Where I Belong (Alabama Summer #1)

Ben’s chest shakes with laughter against my back as his hands splay across my abdomen. “We’ve been here a thousand times. I doubt he’d get lost.”

Tessa’s body goes rigid suddenly and I turn my head to see why. Luke isn’t the only one emerging from his truck. A tall, leggy blonde is at his side as he joins the group, stopping just a few feet short of Tessa and Reed.

He shifts his gaze from Tessa to Ben and myself. “Guys, this is Brandie. Brandie this is… everyone.” She waves her delicate hand, the one that isn’t currently roaming freely over his chest. Luke wraps his arm around her waist. “We’re going to head closer to the stage. We’ll catch up with you guys later.”

As he walks away with little Miss Handsy, Tessa slams the tailgate of the truck up and startles the three of us. “Well, she seems lovely. He’s really scraping the bottom of the barrel now, isn’t he?”

Reed shrugs once. “I don’t know. She’s pretty hot.”

She glares at him and he steps back a bit. “Yeah, she’s really got that street corner look down. And could her name be any more whorish?”

“You’d think that if her name was Mary,” Ben says. “Stop being jealous, Tessa. You broke up with him.”

She waves him off and grabs Reed’s hand. “Whatever. Let’s go get several hundred beers. You guys want any?” she directs toward us, her face still tense with bitterness.

“I’m good,” I say, looking back at Ben who is situating the pillows and spreading the blanket out.

“Me too,” he adds.

Tessa and Reed disappear into the crowd. I turn around just in time to see Ben reach through his back window and pull out a picture frame. He smiles at me and sits down on the blanket with his back against a pillow. He reaches for me with his free hand. “Come here, angel.”

“Whatcha got there?”

He pats the spot between his legs and I sit with my back against his chest, drooping my arms over his legs. He places the frame in my lap. “Don’t cry,” he whispers against my ear.

I tilt the frame up and look at the drawing. Three figures, undoubtedly drawn by Nolan, depicting our family. My family. He even labeled me as Pwincess Mia Mommy. And the tears come instantly. I can’t help it. “Your artistic skills are horrendous.” I reach up and wipe underneath my eyes as he laughs against me. “God, he is the sweetest, isn’t he? Can we hang it up at your house?”

“Our house,” he corrects me. He presses his mouth to my hair again. “Don’t cry, baby.”

I open my mouth to tell him I can’t not cry at seeing our first family drawing but he wipes every word from my vocabulary when he places a small box in my lap. You know, the kind of box that every girl recognizes. I gasp softly, holding the frame tightly against my chest while my eyes stay glued to the box.

His steady hands open it. “Do you know how much I love you?”

I nod and clutch the frame harder, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. I blink them away and focus on the ring that he’s holding between his fingers. “As much as I love you,” I choke out.

“No, angel. No one has ever loved anyone as much as I love you. I got you beat there, I’m afraid.” He motions for my hand and I place it in his, allowing him to slip the ring on my finger. “You’re my best friend, Mia. I want you every day, for the rest of my life. I will always cherish every moment you give me. Marry me, baby.”

I’m nodding and whispering “yes” before he even finishes. And then he’s turning me and cradling me against his chest, worshipping me with kisses all over my face. “Thank you,” I say against his lips.

I feel them curl up into a smile. “For what?”

I kiss along his jaw up to his ear. “For being at the bar that night. For being the guy that you are. For giving me Nolan.” I pull back and cradle his face in my hands. “Can we have more babies?”

He brings my hand up to his lips and kisses the back of it. “Can we start right now?”

And then I’m on my back, his body covering mine. I laugh against him as he brushes my hair away from my face. “We’re in the middle of a field.”

“Don’t care. Nobody can see us anyway. Look how high up we are.”

“Yes, but I’ve been told I’m rather noisy,” I tease as he kisses my neck. He grunts once and nips at my sensitive skin there. “I love you.”

“Love you.”

“I want lots of babies.”

His head comes up and he smiles widely. “Lots.”

He shifts his weight and lays his head on the pillow, pulling me so I’m lying against his chest. And we stay like that long after Tessa and Reed return. Long after the concert starts and ends. Until we’re the only vehicle left in the field. He makes love to me under the stars, his tenderness breaking into a wild frenzy when we both need it. It’s perfect. And I’m right where I belong.

Where I always will be.

* * *

Epilogue

Ben

Mia: Meet me at our spot.

I stare down at my phone, reading the text message for the second time. Our spot. What spot? As far as I’m concerned, every spot I’ve taken Mia to has become our spot. And we’ve racked up a lot of spots over the past four months. I go to reread her text again when my phone beeps.

Mia: The bar, Ben.

I shake my head with a laugh.

Me: I would’ve figured it out. What have I told you about doubting me?

Mia: Just hurry up before one of the other men in here takes me home.

Me: Mia…

Mia: Kidding. Hurry though.

I’m in the parking lot within ten minutes, pulling up next to her jeep. It’s about as crowded as it was the night Mia became mine, but I spot her on that same stool she occupied all those months ago. I don’t go to her though. Instead, I go to the side of the bar where she can’t see me and watch her without her knowing. She’s tapping the bar anxiously with her fingers, looking over her shoulder every few seconds toward the door. Her hair is down and she’s wearing a shirt that has my eyes going from her chest to her face and back again. I motion for the bartender.

“Can you send one of those purple drinks to that girl right there for me?”

He nods and gets to work on her drink while she pulls her phone out with a scowl. My phone beeps.

Mia: I mentioned today, right?

Me: You’re so fucking beautiful. Do you know that?

Just as my message goes through, the bartender sits the drink down in front of her. She smiles at him, looking at the drink and then glancing at her phone. Her eyes immediately find mine across the bar and I make my way to her. My hand brushes along her back and I claim my spot.

“You looked thirsty from where I was standing. Thought I’d help you out,” I say with a smile.

She places her one hand on my knee. “I need to talk to you about something.”

I tilt my head and push her drink closer to her. “And what is that?”

“We need to move the wedding up.” She grabs the straw between her fingers and dunks it in and out of her drink.

“Why? I thought you wanted a summer wedding? I mean, I’m all for stealing you away right now and making you my wife, but you seemed pretty dead set on the date.”