Song Chaser (Chasers)

by Kandi Steiner

  Damn. Who knew getting your doctorate degree is kind of like riding a roller coaster? You wait and prepare for what feels like forever and then in seconds, it’s done.

  After the few residents with last names after mine walk the stage, we toss our hats in the air and rejoin our families outside the arena. I barely have time to adjust to the sunlight before Kellee barrels into my arms, throwing hers around my neck.

  “I’m so proud of you, baby!” She kisses me hard and I kiss her, too. I really want to kiss her somewhere else right about now to really start celebrating, but my parents are here so I should probably refrain.

  “Not bad, nerd,” Paisley says, socking me in the arm. Corbin shakes my hand and I nod, the mutual respect between us growing more each time we get together. I hated him when I first met the guy, but now that I’ve gotten to know him a little better and seen how much he cares for Paisley, he’s growing on me.

  Mom’s face is still stained where her mascara ran during the ceremony as she throws her arms around me. I give her a strong hug and then my dad pulls me in for the same. I feel amazing having my family and the ones I care about most around me on the proudest day of my life.

  “Ready for dinner?” Dad asks.

  “I’m starved,” I say, taking Kellee’s hand as we walk in the direction of Sal’s. Sure, pizza probably isn’t the best food to celebrate a graduation with, but Sal has been a part of my time here in the city and I want him to help me say goodbye.

  “Dr. Tanner West,” Kellee says softly, testing it out. “Yeah, that has a pretty nice ring to it.”

  I laugh, “Just wait until you’re Mrs. Dr. Tanner West.” I wink and she blushes. That never gets old. We’re not ready to get married yet, but I think we both know it’s not far off. Hell, I’ve already shopped for rings, though I haven’t purchased yet. I have to find the perfect ring for my perfect girl and so far, none have stood out. In fact, none have even come close.

  I thumb the music charm from her bracelet as we walk, “This is going to be you soon.”

  She turns to face me, “What? Graduating?” I nod and she turns forward again. “You know, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about that.”

  Something about the way she says that sentence makes my stomach fall. Nothing good ever comes after saying you’ve been meaning to talk to someone about something.

  “Relax,” she says, reading my expression. “It’s nothing bad.”

  “Well?” I ask, a little relieved but still curious.

  She tugs my hand so that my parents along with Paisley and Corbin keep walking and we fall a little further behind. “So, I’ve been looking around Charlotte, around where you’re opening your practice next year.”

  “Oh?” I say, my brows lifting. Dad has offered to help me get started with my own practice and we found the perfect real estate in Charlotte. I’ve always thought North Carolina was a pretty place, and I could see Kellee and I making a life and a family there. “And?”

  “Well,” she bites her lip and I can tell she’s nervous. “I found this studio not too far away from the office, and I’m talking to the bank about it. I think I want to buy it, Tanner. I want to open a music school for kids.”

  My mouth drops and I stop walking all together, “Wait. Are you serious?”

  She nods, though not confidently. “Is it stupid? I can totally bail, I haven’t signed anything yet. It’s just been talk, that’s all.”

  I lift her into my arms and spin her around, laughing, “Are you kidding me, Frecks? That’s fucking amazing!”

  She smiles as I set her back down, pulling her in for a kiss. Everyone has stopped walking now and is sort of staring back at us, amused.

  “What made you decide to do this?”

  Kellee shrugs, “Well, I’ve just been trying to think of what I wanted to do with my degree once I graduate next May and, I don’t know, it kind of came to me.” Her eyes light up and I feel the excitement radiating between us. “I want to do voice and instrument lessons, and make it a place where kids can go after school to hang out and be with friends. I don’t have everything worked out yet, but that’s kind of what I have in mind.”

  “It’s going to be incredible,” I say, kissing her again. “Just like you.”

  She smiles, “I think I have a name for it already.” I lift my brow and she continues. “Honey Blue Music Studio.”

  I run the name through my head and then say it out loud, testing it on my tongue. “Honey Blue Music Studio. I like that. Does it mean something?”

  Kellee blushes a little, “It’s the color of our eyes. I thought it might be nice to have a constant reminder of the song I’m writing with you whenever I go into work. You know, our lifetime song.” She glances down at her charm and I smile, thinking back to when I gave it to her and told her I wanted to forget about all the old lyrics from old songs in my life and write a new song with her.

  I can’t help it, my smile grows even larger until I’m standing here like a fucking chump because seriously? How fucking cute is she? I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her into me, kissing her a little too deeply for a public sidewalk.

  “So, are you two going to get a room or are we still eating?” Corbin hollers back. Paisley smacks him on the arm and my parents laugh as Kellee blushes deeper. I throw my arm around her shoulder and we walk to catch up to them.

  “Hey, don’t be jealous just because I’m a doctor and you’re just a Sergeant, Ray.” I say, busting his balls and using his last name like I’m sure his Army buddies did when he was in the service.

  Paisley laughs and Corbin pokes her sides, tickling her. “Oh, think that’s funny, huh?”

  We all laugh together and I pull Kellee a little closer, not wanting to ever let her go. I think back to how my life was this time last year, how miserable I was and how I thought there was no way I would ever emerge from the darkness. Kellee turns to look up at me, smiling, and I thank my lucky stars the music god showed mercy on me and sent her. We’re writing a new song together, one that will be better than any in rotation on the radio – better than any song that’s ever been.

  I have a feeling it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun playing composer.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Tag Chaser, Paisley’s story.

  Acknowledgements

  I jokingly posted on my Facebook page that I might have an acknowledgements section longer than the actual book itself, but honestly I really could write 300 pages thanking all the people who helped make Song Chaser happen. Alas, that would be a very heavy book – therefore this will have to do.

  First and foremost, thank YOU, reader. You are the reason I put pen to paper and create. If it weren’t for you and your passion to escape between the pages of a good book, my life as an author wouldn’t exist. And, even more than that, thank you for breaking out of the traditional box and buying Indie. Your support in a world ruled by traditional publishing means more than you could ever know. Come hang out with me on my Facebook page and let’s be BFF’s. We can even braid each other’s hair (fair warning: my hair sucks).

  To my hubs, Ryan, I want to say thank you for your unwavering support. I thought you were amazing when I wrote my first novel, but you have completely blown me away with your love and understanding this time around. Thank you for #WingWednesdays, for sharing my posts even though they’re super girly, for raving about me like the proudest man in the entire world, for putting up with my late night writing sessions and cold feet on your legs when I finally jumped into bed, and most of all – for just being you. You make writing romance books beyond easy because you’re my true life fairytale. I love you.

  Thank you to every single member of my family. From buying my books and shouting to the rooftops to promote to simply buying me a beer after a long night of editing, you have all been a huge part of this journey and I appreciate it tremendously. I have to give a special thanks to you, Mom, because there will never be a single thing I accomplish in life that I don’t somehow trace back to you. You
have shown me how to love, taught me how to be strong, and encouraged me to shoot for nothing less than everything I want. I am so incredibly blessed to have you and I love you most (mostest, toastest, oastest!).

  If I’ve learned anything by chasing my dreams, it’s that true friends are hard to come by. Kellee (the real-life Kellee), I will never be able to truly thank you the way I wish I could. You are like the rope tied around my waist and fastened into the mountain as I jump head first into the abyss. Your support has literally saved me multiple times from deleting this book and never letting it see daylight. Thank you for pulling me out of my crazy author thoughts when needed, and even more for transforming from my beta reader into one of my very best friends. You’re amazing and IFLY.

  To Sasha and Melissa, thank you for reading and loving my books and even more for being the first to show up with a shot of Jack Daniels when you knew I needed it. You two were always asking about Song Chaser, pimping out Tag Chaser to anyone who would listen, and more than that – supporting my dreams. I could never find friends like you even if I searched a thousand years. X’s and O’s and all that jazz.

  To my Circle of Trust, my clop chot botches, my sexual Trenton nuggets of joy – Cassie Graham, Ashlei Davison, Jess Vogel, and Erin Spencer – I love you girls more than a stripper loves money in her G-string. Cassie, you are just beginning this author journey and I am so proud of everything you’ve accomplished so far and so thankful for our friendship. Ash and Jess, you girls brighten every single day and your support of my work literally blows my mind. #TannerTime with you girls is the best time. Erin, you shy, sassy, wonderful girl – thank you for organizing my hectic life and helping me not look like a newb when it came time to promote. I could probably write a three page essay thanking you girls, but luckily we have our own little chat for that – so just be prepared to get blown up with kissy faces and cat memes.

  For all my behind-the-scenes peeps, thank you for making Song Chaser happen. Kash, you are the best editor in the world – seriously, I mean that. Not only do you catch my horrific grammar mistakes and plot holes, but you also leave the funniest damn notes that literally make me LOL. I’ll never be able to look at a longneck the same way again. But, more than my editor, you have grown to become one of my best friends over this past year. Thank you not only for supporting my writing, but also for being the Regina George to my Gretchen Weiners. You can’t sit with us! Hope you enjoyed the lead guitarist of Titanium Rush being named after you.

  Austyn and ET, thank you for making this cover just as beautiful as the first. Austyn, your photography skills never cease to amaze me. Thank you for working with an Indie author’s budget and creating stunning results. ET, you sexy little cover model you, thanks for beefing up the abs for the photo shoot and for always being interested in my writing endeavors. You may be my Little, but you inspire me more than I could ever inspire you.

  Song Chaser would have had a completely different ending and probably would have sucked if it weren’t for my fabulous beta readers. Momma T, Kellee, Trish, Novo, Big, Monique, and (kind of) Little Penguin – thank you for catching my mistakes, making suggestions, being honest when you needed to be and above all, for loving this story as much as I do. I feel like this is our baby and we’re kind of like momma bears protecting our cubs. We picked at this thing until it was damn near perfect and had a lot of laughs along the way. Special thanks goes out to Momma T for being the first person to really celebrate writing “the end” with me and to Trish for changing the direction of the ever-famous Chapter 27. You’re all amazing and I’m lucky to have you on my team! Also, RIP Quinn – way to take one for the team.

  And finally, all thanks goes to my God for blessing me with a writer’s heart and a dreamer’s drive. I would be nothing without your love and I am beyond thankful for this amazing life you’ve given me.

  About the Author

  Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband, Ryan Steiner. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.

  When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order.

  Connect with Kandi:

  www.KandiSteiner.com

  Facebook

  Twitter

  If you loved this book, please take a minute to review it on the site where you purchased it. Your time and thoughts are greatly appreciated and valued.

  More from Kandi Steiner

  Bronson is a 27 year old successful advertising professional, but the most exciting part of her life happens outside of work. Claiming the life of a Tag Chaser toward the end of her college career has taught her one thing: Never get too close. She has enjoyed her dating lifestyle, but when her best friend makes a bet that she won't ever be able to date a normal guy, her competitive nature takes control and she vows to change the game.

  When Paisley meets the incredibly handsome and practically perfect Corbin Ray, she begins to think keeping her word might be easier than she thought. But when an accidental discovery reveals that Corbin is in the Army, she knows she must run the other way and never look back. Although it kills her, she aims to move on and look for a new prospect.

  There's just one small problem.

  Paisley's been assigned a new client at work, and his name is Corbin Ray.

  Will Paisley and Corbin give in to the chemistry between them, or will their past and present complications keep them apart?

  Fall in love with this fun and irresistibly naughty game of cat and mouse.

  Purchase Tag Chaser on Amazon

  And now, an excerpt from Tag Chaser…

  Chapter 1

  The Bet

  “Why do you make it sound so dirty?” I ask, my face pinching up in resentment as I apply the last touch of liner under my left eye. “It’s not like I’m a prostitute or a stripper, Kenz.” McKenzie is absentmindedly swinging her legs off the edge of my bed and texting God knows who as she judges me. I want to be furious, but honestly I’ve come to learn this is just the way she is – blunt and sassy. It’s actually a relief from the group of girls I used to hang out with in college.

  I gently use my finger to wipe away a small smudge just below my brow and cringe at the sight of the small wrinkles appearing at the corners of my emerald green eyes. Crows feet, my mom always called them. Damn. How is it that I just suddenly became twenty-seven? In my mind I stopped aging at twenty-one, but my body refused to accept that logic. I turn to face McKenzie abruptly, “Are my wrinkles as noticeable as I think they are?”

  She looks up from her phone and stifles a laugh, “Paisley, you do not have wrinkles. Besides, aging is beautiful. Unless you’re Heidi Montag, then you’re just kind of screwed.”

  I roll my eyes and walk swiftly to my closet, pulling out the little black dress I reserved specifically for tonight. It has a lacy overlay and an open back with a deep v-neck in the front that accentuates all my assets that haven’t failed me yet. As I slip it over my head, McKenzie continues.

  “All I’m saying is, you used to be this little angel back in college and then you graduate and just decide all of a sudden you’re chasing tags. I don’t think it makes you a whore, but I mean I would maybe say it makes you whore-ish,” she says matter-of-factly, shrugging her shoulders and turning her attention back to her phone.

  “It’s not like that. I’m not running around sleeping with everyone I meet, Kenz. I just happened to learn near the end of my college career that I desire a man in uniform,” I shoot back, trying not to sound defensive. If anything, I hope she hears the exhaustion in my voice. We’ve discussed this who knows how many times over the past four years but it doesn’t seem to change the fact that it’s still one of her fav
orite topics. I could tell her the real reason I enjoyed being a tag chaser, but it wasn’t something I felt comfortable talking to her about – or anyone else, for that matter. Visions of my mom’s face flood my mind and I can still see the look in Dad’s eyes. The guilt.

  I shake the memory.

  “Besides,” I throw in with a laugh, “Technically I’m not even the true definition of a tag chaser. I’m not trying to marry these guys, I just like having fun. Consider it me thanking them for their service.”

  McKenzie laughs too, chucking a pillow across the room at me, “Seriously, Paisley?!”

  I shrug and wink at her in the mirror. She goes back to her phone, so for the moment I’m safe from any more questions. After one last look over in the mirror at the dress, I run my fingers through the loose curls in my amber colored hair and grab my clutch. “So now that you’re finished judging me, can we focus on the fact that we are going to have a blast tonight and pretend like we’re not too old for this kind of shit?”

  McKenzie hops off the bed, head still engulfed in the apparently very amusing conversation occurring on her phone and lets out a deep sigh, “Ugh, fine. But I’m just saying it might do you some good to explore other options, since apparently none of the men you’ve caught so far have filled whatever void you have.” She finally puts her phone away in her purse and links her arm in mine. “And yes,” she adds, “We are going to have a blast. And who said we were too old for anything? You act like we’re 70. Calm down, Grandma.”

  I let out a breath of relief and return her smile as we head out the door. It’s been a rough week but I’m feeling great tonight, and I can’t wait to see what’s waiting downtown.