It’s Always Been Us – Chapter 1

Photo credit:Jeremy Nicholson

Hi, everyone! While I’m gearing up with the last installment, it’s time to start checking out the second book in the modern series I’ve been working on. I love Brandon and Jena and I hope you will too! Their story is a bit different, of course, but a lot of fun and a bit steamier (I think anyway!) and still has some language.

I have hints at which Austen couple I was inspired by. We’ll see if you catch who they are. This is Austen-inspired so it’s not a true JAFF. I still hope you’ll give it a try!

Chapter 1

The early evening air held a balmy quality that made my skin sticky and my thin linen tank top cling to my body like a second skin. South Carolina summers tended to be uncomfortable and tonight resembled a typical southern evening—hot, humid, and causing even the best-tempered person to want to sit in a cooler full of ice. I set my hands behind me on the thin blanket and relaxed back in a futile attempt to catch even the smallest tendril of passing breeze while the people around me continued to set up for the Marysville Fourth of July celebration.

“Jena! There you are!”

I opened my eyes as my younger sister, Ellie, and her fiancé, William, approached the picnic blankets I’d set out to reserve our spot. Ellie placed Freya, their almost two-year-old daughter, on the quilt next to me while William scanned the park.

“This is a great spot,” said William. He pointed to basket he’d set on the somewhat dry grass; there hadn’t been much rain this summer and the lack of water had started to turn the grass a dry brown. “We brought wine and antipasto if you’re hungry or thirsty.”

Ellie laughed and shook her head. “We also have water, fruit, and a cake if you’d prefer. When is Charlie coming?”

“She said she’d be here before the music began.” Marysville always had a large Independence Day concert in the park. Every year, a series of local bands performed live while nearly the entire town spread out on the lawn and enjoyed the warm albeit humid weather. The night was always topped off with a magnificent fireworks display that lit the entire town.

William pulled Ellie into his lap as Freya giggled and plopped down on her mother’s lap.

I startled when my sister grasped my wrist.

“Before I forget to tell you! The florist called before I walked home to change. They’ve confirmed they can get the lilies and roses I requested for the wedding. I also confirmed with the resort on the island. We can hold the wedding on the beach, and if you remember, they have that amazing open tent for receptions. They’re willing to set it up nearby so we’re closer to the water.”

William and Ellie planned to marry in a few weeks, hurrying since Ellie recently discovered herself pregnant with their second child. At least Ellie, Charlie, and I were wedding planners. We knew the ins and outs of who to call to plan a ceremony and reception in a short period of time. Ellie and William desired a small affair, wanting nothing more than their closest friends and family in attendance, which would make things simpler. The day would be lovely, knowing Ellie’s romantic sense of style and the local island resort they’d selected as the venue.

“It sounds amazing,” I said with a smile. “Are we still going dress shopping tomorrow?”

“Definitely! Hopefully, I won’t outgrow whatever I pick out before the wedding.”

“If you do, you’ll wear one of your everyday dresses and still look amazing,” said William, resting his chin on Ellie’s shoulder with a grin. “I don’t care if you come in a burlap sack. As long as you say ‘I do.’ ”

When the two of them got all mushy like that, I found it difficult to keep my eyes from tearing up. I so wanted what they had! I’d thought I’d found it; however, the man I’d thought was “the one” turned into a dirty rat instead of Prince Charming. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the first dud I’d dated, and I feared he wouldn’t be the last.

A guitar strum resonated through the thick air, pulling my gaze from William and Ellie to the stage where the first band now prepped for their show. The drummer twirled his drumsticks and the bassist played a few notes before they both nodded to the singer, who counted them off, and brought the music to a roaring start.

Freya let out a loud yell, and when I glanced at her, she clapped and bounced in her Daddy’s lap while everyone around us watched her enthusiasm and laughed.

“There you guys are!” Charlie, the third musketeer in our wedding planning business strode forward with her older brother Brandon following close behind. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

Brandon set down their basket and ice chest before he handed his sister the blanket. She spread it out by Ellie and took a seat while Brandon sat beside me. “It’s kind of sticky tonight, isn’t it?”

“A little,” I said. “It’s not as bad as it’s been in the past, though.”

He winced and shook his head. “No, two years ago was the worst. Poor Ellie sweltered out here.”

Ellie had definitely been miserable. She’d also been eight months pregnant with Freya at the time. I glanced at my sister, who was certainly not as uncomfortable this year. “She would’ve worn a bikini that year if she’d thought she wouldn’t have gotten lectured by someone.”

He chuckled and leaned back, propped on his hands as I peered over and traced the edge of his sculptured jaw with my eyes. Ellie and Charlie were my best girlfriends but Brandon and I had been besties for as long as I could remember. My dad had always called us the two peas in a pod.

When we were young, Ellie and I both had a tomboy streak in us, but while Ellie would go play mud pies in her dresses, I adamantly refused to wear any sort of a skirt. How could Brandon and I run through the woods and build forts if, as my mom used to say, “I had to worry about keeping my legs together like a little lady?” Brandon also taught me how to spit for distance. Not many girls could claim they could spit four feet, but I could. It was by no means a world record, but I was proud of it. I adamantly refused to fish with him, though. No way was I going to put my hands on a slimy worm or a wriggling fish! Blech!

Brandon and I both changed a great deal as we grew up, but we remained close. He beat up Denny Howard for stealing a kiss from me in seventh grade, he kept creepy Collins Hardy from cornering me behind the bleachers during a home football game, and when I didn’t have a date for senior prom, he escorted me. He was the best big brother stand-in a girl could’ve asked for. We even wrote tons of letters to each other when he joined the army to help pay for college. I stayed close to home by attending the University of South Carolina.

Once upon a time, he’d dated, but come to think of it, I hadn’t seen him with a woman in ages. I don’t know why he stopped. He was a great guy and deserved the best—not that I knew anyone who was good enough for him.

“Jen?”

I snapped out of my daze, my eyes meeting his. “Huh?”

He smiled and lifted his eyebrows. “You were staring at me.”

“Oh, sorry. I zoned out there for a minute.”

“A penny for your thoughts?”

I laughed and shook my head. My cheeks warmed a little. “Nothing earth-shattering.”

He nudged his shoulder to mine and gave me a mischievous grin. “Come on. It had to be something.”

With a sigh, I leaned over and pushed him a bit with my shoulder this time. “I was only wondering at who would be good enough for you.”

He turned his head to face me straight on. “Do you mean a woman?”

“Yes, Brandon, I meant a woman. You were into those the last time I checked.”

He held up one of his fingers. “Number one, I still like women. I adore women actually.” Another eager finger popped up to join the first. “Number two, I’m not interested in anyone I’ve met recently, and number three, it would be weird having you set me up, so don’t.”

My eyes rolled toward the red and purple-tinged sunset above. “You don’t have to get a burr up your butt about it.”

“I don’t have anything up my butt. I know what I want, and I’m waiting patiently for it. End of story.” What on Earth did that mean? An odd glint in his eye made me want to ask, but the way he spoke made the air around us thick and oddly awkward. My breath caught in my chest, requiring me to clear my throat.

“I never said a word about setting you up,” I said, “but point taken. Geez.”

He scooted over and opened the cooler. “Here, I brought you some tonic water and that Cupcake vodka you like.” He pulled a glass out of the nearby basket, and in no time, held a vodka tonic in front of me. “Maybe this will set your head straight.”

“I resent that, Taylor. My head is already screwed on straight.” He didn’t respond, but instead, popped the top off a beer, taking a long draw. I didn’t know which one since I couldn’t see the label, but it was no doubt one of the local craft beers he liked so much.

“That, Barrett, is up for debate.”

A sharp, shrill inhale filtered through my nostrils, and I punched him in the arm.

“Ow!” he said, chuckling. “I’d forgotten how much that hurt.”

As the sun slowly began its descent, one band left the stage and another got fired up while everyone in the park continued to eat, drink, and visit with their neighbors. Grant Davies, William’s father, joined us and played with Freya while Ellie and William cuddled to a ballad crooned out by the woman on the stage.

The relaxed atmosphere and the music lulled me into a rather happy place until Charlie’s hard voice ground out, “What the fuck is he doing here?”

“Charlie!” said Ellie. Fortunately, Grant had walked Freya to the playground where he currently kept her occupied in the toddler swings.

“Freya isn’t nearby, and seriously, do you see who it is?” She whispered that part loudly while she jerked her head back toward the trees. I shifted to peek around Charlie, but when I saw the man’s face, my stomach plummeted. Charlie’s language, no matter how vulgar, was right on the money.

“I thought he moved into Charleston.” Brandon spoke right next to my ear.

I cleared my throat and swallowed. In no way was I going to allow my ex-boyfriend Connor Willoughby ruin my evening! “He did. He found a job with a larger real estate group in the city just before . . .”

I’d first met Connor when the girls and I were looking for a new office space for our company. He’d found the amazing red brick and white trimmed house we’d bought and used for our wedding planning business as well as our home. Connor had asked me to have dinner with him the day we finalized the sale, but with Ellie’s unplanned pregnancy, I needed to be there for her instead of for myself. I’d told him no. We’d run into each other from time to time, usually at the grocery store or the gym. Then, at about the same time William came back into Ellie’s life, I caved and started dating him. We lasted about six months—

“I didn’t realize they were still seeing one another.”

My eyes followed Brandon’s gaze to Lacey, the woman Connor was sleeping with when he’d dumped me. He hadn’t made that fact a secret when he ended things between us. He’d merely said he’d found someone else. Asshole.

“Apparently so.”

“Tell me the truth.” Brandon’s honeyed voice dropped lower and his breath grazed against my ear, tickling me.

“What?”

“Are you still hung up on him?”

I looked back to the stage. I had no desire to have Connor think I sat over here pining for him. He could date the entire skanky part of Charleston for all I cared. “No, but I still want to put Ex-lax in his daily mochaccino.”

“So I can beat him up?” Brandon sounded downright giddy at the idea.

“No, it’s okay. I think more than anything I’m annoyed that he found something with her that’s lasted this long while I’m still alone. I just don’t want him to think I miss him or that I’m still in love with him.”

Brandon’s arm wrapped around my middle and dragged me between his legs, my back to his chest. “I can help with that.”

“He knows you’re my best friend. I doubt he’ll buy it.”

Warm, soft lips pressed a kiss to my temple. “But maybe he will.”

I spent the rest of the evening using Brandon as my lawn chair and doing my best to forget Connor and his girlfriend had parked their blanket no more than ten yards from us. In all honesty, Brandon worked out pretty well as a makeshift lawn chair. I was comfortable, I had a fresh drink whenever I felt the urge, and I had a pillow on his shoulder when I needed to tilt my head back to see the fireworks.

William, Ellie, Freya, and Grant were long gone by the finale. Like me, William and Ellie lived across the street from the park, so once they put Freya to sleep, they could watch the fireworks from their patio, leaving no point in remaining out here with a sleeping toddler. Charlie had also made herself scarce by the end of the night. She saw a couple of friends and decided to hang out with them for a while.

I vaguely remembered 1812 Overture and the bursts of brilliant color exploding in the palette of the clear night sky. The evening had cooled but Brandon brought a quilt that he let me huddle under while he held me from behind. I found myself warm, comfy, and in this contented sort of haze that faded into nothing.

“Come on, Jen. Let’s get you home.”

“Hmm?”

He chuckled and kissed my cheek. “You’re such a lightweight. It’s bedtime.”

I sighed and snuggled closer to the warmth. “But I’m comfy here.” An arm hooked under my legs, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“You owe me for this.”

Everything went dark until my lovely heat source disappeared. I opened my eyes. I lay on my bed while Brandon stood over me. When had he had the time to get me home? “Where are you going?”

He pulled off my Converse slip-ons and drew the comforter and sheets out from under me. “I’m putting you to bed, and then I’m going home.”

I fumbled with the button on my jean shorts and groaned. “Too tight to sleep in. I need these off.” When my legs were free, I managed to take off my bra while leaving my top on. As Brandon pulled the covers over me, I grabbed his wrist. “Don’t go.” I tugged him down toward the mattress. “It’s too late. Just stay here with me.”

Two clunks echoed around the room as he removed his shoes. A moment later, my favorite source of heat curled up against my back. “Better?” he asked.

“Definitely. Love you. You’re the best.”

What do you think? Thanks for reading! If you haven’t checked out the first book in The Wedding Planners Series, then hurry to Amazon and give it a read!