Letting Go (Mitchell Family #1)(50)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I stroked my hand through her hair and she giggled. “How you are the most carin’ person I have ever met. Most of all, how you made me want to love again.” I squeezed her tightly with my arms. “I fell in love with you Savanna. With all of your quirks and habits and everything else you had to offer. I just wanted you.”

“You always say the right things.” Savanna said as she giggled and looked up at me.

I got ready to say somethin’ else and I heard the door openin’. Now since I knew I had locked it when we got back, it could only be one of three people. Without moving an inch from the spot I was in, I watched Ty walk into the bedroom.

“You have a lot of nerve cuz.” He said standing over the bed.

I gently pushed Savanna to her side of the bed and stood up. Although, I think being in just boxers wasn’t how my cousin wanted to approach me. He stopped and gave me a once over before headin’ in my direction. “You need to check yourself Ty.”

He came at me and threw the first swing while leaning on a crutch to keep his balance. I took the hit in my shoulder, but only to be able to grab him and throw him down on the bed. Savanna stood up and started yelling.

“Stop it! Ty you can’t fight him. You aren’t strong enough. Just please stop!”

We ignored the little lady. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up to my face. “She aint yours.”

Ty tried to shove my hand away. “Wrong! She will always be mine.”

I knew this was going to happen. My cousin got all calm and lovin’ when he drank, but when he was sober he was a hellfire. “We went over this already last night. Don’t you remember? It was right before you got picked up by the little blonde.” I added.

Ty smacked my hand away and I backed away. “She picked me up because I caught my fiancée red handed banging my cousin in my own father’s truck. What the f**k? This shit isn’t happening.” Ty said as he started rocking back and forth on the bed, holding his hands over his head.

Savanna didn’t shock me at all when she climbed up behind him and hugged him. Her eyes were fixed on mine the entire time.

“Ty, you can’t keep doing this to me. It isn’t fair to either of us.”

I clenched my fists, knowing that with having Savanna’s arms wrapped around him, Ty felt like he somehow had the upper hand in all of this. He forgot he used to tell me all about his schemes, I guess to somehow try to impress me. He wanted Savanna to feel sorry for him, so that she would think about giving him another chance.

“Don’t Ty. It isn’t going to work. She already made her choice.” I announced.

Savanna smiled at me. “Colt. Give us a minute please?”

Reluctantly, I made my way out of the room. I stood outside the door listening. There was no way in Hell I was going to let him take advantage of her kindness.

“Ty, do you remember everything we talked about last night?” Savanna asked.

“I remember everything actually. Especially the visual parts.”

I rolled my eyes. Of course he would rub that in.

“I am sorry that you had to see that.”

“What part?” He asked.

“All of it.” She confessed.

I wanted to be in the room. I wanted to answer, instead of Savanna. This had to be horrible.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.” Savanna replied.

“How did you know you loved him? When did you know it was real?”

I couldn’t see Savanna’s face or watch her body language as she answered. I just listened. “I suppose at first it was lust. I just wanted attention. I felt so alone for all those months. I yearned for affection. There just came this point where, when I wasn’t with him, he was all I thought about. I tried to picture my life without him and it hurt deep down inside of me. He was always doing things and saying the right things, even when he wasn’t trying to impress me at all. He wanted to know me, in every way.”

“You can keep going. I need to hear it all. Even the parts I don’t want to hear.” Ty announced.

“From the first time he touched me, it was different. He made me feel like I was the only female on the planet. I can’t resist him. He makes me happy, like I could never want for anything else, ever. Ty, I thought I knew what the deepest love felt like. I loved you for so long, and I am so sorry if this hurts you, but I have never felt this way before.”

I was shocked she said all those things. Not shocked she felt that way. I felt the same. I was however, shocked she told him. Her honest confession kept my cousin from speakin’. After a long period of silence, I walked back into the room.

“I get it.” Ty said as he saw me walkin’ in.

“You get what?” I said as I sat beside him.

“You two. Honestly, it makes sense. You are so much alike that I don’t think you even realize it. Not that this changes anything, but after what happened last night, I told Heather I didn’t want to see her anymore. I think seeing what I did, what I caused, made me see what a fool I have been. I need to change. Honestly, I need to admit that I was never happy being with Van. If I was then I never would have cheated, not once. I let the best girl I have ever known get away.”

I put my arm around my cousin. “You hungry?”

“Nah, I need to get out of here for a while. My parents are going to wonder why Van is in here with you. I need to get this all out in the open.” Ty replied.

Savanna cut in. “They already know. They caught us together….the night you woke up.”

“What the f**k? Is there anything else I need to know?” He asked.

Savanna stood in front of Ty. “They forbid us to see each other. Your mother threatened me and your dad told Colt he had to leave. He only stayed for you.”

Ty shook his head. “You let me propose, hell they let me propose, knowing all along you were in love with Colt?”

“There were so many people there. You had just got home. I couldn’t hurt you like that.” Savanna admitted.

“I appreciate that. If it’s any consolation, I told everyone at the party that I ended it with you.”

Ty’s confession actually made Savanna laugh. “I need to ask you a favor. Your parents are not going to understand things. Please don’t tell them about the parking lot. They think I am such a whore already. I just can’t live with that.”

“How about my cousin and I go have a family talk. You stay here and get cleaned up. I think If I distance myself from the two of you right now, I will turn around and get all pissed again. I need to just be around you guys for a while. I know it sounds convoluted, but it is just how I deal.”