The Change Up

The Talk Part 1

Chase's POV:
"That one is too costumey." I said with a sigh as the older redheaded woman behind the counter showed me yet another ring. While the 3 carat diamond solitaire with a matching diamond encrusted band set in rose gold was beautiful, it just was the ring. This was the third place Brantley and I had been into and I was beginning to lose hope in the fact that I would find the perfect ring. All the rings were starting to look the same. Didn't help that I was about to do the one thing that I thought would never happen. For years, I'd dreamt about what it would be like when I finally proposed to the woman I wanted to spend my life with, but each time I had thought about it, I'd only pictured it being with one person, and definitely not under the circumstances that I had created.

"What about this one?" said Brantley pulling me from my thoughts. Walking over to where he was standing, I gazed at the ring in the case and smiled. When the jeweler saw my face, she immediately came over to the case and pulled it out before she began telling me all about the ring.

"This one is what we call Cinderella's Staircase. The center stone has a carat weight of 2.4o carats while the ones on each side come in at just over a carat, bringing the total carat weight to 3.60 carets. This one is set in platinum, but we do offer it in other precious metals should you choose this one. You can also add the matching band that will bring the overall carat weight to nearly 5 carats."

"I'll take it." I said, not letting her finish her pitch.

"Sir, this ring is over $15,000. Add in the matching band and we're talking close to $20,000" said the jeweler, no doubt shocked that she was about to make the sale of the year. Then again, she could be looking at the way I was dressed and thinking that it was going to be out of my price range. Dressed in jeans with too many holes, a tee that was wrinkled as a dishrag, and my hair definitely doing it's own thing from beneath my hat, I could see where she could get that impression.

"I dont give a shit if it costs a hundred grand." I said, pulling my black Amex from my wallet and handing it to her. "This is the one that my children's mother deserves." I watched as the jeweler grabbed my card and read the name on it. I knew the moment realization set in because her face turned pink with embarrassment and she could no longer look me in the eye. I watched as she made her way over to register and began to ring up my purchase. I felt a big hand clasp in my shoulder before I heard Brantley speaking.

"Jo is going to love it, brother," said Brantley. "Guess this means that you will officially be family huh?"

"She's gotta say yes first." I said, turning my head and looking at Brantley. "I'm already nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs and she ain't even in the same damn city." Something flashed across Brantley's face but in true Brantley form, he hid it before I had time to analyze what it was. Damn man had a poker face from hell.

"Here you are sir." said the jeweler as she passed me my card, the receipt, and ring box. "And if there is ever anything else we can do for you, please do not hesitate to call. We here at Tena's will do whatever we can to make sure any further requests are filled." said the jeweler, trying to make up for her earlier assumptions.

"Thanks." I said, a smile on my face as I turned to walk towards the door.

"Hold up brother." said B, making me turn to face him. "I gotta find something for Amber since I'm pretty sure I'll be sleeping out in the Dawg House after keeping all of this a secret from her." I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips. I knew he was right. But that laugh quickly evaporated when I thought about what Amber was going to do to me when she laid eyes on me again. Just thinking about all the ways that tiny little woman could torture me had my balls shriviling. She would no doubt want my head on a chopping block. And I don't mean the one that rests on my shoulders either.

"I um, I think I should get her something too." I said nervously. A big booming laugh filled the space causing me to look over in Brantley's direction. There he stood, all 6 feet of him doubled over and wheezing from laughing to hard. There were even tears coming out of his eyes.

"Scared of my wife, brother?" he wheezed out in between laughs.

"Fucking right I am. That little woman scares the shit out of me. Makes Miranda look like a damn church mouse." I said. The comment did nothing but make Brantley laugh even harder.

"Bruh, I wont even fuck with Rand." said Brantley when he finally pulled himself some what together. "But the fact that you are more scared of her than Amber says a whole hell of a lot. Amber will get a fucking kick out of it though."

"Yeah yeah." I said walking over to the jewelry case and looking at necklaces.

"And just so you know, this better be the only fucking time you buy my wife any piece of jewelry. The only reason you're getting away with it now is because you're about to become family." Said Brantley.

Jo's POV:
With a full belly from saucy BBQ ribs, loaded potato soup, buttery rolls, collards good enough to make you want to slap your mama, and the most divine tasting chocolate cheesecake, I was damn near in a food coma by the time Amber pulled up in front of her house.

"Home sweet home" said Amber as she pulled the keys from the ignition.

"Do I even have to move?" I asked. Moving was the last thing I wanted to do but I also knew that I couldn't just stay here in Amber's Expedition for the night either.

"Yes you have to move. Because if you don't do it willingly, something tells me that the two men walking this way are going to make you move whether you want to or not." said Amber. Upon her words, I looked out the windshield and saw Brantley and Chase walking down the steps of the front porch. My heart began to pound inside my chest. I felt panicky. Amber must have noticed -or she could hear my heart pounding- because I felt her hand land on mine before gripping it tight, making me look over at her. "The fact that Chase is still here and has not run back to Nashville ought to tell you something. I know you're scared. I'm sure he is too. This is going to be the biggest thing that you and him have to figure out but I have faith that you and him will work it out."

"I hope you're right." I said with a heavy sigh as I watched her climb out of the driver's seat. Almost immediately, the passenger door was opened. As if in slow motion, I was met with the piercing gray eyes of my best friend/baby daddy.

"What are you doing here?" I heard myself asking.

"Helping you get your things into your Explorer." he said, his trademark grin on his face. God, I had missed the hell out of that goofy little grin of his.

"And after that?" I asked. It seems my mouth was doing its own thinking right now.

"Well, I was kind of hoping you and I could have a little talk," said Chase. "We damn sure have plenty to figure out."

"That's an understatement." I said, unable to keep the sarcastic tone out of my voice.

"Of the century," said Chase.

When I didn't make a move to climb out of the SUV, I felt Chase's hands land on my hips and gently tug me to the edge of the seat. Even though the material of my dress, I could feel his touch burning me, sending fire lacing through my veins. Maybe it was the lack of being touched like this, or maybe it was the lack of being touched like this by him. Whatever it was, all I knew was that I wanted so much more of it.

"How about we umm, head back to your place and have that talk?" asked Chase, clearing his throat. He must have been feeling something similar to what I had been feeling.

"Let's do that." I said, aware that my voice sounded husky but not caring.