by Rhonda James
"Shhh, it's okay honey, I'm not going anywhere. Ever again." He stroked my back until we both fell asleep.
That night, I slept better than I had in three months.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Sebastian~
We'd been back in L.A. four whole days before I finally caved and called Mom and Dad to let them know that I was home, and that Brooke was with me. I knew we needed to pick up Gibson and give them a reprieve. Mom was ecstatic. She'd been praying for a miracle and I have to admit that her prayers must have been heard. Brooke coming to me in the hotel had been nothing short of a miracle, as far as I was concerned. Not only had she stopped me from making a huge mistake by taking that shot of whisky, but she'd poured out her heart to me and had accepted my proposal of marriage.
I was getting married.
I was the one who'd proposed and even I was having trouble believing it was finally true.
Mom insisted that we all get together for dinner tonight at their house. Everyone was invited. Brooke and I agreed that we would share our news with everyone before dinner. She had called her parents earlier this morning to tell them the news. I could tell by the crying on the other end of the line that her parents were very happy for her. It was strange. For years they didn't want anything to do with her and hadn’t appeared to care about what was going on in her life. Now, it seemed as if they wanted to share in every detail. Brooke seemed happy about it, so I tried to be supportive. I only hoped, for her sake, that their interest wouldn’t be short-lived and would continue for years to come.
I found her in the bathroom, fixing her hair and putting on make-up. I watched her for a moment from my position in the doorway. She'd grab a few sections of hair and wrap them around the curing iron. I remembered watching my mom do the same thing as a child. As each curl fell from the hot iron it cascaded down past her shoulders. She peered at me through the mirror and motioned me over with a tip of her chin. I stepped into the room and hopped up on the counter, leaning my back against the wall beside the mirror.
"Why do you use all this stuff?" I furrowed my brows, fingering the assortment of beauty supplies on the counter. "You don't need this. You're beautiful just the way you are."
"I use this stuff to make me feel pretty. I appreciate that you find me beautiful, but I still like to fluff. It's every woman's right to fluff every now and then." She batted her eyelashes at me.
"I still like you either way, fluff or not." I replied, opening up a tube of mascara and sniffing it. "Gross! That stuff stinks." She laughed at me and removed it from my grip.
"Well, it goes on my eyelashes, so I don't have to worry about smelling it. You're silly." She tickled a make-up brush over the end of my nose. "What time does your Mom want us there?"
"Six. You've got about thirty minutes before we need to leave. Is that what you're wearing?" I asked, running a finger under the lacey strap of her bra.
She looked down and blushed, realizing that she was standing in just her bra and a pair of my jogging shorts, which practically hung to the floor on her petite frame.
"Guess I better go change." She laughed.
"Hurry woman, before I change my mind and keep you here with me tonight." I teased as she scurried off.
"I'm a little nervous about seeing your Mom and Dad again." She called out from the other room. I went to join her, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"Why would you be nervous? My parents love you."
"I know." She mumbled, pulling a pair of jeans over her slender hips. "But that was before everything that happened. I mean, I've spoken to your Mom since your party, but only twice. I didn't exactly keep in touch like I'd planned."
"Honey, nothing while we were apart seemed to go as planned. But we're okay now. Sure, Mom was upset that we'd split, but she wasn't mad at you. She was angry with both of us. She seems to have her heart set on more grandchildren." I rolled my eyes mockingly, as if it were an absurd idea. That made her laugh. "Whaddya say? You up for making a few babies?" I joked, pulling her onto my lap.
"Well, of course I am, but not today." She swatted at my roaming hands. "Let me up. I have to finish getting ready." I released my hold and leaned back on my elbows to watch the show. She disappeared into the closet, muttering to herself about needing more clothes. Soon, my eyelids grew heavy as I watched items being tossed to the floor behind her.
"Ready?" She asked, nudging my foot with hers. I opened my eyes to find her standing over me, dressed in jeans, a white T-shirt with a colorful scarf tied loosely around her neck, and a blue jean jacket. Her hair had been pulled back in a high ponytail, and loose tendrils hung down over her cheekbones.
I gave a loud yawn and stretched. "Whoa, guess I must have dozed off for a few minutes." I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to wake up. I looked over her shoulder at the pile of clothes on the floor. “For such a small person, you sure make a big mess.”
"Don’t be a butt-head” She rolled her eyes.
“Did you just roll your eyes and call me a butt-head?” I feigned offense. She shook her head and rolled them again just to tease me. I grabbed her, throwing her over my shoulder.
“Put me down!” She giggled, smacking at the seat of my pants. “You’re acting like a caveman.” I gave her a return smack and she squealed. “Sebastian!”
“What?” I asked innocently, after depositing her down on the leather sofa in the man cave. “I’m not a caveman, but if that’s how you want me to act…” I climbed onto the sofa, pinning her beneath me. I crushed my lips firmly against hers, almost as if I were staking claim. Her mouth softened, opening up as my tongue explored just beyond her perfectly shaped teeth. As we pulled apart, breathless from the assault, I nipped at her bottom lip. “My woman.” I grunted in my most playful voice.
“Now you’re just a lunatic.” She laughed, batting away my roaming hands.
“Yeah, but I’m your lunatic.” I gave my best grin, making sure both dimples were on full display.
“Yes you are,” She pinched my cheeks. “Come on, we don't want to be late for our own announcement."
"Darling, it's so good to see you." Mom exclaimed, embracing Brooke in her famous bone-crusher. It had been a long time since Brooke had been on the receiving end of Mom's favorite hug, and I knew how much those meant to Brooke, so I stepped aside and waited my turn.
"Son, it's good to see you." Dad pulled me in for a quick hug, whispering in my ear. "And I'm glad to see you brought your better-half with you."
"Sebastian, sweetheart, I'm so glad you're back home." Mom declared, as we switched hugging partners. "I'm glad to see you two came to your senses. You're better when you are together." Mom whispered.
"Thanks Mom, I agree." I whispered back at her.
For the next ten minutes everyone hugged and kissed Brooke, declaring their joy over our decision to get back together. After awhile I was ready to scream out that we weren't just back together, we were engaged. But, I knew that would not be the way that Brooke had envisioned the night playing out. So instead I kept smiling and nodding at every remark.
We moved over into the living room to sit down and then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of fur and a dog in Brooke's lap. Gibson had been living with Mom and Dad this past week and it was obvious that the no-furniture rule also didn’t apply in this house. He twisted and turned, licking all over her face, as she squealed with delight.
"Yes, puppy, I've missed you too. Who's got the cutest face? Who's a big boy now?" She asked, speaking in the cutest voice, as if she were talking to a baby. With every question Gibson's tongue gave another swipe over her skin. Once she finally wrestled out from under him, and he was on to his next victim, she scooted closer to me and moved in for a kiss.
"Uh-uh." I held her at arms length. "Your face smells like puppy food. I'm not kissing you." I teased.
"Oh well. Guess I'll just have to find someone else to kiss." She made to stand and then pounced on me, landing a sloppy wet kiss at the corner of my mouth. "Don't yo
u ever say no to me, Sebastian Miles. I'll take my kisses whenever I want them." Her hand tickled over my ribcage, causing me to squirm.
"Okay, okay." I begged, completely at her mercy. "I'll kiss your stinky puppy germ face. But the next time I'm all stinky and sweaty from a run I'm going to rub your face in it." I pretend pouted.
"Bring it on." She challenged.
I suddenly remembered that we weren't alone and my eyes did a quick scan of everyone's faces. The guys were staring at me with a look that I could only describe as pity, while the girls were laughing at the spectacle we were making. I scrambled up to a sitting position and Brooke righted herself beside me, trying unsuccessfully to wipe the huge grin off her face. I cast a sideways glance in her direction and she gave a quick nod of her head, indicating that now would be a good time to make our announcement.
I stood and cleared my throat.
"Ahem. Can I have everyone's attention?" All conversation ceased and every eye was turned on me. Brooke stood and took her place beside me and I threw and arm around her shoulders. I opened my mouth to finish but the sudden distraction in the foyer drowned out any words that might have slipped out.
I heard Dek and Chris playfully arguing about which one of them was the best musician. This was an on-going debate between the two of them. Travis and I had long ago stopped trying to intervene, coming to the conclusion that they were just giving one another a hard time. But the third voice that piped up wasn't one I had been expecting to hear. Brooke's head snapped in the direction of the door and she bolted from her seat toward the foyer.
"Jade!" High pitched screaming soon followed as the two best friends greeted one another almost as if they hadn't just spent the past month together. Those two shared a bond that made them more like sisters. When they were together, they were practically inseparable. I didn't mind, I loved seeing Brooke happy and being with Jade made her smile.
I love her smile.
"What are you doing here? You never told me you were coming to L.A." Brooke gushed.
"I surprised Dek this morning." Dek slipped an arm around her waist and dipped her back for a long kiss.
"Dude, that's just gross. I don't want to see that just before I eat dinner." I razzed him, just as I'd come up behind Brooke and rested my chin on her shoulder.
"Shuddup. You're just jealous 'cause I see something that I want and I go for it, and you don’t'." He quipped.
"Oooohh." Chris wriggled his fingers in the air. "It's starting to get frosty in here. Mom!" He bellowed. "The boys are fighting again. Make them stop!" He whined, ambling his way into the living room to join the others.
"Glad you're here Jade." I winked at her and made like I was going to ruffle Dek's perfectly styled hair, knowing it would piss him off.
"Hey!" He pulled back. "Don't touch the hair." So I slugged him instead and he chased after me. Just like old times.
"Boys! No horse play in the house. I'm not repairing that table again." Dad announced.
Once we were all back in the same room, Dad let everyone know that I still had an announcement to make. Brooke intertwined her fingers with mine and gave a light squeeze.
"Well, you all know that these past three months have been pretty hard on the two of us. This past month in particular damn near killed us. But, we both faced a few demons and came to accept the fact that we're meant to be together. We love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together. So, I've asked Brooke to marry me, and she said yes."
"Oh! My baby boy." Mom cried out, rushing to tackle me. Within seconds we were surrounded by everyone in the room. Even Gibson circled us, barking at all the excitement.
"Congratulations, you two. Your mother and I couldn't be happier for you." Dad thumped me hard on the back before pulling Brooke into a tender embrace.
"Oh my gosh, Brooke! You're getting married. This calls for a celebration." Jade announced, hugging her best friend tight against her. "I'm so happy for you sweetie. You deserve the best, and I think you've found him."
"Welcome to the family, Sebastian." Jade squeezed me hard around the waist. She was so short that she only came to the center of my chest. I gave her a playful pat on the head before picking her up for a quick peck on the cheek.
"Hey, put my girl down. You've already got a girl, hipster king, don't go trying to steal mine too." Dek chimed, playfully.
"Seriously, man. Congratulations. I'm so proud of you for finally making your move." Dek had been listening to me go on and on about wanting to spend my life with Brooke, and had patiently sat through every one of my rants when we'd been fighting. He'd been a great friend through it all, as he'd always been throughout the years. I wouldn't want to be enjoying this moment without him here to share it with me. We stared at one another for a moment, no words were spoken, but then again none were needed. We knew each other that well. In that stare we'd communicated that we loved each other and would always be there if, and whenever, needed. We hugged quickly and I turned to accept the next pair of open arms.
"Little brother." Travis grasped both of my shoulders. "You've been through an awful lot in your life. I'm so happy to see you smiling again. You two were made for each other. Go and love her and make her happy. I know in my heart that you'll be a great husband and father one day. Always know that Nat and I will be there for you two if you ever need advice."
"Or a babysitter." Natalie cut in.
After it was all said and done I felt like I'd been through one of those automatic car washes, where the mechanical brushes and chamois circle the car until it's freshly scrubbed and polished. I'd been thoroughly hugged and affirmed, and I loved every minute of it.
By the smile on Brooke's face as she sat huddled in a corner with the rest of the girls, flipping through an issue of Bride magazine, she seemed to be pretty happy as well.
And that's all that matters anymore.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Brooke~
“Oh Brooke, I am so happy to hear that everything worked out between you two. When is the wedding?” Mom gushed.
"I'm not sure. We haven't exactly set the date. But I have a feeling it will be soon. Sebastian made it perfectly clear that he's ready for me to be his wife." I laughed. I had to admit, now that he had proposed I was ready to make it official. The past four months of uncertainty had been more than enough to open my eyes to the depth of his love for me. I had been a fool to walk away. Even then I had known that I was making the biggest mistake of my life, but I also knew that it had taken the wisdom of many to guide me back to what I had now come to accept was the most important thing in my life.
Our love, and our future together.
"What kind of wedding do you envision having? There's a beautiful chapel not far from--." Mom began.
"Mom," I interrupted her thought process. "We're getting married here. In Santa Monica. I'd like to get married on the beach, but Sebastian and I haven't discussed the details yet. I just want it to be family and close friends. And I want it to be simple. I don't want to make a bug fuss."
"I understand, dear." Mom stated, warmly. "After all, the most important focus is both of you being happy. So, are you going to tell me how he proposed?" I went on to describe that evening, leaving out most of the intimate details. We talked for a few minutes more before hanging up.
I had to admit, now that I had reconnected with my parents I couldn't wait for them to meet Sebastian and his amazing family. My mind reflected back on the first time I had met Thomas and Tracy, when Sebastian had taken me there for Sunday dinner. They had been so warm and inviting, nothing like I remembered my parents being. Seeing mom and dad together, once they realized what they had lost, I could see that their demeanor had changed as well. I could honestly say that they now reminded me an awful lot of Sebastian's parents.
That realization made me happy.
It was Sunday afternoon, and we were about to head to a barbeque at Thomas and Tracy's house. I had spent the morning putting the finishing touches on a few salads. T
racy had asked me to make my famous red velvet cupcakes, her favorite, and once they were decorated I decided to throw together a platter of chocolate-caramel brownies. The brownies were Sebastian's favorite.
"Hey babe." He came up behind me, circling my waist with his arms. His hands rested low on my belly and he settled his chin on my shoulder. Without looking, I dipped a finger in the brownie batter and lifted it to his lips. He swirled his tongue around my finger and hummed in appreciation. "Yum, my favorite."
"I know what my sweetie likes." I retorted, playfully.
"Listen, I wanted to tell you something." He began, licking the last of the chocolate from his lips. "I hope it's okay with you, but I've invited Rachel and Savannah to join us this afternoon."
I stilled at his words. I don't think it was in response to the invitation itself, but more the reasoning behind it. After the proposal, and once the dust had begun to settle, we had both shared a bit of history behind our friendships with Reid and Rachel. Both of us were lonely and had looked upon them as purely friends, but neither of us could deny that we'd found them attractive. Reid was no longer a threat. He was back in London, and the last I spoke with him he had been on his way to take Victoria to dinner. Apparently, working together had sparked an attraction between them. It was ironic because she was the woman I had intended to introduce to Reid before everything had gotten crazy. But Rachel, that was a different situation entirely. Rachel lived only two hours away. I guess if I were being completely honest with myself, I would admit that I was jealous. I didn't doubt Sebastian's love for me. What I was most afraid of was that someone else would see what a wonderful man he was. I wanted to be the only one to receive his attention. But that would never be the case. He was too wonderful not to be shared. He was kind to everyone.
This was a fact I both loved, and hated.
"Babe, does that bother you?" He asked, concern lacing his deep voice. My body softened against him.