Woman Up (Port Ranch Book #2)

Chapter 17

WALKER

“Is Miss Bev ever going to come back and sit down?” Miles asked, looking around the room for Bev.

“I don’t know, bud, she seems to be in her zone right now bossing people around.”

“Did you just call her bossy?”

“No,” I chuckle, “I said she’s bossing people around. It is okay to boss people around when you’re the boss.”

“Is she the boss?”

Norma pats his leg, “She’s a woman, Miles, she’s ALWAYS the boss.”

Leave it to Norma to share her words of wisdom with Miles. I guess there are worse things in life he could think. We’re sitting at a table just across from where the Port family is sitting. I don’t know why they keep treating the three of us like we’re family, but they sure do. Bev was originally here with us, but she ran off to go be a boss lady.

We sat with the Port family at the ceremony, even though I didn’t intend to at first. They had two rows saved in the front row and Brian, Tracy, Britt, and Bev sat in the front with Deacon and Jace once they walked down the aisle. We sat behind them, I was slightly to the side of Bev and I shouldn’t admit that I was staring at her profile the entire time.

The sun played off her pink hair and the blonde undertones were showing through. I noticed that almost right away she started tearing up. I knew the words that the pastor was saying were deep and I’m not sure if they were happy or sad tears, but she was feeling emotional and I wanted to put my arm around her and comfort her.

Brielle and Mitch professed their love to each other and it was a damn beautiful thing. Never in my life have I seen a man who just radiated love so much in my life. There was something so pure and raw about what the two of them have and I hope someday that I find that someday. If it exists in real life that is.

“You keep staring at her like you’re afraid she might disappear.” Norma’s words bring me out of my daze and I realize that I’m doing exactly what she’s accusing me of, watching Bev as she moves across the room. I look over and see that Miles is busy talking to the boys, giving her the chance to dig a little too much into things I don’t want her touching.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You are so full of crap, son. Have you told her how you feel?”

“There is nothing to tell,” I took a drink from my beer bottle to avoid making eye contact with her.

“Do you think I’m dumb, blind, or both?”

She catches me off guard and I choke on my beer for a moment. “I never said you were either of those things.”

“You must think I am if I don’t see the way that your body language changes when you two are near each other. “

“How often do you even see us together to come up with that idea?”

“Enough. She’s smart, pretty, funny, why are you wasting time just staring?”

I shrug, “Because she’s off limits.”

“Why on the Lord’s green Earth would you say that?”

“Let me count the ways…,” I scoff.

“Okay, so ahead and tell me.”

“What?”

“If you think there are so many reasons, then list them for me. I’m waiting,” Norma challenged.

“First of all, I work for her family. I don’t think my boss would appreciate it if I tried to date her daughter.”

Norma raises her eyebrow, “Because one of their daughters didn’t just get married to one of their workers?”