In the Long Run

by Haley Cass

  Brooke could only stare at her for a long moment. “But, why?” She couldn’t help but ask.

  “Why, what?”

  “Why do you want my help? Don’t you normally do this stuff alone?” She knew Taylor had to work alone for most things.

  “First: I told you I haven’t done a list like this in a long time. Second: whenever I have, I’ve spent a long time with it. I was able to go wherever I wanted for an indiscriminate length of time to make sure I was hitting all the right notes. I don’t have that time before my next big trip, really.” Taylor tilted her head slowly to the side. “And sometimes… it’s nice to work with someone else. Because you’re right, I do most of my work alone.”

  Her tone turned pensive for just a second, just long enough that Brooke was taken in by it enough to wonder about it.

  Before Taylor grinned. “Besides, I’d love to be able to get your take on this as I go. Talk some things out with you… oh, and working in City Hall would be fun.” She shot the kitchen table, covered in her notes, her maps, her various little knick-knacks for the afternoon, a look. “I know Ben isn’t going to want me taking over the kitchen all of the time.”

  “You aren’t working at City Hall with me.”

  “We can make that negotiable for the future,” Taylor immediately threw back with a stupidly charming smile.

  Brooke narrowed her eyes as she took in Taylor’s eager expression. Eager yet serious. She was genuinely serious about wanting to do this work with Brooke. On a project Brooke actually would enjoy doing.

  And, mostly, it meant Faircombe would be on the list. Rightfully so. Wait –

  “Did you say Faircombe would make it onto the potential list?” She snapped, circling back to that little comment. Irritated dark eyes roamed over the papers in front of her, filled with dozens of other potential cities.

  Taylor gave Brooke a curious look. “Yes, obviously.”

  Brooke narrowed her eyes, irritation zipping through her. “You want me to do this work with you, when I already have a shit ton of work on my plate, and Faircombe isn’t even going to make it onto that?” She pointed at the shortlist of cities Taylor was guaranteed to put on the list. She scowled. “Doesn’t exactly seem like a fair agreement.”

  The look Taylor gave her wasn’t a playful one, not full of laughter – not the usual. Instead, she met wide, dark eyes that were alarmingly… honest. Beseeching. “Brooke, I can’t promise you a place on the list. Taylor-Made to Travel is – it’s me. It’s my thoughts, my feelings, my personal recommendations, my favorite things, my insights. People, they… they follow me because they trust me. They follow me for me. And for you, I’ll give Faircombe it’s fair shot to be on the list, just like any other city here. But I can’t promise anything more than that.”

  Brooke wanted to scoff the second Taylor had spoken. To roll her eyes at my followers trust me. But it was lost in her throat as she held Taylor’s gaze with her own. The quiet, pure honesty that seemed to emanate from Taylor in a rarely seen moment of gravitas was – captivating.

  “Fine.” She allowed. “But! No flirting. And no touching.” She eyed the hand Taylor had resting on the table between them.

  Taylor frowned, clearly surprised at the addendum. “What if you’re about to walk into the street and there’s a car coming and my only choice is to grab you or let you perish?”

  Brooke’s voice was dry, “Then I guess I’ll be meeting my maker.”

  “I feel like you’re being very strict here…” Taylor trailed off, traces of her smile coming back just slightly, as she tilted her head at Brooke.

  Brooke sat up straight, face as impassive as when she was doing actual city business. Which, she kind of was.

  “You drive a hard bargain. I mean. I will promise to do… my best. I don’t always do it intentionally. The flirting or the touching.” Taylor’s voice was serious again, no laughter, as she informed Brooke of this news that wasn’t exactly a surprise. Her hand almost landed on Brooke’s in that moment, like she wanted the connection as she explained herself. Taylor stopped herself and dropped her hand to the table, a sheepish smile tugging at full lips. “But I’ll do my best,” she repeated, a look of sincerity reflecting back in dark eyes.

  Which, she trusted; she didn’t know if that made her a sucker or what, but Brooke supposed she’d take what she could get. It was the best deal by far in terms of Taylor being here in Faircombe in general so far.

  “I have another condition of my own, then.” Taylor sat up in her seat, an exuberant look in her eyes that Brooke just knew she wasn’t going to like.

  She spoke cautiously, “And what is that?”

  Taylor leaned in. They didn’t touch, not more than their knees brushing under the table, which she knew definitely wasn’t on purpose, but it still felt warm. “I want you to give me a personal tour of Faircombe. The Brooke Watson tour.”

  “What?” She couldn’t control the ludicrous tone, reflecting just how she felt. “Why would I give you a tour?”

  “I don’t love Faircombe; it wouldn’t be on my list.” Taylor explained easily, shrugging. “But you love it, and you are making me a deal to get it on the potentials list. So, I’m giving you the opportunity to show me Faircombe through your eyes.”

  Brooke pursed her lips in thought, staring dubiously at Taylor. It just felt… stupid. Why should she give Taylor a tour of a place she grew up in? But she knew from the look on Taylor’s face, she’d have an insistent reason for it.

  “I… wouldn’t be impartial.” She tried to grasp at any straw that could logically make sense to get out of this, but she already knew it was a losing battle.

  She hated losing a battle.

  “This isn’t an impartial list; it’s my list.” Taylor reasoned, shifting forward. “And if you want Faircombe on my list, I am going to need to see it through you.”

  She studied Taylor’s waiting expression. An expression that spoke volumes about how she knew just what Brooke was going to say before she said it.

  “Fine.”

  Taylor sat up straight, leaning in close. Close enough that Brooke felt how warm she was, but Taylor kept her hands in her lap. Clasped, as if controlling herself from reaching out. She tracked her eyes up to Taylor’s who was staring intently at her, mahogany eyes fixed on Brooke’s, unflinching.

  “What are you doing?” She muttered, leaning to the side.

  “Mentally shaking your hand.”

  “Oh, my good god.”

  She refused to laugh. It just took more willpower than she wanted to admit.

  ***

  “So, you’re going to be working with Taylor on this whole list… thing?” Ben asked later that night as they situated themselves at the same table they always sat at in the tavern for Grady’s trivia.

  He’d been wearing the same confused look on his face ever since he’d walked into the kitchen and had seen her sitting with Taylor.

  “Yeah. I mean, why shouldn’t I?” She asked, arching her eyebrows.

  Ben shook his head, pushing the Sprite their waitress dropped off toward her. “No, I mean, you’re definitely the best person for the job. I just… you’ve never wanted to spend time with Taylor in the past.”

  In fact, she’d often tried to avoid it in their adult years. That sat unspoken; Ben had a point.

  Brooke steadfastly did not meet his gaze. Despite the truth that nothing was going on between her and Taylor, the reaction she’d had to her had been the only outright secret she’d ever kept from Ben. A secret she’d kept for thirty years.

  “Well, times change.” It was the best excuse she had, as she glanced up at the trivia topics Jackie Grady always wrote up on the board near the host station. Still, she slid her gaze toward Ben. “Does it bother you? If I work with her?”

  Ben’s expression was genuinely perplexed before he shook his head. “Bother me? No. I just…” He worked his jaw, before he sighed and sipped his Coke. “Times change but Taylor is still Taylor – she’s still going to be
leaving in a couple months.” His voice was light, cautious.

  Brooke stared at him, unwilling to give any credence to the way her stomach twisted. “All we’re doing is spending a few days working on a list together. I don’t plan on offering her a job for the city,” she shot back, voice dry.

  Because, seriously.

  Ben shrugged. “I just… it’s just on my mind. Jo’s so excited about having her around and that’s great. But she’s going to be crushed when Taylor leaves, and…” he trailed off, shrugging again, before he sighed heavily.

  Relieved that Ben hadn’t, somehow, read her mind from San Diego or, well, her body’s betrayal reaction to Taylor and the fact that she was niggling into a living space in Brooke’s mind, Brooke frowned in sympathy and reached down to pat his thigh. “She’ll have you. And me. And Savannah. Like always.”

  Ben was a worrier; he always had been. His anxiety-induced fidgeting and her perpetual anxiety-induced moodiness had been something that had drawn them together when they’d been young.

  And, he wasn’t wrong. Taylor would leave Faircombe soon enough, like she always did. It was her destiny to not be here.

  It was something Brooke usually took comfort in, the knowledge that this raw power Taylor unknowingly and without permission held over her, wouldn’t last for long. It was something she told herself she was taking comfort in even on this visit; they were basically a month in, which meant they were a third of the way done with the visit, almost.

  A third of the way, and Brooke still couldn’t knock away that pure attraction to the back of her mind, or totally forget about their single night together or – her stomach twisted.

  “Right.” He nodded, blowing out a deep breath. “You’re right. And you know, trivia night isn’t for talking about Taylor.”

  “I mean, it is if you want it to be,” she pointed out, a slow smile tugging at her lips. “We can wipe the floor with everyone else even if we’re going to get all serious.”

  Ben lit up in a genuine grin, blue eyes lighting up with the competitive glint that they both shared. “Nah. I hope you brushed up on your horror movie facts; no doubt it’ll be a theme tonight. And the Dolly Part-ners have to start our winning streak from the bottom up.”

  Brooke rolled her eyes at him. “Like I’m an amateur.” She knocked her shoulder into his. “Are you ready for Halloween trivia night? That’s the real question. I carried your ass last year.”

  Trivia night was not the time to think about Taylor – thank god Ben had said it, she thought as she stared at the trivia categories again. Because she could spend an alarming amount of time thinking about Taylor if not properly distracted.

  That was definitely not what she needed to think about tonight. Or any night.

  Chapter Eight

  Unknown number – 10:51am

  Really? You were going to put Caseton, Mississippi on

  your list and not Faircombe? Really.

  Recognition dawned within moments of Taylor opening the text. Mostly because she could immediately hear it in Brooke’s aggravated drawl.

  Taylor – 10:52am

  um who exactly is this?

  Brooke – 10:53am

  Brooke.

  Taylor – 10:53am

  Brooke… Brooke who?

  Brooke – 10:54am

  The Brooke who finally got a second to look over all

  of the notes for prospective cities to be on the list and

  is going to strangle you.

  She snorted.

  Taylor – 10:54am

  Ohhhh, Brooke B. Watson, that Brooke

  Brooke – 10:55am

  You read the part about my strangling you, right?

  Brooke – 10:55am

  And don’t you dare say “kinky” or anything like that.

  No flirting rule applies.

  Taylor – 10:55am

  Well, I’ll be more than happy to discuss kinky

  strangling, flirting, and Caseton with you when

  we go on our tour. Which will be… when, exactly?

  Really, she should thank Brooke for the opening. It had been almost a week since they’d struck their deal – but their kitchen meeting had been promptly interrupted by a confused Ben and a curious Savannah, before they could really hammer out any details.

  Brooke had swiftly shifted away from Taylor – as if they were honestly doing something other than making a deal; Brooke really had a knack of making actually innocent things seem otherwise, even if she didn’t realize it. It remained equal parts amusing and endearing.

  Brooke – 10:56am

  You’re so much work.

  We’ll do the “tour” tomorrow afternoon.

  And we will be talking about this Caseton thing.

  But not the other things.

  Taylor – 10:56am

  I’ll be waiting with bells on!

  “What are you smiling at?” Savannah asked, re-entering the hospital room from the attached bathroom.

  She shuffled to the exam table in the middle of the room with the hospital gown on, likely still a little aggrieved that she’d had to change into it, as she had been when the nurse had handed it to her a few minutes ago.

  Taylor tucked her phone into her back pocket. “Nothing. Just making some plans for tomorrow.”

  Savannah shot her a curious look as she hopped up onto the table, that pouty look leaving her face as bright blue eyes lit up with curiosity. “Plans?” Her mouth fell open in surprise. “With Marisa? Is that why she asked for your number yesterday?”

  Taylor’s eyebrows shot up on her forehead in confusion. “Marisa?”

  “You know, pretty brunette. Brooke’s assistant. Sweet tooth.” Savannah gestured vaguely with her hand. “She’s like… over a decade younger than you are. But,” she frowned in consideration, “Maybe she’s into that.” Then she continued to frown, as she waited for Taylor’s answer.

  “She asked for my number?” It only took Taylor a second to realize – and then she couldn’t help but laugh. “She got my number to give to Brooke.” Of course she wouldn’t just take the easy route and ask Ben. The thought made her roll her eyes even as she chuckled.

  Savannah’s gaze stayed on her for a few beats, curious. “Why does Brooke need your number?”

  “We’re just working on this list together.”

  Savannah frowned again at that, toying with the hem of her gown. “About the list – I’m sorry that you’re ending up with a whole new work project because of staying here for me.”

  Taylor immediately shook her head. “Hey, no. If I didn’t want to do the list, I wouldn’t do it. Who would know? Ben and Brooke? Because they religiously follow my site?”

  “Jo does.” Savannah offered up a small smile at that, a storm still in her gaze that Taylor couldn’t quite put her finger on. She toyed with the end of the medical gown she wore. “Did Ben come around to you using either the office or the kitchen? To work on the project?”

  Taylor held back a sigh. It wasn’t that Ben had said no, that she wasn’t allowed to use the house as an office. He would never do that.

  It was just that – she felt stifled trying to work there, when she felt like she was constantly in the way.

  The entirety of her interactions with Ben on a daily basis could be summed up easily: he left for work before she was awake most mornings, she was typically at Savannah’s or at the bakery when he came home, and in the off-chance that they did spend time together, Jo was there to keep up any chit-chat.

  Ben wasn’t rude to her. He never said she was in the way. He never told her she wasn’t welcome. But somehow, his distance seemed to hurt worse and it was easy to avoid that when she wasn’t faced with it every day. When even her offers of conversation were met with politeness, turned into inane chatter.

  “He hasn’t really expressed much interest,” she deliberately kept her voice light, because she didn’t like to dwell on the things she had no idea how to change.

  But Savannah sagged under the
unsaid weight of it. “Oh.” Before she sat up a bit straighter, eyes gleaming again. “Wait a minute. So, Brooke is helping you… with your list.”

  Taylor nodded, exaggeratedly slowly, confused by the change in topic. “Yes, as I said.”

  Savannah’s eyes narrowed at her, keeping her eyes trained on Taylor’s. “Hmm. I don’t know. If I didn’t know better, I’d say there was something going on there.” A sly smile started across her face.

  Unexpectedly, Taylor felt her cheeks heat, even as she laughed in amusement. “Yes, Brooke and I are engaged in a torrid love affair.”

  Savannah wriggled around to a more comfortable position on the table as she continued to watch Taylor, not laughing. Thoughtful. “No, not quite. I just feel like there’s something… off.”

  Taylor did not squirm, by nature. So she did not squirm under her sister’s surprisingly knowing look. Then again, she usually didn’t have reason to squirm. She didn’t have anything to hide – she still didn’t have anything to hide, not really.

  Except for one single night with Brooke that happened a month ago.

  Which… she couldn’t tell Savannah about, or Brooke would explode. Even if Taylor found that she did kind of want to discuss it. She wasn’t often in this position, and she had to admit that she didn’t like it. While she and Savannah had literal geographic distance between them, they shared just about everything else.

  “She wants Faircombe to potentially be on the list, so we have a little deal.” A slow smile slid over her face. “She’s going to give me a tour.”

  Savannah frowned curiously before she started to chuckle incredulously. “A tour? Of Faircombe?” She laughed even harder. “Once again, if I didn’t know any better…”