This Is Why (A Brookside Romance Book 3)

by Abby Brooks

“Fourteen more to go.” She smiles and I’m lost to her.

  Another couple joins us. Then another. Then three more at once. I stop counting because all I care about is the way she feels in my arms, the spots where we’re touching and the spaces where we’re not. I want to close the gaps, to bring her closer to me until there is nothing between us, the entire length of her body pressed against mine.

  Gabe and Claire take to the field, hopping and skipping merrily and Lexi shakes her head. “That might be the most adorable thing I’ve seen in a long time.”

  “Normally I’d agree with you, but I’ve got something that might change your mind.” I spin her around so she can see Michelle and David, dancing with baby Thomas held between them. Michelle sees us watching and holds up a hand in a little wave before giving her attention back to her husband. David lowers his forehead to hers and they shuffle slowly, out of rhythm with the upbeat tempo of the song, but beautiful nonetheless.

  “Okay. You win. That is officially the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “It’s also number fifteen.” I smile down at her. My God, she’s stunning.

  “What? No way.” She cranes her neck, trying to count all fifteen couples.

  I lead her through a slow spin and we count them all together. By the time we’re finished with one rotation, the number has grown to twenty. The band finishes their third song, smiling as if they were just nominated for a Grammy, and eases into a slow song. Lexi tries to pull away, but I hold her tight.

  “One more,” I say.

  She stares up at me, considering, before she wraps her arms around my shoulders and lets me take the lead. We rock and sway and I slowly pull her closer to me until she rests her head on my shoulder, her breasts pressing against my chest and my dick stirring in my pants. She turns her face towards mine and it’s everything I can do not to kiss her. I want to taste her lips so badly, but now is not the time. Not with Gabe watching. Not here in the middle of a crowd of people who have no right to share the moment with us. And definitely not when she’s still trying to fight me on everything. When I finally kiss her, I want her to want it as much as I do.

  The song ends and I hold her for as long as possible before letting her go. We make our way back to the blankets. I hold her hand for a few steps and then drop it before she has a chance to take it away from me herself. I don’t want to let go, but since she runs every time I chase her, I’d be a fool to keep pushing. Instead, I’ll stay right where I am and let her come to me.

  Michelle gives Lexi a huge grin as we take a seat. “The two of you look good together.”

  A blush flares across Lexi’s face. “Please don’t encourage him.”

  I wrap an arm around Lexi’s shoulders and pull her close. She smells so good and feels so right in my arms. “I need very little encouragement. I’m very good at self-motivation.” I give a little shrug and let Lexi go. “It’s a Marine thing.”

  David scoops up Thomas and plops him in his lap. “I think the self-motivation stuff existed well before the Marines.”

  “Chicken. Egg. Whatever.” I shrug and then give my attention to Lexi. “So. You owe me a dinner tonight. I won fair and square. And this time, I choose the place and it will not, under any circumstances, have any kind of plastic or trays or self-serve anything included in the dining experience.”

  Lexi breaks eye contact, staring out to where Gabe still plays in the fountain. “Since the entire bet was rigged from the get go, I’m not sure you can call it fair and square.” She sucks in her lips, still not looking my way. “Besides. I have Gabe tonight and no one to watch him. I can’t go out.”

  I open my mouth to argue because damn it, she’s going out with me one way or another, but Michelle beats me to it. “Gabe can come play at our house while you guys eat. The kids deserve to have a little fun and lord knows you and Ty do, too. Right David?” David nods his agreement.

  Lexi shakes her head. “I couldn’t impose on you. Not on such short notice.”

  “Since when has Gabe ever been an imposition. If anything, he makes things easier for us because he keeps Claire occupied. And besides, remember when you were adamant about the universe trying to get me and David together? And you were gracious enough to take Claire for me night after night?” Michelle gives Lexi a pointed look. “It looks like the universe took note of your good deeds and is offering me a chance to repay in kind. And what was it you said again?” Michelle cranes her head, looking thoughtful. “It’s a bad idea to ignore the will of fate?”

  “I didn’t say that.” Lexi laughs. “And if I did, it’s not fair to use my words against me.”

  Michelle rolls her eyes. “Okay. How about this. Ty’s a good guy and I think you guys would be good together, so why don’t you stop being a stubborn pain in the ass and just go out with him already?”

  Score one for Michelle.

  Lexi looks shocked and then breaks out laughing. “Since when did you get so blunt?”

  Michelle leans her shoulder against David’s. “Since he came into my life and taught me the power of saying what I’m thinking.” She takes his hand and looks down at their twined fingers. “This seems like a pretty big deal, Lex. And forgive me for saying it, but you’d be a fool to pass it up.”

  I don’t know when Michelle decided to fight for me instead of against me, but I’m definitely not complaining. “She’s right, you know,” I say as I smile widely. “You and me, we’re kind of a big deal.”

  LEXI

  When I tell Gabe he’s going to play at Carmichael Farms, he’s so excited he jumps up and down. “I can just go home in their car, right?” Gabe has never been one to wait around or delay gratification. As soon as he knows something good is happening, he’s ready to get started.

  I let out a long sigh. You’d think I’d be used to telling him no by now, but I still feel bad every single time. “I still have to change my clothes and clean up,” I say. “You and I will go home so I can get ready and then we’ll meet back at the Farm…” I look at the time on my phone and grimace. “It’s already five o’clock. By the time we get cleaned up and ready to go, it’ll be too late for dinner, won’t it?” I turn to Ty. “Maybe a rain check?”

  I can’t tell if the idea of skipping dinner with him excites me or disappoints me more but judging by the collective groan coming from everyone else around me, I’m the only one who thinks postponing might be a good idea.

  “No way.” Tyler unleashes his undeniably contagious smile. “You aren’t getting out of this that easily.” He turns to David. “Are you guys opposed to taking Gabe with you now? There are plenty of restaurants here at The Commons. Lexi and I can choose a place to eat without having to go through all the rigmarole of changing clothes and cars and all that.” He turns to me. “We’re already here. Why leave?”

  Note to self. When Ty gets an idea in his head, there’s no talking him out of it. Under normal circumstances, it’s a trait I would respect but that doesn’t keep me from protesting anyway. And really, knowing what I know about my son, maybe I should have known to expect the same thing from Ty.

  “Are you sure you want to be seen with me like this?” I hold out my hands and look down at my shorts and tank top. “Most of the restaurants around here are a little more on the swanky side.”

  His gaze travels across my face. “You look perfect to me.”

  David rolls his eyes and laughs while Michelle clutches my arm and swoons. Before I know what’s happening, Gabe is leaving with the Carmichaels and I’ll pick him up when I drop Ty off after dinner.

  “You’re something else,” I say, just as the band starts into a new song.

  He wraps his arm around my shoulder and leans in close so I can hear him over the din. “That, my friend, is you.”

  I steel myself for a battle regarding where we’re going to eat, but Ty points to my favorite restaurant and I acquiesce immediately because the thought of the chicken fajita dinner at Don Juan’s has my mouth watering. Some of the restaurants at The
Commons are a little fancy and I’d be on the wrong side of underdressed in my jean shorts, tank top, and ponytail, but Don Juan’s is casual enough that I won’t be out of place.

  He leads me away from the music and into the restaurant. I don’t even bother to look at the menu, and Tyler snaps the thing closed after just a second or two of reading the contents. We place our identical orders—chicken fajitas and margaritas. “Copycat,” I say once the waitress leaves.

  “How can I be the copycat when you’re the one who ordered my favorite things?” Tyler shakes his head like I missed something obvious, his eyes twinkling with humor.

  I smile at him. “Alright then, Mr. Always Right, how can I be the copycat when I’m the one who ordered first?”

  “You’re the one who pulled it off, so shouldn’t I be asking you that question? I mean, that’s some seriously spooky shit.” He grins and I laugh and maybe, just maybe, spending the evening with him won’t be a terrible thing after all.

  The server arrives with our drinks and I pick a piece of salt off the rim and pop it in my mouth before sipping at the straw. Tyler watches me, a secret smile playing across his face. I almost ask him what he’s thinking about, but I’m afraid I won’t be comfortable with the answer so I let it go.

  “Why nursing?” he asks after taking a long drink of his own margarita.

  “That’s a big question.” I sit back in my brightly colored chair and bob my head to the mariachi music coming in over the speakers.

  “Is it? It seemed like a safe enough place to start to me.”

  “Maybe it is with most people. But with me, explaining why I chose nursing feels like explaining a deep part of who I am inside.”

  Ty rubs his hands together. “Even better. The more information I can get about you, the happier I’m going to be. So tell me, and don’t skip even a single detail, why nursing?”

  It shouldn’t feel this good to have his focus so completely set on me, but I could bask in the glow of his attention all night. “I chose nursing because I wanted a job that makes a difference. Wanted a skill that could translate into my everyday life. Because I wanted to take care of people and help bring them through the hard times and into better times.”

  “Why stop at nursing? Why not go all the way to doctor?”

  “That’s a good question and it took me a long time to be able to answer it, myself.” I sigh. “There were a lot of factors. The long hours. The long schooling and the cost of said long schooling. Those definitely had a lot to do with my decision to choose nursing instead of going for my MD. But, it seems to me that being a doctor lacks interpersonal connection. A doctor stares at charts and lab results and prescribes medicine and makes a diagnosis based off what the chart says. And there’s great value in that, right? I’m not knocking doctors. Not at all. But as a nurse, I’m in the room, caring for the patient, not his symptoms and I know that maybe, a post-op patient needs to be propped up differently in his bed to alleviate a severe bout of pain. So, I fluff up some pillows, adjust the bed, hit the guy with a kind word and a smile and he feels better. A doctor would hear that he has pain and prescribe a painkiller. Both approaches work. I just feel more comfortable looking at the patient instead of his chart.” I pause. “I don’t know if that makes any sense.”

  “It makes tons of sense and I respect you for it.” Ty smiles that ten-thousand-watt smile at me and I lose all sense of anything. Thank goodness our waitress arrives with our meals and nothing needs to be said over the fajitas as they hiss and pop on their skillets.

  “My mouth started watering the minute she walked out of the kitchen with these bad boys,” I say as I arrange my plates so they’re evenly spaced around my half of the table.

  “If they taste half as good as they smell, then this will be one of the best dinners I’ve had in a long time.” Ty scoops meat and veggies onto a tortilla and adds healthy dollops of guacamole, beans, lettuce, and sour cream before rolling it all up into a burrito that barely fits in his fist.

  I make a slightly less aggressively-sized burrito—but only slightly, mind you. These things are good—and I moan as I take a bite. “I think I could eat these every day of the week and never get tired of them.”

  Ty smiles as he chews. “I think I could watch you eat these every day of the week and never get tired of it.”

  I try to think of something to say that doesn’t come out sounding like aww shucks and find nothing. I change the subject instead. “Why a Marine?”

  “Because I wanted to make a difference. Because I wanted skills that would carry over into real life. Because I wanted to help people through hard times and bring them into better times.” Ty grins at me.

  “See! Copycat! That’s, like, word for word what I just said.”

  “It is. It’s also the truth. Even when I was a little boy, I knew I wanted to go into the military.” He pauses to take a bite. “Which never failed to freak out my sister,” he says around a mouthful of food. “I had this need to be a badass that made the military sound especially appealing. But as I grew up, that need to be a badass morphed into a need to be a leader. A badass leader, of course, but a leader first and a badass second.” Tyler takes another monster bite of his fajita and chews thoughtfully. “Okay, so maybe I never lost the need to be a badass.” He grins at me. “Everyone knows that the Marines are the best of the best, right? So, not only did it check off the badass leader box, I also really wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. And I can. And it turns out I’m pretty good at it.”

  “How very hoorah of you.”

  “Guilty as charged.”

  His answer rings true enough, but he skipped the whole part about how his job makes a difference. When it comes to engaging the enemy, Marines are known to be first in last out, and according to Michelle, Ty signs up for extra tours.

  “What’s it like?” I pick at a piece of salt on my drink. “Going overseas?”

  Ty sits back in his chair. His eyebrows draw together as he lets out a long breath. “Sandy?” He smiles a little then blinks away the joke. “It’s different, Lexi. It changes a person.”

  “Because of all the sand?”

  “Exactly.” He picks up his margarita and takes a drink. “It’s a different world over there. Things escalate so quickly. It goes from just a normal day to a war zone in the blink of an eye. And that means I need to be prepared for anything to happen at any time. For example, I know where we are right now in conjunction with the exits in this place. I know how many people are seated between us and said exits. I’ve memorized the paths the servers take as they check on tables. I’ve got my eye on a gentleman behind you because he has shifty eyes and can’t stop fidgeting. Probably just on a first date with a girl he wants to impress, or maybe he’s carrying a weapon or intends to harm someone. Either way, he’s nervous, which means that I’m prepared for him to do just about anything.” He shrugs. “It’s not like I expect anything bad to happen, but I’d be a fool not to be prepared for things to go sideways, especially after everything I’ve experienced.”

  As he speaks, Ty sits up taller and squares his shoulders. The constant glint of friendly humor fades from his eyes and I glimpse the battle-hardened Marine, a man used to taking control and making decisions in the blink of an eye. I wonder about the things he’s seen and done. What has he lived through? What atrocities has he witnessed? I wonder these things but don’t ask. Not yet.

  “I’m a little hurt you didn’t tell me you were a nurse that day back in Key West.” Tyler starts assembling another fajita.

  “Why’s that?”

  “Can you imagine what that would have done to my fantasies of you?” He shakes his head. “Gasoline to the fire, baby.”

  “You fantasized about me?”

  “More than you probably want to know.”

  “Don’t be too sure of that. Maybe I like the idea of you touching yourself while thinking about me.”

  “Oh, I did more than touch myself.”

  Holy hotness, is this ev
en real life right now? Since when do these kind of conversations happen in the middle of my favorite restaurant? And since when do I find the thought of him jerking off to me such a total turn-on instead of cringing over the creep factor?

  Ty sits back and clears his throat and we maneuver the conversation towards much safer topics. It’s easy, being with him. He makes me laugh and I make him laugh just as much. He indulges my long philosophical diatribes and even goes so far as to add in his own take on things from time to time. I listen, rapt, as he explains more about the man behind the Marine and the Marine behind the man.

  As the night goes on and the margaritas flow, I’m acutely aware of the fact that I have the house to myself tonight. Do I invite him over? Offer him drinks and see where the night takes us? Or would that only be a recreation of our night in Key West? Am I mistaking his desire to fuck me with some kind of unique connection between us?

  Conversation lulls and Tyler meets my gaze. “I’ve been thinking.”

  Oh, God. This is it. He’s going to make his move and I still haven’t decided if I should sleep with him or not. “Oh yeah?” I do my best to sound nonchalant while my heart pounds and a low, throbbing hum starts up between my thighs.

  “I want to start paying child support.”

  I blink in confusion and my growing lust comes to a screeching halt. “What?”

  “Child support. For Gabe. And I’d like to look into back child support as well. I’ve got enough savings that I should be able to pay off what I owe from the last six years.”

  “Pay off what you owe? You make it sound like he’s a student loan or something.” I laugh, trying to keep the mood light.

  Ty sighs, his shoulders slumping. “That’s not at all what I meant. I keep trying to think of ways to do right by him and right now this is all I have.”

  “That’s really thoughtful of you, but Gabe and I are fine. There’s no need to go through all that trouble,” I say as I try to process the rush of conflicting emotions swirling to life inside.