The Mitchell Family Series BoxSet 1-4.5 (46 page)

If there were a picture that represented the word perfect, it was our life. There was no telling what we had in store for us, but whatever it was, we were going to do it together. I had my girls and that was all I needed to be happy at the end of the day. It was amazing how one little miracle had changed every aspect of my life, but it was true. That little girl was a gift from God. Miranda likes to think it was her father sending her happiness from heaven. If it was him, I would like to thank him because I couldn’t imagine spending one single day without them.

Of course it didn’t hurt that I had the sexiest, freakiest, most beautiful woman on the entire planet. Some people might say that I did all of this because of the child. If they spent five minutes with me and Miranda they would change their minds. She was my obsession; the one person in the world that could satisfy me completely.  Sometimes you have to go through Hell before you can find Heaven.

I had no idea what kind of life was in store for us, but I was willing to work my ass off to make sure it was the best it could be.

End of Book Two

     Raging Love

             Book 3

By: Jennifer Foor

Chapter 1

Colt

I think it all started with Ty and Miranda getting married. I mean, it makes everything easier to be able to blame someone else other than myself for everything that was happening. For two years, I had given Savanna my heart and looked forward to our wedding. Everything was in order for the big day. We had restored the old red barn. Conner and I had spent hours installing overhead lights and running that damn speaker wire throughout the rafters in the ceiling. The decorations were delivered and beginning to be set up.

We were ready for this.

After the family had finally calmed down and realized that Ty and Miranda were in fact married and planned on raising her daughter Bella together, they wanted to do something for them. To be able to better accept things, we all agreed to let them renew their vows in the barn. It was decorated and setup for a wedding anyway. The family was already together, and although they didn’t have a guest list anything like Savanna and I, they didn’t care.

The service really helped everyone accept their unexpected relationship, myself included. I say unexpected lightly, because most of us could tell there was always some kind of attraction between them. Believing that either one of them would ever settle down was hard to do, especially with each other. It was extra hard for me because I was related to both of them. Miranda’s mother and my mother were sisters and Ty’s father and my father were brothers.

Ty and Miranda were not monogamous people. The fact that they were now so consumed in their relationship had left us all speechless. I think it was hardest on Van. I never doubted her love for me, but there were several recent circumstances that felt like a knife was being shoved directly into my chest.  The first happened a couple months ago when Savanna went to North Carolina to get her car and go dress shopping. She walked in on Ty and Miranda, and from what she described, it was not something she would ever want to picture.

I knew that neither of them were modest, so I could only assume what she had exactly walked in on.  Savanna was a more conservative kind of person. Every now and again, she would get a little freaky, but normally she was quiet and modest. There was no way in Hell she would ever be caught dead in anything Miranda considered going out attire. The girl left little to the imagination. I think that is what always got her into so much trouble. She dated the wrong guys because she liked the attention they gave her. Ty was the male version of Miranda. He cheated on Savanna for the attention they gave him. I’m not sorry he did either. If it weren’t for his indiscretions, I wouldn’t have found the love of my life.

Savanna was everything to me. That’s why when she started acting funny, as a result of Ty; I started to get worried about our relationship. After her weekend in North Carolina, it took a good week for her to come clean and confess what she had caught them doing. Part of me wanted to drive out there and kick the shit out of Ty, but it takes two to tango, even Savanna and I knew that. After realizing that she was more hurt about the secret, instead of the fact that Ty was claiming to love another woman, especially one that was my family, it made it all easier to take.

We talked things out and prepared for when they came to Kentucky for our wedding. It was funny. I think at first they thought they could hide their relationship. On their first night here, Savanna and I had to pull them apart at a bar. I found out they had got married when I cornered Ty in the men’s room. He got all defensive and insisted that he loved her. When I told him the family wouldn’t stand for it, he blurted out how we couldn’t do anything about it since they were married.

To keep my fiancée from going all crazy, I decided to keep it a secret for them. As much as I didn’t want to believe this, I’m pretty sure that later that night they got it on in my bathroom at the house. They claimed that Miranda was throwing up, but it was a little too convenient for me to believe. I saw how fast Ty went up to bed and heard him leaving when everyone left that night.

The secret only lasted a few more hours.  The moment that Bella saw Ty, she started running toward him calling him ‘daddy’. The sudden gasps in the room were filled with an hour’s worth of explaining.

Savanna really had a hard time dealing with their news. She saw that ring on Miranda’s finger and bolted out of the room. I felt sick, almost like she was jealous of Miranda and wanted Ty back. She later explained that it wasn’t anything like that. It was a good thing. I don’t know if I could ever be able to take losing Savanna. That girl meant the world to me. When it was all said and done, Savanna agreed that they should renew their vows in the barn.

The service was short and sweet and the family really seemed to be accepting Ty and Miranda’s marriage. Bella was a daddy’s girl and Ty took his new title with determination. They were inseparable and if I ever doubted that he was serious, after seeing them for only a few days, I realized they really were crazy about each other.

In fact, for the next three days they were almost sickening. I showed affection with Savanna no matter where we were, but Ty and Miranda couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. The only ones to appreciate their love more than them, was Miranda’s mother and of course Bella. My aunt Karen had struggled as a single mother and I think all she ever wanted was for her daughter to calm down and settle into a more structured lifestyle. I never thought it would be with Ty, but he was very devoted to those girls.

Three days before our wedding is when everything really went to shit. The newspaper had a featured spot about me marrying Savanna at the ranch. I’m pretty sure that is how word got out about it being in the barn.

Ty and Miranda were staying in the main house, in Miranda’s old room.  Bella still had her own room there, so it was easier.  We had all had a nice family dinner and sat around playing cards until around midnight. Savanna and I drove one of the golf carts back to our place and Conner and Aunt Karen did the same and headed to their place.

At three in the morning, we got the call from my mother. The phone ringing at that time of morning scares the bejesus out of anyone, because it is always an emergency. My mother’s voice was so panicked. “COLT GET UP HERE FAST,” she screamed into the phone.

I jumped out of bed and started throwing on a pair of jeans. Savanna sat up watching me. “What are you doing, babe?”

“Somethin’s wrong. I gotta get to the main house.” I didn’t even stop to kiss Savanna as I flew out the door.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when I walked out onto my front porch.

I could see the flames even from my house. Something was on fire and it was big. I no sooner jumped on the golf cart and immediately heard the fire horns. We lived about ten miles from town, but late at night you could hear those sirens if they sounded.

I had forgotten my cell phone to call Conner, but hoped my mother had already done so. As I got closer, I saw exactly what was on fire.

It was the barn.

Giant flames were coming out of the main barn doors. The old hayloft was fully engulfed. Ty was running around without a shirt, trying to get a hose close enough to slow it down at least. “We have to do something,” he yelled.

“There’s nothing we can do,” I said under my breath.

Being that the structure of the barn was made from wood, I knew there was little that we could do. I crouched down on the ground and threw my hands over my head. We had worked on that barn for months. For two years, it was all Savanna had talked about. At Ty and Miranda’s party, she had been so excited. I didn’t care about the money or even the barn; it was Savanna who my heart ached for.

She’d been through enough. This was going to send her over the edge.

Ty came and stood over me. He was breathing heavily from running around trying to do everything he could to save the barn. I saw headlights coming toward us from the back of the ranch and knew it was Conner. He left his lights on and jumped out of the truck. I could tell from the look on his face that he knew there was nothing that would be salvageable. He took off his hat and threw it on the ground, before kicking the tire to his truck.

All of our countless hours of working into the wee hours of the morning had nothing to show for now. Everything was gone. Ty put his hand on my shoulder and left it there while we both just watched the fire destroying my fiancée’s happiness.

Of course, it didn’t take long for Savanna to hop in my truck and come driving down that lane. I could see the flames against the windshield, but through the glass Savanna was breaking down, holding her hands over of her face. I got up and ran toward the truck, not knowing what I could say to make any of this better for her.

Chapter 2

Savanna

All of my life I had pictured my wedding as the happiest day of my life. Of course, I had changed the person I thought I would marry, but the dream remained the same. I was marrying Colt Mitchell and the anticipation alone was killing me.

After Ty and Miranda had finally settled down, the family went back to being normal, with the exception of them being married now. I have to admit, they both hurt me. Don’t get me wrong, I never wanted Ty back, but seeing him, so happy with someone else, someone that I was so close to, well it was like a punch in the gut. For years, I had been the best girlfriend possible, while he went behind my back cheating on me.

I loved Miranda, but as far as guys were concerned, she wasn’t much better. She lost her father when she was little and I think once she hit puberty she sought out attention from the opposite sex to fill the void. She ended up getting pregnant by a total loser, who threatened the life of her and their daughter. His threats sent her to live with Ty and the rest is history.

I wanted to be happy for them, but I don’t know if I could ever trust Ty. Maybe I just didn’t want to, because then it would make our failed relationship somehow my fault. I wanted to be the best wife to Colt, so knowing that I never satisfied my last boyfriend really made me worry.

I couldn’t help it that I was nothing like Miranda. She could walk around naked all day and be totally okay with it. When we went out places, she craved the attention. There was no way in Hell I could wear the things she put on her body. I could only imagine the things she did in bed. When I think about their relationship in that aspect I know why she tamed Ty.

He followed her around like she was his obsession. She didn’t even realize how much he had changed for her. The most shocking thing to the whole family was his devotion to Bella. My God, he loved that kid like she was his own flesh and blood. She loved him too.

I will never forget hearing her call him ‘Daddy’ for the first time. The look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. As shocked as we all were, I couldn’t help but melt when I saw the two of them interacting.

I was jealous of their life. Colt was getting older and in the fall would be turning twenty seven. He desperately wanted to start having kids and was accepting when I told him we had to wait until I was out of school.  I went off the pill five months ago and we still weren’t pregnant. I guess that added to my sudden case of emotional breakdowns regarding Ty and Miranda.

Anyone could tell they were happier than ever. I swear they lived in their own little bubble and never worried about anyone else. I wanted that so much, not with Ty of course, but with Colt.

I loved him so much and marrying him was going to be the happiest day of my life. I was hoping that once the stress of the wedding was finally over, my body would just relax and I would become instantly pregnant. Colt was optimistic, even as I began to worry. He said when the time was right, we would get pregnant. I appreciated his kind words, but I also knew some people couldn’t have children. That would break Colt’s heart.

Since I had been so over-emotional lately, Colt was especially sweet at night when it was just us. Sometimes he would just hold me tight, stroking my arms, until I went to sleep. Other times he would hold me while I cried for reasons I wasn’t even sure of. This night had been no different. We had a great dinner with the whole family and hung out afterwards.

Colt pried Bella away from her Daddy and was able to get some kisses from her finally. She had been stingy about only giving kisses to Ty. I teased him about brainwashing her, but ever since the child was born, she had claimed Ty as her favorite person in the world. It didn’t even matter that they once lived in separate states; she never lost that love for him. 

As much as I would like to hate Ty for hurting me, when I saw him being a husband and father, it made my heart just turn to pudding. I wanted Colt to feel that love from a child. I wanted him to talk to my belly and hold my hand when I went into labor. Obviously it was really bothering me.

My best friend Brina was in town and she and Conner seemed to be really hitting it off. We were all finally glad he hadn’t brought Courtney around in a few days. I honestly could care less if Brina and he hooked up. Neither were looking for something serious so they may as well enjoy each other’s company while she was visiting.

Colt and I went home from dinner and watched television in bed before finally going to sleep. Like every night lately, he made sure I fell asleep with either his arm around me, or my hand in his. When the phone started to ring, we both jumped up out of bed.

I watched as Colt’s eyes got huge and he shot up out of bed. Once he got on some pants, he went flying out of the door without an explanation. For fear that, something had happened to a family member, I got myself dressed. Of course, I had been lying in only a pair of panties, so it took me a couple minutes to find my bra and then some clothes to put on.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw when I walked out of our house. Beyond the trees, I could see the flames of something on fire. Panic came over me when I started thinking it was the main house. I jumped in Colt’s truck and grabbed the keys from the visor. I think I almost skidded off the dirt road that led to the main part of the ranch at least three times.  Conner’s truck sat in front of where I finally came to a stop, but nothing could block the site of the barn going up in flames.

Colt was ahead of me kneeling on the ground with his head down, while Ty and Conner stood behind him. They turned as I pulled up, but I couldn’t get out of the truck. I couldn’t move at all.

Colt got up and started running toward the truck, while fire trucks started to pour into the ranch. It was too late. There was nothing anyone could do to salvage anything in that barn.

“Savanna, darlin’ this changes nothin’,” Colt said as he flung the door open. “Savanna, can you hear me?”

I looked at Colt, but words wouldn’t come out of my mouth. Ty started walking toward us, I guess to check on me as well, but I didn’t hear what he was saying. I felt Colt grabbing me by the arm and shaking me and still, I never moved. I guess I was just in shock.

We were supposed to be married in just three days.

How could it really be happening?

Was it just a bad dream?

Colt grabbed my hand and held it when he realized I was incoherent. He was brushing my hair out of my face and saying things to me, although I couldn’t tell you what it was. He turned to look at me and past my watery eyes, I could see his mouth moving, but couldn’t make out his words.

I turned to face the flaming building. The roof began to collapse. A loud cracking and falling sound erupted the ranch as the large structure fell to the ground in the midst of heated fire. The firefighters began hosing down the vicinity around the barn, to prevent it from spreading to any of the other buildings. All I could do was just sit there staring. I watched the fire consuming all of my happiness and turning it to ash.