Everything His Heart Desires: Lafayette Falls, #1

By Patricia Preston

She's the key to his success. Let the fun and payback begin! 

In Lafayette Falls, Senator Layton's daughter, Natalie, charmed everyone in high school except Brett "Hot Rod" Harris. Growing up poor on Trinity Road has only fueled his ambition. Brett dismissed Natalie as a slacker whose saving grace was her family's fortune and the one girl who was beyond his reach.

 

Home for the holidays…After years of working in war zones, photographer Natalie Layton returns home with a battered soul. She's happy to reconnect with her family and old friends. Yet she didn't foresee being roped into a plot that reunites with win-or-die Brett Harris.

 

Now a cardiologist, Brett is handed the ultimate opportunity when the influential Layton family promises him a coveted position at the hospital in exchange for helping their ailing matriarch. The only catch? He'll have to team up with Natalie to win over her pretentious grandmother.

 

 Brett is captivated by the complex woman Natalie has become. But can a guy from the wrong side of town win the love of a local princess? Natalie has always had a soft spot for Brett, but he's driven to succeed. Is his interest in her just a ploy? In the end, will it be about ambition, or can love defy the odds and rewrite the most unlikely of narratives?

 

Everything His Heart Desires is a mainstream contemporary romance, 87K words, heat level: 3-warm, featuring a small-town vibe, enemies-to-lovers, characters from future books, and a spicy, feel-good romance that will leave you smiling!

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patricia Preston
• Release date: Sep 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223423058

Book preview

Everything His Heart Desires

In Lafayette Falls, Senator Layton’s daughter, Natalie, charmed everyone in high school except Brett Hot Rod Harris. Growing up poor on Trinity Road only fueled Brett’s ambition. He dismissed Natalie as a slacker whose saving grace was her family’s fortune and the one girl who was beyond his reach.

Home for the holidays…After years of working in war zones, widowed photographer Natalie Layton returns home with a battered soul. She’s happy to reconnect with her family. Yet she didn’t foresee being roped into a scheme that involved win-or-die Brett Harris.

Now a cardiologist, Brett is handed the ultimate opportunity when the influential Layton family promises him a coveted position at the hospital in exchange for helping their ailing matriarch. The only catch? He’ll have to team up with Natalie to win over her pretentious grandmother.

Brett is captivated by the complex woman Natalie has become. But can a guy from the wrong side of town win the love of a local princess? Natalie has always had a soft spot for Brett, but he’s driven to succeed. Is his interest in her just a ploy? In the end, will it be about ambition, or can love defy the odds and rewrite the most unlikely of narratives?

The Lafayette Falls Romance Series is perfect for readers of mainstream romance novels who love a small-town romance vibe, sexy, charming characters, humor, and heartfelt connections in the community. They are written in third person, with multiple viewpoints. Heat level: warm

What Reviewers Are Saying…

Patricia Preston brought Everything His Heart Desires to life with her complex characters and interesting storyline. You felt Brett’s confidence and insecurity. You felt Natalie’s heartbreak and pain. The story was beautifully written, fluid, and fast-paced. Simply Love Book Reviews

Natalie and Brett’s story was a delightful read. They might have come from different walks of life, but they come to realize that where you come from and the family you were born into does not determine what makes you. This was an emotionally charged and amazing read. Perspectives of the Heart Reviews

Patricia Preston combines family, friends, a good romance, and multiple storylines in a cohesive and well-flowing novel that is full of emotions. I think I enjoyed Nana Anna just as much as the ups and downs in the evolving romance and ultimately heartwarming story of Brett and Natalie. K B, NetGalley

Nana Anna’s determination to get rid of poor Brett was hilarious. . . Some scenes were laugh-out-loud funny! I devoured this tender, funny, and romantic story. . . This is my second book by Patricia Preston, and I definitely recommend this author. She creates engaging, relatable characters and well-written, charming, and romantic stories that I enjoy reading. Francoise, NetGalley

Escape to Lafayette Falls

Welcome to Lafayette Falls, where readers are transported to a world of passionate romance set against the backdrop of a small town. The books are a celebration of love, with captivating characters, a touch of drama, and a dash of humor. Plus, a community of unforgettable characters. For more information about the series, click Lafayette Falls Romances.

Everything His Heart Desires

A Lafayette Falls Romance

Book One

PATRICIA PRESTON

©2017, 2023 by Patricia Preston

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This story is a work of fiction. All characters are either products of the author’s imagination or being used fictitiously. Names and locales have no relationship to anyone bearing the same name, and any resemblance to actual persons, events, and locations is purely coincidental. Characters are not even remotely inspired by individuals known or unknown to the author, and all events are imaginative inventions.

No part of this text is allowed to be reproduced or transmitted by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the author. To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

Cover Design ©2023 Patricia Robertson, LoveStory Press Designs

Everything His Heart Desires was published by Kensington Books in 2017. This is a revised version of that book.

Chapter 1

FAST AND FLIRTY, RHONDA was built to please, and Brett Harris had been hooked the moment he saw her. She was fine in all the ways that mattered. Perfect body. Smooth lines. Plus, black leather suited her. What more could a guy want? Rhonda was worth every dime of the sixty-two thousand that Brett had paid for her.

In mint condition, Rhonda, a deep blue 1969 Road Runner, was one of four classic muscle cars he owned. His collection included a red Camaro called Cathy, a silver Mustang, Molly, and Farah, a black Firebird. He affectionately called them his Girls. They were beauties, and they never let a guy down.

Since it was Friday, the physicians’ parking lot was almost empty. Over half of the medical staff, including Brett, took Friday as their day off. He lived for three-day weekends.

It’s all about heaven on earth, Rhonda. He patted Rhonda’s shiny blue fender and headed toward the catwalk that would take him to the physician’s entrance.

The brown leather bomber jacket he wore over a navy pullover and khakis warded off the crisp chill of the morning air. It was the first Friday in November. Fall was here, and soon, it would be cool enough to light up the fireplace. He loved fall.

This weekend, a warm front would keep the highs in the seventies. Glorious weather for renting a cabin at Covington Lake. His phone was filled with numbers of available women. Any one of them would be happy to accompany him.

Life was good.

He tapped in his code on the keypad and walked into the physicians’ lounge, which was as deserted as the parking lot. Brett followed the aroma of freshly brewed coffee into the kitchenette, where his pal, pediatrician Aaron Kendall, sat on a stool, eating a bowl of cornflakes.

Dressed in blue scrubs, Aaron, a former college baseball player with soulful dark blue eyes and black hair, greeted him. Hey. I’ve asked around, and no one knows anything about a meeting this morning.

Brett frowned. I can’t imagine what Sheldon wants. An hour ago, he received a cryptic message from the chief of staff, Dr. Neal Sheldon.

Meet me at the hospital. Nine o’clock. Executive Conference Room.

The command was straightforward, without any explanation. Being who he was, Sheldon did not have to explain his orders. His authority was not questioned. Nevertheless, since Brett had gotten Sheldon’s message, his mind had been considering all the possibilities and coming up with nothing.

Are you in trouble again? Aaron asked.

No. After his last clash with Richard Lockett, the hospital’s current CEO, he had been reprimanded by the chief of staff. So, for four months, he had been the poster boy of professionalism, and Lockett was holed up in his office, dealing with cash flow deficits at the hospital.

Aaron gave him a thoughtful glance. What about the chief of cardiology position?

You know I don’t have a chance. Not that he didn’t want to be head of the cardiology department. He’d sell his soul for the position. That was how much he wanted it.

You’re an interventional cardiologist, and you generate a lot of income for the hospital.

Doesn’t matter. It’s all politics. More than once, the politics had gone against him. When it came to Lafayette Falls, he was from the wrong side of town, so to speak.

He’d grown up poor on Trinity Road, a strip of worn asphalt that snaked through the hills outside of town. Decades before Brett was born, Trinity Road had already established a dark reputation. The desolate road had once been home to a branch of the Dixie Mafia, and it was known for its roadhouses and violence. Nothing good ever comes from Trinity Road. The phrase had become Trinity Road’s legacy, and Brett had been trying to live that down all his life.

By all rights, a penniless kid from Trinity Road should have never even made it to college, much less medical school. The chief of cardiology position was beyond his grasp.

I don’t know why Sheldon called this meeting. I don’t have any patient complaints against me I’m aware of.

He tackled his work with a deep sense of seriousness and was exceptional at what he did.

Aaron finished his cereal. If you get the chance, mention the chief of cardiology office to Sheldon. You’d do a great job.

The only way I will get it is if everyone else turns it down. The position meant extra work, and the three other cardiologists on staff were older than Brett and had families on top of large practices. They might balk at more responsibility. I think Foster will step up and take it.

Dr. Roy Foster had been on the staff for over twenty years and a better politician than Brett.

Still, say something to Sheldon, Aaron suggested. Just see what his thoughts are.

He’d probably flatten me like a cockroach. Brett glanced at the wall clock, which read eight forty-five. It never hurt to be early. I’ll let you know what happens.

Good luck, bro.

Brett strode down the blue-tiled hallway, thinking about the chief of cardiology position. Dr. Milam Collins had held onto the position for twenty-five years. For the past few years, Collins had been biding his time, preparing to retire. He had let things in the department slide.

Collins never insisted on the purchase of new equipment or upgrades to the cath lab. Brett found that frustrating but mediocre Collins was Lockett’s golfing buddy, and he had the support of the governing board of trustees and the medical staff. The good ole boy network dominated everything.

In the hallway, he passed a couple of lab techs. Hey, Hot Rod, they greeted him by his nickname. TGIF!

You got that right, Brett replied. Nothing compared to a Friday when it came to putting a little bounce in your step. He usually hung out on Friday nights at the Thunderbird Bar and Grill.

Last year, he had invested a wad of cash into the Thunderbird, which was paying off nicely, as well as some other investments. His portfolio grew fatter by the day.

As he approached the elevators at the end of the hall, the doors to one of the cars slid open, and he made a dash for it. He almost ran into Mrs. Rutherford, the hospital’s stodgy dietitian, who stepped out of the elevator.

Doctor Harris, aren’t you energetic this morning?

It’s Friday, Mrs. Rutherford. Best day of the week! Brett rushed into the elevator car as the doors started to close. The hospital elevator cars were built to accommodate stretchers and medical equipment, so they were roomy enough.

He nodded at an older Asian couple standing in the middle of the car. He stood before the operating panel and pressed seven, where the executive offices and meeting rooms were located. He settled in the front corner as the car shuddered and began its climb.

That’s when he noticed the hot chick standing in the rear corner of the elevator, diagonal from him. Gold hair cascaded over her shoulders, creating a mesmerizing S-curve that delicately framed her cheek. She wore a short burgundy jacket with embroidered lapels over a silky top and form-fitting jeans. Knee-high brown leather boots with stack heels added a touch of sophistication to her appearance.

She looked like she had just stepped out of a high-end Ralph Lauren fashion advertisement, radiating an aura of effortless cool and timeless class. With a grin, he thought she looked as if she belonged at a polo match, on a yacht, or in his bed.

She held a couple of large, white pastry boxes from the hospital cafeteria.

He impulsively checked out her hands. Delicate clear nails and no wedding band or engagement ring. He grinned. Maybe it’s my lucky day. Maybe a lucky weekend, too.

The elevator opened on the second floor, and the Asian couple got off. While the elevator was stopped, Brett moved to the rear of the car. So he and the Ralph Lauren model stood in opposite corners.

The elevator hydraulics sighed as the door closed. He cut his eyes in her direction. Classic bone structure. High cheekbones and a straight nose. You inherited some fantastic genes, babe.

She shifted the boxes she held and looked at him. Her bold sapphire-blue eyes pinned him with a gaze that would have fired up the pistons in any man. A tiny smile played at the corner of her lips. A girl giving a guy a hint of a smile was usually a good indicator that she liked what she saw.

He ignored the dicey feeling in his gut.

I’ve heard we’re going to have great weather this weekend, he remarked.

The weather was always a safe conversation starter. He tapped on the handrail. For the first time ever, he wished the elevator would move a little slower.

He saw a glimmer of amusement as her grin widened slightly. There’s a storm coming.

A storm? He frowned. He had watched the weather report on TV before he left his house. Sunny autumn weekend, high in the seventies, and no rain. I don’t think so.

Oh, I’m fairly certain about the storm, she insisted with a swift lowering of her lashes. Her sultry voice didn’t sound local. Suddenly, she flashed him a tempestuous smile. All the shyness was gone, and his knees felt weak.

He blinked. He wasn’t sure if she was talking about an actual storm or using the word as a metaphor—like for sex? If he were a Christmas tree, every light on him would be glowing. He raked back his unruly hair.

The elevator passed the fifth floor. With no time to spare, he decided to go for it.

He might have been born poor but not humble.

I’m going to be at the Thunderbird tonight. Hanging out. If you’re out that way, stop by. I’d love to have some company. He didn’t make a big deal of it. Subtlety had its merits.

He noticed a flicker of delight in her gorgeous blue eyes, and for a second, she seemed familiar. Like he’d seen her before. That wasn’t possible. He would not have forgotten a woman like her. Besides, he wasn’t one to ever get that drunk.

She kept smiling. Almost as if she couldn’t stop herself. That had to be a good sign.

How about it? He used a confident tone because he believed in self-assurance. Meet me at the Thunderbird tonight?

She wet her luscious lips, and his heart rate tripled.

I wasn’t kidding about the storm, she warned.

Look. He withdrew his phone from the holster on his belt and tapped the weather app. See. Sunny and in the seventies all weekend. Have you ever been to Covington Lake?

She chuckled as the elevator doors slid open on the top floor of the hospital. She wheeled around on the stacked heel of her boot. The storm that’s coming isn’t on the weather map, Brett. She gave him a wink and punched the first-floor button. You’re going down in more ways than one.

Stunned by her use of his first name, he reacted too slowly to catch the doors before they closed. Shit. He swore as the elevator descended.

After he pounded the button for the seventh floor, he folded his arms.

How did she know his name? She’d called him by his first name. Only his friends called him by his name, or sometimes the nickname Hot Rod. Everyone else referred to him as Doctor Harris. His brain circulated her image through the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, searching his memories. Nothing. Total blank.

The elevator finally stopped on the fourth floor, and a patient transporter pushed an empty wheelchair inside the elevator car. He and Brett exchanged nods, and Brett asked, Which floor?

Two. You ready for the holiday season, Doc?

Yeah, Brett remarked. As far as he was concerned, the holidays sucked. He pounded the button for the second floor and the seventh floor. After a ride down to the first floor, the elevator ascended.

As soon as the doors on the seventh floor opened, he bailed out of the elevator. The hallways were empty. The Ralph Lauren model who had called him Brett was nowhere to be seen. He had news for her. I’ve survived more storms than you even know exist.

As he headed to the executive meeting room, he considered that the seventh floor only housed administrative medical offices, meeting rooms, the medical library, and a private dining area. She must have been lost.

A short, carpeted hallway led to the double doors of the executive meeting room, where Dr. Neal Sheldon had requested they meet. He walked into the large room, where landscape paintings hung on the walls, and recessed ceiling lights illuminated his surroundings. A long, dark cherry table stood in the center of the room. Fresh flowers filled a gold vase, and matching executive chairs lined either side of the gleaming table. The room smelled of leather and power. And two of the most influential men in Brett’s universe stood beside the table.

Dr. Neal Sheldon and Harry Layton.

Tall and silver-haired, Dr. Neal Sheldon was in his mid-seventies. Sheldon’s regal appearance and calm demeanor served him well as chief of staff. Considered a brilliant neurologist, he had worked on several research projects and published in medical journals. Everyone, including Brett, respected Sheldon and deferred to his leadership.

In contrast to Sheldon’s noble bearing, Harry Layton was shorter and heavier. In his late fifties, Harry’s balding head was hidden beneath a Tennessee Vols ball cap. A die-hard fan, he sported an orange-and-white Vols polo shirt and an orange UT windbreaker over gray slacks.

Harry was one of the sharpest, most prominent businessmen in Lafayette Falls. He came from old money. His ancestors had been one of Lafayette Falls’ founding families, and the Laytons had long been the wealthiest, most influential people in town. The cornerstone of Lafayette Falls society.

Harry Layton was not only the president of Lafayette Falls Bank and Trust but also the president of the hospital board of trustees. If Harry wanted it done, it got done. No questions asked.

Standing next to Harry was the stylish Ralph Lauren model, who met Brett’s gaze and gave her head a sad shake as if she pitied him. He glanced from her to Harry. Sugar Daddy? Had he been flirting with Harry’s mistress?

His stomach soured. Surely, she wouldn’t tell Harry.

Doctor Harris. Sheldon greeted Brett, his tone professional as always. He was a man of deportment and reservation. I am glad you could join us this morning. If there was ever such a thing as a high road, Sheldon had been on it all his life.

Good to see you, Doc. Harry shook Brett’s hand vigorously.

Unlike Sheldon, Harry embodied easygoing Southern charm. With a laugh and a slap on the back, Harry was the good ole boy who would smile as he cut the competition’s throat.

Harry filled a foam coffee cup at the coffeemaker and handed it to Brett. He filled one for himself and Sheldon. Sweetie, Harry spoke to the blonde. Did they have any blueberry cream cheese donuts?

They did. She opened the pastry boxes on the conference table and popped a donut hole in her mouth. She placed four paper plates on the table. Then, she used a plastic fork to haul a blueberry cream cheese donut out of the box for Harry.

How disgusting, Brett thought. He gave her a disapproving frown as he took a seat to the left of Sheldon, who sat at the head of the conference table. Brett hoped when she finished her serving duties, she’d disappear.

His hopes that she would leave were squashed when she sat beside Harry. She and Harry sat facing Brett. He took a sip of his coffee and passed on a pastry.

As she reached for another donut hole, she told Harry, I don’t think Brett recognizes me. She gave Brett another backstabbing smile. It has been years since graduation, but you haven’t changed at all.

Brett had no memory of a girl like her in high school.

Surely, you recognized our Natalie, Harry said proudly. We’re so happy to have her back home. Mama and Aunt Clara are just beside themselves with joy.

Natalie? The only Natalie in his class had been rich and worthless Natalie Layton. He swallowed as dots connected in his mind. Harry Layton. Dr. Sheldon was connected to the Layton family through marriage. Natalie Layton. They were all family.

For a moment, he was so unnerved he couldn’t speak. Finally, he managed to say, It’s nice to see you again, Natalie.

His high school memories had faded, but usually, when he ran into a former classmate, he recognized them. But not Natalie. Not in a million years would he have known her.

Natalie toyed with a donut hole. I can’t believe you’re a doctor. Wow! Sometimes, wonders never cease. Uncle Harry has said so many good things about you. Hard to believe. Considering. She hadn’t forgotten.

We all change, he replied, wanting her to know he wasn’t the teenage prick she’d known in high school.

She let out a soft chuckle. Actually, to him, it sounded more like the way a witch would cackle before shoving you in the oven. Then he realized she’d known who he was in the elevator and played him. Dammit. He felt like an idiot.

Natalie Layton. Senator Ted Layton’s daughter. Grew up in the Castle House. Got a white Corvette for her sixteenth birthday. Voted Cutest, Class Favorite, Senior Sweetheart…Adored by everyone but me.

What do you think about the team this year? Harry asked him, oblivious to the sudden trauma that Brett had experienced.

The team’s pretty good this year. Brett gulped his coffee. He had graduated from UT Medical School, so he and Harry shared the same alma mater, which was a good thing because Harry had a special place in his heart for the alumni. He listened to Harry talk UT football for a few minutes.

All the while, his mind was in a panic.

Natalie Layton? Unbelievable. She had made some sort of implausible transformation since high school. Her voice, her hair, and even her face seemed different. He knew teenagers changed as they matured into adults, and he hadn’t seen Natalie since graduation. Still, he had seen many of their former classmates, all in their thirties now, and he recognized them. He would have never known Natalie.

Years ago, he resented her for many reasons, including that a boy from Trinity Road had no chance with a local princess.

Doc, help yourself, Harry said, pointing to the pastries. Natalie, honey, those strawberry puffs look good.

I’m full. She declined. I couldn’t resist Clara’s biscuits this morning.

Harry sighed and told Brett, Momma’s sister, Clara, has a gift when it comes to cooking.

Brett reached into the box and got a donut he didn’t want. Natalie was reading something on her phone. He heard Sheldon ask Harry about a golf trip. Their words were a hum in the background of his mind, where he was caught up in high school memories.

He had almost croaked when Coach Vanderford handed out lab partner assignments, and he got stuck with Natalie. He would have rather it be anyone but her, and he stayed mad the entire year.

Academically, Natalie was worthless. A slacker. He worked his ass off for a 4.0 GPA and a full scholarship while she wasted time daydreaming.

She was so clueless. Unlike him, she had the financial means to go to any college she wanted and to be anything she wanted to be. Instead, she didn’t even try. She never applied herself. Why work hard for an A when you can get by with a C for cuteness? Why graduate at the top of the class when you can graduate at the bottom and coast through life on your family’s money?

No one had ever annoyed him like Natalie Layton, whom he had nicknamed Slacker. Hey, Slacker, you can become a professional float rider. During every parade in Lafayette Falls, the Cutest Girl in Class was always on a float, waving and throwing candy to the onlookers. He wanted to vomit.

Sheldon finished his coffee, and the meeting began. Doctor Harris, I know you must be wondering why I called you here today.

Brett straightened in the chair. He didn’t look at Natalie, who was no longer recognizable, and he forced all the old memories of her into the recesses of his mind. With his attention on the chief of staff, he said, Yes, sir.

As you know, Doctor Collins plans to retire in December, which will leave the chief of cardiology office open. We want to talk with you about that.

At the mention of the chief of cardiology position, his breath hitched. Like an arrow heading for a bull’s eye, his focus narrowed to the one thing he wanted with every ounce of his being. Did he dare hope?

He gulped. You’re considering me?

We are. Harry sat back in the leather chair, fingers laced across his belly. We think you’d be a good candidate for that office.

You’re one of our brightest young doctors, Sheldon continued. I have never found any fault in your practice of medicine or your ethics. I have no problem recommending you for the position.

Brett’s heart pounded. He could visualize the ventricles pumping wildly. A lump formed in his throat as he thought of his uncle, Mark Harris, who spent most of his life working under the hood of a car. You’re smart, boy, he had said. You can be anything you want to be. Don’t let anybody tell you different.

To serve as chief of cardiology, well, that would be everything. That would mean everything to me.

Harry leaned forward. So, the office is something you want to take on?

Yes, he answered without hesitation. Definitely. I’ll be fully committed to the job. He wanted to make so many upgrades, plus he wanted to grow the department.

Buy new, state-of-the-art equipment so