Best of Me

Chapter 40

Third person POV

Brantley yells up the stairs at Bella and asks if she is about ready. She comes to the top and said," as ready as I will ever be, do I look okay?" As she turns around for him to see.
He tells her,"you look great baby besides I told you, momma is going to love you just as much as I do."
  They leave Brantley's house headed to his mommas for lunch. Bella is fidgeting in her seat and keeps changing the radio station and Brantley takes her hand and tells her," I love you baby and I'm not going anywhere just be yourself. Momma will love you cause you love me and make me happy."
They pull up in the driveway and no sooner than he has the truck in park, Momma Becky is running out of the house and hugs Brantley as soon as he gets out. Brantley laughs, "hey Angel I love you too"
Momma Becky pulls back and said," I love you baby now I will let you go so you can help your girl out of the truck like I taught you"
Brantley goes around and helps Bella out of the truck. He brings her to the front of the truck and he said ," Angel this is my girlfriend Bella, Bells this is my Angel , my momma Becky."

Becky pulls Bella into a hug and says," It's so good to finally meet you Bella. I've heard some great things about you from my baby boy"
Brantley groans," Angel I am 31 years old I ain't no damn baby"
Becky hits Brantley in the back of the head, "Brantley Keith watch that mouth"
Brantley ducks his head and said," yes ma'am"
They all walk inside and Becky tells them to come keep her company while she finishes up lunch.
Bella asks can she help. Becky tells her to set the table with the stuff already out and to fix their drinks cause she is taking it up. Bella set the table and Brantley asked who was coming since there were 4 plates and his momma told him Kolby. Bella asked what everyone wanted to drink and Brantley told her to pour them all sweet tea. Bella does and as she is placing them on the table Kolby walks in and said," Oh ain't you a little thing but so hot"
Brantley said," If you want to keep your teeth in your mouth quit hitting on my girlfriend . Kolby this is Bella, Bella this is my knucklehead brother Kolby." Brantley gets up and hugs Kolby. Momma Becky tells them to have a seat that lunch was ready.
They all talk and they tell Bella stories of Brantley when he was a boy. She laughs at all the trouble he got into and looks at him and said," and you called me wild I didn't do half of that stuff and I sure wasn't the leader of the stuff I did get into."
Brantley said,"Well darlin' it all happened for a reason and I believe that is so I could meet you"'he leans over and kisses her.
Momma Becky starts to clean up and Bella gets up and helps despite Momma Becky telling her to sit down. Bella said," my momma would whip my rear end if she ever found out I sat down and didn't help clean up. And I may not be afraid of those 2 men in there but I'm scared of my momma."
Becky laughed and said," I knew I was gonna like you just from what Brantley told me. You know Bella, I haven't ever seen him this happy. Thank you, you love him I can tell and know what it means to be with him. That makes me happy."
Bella said," I do love him Momma Becky and he is my world but I know what all it entails to be in his world. I accept that and he accepts me and that I have baggage, and he has helped me heal from losing my brother. Not many men would stick around after that. He's a keeper."
Becky laughed and said," you may not say that once you live with him."
Bella said," well for that to happen he would have to marry me. I may not agree with everything my parents believe but I will not disrespect my daddy like that. He is a pastor of a small country church and it is where I grew up learning about God and I may tour with Brantley and share a bus but I don't share his bedroom."
Momma Becky hugged her and said," Bella I didn't mean it, if you feel like I disrespected you , I'm sorry."
Bella smiled," I didn't take it that way Momma Becky I was just letting you know that I may have slept with him but I don't believe in living together before marriage and between you and me and Brantley he was my first and I'm hoping my only, if I have any say."
Brantley walked in and said," you want to go for a ride and let me show you my hometown?"
Bella agreed.
They got in the truck and Brantley took her by the church he grew up in and by his high school and then they road the back roads until he turned down a gravel road that led back to his favorite spot. It was by the riverbank and Brantley got a blanket out and laid it on the ground. He pulled Bella down beside him and told her that this was where he came to think and clear his head. It was his favorite fishing spot and he had only brought one other person here and that was Kolby.
She tells him it's a beautiful place and settles back into his chest and he wraps his arms around her taking her hands in his. Brantley said, " I love you Bella and I can't imagine my life without you. When we were apart that week it about killed me. I knew then you were the one for me and I said if I got you back I would make you mine. So I'm asking you today if you will make me the happiest man on this earth and marry me?"
He slips a ring partway on her finger when she turns and looks him in the eye and said," I would love to marry you Brantley. That week was hell on me. I loved you and I missed you so much. But you have made me so happy by wanting me to be your wife." He slides the ring on her finger and he kisses her, letting her know in that kiss everything he couldn't say.