Taking a Chance

The Best of Me

Brantley POV

I dont think I'd ever been this low before, not even when Amber walked out on me before, told me that "this life wasn't for her."  It is taking everything in me to not go into town and buy a fifth of Jaeger and down my pain in it.  This was supposed to be my bachelor hunting weekend, now it just turned into a shitshow thanks to Amber, I'm a snobby beauty queen, Cochran-Anderson. 

I walked to the front of the cabin only to see a black Suburban out front.  Jason, Michael, and Luke were all still out in the woods, Kolby and I came back earlier, PJ had gotten back from Anchorage earlier with my new phone.

Walking onto the porch, I saw PJ and Kolby standing in front of the Suburban, I couldn't make out who was there, and no one but the girls knew where we were. 

"PJ!  Who the hell is here?  No one knows we are up there!" 

"Uh, Boss, I think you may wanna calm down for a second."  he replied crossing his arms across his chest.

"Calm down?  Why the hell do I need to calm down?"  I growled. 

"B, I think you should" Kolby exclaimed.  "Not you too asshole" I  growled stomping down the steps toward the front of the truck.  That's when Ellie stepped into view.

"Hey" she said, almost inaudible looking into my eyes, almost burning into my soul.  "What are you doing here?" I asked. I swear I could feel all the blood drain from my face.  I couldn't believe she was here.

"I saw the video, B.  Caroline showed it to me.  I'm sorry I didn't believe you" tears streaming down her face. I took two steps at a time and wrapped my arms around her, for the for sd t time I'm days I felt complete.  Tears pricked at my eyes and I had to will them back. "I love you so much Baby Girl, don't ever leave me again" I whispered.

"I promise, it's you and me forever.  Just please tell me you didn't touch that bottle again". I released her and looked into her blue eyes and shook my head no.  "I love you B, so much." 

"Now this is more like it" Luke proclaimed walking up from the side of the cabin "bout time you got you head out of your ass B."  No sooner did those words leave his mouth than did a 5'2" fiesty blonde slam the door to the truck. 

"Thomas Luther!  You shut that mouth right now or your ass is on the couch for the next month! You know damn well what that woman has put them through!"  Caroline exclaimed pointing and shaking her finger at him the whole time causing Ellie to laugh and me trying to hold it in.  "Dont even Brantley Keith, you aren't entirely innocent in all this!" 

"Me?  Now Caroline what'd I do?"  I replied.  Completely bewildered as to what she was talking about. 

"Calling Ellie, and losing that hot headed temper of yours, knowing damn well she was upset and with us in Vegas that's what!  Do you really think that was the best thing to do under the circumstances?  She was in tears for hours, granted I'd be crying tears of joy if Shemar snd Charlie were half naked in front of me and hugging me.  That woman loves you, and you should have never answered that door when Amber showed up!  I ought to fly your mama up here, and don't think we didn't think about it, but you know how she hates to fly." 

"I, um, I'm sorry about that"  I was sweating bullets.  Caroline was a force to be reckoned with, I can see why Luke towns the line.  "I saw red when I got that video of you guys in Vegas, I was already so pissed off over everything then I couldn't get her to answer, then I got the video."

"Excuses, excuses, Boss"  Cliff said stepping out onto the porch.  "Aww look who it is, sleeping beauty" Jason smirked.  "Shut the hell up, Williams.  My old ass can't get used to this time change.  Twenty years in the Army, all over the world, I lived here for five years, and this time change always gets me.  Besides while you ladies were out here playing cowboys and Indians, I was cooking dinner." 

"Oh put a sock in it old man.  And you better have something to eat other than deer and you better have Big Red or sweet tea to drink!"  Ellie piped up as she walked up to Cliff and gave him a hug.  "Where did you come from?  Does this mean that you have came to your senses?" "Yes, and we just got here.  Now about that dinner a d drink?" She smiled.  "I can make you some chicken, and you know I got tea, no Big Red though" she stuck her lip out.

I grabbed her by the hand and led her into the cabin while the guys helped the girls get their luggage from the truck.  

We were sitting around the bonfire later that night, Jason, Luke, and I had all been playing our guitars singing different songs we had been writing.  The lyrics had been pouring out of me the past few days.  "This is something I wrote last night, it's still rough, and dammit Jason, you cant steal this one" I said pointing a finger at him.

I strummed the last chord and opened my eyes, tears were streaming down the faces of Ellie and the rest of the girls.   "Baby, you are the best part of me, and I'll spend every day of my life proving that to you."  I kissed her soft lips and wiped her tears, for the first time in a week I knew we were ok.