang"
We tried to forget it, but we just couldn't
And I bury hatchets but I keep maps of where I put 'em
Reputation precedes me, they told you I'm crazy
I swear I don't love the drama, it loves me
And I can't let you go, your handprint's on my soul
It's like your eyes are liquor, it's like your body is gold
You've been calling my bluff on all my usual tricks
So here's the truth from my red lips
Blurb
Barrett Grant is wild AF with hips he knows how to use, and he’s also eleven years younger than me…
Gabby
Get Baked is the culmination of every dream I had as a twenty-something. A dream my ex-husband stomped like a bug beneath the tip of his expensive Italian leather shoe. When I left with nothing more than my dignity and a vintage stand mixer I found at a thrift store, all I wanted was to be happy. Promised myself I wouldn’t settle until that happened.
Years later, it’s finally happening in the small town of Broken Falls, WV. My dreams are coming true, my happiness is so close I can reach out and touch it.
But my secrets? They won’t stay buried forever. Especially where Barrett Grant is concerned.
Barrett
I messed up big time with Gabby, the hot, older, owner of Get Baked. I had no business swiping right if I wasn’t going to take our relationship and her feelings seriously. When I reacted badly to a waitress who questioned if she was my mother, I should’ve let it go.
But I didn’t, and now I can’t. Not when I miss the f*ck out of her and lost a year off my life the night Get Baked was broken into. This time, I promise myself, I’ll give us the shot we should’ve gotten the first time.
That is, if she gives me a second chance.
* * *
Tropes Included:
· small town
· blue collar
· second chance
· reverse age gap
· golden retriever hero
Barrett is book four in The Broken Falls Series: a series of interconnected standalones following a group of friends who have become family in small-town West Virginia, and the women who bring them to their knees. You do not have to read them in order, but each book builds upon the relationships of the previous one.
Author’s Note
Please note that this is a series, and while they can be read as standalones, it’s better enjoyed reading in order to follow along with friendships.
Prologue
Gabby
"I want a divorce." I barely get the words out of my dry mouth. I've never been so scared to speak before, but I've also never felt so unappreciated or stifled. There's too much that has happened between us, and now I'm prepared to permanently end it. It isn’t as if he’s landed blows with his hands, but he has with his words. The only difference now? I’m way more prepared to take them.
Jeff glares at me, a smirk I've come to know far too well on his face. It's what I see every time I decide to make a decision for myself and stand up. He always tries to push me down and make whatever decision about him, instead of about what I want. I've been thinking of this longer than I should have before it came to this.
"What are you going to do without me, Gabby? I make the most money between the two of us. I provide for the life you like to live. There's no way you're going to make it without me. All you want to do is open that stupid bakery you keep talking about. That's not going to pay the bills, now is it? If you think I'm going to be okay with you using my money in order to do it, you've lost your mind." He raises his eyebrows, smug smirk on his face. "You signed the prenup, or do you not remember?"
I hate him; everything about this man that I thought I loved, I hate it. He's not the polite, nice man I thought he was when we first started dating. I was so fucking naive, and I didn't see it, until now. Too late. "No, it won't, but I'll be happy at least, and I won't come after your money, Jeff. I promise you that. Just give me enough to live off of for a few months. You and I both know that's way less than what I'll get if we go to court."
He tilts his head to the side and crosses his arms over his chest. "You think you have this all figured out, don't you?"
I nod, swallowing roughly. "I do. You don't love me anymore, and I know I don't love you anymore. Let's stop making each other miserable and just let it go. I don't want a portion of your wealth." Never-mind it's his family wealth, not his. He likes to throw that in my face more often than not. Yes, I have become accustomed to a certain standard of living, but I will learn. I'll learn it all, especially to be happy.
He reaches into the pocket of his suit coat, pulling out a checkbook. "You better not come back to me for anything else. This is all you're getting from me." He signs the check with a flourish.
"It's all I want." I swallow roughly, as I grab hold of the check he's offering. When I see the amount, I realize it's going to be tight. He didn't give me one cent more than what it will take for me to make it for a year without him. But I will somehow do this. I will learn how to budget, I will force this man to eat all the horrible words he has said to me over the years. At the bottom, I see that he put paid in full. As if I'm some debt that he's been chiseling away at for a number of years.
"Bye Gabby. Hopefully you'll fail spectacularly." He takes off his wedding ring, throwing it in the trash.
I immediately get in my car and drive toward the bank, because I want to make sure he doesn't stiff me on the check. I don't put it past him to stop payment on the check, so I take it out in cash, carefully counting the money and placing it in an envelope.
"Have a good day." The teller smiles, completely unaware that my life is in essence imploding in this moment.
But is it really? I finally have hope. The type of hope I didn't have when I woke up this morning. Things will be hard, they always are, but I know I can struggle by myself, I can be miserable by myself and be happier than I was with him.
My life is not imploding. It's morphing into something else, I'm allowing myself to be pliant, and shift into something that's uncomfortable. It's for the better, and I'll thank past me.
Beside the bank is a thrift store. I've seen it every time I've come here, but it's never drawn me in like it does today. I walk in, and walk around, enjoying the smell of all the old things. There's a past in these things, they hold the knowledge that made them valuable enough to still be wanted after all these years. There's love and hurt, success and failure, everything that makes people who they are. When you touch those things, you can get a feeling about them. Kind of figure out which it was.
"Can I help you?" the person working the front counter asks as I look around.
I find myself dragging my finger across some of the old things, feeling as if some of those memories are still alive in those pieces. Glancing around, I don't see what I'm looking for, and while I'm kind of scared to ask for what I want, I know I'm not going to get it unless I do ask. That's one of the issues I had with Jeff. I never put my hopes and dreams, needs and wants, into words.
Now is the time, and I have to be specific. I have to ask the Universe for what I want.
"I'm looking for some baking supplies, do you have anything like that?"
The cashier smiles brightly. "Oh girl, I have the thing for you. We just got it this morning."
I follow her to where she takes me into the back of the shop, and there it is. It's one of those Kitchen Aid mixers that I've wanted for years, but Jeff would never allow me to purchase. It's been used, and when I touch it I can feel so much love in this piece of equipment. It was successful, especially if I'm judging by the scuffs and scars in the red enamel paint. It's been used, lovingly. I can imagine a mother or grandmother standing there with their son or daughter, making cookies on Christmas. The traditions this thing has seen. I want to make those with what will end up being my forever family, not with a man who doesn't appreciate me and my dreams. "How much is it?" I whisper, looking at the price tag.
It reads twenty-five dollars.
I don't want to purchase this with his money, so I go into my purse and with every little bit of money and change there is, I come up with the amount, as well as the tax. Picking it up, I carry it to the checkout counter, and pay for it, with a smile on my face. It's an accomplishment I haven't had previously, a pride I'd lost somewhere along the way with Jeff.
"What are you going to do with it?" the cashier asks as she rings me up, popping a bubble with the gum she's chomping on.
My voice is full of emotion when I say these words. "Build the rest of my life..."
Chapter One
Gabby
The end of the day is my favorite part. Some people enjoy new beginnings, but not me. I've always been the type of girl who had to read the ending of a book before I could start. I've always been obsessed with knowing if things are going to work out or not. I read the epilogue of a book before I read the first chapter. If I'm not sure how a movie is going to end, I'll search out spoilers online. It annoys a lot of people, but I am the way I am. It's a fatal flaw.
One I've been trying to correct in my life since I was a youngster, but I still haven't seemed to learn. I wish I had been able to do that with my marriage to Jeff, it was one of the only times I hadn't tried to envision what the end looked like.
I'm in the back of Get Baked, finishing up my closing procedures when there's a loud noise. The sound of breaking glass immediately puts me on edge. Although the days are longer this time of year, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t danger after a certain time of night. In the last few months there's been a rash of break-ins and robberies around downtown Broken Falls. It's been mostly abandoned buildings, and so far Get Baked hasn't been targeted, but I've definitely felt on edge. It looks like I haven't been so lucky this time.
Gripping my cell phone, I come out from the kitchen, glancing back and forth from the glass window that's now shattered and the inside of my shop. My heart thunders loudly in my chest, so loud I can hear it in my ears. When I can tell there's no one else inside but me, I collapse into myself. My hands shake, and I take an uneasy breath. Sighing heavily, I let the shakes go through me.
"Son of a bitch." I groan as I see that they've completely broken the window. It's seven at night, I don't know where I'm going to get someone to help me patch this up now. One of the worst parts of being a small business owner, is trying to figure out how to get things done immediately, during off hours.
"Gabby, are you okay?" The question is full of fear, and words taut as if he's trying to push them out of a tight throat.
It's the voice of the man who broke my heart, but he now appears to be my saving grace. "Barrett? I'm fine." I hope that just by saying the words, it means that I am okay, but I don't feel that way. The space I've always seen as my own, my safe spot. Maybe it isn't as safe anymore.
He comes in through the door, eyes wide, eyebrows pulled together. It's a mask of terror. "Things don't look fine. Did this just happen?"
I run a hand through my hair. It shakes, and I hope he doesn't see it. "Yeah, a few minutes ago. I'm trying to figure out how I'm gonna get it patched up this late at night. I need to call the cops too, so I can get the report for my insurance."
He's got his phone in his hand, holding a finger up. "One sec, I'll take care of it." He's dialing and before I can ask him how he's going to take care of it, he's talking to someone on the other line. "Yeah, Colt. I know you're about close, but can I come get some plywood? Someone broke Gabby's front window."
My heart is in my throat when I see him nodding. He's taking care of this without me asking him to. No one else in my life has ever been this quick to help when things have gone to shit. The fact that this man and I let each other go so quickly pisses me off. We should've fought harder.
"Yeah, if you could bring it over, that'd be great. I can call Boone or Abel to help." He pushes his hand through his hair. "Are you sure? I know you need to get home to the family. Okay then, see you in a few." He hangs up, putting his cell phone down on one of the empty tables, as he walks out toward his truck.
I follow, watching as he reaches into the bed, grabbing a toolbox, and setting it on the ground. He kneels, before opening it, and pulling out a tape measure. With sure steps, he moves back into the lobby and starts measuring. "What's the plan?" I need to be involved. This is my livelihood, and while I do pride myself on being independent, sometimes you just need a little bit of help. It’s nice not to have to take care of everything on my own. It doesn't seem to matter that the two of us haven't been together in months.
"Colt's bringing some plywood. He'll charge me for it tomorrow because he's already closing for the night. He's got the tools and he'll help me get this patched up. Can you grab me a pen or pencil and a piece of paper? If I get the measurements before he gets here, I can help this move faster."
Going over to the counter, I get what he's asked for, and watch as he makes notes on the paper. Relief flows through my body as I realize I won't have to sit down here tonight, keeping watch to make sure no one comes in and gets anything that isn't theirs. It's hard enough to make sure I'm not losing money, and this is a complication I hadn't counted on. "Barrett, I don't even know what to say." The adrenaline is fading away, and now I'm beginning to understand just how crazy the last few minutes have been. It could've been much worse, and I'm incredibly lucky.
He reaches out, his cold fingers gripping mine. It's the first time we've touched since we broke up, and I pull the gesture into my chest. I hold it close, and know I'll think about this often. Although we're both cold with fear, this is warm. "There's nothing to say, Gabs. I lost a year off my life when I saw the window broken out. I thought you were in here hurt."
Those words warm a place in my chest that's been cold since we said goodbye to one another. "Thank you."
He shrugs, but there's a glint in his eyes. There's a spark of hurt, and I just know these next words are going to hit me right in the chest. "No need to thank me. Just remember the next time you accuse me of being too young for you? I'm the one who dealt with this. And please for the love of all that's holy, make sure you set the alarm. I'm gonna worry about you until this hole is boarded up."
With those words, he turns on his boot, leaving. I want to call out after him, but I don't, because I don't know what to say to him. I don't know how to make this any better than what it is right now. Because he's just said the words that were our kryptonite.
They were the end of us as a couple. The elephant in the room. The reason we broke up in the first place...
Chapter Two
Barrett
"What the fuck is wrong with you this morning?" Abel gives me a glare, his hands on his hips. He only does that when he's really annoyed. "You've been answering everything in monotone grunts and half-words. What's going on?"
