Blindsided by Brooke

by Theresa Paolo

  “It’s not that I don’t want you to, but what about me and everything we’ve created? You’re just going to desert me?”

  She had done everything she possibly could for him. The house was staged, all he had to do was get the pictures on the website and go live with it. While she loved helping him, there was nothing left for her to do. Besides buying homes and renting them out was his dream. She had her own dreams, and she finally had the chance to make them a reality. “I’m not deserting you.”

  His face hardened, eyes unreadable. “Really, because that’s exactly what it seems like.”

  She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger and frustration running through her. She was trying to learn from their past mistakes and control her temper, but with each snappy line that came out of his mouth, it was becoming impossible. “I’m trying to have a discussion with you about it, but you won’t even entertain the idea of me going.”

  Why wouldn’t he want her to follow her dreams? Especially after she’d supported his every step of the way.

  “Because it’s crazy.”

  If her head wasn’t attached to her body, it would have spun right off and bounced off the walls. Did he seriously have the nerve to just say that to her? “Why?” she asked, gritting her teeth to keep from lashing out. “Because I’m not good enough to leave Red Maple Falls and follow my own dreams. I have to stay here and help everyone else achieve theirs? How is that fair?”

  He sat up, moving toward her and taking her hands in his. He met her gaze and held it while he spoke. “We have something great here. You put so much time and effort into the house and business, I can’t imagine you wanting to walk away from that.”

  He was completely spinning this and trying to make her feel guilty. That wasn’t going to happen. She shouldn’t feel guilty about wanting more for herself and going after an opportunity of a lifetime.

  Her lip curled in annoyance. “The same business that I tried to keep you from destroying only for you to get pissed at me and disappear for days. That business?”

  He dropped her hands, eyes rolling as his head flopped back. “Are you really bringing that up again?”

  “Why not? It’s the truth, isn’t it? You want me to help you but you don’t want to listen to reason.”

  “I can’t believe you’re bringing this up again.”

  “You know what I think, Ty?”

  “No, what do you think?”

  “I think you’re selfish.”

  “Look who’s talking,” he spat.

  “Me?” She pointed to her chest, anger raging inside her. “I have spent my entire life losing out on opportunities for reasons outside of my control. I have sat back and watched so many people follow their dreams while I was stuck here. I finally have the chance to do something that I could only have dreamed about and you don’t want me to go.”

  “I’m just trying to save you from yourself,” he said, using her own words against her.

  She gasped, jumping from the bed and hurried around the room, gathering her clothes. She yanked her t-shirt on. “I thought you’d be happy for me, but all you care about is yourself.”

  “That’s not true.”

  Her throat was raw from all the different emotions trying to claw their way to the surface. She couldn’t say anything to him even if she wanted to. Not without risking crying and there was no way in hell she was going to shed a tear for his selfish ass. She stepped into her pants and headed toward the door.

  “Brooke,” he said and she flung her eyes to him. “You’re being unreasonable.”

  She stopped moving, staring at him in complete disbelief. Anger took over any disappointment and sorrow as heat filled her ears. “I’m unreasonable? It’s me. It can’t possibly be you? No because you’re never wrong.”

  “This isn’t about being right or wrong,” he said.

  “Then what is it about?”

  “This is about you not giving a shit about me.”

  Her mouth dropped open.

  “You might have thought to discuss it with me but we both know that no matter what we discussed you still had every intention of going. Not that I’d expect any less from you. You always get what you want and screw everyone else.”

  This time the dejection overpowered the anger. “It’s like you don’t know me at all.” She shook her head. “I thought you’d be happy for me and maybe I’m the fool for thinking that, but I’m not going to be foolish enough to pass up this opportunity. I’m sorry, but I’m going.”

  “Don’t expect me to be waiting for you when you get back,” he said and he might as well have reached his hand into her chest and ripped out her heart.

  She ignored the sting in her eyes and heart and stormed out of the room, slamming the door as she went.

  Chapter 20

  “He’s such an asshole.” Brooke took a large helping of rocky road from the carton and shoved the spoon in her mouth. Drowning her feelings in ice cream wasn’t her style, but Layla insisted it would help. Her sister had never steered her wrong, so she was giving it a go.

  “I’d love to agree with you or give you some advice, but without context I got nothing,” Layla said, dipping her spoon in the carton and taking a substantially smaller serving of the chocolatey goodness.

  “Bex offered me a job, and I accepted.”

  “Wait.” Layla sat up. “What?”

  “She fired her stylist and asked if I’d be willing to take the position, and I said yes. I leave for London in a few weeks.”

  “London?” Layla’s voice went up an octave. “For how long?”

  “Three months, and then after that, if all goes well, she’ll take me on permanently. I’ll travel with her when needed.”

  Layla pressed her fingers to her temples. “Have you talked to Declan? You can’t just leave him high and dry like that.”

  “I just found out today. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”

  “And what about Tyler?”

  “What about him?” Anger rose to the surface. Brooke was really getting sick of everything being about him.

  “Let’s not even talk about the personal side. You have been helping him with his business, and you’re going to just walk away from him?”

  “That’s his dream, not mine!” Brooke stabbed a finger into her chest. The wound from earlier was still open and raw.

  “But you’ve put so much time and effort into helping him.”

  “Unbelievable.” Brooke stood, not wanting to hear this from Layla too. “You can’t just be happy for me, can you?”

  Layla jumped up in front of her. “Of course, I can.”

  “Then why are you making me feel so guilty?” Tyler had already made her feel guilty enough. Everything he had said to her was like a seedling being planted in her mind. She couldn’t stop going over their fight and trying to figure out if she would have said something else, if things would have ended differently. She had to keep reminding herself that she tried. All he cared about was himself.

  Layla touched her shirt sleeve. “I’m sorry, I just want to make sure you’ve covered all your bases and you aren’t making a rash decision.”

  “I have spent my entire life, making sacrifices, and I finally have an opportunity to do something I want to do, and I’m not going to let it pass me by. I’m sick of always putting my dreams on hold. It’s not fair.” Hadn’t she gone through enough in her life? Didn’t she deserve this one thing? Or maybe she was the one being selfish. Maybe it wasn’t Tyler.

  “If that makes me selfish, I don’t care.”

  Layla’s shoulders slumped. “It doesn’t make you selfish. If anyone is being selfish right now, it’s me.”

  “What are you talking about?” Brooke asked.

  “I’m going to miss you. Chase will be moving out soon, and now you’re leaving. I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself.”

  “Maybe finally get some sleep,” Brooke said.

  “Sleep? What’s that?” Layla laughed. “It’s just I’ve b
een taking care of you and Chase for so long I don’t know who I am without you guys.”

  “Maybe it’s time to find out.”

  She wrapped her arms around Brooke and held her in a motherly embrace.

  “I’m going to miss you, too,” Brooke said. “But it’s only three months. I’ll be getting on your nerves in no time.” Layla never had time to herself, and she deserved it after all she had sacrificed in her life. It had been over a decade since Layla went from being a teenager to being in charge of two minors. She never took a vacation, and Brooke wasn’t sure she knew how to relax, but now without a constant flow of people in the house, maybe she’d be able to enjoy some peace and quiet.

  “I can’t wait,” Layla said. “But don’t you dare come back empty handed. I want a souvenir from every country you visit.”

  “You got it.”

  It was all starting to feel real, and while Brooke was excited, she could still feel the broken pieces of her heart, and she only hoped that they would find a way to heal on their own. Though, she wasn’t going to hold her breath.

  Chapter 21

  Tyler walked up to his parents’ house, grateful Dad’s truck wasn’t in the driveway. He had no desire to deal with him right now; he had enough crap on his plate as it was.

  His phone vibrated as he walked up the steps, and he slipped it out. His notifications exploded, the phone a constant vibration. He looked down, his eyes widening. Bookings. People were actually booking the property.

  He clicked into the website and had to rest his hand on the railing for support.

  The photo gallery was filled with professional quality pictures Tyler had never seen before, representing all four seasons in all of their glory. He didn’t do this. There was only one person who would. Even after he told her he wouldn’t wait for her, Brooke still followed through for him, and she didn’t just follow through, she published the website for him.

  He hated himself for how he acted when she told him about the job, but the thought of her leaving him behind was a low blow. He didn’t think if he was offered a job out of the country, he’d be able to take it. Not when they finally opened their eyes to see what was right in front of them. It hurt that she was so willing to toss him to the side and take off as if what they had didn’t matter. It was better this way. At least that’s what he tried to convince himself.

  His phone continued to vibrate, and he wanted to call Brooke and tell her that whatever she did was working. He would be booked solid in no time. His successful business was becoming a reality, and he had her to thank, but they weren’t speaking to each other.

  He had promised her he’d do better, and the minute things didn’t go the way he’d hoped, he’d let her walk away. He essentially lied to her, and there was a level of guilt he felt and no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, he couldn’t. It poked at him and ate away at his conscious thoughts until all he could see was the disappointment and anger on Brooke’s face.

  He needed to fix things with her before she left or he was going to spend the next three months living with regret.

  Remorse filled him, taking over the happiness he felt for the bookings. He was a success, but without Brooke, it didn’t seem to matter anymore. He slipped his phone into his pocket and headed into his parents’ house.

  “Mom?” he called out as he eased the door shut behind him.

  “In here.” He followed her voice to the kitchen where she had a plate of fruit salad, and different cold cuts rolled up on a platter with olives and pickles on the counter as if she knew he was coming by.

  “Hi sweetie.” She came around the counter and took him in an embrace. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

  He eyed the variety of food. “You weren’t? Then what’s with the spread?”

  Before she could answer, the front door opened, and his father’s voice echoed through the house as he spoke to someone on the phone.

  The last thing Tyler felt like dealing with was Dad’s bullshit. Why the hell was he even here? He was never home at this time; it was why Tyler went out of his way to stop by when he knew Dad was at work.

  “Tyler,” Dad said, coming into the kitchen. “Wasn’t expecting you to be here.”

  “I could say the same about you.”

  “I’ve been making it a point to come home for lunch when I’m working close by so I can spend some time with your mother.”

  Tyler was surprised by the admission. Dad only thought about himself, putting Mom on the backburner time and time again.

  “Your name has been floating around town. Lots of people talking about your little business venture.”

  “It may be little now, but you just wait. It’ll be huge.” With the way his phone was blowing up, he said that with complete and total confidence.

  “I don’t doubt it.”

  “You don’t?” Tyler asked, unable to hide the shock in his tone.

  “You’ve taken a lot of initiative, going out and turning this into something that gives back to the town. I’m… well, quite frankly, I’m impressed.”

  Did Dad just say he was impressed? Tyler blinked, expecting to wake up from a dream, but he was still in his parent’s kitchen, Dad standing in front of him. He had waited his whole life to hear his father compliment him and now that he had, he didn’t even know what to say.

  “I’ve decided to reinstate your trust to turn over to you when you’re twenty-six.”

  “No,” Tyler said, the word coming out in a rush.

  Dad’s eyebrow lifted. “What do you mean no?”

  Having his father’s money to fall back on had always been nice, but Brooke taught him that money wasn’t everything. Besides, that money didn’t come free.

  “As long as you have control of that trust you will have control over me. I don’t want to have anything you can use against me. Not anymore. Donate the money and use it as a tax write off. I don’t want it.” He may grow to regret it one day. It was a nice nest egg that would allow him to expand his business and even a few trips out of the country, but he couldn’t be tied down anymore, especially not to his father.

  Dad held his hand out to him, and Tyler stared at it for a moment, unsure of the gesture. His hand didn’t drop away and Tyler grabbed it, allowing an unexpected handshake.

  “I respect that,” Dad said, and Tyler had never felt so much pride for himself.

  “Thank you.”

  He’d waited his entire life to get his father’s approval, and now he had it, but without being able to tell Brooke, it didn’t feel like the victory he’d always imagined it would.

  He needed her in his life, and it didn’t matter what country she was in as long as he could pick up a phone and hear her voice. He messed up, letting her walk out that door, and now it was time he made things right before it was too late.

  Chapter 22

  Brooke sat on the couch, changing channels and trying to drown herself in mindless TV. It was the only way to not think about Tyler. She missed him.

  “You’re going to be traveling Europe with my girlfriend,” Chase said.

  “Don’t you worry; I’ll take good care of her.”

  Chase nudged her with his shoulder. “I’m not worried about her. I’m worried about you.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “You’ve sacrificed your dreams in the past, and I’m wondering if maybe your dreams have changed, but you refuse to let go of the old ones.”

  Brooke shook her head. “Fashion has always and will always be my dream.”

  “What about everything you were doing with Tyler? You accomplished so much in such a short time.”

  “It gave me something to do, and I enjoyed helping him. He deserves to be successful, and I wanted to help get him there. Now he has a path he can stay on.”

  “It wasn’t just business with him. You’re in love with him.”

  “So what? He doesn’t want to wait for me, and I’m not going to stay because of him. I’ll only grow to resent him for not knowing what could’ve been. I
need to do this, Chase.”

  “I know that, but does that mean you two can’t try to make it work?”

  “What’s the point? I see what you and Bex go through, and it seems hard.”

  “It is hard, but nothing in life worth having is easy. You know that.”

  “Why can’t it be? Our whole life has been hard. Don’t we deserve a break? Haven’t we been through enough that we shouldn’t have to endure anymore? It’s not fair, and if I stop to think about it for too long, it just makes me angry. I’ve known Tyler my entire life, why did we have to happen now? Why did Bex have to offer me this opportunity now? Why are things always so messed up?” Her lip quivered and tears spilled down her cheeks. “It’s not fair.”

  “I know.” Chase wrapped his arm around her and held her against him. She rested her head on his shoulder and let all the emotions that had built up inside her over the past few days flow out of her.

  “I love the idiot,” she said. “But I can’t stay.”

  “Things will work out,” Chase said.

  “How do you know?”

  “Because they have to and because it’s your turn to get a break.”

  “I want to hope that you’re right, but my heart is telling me not to get my hopes up. It hurts too damn much.”

  “I have the perfect cure for heartache,” Chase said.

  “Layla already gave me ice cream,” she joked.

  “I’m not talking about ice cream. I’m talking about a little friendly competition.”

  “I’m not going to trivia night,” Brooke said. “I don’t want to see him.”

  “Then don’t go for him. Go for your team that’s counting on you.”

  “I’ll still have to see him.”

  “Maybe it’ll be good for you. I heard the last trivia night you two made quite the scene.”

  “We got into a fight because he’s an idiot.”

  “Then things turned out pretty good, right?”