Promised

by michelle turner

  PROMISED

  Michelle Turner

  Dedication

  My Sisters and Sister-in-Laws: You girls are the best sisters and sister-in-laws I could ask for. I can’t thank you all enough for the support you’ve showed me, putting up with reading my latest chapters, and listening to me go on and on about my characters. Love you girls!

  Co: Thank you for being understanding with Mommy when she is wrapped up in getting her stories done. I love you more than the moon and the stars.

  Gary Michael: I’m so lucky to be your wife. You’ve supported my decision to follow this dream, even though it meant you had to suffer through frozen dinners and take out. I love you, husband.

  November

  Chapter 1 – Linc

  ~The Great Lincoln Tatman~

  “I’ve found the girl of my dreams.” I whisper to my cousin Nate.

  “Oh, I have to see this. Who could possibly get the attention of the Great Lincoln Tatman?” He teases as he looks around the school parking lot.

  “Shut it, smart ass.” I use my shoulder to push him. He’s been calling me that ever since I moved to town and all the girls at the high school started giving me the attention he used to receive. I’ve tried to explain to him that he can have it and those girls. I haven’t found a single one that interests me. Well, until now, and she hasn’t even looked in my direction. But Nate, being Nate, is pouting about not being the center of every girl’s attention.

  “Just point her out. I don’t see anyone you haven’t already had falling at your feet.” He pouts, pushing back on my shoulder.

  “Over there.” I point out a girl sitting under one of the large oak trees at the front of the school. She’s leaning against it with her legs crossed, text book resting on her lap, and a notebook in her hand. I’m not close enough to make out the details of her eyes, but from here, I can see how her curly brown hair is just passing her shoulders. I watch as it falls in her eyes for the fifth time since I’ve been watching and she uses the back of her hand to push it back in place.

  She’s wearing straight leg dark jeans and a pale blue sweater that exposes a small strip of her perfect stomach. She topped the whole look off with a pair of black high heeled boots that go to mid-calf. It’s the middle of November and the weather is already feeling more like winter than fall, so she really should be wearing a coat. I’m seriously thinking about going over and offering her mine. It would be the perfect opening to introduce myself.

  “Ah hell, that ain’t happening.” Nate laughs out loud beside me, pulling me out of my perusal of the brunette.

  “You think she’s out of my league?” I ask, puffing my chest out at what sounds like an obvious challenge.

  “No man, that’s not it at all. It’s just that…” Nate stops, looking for the right words.

  “Spit it out.” I demand.

  “Let’s just say, she doesn’t date. Not us anyways.” Nate says as an explanation, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep them warm.

  “Us as in me and you, or us as in high school guys?” I question him.

  “Linc, take my advice for once and drop it. Nothing will ever happen with you and that girl.” Nate tells me as he looks me in the eyes.

  “I think I can change her mind. She’d be worth it.” I have no doubt about that. She’s the definition of beautiful come to life. If her personality is a quarter of what her beauty is, she’d be worth the challenge.

  “See that Navigator pulling up?” Nate asks, but I don’t see why he’s changing the subject.

  “Of course I do. I’m not blind.” I snap.

  “Watch it closely.”

  I do as he says. I watch as it pulls up to the curb a few feet away from where my dream girl sits under the tree. The doors to the black Navigator open up and four dark haired, muscled guys exit it. They approach my dream girl and help her gather her bag and books and then walk her to the SUV. The one who is driving notices us watching them and glares at me as he slips back into the driver’s seat.

  “What the hell was that?” I turn back to Nate and ask.

  “That is the best reason you have to stay away from that girl.” He informs me.

  “Brothers?” I ask.

  “Extremely overprotective brothers who are not afraid to rip off your manhood if you get within ten feet of their only sister.” Nate clarifies.

  “There are only four of them. With you at my back, it might be an even fight.” I reason out loud, not ready to give up on my dream girl.

  “There were only four here today, but there’s a fifth brother and a father. And her old man taught those boys everything they know, so I wouldn’t count him out of the fight.”

  “I doubt her dad is going to jump into the fight.” I say, doubting the description my cousin is using to sway me from the fight for my dream girl.

  “Cuz, her dad is blood thirsty. He’d push his sons out of the way to get a shot at you. I hear he still bare-knuckle fights to earn some extra green.”

  “If that’s true, then he’s crazy.”

  “Well, my sources are very reliable so I’m warning you, stay away from that girl and her family.” Nate watches my face closely. Seeing that I’m determined to win the girl, he says. “Fine. I’ll have your back. But if her old man kicks both our asses, I’m telling my mom it’s your fault.”

  “I’m not afraid of your mom, Nate. Aunt Kelly is an angel.” I climb in to my 1970 Dodge Challenger and say. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride home.”

  He crosses in front of the car and then climbs into the passenger seat.

  “You do realize Satan was an angel too, right?” He asks, throwing his books into the back seat which causes me to glare at him. He knows he’s not supposed to throw his crap all over my car. My dad and I worked hard on rebuilding my Challenger before he was deployed, and it means the world to me.

  He rolls his eyes at me and leans back in the seat to grab his books. Once I’m convinced he’s picked everything up, I ask. “Did you just compare your mom to the Devil?”

  “Dude, you’ve never seen her pissed off. I swear the last time I made her mad, two little red horns popped up out of her head and she grew a pointy tail.” Nate exaggerates.

  “What’d you do to make her that mad?” I ask as I’m backing out of the parking spot and pulling on to the road.

  “I may have rear ended a cop car.”

  “What the hell were you doing that you didn’t see a cop car in front of you?” I ask.

  “I may have been checking out a girl who was walking down the street.” Nate confesses as he’s looking out the window.

  “Aunt Kelly should get a medal just for putting up with your crap.” I state, shaking my head.

  “Hey! You didn’t see this girl. Short shorts, long tan legs, and oh my lord, she had on this top that was no bigger than a band aid. It barely covered her tits. You would’ve rear ended the cop car too.” He turns to me as he pleads his case.

  “If you say so.” I have no doubt there was a hot chick, but I highly doubt she’d be worth me getting in trouble for rear ending a cop car. Nate likes them hot, but he also likes them dumb. It’s easier for him to fool around on them if they’re not smart enough to catch on. Don’t get me wrong, I like them hot too, but I also want a girl with brains. I’m not saying she has to be the next Einstein, but I want to be able to hold an intelligent conversation with her. Preferably one not about her favorite lip gloss or which dress she looks better in. Seriously, I actually had a girl talk to me for an hour about her favorite lip gloss. It was what I imagined torture to be like. If a terrorist ever needed to get some highly classified secret out of me, he wouldn’t have to water board me. He would only have to bring that girl in and make me listen to her talk about whether she likes her Wild Watermelon or Berry Sp
lash lip gloss better. I would spill every secret I know in two point three seconds flat.

  “You know if it was Wyn walking down the road, you would’ve done the same thing.” Nate crosses his arms and stares out the window again.

  “Wyn?” I ask him confused.

  “How soon you forget your dream girl.” Nate mocks.

  “That’s her name?” I ask, gnawing at the bit for any information he can give me.

  “You’re not going to forget about her, are you?” Nate shakes his head at me.

  “Doubt it.” I admit honestly.

  “Fine, but I did warn you.”

  “Noted. So spill.”

  “Her name is Arwyn Scott, but she goes by Wyn. She’s the youngest of six kids. You saw the four oldest of her brothers. They guard her like she’s the crown jewels and she doesn’t associate with anyone at school other than the teachers.” Nate tells me.

  “No one hangs out with her?” I ask, thinking it’s highly unlikely that everyone ignores a girl as beautiful as Wyn.

  “Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like people haven’t tried.” He throws up his hands in defense.

  “How long has she lived here?” If she has no friends, she must be a new student too.

  “She’s lived here her whole life.” Nate tells me.

  “How the hell does she not have friends?” I ask, getting mad. I’m imagining the stuck up kids at school shunning her because of her crazy family and I find myself wanting to defend her from them.

  “She has friends. They just don’t go to school with us anymore.”

  “Oh my lord, could you be anymore cryptic. Just spit out the story, Nate, before I get pissed and make you walk the rest of the way home.” I’m gripping the steering wheel so tight, my knuckles have turned white.

  “Damn, you’re bossy today.” I turn and give him the stare that clearly states not to try me.

  “Fine! She had friends that went to school with us, but they all dropped out. Most of them dropped a few years ago, including her brothers; they all dropped too. The youngest would’ve graduated last year, I believe, but he quit when he was around fourteen or fifteen. I’m honestly surprised she’s still in school. Her last friend, a girl named Dani, dropped at the beginning of last year.”

  “How the hell can a big group of students all drop out and have no one care?” I ask stunned.

  “Dude, they’re Romani.” Nate says, thinking that explains everything.

  “Romani?”

  “Gypsies.” Nate clarifies.

  “Are you pulling my leg?”

  “No, Linc. Wyn is a gypsy as in the kind you see on those documentaries on TLC. Big, puffy, blinged out dresses and all.”

  Chapter 2 – Wyn

  ~The Black Sheep of the Family~

  “Dani?” I call out, knocking on the door to my sister-in-law’s, who also happens to be my best-friend, travel trailer.

  “I’m in the bedroom, Wyn. Come on back.” She replies.

  I walk the short distance to the back of the trailer where the bedroom is located. Dani is sitting on the bed folding onesies and placing them into neat stacks in a wicker laundry basket. Her red hair is pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head, and she’s wearing black yoga pants and a tight fitting, red tank top that shows off her tiny, pregnant belly.

  “So, when will we know if I’m having a niece or a nephew?” I ask, sitting on the edge of the bed and grabbing up a onesie to fold.

  “The ultrasound is in three weeks.” She tells me.

  “Do I get to go with you?” I ask, placing the onesie on the stack in the basket and grabbing another.

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think Adam is going to take off and go too.” Dani tells me, smiling from ear to ear. All Dani has ever wanted since we were little girls running around my parent’s front yard, was to be a wife and a mother. And she always knew she wanted my brother Adam to be the man in that perfect life. Adam didn’t realize Dani was the “end all, be all” for him until sometime last January. But once he realized it, he didn’t waste any time. He had his ring on her finger and her last name changed by April. They found out in September that they are expecting their first child and they’ve both been over the moon ever since.

  “I think he’s more excited to find out the sex than either of us.” I return my friend’s smile.

  “He’s so convinced we’re having a boy that he’s already picked out a name; he won’t even discuss girl names.” She says, rolling her eyes.

  “So what name has he chosen?” I ask.

  “Clayton Allan.” She tells me.

  “He’s not giving his child a name that starts with A? Complete blasphemy!” I tease. In my family, everyone’s name begins with an A except for my mother. My father is Allan (Al). Then there are my brothers: Aidan, Aldon, Alec, Aaron, and Adam. Finally, there’s little ole me, Arwyn. So Adam not going with the family tradition of choosing an A name might cause an uproar in our tight knit clan.

  “I know.” She sighs. “I warned him what that decision might cause, but you know how these men can be.”

  “I’m proud of Adam for not giving into the family on this. Dani, you should be free to choose whatever baby name you want without having to worry about what my family might say.”

  “Even so, it’s tradition.” Dani states firmly.

  “So have you thought about girl names? Since my brother is being a stubborn butt.”

  “If we do have a girl, I’d like to name her Alana Arwyn.” She says, watching closely for my reaction.

  I, of course, don’t disappoint. I set the onesie down and throw my arms around her, giving her a hug. “You want to name your baby after me!”

  “The middle name and only if the baby is a girl.” Dani laughs as she hugs me back.

  “Still, you are willing to permanently scar your baby with the same name as her black sheep aunt. I think that’s a big deal.” I pull back and smile at her.

  “You are not the black sheep of the family.” Dani scowls at me.

  “I’m not married.” I state.

  “There are several Romani girls not married yet.” She replies firmly.

  “I’m still in school.” I fire off another reason why I’m the black sheep.

  “Well...” She can’t come up with a response to that so she sucks in her bottom lip and nibbles on the corner.

  “It’s ok Dani; I know that I’m the black sheep of the family. And you know, I’m exactly where I want to be. I asked Daddy to let me graduate.” I try to ease her discomfort.

  “I never understood that. But if that’s what you want, I’m glad he’s letting you.” She tells me as she releases her lip.

  “I wish everyone was as understanding.” I whisper to myself.

  “I’ve got some news that will cheer you up!” Dani declares, putting her arm around me.

  “Did you bake me the cupcakes that have sprinkles in the batter?” I ask. She knows I love the sprinkle cupcakes.

  “No. But now that you bring them up, I want some. I think this baby is going to like the same foods as his or her Aunt Wyn.” She giggles.

  “That’s fitting since she’s going to have my name.” I grin.

  “Only if it’s a girl and it’ll be her middle name.” She corrects me again.

  “I’m still calling her Lil Wyn.” I inform her.

  “You are a complete goof.” She laughs at me.

  “So what’s the news that’s better than cupcakes with sprinkles?” I ask, getting us back on topic.

  “I never said it was better than cupcakes with sprinkles. I said it would cheer you up.” She reminds me.

  “The only thing that cheers me up is cupcakes with sprinkles. So if you say it’ll cheer me up, then it must be better.” I explain my reasoning.

  “I’m seriously re-thinking giving my baby your name as her middle name. I don’t know if I want her named after a goof.” Dani kids.

  “Oh hush! You know you love me just the way I am.”


  “There’s no way I’d have you any other way.” She gives my shoulder a squeeze.

  “So what’s this fantabulous news?” I ask, turning to look at her.

  “Rumor has it that Shay Dawson is planning on speaking with your Dad about your hand.” She’s so excited by this news that she’s bouncing her butt up and down on the bed.

  “My hand seems fine.” I try to play ignorant because I so don’t want this to happen.

  “Oh, don’t even try that act with me. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” She chides me.