“Yeah, it all really happened and everyone is fine,” Cooper said, understanding his brother’s confusion.
“Including that woman?” Calvin asked, actually blushing when he remembered the sight of her standing over him in her underwear.
Cooper was shocked to see his brother blush, but was smart enough not to ask why. Instead, he asked, “You mean the one whose living room floor you ended up lying on?”
“Yes, of course. Who else would I be talking about?” Calvin asked, becoming annoyed.
“That’s Brooke Jenkins, she’s our new eco-tourism host, if she decides to stay that is,” Cooper said, watching for his brother’s reaction.
“She might not stay?” Calvin asked, more upset by that thought than he should have been.
“Well, I wouldn’t blame her if she left. Only two days after she got here, you showed up in her front yard half dead. That would frighten most people off,” Cooper said, then added, “But I think Brooke is stronger than most people.”
Calvin seemed to relax when he heard those words. “Has she been to visit?” Calvin asked, looking at himself in the hospital bed thinking that he wasn’t exactly at his best, but then realized that she’d seen him in bad shape already, not to mention mostly naked.
“No, but I could ask her to come if you like,” Cooper said, even more convinced that Calvin had a crush on his rescuer.
“Oh, um, no, don’t do that. I want to thank her, but I don’t want her to drive all this way. I know, I’ll send her some flowers,” Calvin said, warming to the idea. “Can you help me out with that?”
“What did you have in mind? Red roses?” Cooper asked, teasing again.
Calvin thought about that for a minutes, then decided that red roses signified something other than what he wanted. “Red roses are more for, uh, you know, romance,” he finally said, then added, “Just get something big and over the top.”
“What’s wrong with romance? She’s a very beautiful woman. If I wasn’t engaged to Paige...” Cooper let his words trail off, trying not to laugh when his brother sent him a dirty look.
“I’m going to tell Paige you said that,” Calvin said, glaring at his brother. “I don’t want to give Brooke the wrong impression. She saved my life and I’m thankful for that.”
Calvin studied his brother for a long time, then said, “Something happened between the two of you, I know you too well.”
“First, if something did happen between us, it’s none of your business and second, what did happen was perfectly innocent, so back off,” Calvin said, his anger making his shoulder throb.
Cooper could see the pain in Calvin’s eyes and decided to back off. He’d known that something had happened between Calvin and Brooke and his brother’s reaction not only told him he was right but that Calvin was smitten with Brooke. Of course it could be simply the fact that she’d saved his life, but Cooper was no fool. His brother was the most logical of people. He would know the realty of that possibility.
“Sorry, I was just teasing. I’ll take Brooke the biggest bouquet I can find,” Cooper said, then added, “That’s a morphine drip right by your hand, push the button.”
“First give me a piece of paper, I want to write her a note, and have the flowers delivered,” Calvin said, painfully scooting up in the bed when Cooper handed him a scrap of paper and a pen, thankful that it was his left shoulder that had been hurt.
“You want me to pay someone to take the flowers up there even though I could do it myself?” Cooper asked, shocked that his normally cheap brother would want to spend money when he didn’t have to.
“I don’t care what it costs, that’s the way I want it,” Calvin said, folding up the paper and handing it to Cooper.
“Okay, whatever you say. You want me to do this now?” Cooper asked, not able to resist annoying his brother a little more.
“What do you think?” Calvin asked, then pushed the button on his morphine drip, breathing in short gasps from the pain.
“Okay, sorry. I’ll let you sleep now,” Cooper said, heading for the door. “But I’ll be back in a while with Paige, she’s dying to see you.”
“I’d like to see her too,” Calvin said, his voice already groggy from the drugs.
Chapter 3
As the days passed, Brooke began to feel more and more comfortable in Coldwater Canyon. She found a nice young man named Tom to help her with the farm and Marissa found him a place to live with one of the other families not far from the farm. Between the two of them, they would work their way from the top of the house to the bottom, leaving the attic for last since it was packed to the rafters with boxes, and Brooke was pretty sure there would be some treasures in those boxes.
She was a little disappointed that Calvin didn’t come to visit her, but when she went over to the school in the little town of Cedar Ridge to check her email, there was a long message from him. He explained that as much as he wanted to come see her, he had business out of the country but that he’d visit when he returned at the end of October. Hardly able to understand why it was so important that he come visit, she went home feeling depressed. His email had been kind of impersonal, but it wasn’t like they really knew each other, she reasoned.
Her black mood didn’t last long, however, because when she got home that day, there was another huge bouquet sitting on the kitchen table. Inside the envelope attached to the bouquet was another handwritten note from Calvin, this one much more personal including a line from Shakespeare. Looking at the note, she felt a little tingle of excitement in her belly. She’d been thinking about Calvin a lot lately but had convinced herself that the attraction she’d felt had only been one-sided.
By the end of October, Brooke had flowers all over the house, and she and Calvin had begun exchanging emails several times a week. His were full of stories about the people he’d met in South Africa where she now understood he was working as geologist looking for new diamond mines and hers were about the progress she was making on the farm house. The emails were chatty and friendly and the flowers still came with handwritten notes with romantic poetry, but they never discussed anything more personal than their likes and dislikes.
Brooke knew that Calvin would be home for the big Halloween party and was on edge about seeing him. Although they’d already met face to face, this would be different. So, when Marissa suggested a shopping trip to town for costumes, she was more than happy to go along. As they drove, Marissa rattled on about the plans for the big party, not really noticing her friend’s silence, but finally she paused and glanced quickly at Brooke.
“You seem distracted, something you want to talk about?” Marissa asked, glancing again at Brooke as she drove.
Brooke took a deep breath, then began to explain. “I’m nervous about seeing Calvin. We’ve been exchanging emails and he sends me flowers all time with poetry in the cards. But I’m not sure what it all means. I’m not very good at this sort of thing.”
“Well, if you want my opinion, I think it means that he likes you,” Marissa said carefully, waiting to see Brooke’s reaction.
Brooke blushed, then lowered her eyes to her lap. “That’s what I thought.”
“Do you like him?”
“I think so. I mean when I touch him...” Brooke trailed off, unable to complete her sentence, it was so embarrassing.
“You feel a tingle,” Marissa finished for her, then added, “There’s something else bothering you.”
“I’m probably being stupid, but I don’t know what he’d see in me. I’m not educated like he is, I’m not a fashion model, and I can’t help but wonder about the most important difference,” Brooke said very quickly.
Marissa was silent for a long time thinking about how to reply to Brooke. Finally, she said, “Well, as to your education, I don’t see that as any big deal. Just because all of the Montgomery boys were gifted with brains and good looks doesn’t mean that they expect everyone to be educated like they were. Cooper didn’t go to
college, he just started working for their family business.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Brooke said, feeling much better.
“As to your fashion model comment, have you forgotten who you’re talking to? I’m the queen of curvy fashions, and it’s time you realized just how beautiful you are, Brooke. Not all men want their women skinny. In fact, I think you’ll find that real men want real women,” Marissa said with so much conviction that Brooke had to look at her.
“But what about the other?”
“You mean the fact that you’re black? Again, stop and think about where you are. I doubt that it’s even entered Calvin’s mind,” Marissa said, waving her hand in the air.
Brooke was silent for a long time, Marissa’s words made her feel better, but now she was suddenly afraid of getting her heart broken. “I’m scared to let myself care. I’m just begging to feel like my old self, I don’t know how to handle this. I know it’s stupid, but sometimes I think that everyone I love dies,” she finally said, trusting Marissa with one of her darkest fears.
“Oh, honey, I know it may feel like that, but it’s not true. You had a string of really terrible things happen to you, but I think you’ll find that you’re stronger than you think. Just take your time with Calvin, he’s a good guy,” Marissa said, then asked, “Have you talked to him about this?”
“No, we don’t really talk about things like that,” Brooke said, shrugging her shoulders.
“Well, there will be plenty of time for that. We’re going to find you something sexy to wear to the party,” Marissa said. Then when Brooke snorted, she added, “This is what I do best, trust me.”
Brooke put the finishing touches on her makeup, glad that she finally had electricity. Her solar panels had been installed a few days ago and while she still didn’t have heat, she had hot water and lights. She could easily make it through the winter now, especially since she and Tom had moved her bed into the living room last week. It looked a little strange, but one night of shivering in her bed upstairs had convinced her.
Marissa had designed her costume, the first one she’d worn since she’d been a kid. She’d make a convincing witch only if you like those cheap cable shows that were more about sex than the story line, but she had to admit that she did feel sexy in the outfit. Hearing a knock on the door, she opened it expecting to find Tom who had agreed to pick her up that night, but instead Calvin was standing on the porch. Her heart immediately leapt into her throat at the sight of him, making it hard for her to breathe.
“Hi, Brooke. Marissa said you needed a ride,” Calvin said, his eyes roving up and down her body, then locking on her eyes.
Her heart pounding in her chest, she took a step back to let him into the house, unable to say anything. The last time she’d seen Calvin, he’d been covered with blankets, pale and injured, but the man in front of her looked nothing like that man. This man looked unbelievably handsome and healthy in a dark suit, a cape attached to his shoulders, his hair slicked back off his face only making his blue eyes look that much bluer.
“I promise not to bite,” he said, flashing her a smile that was full of fake fangs.
Her heart still fluttering, she managed to squeak out, “Oh, I don’t know if I should ride with a vampire.”
“I think you’ll be fine. After all, if I get out of hand you can always cast a spell on me. It’s well known that witches are stronger than vampires,” he said, flashing her a big smile. “But then again, you might have already done that,” he added, holding out his arm for her to take.
She took his arm, unable to find any words after his last comment, letting him help her into his truck for the short ride to Marissa’s house, accurately called Honey Hills. When they got there, he helped her out of the truck, taking her hips in his hands and lifting her down, his hands burning into her skin where they touched her. Then he took her hand firmly in his and led her into the house. Once inside, he was forced to let go of her hand, but she could tell he was reluctant to do so.
Brooke was glad for the time to recover from Calvin showing up on her doorstep, so she let herself be pulled away from him. She saw Marissa across the room and couldn’t miss the look of satisfaction in her eyes when she smiled at Brooke. It was then that she realized that Marissa had planned the whole thing. Bless her heart, she was match making. Shaking her head at Marissa, she followed Margret over to where the kids were bobbing for apples.
It was several hours before she saw Calvin again. The men had gathered on the back lawn to discuss the possibility of opening a hunting season in the canyon and she spotted him across the lawn when she stepped out of the house for some fresh air. As soon as he saw her, he broke away from the group of men without a word and joined her on the porch.
“They seem to think that a short hunting season would be a good idea,” he said, gesturing to the men on the lawn. “I personally don’t have a stake in the discussion, but it makes sense to me.”
“Oh, at my grandparent’s farm, we always hunted. My grandfather always said it was payback for all the crops the deer and rabbits ate,” Brooke said, smiling at the memory of trying to stay quiet out hunting with her grandfather.
“You went hunting?” Calvin asked, his surprise clear in his voice.
“I had an unusual childhood. My parents were both musicians, so they traveled a lot and when they did, I stayed at my grandparents’ farm in Pennsylvania. It was kind of out in the middle of nowhere like Coldwater Canyon is. So, I spent half my life in New York and the other half in Pennsylvania,” Brooke explained.
Calvin was silent for a long time. “That must have been hard, living in two different worlds,” he finally said.
“I tried to make the best of both worlds, but until now I haven’t really been able to fit completely into either. In the city, I longed for a simpler life, but when I was out in the country, it just wasn’t enough. I think I missed people,” Brooke said, only just then really understanding the weight of what she’d just said.
She been floating from job to job, never quite content with what she was doing. But as she talked to Calvin, something clicked inside her head; what she’d needed all these years was exactly what she had now. She’d have the freedom of the country, but also the companionship of not only her neighbors, but the guests who came to stay with her. It was a bit of a shock to realize that she was finally where she belonged.
Calvin took her arm and led her over to one of the couches spread around the porch. There was a heater not far away, but it was still a bit chilly. When Brooke shivered, Calvin put his arm around her and pulled her closer. She sat a bit stiffly in his arms for a second, then relaxed as her heartbeat sped up then slowed back down at the feel of his arm around her.
“You sound like you just figured that out,” Calvin said, looking down at her, thinking that her brown eyes were the most interesting shade he’d ever seen.
“I think I just did,” she said, laughing. “Between everything I learned from my grandparents and my time in the city, I’m perfect suited for Coldwater Canyon.”
“Your grandparents seem like really great people,” Calvin said, wanting to keep her talking, his curiosity about her growing by the second.
“Oh, they were. But I lost them a couple of years ago. A drunk driver hit them on their way to the grocery store. The worst part is that after fifty years of running the farm, they’d just leased it out and moved to town to take it easy,” Brooke said, then just managed to stifle the sob that wanted to escape.
Calvin wanted to take the pain he heard in her voice away but had no idea how to do that, so instead he pulled her closer and wrapped both arms around her. He felt her gradually relax and said, “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to upset you. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”
Nestled in Calvin’s arms, she felt stronger than she ever had when she’d talked about her grandparents. Taking a deep breath, she waded on wanting to get the whole story out now that she’d starte
d. “Right after my grandparents were killed, my parents left for a tour of Europe. Three months later, their plane crashed into the ocean and their bodies were never found.”
Now Calvin knew his heart was breaking for sure. “So, you’re all alone.”
“Well, I felt that way for a long time, but now that I’m here in Coldwater Canyon not as much,” she said, shaking with suppressed sorrow, trying to be thankful for what she had.
“You know, it’s okay to cry, I won’t run away from you,” Calvin said, rubbing her back in small circles.
“I know, but I’ve already cried so much. I’m trying to be positive, look at all the good things I have in life,” she said, shrugging her shoulders and pulling back a little, feeling better that she’d told him.
Calvin pulled back too, then tipped her head up to look in her eyes. “You’re an amazing woman, Brooke, don’t ever forget that.”
When his mouth came down on hers, she thought she was ready, but nothing could have prepared her for the fireworks that exploded around them when his lips touched hers. Before she could stop herself, she’d slid her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her and opened her lips to let his tongue slide inside her mouth. The kiss alone was hotter than anything she’d ever experienced, but when Calvin pulled her up against his body, what had been a low pulse of electricity flared until her body was charged with desire.
Unable to breath, Brooke threw her head back gasping for air. Calvin’s mouth found her exposed neck and he nibbled and kissed it until she grabbed his head and brought it back to her mouth. Had she been conscious of her actions, she would have been embarrassed by her behavior, but at that moment all that she could think of was getting closer to Calvin and the heat he created deep inside her.
But all too soon, or maybe not soon enough, one of the men on the lawn let out a loud laugh and they realized where they were. Suddenly embarrassed, Brooke started to pull away from Calvin, but he pulled her back to him. “That was better than waking up with your wonderful body pressed against mine.”
Never Let Go (Brothers From Money Book 9) Page 3
