Rumor Has It (Friendship, Texas Book 2)

by Magan Vernon

  I leaned into press my lips to his, but before his breath was even a whisper on my lips, the back patio door opened, and loud boot steps sounded on the wooden floor. Seriously, how many times could I be labia locked?

  I jumped back, gasping until I was at the opposite end of the sofa.

  Tameem Jahid was a man who everyone noticed. Even in his late fifties, he was still a good-looking rancher with his short salt and pepper hair usually covered in a Stetson Stallion hat. He had a dark olive complexion over his six-foot-two frame that had spent many years working on the ranch and could probably bench press a cow with those biceps. But when Tameem smiled, it lit up his entire face and melted his tough exterior.

  “Brooke Carrington, is that you in my house?” he asked, his Lebanese accent still thick even though he’d been living in the states for almost forty years.

  I stood up, and Tameem crossed the room, embracing me in a big hug. The guy was always like a second dad or an amazing uncle. Having him take me in his arms and inhaling his familiar scent of Old Spice and hay was like coming home.

  When Tameem released me, he kept his hands on my shoulders. “Haven’t seen you around these parts in a while. Your mom didn’t tell me you’d be staying.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but at least long enough to help get things settled.”

  “Good. Real good,” Tameem said, squeezing my shoulder and looking at Eddie. “I see you two got reacquainted. Y’all aren’t causing any trouble, are you? I don’t want to have to bail anyone out of jail, and I think your publicist would kill me, Ed.”

  Eddie laughed. “No, sir. Just ran into Brooke at the bakery and things got a little crazy, so we came back here. Conti’s should be coming by with a pizza any minute.”

  Tameem nodded. “Good. Well, I’m glad to have you two both around again. You tell your mom y’all better be here for Thanksgiving supper next week. It’s a tradition that we aren’t gonna break.”

  “Oh. Yeah. I’ll remind her.”

  Thanksgiving. I didn’t even think about it being next week. I still had a ticket in my purse to fly to St. Louis with Drake to see his family. I’d met them a handful of times when they came in to visit during college, but I purposely avoided having him meet mine. Even after all these years together, I was still putting my guard up with him. I always thought it was because I was a giant commitmaphobe, but now, staring at the smiling boy next door, I knew the real reason why I couldn’t be with anyone else.

  The doorbell rang and knocked me out of my reverie. Eddie squeezed my shoulder and slid past me to the door. “That should be the pizza.”

  “Ey! Eddie Jahid! The Grand Pooh-bah himself is back!” a familiar deep voice said.

  I turned around to see Nicky Conti standing in the doorway. His looks hadn’t changed much since high school, except he’d put on about another one hundred pounds. He’d always been the big teddy bear, and while everyone else was kind of an ass to me, Nicky was always the big brother looking out for me when I worked at the restaurant.

  Eddie smiled, taking the food and pulling his wallet out to hand Nicky a very large bill. Nicky went to get change out of a black bag, and Eddie shook his head. “Keep it. It’s probably back asshole tax from all of those years I was a little shit, sitting in the back of the restaurant and making Brooke bring me free breadsticks.”

  Nicky laughed a deep belly laugh. “You sure, man?”

  Eddie smiled. “Positive.”

  Nicky grinned, stuffing the large bill in his pocket. “It’s like a high school reunion here with you two together. It’s been a long time. How long are y’all staying?”

  It always cracked me up that the Conti kids looked like straight-off-the-boat Italians, but then they opened their mouth, and their syrupy sweet Texas accent would come out. I guess that was what happened when Italian immigrants decided to settle in small town Texas and have three kids.

  I opened my mouth to speak, but Eddie went first. “We’ll be around for a little while. Maybe we’ll have time to come by the restaurant.”

  Nicky nodded. “Yeah, Pops would like seeing y’all. Well, at least he’d enjoy seeing Brooke. You know I married Dana Jones from our class. She’s pregnant now with our daughter, and she’s a good wife and all, but I think Pops would have preferred if Brooke had stayed on as a waitress instead of her.”

  “Wow. Married? A kid? You’ve really gotten around, Nick,” Eddie said, lightly jabbing his shoulder.

  Nicky nodded. “Yeah. You know, some of us stayed in Friendship and got married. Some of us went on to be famous country singers and authors. We all have our thing.”

  Eddie smiled and squeezed his shoulder. “That we do, Nick.”

  “Well, I’d better get back. I’m actually working in Richardson now, but when my little sister Lia told me that you ordered, I had to wrestle her to take the order. Call anytime and I’ll personally deliver, or if you want to get away from all those damn camera toters, give the restaurant a call, and we can work something out.”

  “Thanks, man. I appreciate it,” Eddie said, shaking his hand.

  Nicky turned toward me and gave me a hug, pulling me close. He pressed his lips to my ear and whispered, “If he hurts you again, you tell me, okay?”

  I nodded but didn’t say anything else and smiled as Nicky winked and let go.

  “Ey, Brooke, table eight needs a … whoa … what the hell?” Nicky Conti hovered over me as I sat on the dirty cement sidewalk in the back alley of Conti’s restaurant.

  I wiped my eyes and stood up, wiping my hands on my jeans. “Sorry, was just taking a break.”

  It wasn’t a total lie. I was getting a drink order at the bar when I saw a clip of a new Eddie Justice video on TV. Friendship’s darling, formerly known as Eddie Jahid, had now gone off to Nashville and just hit number one on the country music charts. Along with that came a rumored girlfriend who was on some hit teen soap opera and starred in the music video, half-naked and shaking her ass on the back of a tailgate while he serenaded her.

  He’d been gone six months, and I hadn’t received a single call or email. It’s not like we were dating or anything, but I expected something from my supposed best friend.

  “Ey, this wouldn’t have anything to do with Eddie, would it? I haven’t seen him around.”

  I shook my head. “Didn’t you hear? Eddie’s a superstar now. Too good to come around Friendship.”

  I opened the door, but Nicky grabbed my wrist. “Look, Brooke, you know you’re a great girl, right? The best. If Eddie Jahid can’t get his head out of his ass long enough to see what he left behind, then he isn’t worth you crying over.”

  I smiled politely. I didn’t want to have this conversation about what Eddie and I were or weren’t at this point. Not that it mattered anyway. He was gone.

  “Nothing’s going on with us, Nicky, but thanks.”

  Chapter 5

  I wanted nothing more than to lay in bed all day. That was what Sunday mornings were for, right? Well, not in the South.

  “Get up,” Mom said, ripping the warm covers off me.

  I groaned. “Seriously? Unless the house is on fire, it’s only seven AM, and I’m staying in bed.”

  I reached for the blanket only for her to take it out of my reach.

  “We have to be at Rockwall by nine for Violet’s Sunday school. You and Clay can go with me to bible study.”

  “The hell?” I asked, sitting straight up. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d all been to church. When I was in high school, we were all ‘Chreesters,’ the Christmas and Easter churchgoers, but that was it.

  “You won’t be going to hell if you get up and get ready. Clay’s in the shower now.”

  “Clay’s on board with this?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. Somehow, I didn’t see my Mohawked, medically retired Army brother as a big churchgoer.

  Mom smiled. “Yes, dear, sometimes people surprise us.”

  I reluctantly got up since my blanket was gone, and
if Mom was going to be this chipper about church, then those damn church ladies had better have made coffee and coffee cake. I might not be a morning person, but I would throw down for some baked goods.

  I walked toward the bathroom, and the door opened to my half-naked brother with his wet Mohawk and a towel around his waist. In the time I’d been gone, I didn’t realize my brother had gone from the pain in the ass kid on the skateboard to an adult. An adult with tattoos and a six pack.

  That didn’t stop me from smacking his stomach. “Nice bird tattoo,” I said, glancing at the large flying bird across his chest.

  “It’s a bald eagle, you un-American hippie, and it’s better than that cheesy infinity symbol you have.”

  “Shut up!” I smacked him again for good measure.

  “Shit, does Mom even know you got that thing on Spring Break? I swore when you told me about it, I thought you were going to get Mexican rabies or some shit from that tattoo parlor in Mexico City.”

  My face felt like it lit up to a million degrees. I had no other retort but to push Clay aside and make my way to the bathroom.

  Clay laughed, shaking his head and leaning against the doorframe. “Shit, she doesn’t know, does she? What else doesn’t she know?”

  “Nothing! And I’m an adult living on my own, so it doesn’t matter. Now, get out of the bathroom, dipshit,” I said, whinier than I had intended. I went to shut the door, but Clay caught it, his eyes widening.

  “There is something, isn’t there? What is it? Did you have a kid in Austin and you’re here to get away from him and don’t want to tell Mom that she has a grandkid the same age as Vi?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Do you have any idea how stupid you sound?”

  “Or there’s a boyfriend you left back in Austin. Is it that pretentious dude who used to call me ‘Sport’ on Facetime? I bet you’re still with him but don’t have the balls to break up with him so you’re not telling Mom or Eddie.”

  I widened my eyes. How the hell did my brother get so spot on? “Shut up, Clay, and just get out of here.”

  I was finally able to shut the door and lock it, then let out a deep breath as I leaned against the dark wood. If Clay could figure me out that easily, it wouldn’t be long before everyone else did, either.

  ***

  We didn’t make it in time for Violet’s Sunday school or Bible study. Apparently, we were all going to hell, and Mom had to explain to the old ladies why her kids couldn’t all get ready in time.

  The First Baptist Church was one of five churches in tiny Friendship, Texas. All Baptist and all crazier than the last.

  Clay, Violet, and I sat in the pew where Mom told us to and stared up at the giant wooden cross above the altar. I was surprised the entire place hadn’t burned down yet just from me setting foot in there. Luckily, I had a water bottle of wine in my purse in case things got hairy.

  “Rhonda? Psst, Rhonda, is that the Carrington girl? The writer who was at the bakery with that country singer Eddie Justice? I thought she was in Austin?” one of the old church ladies not-so-subtly asked the woman next to her.

  I rolled my eyes, and Clay looked at me with a mischievous grin. Slowly, I stretched my arms over my head and leaned toward my brother, not so quietly whispering, “I can’t wait to get out of church, so I can go home and get some Eddie Justice man meat.”

  The old ladies gasped and started whispering. They didn’t need to know that Eddie and I had only ever been next-door neighbors and friends. Well, until we spent the night breaking a tree branch, if that counted for anything.

  “Are you trying to make the church ladies talk so Mom has a heart attack?” Clay whispered.

  “Just having a little fun.”

  Mom came to her seat next to Violet, and Clay just shook his head instead of continuing our conversation.

  The music began, and I looked in the direction of the piano, expecting to see some little old lady. Instead, I saw Noah Riley. The same kid who played at Dad’s funeral. I didn’t know the guy did all of this, or why he never went off to school. It wasn’t as if we were out in a third world country; deaf kids had many options.

  My thoughts about Noah were soon knocked out as I heard the low hums from the choir and one familiar voice stood out. Looking behind me and up toward the balcony, there stood Eddie in front of all the blue-haired women who all stared at him as if he was the second coming.

  “Holy hell, Brooke, is that guy following you?” Clay whispered.

  “Language,” Mom hissed.

  I didn’t know when Noah started playing the piano or Eddie started singing with the choir, but church just got a lot more interesting.

  ***

  After service, everyone gathered in the parish hall next to the sanctuary. Someone always brought snacks, coffee, and plenty of guilt to get you to sign up and volunteer for different committees.

  “So, Brooke, how long are you back in town for?” an older lady with bright white hair and an even brighter orange sweater asked. I should have known her name, but I could never remember anyone’s name, which was really a pain in the ass when writing books.

  I shrugged, placing some cheese and crackers on my Styrofoam plate. Part of me just wanted to get the hell out of there, but Violet had cried until we agreed to stay. It wasn’t half bad, I guess. The cheese went really well with the five-dollar pinot in my water bottle, and the more I drank, the less nervous I was about seeing Eddie.

  Things were way easier when we were just best friends and I could pine for him in silence. When it was out in the open, I had no idea what to do but stare and hope he didn’t think I was ridiculous.

  “Looking for Eddie?” a low husky voice asked. I glanced up to see Noah Riley, smiling at me.

  I don’t think I’d ever actually had a conversation with the guy. He was almost ten years younger than I was, and I didn’t know how to sign. People assured me he could read lips, but whether I saw him playing piano or when he came out to clean the pool, I just avoided him. Easier to do that than embarrass myself by trying to talk to him.

  “Uh. No,” I said, taking a big gulp from my water bottle.

  Noah smiled, which lit up his whole face. If I knew someone his age, I would totally hook up the curly-haired guy with her. Well, if someone could handle a deaf, piano-playing, pool cleaning Texan.

  “Liar. I’m pretty good at reading people, and when you lie, you get a little crease between your eyebrows and take even bigger swigs from your water bottle, which I’m guessing isn’t grape juice.”

  I involuntarily rubbed the skin between my eyebrows then shoved my water bottle back in my purse. Noah laughed. “Well, if you are or aren’t looking for him, he already left. He’s coming by later, though. We started jamming together in the basement a few nights a week.”

  “You and Eddie jam in the church basement? Why does that sound like an oxymoron?”

  “Stranger things have happened,” he said, giving me a knowing smile.

  Yes, they have.

  Chapter 6

  My phone rang early on Monday morning. I thought that maybe Mom was trying to wake me since I had wised up and locked the door.

  Reluctantly, I reached for my nightstand and didn’t even look at the caller ID when I put it to my ear in my half-asleep state. “Hello?”

  “Brooke. Hey. How’s it going? How’s your family?” Drake asked with trepidation in his voice.

  Clearing my throat, I sat up, suddenly wide-awake. “Um, good. Yeah, we’re doing okay. I think my mom has been holding it all in, and I’m waiting for her to break.”

  It was the most honest thing I’d said to Drake in a while, and my own true words surprised me. Maybe I just needed coffee to go back to my normal bitchy self.

  “Does that mean you won’t be going home with me for Thanksgiving?” he asked sheepishly.

  I sucked in a deep breath, thinking of the right words to say. “No,” was all that came out.

  “Are you ever coming back to Austin?”

  I sighed
, rubbing the bridge of my nose. Drake had never done anything wrong to me, other than love a girl who wasn’t able to commit. “I don’t know,” I answered.

  “I hope you do,” he replied.

  I didn’t even know how to respond to that. This guy wanted me to come back. He’d only ever been honest in wanting to spend the rest of his life with me, and I just kept running.

  “I don’t think it’s going to happen for a while. And if it does, I don’t know if things will be the same between us.” I muttered the last part.

  “Yeah, I should have guessed that. We haven’t really been together-together in a while. I knew you were unhappy, but I don’t know, I just thought … maybe … it would work itself out.”

  He was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. “So what happens now? Do you come get your stuff? Do you want me to mail it?” he replied.

  “I gotta go. My mom is calling for me,” I said quickly, using the first excuse I could think of.

  “Okay. Um. Hopefully, we can talk later.”

  I didn’t even say goodbye as I disconnected the call and sprang from my bed.

  I should have been crying. I’d been with this guy for years, and I’d broken it off in the weirdest, non-dramatic way possible. This gave me permission to move forward with Eddie and not feel guilty. But really, I’d been emotionally cheating on every guy who wasn’t Eddie for years. I’d been in love with the guy forever, and now that he was finally back, it was time to see if all of the waiting would work.

  Now, what the hell was I supposed to do after my little soliloquy? Make coffee. Yes. Coffee would help me make sense of everything.

  I unlocked my bedroom door and crept down the stairs. I didn’t expect to see the coffee already brewing or my mother standing at the sink and staring blankly out the window.

  “Mom?” I asked, carefully approaching her.