Brandon (Anderson Billionaires #3) - Melody Anne Page 0,88

still young. But then again, you might not have turned out as good as you have if life hadn’t thrown challenges your way,” Katherine said.

“There were times I wasn’t too happy about those challenges, but now I realize they truly have shaped me into who I am and who I want to be. It’s easy to get lost in this world and just want more and more. But at the end of the day, I like the journey I’ve taken in life, and I look forward to what comes next.”

“I love that attitude,” Katherine said. “I don’t ever want to leave this world. I’m just so happy right where I am. But I also know that when I go, my family will be just fine. I expect all of you to miss me, but I don’t expect my passing to hold anyone back.”

“There should never be talk about passing during the holidays,” Brandon told her. He couldn’t imagine this world without Katherine in it. He couldn’t imagine what Joseph would do without the love of his life. Joseph loved his family enormously, but his wife was truly his other half. Without her, he wouldn’t be whole.

Brandon glanced across the table again and looked at Chloe. Would he feel that way about her in a year or ten years or fifty? Would she be as essential to him as the air he breathed or the food he ate? He hadn’t ever thought he’d want someone or something that badly.

But seeing the pure love Joseph and Katherine shared made him want that. He wasn’t going to go so far as to say Chloe was his entire universe at this point in their relationship. But he would admit he could see them reaching that point.

“She is different from any other woman I’ve ever known,” Brandon said.

Katherine looked over at Chloe before meeting Brandon’s gaze again. “You are a match. That’s been clear from the first time you met.”

That surprised Brandon. “Really? I thought she was cute and funny when I first met her, but I wouldn’t have thought we were a match,” he told Katherine.

“That’s because you see with young eyes,” she said, chuckling. “I hate sounding like my husband, and I will deny it if you ever say I’ve said this, but I think he does have a gift,” she whispered. “He sees people’s souls. He can tell who should be together and who shouldn’t. Now, if he knew I was saying this, it would give him free rein to meddle as much as he wanted. But I’ve yet to see his meddling end in a bad way.”

“You know he’s meddling?” Brandon asked in shock.

Katherine laughed, the sound drawing Joseph’s attention. He gazed at his wife with that look that told Brandon he saw no one in that moment but his true love. She sent a kiss through the air before turning back to Brandon and talking in a hushed tone that couldn’t possibly be heard above the mayhem at the table.

“Oh, Brandon, my husband doesn’t get away with nearly as much as he thinks he does. Of course I know he meddles. But since the results speak for themselves, I only pretend to put up a fight. It’s the same with his cigars. If I said it was perfectly okay, he might smoke himself into an early grave. But if I make it difficult for him, then he only has one once in a while. That’s all part of a good marriage.”

Brandon laughed as he wrapped an arm around Katherine and gently squeezed. “I can only hope that I have half as good a marriage as you and Joseph,” he finally said.

“Don’t you dare settle, Brandon Anderson. You reach for the sun, and don’t stop until it’s consumed you. Along that journey, you’ll sit upon stars and talk to the man in the moon. There will never be a dull moment, and there will never be anything you can’t achieve. How sad would it be to settle for half a marriage when you can have it all?”

“I don’t think Chloe does anything in half measures. I think meeting her and never giving up has been one of the smarter choices I’ve made in life.”

“I would have to agree with you on that. But at the same time, I’m pretty impressed with all of the choices you’ve made. You’re a very talented and successful businessman at a young age, and you love your family. The same can’t be said for too many