Brandon

by Anne, Melody

  “This is too much,” she said, her words barely audible. “Especially when I didn’t get you anything. I feel bad.”

  “Do you like the gift?” he asked.

  “I absolutely love it,” she assured him.

  “Then it gives me pleasure. Please just take the next step with me to try this, to give it a go. We’re obviously drawn to each other, so why don’t we be true to ourselves?”

  She gave him a watery smile as she nodded. “I think I’d like that,” she said.

  His heart burst it felt so full. “This is the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” he said as he took the necklace from her and placed it around her neck. She lifted her hand and caressed the sparkling gift.

  “Me too,” she said. “Thank you for doing this for me. Thank you for your patience and understanding and for not giving up on me even while I’ve been a royal pain in the butt.”

  He laughed as he stood up and pulled her into his arms. He didn’t want to leave the house, but it was Christmas, and he loved his family.

  “Are you ready to be bombarded when we show up together at my family’s house?” he asked.

  Her eyes widened. “Oh no, I think I’ll sit this one out,” she said.

  “Not a chance, Chloe. I’m not going into that lion’s den without you,” he assured her.

  Finally, she laughed. “Fine. But only because I’m sure Brooke and Sarah would come drag me out if I didn’t show up, anyway, and then be mad at you.”

  “Do you think they already know we’re together?” he asked.

  “I guarantee they know it.” The oven went off, and Chloe walked back into the kitchen. She took the egg bake from the oven, and then he couldn’t take not having her in his arms any longer.

  She let out a whoosh of air when he spun her around and lifted her to the counter. It took them a couple of hours before they managed to make it out of the house together.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Chloe was having second thoughts as she stood beside Brandon’s monster-size truck and gazed at the huge Anderson mansion. When he’d said family dinner, she’d been assuming he meant Finn’s or Noah’s house. She could handle that. Even walking in with him, she could handle it because her best friends would be there.

  This was an entirely different thing altogether. She glared at Brandon again as she crossed her arms and refused to move forward. If he’d told her he was coming to Joseph’s house, she would’ve gladly refused. He’d known that, the snake.

  She was used to mostly ignoring the holidays. It was easy, besides her besties pressuring her. There’d be no way of ignoring Christmas in this house, and she’d be surrounded by incredibly rich people who loved each other. She was the only outsider.

  What in the world was Brandon trying to do to her? She was going to kill him when she could safely yell at him without a million Andersons overhearing.

  “I’m not going in there, Brandon. Give me my purse so I can call a cab,” she demanded. He hadn’t quit smiling since they’d arrived five minutes before, and she’d been scowling at him.

  Didn’t the man get ruffled? It was insane how calm he remained while she stared daggers at him. It was downright ridiculous. It was very difficult to have a one-sided fight.

  “I’m serious, Brandon. No way, no how am I entering the Anderson mansion on Christmas.” She was putting her foot down. But she wanted to leave before anyone was aware the two of them were there. She had no doubt that if they were spotted, there’d be no chance of her leaving. She was tempted to start walking down the snowy driveway that stretched a mile. But it was cold, and she wasn’t an idiot. She wasn’t wearing the right coat or shoes for that.

  “You already agreed to come with me, Chloe,” he told her for the third time. His stupid grin hadn’t dropped at all.

  “That was before I realized it was here,” she pointed out, hushing her voice when she realized it was growing louder by the second. She looked toward the massive front doors, but they hadn’t budged. Maybe there were Christmas miracles after all.

  “I can’t just come to Joseph Anderson’s house uninvited—on Christmas afternoon.” She had to calm herself again. He was either playing dumb, or he was that dang rude to make her sweat. Either way she didn’t like him much at this moment.

  That was a shock after their amazing morning of lovemaking. She’d more than liked him an hour ago as he’d been making her cry out in pleasure. But that was then, she reminded herself. At this moment he was enemy number one.

  Brandon made the mistake of winking at her, and she felt her fingers clench into fists. Her eyes must’ve narrowed, too, because he took a step back and held his hands up in surrender.

  “I’m sorry—seriously, I am—but you know Joseph and know that he loves to have visitors. He’s also matchmaker number one, and he adores you, so it’ll be the best Christmas present I can possibly get him, bringing you to the house today.”

  She knew he was right, but that didn’t make this situation any easier. She barely understood what was happening between her and Brandon, and she certainly didn’t want to try and answer any questions about the two of them. That would be far too difficult. She was stuck right now and didn’t know what to do.

  Her fear of commitment because things just never lasted seemed to be unfounded. She’d known Brandon for three years now, and instead of him proving her right—proving that the longer you knew a man, the more flaws you’d find—he’d proven the opposite. The more she’d gotten to know him, the more respect she had for him.

  She might not have liked everything he did, and she certainly didn’t appreciate the feelings he was bringing out in her, but he also continued surprising her with his thoughtful gifts and the respect and love he showed for those around him. The more she was with him, the more she wanted to be. Wasn’t it supposed to be the opposite? Was her entire world being flipped upside down?

  “Fine. I don’t think you’re going to be a gentleman and let me leave, but just know I’ll remember this for a very long time to come, Brandon Anderson,” she threatened. She took a step away, and he reached for her. She shot his hand a glare and swore she heard him chuckle.

  She spun to tell him what she thought about that, and her feet slipped—of course, at the perfect moment. Brandon caught her, and no matter how mad she was at the man, she tingled at being pressed close against him. He must’ve seen it in her eyes, because his head began descending, but then they heard a booming voice that froze Chloe in place.

  “Are you two going to stand out here freezing all day, or are you coming in the house?”

  Chloe’s cheeks flushed more than they already had as she turned to find Joseph standing in the giant doorway leading inside his enormous mansion. She found herself completely tongue tied as she turned back to look at Brandon, who wasn’t in the least embarrassed to be caught how they were.

  “Hello, Uncle,” he said before looking back at her. “Guess we’re going in now.”

  “Is that smugness I hear in your voice?” she whispered.

  “Maybe a little,” he admitted.

  “Ugh. Let me go,” she told him.

  “Are you sure you can walk now? I know I have a way of making your legs turn to jelly,” he told her with an infuriating smile.

  “It’s good your ego’s firmly in place,” she said. She couldn’t fight the smile trying to break through, though. One of the things she loved about Brandon was his utter confidence. It was hard not to be drawn to it.

  “Are you ignoring me?” Joseph called out when they still took too long.

  Chloe had momentarily forgotten he was there. She’d be burned at the stake before telling Joseph that. He wasn’t a man to be ignored or forgotten, not ever.

  “I’m trying to,” Brandon called out with a waggle of his brows. Chloe couldn’t even look at Joseph after those words.

  She was shocked when she heard Joseph roar with laughter. “You have plenty of time to be alone with Chloe. But this is Christmas, and it’s my time right now,�
� Joseph insisted.

  Brandon finally released Chloe, but not for long. He slipped his hand behind her back and led her to the huge staircase as they made their way up to where Joseph waited on them.

  “Don’t you have a houseful of people to pick on?” Brandon asked. Only when they’d made it to the door did Brandon release her so he could give his uncle a hug.

  “I love having a houseful, but that doesn’t mean my heart doesn’t ache for the ones who aren’t here,” Joseph said.

  She believed he meant those words. Family was everything to Joseph and Katherine. Chloe didn’t think his family could ever grow big enough to make him fully happy. He wanted babies and more babies each and every year. His home was certainly big enough to house them all.

  “Well, thank you for inviting me. I knew you wouldn’t mind if I brought a guest,” Brandon said, a bit out of breath from the bear hug Joseph had just given him.

  “Chloe isn’t a guest; she’s a part of the family now,” Joseph insisted, making her heart beat faster at the kind words.

  “Thank you for your graciousness, Joseph. It means a lot,” she told him. Living a lifetime with limited family had made her unsure how to react when she was welcomed in so warmly. Maybe that was why she avoided the holidays as much as she did.

  “Ah, come here, sweetheart,” Joseph said, and before she could blink, he’d grabbed her up in the best hug she’d ever received. She could truly understand why this man was loved so much. He really was that good of a man.

  “Let’s get into the kitchen ASAP. We’re only waiting on a couple more people. If they don’t hurry, we might just eat without them,” Joseph threatened.

  He led them down the long wide hallway, and Chloe could hear the voices long before she saw anyone. It really was intimidating to be in the monstrous home. But she was trying to act as if this was any other day with normal people. Joseph and his family would never be described that way, not in this lifetime.

  She was suddenly terrified to go into that room and wanted just a few moments to compose herself. She looked at Joseph and tried to keep a neutral expression on her face.

  “Can I use the bathroom before I go in?” she asked.

  “Of course, darling,” he told her. “The dining room is straight down this hall. Just follow the voices. The bathroom is two more doors down on the left,” he finished.

  She thanked him and didn’t even look at Brandon as she took off for the bathroom, then stepped inside and shut the door. She leaned on the door and took a deep breath. So much was happening in such a short period of time. She was going to have to fight hard to not have a panic attack.

  She’d been through much more trying times in her life. She’d make it through a crazy, chaotic, amazing family dinner with the Anderson family. Her besties were out there. She’d be just fine, she assured herself.

  She walked to the sink and turned on the cold water. She was allowed just a bit more time before facing the crowd.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Joseph immediately went over and stood with his brothers, George and Richard, as he watched Brandon approach his siblings. If Joseph had been a betting man instead of a business mogul, he would’ve been just as successful in life. He had no doubt about it.

  “Do you see Brandon over there? He’s happier than I’ve seen him since he lost his poor mama,” Joseph said. It wasn’t easy for him to talk in a hushed voice, but he could do it when it was absolutely necessary.

  “Yes, I see a lot of happiness with all our new nephews,” George said as he sipped on his eggnog. “It’s another beautiful Christmas, and I love how much our family keeps on growing.”

  “I can barely keep up anymore,” Richard said. “Since I lived most of my life not knowing I was taken at birth and had two brothers, this is a wonderful chaos to be thrust into—but still overwhelming at times. I went from having no siblings to having two, and now there are so many nieces and nephews and grandkids I’m woefully outnumbered.” He said this with a huge smile on his face.

  “It’s a good thing our story has been written for the world to know about. We’ve had a lot of twists and turns along the way. I can say with confidence, though, that there aren’t too many people out there as blessed as this family has been. I say a thank-you prayer every night. I don’t want God to ever think I take him for granted or don’t appreciate all I’ve been given,” Joseph said.

  “I agree. We’ve certainly had our losses in this life, but we’ve had so many blessings as well,” George said. When George lost his wife at a young age, he’d been angry for a while, but time really had helped him heal, and he got to see her face in those of his children every time he was with them. She was certainly looking down on them from up above.

  “I wish we could stop time and have this forever,” Richard said.

  “Well, I don’t know about you, but I know I’m not going to think too much about the future. I’m very happy with the right now,” Joseph said.

  “Are there any updates on Brandon and Chloe? I was hoping for an engagement announcement by now. Those two sure have been taking their time,” George said.

  “I agree. I wonder if we need to push them a little more,” Joseph said.

  “If you push too hard, they might fight back,” Richard pointed out. He was the more reasonable of the three siblings.

  “That’s nonsense. A love like theirs can’t be stopped,” Joseph assured the group.

  “Yes, they do seem pretty perfect for each other,” Richard said.

  “She’s such a sweet girl, but she has enough sass to put up with an Anderson,” George told them.

  “It does take a strong woman to tame an Anderson man,” Joseph said as he gazed across the room at his beautiful wife. She looked up from her seat, where she was holding one of her grandnieces, and gave him a loving smile. “She still takes my breath away even after all these years.”

  “You’re an example for us all,” George said. “A love that strong can’t be argued with. I don’t know why any of the kids try when you match them up.”

  Joseph hushed his brother. “Now, don’t be saying that too loud. If they think their relationships aren’t fully their idea, they’ll get all upset with us.”

  “It won’t last,” Richard said. “They are too happy with the women they love.”

  “And the men,” George pointed out as he looked at his daughter and her husband. “These kids have made us mighty proud. We really are lucky how well they all turned out. Statistics show that’s nearly impossible.”

  “Yes, they’ve had their ups and downs in life, but they are all hard workers and faithful and strong. We couldn’t ask for better than that,” Joseph said.

  “Where did Chloe go?” George asked as he looked around the room. There were certainly a lot of people there, but not so many a person could get lost in the crowd.

  “She needed a minute to compose herself. I have a feeling Brandon didn’t tell her she was coming here for Christmas. I can admit this place can be slightly intimidating,” Joseph said.

  George and Richard laughed. “I guess we’re all just used to it by now,” Richard said. “But I can see why someone would be intimidated. This is a wild bunch to be thrown into.”

  “I’m having a really great time looking at Brandon over there. He’s been watching the door from the moment he came into the room. It appears he doesn’t like to be away from sweet little Chloe too long.”

  “Want to take bets on how long it takes for him to get her?” Richard asked.

  Joseph laughed. “Right now,” he said as Brandon said something, then walked purposely out of the room.

  “That took him about five minutes,” George said.

  “Maybe seven,” Joseph said as he held up his glass. His brothers followed suit. “Here’s to another merry Christmas where we have friends and family and all the blessings we could ever ask for.”

  “Here, here,” George and Richard said as they clinked their glasses against his. They all took a sip as Luca
s, Joseph’s oldest son, stepped up to them.

  “What are the three of you up to now on this beautiful Christmas Day?” Lucas asked.

  Joseph smiled big at his oldest son. He hoped it was an innocent expression, but even under torture he’d never give away his secrets, so it didn’t matter too much.

  “We were just talking about how blessed we are,” Joseph told his son.

  “Yes, each year our family keeps on growing,” George added.

  “And each addition brings joy,” Richard chimed in.

  Lucas laughed. “I’ll take that answer, even though I have no doubt you’re up to something, and I have a feeling it has to do with my newest cousins. Someday you will get payback,” Lucas assured them.

  “That’s a terrible thing to say,” Joseph told his son. “After all I do for this family . . .”

  Lucas laughed, true merriment in his voice. Then he leaned in and hugged his dad and then his uncles. “Yes, you all keep this family together. You three are the glue, and we are grateful for you.”

  Joseph felt a stinging in his eyes as he looked at what a fine man his son had turned into. He was too choked up to say anything. There was always a first for everything. “I love you guys,” Lucas finished before he left.

  “Yes, Joseph, we are truly blessed,” George said with a sigh.

  “More than words could ever express,” Joseph said.

  They sat back and looked over the room, truly happier than anyone had a right to be. And it would just continue to get better and better over time. Joseph had no doubt about that. He loved big, and that love showed in each one of his family members.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Brandon looked around the crowded Anderson dinner table. The noise level was enough to wake up a city block. But that wasn’t all he noticed. No. What he saw were smiles and laughter, people eating and visiting and celebrating Christmas with those they loved. It went beyond love, though.

  Some would say love was almost mandatory. When you heard of a child saying they didn’t love their parent or a parent not loving their child, you wondered what was wrong with them. But it went beyond even that. When children were very little and you said you were going to Nana and Papa’s house, their faces would light up, and they would grab their coats and boots.