Woman Up (Port Ranch Book #2)

Chapter 1

BEV

“Beverly Elizabeth Port!”

The Dean of Students calls my name and I walk across the stage on shaky legs. This stage in the college arena is by far the biggest event that I have ever been part of and knowing that this is the culmination of my college career just adds to the nerves and excitement running through my body.

I shake the hands of all the administration on stage and the final person hands me my diploma. As I near the end of the stage I can hear my family hooting and hollering for me and I wave at them as I move my tassel from one side to the other of my graduation cap. Bev Port: College Graduate. Damn, that sounds good.

After the ceremony ends I mingle with a few of the friends I have made over the years through my different classes before making my way outside where I’ve made plans to meet my family at the side of the arena. When I come around the corner, the first person I see is my boyfriend, Charlie. He runs up and wraps his arms around my waist, picking me up and twirling me around before setting me back down on my feet. “I’m so proud of you, baby.”

“Thank you, Charlie. Can you believe we did it?” Charlie had his graduation ceremony yesterday. We were both officially college graduates now.

“I knew we could if we stuck together.”

Charlie and I met at the beginning of freshman year. We officially met at one of the summer tours that the university was offering when we were in the same campus tour group. We only exchanged a few words and flirty smiles. However, when I moved into the dorms that Fall, he was one floor up from me. We hit it off right away and that was it for me.

He majored in engineering while I majored in hospitality and event planning. We never had classes together or anything, but he was still my favorite study partner and after sophomore year we got an apartment off-campus and started living together. This last semester was difficult for us. He was living in Chicago for an internship and finishing his class online. I was doing the same, but interning with the event planner at my parent’s ranch. We survived on phone calls, video chats, and long weekends any chance we got. 

“I’d love to monopolize your time, but I don’t want to get yelled at.”

He kisses me on the cheek and then takes my hand and we walk over to where the rest of my family is waiting. I couldn’t believe that they all made the trip to see me. Eight hours in the car is no joke. I told them that they didn’t need to come and that I’d see them when I was back home next week, but none of them were having it.

“There’s our baby!” Dad pulls me in for a huge hug and Mom snuggles herself into the hug too. Brian and Tracy Port are the epitome of relationship goals in my mind. I can only wish that decades from now I’m still as happy as my parents are. There are so many things in Charlie that I see in my dad. That was probably one of the reasons I fell in love with him.

Once my parents released their hold I was mauled by my older sisters. Being the youngest of the bunch, it wasn’t until I left for college that they stopped treating me like a baby and more like an adult just like them. Being away at college was so hard, I missed them a lot. I just had a calling to go to college and I’m so glad they supported me the entire time.

“I can’t believe you’re a big shot college grad now,” My oldest sister Britt says.

I shake my head, “I wouldn’t say big shot.”

Brooke, one of the twins squeezes me tightly, “Never sell yourself short, Bev.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

Brielle was the final sister to say something, “I’m going to miss you like hell, but you promise you’ll help with wedding planning from afar, right?”