Ballad of Love (Utah Lovin’ Book 1)

25. Braydon

Ithink I am in shock. Or maybe I am dreaming. She said yes. Well not to marriage, but to us. And for right now, I will take it.

“Are you going to kiss me or what, cowboy?” Madison”s voice pulls me out of my thoughts, and I realize that I haven”t said anything to her. Before I can form words or even a coherent thought, Madison”s lips are crashing into mine. I kiss her back like my life depends on it. Gosh, I didn”t realize how badly I had missed this. Missed us. I kiss her more desperately, like she is oxygen, and I am a dying man.

“Braydon,” she whispers breathlessly against my lips as we both come up for air.

“Gosh, I missed you, Mads. I honestly don”t know how I survived six years without you.”

“I don”t think I was actually living without you.”

“Why”s that?”

She looks up at me and tears rim her eyes.

“Because, Braydon, there is no life without you.”

I gently brush away a stray tear, and Madison leans into my hand.

“I can”t wait for all the adventures that we are going to go on.”

“I love you, Braydon. I never stopped loving you.”

“I love you, Boots. To the moon and to Saturn.”

“Was that a Taylor Swift reference that you just made?”

“What can I say? I am a Swiftie Dad.”

Madison wraps her arms around my middle and pulls us both down onto my truck bed.

We lay there for a long time, just enjoying each other”s company and the stars.

“Braydon, can I tell you something?”

“Always.”

“You are an amazing dad. Iris is the best little girl. And I absolutely know that your mom would be so proud of you. You weren”t dealt a very good hand, but you seemed to handle it expertly.”

My throat gets clogged with emotion.

“Thank you, Madison. I wouldn”t trade it for the world.”

Madison sits up abruptly, and I am instantly cold from the loss of heat. Madison jumps up so she is standing over me.

“May I have this dance, cowboy?” Madison asks, grinning at me, and reaching her hand out to me.

“Always, Boots.” I entangle my fingers with hers, as she tries to help me up. I help Madison out of the bed of my truck and grab the Bluetooth speaker hiding in the picnic basket.

“You just came prepared with a Bluetooth speaker?”

“Iris likes to have a lot of dance parties, so I carry one everywhere now.”

Setting the speaker on my tailgate, I connect my phone and select a song. Jason Isable’s, If We Were Vampires begins to play through the tiny speaker as I pull Madison close to me. Madison lays her head on my chest as we sway back and forth. The memory of us slow dancing in a random twenty-four-hour diner flashes through my mind. That was the night I told Madison I was going to marry her, and I still intend to keep that promise.

“What are you thinking about?” Madison asks, her voice muffled by my flannel.

“I was thinking about that night we went to the twenty-four-hour diner. People looked at us like we were crazy for slow dancing around the tables, but I didn”t care what they thought as long as I got to have you that close to me.”

“I do remember that. We slow-danced for thirty minutes, until our food came out.”

“I told you that night that I was going to put a ring on that pretty finger of yours someday.”

“You did.”

“Madison, I hope you know that I still intend to keep that promise.”

“I look forward to it.”

I pull Madison away from me and spin her. Spinning her back into my chest, I dip her.

“I love you, Boots,” I whisper to her, just before I let my lips meet hers. I kiss her delicately, softly.

“I love you, Bray.”” Madison shivers in my arms as I pull her back up to a standing position.

“You cold?”

“A little.”

I pull her into me and wrap my arms around her.

“We can head back. You can hop in the truck and start it. I will get the stuff out of the bed.”

Madison disappears into my truck, and I gather everything in the back.

“Can we pick up Iris first?” Madison asks me before I can even get settled in the driver seat.

“Of course. I will text Adalynn and let her know we are going to pick her up early.”

Madison nods her head and intertwines our hands on the center console. We drive in comfortable silence to Adalynn’s. If i”m being honest, I just like listening to Madison breathe. Pulling into Adalynn’s driveway, I park my truck and turn to Madison.

“I will go get Iris. I”ll be right back.” I sneak a quick kiss on Madison”s lips before getting out of my truck. Adalynn comes bursting out her door with Iris in her arms before I make it up the porch steps.

“Here”s Iris. I”ll be back,” she practically throws Iris at me, before heading off in the direction of my truck.

“Did you have fun, sweetheart?”

“Yeah. Aunt Adalynn and I had a lot of dance parties.”

“I am sure you did.”

Iris cuddles into my arms and lays her head on my shoulder.

“Hey Iris, Madison is going to come hang out with us for a little bit tonight. Is that ok?”

“Can we have a dance party?”

“Of course, sweetheart.”

I doubt Iris will make it home awake, so we might have to save that dance party for another time. I head towards my truck, and the sound of giggling reaches my ears.

“This can”t be good,” I mumble under my breath. Adalynn is leaning into the passenger window giggling with Madison.

“Adalynn, leave her alone.”

“Oh, don”t get your panties in a twist. I am just talking to my best friend.” I walk around to the opposite side of my truck to put a now sleeping Iris in her car seat. I hop into the driver”s seat.

“I guess I will let y’all get going,” Adalynn says with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle. Pulling out of Adalynn’s driveway, I rest my hand on Madison”s thigh again.

“What did my sister have to say?”

“She was just asking how tonight went.”

“Did you tell her?”

“Bray, I don”t think I would have to. She can just tell.”

“She definitely has a way of doing that.”

“Is Iris going to be ok with me hanging around more? Because I can take it slow at first.”

“Madison, Iris loves you. She is going to love having you around more.” I hate that Madison doubts herself on this, but to me she is perfect.

“I just don”t want to come in and wreck your guys’ routine.”

“You aren”t wrecking anything. I promise.”

We pull into my driveway, and for the first time in a long time I feel complete. Driving to my home with the two girls that make my little house feel like a home.

“Stay right there,”” I tell Madison before I jump out of my truck. Unbuckling and carefully pulling Iris out of her car seat and into my arms. I wrap my arms around Iris, so she doesn”t get cold. I open Madison”s door and help her out with my now free hand. She tangles our fingers together and the three of us walk to my front door. I stop just before Madison opens it.

“I think I am finally home, Boots.” A smile plays on her lips, right before I lean down to kiss her. She practically melts into me. I wish I could stop time and bottle up everything about this moment right here with my girls.

“Welcome home, cowboy.” Madison whispers against my lips. Letting Madison open the door, the three of us step over the threshold.

“I hate to burst your bubble though, Braydon, but I don”t actually live here.”

“Not yet.” Iris stirs in my arms and barely opens her eyes to look up at me.

“Daddy, can Madison put me to bed?”

I look over at Madison, who is now staring at us.

“You can say no,” I whisper to her.

“I would love to.” Madison scoops Iris out of my arms.

“I will get the stuff from the truck then.”

I watch Madison and Iris retreat upstairs, then head to get all the stuff in the back of my truck. After getting everything out of my truck, putting the leftover food away, and starting a load of laundry for the blankets, I take the stairs two at a time to check on Madison and Iris.

I lean against the doorframe of Iris’s room and cross my arms over my chest. Madison is curled up in Iris’s bed next to her reading her favorite book. I retrieve my phone from my back pocket and snap a sneaky picture before either of them notices me.

“Daddy?” Iris says in a sleepy voice when she finally notices me.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Can Madison and I have a sleepover?” a crimson spread across my neck and makes its way up to my cheeks. Only my daughter. I swear if Adalynn put her up to this. I clear my throat to stall for another moment.

“Iris, I am sure Madison wants to go home and sleep in her own bed.” I notice Madison holding back a laugh, and I shoot a glare in her direction.

“She already said that she would stay with me.”

“Then I guess she can stay.” This is a dangerous move for me, but I can”t say no when they are both looking at me like that.

“I”ll be right back,” Madison tells Iris as she gets out of her tiny bed. I step out of the room, and Madison closes the door behind her.

“Bray, you really don”t have to let me stay. I know it is probably weird.”

“It’s not weird. However, it is torture.”

Madison hums in approval.

“Well, maybe I will stay solely based on that fact.” She is a breath away from me now, and I truly think she is trying to kill me.

“You don”t even have any clothes to sleep in.”

“Who said I need those?”

Yep, it”s settled she is on a mission to kill me. But this might possibly be the best way to go out.

“I will get you a t-shirt.” Madison steps back, and I suddenly feel empty.

“I get really cold when I sleep.”

“Is that your subtle way of trying to steal another one of my sweatshirts?”

“Oh, I”m not trying. I will succeed.”

“Anything else you need?”

“Yeah,” Madison steps closer to me again. I breathe in her scent.

“What”s that?” my voice comes off raspier than I intended to.

She leans in, and her lips just barely graze mine.

“Boots?”

“Yes, Bray?”

I comb a piece of brunette hair that escaped her messy bun behind her ear. She leans into my hand, as my other hand comes to rest on the small of her back. Not able to hold back any longer, I let my lips meet hers. I feel Madison smile against my lips as her hands tangle in the curls at the base of my neck. Madison leans her forehead against mine.

“Madison, I have waited six years for this. Six seriously long years.”

“We have a lot of lost time to make up for.”

“We will have time. I have so many things in mind.”

“Can”t wait to hear them.”

“I should probably go get your sweatshirt.” Madison once again steps away from me and disappears back into Iris’s room. I am seriously a goner for her, but I wouldn”t have it any other way.