The One (The Halo Series Book 2)

by Kimberly Knight

  I wished it was only yesterday so I could see Nicole again.

  Pulling out my cell from my pocket of my shorts pocket, I texted her.

  Me: I already miss you.

  Since our first day together, we’d agreed to never lie to one another. I missed her already and I wanted her to know. Maybe most guys would wait a day. Wait until they got home. Maybe wait the stupid three day rule—I wasn’t most guys.

  Nicole: I miss you, too. We’re at the airport now and about to go through security. How’s Easton? Brooke is all mopey.

  Me: Easton’s better now that he’s with his daughter. Text me when you land.

  Nicole: I will.

  I thought about telling Easton that Brooke was bummed about how things ended with them, but part of me didn’t want him to break her heart. He had a way of doing that and I didn’t want him to break my girl’s best friend’s heart.

  After Bill had dropped us off at our hotel, I called my parents. I wanted to see if they’d at least meet us halfway while I was in California but, of course, they had plans. Whatever, I didn’t need them. Honestly, over the years, Easton’s parents had been my parents. They’d treated me like their son, showed me love, took care of me when I was sick and took me in after college when I’d had no place to go. Maybe one day my parents would regret the choices they were making.

  Maybe not.

  My phone started to buzz in my shorts pocket. Thinking it was my parents changing their mind, I groaned, but then smiled when I saw Nicole’s name and face on my screen.

  “Hey,” I answered.

  “We’re about to board, but I just wanted to hear your voice.”

  “I’m glad you called.”

  “Tell me again that this week will go by fast.”

  “It will, Baby. And I promise to call you every morning and night. Maybe we can Facetime and you can give me a weekend preview?” I whispered, looking over to make sure Easton and Cheyenne weren’t listening.

  “You’re so bad.” She laughed.

  “But you lo…like me…a lot.” I couldn’t believe that I almost said the L word. If I told her that I already loved her, after a week, she’d run for the hills. I would run for the hills if some chick I really wasn’t into told me that she loved me after a week. But I wanted Nicole to love me.

  “I do. A lot, a lot.”

  “Good.” I smiled.

  “Well, we’re boarding. I’ll text you when we land and call you when I get home. It shouldn’t be too late in Cali at that time.”

  “All right, Baby.”

  “Want to go to the pool, Uncle A?” Cheyenne asked as I pushed the End button on my phone.

  “Only if we play Marco Polo.”

  “You know I’m better than you at that game.” She smirked.

  Easton laughed.

  “Oh, you think so, C.C.?” I teased.

  “I know so.”

  “Oh it’s on. It’s on like Donkey Kong.”

  “Marco!” Cheyenne yelled from across the pool.

  “Polo!” Easton and I said in unison. We were standing together at the opposite end of the pool from Cheyenne.

  “Marco!” Cheyenne yelled, getting closer.

  Easton and I looked at each other and then split apart, but not before calling out “Polo!”

  Easton and I had played this game almost every day in the summers growing up. If we weren’t at baseball practice, we were chasing the girls at the community pool by our homes. We had lived across the street from each other and were inseparable.

  Since my parents were off doing their own thing when I was growing up, I had dinner with the Crawfords every night and I stayed over most nights as well. The only time I saw my folks was during high school when I had baseball games and there were college scouts in attendance.

  My dad would try and sweet talk them as they watched me play. He would put in a good word for Easton too, but Easton had Dana and his focus wasn’t baseball. We’d both been accepted to Florida State, but Easton had stayed behind.

  I’d played baseball on my scholarship, but the more I’d realized that my parents only wanted me to succeed so they could retire and live off me, the more I’d started to hate the game. My game started to falter and after medical tests had come back showing I was healthy and had no illnesses that would take away my game, my dad had given up. That was when they wrote me off.

  I graduated, having nowhere to go except to The Crawfords. I was scared, prepared to live on the streets until I could find a job, but that wasn’t the type of people Jimmy and Jane were. They loved me like I was their own. They were my parents.

  “Marco!” Cheyenne yelled again.

  We again called out “Polo!” at the same time, but this time I was on one end of the pool and Easton was on the other. Cheyenne was closer to Easton, but the more she moved towards him, the more he inched away.

  “Marco!”

  Easton called out, “Polo!” and then went under water, swimming towards me.

  I called out “Polo!” from where I was standing on the opposite end.

  We went back and forth like this for a few minutes until Cheyenne started to pout. Finally, Easton and I looked towards each other and silently agreed to let her catch one of us. I couldn’t let Cheyenne get me after my smack talk in the hotel room, so being the good dad that Easton was, he took one for the team. We played a few more games but after an hour, I was beat. We went back to the room and while Cheyenne was in the shower, Easton and I ordered room service.

  While we waited, Easton asked me a question I wasn’t prepared for.

  “How do you know when you’re in love?”

  “What?” I asked, wide-eyed.

  “I’ve only loved Dana and that was different. How do you know when you’re in love?”

  “You love Brooke?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “I think so.”

  I was speechless. Utterly speechless. Easton Crawford didn’t do love, especially after a week and not even dating the woman.

  “I’ve thought about her nonstop. I fucked up, but I want to make it right. I hate this feeling.”

  “There are all forms of love. Are you sure you’re in love with her and not just a friendship love?”

  “If you’re referring to the love I feel for you versus her, then yeah. I’m in love with her.”

  “Wow, I never thought I’d see the day.”

  “Yeah, but I can’t do anything until she breaks up with that fucker Jared.”

  “I’m really surprised that has stopped you.”

  “I really like her, A.” He smiled.

  “I can’t wait to double date.”

  “You’re such an idiot.”

  “But you love me. You just said so.”

  “Fuc—”

  Cheyenne took that moment to open the bathroom door. “I hope you ordered me chicken strips and a chocolate milkshake, Daddy!”

  What are the odds that two best friends would find love on a singles cruise? I had no idea, but it had happened. I didn’t know how Avery or Easton felt, but I knew I loved Avery and Brooke had told me that she loved Easton. The thing was, Brooke needed to break up with Jared before she could start anything with Easton, and I needed to play it cool and wait for Avery to tell me he loved me. He’d probably stop answering my calls if I told him.

  The whole flight home, I thought about him. I dreamt about him. I loved him.

  “What the fuck?” Brooke said, staring at her phone.

  I’d just texted Avery that we landed. “What’s wrong?”

  “Jared’s not answering.”

  “If he doesn’t show, I’m going to beat the shit out of him,” I said, reaching for my carry-on bag in the overhead bin. If he didn’t show, it would prove to Brooke once and for all that she was better off without him.

  “He wouldn’t leave us. He knows we’re coming home today. I even printed the itinerary and put it on the fridge. He’s coming.”

  We exited the plane and made our way to baggage claim. “I�
�m glad you’re breaking up with him,” I said as we waited for our bags at the carousel.

  “I don’t think it’s going to be that easy.”

  “Why? You fell in love with Easton and he wants you, too.”

  “Yeah, but what if he just wants me for sex and doesn’t want a relationship? What if I’m throwing away a stable relationship for a fling?”

  I reached for my bag as it approached on the belt. “Listen to me. Jared is a piece of shit. Fuck, B, he isn’t even answering his phone right now, and I’ll bet you a million dollars that he won’t show or will arrive very, very late. If things don’t work out with Easton, then at least you took a chance. You deserve so much more than lazy ass Jared.”

  “That’s my bag.” She pointed. I’d forgotten about Brooke’s shoulder pain. I grabbed her bag and she tried Jared again with no answer. When we walked out to the curb, he was nowhere in sight.

  “That fucking asshole. How could he not show up?” I huffed.

  We waited forty-five minutes for that loser, but he never showed. While we waited, I set a reminder to make an appointment with Dr. Sam for Brooke. She was popping her pain pills like candy and that wasn’t normal.

  We took a taxi to Brooke’s apartment and I helped her with her bags. I was ready to go to blows with Jared, but we opened the door to an empty apartment. Brooke said that everything looked exactly as she’d left it. After we’d checked the apartment for Jared’s dead body, I left to go to mine since the taxi was waiting for me and the meter was running.

  The first thing I did when I got home, after putting my suitcase in my bedroom, was call Avery.

  “Hey, Baby,” he answered.

  “Were you sleeping?” I asked. His voice sounded groggy.

  “I was, but that was about a half an hour ago. Easton needed to run an errand or something, so I’m watching Cheyenne.”

  “Oh, he had to run an errand in L.A.?”

  “Yeah. He wouldn’t tell me where he was going.”

  “Interesting. I wonder what he’s up to?”

  “Not sure.”

  “Hmmm. So what are you and Cheyenne doing?”

  “Well, Cheyenne’s been playing on her phone and I’ve been thinking about you.”

  I smiled. “I’ve been thinking about you too.”

  I told him how Jared didn’t pick us up at the airport. He was pissed. We all were. Jared was going to have to start sleeping with one eye opened. We didn’t talk much more before Avery had to go because Easton was back.

  I didn’t mind.

  I felt better hearing his voice, knowing he was on the other end of the phone. It didn’t seem like he was over three thousand miles away.

  I didn’t sleep well. Probably because I was sleeping alone for the first time in eight nights. The first thing I thought about doing when I woke up was texting Avery, but he was three hours behind me and it wasn’t even five in the morning yet. And I didn’t want to seem like an obsessed girlfriend.

  Wait. Was I his girlfriend?

  I shrugged off the thought, dressed in hot pink scrubs, and made my way to work. If I didn’t love my job, I would have called in sick. I was tired. Tired from a long vacation. Tired from lack of sleep. Just plain tired. On top of that, my boobs were hurting like I was going to start my period. My monthly visitor was never welcomed. She made me tired and cranky and that was the last thing I needed coming back from vacation.

  “Mornin’,” I said, waving to Jenna at the front desk.

  “How was your trip?” she asked.

  “Ah-mazing! I’ll tell you and Kym about it at lunch.”

  “Tell us what?” Kym asked, coming in through the front doors behind me.

  “About my trip.”

  “You better. We’ve been dying to know for a week,” she teased.

  “Just tell us now. Did you meet hot guys?” Jenna asked.

  “No.” I shook my head. “I met one hot guy and I was with him the whole time.”

  “Oh my God. I can’t wait for this story.” Jenna clapped.

  “Oh, before I forget, can you make an appointment with Dr. Sam for Brooke?”

  “Sure. Is she okay?” Jenna asked.

  “Her shoulder’s bothering her.”

  “Still?” Kym asked.

  “Yeah, and I’m tired of her going to her doctor and not getting help. I want to know the problem.”

  “We had a cancelation for eleven today,” Jenna said.

  “Schedule it. I’ll drag her here if I have to.”

  I texted Brooke as Kym and I walked back to put our stuff in our lockers and get ready for the day.

  Me: Dr. Sam can see you at 11. See you then.

  “Nicole.”

  I spun around. Dr. Sam was standing there. She had shoulder length dark brown hair with a few curls in it to give it some volume and a pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  “Aw, I missed you, too, Dr. Sam.”

  “How was your trip?”

  “It was awesome.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. You ready to return to work?”

  “Sure am. Speaking of that, I made an appointment for my friend, Brooke, to see you at eleven. Her shoulder has been bothering her for a few months now and her doctor keeps prescribing Vicodin and muscle relaxers which aren’t helping.”

  “We’ll take an X-ray and see what’s going on. She’ll be in good hands.” She took a sip of her coffee.

  “I know she will be.” I smiled.

  “Nicole,” Jenna said.

  “What’s up?”

  “Brooke’s here.”

  I looked at the clock. “She’s early. I’ll grab her and bring her back.” Jenna and I walked up to the front. “Hey,” I said to Brooke. “Ready?”

  “I guess so.”

  I brought her back, weighing and measuring her height before I brought her into an exam room. “So, what time did loser get home?” I asked while checking her blood pressure.

  “He didn’t.”

  My eyes widened. “What?” I was speechless.

  “I called his mom, but she hadn’t seen him since yesterday morning. I went to sleep and woke up to a text from him that he’d “slept on the couch” and didn’t want to wake me. He didn’t sleep on the fucking couch. He didn’t come home.”

  “Is he cheating on you? I’ll cut his dick off. I want to anyway for leaving us at the airport.”

  “I’m not sure. It’s all weird and not like him.”

  “Break up with him tonight. You can stay with me until you find a place,” I offered.

  “I love you, even though you ditched me on the cruise.” She chuckled.

  “You were in good hands.” I winked. “Well, at least you could have been if you know what I mean.”

  “Shut up.” She laughed. I stuck a thermometer in her mouth to shut her up.

  Dr. Sam knocked and entered the room. After I introduced them, and wrote down Brooke’s temperature, she asked Brooke some questions and then told me to bring Brooke to X-ray so we could see if anything was happening internally.

  I gave Brooke a gown and waited for the doctor to take her X-rays. When we were finished, we went for lunch. After an hour, we went back to the office and I left Brooke in another exam room to wait for Dr. Sam. Usually people had to wait a day for the results, but Dr. Sam was doing me a favor since Brooke was my best friend.

  “I’ll let Dr. Sam know we’re back and see if the results are ready,” I said, closing the exam room door behind me. I walked down the hall to Dr. Sam’s office and knocked.

  “Come in.”

  “Hey, we’re back,” I said, peeking in the door.

  “Before you go. I need to talk to you.” My stomach dropped as I looked at her worried face.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Close the door and you might want to sit down.” I hesitated and then sat in a chair in front of her desk. “I looked over the X-ray already.”

  “Okay.” I nodded, hol
ding my breath.

  “You know I hate this part of the job.” She sighed. “Brooke has a mass near her right lung.”

  I stared at Dr. Sam, not registering what she had just said. “What?” I finally asked, blinking as I tried to wrap my head around it.

  “I’m sorry, Nicole. You know I’ll do everything to help her. I’ll pull strings to get her in fast to see what’s going on and whatever medical treatment she needs. Even though you’re my employee, I love you, and she’s your best friend, so I want to help.”

  “She has a mass? Like cancer?”

  “Well, you know we don’t know if it’s cancer until we biopsy it.”

  “Right. When you say “near her lung,” can that mean on her breast?” I thought about my grandma and how she had breast cancer. This wasn’t happening. I wasn’t sure if I could watch another loved one die in front of my eyes.

  “It could, but we won’t know until we have a CT done. We should get a few more X-rays at different angles to see if we can figure out the size.”

  “Okay,” I said, trying not to cry. If I cried and Brooke saw, she would think the worst before she even talked to Dr. Sam.

  Maybe it was the worst.

  I sighed again and stood. “Okay, let’s go tell her.”

  “I want you to be the loved one in the room. I don’t want you to be the nurse in this scenario.”

  I nodded. “Thank you.”

  “Everything’s going to be fine,” she said opening her office door.

  “I hope so.”

  We walked the few doors down and I entered the exam room first. I tried not to show my emotions. I tried to be strong for Brooke. She was always the strong one; always taking care of those around her. I needed to be the strong one. I needed to take care of her. I needed to be her angel. I grabbed her hand, holding it as tight as I could. Dr. Sam cleared her throat. “Brooke, the radiologist found a mass on the X-ray.”

  Just like my reaction, Brooke was speechless. I was torn up and it wasn’t my body—it wasn’t my life. I’d been with Dr. Sam while she had told people this very news, but I was always the nurse. The one who knew the medical aspects of the situation, not the one who wanted to cry her eyes out and wrap her best friend in her arms and never let go.