Brandon

by Anne, Melody

  “Yeah, but how boring would it be if everything was wrapped perfectly with a pretty red bow?” Brooke asked.

  “I think we all fail to realize the blessings of boring. With boring we don’t raise our blood pressure, have stress, get angry, cry, or get hurt,” Chloe pointed out.

  Brooke and Sarah shrugged before Brooke spoke. “That’s all true. But with boring, we also don’t laugh till our bellies hurt and love until our hearts burst. I’ll take some pain any day of the week to have true and utter joy.”

  Chloe sighed once more. “You might have a point there,” she reluctantly admitted.

  “You better get ready. Isn’t Jordan going to be here any minute?” Sarah asked.

  Chloe looked at the clock, and her eyes widened. “Crap!” she said as she jumped from the bed and grabbed the dress before rushing to the bathroom. She was definitely running late, and after the stunt Brandon had pulled the night before, she didn’t trust him to not pull something similar this night. She hadn’t told him she was at Sarah’s house, but it was also his brother’s place, and she didn’t think it would take much investigation on his part to figure it out.

  After twenty minutes Chloe came running down the stairs. She was definitely late, and she wasn’t normally one of those women who made a man wait on her. Now she’d done it to Jordan two days in a row.

  She heard talking in the front foyer and came around the corner, slightly out of breath from her lightning-fast job of getting ready and coming to meet Jordan. She was less than thrilled when she came to a stop to find Brandon standing with Jordan, who looked slightly uncomfortable in the man’s company.

  “I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting again, Jordan,” Chloe said as she walked up to the two men.

  “It’s always a pleasure to wait on a beautiful woman,” Jordan said while taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. She noticed Brandon roll his eyes and quickly turn away. She couldn’t believe how he was behaving. After their hot kiss the night before, maybe she could believe it a little bit.

  “That was certainly the right thing to say,” she said with a small laugh she had to force from her tight throat.

  “So Jordan said the two of you are heading out to attend the annual Christmas concert. I might see you there,” Brandon said. He looked as if he was trying to make polite conversation, but his words came out more as a threat. She glared at him, quickly wiping it away as Jordan turned toward her.

  What in the heck was Brandon thinking? He couldn’t show up where she was having a date. That was insane. He couldn’t be that clueless.

  “I’m sure it will be very crowded, and I wouldn’t advise you getting mixed up in all the mess,” Chloe said while looking straight into his eyes with a clear message that he wasn’t wanted there. She was certainly trying to convey the message not to interrupt her date.

  “We’ll just have to see. Have a wonderful evening,” he replied before walking off. She let out the breath she’d been holding, grateful he hadn’t said more and that his brothers hadn’t joined him to try to intimidate Jordan. The man might’ve given up at that point. He’d be well within his rights to do so.

  “Are you ready to leave?” Jordan asked, obviously wanting to get away as much as she did at that moment. At least he wasn’t a stupid man. It was obvious Brandon wasn’t thrilled about the two of them dating. She just hoped Jordan didn’t realize it was because the two of them had some weird connection between them.

  “Yes, of course,” Chloe answered. He placed his hand on her back and led her toward his waiting car. This time he had a silver BMW, gleaming in the setting sun. It was a beautiful vehicle that screamed money. He was obviously trying to impress her. He hadn’t figured out yet that a man’s wallet wasn’t what made her all tingly inside. He helped her into the car, where she sank down into the luxurious seat. She decided to put some effort into her date this time and forget all about anyone with the last name of Anderson.

  “I really enjoyed our night last night, but what in the world is going on between you and Brandon?” he asked. He seemed more curious than upset.

  She wanted to lie to him, but she didn’t appreciate when people lied to her, so she pushed off the cavalier answer she’d wanted to give and took in a long breath.

  “I honestly don’t know how to answer that. We’re working on this project together, and he’s definitely made his interest in me known, but I’ve told him it can’t work. I’m not sure what he’s doing right now.”

  The car was filled with silence for a few moments as Jordan took it all in. Then he sighed. She waited for him to say something, though she desperately wanted to fill the void with words. She was really uncomfortable at the moment.

  “I knew this would one day happen,” he finally said. She finally looked at him, and he was giving her a smile, but not the bright one he normally wore.

  “What are you talking about?” she asked.

  He chuckled. “I know you feel bad every time we’re together, and it’s my fault for pushing it. We’re friends, Chloe, and we’ve never been more than that. I was just hoping it could become more. But I’m pushing it, too. Neither one of us feels the fireworks exploding when we kiss. We’ve managed to push ourselves into the friend zone,” he said with a shrug.

  “Now I feel really bad,” she said. She didn’t want to tell him he was inaccurate, though.

  “Don’t feel bad. It’s been obvious for some time,” he said. “But I knew some man would one day come along and make you go crazy. I think it’s happened.”

  “No, Brandon isn’t the one for me,” she said a bit too loudly. He chuckled again.

  “I guarantee he’s going to show up tonight. That man is green with jealousy. He’s let me know—in every way except for coming out and saying it—that you’re his woman.”

  Chloe bristled. “I don’t belong to anyone,” she said with a narrowing of her eyes. “I’m independent and do just fine on my own.”

  “I wasn’t trying to offend you. But the guy is head over heels. Maybe you can give him a little bit of a break,” he said. “I am very aware of what it feels like to be rejected. It might not happen often, but it happens, and it hurts. Male pride is real.”

  “Are you trying to end our date?” she asked.

  “Nope. We’re going to this concert and will have a fantastic time . . . and make your man jealous. Who knows? Maybe some woman will be jealous of you,” he said with a waggle of his brows that made her laugh. She was already cheering up immensely. Knowing there were no expectations of this evening ending romantically had lifted her mood considerably.

  “Can we be friends forever?” she asked.

  “Most definitely,” he assured her as they pulled into the busy parking lot of the arena where the concert was happening.

  “Good, because you are definitely a person who brings light into a dark room.”

  “I think that’s the best compliment I’ve ever gotten,” he said.

  He stepped from the car and held open her door. As soon as she climbed out, he pulled her in for a bear hug. “I am still a man, though, so if you want to grope me or give me a scorching kiss to make him even more jealous, I’m your willing puppet,” he assured her.

  She smacked his hand as it moved toward her butt. “You’re absolutely terrible,” she said. “And I love it.”

  They laughed as they made their way toward the front of the crowd. Jordan had gotten them great tickets. Now that they had an understanding on the table, she was actually pretty glad to be there with him. She knew it would be a fun night.

  The concert began, making talking impossible. It was a variety of country music artists putting on one heck of a show, singing some of her favorites and a bunch of crowd-pleasers. They had everyone singing and dancing along as they sipped on buttered rum and spiked eggnog.

  They’d made it to intermission when she noticed Jordan wasn’t looking so good. She walked with him to the bathrooms and waited awhile until he came out. He wasn’t smiling any longer.
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br />   “Are you okay?” she asked. She hoped she wouldn’t have to leave. She was having a remarkable time, more fun than she’d had in a long time. She needed it with all the stress of the past month.

  “I’ll be fine. Something I ate must be disagreeing with me,” he said, then winked. “Or maybe it was one too many glasses of eggnog.” They moved toward some unoccupied benches, and he sat with his head in his hands.

  “We’d better get you home then,” she told him, trying to hide her disappointment.

  He looked up, then looked behind her and smiled. “Not a chance, Chloe. You’ve been having a fantastic time. I want you to finish the concert,” he insisted.

  “I’m not going to finish while you’re feeling like this,” she said. “I’m not that big of a jerk.”

  “Be a jerk,” he said in a hushed whisper. “I think my replacement just walked in.”

  Chloe turned to find Brandon walking up to the two of them. She sent Brandon a withering stare. “What are you doing here?” she snapped.

  He smiled, ignoring her question as he turned to Jordan. “Is everything okay, bud?” he asked, practically giddy.

  “No. My stomach isn’t doing so well,” Jordan said.

  “I’m sorry.” She could see Brandon was torn. He’d been raised to not be gleeful in someone else’s misery, but he was sensing that things were about to go his way. She really, really didn’t want things to go Brandon’s way.

  “Chloe, I hate to leave you, but since you have a ride home, I’m going to have to cut this short,” Jordan said.

  “I’ll go with you,” Chloe quickly told him.

  “I don’t want you to miss out on the concert. You’ve been having a wonderful time. Please, stay,” Jordan said. Chloe felt torn, but she really did want to stay at the concert. She looked back and forth between Brandon and Jordan. Ugh. “I’m not letting you go with me,” he finished as he stood.

  “Fine,” she conceded. “But I’ll walk you to the car to make sure you can drive.”

  “That’s a deal,” he said as he gave her a wink and wrapped an arm around her. “I could use the support.” His hand slipped low on her hip, and she knew he was doing it to goad Brandon. She let him, not looking at the man who had probably lost that smug look on his face.

  She didn’t say anything to Brandon as she walked away. Maybe he’d get lost in the crowd, and she’d find another ride home. There were several people she knew attending the concert. If all else failed, she could take an Uber.

  They reached Jordan’s car, and he stood there for a moment with a smile. “Don’t be too hard on the man. He’s obviously obsessed,” Jordan told her as he gave her a hug.

  “I’m not into obsession,” she said.

  “I wouldn’t mind someone being obsessed with me. It’s not such a bad thing,” he said.

  “In your opinion,” she countered. He laughed as he climbed into his car. She walked back as he drove away. She really was torn on what she should do when it came to Brandon. She was going to try to enjoy the end of the concert for the moment, though.

  By the time she returned, she’d missed a few songs, but the artists were still going strong. Brandon found her in a heartbeat, leaving her no other choice but to stand with him unless she wanted to make a scene. She simply tried to tune him out. After a while she got lost in the fun of it all. She hadn’t forgiven him, but she wasn’t going to let it ruin her evening.

  At least the noise of the crowd made it impossible to talk. It didn’t keep Brandon from brushing against her every five seconds or singing along with the crowd. It also softened her resolve. It was hard to stay aloof with a man singing “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.”

  When it ended, he kept an arm around her as they exited the arena. They’d made it to his car before he turned to her and decided he was extending their night.

  “Let’s get hot chocolate and pie,” Brandon said.

  She wasn’t going to admit it, but she truly didn’t want the night to end, anyway. She was having an amazing time, even if she didn’t want to say so. “Okay, I could use some more sugar,” she said.

  They drove to her favorite diner, which was far enough from the venue to not be crowded. There were only a few people inside. Most of them had had a bit too much to drink and were now looking for fried food and coffee before heading home.

  “What was that date all about?” Brandon asked after they’d placed their order. She’d changed her mind from pie and ordered onion rings and mozzarella sticks. It was a perfect midnight snack.

  “He’s an old friend,” she said, knowing she couldn’t avoid this conversation.

  “Do you always go out with multiple men?” he asked.

  That had her glaring at him. Then the look fell away as her shoulders slumped. “No, I don’t. I was mad about the woman showing up,” she admitted.

  “It’s not my child,” he said, throwing his hands in the air.

  “I know that,” she told him. “I know you aren’t that guy. I don’t know why it upset me. We aren’t a couple and haven’t ever been a couple. I don’t want a boyfriend, and it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever why it bothered me at all,” she said.

  He gazed at her for so long she wondered if he was going to say anything at all. Finally, he laughed. Then the waitress placed their food down. He had two slices of pie and a large cup of coffee. She had her fried treats and a diet soda. The sugar-free soda made her feel better about her food choice.

  “I’m glad I’m amusing you,” she said after devouring her first mozzarella stick.

  “You always make me feel plenty of emotions,” Brandon said. “Maybe that’s why I keep seeking you out.”

  “You make me feel a lot of emotions as well. I don’t like it so much,” she told him.

  “Why does it bother you so much?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “It’s just that I have a plan for life. I’ve always been a perfectionist, and there’s nothing predictable about a relationship. I like dating when I have the time, but I don’t ever want it to be a priority. I don’t want to have the lows along with the highs. I don’t want to fall in love. And it’s just easier to focus on my work so I can have one thing in my life that’s as close to perfect as I can make it.”

  He listened to her speech while he slowly ate his pie. When she was finished, she dipped an onion ring in some ranch and popped it into her mouth. She’d sobered up from her spiked eggnog, and she was filling up fast. She was also getting pretty tired. It really had been a longer-than-normal week.

  He didn’t push her when she told him she was tired. And then their evening came to a close, and soon Brandon was driving her home. She was hoping he’d stay in the car and let her walk to her own door, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen. They were, however, silent as they approached. The second they were on her porch, all she could think about was how amazing the night before had been from the second he’d pulled her into his arms.

  She didn’t want to be presumptuous and think he was going to start kissing her again, but at the same time she wanted to make sure and stop him before he started, because she didn’t think she’d have the willpower to stop him two nights in a row.

  “Thank you for a wonderful evening,” Brandon said, shocking her. She was afraid to even make eye contact with him. Her body was humming with desire, and she wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms.

  “I appreciate you inviting me to join you when Jordan got sick,” she said, still not looking up. She was counting the dirt clumps she saw on her front porch. He gently grasped her chin, and she fought to not panic.

  He looked into her eyes and slowly bent his head forward. He lightly brushed his lips against hers, causing her heart to thunder. Then, before she knew it, he let go and backed away. He smiled down at her, then turned and left her leaning against the door.

  She stood looking at the empty path in front of her house, but she couldn’t seem to move. Her knees had turned to rubber, and her back felt as
if it had no spine. Brandon had knocked her off of her feet with one gentle brush of his lips.

  When she finally felt some confidence in her legs’ ability to hold her up, she turned around and went inside.

  She tossed and turned in bed all night, dreaming about her and Brandon doing so much more than simply kissing. Maybe she was done fighting the man. Maybe she was willing to admit she wanted to start taking some risks that had nothing to do with work and that just might get a little messy.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Chloe was dead on her feet at the end of a very long day. Only a few more days until she’d get some time off. When you owned a restaurant, there weren’t a lot of days you could afford to leave the place—not in the beginning. She wanted it to run beautifully so she could truly make a name for herself.

  She might have been slightly worried that Brandon hadn’t called her in two days or shown up unannounced. Maybe her stunt with Jordan had turned him off. Maybe he’d only shown up at the concert to prove a point that she did want him, and now that he knew that, he was gone for good.

  This was the exact reason she hadn’t wanted to get involved with anybody. Instead of focusing on her work, she was obsessing about a man whom she’d continually pushed away for the past several months.

  She was walking from the kitchen when she heard familiar laughter. She looked up to see Brandon . . . walking in with her mother on his arm. What in the world was going on? Was she seeing things?

  Her mother laughed again. The sound was almost foreign to Chloe. Yes, she’d heard both of her parents laugh before, but not too often. Genevieve was laughing like a teenage girl, and Brandon was grinning. They both moved to her bar. She looked at the counter to make sure it was sparkling clean. She didn’t want to give her mother any excuses to criticize her.

  “Hello, Chloe,” her mother said as she moved over and leaned in, giving Chloe a half hug and lightly kissing her on the cheek.

  “Hello, Mother,” Chloe said, not able to hide the confusion in her voice.

  “I was walking up to the restaurant when I found this beautiful woman out front with no one to open the door for her,” Brandon said as he held out a stool for her mother.