Everything I Need (The Everything Series Book 1) Read online

  Everything I Need

  A.K. Evans

  Published by A.K. Evans

  Copyright 2017 A.K. Evans

  This is a work of fiction. 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.

  All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the express written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Dedication

  To the loves of my life: Jeff, Jaden, & Jensen.

  Table of Contents

  Acknowledgements

  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

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  About A.K. Evans

  Other Books by A.K. Evans

  Connect with A.K. Evans

  Acknowledgements

  I'm not sure my first novel would have ever been possible without having some pretty incredible people in my world. First and foremost, to my amazing husband, Jeff, thank you for encouraging me to pursue this dream and making me realize that I am capable of so much more than I allowed myself to believe. My former, virtually pro-snowboarder, many thanks to you for the wealth of knowledge you've given me on snowboarding and riding half pipe. Without you, I'm not sure I could have told this story. You've supported me in ways that not many are cut out for; and for that, I'm eternally grateful. Your love means everything to me.

  To my two beautiful boys, who've wholeheartedly accepted Mommy writing 'love stories' and graciously gave me the time to do it, thank you. When I seem to need it most, you offer snuggles, cuddles, love, and laughs. I love you both more than I could ever put into words.

  To my mom and dad, thank you both for your unwavering support. To Mom, for delving into a genre you wouldn't have otherwise and for kicking in with Grandma duties to give me time to write the next one. To Dad, thanks for not having a canary when Mom was up all hours of the night trying to finish 'just one more chapter.'

  To my baby brother Phil, who, along with my husband, made me see that my life could be so much better doing something that would be personally fulfilling. You are, all too often, a voice of reason for me. Thank you for that. It would hardly be possible to thank you and not mention what you've put into web design and marketing. Without a doubt, you are the best at your craft.

  To Nick, my cover designer, thank you for the time and effort you put into this cover. I had an idea for this cover and the moment you got to work I realized what I thought I wanted is not what I actually wanted. Your talent is unparalleled and you know how to deliver. Looking forward to working with you on many more covers. You rock!!

  To my family and friends who knew about this journey and supported me along the way, thank you. Whether you were a beta-reader or you offered up your connections to help me get traditionally published (which I turned down in an effort to not only find, but also remain true to my own voice) I appreciate all of your encouragement, praise, criticisms, and efforts. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  Chapter 1

  Charley

  There are moments in life that change us forever. The entire course of your future can be altered in just one single instant. Sometimes, these moments have beautiful endings. Those are the ones I used to live for. And now, I don’t ask, wish, or hope for those beautiful endings. Now, I just know that I never want to have a life-changing experience ever again because the reality is that the ending isn’t always happy. Everything you thought you knew comes crashing down around you. Suddenly, nothing makes sense and you are left to try and figure out where to go from there.

  My name is Charlotte Meadows, but everyone calls me Charley. I left my hometown of Ventura, California almost six months ago. I couldn’t be there anymore. Every place I went was a reminder. A reminder of what I had lost. I thought it would help if I just avoided going out, but I was only kidding myself. Even my apartment became too painful a place to be. Every single room had memories that brought me to tears daily over the three months I stayed in Ventura after my life changed forever. So now I’m here in Rising Sun, Wyoming trying to start my life over. I still struggle to get through the days without wanting to break down, but at least I’m not crying every day. It has only gotten marginally better. I have found that the busier I keep myself the less time I have to think, so I have thrown myself into two jobs since arriving.

  I am currently working as a waitress at First Tracks Diner. I managed to snag the early morning shifts, which results in very little downtime (not to mention they’ve been great for my bank account!). First Tracks is a great, family-owned establishment that makes some of the best diner food I’ve ever had. Of course, I made this decision instantly upon consumption of the one breakfast I had once when I was forced to sit and eat. It was shortly after I moved here and I still had not had much of an appetite. I decided to take on a full eight-hour shift on an empty stomach and nearly passed out. Mounds of food were immediately set in front of me.

  Following my shifts at the diner I work at Brew Stirs, the coffee stand in the lodge at the Parks Ridge Ski Resort. I haven’t worked at Brew Stirs as long as I’ve been at the diner as I only started at the coffee stand this season. You might think that there would simply be a steady flow of customers at the coffee stand, but you’d be sorely mistaken. It is borderline overwhelming. We are currently still at the beginning of the season since it is late November, but there is always a line and I rarely get a reprieve throughout my entire shift. I love it, though, because it keeps my mind occupied and the time passes quickly.

  Before I know it, my days are over and I am so exhausted by the time I get home I am typically hopping into the shower quickly and then if I’m feeling up to it I’ll grab some food. If not, I’m off to bed. I get a few hours of sleep and I’m back at it the next day. My weekends, when I don’t pick up an extra shift at First Tracks, consist of me doing the necessary evils of grocery shopping, laundry, and house cleaning. I’ll forgo some of these tasks if I get sidetracked by my art. I always try to make time on Saturdays and Sundays for that. It was always my dream to be a graphic designer, and while I had a few paid gigs back in California I have not even considered that here in Wyoming. It is now only a hobby that I keep to myself that’s been a way to keep me connected to a part of my previous life.

  So far, my
new hometown is working out well. My jobs are great, nobody in town looks at me with sad eyes, and best of all, I have my best friend, Emily (or Emme, as we call her), here with me. Emme, just like me, needed to get out of California after everything that we had been through. Lucky for her, she is an incredible photographer and could make the move without the worry of what to do for income. Her work speaks for itself and she is supremely talented. I am so proud of her. The both of us are still holding out hope that we will eventually convince the other half of our foursome to join us. Nikki and Monroe had greater ties to their families and jobs, so picking up to move nearly one thousand miles away was not as easy for them as it had been for Emme and me. It certainly was not easy to leave Nikki and Monroe, but neither Emme nor I regret the decision to come here. It has been a refreshing, not to mention much needed, start for the both of us.

  “Morning, Charley,” I heard Emme say as I walked into our kitchen and saw her sitting at the island with her coffee and her breakfast that consisted of a bowl of fruit.

  Our kitchen was absolutely gorgeous with all new stainless appliances, a massive center island, and chic slate gray tile floors. The cabinets were bright white with gray countertops to match the floors. The style of the kitchen and the entire condo, for that matter, was magnificent. We really lucked out when we had searched for places to live in Rising Sun. We found an incredible two-bedroom condo that had a clean, modern feel to it. The kitchen was part of the open concept floor plan of the condo and shared space with the dining area and living room. I found that the kitchen was one of my favorite spots in the house, second only to our bedrooms. Both of our bedrooms were spacious enough to fit king size beds without making the room seem small. Emme and I were torn between our love for the huge closest each bedroom boasted or the most beautiful views from our bedroom balconies. The bedrooms both had separate, full bathrooms and we also had a half bath in the hallway off the main living space.

  I sat myself down at one of the island barstools while I put some granola into a bowl of yogurt.

  “Morning, Em. Ready for your shoot this morning?” I answered.

  “Yep. I’ve got that newborn and family portrait session this morning and then I’m headed off to a lunch meeting with some clients, a newly engaged couple,” she informed me.

  “That’s awesome, honey. I think you have been busier here than you ever were back home.”

  “You’re right. I have been busier…and I think it’s been really good for me. My mind stays occupied when I’m at those meetings or out on a shoot. It’s the editing that is toughest since I’m alone with my thoughts then,” she said looking away and then paused for a moment before continuing with a shake of her head. “But enough about my stuff, I’m glad I caught you before you left for work. I wanted to ask and make sure you’re still up for dinner and drinks to celebrate your birthday next Saturday night?”

  “Yes. We have been out twice since we moved here. I think we need this, even though we’re keeping it low key.”

  She looked at me and smiled. Her eyes were a bit sad, but she quickly brushed it off. I’d grown used to that over the last nine months.

  I looked back at my beautiful friend. She was my polar opposite, physically speaking. She had almond-shaped green eyes, flawless olive-colored skin, and thick, long brown hair that ended more than halfway down her back. I had round, blue eyes, fair skin, and short blonde hair that sat just at my shoulders. She was just an inch shorter than me at five feet five inches tall, but where I had an athletic build, she had a more petite frame with curves in all the right places.

  I smiled back at Emme for a beat and then went back to finishing my breakfast. We ate in comfortable silence and then I took to getting my stuff together so I could make it to work on time. It was Thursday and I was looking forward to having the next two days go by quickly since I had the entire weekend off. It wasn’t very often that I didn’t pick up an extra shift (or two) on a Saturday, so I planned to take full advantage of that reprieve.

  “Gotta get out of here. Have a great day. See ya tonight, babe,” I called to her as I was walking out of the kitchen and towards the door.

  “You too, Charley. Later,” she said softly as she went back to her breakfast.

  *****

  Wes

  Dream big. Build a career. Fall in love. Enjoy life. I grew up believing this is how it all works. My parents drilled this into my head. James and Linda Blackman were the epitome of positivity. They worked hard, made a decent living, and showed so much love to each other and their two children, my sister and me, that it was hard not to believe in the fairytale.

  My dad, James, made a living as a pharmacist and up until the time he and my mom, Linda, had their first child (that child being me, Westley Blackman) my mom spent her days as a nurse. Once I was born, she then poured every ounce of energy and love into raising me and caring for our family. Three years later, my baby sister, Elizabeth, was born. Our family of four was the picture-perfect image of happiness.

  I had been repeating my family’s mantra to myself over the last year. I had dreamt big, no doubt about that. I built a career. That took slightly longer than I would have liked, but I pushed hard and made it happen. I’d been working on pursuing this dream for as long as I could remember. Falling in love and enjoying life…well, let’s just say I am still working on those.

  Snowboarding is my life. I grew up riding every single weekend during the winter season with my best friends, Zane, Stone, and Luke. The four of us worked on our craft relentlessly and it wasn’t long before our group was approached by several big names in the industry looking to sponsor each of us as one of their riders. We all started as amateurs riding in contests and eventually all of us became rep riders. Becoming rep riders for the companies was a huge deal at our young ages and we were beyond thrilled to be doing what we loved and having others recognize our talents. Even though we weren’t at the professional level we could not complain; we had plenty to be thankful for.

  During this time when my buddies and I were up and coming in the snowboarding scene, I managed to meet a girl named Dana. Finally, I thought, everything is coming together. I had the dream, I was honing my craft and learning the business that I would eventually turn into my lifelong career, and I had met someone with whom I thought I would be able to fall in love and create a life.

  As the years passed, I knew I did not want to be riding and promoting someone else’s brand. I wanted to do this for myself. Once I finished school I went to work on building my business. My friends knew what my dream was and they supported me all the way. None of them had the same desire to build the business I wanted — they simply wanted to ride — but they helped me in the beginning when I started making my own boards by hand. As I continued making boards, the guys would test them and give me feedback on which designs and materials worked the best and held up through their riding sessions.

  I was not making much money during this time. I knew I needed a bit of an income for the basics and to keep pursuing my ultimate dream, so I entered a few contests and did well enough with prize money to make ends meet. After the basics were covered, any leftover funds went straight into building the business. I knew the greater fortune was just ahead and would come in due time. I just kept pushing and working to make it happen.

  My days were spent working and carving out bits of time to spend with Dana. We had been together for nearly four years when I proposed to her. I was not able to get her the diamond ring that I truly wanted her to have, but I knew that once I got to where I planned to be there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t be able to give her.

  Over the next six months, I worked day and night to pursue my dream. My relationship with Dana became strained. She was never into snowboarding and mostly tolerated it, but she argued with me several times that I needed to get serious about pursuing a real career. She felt I was putting too much time into something that was going to go nowhere. Despite numerous arguments, I kept pushing to make it happen. One night, I came
home to my apartment after a long day building and testing boards to find all of Dana’s things were gone. I walked into the bedroom and found that she had left the engagement ring and a note on the bed telling me she could not marry someone who chose fun and games over a serious career. I never heard from her again.

  That was almost two years ago. Now, I had finally made it. I kept up my pursuit and it had paid off. I am not only the owner of Blackman Boards, but I have also built a company that now rivals some of the top in this industry. Blackman Boards is a relatively new player in the extreme sports business, but with a big dream and a lot of perseverance the company has catapulted to the top of the pack.

  Blackman Boards has picked up such momentum in the last eight months that I have finally been able to officially sign all three of my best friends as professional riders and I have just recently acquired a new thirty-thousand-square-foot facility to house the operation.

  I was sitting in my new office going over the plans for some of the construction I had planned for the warehouse renovation. The office renovations were just recently completed about two weeks ago and I was satisfied with the results. The warehouse was roughly eighteen-thousand-square-feet of space that would house the entire production process for the boards and accessories. The upstairs and downstairs offices made up the remaining twelve-thousand-square feet of space. My office was probably larger than was needed at nearly a thousand square feet and could easily fit two additional employees, but I had worked hard for this place and wanted to reap some of that reward.

  Zane walked in.

  “Hey,” Zane offered his version of good morning.

  “What’s up, Zane?”

  “Not much. Got in an early workout today and figured I’d stop in before heading out to ride.”

  “You get a chance to try out the new lineup for the Fire series?”