by Carrie Elks
“I really like him,” she whispered, already knowing those words weren’t strong enough. She loved him. She could feel it in every cell of her body. Loved the way he took care of her, the way he looked at her, the way he had a special smile he gave only to her. Every time she saw him it was as though the two of them were in a bubble nobody else could penetrate.
“She loves him,” Ally said to Ember, who nodded and earned herself a squeal from her stylist.
“Yep.”
In the mirror she could see her own stylist nodding in agreement. Traitor.
“Have you told him?” Ember asked.
“No!” She wanted to shake her head, but knew it could end in disaster.
“Why not?” Ally said as the stylist combed through her hair, making her grimace every time she hit a knot.
“Because it’s too soon. And it’s too messy. I haven’t even told Nick we’re seeing each other, and I haven’t told my parents that Aiden’s Nick’s uncle. It doesn’t feel right saying those three words until everything is out in the open.”
“Then you better start talking to people.”
All three stylists nodded in agreement. If she wasn’t feeling so nervous, Brooke would have laughed.
“I tried. I called my mom, remember?” Brooke sighed. “I’ll call her again after the gala. That’s not a conversation to have at the event.”
“And you’ll tell Nick about the two of you being a couple?”
Brooke met Ember’s gaze in the reflection of the mirror. “Yeah, that’s the plan.”
“The plan?” Ally asked, her voice rising up an octave. “You have a plan?”
“Aiden and I talked about it. He wants us to tell Nick together. It’ll be a lot for him to take in, and we want him to be able to ask Aiden anything he wants to.”
“Oh my God, why didn’t you say so?” This time Ally was definitely squealing. Her stylist wisely put the scissors she’d been holding on the little shelf in front of the mirror. “That’s better than an ‘I love you’ by far. It means he’s serious about you.”
“You think?”
“He wants to tell Nick about you being together, and we all know how much he cares about Nick, so yeah, I really do think.”
The hope budding inside of her began to bloom in her chest. Yes, her life was complicated, and getting more so by the minute, but whenever Aiden was around everything felt so good. As though she could conquer any mountain she tried to climb.
“That’s fantastic,” Ember said, giving her a warm smile. “If anybody deserves a happily-ever-after it’s you.”
24
Brooke stared at herself in the small bathroom mirror as she combed the mascara wand through her lashes, her mouth forming an ‘o’ as she concentrated on not smudging it everywhere. When she was happy with the effect, she slid the tube back into her cosmetic case and grabbed the MAC lipstick she’d worn to a stump, this time spreading the dark pink hue across her mouth.
“You make strange faces when you put on make up,” Nick said, peeking around the door.
She turned to him and stuck out her tongue. “I didn’t know anybody was watching.”
“You look pretty,” he said, taking in her long silver dress. Her hair was swept into the messy updo her stylist had created earlier. All she needed were her earrings and her evening purse and the look would be complete.
“Thank you, darling.”
“And Cora is here. She told me to tell you.”
“You opened the door?” Brooke’s good humor disappeared. “What have I told you about that? If the doorbell rings you call me.”
He blinked, as though he was holding back tears and she immediately felt bad. “I knew you were busy. I was trying to help.”
Her hands shook as she put the lipstick down on the ceramic sink and turned to look at him. Her beautiful boy, with his dark hair and whiskey eyes. Growing to look more and more like a Black every day.
“I’m sorry, honey,” she said softly. “I know you were. There are some bad people out there and it’s my job to protect you from them. I can’t do that if you’re opening the door without my knowledge.”
He nodded, his expression serious. “I only opened it because I could see Cora. I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.” His bottom lip was still trembling. Picking up the hem of her skirt to stop it from getting caught under her feet, she walked over to him and squatted down, reaching out to brush the hair from his face. He was already dressed in plaid pajamas. Beneath his nose was a hint of a milk moustache. Her heart clenched at the sight of him.
Her son. Her love. The thought of anybody hurting him made her fists want to curl up. It was her job to protect him, always.
“Will Uncle Aiden be at the gala?” Nick asked.
She took another ragged breath in. Secrets and lies – she hated them all. They were ropes binding her up until she couldn’t move a muscle. She was going to cut them off her, one by one, and break free.
“Yes, he’s taking me.”
“Like a date?” Nick frowned, but she knew it wasn’t because he was upset. She recognized that expression – it was one he made when he was trying to work things out. She saw it all the time when he was doing his math homework.
“Sort of.” She nodded. “Is that okay with you?”
Nick tipped his head to the side and pondered her question. “Yeah,” he said after a moment. “I’m good with that.”
She ruffled his hair with her outstretched fingers. “So am I.”
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Do you love Uncle Aiden?”
The question hit her like a bullet to the chest. Her head lifted so she could look right into Nick’s eyes. The frown was still lingering as he stared at her, but more than anything she saw complete trust there. Whatever she told him he’d believe, because she was his mom and therefore his world. The same way she’d believed her parents when they’d told her why Aiden and his family had skipped town. All along she’d felt powerless in the face of her family, her choices, her life, but right now the burden of power overwhelmed her. She had the power to shape her son’s reality, and it was both a burden and an honor.
“Yes, sweetie,” she said, her voice soft. “I love him a lot.”
“So do I.”
That was all he said, and she was relieved. She and Aiden would tell him more when this damn gala was over. But for now, he seemed content with what she’d said.
Circling her arms around him, she pulled him close, breathing in the scent of his soap and shampoo, and the hint of milk lingering on him. How long would he smell like this? Her little boy. How long did she have to make him be the kind of man she wanted him to be?
Not long enough.
“I’m going to see Grandma and Grandpa tonight,” she told Nick, leaning back to glance at his face.
He looked surprised at her mention of them. “You are?”
“Yes. And I’m going to speak to them and tell them about everything I’ve told you. That Aiden’s your uncle and that we love him.”
A smile burst out on Nick’s face. “They’ll love him too, won’t they? Maybe we can bring him the next time we go to dinner.”
“I don’t know how they’ll take it,” she told him. “But it’s always good to tell the truth, no matter how hard that is sometimes.”
He hugged her again tightly, and she didn’t give a damn how much he was crushing her dress, or whether her make up was smudging as she dropped her face to his hair to breathe him in one last time before she left.
And when he released her and ran back into the kitchen to Cora, she found herself standing up and not even bothering to glance at herself in the mirror. She didn’t care how she looked, because she was finally in control of her life. And it felt absolutely amazing.
“Everybody’s staring.”
Aiden followed her gaze. They were standing at the double wide entrance to the ballroom, looking in to where the tables were already filled with guests. She was right, most people were
staring, but not with malice on their faces. The expressions they wore were intrigued and interested, and from the way they turned to talk to each other, Aiden and Brooke were going to be the main gossip point of the gala.
“Let them.” He turned to smile at her. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”
“About ten times.” A smile played at her lips. “And as I told you before, you’re the beautiful one. Have you noticed it’s mostly women staring at us?”
He could never get enough of her. Everything about her was luminous. From her silver evening dress that skimmed every curve, to the glow of her exposed skin, from her chest right up to her long, elegant neck. When he’d picked her up from her apartment, he’d felt every nerve ending in his body come alive. The need to touch her, feel her, and breathe her in was almost overwhelming. He was counting down the hours until they could get out of this place and be alone again.
“They’re staring because they like to gossip.”
“You know them too well.”
He took her hand, sliding her fingers between his, and held her tightly. “It’s going to be okay,” he told her. “By this time next week we’ll be old news. Things move fast in Angel Sands.”
They stepped inside the ballroom, and the warm, breezy atmosphere enveloped them. The orchestra was playing a slow song, low enough so the chatter coming from the tables could easily be heard. On the far end of the room the wall of glass doors were pulled back to let the warm evening air inside, framing a perfect view of the dark blue ocean as the sun began to slide below the horizon.
“My parents aren’t here yet,” Brooke said softly.
He looked at the table by the stage – table number one, of course. Sure enough it was full save for two empty seats.
“Maybe they’re not coming.”
She gave a small laugh. “That’s wishful thinking. They like to make an entrance. They’ve probably already told the kitchen not to serve any food until they arrive.”
“It’s going to be okay.”
“How do you always know the right thing to say?” she asked him, her eyes shining beneath the glow of the crystal chandeliers.
“Because I know what you’re thinking.” He smiled at her.
“I’m not sure whether to be pleased or afraid.”
With his hands still in hers, he steered her toward their table – on the other side of the room to where her parents would be sitting. Six people were already seated there – Ally and Nate, Ember and Lucas, plus Lucas’s friends, Griffin and Jackson. They all stood to greet Brooke and Aiden as they approached, and Aiden reluctantly let go of her hand in order to shake everybody elses’.
“You look amazing,” Ember was telling Brooke. She side-eyed Aiden, and he nodded, still knowing exactly what she was thinking.
“That’s what I said.”
“Yeah, well you don’t look so bad yourself,” Ember added. “Who knew you guys would all look so handsome in dinner jackets? I’ve told Lucas he’s going to have to wear one every day now.”
“That’ll be a real help when I’m climbing ladders,” Lucas said, shaking his head at her. His smile was only for her.
Once they’d said their hellos, Aiden pulled Brooke’s chair out and watched as she sat down. She looked as good from the back as she did from the front. The dress exposed her from the top of her neck to the base of her spine, and his lips tingled with the need to kiss every inch of her skin.
As he slid into the seat next to her, he watched as her back stiffened. He didn’t need to glance over at the doorway to know her parents had finally arrived. Her chest rose as she took in a mouthful of air, and dropped as she blew it out.
“It’s okay,” he murmured, covering the back of her hand with his palm. “Relax.”
“They’re looking at us,” she said, repeating her earlier words.
“Let them look.”
Casually, he slid his arm around her shoulders, letting the tips of his fingers caress her skin. She said nothing, but she leaned into him, and he felt the warmth of her against his body.
From the corner of his eye he could see Martin and Lillian walk toward their own table and greet their guests. With a final glance toward their daughter, they sat down and the food began to be served.
“Come and dance with me,” Aiden murmured, reaching his hand out for her to take. Brooke looked up at him. His face was constantly in her thoughts. His high cheekbones and strong nose, above those full, full lips that made her legs tremble. He must have shaved right before he picked her up – the usual evening shade on his jawbone was absent. Brooke let him take her hand and help her up, before he led her to the dancefloor.
“I’ve never danced with you before,” she said, as he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her body against his. She could feel the hard planes of his stomach on her abdomen.
“We danced at the beach when we were kids.”
“That was a fast dance. We’ve never danced with you holding me.”
She felt his chest rise with a laugh. “Do you know why?”
“Because you can’t dance?”
This time his laugh was louder. “No. Because I didn’t trust myself to not want more.”
“You silly boy. I wanted you to want more.”
Shaking his head, he began to sway to the music, moving their bodies in time to the rhythm. She let her head fall against his chest as she closed her eyes, feeling the crisp cotton of his shirt on her cheek. It did nothing to disguise the heat of his body, or the hardness of his chest muscles. She felt him press his lips to her temple, and it sent a shiver down her spine.
“Nick was asking about us,” she told him as they swayed slowly toward the middle of the dance floor.
“What about us?” There was no shock or worry in Aiden’s voice; more idle curiosity.
“Whether this was a date.”
“What did you tell him?”
She looked up at him, the action crushing her breasts against his shirt. “I told him the truth.”
“Good. That always works.”
It was impossible not to smile. “That’s what I said. I know we said we’re going to tell him about us together, but I didn’t want to lie to him.”
“You don’t have to explain it to me. I want everybody to know.” His glance slid over toward where her parents were sitting, waiting for the dancing to end and the auction to begin.
They were looking right at her and Aiden.
“They’re next,” she murmured. “As soon as I find the gumption.”
“You’ve got the gumption, Brooke. You always did. But you have to believe in yourself, too.”
Maybe he was right. Whatever it was, she felt more sure of herself than she had in a long time.
When the music ended and the MC gave a five minute warning for the auction, Aiden led her back to the table where her friends were all milling around. Ally reached for her hand, grinning. “I’m heading to the bathroom. You coming?”
“Wait, I’m coming, too,” Ember said, blowing a kiss at Lucas who was shaking his head. “What? You think I’m going to miss out on the gossip? The bathroom is always where the real party’s at.”
There was a huge line for the restroom. The three of them stood and waited patiently, trying not to look enviously at the lack of queue for the men’s room.
“Have you managed to speak to your parents yet?” Ally murmured as they inched their way toward the front of the line.
“Not yet, but I’ve had plenty of eye contact from them. I’m planning on speaking to them once the auction is over.”
“Good idea. Let them spend their money first. That way they’ll be more generous.”
Ember laughed. “You’re mercenary.”
“Hey,” Ally protested. “I’m a business woman. Anyway,” she turned back to Brooke, “you and Aiden looked amazing out there. Like you’re made for each other. I swear I saw electricity flowing between you.”
“Your parents will accept him eventually. The same way the
y’ll accept Nick being related to him.”
Brooke pressed her lips together, thinking about the conversation she’d be having in less than an hour. “You know what?” she said. “It doesn’t matter how they react. I have no control over that. What matters is I tell them the truth. That I’m happy Nick is Aiden’s nephew, and I’m delighted Aiden and I are dating. Either they deal with it or they don’t. That’s up to them.”
“Wow.” Ally’s mouth dropped open. “I’m so proud of you. What happened to quiet little Brooke?”
“She became a raging river,” Ember said, grinning.
They’d made it to the front of the line, and one by one they went into the stalls. When Brooke came out, Ally and Ember were already at the sinks, washing their hands as the MC announced the auction was about to begin. “Okay, we’re going to need a debrief tomorrow,” Ally said as the three of them made their way back to the table. “Meet me at the café at nine.”
“Um, I may be having breakfast in bed with a certain fiancé of mine,” Ember said, shaking her head with a smile.
“Hey, if I have to get up for work the least you can do is come and entertain me. Just for a half an hour, okay? We didn’t get quality bathroom time in there, and I need my girl talk.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll see you at nine.”
Brooke bit down a laugh at her friends’ exchange. She knew she’d be up – Nick never slept in on the weekends. Nine o’clock would be like a second breakfast for them.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats for the auction.”
Brooke glanced at the table and realized Aiden wasn’t there. She frowned. “Is Aiden in the bathroom?” she asked Lucas once they got to the table.
Lucas shook his head and stood to pull Ember’s chair out. “No. He’s talking to some guy.” He inclined his head toward the bar. Brooke followed his gaze and spotted him, his broad back facing her.
She saw the man he was talking to and her heart nearly stopped. It might have been almost nine years since she last laid eyes on him, but she’d know that face anywhere.
