Finally, Julie broke the ice. “So, how is everyone?”
Nellie shot me a look, but otherwise stayed quiet.
“I’m good,” Mady finally answered, because no one else did. Then, in her usual bubbly candor, she added, “Come on, guys. It can’t be that serious!”
“Oh, trust me. It is. How would you feel if your best friend fucked your brother?”
“I honestly don’t know.” Mady shrugged. “I don’t have a brother. But what I do know is that you guys are the glue in this group. Don’t let this be the end of our foursome!”
“The only reason I even came tonight is because I didn’t think she would be here,” Nellie spat.
“Look, I know I hurt you. And for that, I’m truly sorry, but—”
“No!” She pointed her finger at me, her face the color of an overripe tomato. “Don’t you dare follow up an apology with a but. You’re either sorry or you’re not. It’s an apology or an excuse; you can’t have it both ways, Brooklyn.”
Brooklyn? If that was the worst she could think of to call me, then we’d be all right. Using my given name rather than issuing hateful ones was a good sign that we’d be able to work things out.
“I’m not really all that surprised at my brother’s part in it. Most men don’t know how to keep their dicks in their pants. But the part you played? Surprised the fuck out of me. Want to know why?” She set her stare right on me and said, “Because I never thought you were a slut.”
Strike that. Name calling had ensued.
“Maybe you should let her speak, Nell. Will you at least hear her out before slinging mud?” Julie suggested gently.
Nellie thought about that for a minute and then nodded at me.
“I hated lying to you, but I did so out of fear over losing you, because you are that important to me. I was scared to death that if I told you how I was feeling, you’d cut me out of your life, and I can’t imagine a world where we aren’t friends.”
“I can’t, either!” Mady exclaimed. “I imagine the four of us growing old together and complaining about things only old people complain about.”
“Mady, let her finish!” Julie admonished.
“It’s not coming out right.” I lowered my head into my hands and took a second to breathe before dropping my arms, meeting her eyes, and trying again. “I’m sorry. I screwed up! I’ve grown up watching dirty skanks pretend to be your friend and then spend all their time at your house following your brother around. And I guess I didn’t want you to think that I was just as bad as they were—or worse. I wanted to prove that I was better than all of them. So yes, I hid it from you. It wasn’t planned. It just happened—literally. And I can’t even blame him, because I’m the one who initiated things to begin with.”
“See?” Nellie glanced between Mady and Julie while pointing at me. “Slut.”
“That’s not cool, Nellie.” Based on Julie’s expression, she was dangerously close to speaking her mind, and it didn’t look like it would be something Nellie would appreciate hearing.
But I was capable of fighting my own battles.
“I’m not a slut. And you know that. You, of all people, know what kind of person I am. I’m a good person who happened to have made a mistake. I allowed fear to control my decisions. I was so afraid to lose you that I kept things from you, things I knew would hurt you instead of giving you the benefit of the doubt—instead of giving our friendship more credit.”
At least she wasn’t interrupting me or calling me names. I’d call that a win so far.
“I’m sorry for lying to you, Nellie. But I’m not sorry for being with him, because I love him. Never in a million years did I expect this to happen, but it did. I love him, and I’m a better version of myself because of him. So please, Nellie, I’m begging you, please don’t let this be the end of us. Because for the first time in my life, my future feels so fucking bright and promising, and I can’t imagine not having you in it.” I sniffled and wiped my nose with my napkin.
She took a minute to wipe her eyes too, and then cleared her throat before speaking. “I just never thought you’d lie to me. And I wasn’t even prepared for how much it hurt.”
“I know.” People I cared about had lied to me, like Chase, and it hadn’t felt good. In any way, shape, or form. “Trust me, if I could go back and do things differently, I would.”
“I’d suspected that you and Corbin had something going on, but I never considered the possibility of it being serious, or that you loved each other. That never even crossed my mind because you were so secretive about it. I assumed that if you were hiding it, it must not be real.”
“I understand.” And I did. Hearing her point of view made complete sense. We’d both made assumptions and had presumed the wrong thing. “Are you still my lobster?”
She rolled her teary eyes and waved me off with a genuine laugh. “Duh. Don’t you know? Once two lobsters lock claws on the ocean floor, they’re besties for life.” We hugged each other, holding on a little bit longer. “I’m sorry, lobs.”
“I’m sorry too, lobs!”
“Aww! The lobsters have found each other again!” Mady clapped excitedly.
“You’ll always be my lobster, Brooke. No matter what!” Nellie beamed.
Chapter 27
Corbin
My heart pounded wildly as I shifted the car into park in front of my parents’ house.
I had a big announcement—well, two big announcements—and I wasn’t sure how they would react. Truth be told, I didn’t care how they felt about my news, but I had to tell them anyway, so I figured there was no better time to do that than Easter Sunday.
“Are you sure about this, Corbin?” Brooke asked from the passenger seat, concern dancing in her eyes as she studied me. It seemed she could sense my trepidation. “You know you don’t have to say anything today if you’re not ready.”
I was confident in my news, excited even. But at the end of the day, I was still a boy who hoped to have my parents’ approval. Not that I would change my mind if they didn’t give it to me, but still, I sought it all the same.
I squeezed her hand and smiled. “Nah, I’ll be okay. As long as I have you by my side, I can’t lose.”
Over the last week, I’d been working on making my dream a reality—with Brooke’s help. If not for her, I never would’ve realized my potential or found my passion. I owed so much to this woman, and I was happy to have a chance to repay her every day for the rest of my life.
She gave me a quick kiss and then opened the car door, preventing me from stalling even longer. She was right; I had to get this over with, knowing that once the cat was out of the bag, we could all enjoy Easter lunch.
Brooke gave my hand another squeeze as we walked into the house. I wasn’t sure if she’d done so to calm herself or offer me support. Either way, it settled my nerves as I made my way down the hall to the dining room. I had to admit, walking into my parents’ house while holding her hand gave me a sense of power I’d never experienced before. There was something about having the support of someone I love that made me feel untouchable.
“Look who’s here,” Nellie said with a smile when I rounded the corner to the dining room.
Mom beamed when she turned around, but once she saw Brooke behind me, and then dropped her attention to our linked hands, her excitement fell. Not that she was unhappy about what she saw, just taken by surprise.
Dad shook off his confusion quickly and came over to pat me on the back in his typical greeting. “Happy Easter, son.” And then he nodded at Brooke. “Good to see you again, young lady.”
“Well, this is certainly a surprise.” Mom gave Brooke a small hug and then moved to me. “When you said you were bringing someone, I thought it would be Lindsey.” Of course she did, because for some reason, no one in this family was capable of letting that go.
The biggest reason I hadn’t informed my parents about my relationship with Brooke and wanted to wait until now was because I knew them. No matter how mu
ch they disagreed with it, they’d never let that be known, and I wanted Brooke to see their acceptance—even if it was only for show. And I really wanted to give them a chance to see us together. Like, really together. I figured if they got to see us interact naturally—as in not having to pretend that we were only acquaintances—they’d come around a lot sooner.
“Mom, Dad…you guys have made your opinion known. There’s no question in any of our minds that you both wish for Lindsey and me to work things out. But I need you to know—no, I need you to accept that it’s never going to happen. On top of me not wanting it to, Lindsey’s engaged…to someone else.” I had to add in that last part to ensure that neither of my parents would assume, for whatever reason, that I’d meant with me.
Dad plastered a wide grin on his face and said, “Well, regardless, we’re happy to have you, Brooklyn. You know you’re always welcome in our home.” And then he extended an arm toward the table, gesturing for us all to take a seat.
Seeing the extra place setting next to where I always sat made me giddy. I’d endured two dinners having to sit across from Brooke, and finally, I got to have her next to me. I couldn’t have been happier.
“Things are already changing,” Nell whined as she plopped into her seat, her bottom lip poking out like she were a child. “I don’t even get to sit next to my best friend anymore. This is so unfair!”
Taking her seat next to me, Brooke giggled. “How about we alternate? Next time I’ll sit next to you.”
“Deal.” Well, that was easy.
Maybe the rest of this meal would be just as smooth.
I almost laughed at myself for that ridiculous thought.
“Does this mean you two are dating?” Mom asked after taking a sip of her wine.
“Yes. We’ve been seeing each other for a month now. We haven’t said anything to anyone about it because we wanted to see if we had anything before…making it official, I guess you can say. But now we’re ready to take it to the next step.”
Mom gasped and held her napkin over her lips. “Are you getting married?”
Brooke laughed nervously next to me, but I ignored that to answer my mom. “No, we’re not. There are other steps that need to be taken first—such as realizing that we want to be more serious than just seeing where things go. Trust me, you’ll know when I’m ready to pop the question.”
Truth be told, I already knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Brooke, but there was no need to rush it. We both wanted to do things the right way, considering we hadn’t done so until this point. I trusted that she felt the same way as I did, so there was no reason to skip the important milestones. But I couldn’t lie…I doubted I’d be able to wait long before moving her in with me. We just had to figure out how to deal with the Phyllis situation before that happened.
“Go ahead”—I gestured to my parents, knowing their minds were swirling with thoughts they weren’t sharing—“say what you want. This is your time to share your opinions, comments, or concerns, because once we leave here, your opportunity will have passed.”
They glanced at one another, and then my mom turned to look at Nellie. “How do you feel about this, Penelope? I assumed out of the three of us, you’d be the one with the problem. After all, isn’t she your best friend?”
Leave it to my mother to put the burden of objecting onto someone else.
Luckily for us, Brooke and I had spent a good amount of effort this past week working things out with my sister. She’d even created a plan of her own, one that ensured that she would still get to see Brooke as much, if not more, than she always had.
Nell’s brows knitted together as she glanced around the table, somewhat offended and maybe a little confused. “My best friend and my brother? Why on earth would I object to that? I’ve always thought of her as a sister, and now she actually gets to be one! What’s there to complain about?”
“Well, I just meant if they break up. I’m sure that would put you in a bad position.”
“No it won’t. If they break up—which I highly doubt they will, but if they do—it won’t affect my relationship with Brooke. It’ll just mean Corbin will be dead to me.” She winked at me in jest.
When my dad cleared his throat, I knew he was about to say something that would either upset Brooke or piss me off. “I think I can speak for the both of us when I say we’re happy for the two of you. As long as you’re happy, we’re happy. But I also want to make sure you’re aware of what you’re getting into.”
“Dad, I appreciate your concern, but this isn’t my first relationship. I’m well aware of what I’m getting myself into.”
“That’s not what I mean, son. You’ve really only been in one serious relationship, and that was with a woman who didn’t need to be taken care of. She didn’t have to rely on you for anything. This relationship will be very different from that one.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, Mr. Fields, but I’ve been taking care of myself for years. I was seventeen when my mom was diagnosed with cancer. So not only did I have to rely on myself, but I also had to care for my mother. By the time I was twenty, I was all alone. I didn’t have anyone to come to my rescue. I supported myself. I relied on myself.” God I loved this woman—her strength, her determination, and the way she could stand up for herself with offending anyone.
In fact, if anything, her words had seemed to leave my dad embarrassed. “Oh, no. My apologies. That’s not the way I’d meant that at all.”
Lies. That was exactly what he meant.
“With all due respect, Mr. and Mrs. Fields, I love your son. I understand that you’re only looking out for his best interest, but so am I. I may not have a six-figure salary, but that doesn’t mean I don’t live and breathe my job the same as the two of you. I’m responsible for eighteen six- and seven-year-olds. Just because I don’t have a corner office doesn’t mean what I do isn’t important. In fact, some might argue that what I do is more important, because I’m responsible for molding future generations.” She glanced between my parents and added, “So please, believe me when I say I’m just as invested in your son’s best interests as you are.”
“You don’t have to worry about that, Brooklyn.” Mom smiled, and there wasn’t a piece of me that doubted how genuine and sincere it was. “We believe you.”
“Just as long as you don’t come over and announce you’ve quit your job, we’ll be okay.” Dad might’ve thought he was being funny, but that didn’t stop Brooke from choking on her water, or Nellie from kicking me under the table.
“Well, there is something else I want to tell you guys.” There really was no easy way to put this. My only option was to just spit it out. So, after a deep breath, I grabbed Brooke’s hand in her lap and blurted, “I’ve decided to leave AdCorp.”
Dad stared at me with wide, bright eyes. “Does this mean you’re coming to work for us?”
“Uh, no. Not exactly.”
His excitement quickly fell from his face. “Then where are you going?”
I’d spent years dreaming of doing something else, but it’d always felt like a pipedream, something I’d never be able to materialize. That was, until Brooke. That dream began to get bigger and louder and brighter after the beautification day at her school. And ever since then, I hadn’t been able to ignore it. Finally, a little over a week ago, I’d spent all day on the phone making plans instead of doing my actual job. I’d done all of this without even discussing it with Brooke, so no matter what my parents had to say about it, they couldn’t blame her.
Brooke squeezed my hand in a much-needed show of support and then said, “He’s starting a non-profit organization that’ll offer better work and education opportunities to those who need it most.”
Last week, when Brooke had come to my place after making up with my sister, I told her everything. I’d been excited to discuss the early details with her, but I had wanted to wait until I knew, without a doubt, that I’d be able to move forward with my idea. And earlier that day, after I’d r
eturned from confessing my love to her, I’d gotten the call letting me know that I’d gotten the greenlight.
I still found myself unworthy of her reaction when she’d found out exactly what I had orchestrated. Her love and support were all I needed, yet she’d offered so much more than that. She’d given me enthusiasm, praise, but most of all, she’d given me a purpose.
“I don’t get it, Corbin.” My mom studied me from across the table. “Your passion is corporate marketing. You’ve been working toward making the switch from AdCorp to our firm so that, one day, you’d be the one running the company.”
“Those were your dreams—yours and Dad’s.”
“Don’t put this on us, son.” Apparently, Dad didn’t appreciate being called out. “We never forced you into anything.”
While that was debatable, I chose not to use this time arguing with him. Pointing out all the grooming he’d done my entire life would only be a waste of time. Instead, I decided to speak from the heart and hope he understood. “Do you really want to know what I want?”
They both sat silently and nodded.
“I want to be happy going to work every day. And while I enjoy the creativeness of what I do, coming up with marketing strategies for big companies to make even more money doesn’t make me happy. It feels like a waste of my talent, my time, and my energy.”
“So how does this new venture fit into your need to fulfill that in your life?”
“Easy…it allows me to help the less fortunate rise above the limitations life has set on them. I can help them reach what society has told them is impossible. Do you have any idea how many underprivileged youths don’t attend college simply because of financial reasons? Even with a scholarship, they’re less likely to attend a four-year college, or finish, because they can’t support themselves and focus on their workload at school at the same time. I can help with that.”
Silence filled the room while I sat there holding Brooke’s hand. My parents looked at each other as if reading their minds, and Nell smiled at me from across the table, offering support I hadn’t really sought yet was more than grateful to receive. And Brooke remained by my side, where she had promised she’d always be.
The unEXpected Plan Page 29
