“And he still carries a torch for you?” Teresa asked.
“That’s what he tells me. He deserves…”
“Wait! You’re talking about something Peter deserves, but what about Brooke. Doesn’t she deserve something? Doesn’t Brooke deserve to be happy, healthy, and whole?”
“I guess?” Brooke answered her.
“I know. God doesn’t want you to be unhappy and spend the rest of your life paying for something that was mostly beyond your control. How well did you know Jenna?”
“Really well. Peter told me that she was back in town. I haven’t spoken to anyone but Tyler, so I haven’t had a chance to find out where she was all these years.”
“She got caught up in the social work system. She used to feel just like you do now. Unworthy. Dirty. Not fit to be around polite society. But she was wrong, and so are you.”
“How did she get past those feelings?’ Brooke asked, leaning forward in her chair. She was so anxious to have some answers.
“She forgave herself for what she couldn’t change, and then she asked God to help her with the rest. I’m not saying it was easy and all sunshine and butterflies, but she’s made it.” Teresa paused for a moment and then added, “Did you know that she thought everyone in Cathedral Hills had abandoned her, including her father? It wasn’t until she went back to that town and let people past her barriers that she realized how much she needed them to finally heal.
“I think the same could be true for you. Peter mentioned that you weren’t sure you wanted to go back home, but sweetie, you need your friends and family around you. To remind you of how special you are to them, and to let God remind you how much he loves you.”
Brooke made a face and then sadly said, “I grew up listening to sermons about how much God loved me, but it’s hard to imagine the same God who made the Earth caring about someone like me.”
Peter had been standing at the doorway listening, and couldn’t resist entering after her last comment, “Let me tell you about the Brooke Jameson you seem to have lost.”
Brooke looked up and watched as Peter approached her. When he drew close to her chair, he squatted down and took her hands in his own, “Such gentle caring hands. I remember these hands as they bandaged knees and held the hands of little campers who were spending their first nights away from mommy and daddy.”
“I remember this same person crying when, time after time, no one could find Jenna. I remember the nights you, Michelle, and Missy spent up at the church, helping Trey’s mom and dad with one project or another.”
“I remember the smile of joy on your face when you found out you’d been chosen as the Homecoming Queen our sophomore year, a fact that even the seniors had been happy about. Everyone loved your enthusiasm for living, and the joy you brought to everyone’s life. You’ve been knocked down, but you’re not out.”
Peter searched her eyes and then from the corner of his eye, he watched as Teresa slipped out the side door, leaving the two of them alone in the sunroom. He reached up and cupped her jaw, “Brooke, I know that in the eyes of God and man you are still married, but when that is no longer the case, I’m going to kiss you and then you and I are going to have a serious discussion about our future. A conversation that should have taken place over six years ago.”
Brooke heard the promise in his voice, and felt her heart speed up. Peter, in his own way, was staking his claim upon her heart. She wished that she was free to pursue that relationship right now, but their upbringing was strong, and she couldn’t just sweep it aside. I guess all of those things I learned as a young girl are still hidden down inside of me.
“So, what’s next?” she asked Peter.
“Well, Tyler informed me a few minutes ago that the girls are making threats to come out here and bring you home themselves. I’m guessing that was his way of saying he would like his sister back in Colorado. Pronto.”
Brooke smiled, “Tyler’s words?”
Peter smiled back at her, “You know it.” He sobered and then told her, “He just wants to see for himself that you’re really doing all right. You are, you know? What Teresa said about forgiving yourself for the things you had control over and letting God handle the rest? That’s the only way.”
Brooke nodded her head, a small piece of her heart and her faith starting to think maybe there was a way back after all. God, if you’re listening, please help me. I know I didn’t make the best choices, but I let myself get caught up in stuff that didn’t really matter. I turned my back on my friends. My family. On Peter. God, Teresa says I need to forgive myself…I don’t know if I can do that without Your help.
Chapter 12
Two days later, Cathedral Hills, Colorado…
Peter drove the SUV into town, stopping in front of the diner and watching as Brooke took in her surroundings. Not much had changed since he’d been gone, nor in the six plus years since she’d called Cathedral Hills her home. Sure, she’d been home a few times for short visits, but she’d made sure she spent as little time in public as possible. Now I know why.
Brooke looked at the diner and could see people inside. Some of them she recognized right away, and others looked vaguely familiar, just older. “Why are we stopped here?” she asked Peter.
“No reason. Are you ready to go home?” Peter asked, seeing how nervous she was. The medicines she’d been given in Missouri had all but eliminated her bouts of nausea and the sweats and chills she still suffered from occasionally. He looked at her, and could see a hint of color in her cheeks, and her appetite had returned with a vengeance.
Brooke nodded her head, and then leaned over on a whim and kissed Peter on the cheeks, “Thank you.”
“For?” he inquired, growing impatient to tell her about the phone call he’d received while she’d been washing up during their stop for lunch.
“For giving me the chance to get my life back.”
Peter grinned at her, “You are most welcome, darlin’. Let’s get you home. Tyler texted me during our last stop and I’m sure he’s chomping at the bit by now.”
“He probably calculated down to the minute how long it would take us to get here,” Brooke said, knowing her brother well.
“More than likely. Uh oh, Trey just stepped out of the bank and he was looking this way while he pulled his cell phone out. I’m guessing he’s telling your brother we’re in town.” Peter put the car in reverse, and then pulled back out onto the street. He slowed down and waved to Trey as they drove past, seeing the grin on his face. Yep, Tyler knew they were home!
Peter didn’t even get the vehicle to a complete stop before Michelle, Jenna, and Tyler came out of the house. Brooke threw open the door, and found herself pulled up into her brother’s arms and surrounded by two women she’d grown up with. Without even knowing it, she found herself crying and laughing all at the same time.
“Tyler, I’m so sorry,” she told her brother.
Tyler hugged her tight and then told her, “I wish you would have told me what was going on when you were home last, but that’s water under the bridge. We’re going to get through this. Together.”
Brooke nodded, and then released him to hug both Jenna and Michelle. “Congratulations!” Peter had told her about both couples getting engaged during the annual Harvest party, and Brooke had been overjoyed to know that her brother and her friends had found happiness together. Is that what Peter and I could have? Someday in the future?
Tyler helped Peter grab Brooke’s duffel bag just as Trey drove up behind his vehicle. Jenna ran over and kissed him warmly. She walked towards the house with him, arm in arm. Trey hugged Brooke and then shook Peter’s hand, “Good job, man.”
“Come on into the den after you get yourself something to drink from the kitchen,” Tyler instructed everyone, heading there himself and tossing another log on the fire. Thanksgiving was only a few weeks away, and Old Man Winter had decided to bless the mountains with a fresh blanket of snow, dropping more than six inches in places.
A
few minutes later, everyone was seated around the den and Peter knew that he wasn’t going to get a better time to make his announcement. “So…I had a call from Chandler when we stopped for fuel just after lunch.”
Brooke looked at him and frowned, “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because,” Peter told her with a smirk, “I wanted everyone to hear his news at the same time.”
“What news?” Brooke asked, nerves making her voice shake.
Tyler and Jenna were sitting on either side of her and reached over to hold her hands, “I’m sure it’s fine. Isn’t it, Peter?” Jenna told him, urging him silently to get on with it.
“It’s great news, actually. The agent in charge got his search warrant and paid Zachary a little search and seizure visit around 3 a.m. two nights ago. They not only found the vitamin bottles right where you said they were kept, they found secret video tape that Zachary had been keeping of the apartment.”
“What?!” Brooke cried. “He was videotaping me?”
“Yes, but before you start crying, that works against him. The agents went back a few weeks and saw everything from you searching for a phone, to trying to leave the apartment and finding it locked from the outside. They’ve even managed to identify the doctor Zachary brought in the next day, and he’s agreed to tell everything for a reduced sentence.”
Brooke was stunned, still unable to believe that her nightmare might truly be over. “So, are they arresting him?”
“They already did. Chandler said the judge was so upset at his duplicity within the DA’s office, she denied his bail and is holding him without bond until trial.”
“Which will be?” Brooke asked.
“Three or four months. The FBI is still building their case and trying to wrap up as many loose ends as possible. Chandler said to tell you that Marco is chilling as well.”
Brooke nodded but her mind was already making plans. If Zachary goes to court in three or four months, that means I could be free of him legally soon after that. I wonder if Peter will still feel the same…
“Brooke!”
She looked up to see everyone watching her closely, “What?”
Peter grinned at her, “Did you hear what I just said?”
“Uhm…about Marco…”
“No, after that. About the other things the judge did on your behalf.”
“No, sorry. I was…”
“No need to explain. Let’s try this again. Chandler is coming from Denver tomorrow and he will be bringing some very important papers with him. First, the judge has ordered an independent auditor to review your financial matters, and she has promised to make sure all your assets are returned to you post haste.
“Secondly, she signed your divorce request. Given that Zachary acted in extreme malice towards you, and only used the marriage as a way to control and conceal his nefarious actions, she is ruling the marriage null and void.”
“She annulled it?” Brooke asked incredulously. “Can she do that?”
“It’s already been done. For a marriage to be legally binding in the State of New York, both parties must enter into the arrangement in complete control of their faculties. The doctor admitted that he began providing the narcotics to Zachary almost a week before the actual wedding took place.”
“Brooke, that’s wonderful news!” Jenna told her, squeezing her hand until it hurt.
Brooke looked at Peter, feeling as if she’d just been given the best present ever. Thank you, God. I know I don’t deserve this chance, but thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Tyler could see the news had shocked his sister, and he suggested she take a few minutes to let everything settle in. “Why don’t the rest of you help me get dinner on the stove?” Everyone but Peter followed him from the room.
Peter walked over and sat down next to her, picking up the hand Jenna had been holding moments earlier. “You’re a free woman. No longer married, nor will there ever be a record that you were once married to Zachary Grayson.”
She watched his face, and then reached up and pushed a lock of his hair back off his forehead. “That’s pretty amazing news. It’s so much more than I ever hoped for.”
“God’s pretty amazing when he works. Now,” Peter returned her caress, cupping her jaw and smiling when she tipped her head further into his palm, “I believe I promised you something once you were no longer bound to that man.”
Brooke nodded her head, her eyes dropping to his mouth as she waited for him to kiss her. When he didn’t immediately act, she couldn’t help the request that spilled from her lips, “Please. Peter, kiss me. It’s been far too long since you did last.”
“Far too long,” he agreed, dipping his head and lightly touching his lips to her own. Neither one of them moved for the longest time, they just remained there with their lips touching each other. Brooke was holding her breath, but finally had to inhale, and that’s when Peter deepened the kiss. This is more like it!
He kissed her thoroughly, not releasing her lips until they were both out of breath. “Wow!”
“Wow doesn’t even begin to describe that,” Brooke told him.
Peter kissed her softly once more and then pulled her up from the couch and towards the kitchen and the others, “Fair warning. I’ll give you a month to get adjusted, but then I aim to ask you a very important question, and the answer had better be ‘Yes’!”
Brooke laughed at him, “You can’t demand I say ‘Yes’.”
“I just did. And you know what, in a month, you won’t want to say ‘No”.”
I don’t want to say ‘No’ now! “We’ll see.”
Peter gave her a sideways grin, and then shook his head at her when he realized she was trying to tease him. “One month.”
Chapter 13
Chandler arrived late the next afternoon, and just like Peter had said, he had several pieces of paperwork for Brooke. The most important of course, was the paperwork nullifying her marriage to Zachary Grayson!
His visit was short and sweet, and Brooke was thoroughly enchanted by the older man. “Are you sure that you don’t have a wife somewhere waiting for you?” she asked as he prepared to leave their sleepy little town.
“No. My work was my wife, and a hard taskmaster she was. I have several nieces and nephews though, and when I retire next month, I am going to enjoy spending the holidays with them.”
Brooke smiled at him, “So, I haven’t asked yet, but will I have to go back to New York and testify against Zachary?”
“Well, that depends on the judge who gets the case, and whether or not they agree to accept a plea deal from his lawyers.”
“Is that likely?” Brooke asked, not wanting to hear that Zachary might be set free any time soon.
“No, probably not. The agent in charge is fairly certain that Zachary is the man they’ve been looking for. If they can prove that, he won’t be given the option of a plea deal.”
“What do they need to prove his guilt?” Brooke asked.
“They need to tie him to having dealings and changing money with any of number of South American bad guys.”
Brooke was silent for a moment as she dealt with one of her biggest fears concerning this part of her life. The pictures! Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Would pictures of some of those people help?”
Chandler looked at her and nodded his head eagerly, “Would they ever? Would those same pictures have you featured in them as well?”
She nodded her head, “Yes! I think so. Marco was advertising my escort services and photographs to be seen with me. He had advertisements written in Spanish in his office the last time I confronted him. He’s not the smartest cookie in the jar; he probably still has them lying all over his desk.”
Chandler scribbled a few notes down on a piece of paper and then grinned at her, “I’ll let the agent in charge know. I believe they searched Marco’s home, but not his office yet.”
“Just…could you ask your friend to try and contain those photographs? To my knowledge
they weren’t released inside the United States, and I’d really like to keep it that way.”
“I’ll pass that information along. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Brooke breathed a sigh of relief and gave him a small smile, “I’m glad.”
Chandler saw Peter come out of the diner, and he met him halfway with a handshake. “You take care of that girl there. She’s been through a lot and doesn’t think she’s strong, but I’ve been doing this a long time. She’s got an inner strength she’s not even aware of. She deserves to be happy for the rest of her life.”
Peter gazed at Brooke and nodded his head. “That would be the number one goal of my life right now. Shall I have Michelle send you an invitation to the wedding?”
Chandler laughed and slapped him on the back, “You do that, son. I must just come back to Colorado to congratulate you both in person.”
Peter joined Brooke, and they watched as the man drove out of town. “Everyone’s waiting for you back inside the diner,” he reminded her when she would have stayed outside in the cold a little while longer. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms, having come outside without grabbing his coat first.
“You’re cold! We need to go back inside,” she told him, hurrying them both in the direction of the front door.
Brooke was greeted by warm hugs and friendly handshakes from the diner occupants. George was in his usual place behind the cook stove, and he waved a spatula at her by way of greeting.
Missy was very pregnant, and waddled her way between Jenna and Michelle to give Brooke a hug. “I’m so glad you’re back home!”
Brooke looked down at her stomach and then asked, “Should you be here?”
Missy laughed, “I still have a few weeks left to go. Or so the doctor tells me. Personally, I think this baby is going to make an appearance around Thanksgiving, but what do I know?”
Brooke laughed a little and then was pulled away to receive more hugs and greetings. By the time she and Peter reached the circular table that had been reserved for their small little group of friends, she was laughing and relaxed in a way that hadn’t occurred in years!
Romance: Brooke and Peter - A Christian Romance as a Love Story: (Romance, Christian Romance, Romance Novel, Romance Book) (Cathedral Hills Book 3) Page 8
