by C. A. Harms
"This is your beginning, you and Brant." There are no signs of hesitation or fear in her words. "I can't even explain how grateful I am that the two of you would even consider moving me right alongside you. It just shows me how incredible you both are. But I'm fine, Sutton; I promise you I will be okay."
I've spent so long with Lexi by my side that the idea of her not being right across the hall leaves me feeling empty and sad. But then picturing waking up with Brantley every morning or standing in this kitchen making us dinner while he sits at the bar and we talk about our day, well, that sounds pretty amazing.
"The life of this party has just arrived," Adley's voice echoes over the living room and filters into the kitchen. We all turn around to find her standing in the entryway, holding up two cases of beer, and a smile stretched out across her lips.
My cousin has always been loud and proud. She is forward; she is fierce, except for when it comes to Rory. With him, she is standoffish, and though we all see it clearly, she refuses to face the fact that she holds feelings for him.
Entering the kitchen, she sets the beer down on the countertop. I notice how she immediately shifts her attention to the double doors that overlook the back deck where the guys are all sitting around talking. One by one, she scans over them, and immediately a look of disappointment takes over.
"He's not here yet," I say low enough that only she can hear me as I grab the cases of beer and start to place them into the refrigerator. "He called Brant and said that something came up and that he'll be late."
"What?" She shrugs like the very question of Rory's presence was not just racing around in her head.
“Never-mind,” one day, maybe she'll fess up.
The sounds of laughter and deep conversation interrupt the moment when I notice Brant coming in from outside. Instantly searching me out, he finds me near the refrigerator and begins to walk in my direction.
I fight the smile tugging at the corner of my lips. He still manages to get my heart racing, and I struggle to breathe evenly. "Hey," he whispers before looming over me with a sly grin. "I just came to get a round of beers." Leaning in, he and his manly scent surround me. The scruff on his jaw rubs along my cheek, and I close my eyes. "Or we could sneak off somewhere and hit repeat on this morning."
Visions of me pinned to the wall just outside the master bath, with my legs anchored around his waist. I shiver, and he chuckles.
"Okay, you two," one of the girls says; I can't tell who. "Let's keep it G-rated."
"Hell with G, let's go for broke," Adley adds; her voice can't be mistaken for anyone else. "I got beer and the foods on the grill. I say we go big or go home and shoot for the stars."
"You are ridiculous," I bury my face into Brantley's chest and laugh.
"Not ridiculous," I peek over his shoulder, and he turns too to see her. "I'm single, I work a lot, and when I'm not working, I'm studying or in class. That leaves very little time for me to date, or lack of a better word, get laid, so I am getting my jollies however I can. Please carry on," she waves her hand as if to indicate Brantley, and I should continue.
Instead, he gives me a quick kiss, "Your friends are insane."
With beers in hand, he begins to walk toward the backdoor.
"Please, if I were one of the guys, it'd be normal. But because I'm a girl and announce that I'm horny, it makes it less normal?"
Just then, the sound of the screen door slamming makes us all shift our attention to the front to find Rory standing there with his mouth hanging open. He has a stunned look on his face. At his side his son Jayden is holding his hand and has his other little hand in his mouth. Nervously biting on his fingers. “Looks like I've shown up just in time for the good stuff," Rory smirks, but the happiness doesn't reach his eyes. Since it's not his weekend with his son, yet he is here with him now, I assume it has something to do with his crazy ex.
I've only met her once, but that's all it took to know she is certifiably insane and uses her son to get what she needs. It's sickening, and Rory goes above and beyond for his little boy.
Bending down, he picks up Jayden, and the little guy buries his face in his shoulder.
"Hey Bud," Brantley has reentered the kitchen, making his way toward Rory, and stops only a few feet in front of him. Then, reaching out, he roughs the hair on Jayden's head, making him laugh. "You wanna hang with the big guys or watch cartoons with a snack in the living room."
"Snacks," Jayden's voice is so low it's barely audible.
Suddenly Brantley is taking Jayden from his dad, and when he goes without an ounce of hesitation, I am in awe as I watch. They move around the kitchen, Brant adding some goldfish to a bowl before stopping at the fridge for a juice box hidden on one of the shelves.
Then he takes Jayden to the living room, sits him on the couch, and places the snack and drink on the coffee table.
They talk, Jayden giggles, and I can't peel my eyes away.
"I think my ovaries are gonna explode," Adley whispers. If I wasn't thinking the same thing, I might laugh, but I'm still so astonished by the interaction.
Brantley looks up, offers me a wink, and I reach out to stable myself. Then he leans back, places his arm over the back of the couch, and together the two of them share goldfish while watching some animated cartoon on television.
Right then and there, I know this man is my forever.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Brantley
* * *
I enter the semi-dark house after spending the entire day with my brother. The two of us were fishing and laughing as if he and I had never once had a falling out.
A soft glow spills out into the living room from the bedroom, and I smile as I picture Sutton waiting up for me. I’ll never grow tired of seeing her cuddled up beneath the covers; her golden hair spread out over the deep blue sheets.
I have this gorgeous house, now decorated with her things and mine. But none of those things make it a home; she does. Her laughter and look of contentment when I find her sitting on the couch watching her favorite show are more than I’d ever imagined.
Leaving my boots next to the door, I enter the guest bath and quickly wash away the grime from my day.
With a towel wrapped around my waist, I move toward the bedroom and pause in the doorway, taking her in. She’s wearing her glasses, staring at the book in front of her, completely engrossed. Lost in a whole different world, still unsure of me standing there watching her. Her beauty is crippling.
“Hey,” she peeks over the pages, and a sweet smile tugs at her lips. “How was your day?”
“Better now,” she always makes everything better. Even on a perfect day, she makes it more perfect.
Carefully she lowers her book and sets it on the space at her side.
“I spent the day with your mom,” I arch my brow. “She only mentioned marriage five times and grand-babies four.”
“Impressive,” taking a step closer, I feel my heart rate spike with excitement thinking of marrying Sutton and watching her carry our child or children. “The house smells like cookies.”
“Chocolate chip and peanut butter,” reaching the end of the bed, I pause. “She took the oatmeal raisin home to your dad.”
“So you distracted her with baking?”
She shrugs and bites her lip. Right then, my heart soars with so much joy I feel like I can barely breathe. “She is very eager,” that doesn’t even begin to describe my mother.
“Did she terrify you?” I begin to climb up on the bed.
“Terrify me?” Bending forward, I kiss her jaw and move toward her mouth, pressing another soft kiss there too.
“Yeah,” pulling back enough to see her face, I continue. “The thought of getting married.”
“I never said marriage scares me.”
“Marriage, or marrying me?”
“Is this a proposal?” Sutton challenges, and there isn’t an ounce of fear in her eyes.
“Nope,” another kiss; this time, I linger a little longer. “You’ll know
when I’m proposing Sutton.” It’s something I’ve imagined and thought of often. How would I do it? What would I say? I lower my body over hers and hold her stare. “I love you,” pushing the hair back from her face, I cup her cheek and again feel the ache in my chest intensify. “Everything about you, I still don’t know how to explain the way you make me feel. How much I need you; it’s overwhelming at times but also exhilarating. You are incredible baby,” I fail epically every time I attempt to explain what I feel when I’m with her. There is nothing that could ever express the things that race through me in her presence. Hell, simply thinking of her sends me into a crazy spiral.
“I love you,” I repeat because it’s all I have, and her eyes fill with tears. “You mean everything to me.”
“I know,” she nods, tears falling down her cheeks. “I love you too.”
Gripping my face in her hands, she pulls me toward her and kisses me until I feel as though I can no longer breathe without her pumping the life into me. She is the air I breathe, the blood coursing through my veins.
I feel like I can’t get close enough.
I can never get close enough.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Sutton
* * *
“How’s she doing,” I don’t have to turn around and look at Bennett to know that he is referring to Lexi.
“Same,” and it hurts me to admit that.
To most, she appears happy, but we can see right through the facade. She laughs, but her happiness doesn’t reach her eyes. Instead, there is an emptiness there that wasn’t there before. The sassiness is gone and in its place is an absence from everything that is going on around her. If you watch her when she doesn’t realize she is being watched, you can see the hollowness in her expression. Almost like she is lost in her thoughts, a victim to her sadness.
It breaks my heart.
“She still says she’s fine.” It’s easy to hear that he, too, finds her avoidance of opening up hard to accept. “Every time I attempt to talk to her, she gets irritated. She says it’s her fault, she knew how he was, and she put herself in that situation. You have no idea how hard it is for me not to go find his ass and destroy him.”
I turn and look at him with an arched brow.
“Okay, fine, so maybe you do know.”
We both turn back and stare ahead at Lexi, standing alongside Adley and Kendall. We are all gathered in Hudson for the Fall Craft Festival. Crafters from all over come to display various handmade items and arts. There is a small carnival, concessions, food tents, and so much more. The event brings in so much revenue for the small town and the businesses. They use the opportunity to gather new customers by moving many of their store items to the sidewalks outside their stores.
The smell of caramel corn and apples, the sounds of children laughing, and a band playing folk songs echo off the buildings around us: a lip-sync contest, a three-on-three basketball tournament, and horseshoes. There is even a game of corn hole that looks like it’s getting pretty competitive taking place just a few hundred yards away.
But even with all the activity taking place, my heart aches for my best friend. I’d give anything to take away her pain and erase her memories of that night at the bar. I really wish that she would open up to me, and if not me, then someone.
“Hey, you.” Strong arms wrap around me from behind just as Brant snuggles in and kisses the side of my neck.
“Did you win?”
“Did I win?” He scoffs as he turns me around to face him. “Please, woman,” he pulls my body in tightly to his and presses a kiss to my lips. “Of course I won.”
“Because I’m on your team,” Rory adds from my left, and I peek over at him just as Brant pulls away from our kiss. “This man can’t throw for shit.”
“Who can’t throw?”
The two of them continue to hassle one another as if Bennett and I aren’t even standing there.
“How many times did you overthrow, and how many ringers did I get?”
Horseshoes are not my game, but I do understand it to a certain extent. But to Rory and Brant, being raised by two men that I’ve heard in conversation have been the crowned winners for several years in a row left them feeling like they have something to prove—passing on the trophy. It has been an ongoing thing for weeks before this weekend. Several nights the two of them were outside in our backyard practicing and perfecting their game. They were relentless.
“So you won?” I interrupt them and gain their full attention.
“Hell woman, of course, we won.” Rory leans in and plants a kiss on my cheek that triggers a growl from Brantley. His reaction gains a laugh from Rory and Bennett. They love to get him worked up, and he flares up fast when it comes to me.
The sun has set, and the band from earlier has long ago packed up. Rory and his guys have taken over in their place, and the songs are much more my speed.
Brantley stands behind me, the front of his body pressing firmly to the back of mine. He’s holding me tightly, my head leaning back on his shoulder, and he’s swaying from side to side, moving me right along with him. Occasionally, I can hear him lightly singing the words in my ear. He still makes my heart race like it’s the first time he held me or the first kiss we shared.
Our friends stand around talking and laughing, drinking and enjoying themselves, but we are in our own little bubble. It’s my happy place.
Feeling his lips skimming along the side of my neck leaves chills over my entire body. I have never in my life ever felt so loved, so cherished, and protected. I close my eyes and listen to the words of the song singing of Heaven and moments of magic. My entire body is relaxing to his, and all I feel is him; all I hear is Brantley whispering and singing the lyrics to me.
I don’t even register that the song has ended and that the band hasn’t started another, it’s only when the disappearance of the solid support behind me, pulls me from my dreamy state. Suddenly everyone is looking at me. I feel like my heart plummets when I notice my mom and dad and Brantley’s reappearing from nowhere. I’d thought they’d left long ago, and the way they are all watching me makes me feel like I’ve done something wrong.
I look around and then down to see Brantley kneeling in front of me on one knee. He’s looking up at me, his smile lighting up the night, and it all hits me like a massive wave.
Instantly my hand goes to my mouth, and I sob, unable to control myself when he extends his hand and, with his other one, opens a ring box.
“I told you it was coming,” his cocky smirk only makes me cry even harder as my emotions run rampant. “And it practically killed me to wait this long, because sweetheart, there is nothing I want more than to have you as my wife.”
I glance around and see my mother with tears in her eyes. Then I shift my attention to my father, and he too looks as if he could cry at any moment, but the smile on his face is my undoing.
Then he nods toward Brantley, who remains kneeled before me, and I follow his movement.
“I’ve never been more afraid of one conversation in my life, but after close to an hour of interrogation, I have been given your father’s blessing.” Of course, a few people laugh, but I know it’s no joke; my father can be a force. It warms my heart that Brantley went to him first, though.
“I love you, Sutton. I adore everything about you. When I see myself in ten years, it’s you at my side, holding my hand. I want to build a life with you, the good and the bad; it is you that I need. You ground me, and you make me want to be a better man.”
“You are an amazing man,” I whisper through tears as my lower lip trembles.
“Marry me, Sutton,” I nod, and he smiles. “Let me hear it, sweetheart; I need to hear it.”
“Yes,” I lower myself before him and lean in, pressing my forehead to his. “Of course I’ll marry you.”
The moment he slips the ring on my finger, everyone around us begins to hoot and holler, clapping, and Rory’s voice echoes over the entire crowd.
“Congratul
ations to two of the best people I know.”
Epilogue
Brantley
* * *
“Are you nervous?” Bennett stands before me in the back of the church. Looking out over the guests as they are ushered in and seated.
“Not at all,” and it’s the truth, “I can’t be nervous when I’m about to marry the perfect woman.”
“She could get up there and take one look at me and realize she chose the wrong brother.” I immediately notice the smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I do look pretty good in a tux,” he grabs the lapels of his jacket and pretends to straighten them. “I’m the better-looking one, no doubt.”
“You done stroking your own ego?” There was a time when I feared he and I would never get to this point. My little brother means the world to me. Being torn between him and the woman that my heart beats for was something I never thought I’d survive. Bennett’s opinion means so much to me.
“For real, Brantley, you’re a lucky man.”
“I know,” and I do. “I don’t deserve Sutton, she’s amazing, and it still doesn’t feel real.”
“It’s real,” he takes in a deep breath and reaches out to place his hand on my shoulder. “And you do deserve her. I don’t know a better man.”
I nod and wrap my arm around him, pulling him in for a hug. Together we share a moment; no other words are necessary.
Walking down the aisle, we join the rest of the guys who will also be standing at my side. Each of them shake my hand as I pass them. I take my place in front and turn to look toward the back of the church.
Nervous energy courses through me, with each second that passes feeling more like hours. All I want is to see my beautiful girl walking toward me.
When the music begins, my hands start to shake in anticipation.
One by one, the girls enter, each wearing the same shade of lavender but each dress a different style. It’s crazy how each one fits their personality. All of them are various lengths, some tight, some loose, and flowing. Their individuality makes me smile. They each take their place but not before pausing before me and leaning in to offer me a hug. When Adley takes the opportunity to squeeze my pecks, everyone laughs, and I can only shake my head. The woman is crazy.
