Chapter Ten

Savannah

“Would you stop fidgeting? You’re beautiful.” Brandon wraps his arms around me from behind, stopping my hands from messing with my simple bright blue dress.

“I’m nervous.”

“You don’t say?” he teases. “You have nothing to be nervous about. Mia already loves you and trust me, that’s your biggest obstacle.”

“But…”

“No buts. Trust me, yeah?”

“I trust you.” I watch as his eyes flare at my simple statement, knowing what it means to him to hear me say that. Over the past few weeks, I’ve really opened up to him. He’s been a bit relentless in his pursuit of getting to know me and shockingly, it hasn’t bothered me. I discovered that it’s not so scary to let him in. Brandon makes it easy. He’s been patient

“Good. Let’s get going,” he says, with a pat to the butt.

Twenty minutes later, the butterflies haven’t stopped taking flight in my stomach. We’re backstage, waiting for Brandon’s family to come say hello before the show. The first show I’ll be in attendance of as his girlfriend. A term I fought harder than I should have.

“What? You think we’re not exclusive?”

“I don’t know. It’s not that I want to be with anyone else.”

“Savannah, since that first night when I was singing Violin and locked eyes with you? You’ve been mine. Girlfriend is only a temporary term. Trust me on that.”

I didn’t argue any further.

How could I?

Brandon is everything I never knew I would be allowed to have.

He’s caring and thoughtful and loving and jealous in all the good ways and it doesn’t hurt that he’s sexy as hell, either.

“So this is what we’ve been missing? Huh. I expected more… something,” I hear a man’s voice and turn. Mia and Cole are walking in with two couples, who I assume are Brandon’s parents and Barrett and Tess, who I’ve been told are Cole’s parents.

“What did you expect, Barrett? People doing lines of coke or half naked women parading around?”

“Honestly? Kind of,” Barrett earns himself a backhand to the stomach from a beautiful blonde woman beside him.

“Barrett! Stop! I’m so sorry, he’s just… well, he’s special.”

“Bless his heart,” I say before I can stop myself.

“Oh I like you. She’ll do just fine, Brandon.”

“Tell me something I don’t already know,” Brandon says, beaming down at me. “Mia? This is Barrett and Tess Ryan, my other parents,” he smiles causing the couple before me to do the same. “I’ve known them since I was born.”

Before I can react, Tess has me wrapped in her arms, hugging me tightly. She steps back, her hands on my forearms. “Damn, Savannah. You’re beautiful. Glad to finally meet you.”

My cheeks heat at her words while Barrett pushes Tess aside and pulls me into a hug, lifting me a little bit off the ground. “I’m a bit of a hugger. Forgive me, but you’re one of us now.”

The other man, who I assume is Brandon’s dad, steps in, pulling Barrett away from me. “I’m Josh, Brandon’s dad. I’m not going to apologize for hugging you because it’s just who we are.”

“It’s fine,” I squeak, trying to not feel overwhelmed.

“You guys! Leave her alone,” Brandon chuckles.

He takes my hand and turns me away from his dad. “Savannah? This is my mom, Lauren. Mom? I’d like you to meet Savannah. My… forever.”

I’m sure I hear Tess and Mia swoon behind us and me? Well, I think I turn into a puddle of mush.

Lauren takes me into her arms and whispers, “Welcome to the family. Brandon has told us so much about you.”

When she pulls away she places her slender hands around my cheeks, tears building in her eyes.

I don’t know what to say other than, “Thank you.”

My smile is wobbly and I have to bite my lip to stop myself from crying.

“Come on, let’s let the guys get ready. I think the rest of the family should be out there by now, and they all want to meet you.”

I look to Brandon, wondering if he’s okay with that.

“Just don’t introduce her to Margarita Madness, and we’ll be fine.”

Lauren places her hand on her heart, the other wrapped around my shoulder. “I would never!”

Everyone laughs and for some reason, in that moment surrounded by Brandon’s family who were minute by minute making me feel like one of them, I felt a sense of peace and calm wash over me. Something I hadn’t felt since – well, maybe ever.

But most of all?

I felt loved.

Did you enjoy reading about Brandon and Savannah and want to know more about Brandon’s entire family, extended included?

Fall in love all over again in From the Ground Up, Barrett and Tess’s story of taking back their marriage.

Find out more

Discover what happens when James Cole fights for someone who’s finally realizing she’s worth it in A Better Place.

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In Feels Like Home, newly single father Andy Simpson gets a second chance at falling in love with the one woman who truly understands.

Add it to your TBR