Still The One: A Small Town Friends to Lovers Romance (The Heartbreak Brothers Book 2)

by Carrie Elks

  “Aww,” somebody whispered. “Isn’t he the sweetest?”

  “That girl and boy grew up,” he continued. “And they made some stupid mistakes.” He raised an eyebrow at Van. “Especially the boy, who turned out to be an idiot. Because instead of putting a ring on the girl’s finger, and thanking god for every day she spent with him, he decided to head off to New York and play with computers for ten years.”

  “A real idiot,” Gray shouted out. Tanner rolled his eyes at his brother.

  “But then they met again. And the boy realized what a damn huge mistake he’d made. Because this girl was everything he’d wanted. She was beautiful, clever, funny, and for some crazy reason, she decided to give him a second chance.” He grinned at Van, and she blew him a kiss back. “And this time that boy – me – isn’t going to mess it up. He’s going to beg her to be his forever, because he knows how damn lucky he is to have her.”

  “Why don’t you say things like that about me?” an old woman whispered to her husband.

  “Because I haven’t gotten lucky in years,” he muttered.

  Van bit down on her lip to stop herself from laughing. Or maybe crying. Her whole body was tingling. She didn’t know what to do with her hands, so eventually she clasped them together, looking up at Tanner with shiny eyes.

  “Savannah Butler. Beautiful, clever woman. Love of my whole damn life.” Tanner jumped down from the chair, still smiling at her, and then dropped to a knee in front of her, pulling a ring box out of his pocket and opening it up. “I have something to ask you.”

  Van’s heart started galloping in her chest.

  “Will you do the honor of agreeing to be my wife?” Tanner asked softly, looking up at her through thick lashes. “I promise to always take care of you. To kiss you as often as you deserve to be kissed.” He slid his eyes to where Gray and Maddie were watching. “And if I knock you up, I promise I won’t complain about your gas.”

  “See?” Maddie elbowed Gray. “That’s true love.”

  “I know, baby.” Gray kissed her head.

  “Say yes!” Becca shouted out. “Come on!”

  Everybody was silent. All eyes were on Van. The old Van would have panicked about what they were all thinking. If they were judging her.

  But the new Van didn’t care. Not one bit.

  Instead, she smiled and looked around, taking in the warm faces of everybody watching. “He’s lying,” she told them all. “I’m the lucky one.”

  “You’re killing me here,” Tanner told her, his lip quirking. “I’m kinda waiting for an answer.”

  Van laughed, clapping her hands over her mouth. “Oh goodness. Yes! The answer’s yes.” Tanner started to laugh, too. Grabbing the ring from the box he was holding, he slid it onto her outstretched finger. Then he stood and pulled her against him, smoothing the hair from her face with his hand before kissing her hard and hot.

  “Go, Tanner!” somebody hollered, followed by a whole host of whoops and catcalls. The older folk started cheering, and Van’s lips curled beneath his before they finally pulled apart.

  “Let’s make it a short engagement,” Tanner murmured to her. “Like really, really short.”

  She grinned up at him, happiness shining out of her. She’d never get tired of this man. Of his smile, or the way he teased her, or the good humored way he took the ribbing from his brothers.

  They’d be spending the rest of their lives together, and she couldn’t wait for it to begin.

  “Yeah,” she said, cupping his face with her hands, rolling onto her tiptoes to brush her lips against his. “A short engagement sounds good to me.”

  Epilogue

  There were three things that everybody in Hartson’s Creek agreed on. It hardly rained in November, a wedding should never be held after the last crop of corn was brought in, and Savannah Butler and Tanner Hartson were two crazy kids who never listened to advice.

  And still Tanner found himself standing at the front of the First Baptist Church, his hair soaked from the downpour that had caught them on their way in, plastering their hair to their faces.

  Not that he cared. Because in a few minutes she would be here. The woman who brought sunshine into his life on the darkest of days. She was going to be his wife, and he was counting down the seconds.

  “Stop looking at the door,” Logan murmured. “She’ll get here when she’s ready.” He was standing on one side of Tanner, Cam and Gray were on the other. He couldn’t decide between his brothers who would be the best man, so he’d asked them all.

  A loud cry came out, and Tanner looked over his shoulder at Maddie, who was cooing at her baby son. Well one of them, anyway. Tanner was pretty sure that was Marley. Presley, the younger twin, was being cradled by Aunt Gina, who was smiling happily at the babe in her arms. Even his dad looked happy as Presley gurgled up at them both.

  Apparently, surprise twins were still a thing. Tanner bit down a grin when he remembered Gray telling him the first thing Maddie said when she got her breath back after giving birth.

  “I told you I was big.”

  That was the understatement of the year. According to the doctor, hidden twins were rare but not completely unknown. Marley – the bigger baby – had been hiding his twin during the ultrasounds, and their heartbeats were in sync, confounding even the obstetrician.

  Tanner looked at the church door again, then back at Reverend Maitland who was smiling patiently at them all. From the corner of his eye he saw Gray lean over to take Marley, hitching him up against his wool suit jacket and kissing his fuzzy head. Somebody at the back of the church sighed, making Logan chuckle softly.

  “Babies and guys,” he murmured. “Ovary exploders.”

  “How would you know?” Cameron whispered to his own twin. “You haven’t exploded anybody’s ovaries for years. When was the last time you got laid?”

  “Last time you won a game.” Logan raised a brow at his brother.

  Reverend Maitland cleared his throat, making Tanner bite down a grin. It was so good to have his brothers here with him. It felt like coming home, except he was already here. Every piece of the jigsaw was sliding into place.

  The doors finally opened, and Zoe walked forward, wearing a pale green dress that wrapped around her neck and fell in gentle folds to the floor. She grinned at Tanner, and he smiled back at her, watching as she moved down the aisle, scattering pale pink petals in front of her.

  Then came Becca, wearing the same color, but this dress was fitted and sophisticated. But Tanner wasn’t looking at her. Because behind her was the only person he ever wanted to look at.

  And damn, was she beautiful.

  Van’s hair was pulled back from her face, caught in a low chignon at the top of her neck. Golden tendrils spilled from it, curling around her cheeks and catching the light of the autumn sun. Her eyes caught his, and he felt his chest tighten. This was it. The moment he made her his.

  The music began, the organ reverberating through the church as Van and her mom slowly walked down the aisle. With every step she took, his grin widened, knowing that in a few moments he’d be able to touch her, hear her, kiss her.

  It filled him in a way nothing else ever could.

  Then she was there, her head lifted as she gazed up at him, a smile playing at her lips. He swallowed hard, emotions spilling through him as Reverend Maitland spoke out, welcoming them to the church.

  She was beautiful. She was everything. She was his.

  He took a deep breath and slid his hand over hers. “Ready?” he murmured.

  “Yes.” She nodded, her face radiant. “I’m ready.”

  The party was dying down. The music was softer now, slower, too, as a few couples swayed drunkenly on the dance floor at the center of the huge circus-style tent Gray had erected behind his house. Tanner was leaning on the bar, Logan and Cam next to him. Gray had disappeared, no doubt helping Maddie with the babies. And Van was sitting in the corner with Becca, her mom and Zoe, and some of their girl friends, laughing as they t
alked.

  “So Fairfax didn’t come,” Logan said, ordering all three of them a whiskey.

  “Nope. But we didn’t invite him. Or his family.” Tanner shrugged. “Van didn’t want them here.”

  “She not interested in connecting with him?” Logan asked.

  “Doesn’t seem to be.” Tanner took a swig of his whiskey. “Says I’m the only family she needs.”

  “Damn, that girl needs a lobotomy,” Cam said, winking at him.

  “What an asshole, though, pretending he wasn’t her father for so long.” Logan shook his head. “What kind of man does that? Denies his child? No wonder she doesn’t want to see him.”

  “What would you do if you found out you had a kid?” Tanner asked him.

  Logan smirked. “Sue the condom manufacturers.”

  Tanner laughed. “Logan wouldn’t have a surprise kid. He doesn’t have sex? He’s too busy for that.”

  Logan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right. You go on believing that.”

  “Who doesn’t have sex?” Gray asked, walking over to them. “Apart from me, that is. Maddie’s already told me we’re never having sex again. She’s scared that next time it’ll be triplets. I told her it doesn’t work that way.”

  “Logan,” Cam said loudly. “He’s the one who needs to get laid.”

  “Thanks for saying that in front of Reverend Maitland, by the way.” Logan shook his head at his twin. “And for your information, I get plenty. I just don’t brag about it like you do.” He grinned.

  Cam shrugged. “Can’t help it. Girls throw themselves at me.”

  “You could dodge them. You’ve been pretty good at dodging the ball this season,” Tanner teased him. “Just channel that skill.”

  Gray started talking to Cam about next week’s game, leaving Logan and Tanner leaning on the bar. “You think you’ll ever settle down?” Tanner asked his older brother.

  “Probably not.” Logan shrugged. “Not many women like the restaurant business. I work nights, weekends, and holidays. It pisses them off when I’m not around. It’s easier when it’s casual. No expectations, you know?”

  “What are you gonna do when you decide to have a family?” Tanner tipped his head to the side.

  “Dunno. All I can tell you is that kids and restaurants don’t mix. I guess I’d have to rethink my career choice.” He drained his whiskey. “But there’s plenty of time for all that. Not all of us need to settle down before we’re thirty. Maybe I’ll make my millions and have a family when I’m in my fifties.” He grinned. “I can be a stay at home dad.”

  Tanner laughed at the image of an older Logan surrounded by screaming kids. Somehow he couldn’t quite see that working. “Sure. You keep thinking that,” he said, lifting his glass to his brother’s and clinking them together. “In the meantime, I’m going to go and kiss my very real bride, and drag her onto the dance floor.”

  “You’re whipped,” Logan said. Was there an edge of envy in his voice?

  “Yep. And I’m loving it.”

  Before he even reached her, Tanner could feel Van’s pull. Like she was the sun and he was orbiting her, always trying to push through.

  “Hey,” he whispered, kissing her bare shoulder as he reached her. “Can I persuade you to have one last dance?”

  She looked up at him, her eyes full of love. “Yeah, you can definitely do that.” She winked at Zoe, then stood, letting Tanner lead her to the dance floor. He slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close against him, smiling against her hair as her body slotted perfectly against his.

  Then they were dancing. His perfect woman and him. They swayed gently to the music, her arms wrapped around his neck, his hand guiding her as they moved slowly around the dance floor.

  This was it. The beginning. They had the rest of their lives ahead of them. He dropped his head, pressing his lips against hers, both of them grinning as they kissed.

  “I love you, Mrs. Hartson,” he whispered, loving the sound of her name on his tongue.

  “I love you, too,” she said, grinning widely. “Now shut up and dance.”

  Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed Tanner and Van’s story. The next book in the Heartbreak Brothers series is A BETTER MAN. Find out what happens when Logan is knocked to his knees - literally - by a beautiful farm girl, Courtney.

  CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER NOW!

  And if you enjoyed Take Me Home, why not check out my gorgeous Angel Sands series, set in a small beach town in southern California. The first book, LET ME BURN, is available to read right now!

  Dear Reader

  Thank you so much for reading Tanner and Van’s story. If you enjoyed it and you get a chance, I’d be so grateful if you can leave a review. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for A BETTER MAN the third book in the Heartbreak Brothers series, coming out in October

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  I can’t wait to share more stories with you.

  Yours,

  Carrie xx

  About the Author

  Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out.

  Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

  You can find Carrie in all these places

  www.carrieelks.com

  carrie.elks@mail.com

  Also by Carrie Elks

  THE HEARTBREAK BROTHERS SERIES

  A gorgeous small town series about four brothers and the women who capture their hearts.

  Take Me Home

  Still The One

  A Better Man (Coming Oct 2020)

  ANGEL SANDS SERIES

  A heartwarming small town beach series, full of best friends, hot guys and happily-ever-afters.

  Let Me Burn

  She’s Like the Wind

  Sweet Little Lies

  Just A Kiss

  Baby I’m Yours

  Pieces Of Us

  Chasing The Sun (Coming January 2021)

  THE SHAKESPEARE SISTERS SERIES

  An epic series about four strong yet vulnerable sisters, and the alpha men who steal their hearts.

  Summer’s Lease

  A Winter’s Tale

  Absent in the Spring

  By Virtue Fall

  THE LOVE IN LONDON SERIES

  Three books about strong and sassy women finding love in the big city.

  Coming Down

  Broken Chords

  Canada Square

  STANDALONE

  Fix You

  An epic romance that spans the decades. Breathtaking and angsty and all the things in between.

  If you’d like to get an email when I release a new book, please sign up here:

  CARRIE ELKS’ NEWSLETTER

  Acknowledgments

  First thanks always go to my lovely family. My husband, Ash, my children Ella and Olly and not forgetting Plato the pug. You guys are amazing.

  I wouldn’t be here without my brilliant agents, Meire Dias and Flavia Viotti of the Bookcase Agency. From the beginning of my career they’ve been my biggest supporters, and I’m so grateful to them.

  My editor Rose David and my proofreader, Mich, always work tirelessly to make my words shine. Thank you for all you do.

  Special thanks to Marian G for pre-reading and her suggestions on the story. I appreciate your insight!

  Kirsty Ann Still is a kick-ass designer, and she hit this cover out of the park. You’re so tal
ented my friend!

  Bloggers have always been such an important part of my book journey. Thanks to each and every one of you who shows me support in so many ways – sharing covers and release days, promoting sales, reading and reviewing books. You’re the engine that keeps the book world going, and I appreciate you so much.

  To all my author friends who are so supportive. You know who you are and I think you’re awesome!

  Finally, to my lovely facebook group members (The Water Cooler - if you want to join!), thank you! We have so much fun – you make Facebook a great place to be. You help with ideas, inspiration and most of all you put a smile on my face. Thanks for being so amazing.