Making You Mine: Knox and Aubrey (The Bradens & Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill - Oak Falls) Book 5)

by Melissa Foster

  Jillian and her twin brother, Jax, both fashion designers, had taken elements from Charlotte’s mother’s and grandmother’s wedding gowns and created an ice-blue Cinderella-type gown for Charlotte. The corset was sheer with embroidered ivory appliqués, shimmering light-blue sparkles, and off-the-shoulder lace. The multilayered tulle skirt had embroidered French lace trim along the hemline. She really did look like a princess.

  Charlotte saluted and then shoved the rest of the bar into her mouth.

  “Look at me,” Aubrey said, trying to gain control and refocus Charlotte’s emotions. When Charlotte lifted her chin, Aubrey dabbed at her tears with a tissue. “I know all your dreams are finally coming true, and yes, you’re going to cry from sheer happiness. But isn’t that what fairy tales are made of? Emotions that are bigger than life?”

  Charlotte nodded with a mouthful of chocolate. She put her hand out, and Presley handed her another homemade Twix bar.

  Jillian groaned. “I’m going to die if you walk down the aisle with splotches of brown on your dress.”

  Charlotte smiled, and a piece of chocolate fell from her lips right onto the skirt. All the girls yelled, “No!”

  “Nobody move,” Jillian said, arms outstretched, guarding the skirt. “Get me tweezers from the makeup bag.”

  Libby hurried away and returned with tweezers.

  Jillian pointed the tiny metal prongs at Charlotte and said, “Don’t even breathe.”

  “This is serious shit,” Presley whispered.

  “Shh!” Jillian carefully plucked the offending candy from the skirt. Then she leaned closer, her deep burgundy hair curtaining her face as she inspected the dress for evidence of their mishap. Her hand shot out to the side and she said, “Towel, please.”

  Presley pressed a towel into her hand, and Jillian spread it over Charlotte’s lap. Then she rose to her full height of petite pixie and said, “Swallow what’s in your mouth, and then no more food for you until after you say I do. Got it?”

  Charlotte nodded, her amused eyes swept over them, and they all burst into hysterics. Charlotte popped up to her feet and said, “Okay, I think I’m done with happy tears.”

  “Seriously? Who are you?” Presley said. “Sybil?”

  Charlotte twirled and said, “I’m the bride of the gorgeous, loving, incredibly-talented-in-bed Beau Braden!”

  “Ew! He’s my brother!” Jillian snapped, making them all laugh again.

  “Remind me never to get married,” Aubrey said as she sank into a chair. “This is way too much drama for me.”

  “Oh, please.” Charlotte waved her hand. “You’re living with Mr. Drama.”

  “Yeah,” she said dreamily. “I can’t deny that.”

  She and Knox had been living together for months, although it hadn’t happened with a decision of moving in together. After the night of the ball, their lives simply blended together a little more each week, until they realized they’d been staying in Aubrey’s house during the week and in Knox’s loft on the weekends, which they usually spent knocking around the city. They had dinners with his family every few weeks and saw hers often. Things weren’t perfect with Knox’s parents, but they’d found a happy medium between socialite and parenthood, and their newfound warmth had bled into Landon and Knox’s relationship, easing them all onto solid ground. Carlos had proposed to Landon and had come out to the public the weekend of the ball. Much to his surprise, most of his fans had embraced and supported them. There were a few loudmouthed assholes that Knox had wanted to hunt down and kill, but Landon had talked some sense into him.

  “You denied it for weeks,” Presley reminded her. “‘We’re not shacking up. He’s just staying over.’”

  Aubrey grinned, unable to deny that, either.

  Libby smoothed her dress and said, “I’m just glad you didn’t end up moving to the city full-time. I would have missed you.”

  Knox and Aubrey spent a few evenings a month with Libby, Presley, and Nolan, and quite often Paige, Becca, and Taylor would join them. Paige had wrangled Becca and Taylor into joining her book club, and once a month they all took off to talk books, which Aubrey believed was code for girls-gone-wild time. She was glad Paige had found more close friends.

  Grace Montgomery sauntered into the tent, looking gorgeous in a short navy dress, with her long dark hair pinned up in a pretty twist. “It’s like an LWW reunion in here. I would grab Amber so you guys could do an LWW cheer, but she’s too busy hogging Emma.” Emily “Emma” Louise was Brindle and Trace’s baby girl. Everyone called her Emma, except Trace, who insisted on calling her Emma Lou. “Are you ready? Beau said almost everyone is here, but guests are still arriving. I swear the Bradens have more cousins than I’ve ever seen in one place.”

  “I know!” Charlotte exclaimed. “And I love every single one of them. I’m so glad Hal Braden agreed to walk me down the aisle. He was so close to my parents, they’d want him to do it.”

  “If Beau lets him,” Grace said. “Beau’s brothers keep giving us looks like hurry up before he bursts! I’m afraid if you don’t get started soon, the next screenplay I’ll be writing will be about a groom who loses his mind waiting for his bride.”

  “I’d make that movie,” Aubrey said. The details for Charlotte’s movie had finally come together. Once the dust had settled, Landon had graciously offered for Aubrey to use the inn, but since they’d secured the replica of Snow White’s cottage that Knox had found in Seattle she’d decided to go with the Brookstone and film everything on one coast. Besides, since Carlos and Landon were going to be married at the Monroe House, she figured that would cause enough of a media ruckus.

  Aubrey looked around the tent at the women who had been part of her life for so long, had helped her build an empire, and had loved her despite all her failings. As they gathered around Charlotte, fussing with her dress, hair, and makeup, Aubrey pushed open the flap of the tent, her eyes quickly finding her man, who stood at the far end of the yard with Beau and his brothers. Her heart beat faster, and she absently touched the bracelet he’d given her. She knew he had the key necklace beneath his dress shirt. He never took it off. She had never realized she wasn’t living a full life, but her drama-prone man had changed all of that, and she couldn’t imagine a life without Knox in it, drama and all…

  “DUDE,” GRAHAM SAID to Knox. “You haven’t taken your eyes off that tent since the girls went in there to get ready.”

  Knox winked at his beautiful Aubrey, who was peeking out of the tent, and said, “Don’t even pretend you and Morgyn didn’t disappear into the inn supposedly in search of a bathroom and return looking like you’d been to heaven and back a half hour later.”

  “I don’t think we were supposed to notice that,” Beau said as he fidgeted with his jacket.

  Knox and his brothers had been trying to distract him in an effort to take the edge off, but he was still looking at his watch every few minutes like an expectant father.

  Or a husband-to-be.

  That’ll be me one day.

  Graham looked at Morgyn, sitting with her sisters, who were all fawning over Brindle’s baby. “Look at my beautiful wife. Do you blame me for stealing her away?”

  “Not at all.” Knox couldn’t blame him any more than he could stop himself from imagining what his and Aubrey’s babies would look like one day, as he’d been doing ever since he’d held little Emma.

  Graham shook his head and said, “My Sunshine is the sweetest woman to walk this earth.”

  “Have you met my girl?” Beau laughed. “Char’s the sweetest—”

  “I’ll let you two hash that one out. My Aubrey’s got more spice than sugar,” Knox admitted. “And I like her that way.”

  “Christ, are you fools mooning again?” Zev stepped between Beau and Knox. “What is it about dudes in relationships? They turn into chicks, looking all dreamy and shit.”

  Zev was the nomad of the Braden family, a long-haired—and from what Graham had said, emotionally tortured—treasure hunter.
After the tragic death of Tory Raznick, Beau’s girlfriend of a decade earlier, Zev had broken up with his long-term girlfriend, Carly Dylan, left town, and had never looked back.

  “Hey, don’t knock a happily ever after,” Beau said.

  Zev scoffed. “Not everyone’s into fairy tales, right, Nick? Jax?”

  “I’m definitely not into fairy tails,” Nick said with a cocky grin. He was the biggest, gruffest of the Bradens, with bulbous muscles earned from years of ranching.

  Jax laughed and ran his hand down the front of his suit coat. He was lean and fit, and though he designed wedding gowns for the rich and famous, he was as down to earth as the rest of the Bradens. “If you could look as good in a suit as I do, maybe you’d get more women.”

  “Hope we didn’t miss the ceremony. This one got stuck in her shop,” Cutter Long, a handsome, black-haired cowboy, and one of Charlotte’s closest friends, said as he came around the corner with Carly Dylan, another of their friends. Both of them carried trays of chocolate desserts.

  Carly stopped cold, eyes locked on Zev. “Zevy…”

  “Carls…?” Zev looked like he’d seen a ghost. He glanced at the tray, and then his gaze slid to Cutter and his eyes narrowed.

  Knox saw Graham’s mother hurrying over to the tent where the girls were filing out and said, “Looks like it’s time, Beau.”

  Cutter nudged Carly. “Come on, let’s set these down.”

  Carly followed him toward a table, glancing over her shoulder at Zev, who looked like he was chewing on nails.

  Graham leaned closer to Knox and said, “Looks like my brother’s going to have a tough evening. Better get the alcohol ready.”

  “Uh-huh,” Knox said absently, watching Aubrey walk across the lawn with the girls.

  The guys were lining up to walk the girls down the aisle, and Beau was on his way to the altar. Knox should be finding a seat, but his legs were carrying him toward Aubrey. He didn’t want to be the guy looking in from the outside, wishing he had what someone else did. He knew what he wanted, and she was standing right in front of him.

  “Knox,” Aubrey whispered. “You need to sit down. The wedding is starting.”

  “I will.” He dropped to one knee, causing everyone to gasp.

  “Knox! Get up,” Aubrey whispered. “Please,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. “This is Beau and Char’s wedding.”

  “I’m sorry, Char,” he said with an unstoppable smile.

  “Don’t be,” Charlotte said. “It’s the magic of the inn!”

  He was vaguely aware of the happy murmurs and Oh my goshes sounding around them, but he was so in love with Aubrey, so wrapped up in the emotions glistening in her eyes, she was all he saw.

  “I planned on doing this tonight, but we promised to clue each other in when something was going on. Here’s your clue, baby.” He took the gorgeous diamond ring from his pocket and said, “You came into my life like a dream, and I never want to wake up from it. I love you, Aubrey. Will you marry me?”

  Tears streaked her cheeks as she nodded vehemently. He slipped the ring onto her finger, and as he rose to his feet she leaped into his arms and kissed him. Cheers rang out around them, and when their lips finally parted, she beamed at him from within his arms and said, “You have the worst timing, drama boy.”

  “You’re going to be my wife, Wattsy. I’d say my timing is perfect.”

  Ready for more Bradens & Montgomerys?

  I hope you have enjoyed getting to know the Bradens and Montgomerys. If you want to read more about Knox and Aubrey’s friends, pick up EMBRACING HER HEART, the first book in the Bradens & Montgomerys series. If you’ve already read the previous books in the series, get ready to fall in love with Zev Braden and Carly Dylan in Searching for Love.

  Zev Braden and Carly Dylan have known each other their whole lives. Their close-knit families were sure they were destined to marry—until a devastating tragedy struck, breaking the two lovers apart. Over the next decade Zev, a nomadic treasure hunter, rarely returned to his hometown, and Carly became a chocolatier, building a whole new life across the country. When a chance encounter brings them back into each other’s lives, can they find the true love that once existed, or will shattered dreams and broken hearts prevail? Find out in Searching for Love, a deliciously sexy, funny, and emotional second-chance romance.

  Buy SEARCHING FOR LOVE

  Have you met our Bayside Summers friends?

  Fall in love at Bayside, where sandy beaches, good friends, and true love come together in the sweet small towns of Cape Cod. Your next fun, sexy, bingeable series!

  Desiree is tricked into spending the summer on the Cape with her badass half sister and a misbehaving dog. What could possibly go wrong? Oh, and sparks fly every time Desiree sees her hunky, pushy neighbor, Rick Savage. Yeah, there’s that…

  Buy BAYSIDE DESIRES

  New to the Love in Bloom series?

  I hope you have enjoyed getting to know the Bradens and Montgomerys. If you want to read more about Knox and Aubrey’s friends, pick up EMBRACING HER HEART, the first book in the Bradens & Montgomerys series. If this is your first Love in Bloom book, you have many more love stories featuring loyal, sassy, and sexy heroes and heroines waiting for you. The Bradens & Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls) is just one of the series in the Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. Each Love in Bloom book is written to be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel or as part of the larger series. There are no cliffhangers and no unresolved issues. Characters from each series make appearances in future books, so you never miss an engagement, wedding, or birth. You might enjoy my other series within the Love in Bloom big-family romance collection, starting with the very first Braden book, LOVERS AT HEART, REIMAGINED.

  More Books By Melissa Foster

  Love in Bloom Romance Collection

  LOVE IN BLOOM SERIES order (FREE Ebook)

  Love in Bloom Series Guide (Detailed Ebook)

  Love in Bloom Series Guide (Black & White Print Book)

  Love in Bloom books may be read as stand alones. For more enjoyment, read them in series order. Characters from each series carry forward to the next.

  SNOW SISTERS

  Sisters in Love

  Sisters in Bloom

  Sisters in White

  THE BRADENS (Weston, CO)

  Lovers at Heart, Reimagined

  Destined for Love

  Friendship on Fire

  Sea of Love

  Bursting with Love

  Hearts at Play

  THE BRADENS (Trusty, CO)

  Taken by Love

  Fated for Love

  Romancing My Love

  Flirting with Love

  Dreaming of Love

  Crashing into Love

  THE BRADENS (Peaceful Harbor, MD)

  Healed by Love

  Surrender My Love

  River of Love

  Crushing on Love

  Whisper of Love

  Thrill of Love

  THE BRADENS & MONTGOMERYS (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls)

  Embracing Her Heart

  Anything for Love

  Trails of Love

  Wild, Crazy Hearts

  Making You Mine

  Searching For Love

  BRADEN WORLD NOVELLAS

  Daring Her Love

  Promise My Love

  Our New Love

  Story of Love

  Love at Last

  A Very Braden Christmas

  THE REMINGTONS

  Game of Love

  Stroke of Love

  Flames of Love

  Slope of Love

  Read, Write, Love

  Touched by Love

  SEASIDE SUMMERS

  Seaside Dreams

  Seaside Hearts

  Seaside Sunsets

  Seaside Secrets

  Seaside Nights

  Seaside Embrace

  Seaside Lovers

  Seaside Whispers

  Seaside Serenade
/>   BAYSIDE SUMMERS

  Bayside Desires

  Bayside Passions

  Bayside Heat

  Bayside Escape

  Bayside Romance

  Bayside Fantasies

  Tempted by Love

  THE RYDERS

  Seized by Love

  Claimed by Love

  Chased by Love

  Rescued by Love

  Swept Into Love

  THE WHISKEYS: DARK KNIGHTS AT PEACEFUL HARBOR

  Tru Blue

  Truly, Madly, Whiskey

  Driving Whiskey Wild

  Wicked Whiskey Love

  Mad About Moon

  Taming My Whiskey

  The Gritty Truth

  SUGAR LAKE

  The Real Thing

  Only for You

  Love Like Ours

  Finding My Girl

  HARMONY POINTE

  Call Her Mine

  This is Love

  She Loves Me

  THE WICKEDS: DARK KNIGHTS AT BAYSIDE

  A Little Bit Wicked

  Wicked Aftermath

  WILD BOYS (Billionaires After Dark)

  Logan

  Heath

  Jackson

  Cooper

  BAD BOYS (Billionaires After Dark)

  Mick

  Dylan

  Carson

  Brett

  HARBORSIDE NIGHTS

  Includes characters from the Love in Bloom series

  Catching Cassidy

  Discovering Delilah

  Tempting Tristan

  Standalone Books by Melissa

  Chasing Amanda (mystery/suspense)

  Come Back to Me (mystery/suspense)

  Have No Shame (historical fiction/romance)

  Love, Lies & Mystery (3-book bundle)

  Megan’s Way (literary fiction)

  Traces of Kara (psychological thriller)

  Where Petals Fall (suspense)

  Acknowledgments

  I had so much fun writing Knox and Aubrey’s story and meeting their families. I fell hard for each and every one of them, and I am excited to write their siblings’ love stories! No book is ever written in a vacuum. I am forever grateful to my behind-the-scenes team who keep me afloat and grounded at the same time. And I am inspired on a daily basis by my fans, many of whom are in my fan club on Facebook. If you haven’t yet joined my fan club on Facebook, please do. We have a great time chatting about our hunky heroes and sassy heroines. You never know when you’ll inspire a story or a character and end up in one of my books, as several fan club members have already discovered.