Authors: Brooklyn Taylor
“Thank you, sir,” I respond respectfully.
Ryann seems to sense my silence, the remembering of my past and moves over sweetly.
She moves to my ear, and I glance up and see her parents talking.
“Trev,” she whispered. Damn, I love anything that comes from her lips.
“Ry?” I second.
“Don’t they look like they are in love still?” she asks, and I nod in agreement. She continues smiling and pulls back only when I move toward her.
I suddenly wish we were anywhere but here … alone …“If I told you I wanted to take you home and make love to you, would you …?”
She turns to look at me and then smiles ear to ear.
“Only if we stay the night together,” she demands.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way.” I love the way we turned our heads to whispers. It was intimate and added to the intensity of my words. I did want her, but for the first time in my life as a grown man, I wanted every part of a woman. Ryann.
“Mom, I’m not really feeling all that well. I think I am just exhausted from all the hours,” she says preparing for our escape.
“That’s okay, dear. Trevor, can you make sure my little girl gets home and to bed?”
“Yes, ma’am. You know many things have been going around. Hopefully, it is a short bout.”
She stands up, and I follow standing beside her.
“We need to do it again soon, kids. I really enjoyed it,” Lewis says, and I return the compliment.
As we were walking out, I hear Tammy comment, “She doesn’t look very tired …” and I almost want to laugh. She would be tired here shortly if I had anything to say about it.
Trevor
Today, I stand in the very same spot I have stood at exactly nine am waiting for Jackie and Ryann. Instead of both of them, it was just Ryann.
She walks slowly over to me from her car and smiles but looks nervous.
“Hey, baby.” I envelop her and bring her close to my body. Calling her baby seemed to come natural and I found myself saying it anytime I was alone with her.
“Baby?” she asks.
“You don’t like me calling you that?”
“I like you calling me anything, Trevor.” She pauses. “I was a little worried when I saw you today. I can’t help but worry that you are going to pull back from me again. And now … I don’t… No, I know I can’t handle it.”
“Ry … I am so sorry I hurt you, but if I promise to never intentionally hurt you again, can you forgive me?”
She looks at me as if I have two heads, not commenting but finally nodding her head.
She stands directly in front of me, and I lean in and kiss her. I kiss her like my last breath depended on it. I kiss her with all the love I have for her and know that I won’t regret this. I regretted so many things in my life, things I couldn’t fix. Things that were too late to figure out and let my pride stand in the way. She returns my kiss as hungrily as I give to her.
“You know … love truly makes you insane, turns you inside out but …”
“Love?” She pulls back from me.
I look her in her blue eyes. “Yes … I love you, Ryann Payne.”
“I love you too, Trevor James.”
We kiss again and then she mumbles words as my mouth is meeting hers.
“So that is what it feels like.”
“What feels like?” I ask her.
“To really love someone with all your heart and know they love you the same way,” she tells me.
“I will love you forever, baby.”
“Promise?” she asks.
“Most definitely.” I pause. “Who would have thought when I saw you at that bar that night, my first night back in Austin, that I would have met the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with … the woman who put my heart back again.”
“So you aren’t broken anymore?”
“I have realized I wasn’t broken. I thought I was, but come to find out, my heart was just waiting on the right one. And you, baby, are the right one.”
And with that, she jumps into my arms, and I kiss her again deeply. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt whole. Her being in my arms completed me.
I thought I had fallen in love before, but I couldn’t be more wrong. It was nothing like the love I have for Ryann. I would die for this love, and if I had to, since I had been such an asshole, I would spend the rest of my life proving my love to her.
Ryann was my forever, and I almost missed her. I hadn’t woken up from my past to live in the present. And when I finally did, I found the love of my life, the one that I will do anything for and I know will do anything for me.
I know my father is smiling down on us and to me that was good enough. I could rest all the regret because I was living now, just as he had wanted. And for once, in all my years, I finally had what I secretly hoped for but wasn’t foolish to believe I would ever have.
I look over my shoulder before we mount the horses to see Jackie and Mom sitting on the porch toasting sweet iced tea with smiles across their faces.
I point it out to Ryann, and she laughs. “I knew it!”
“You know, and strangely, I wouldn’t change it for a minute,” I say and wink. “You?”
“No … now, saddle up so I can beat your ass. I’ve been dying to show you what Sunshine can do when she has on a rider she loves.” She loves getting me worked up, and yes, I love it too.
I smile genuinely at her and don’t give an explanation other than muttering three words. “Thank you, Ry.”
“You’re welcome, baby,” she answers and smiles.
THE END!!!!
Two years later
Ryann
After Trevor proposed to me I knew exactly where I wanted our wedding to be. Where else but the stables? I couldn’t help but think that we could not only get married before our family and friends, but also his father. I had no doubt he would be looking down at us. Mr. James would be proud to see that Trevor had taken on such a big part around the stables. In fact, after our honeymoon, we were moving to the James Stables. I had planned for us to live in town close to the hospital but he insisted on us living in the country. He even joked and said he would live in the trailer with me but I knew he was just trying to be nice. He promised to always accept me and never try to change that, and I did him. Anyway, no matter how much you were in love, in a small place like that we would kill each other. Not to mention I dated an asshole when I lived there and I didn’t want any memories of him around us, my happy space.
Today, as I walk down the path that will lead me to the aisle of the ceremony I focus on the man standing at the end waiting for me. The man that I wholeheartedly am in love with, the man that I want to spend the rest of my life with having no doubts or regrets. He smiles at me as I stop before making my walk to him giving him my hand and my heart for the rest of my life. Maxwell is standing beside him and Sadie is across from him. Hopefully the tension between them will remain nonexistent today ensuring Trevor's and my day to be safe.
“You ready for this little girl?” Lewis asks and I look over at him briefly.
“I have never been so ready for anything.” I smile as the music starts and he takes a deep breath before leading me hand in hand to the groom.
I lock eyes with Trevor and do not remove contact with his beautiful green eyes until I am standing right in front of him. He has tears in his eyes and a smile on his face bigger than Texas.
I whisper, “You ready to be my husband?”
“More than anything Ry. I can’t wait to call you Mrs. James.”
As the ceremony begins and ends I listen to the words I promise in front of our family and friends, and most importantly, to God. I would never take the words I repeat lightly and know Trevor feels the same way. I guess that is the advantage of knowing you are marrying the right person— the one you truly love.
The last two years have been the happiest of my entire life. Trevor and I have started our lives together and I couldn’t feel more complete. I wish I could say the same for Maxwell and Sadie though.
It’s funny—Trevor and I were asked to be friends for the sake of Sadie and Maxwell and now we are asking them to be friends for the sake of us.
Surprisingly, Maxwell actually wanted to settle down with Sadie. She on the other hand backed off practically ending it with him. At first he thought it was her making him chase her for the fun of it, but now it is becoming apparent that is not the case. It's simple really—he wants her and she doesn’t want him. She is almost acting coldhearted. And she isn’t listening to a damn word I am saying.
My mom and Lewis finally got married. She retired from the Regency and they bought an RV, now traveling the nation. Mom was sick of the heat and Lewis went wherever mom went vowing to never let her out of his sight again. I have never seen her beaming with so much happiness.
About my baking; I still do it and love it but now I do it because I want to make things for Trevor and Margaret. Not out of all the other emotions I felt before. Trevor won’t eat it unless I sit down with him to enjoy it and that makes me even more proud he is my man.
I don’t remember what it feels like to be broken anymore and neither does Trevor.
So… I guess it’s true although I didn’t believe it; two broken hearts can make one whole.
Thank you first and always is God. We speak often so you know my thoughts.
My gorgeous husband and two kids. Thank you for supporting me and understanding when I have to take time away from you for the stories, the voices in my head. Thank you for being patient when I become a crazy person and don’t leave the house for days on end or shower or cook or clean.
For the people that helped so much with this book: Ryan Adkins, kick ass photographer; Kristin and Destrey Sargent for letting me have your faces on my cover and teasers; Alora Kate, kick ass cover creator; Jenny Sims, my caring editor that gets the job done and is straight up honest; Linda Russell at my PR firm Sassy, not only the gal that promotes the hell out of me but keeps me in line.
My PA Ashleigh Wilson, all the hours you spend pimping me and spreading the word around on my books. <3
Michelle Dyson my beta and the very first person to read the complete story. Thank you for being awesome.
All my readers and friends in Brooklyn’s Books. Not only are you readers of my books but you are my friends!
Bloggers, especially Shani Kenny for sharing my work relentlessly.
Every SINGLE blogger that shares my work is HUGE to me.
Every SINGLE reader that contacts me, reads my stories and spreads the word of my books is priceless. Sometimes a reader will tell me “I am just a reader…” Oh my friend you ARE SO MUCH MORE! There is no such thing!
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Also by Brooklyn Taylor
Endless Affinity
Unforeseen Destiny
Beau
An Ordinary Me
Marital Blissaster
Burnout
Finding Me
Coming soon: Losing You