by Alison Mello
“Oh?”
“Yeah, it was a guy about a house you wanted to rent.”
Shit. I hope she’s not mad. “Yeah, I called to inquire about it. I want to buy a house, but I thought about renting for a little bit first. I need to get a place of my own and I’m not sure where I want to start.”
“I don’t think renting is a bad idea, Brooke. As a matter of fact, I think it’s smart.”
I smile at my mom, feeling good about my decision. “I keep looking at the pictures. It’s really cute and it’s not far from home, work, or Vaughn. I can’t wait to see it.”
“Do me a favor. Be sure you take one of your brothers to look at it with you.” Mama gives me a stern look.
“Look at what?” Remy asks walking into the kitchen.
“A house I want to rent.”
Remy’s expression changes to one of concern. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, you living by yourself?”
I put my hands on my hips. “Not too long ago you wanted Daddy to kick me out. Now you’re worried about me living on my own? I’m a grown woman, Remy, and I’m going to look at this house with or without you.”
His brows shoot up. “Okay. I’m sorry.” He puts his hands up in a defensive manner. “Keaton and I will both go. I’ll make sure it’s safe and he’ll make sure the house is in good condition. Let us know when.” He starts back out the door but turns back. “Just so you know, I’ll always worry about my baby sister.” I shake my head as he joins my father back on the deck with a fresh round of beers.
My two other brothers have both arrived and are sitting on the back patio with my father. Kenzie comes in from the yard and offers to help Mama, while Kayla keeps track of the kids. “Why don’t you two go relax outside? I’ve got this.” Mom gives us a warm smile. I walk out to the back deck and take a seat next to Remy, and Kenzie greets Lilly, who walks into the backyard. I can’t help but watch for Vaughn, who should be here any minute now.
“When do you want to go look at that place, sis?” Remy bumps my shoulder.
“As soon as I can. I’ll call the guy tomorrow and set up a time. Maybe he can let us see it one night this week.” I take a pull from my beer.
“My big girl is moving out.” My dad shakes his head. “What’s the place look like?”
“It’s a two bedroom house with two baths. It has a nice size eat-in-kitchen and a small living room. The place isn’t huge, but it’s big enough for me, and the rent is reasonable. I’ll be able to continue saving to buy a house when I’m ready.”
“It sounds nice.” Remy smiles at me.
“It looks it, and what’s better is it comes partially furnished, so I won’t need to get a ton of stuff to start out with. There’s a sectional sofa, TV stand, coffee table, and end tables in the living room. There’s also a small table in the kitchen. I just need to get a bedroom set.”
“Even better.” My dad looks proud. I clap my hands, excited to see the place.
“Excuse me, I have to check on the food.” My father gets up from his spot on the bench. Kenzie and Lilly jump in it.
“Is your dress all set?” Kenzie’s face lights up when she asks about the wedding.
I smile. “It sure is. It’s hanging in my closet, all ready to go.” I’m in the wedding, and I’m happy to talk about it. It’s a nice distraction from the issue I’m having with my boyfriend.
“I’m so excited. Lilly is obviously walking with Dawson, since they are best man and maid of honor. Brooke, I have you walking with Vaughn.” She wiggles her eyebrows, not knowing what kind of day we’ve had. “And Kayla, you’ll walk with Keaton.” I give her a tight smile, not wanting to give any signs of our misunderstanding today. It’s a Fourth of July wedding, and this year the fourth is on a Saturday, so it worked out perfect. “The rehearsal dinner is Friday night, and you’ll all need to be here at six. We’ll do a quick walk through with the priest and then we’ll enjoy dinner.”
“I can’t wait.” Lilly claps her hands, full of excitement.
Aunt Kenderly and Uncle Jasper walk into the backyard. Kenzie jumps up to give them a hug. I sigh, forgetting Remy is beside me. “He’ll be here. If not, I’ll kick his ass,” he whispers in my ear.
I look up at him and I try to smile, but it doesn’t quite work. “I’m worried about him.”
“Let me go say hi to Kenzie’s aunt and uncle, and then I’ll text him if he’s not here.”
I bite the inside of my lip. “Maybe you shouldn’t.”
“Up to you.” He gets up to go say hi and he talks with them for a few minutes.
“Dinner is ready,” Mama calls out putting the remainder of the food on the table next to all the meat my father has pulled off the grill.
I stand up to get a bottle of water, and then get in line to make my plate. I’m not really hungry, but I don’t feel like spilling my guts, and if I don’t eat everyone is going to wonder why. This entire party is killing me, and it pisses me off because I should be happy for my brother and future sister-in-law. Instead I’m sad and depressed because the man I love is not here. I close my eyes and take in a breath as the ‘L’ word just flew through my mind yet again. “Auntie Brooke, will you eat with me?” Becky pulls on my dress.
“Sure, sweetie. Let me get my plate and I’ll go sit on the blanket with you.”
“Yay,” she cheers and runs off to sit on the blanket her mother set up. Becky always eats on a blanket when we eat in the yard. She loves sitting in the grass. Funny thing is I was the same way when I was her age. I never cared to sit at the table with the adults. I didn’t even care if I ate alone. As long as I had a soft blanket and grass to sit on, I was a happy little girl.
It’s finally my turn. I grab a plate and start picking at some of my favorites, making sure I don’t take too much. As soon as I’m done, I make my way over to the blanket where Becky is set up with her baby doll. She has her sitting and she’s pretending to feed her. “What’s the baby’s name?”
“Katrina,” she answers simply without even looking at me. “Auntie Brooke, are you sad?” Holy shit, even my little niece can tell I’m off.
“No, sweetie, Auntie is fine.”
She takes the spoon, brings it to the baby’s mouth, and then eats it herself. “My baby really likes the macaroni.”
“I bet she does. It’s good stuff.” I giggle at her innocence. I’m picking at my food and watching her play and eat.
I glance up to see Vaughn walking into the backyard. He looks good, but I can tell he’s still off from this afternoon. He’s wearing a nice pair of khaki shorts and a purple polo that shows off his muscular arms and chest. Remy gets up and walks straight up to him. They shake hands and man hug. Remy pats him on the back and I can see his mouth moving as he whispers something to him. Vaughn nods and slaps him on the back. They look at each other and silently exchange some words. Vaughn’s mask slips for just a second—I almost missed it, but it definitely slips. I can’t help but wonder if Remy caught it. Remy walks back to his table and Vaughn’s eyes scan the yard. He gives me a nod and I offer a small smile in return. He walks over to the food and makes a plate, but instead of sitting with me he sits with Remy and my parents. I won’t lie, I’m a bit crushed. I know he’s my brother’s friend and all, but I would think he would come sit with me for a bit.
“Becky, Auntie is going to clean up. You be a good girl.”
“I will, Auntie.” I get up from the blanket, grab my plate, and run into the house to throw it away. Then, I go out to the food table, grabbing the empty platters and bring them into the house to wash up. I can’t stand to be out there watching him laugh with my brother while he pretends like nothing happened between us. I dry the platters and put them away before going outside to see what else I can clean up. It’s warm out, so I grab the remainder of the salads, put them into smaller containers, and stack them in the fridge. I’ll do anything to avoid being out there right now.
I dry my hands, and when I turn around, I’m startled by Vaughn stand
ing at the door. “Holy shit, you scared me!” I slap him on the chest.
“I didn’t mean to, but I wanted to check on you. I saw you run off and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
I shake my head no. “You came in here pretending like I didn’t exist. What would make you think I’m all right?”
“Brooke. You ran out of my house telling me you needed space. I screwed up today, and I know I have to figure out how to fix it, but you can’t tell me you need space in one breath and then be mad at me when I give it to you in the next.”
My brows shoot up in shock. “That’s not what I meant, and I’m sorry if that’s what you thought. I just meant I didn’t want to argue with you, and I wanted time to pull myself together before the party.”
He nods, taking in my words. “Hey Vibe,” Remy calls out and Vaughn turns around.
“Vibe?” I question.
“Yeah, it’s my nickname from the service.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “Go. See what he wants. I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. It appears we both have thoughts we need to square away.” He kisses me on the cheek and walks out. I gasp thinking about his words. The man I’ve wanted for years is finally mine and I can’t bring myself to tell him how I feel about him. Maybe that’s why he won’t open up. He’s afraid because he doesn’t realize what he means to me. I guess he’s right. I do have my own thoughts I need to square away, but I can’t do it down here. I grab my phone and run up to my room to send both Remy and Vaughn a text saying I’m sorry and that I’ve turned in for the night.
Chapter 13
Brooke
I groan to myself realizing the god awful noise is my alarm telling me I need to get up for work. I roll my stiff neck and jump out of bed. My body is stiff and aches because I haven’t been working out much lately and I’m definitely feeling it. After a few quick stretches, I go straight to my closet to figure out what I’m going to wear today. I’m really tired from the crazy dreams I kept having last night. I feel like I hardly slept. Every time I would fall into a deep sleep I would envision Vaughn on the beach looking lost and scared. His expression was pained, and I have no idea what brought it all on. My big strong, independent soldier was scared, and then to make matters worse, I walked out on him. He scared the shit out of me. At the time I felt like I did what I needed to, but how am I going to get him to open up to me if I walk out on him when he needs me? He must feel like he can’t trust me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. As much as I want to figure this all out, I need to focus on getting myself ready for work.
I grab my favorite floral print jumpsuit and lay it out on the bed. It’s bright with fun colors and it makes me smile. Plus, it’s really comfortable, and comfort is something I need today. I also need to feel confident, and nothing makes a woman feel more confident than a sexy ass matching panty and bra set. I grab what I need and head to the bathroom to get ready. I can’t help but notice the quiet. This house used to be filled with hustle and bustle, and now there’s not a sound. My mom is on vacation from school. She’s probably still sound asleep in her bed while my dad is already at work. Dawson, Remy and Keaton have all moved out, and now I’m about to move too. I’ll need to have music or something going in my house. I’m not sure I can handle this quiet.
Forty-five minutes later I walk out of the bathroom dressed, with my hair in a twist, and my makeup done to perfection. I make a smoothie for breakfast, throw a lunch together, and run out the door. When I get to the car I realize I haven’t checked my phone yet this morning.
Vaughn: I think Brody is sick.
I wonder what could be wrong with Brody. He’s only had him a few weeks, but you can tell he’s totally attached to his dog. You can tell by the way his face lights up when he sees him that he adores him.
Brooke: Why do you say that?
I put the car in drive and take off toward the clinic. I need to see what we have going on today. I want to be prepared to squeeze him in if need be.
Vaughn: Are you sure you want to talk about my dog’s shit this early in the morning?
I’m driving now, so I can’t text him back. I hit the call button on the screen to dial him instead. “Hello.”
“I can’t text you anymore. I’m driving to work, and yes, I want to hear about his shit. I’m a vet, it’s what I do.” I roll my eyes.
“Fine. It was runny, and he went twice this morning, barely making it out the second time.” I hear his chair creak. He must be in his office. I can picture him leaning back in the chair with his leg crossed at his ankle, looking all sexy.
“Are you in your office?” I bite my lip.
“Yes.” He sounds confused.
“You’re leaning back in your chair, aren’t you?” I need to stop picturing him shirtless, looking all sexy. My panties are getting wet.
“Ummm, yeah. Why?”
I shake my head. “Never mind. Back to the dog. Did he eat anything he shouldn’t have?”
“Not that I saw. There was no trash on the floor when I got home.”
I pull up to the red traffic light and pinch the bridge of my nose. “It could be a number of things. Keep an eye on it, and if he doesn’t improve, call me and I’ll have you bring him in.” He could be upset he saw us fight. He could be worried about what he saw on the beach with Vaughn. I don’t tell him that because I don’t want to cause added stress, but I’m really hoping it’s just nerves.
The person behind me beeps their horn, letting me know the light has changed and I need to wake the hell up. “What was that?”
I sigh. “The guy behind me. I’m tired and wasn’t paying attention to the light.”
“You need to focus on driving. I’ll let you go.” He sounds sad.
“Call me later and let me know how he is.” And how you are too. I don’t say that last part, but I want to. I’m afraid if I push him too hard, he’ll continue to push me away. He sounds so tired, I’m sure he’s not sleeping any better than I am. I again try to push thoughts of Vaughn out of my head for now. He’s right, I need to focus on driving, and I can’t do that if I start to worry about him all over again.
I pull up to work with about ten minutes to spare of us opening. Dr. Kramer and Courtney’s cars are already here. I climb out and unlock the front door, letting myself in. “Good morning,” I call out, trying to figure out where everyone is.
“Hey.” Courtney comes to her desk carrying a cup of coffee that she made in our one cup brewer. “Are you all right?” she asks, looking concerned.
“Yeah, I didn’t sleep too well last night, but I’m okay.”
“Do you want to do lunch today and we can talk?” She gives me a warm smile and I can tell she’s hopeful that I’ll lean on her.
“We’ll see how the day goes.” I give her a small smile and head to find Dr. Kramer. I walk to the back to find him with one of our many pets. “How is Pretty Kitty?” Yes, someone named their pet Pretty Kitty. I can’t help but giggle at some of the names people chose for their animals.
He pets her head and scratches her chin. “Much better today. I think it’s time she goes home.”
“Oh good. I’ll have Courtney place the call to notify the Harrisons that they can pick her up.”
“Thank you.” He looks up with a small smile.
“Dr. Kramer, are you okay?” He looks extremely tired and very pale. I press my hand to his forehead and he instantly pulls away.
“Don’t you start too. I just had to endure Courtney’s rambling on about my health. I’m fine, just a bit tired.”
With my hands on my hips, I give him a look that tells him I’m not buying it, but I say nothing, giving him a chance to speak up. When he continues working and ignoring me, I have no choice. “Dr. Kramer, we have worked together for a few years now, and I’ve known you since I was little and I brought that sick stray cat into your clinic. Do you really think for one second I’m buying your ‘I’m fine’ line?”
He sighs. “Okay, so I’m not feeling t
oo hot today. And before you say anything else, yes, I very much remember the little blonde girl that strolled into the clinic crying because the kitty was sick. The care and concern in your eyes told me you would be treating animals someday, and here you are, but what am I going to do? Tell the animals not to be sick today?”
“Really? I am a veterinarian now. You have no excuses. I’ve been helping you treat animals long enough that I would think you trust me at least a little.”
“Oh dear, it has nothing to do with trust. I trust you with these animals wholeheartedly, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to be here to treat them just the same.”
We can hear patients coming in with their owners as we wrap up our conversation. Courtney must have opened the doors. “Fine, but I’ll be keeping an eye on you, and you will take a lunch break today,” I demand, not caring if it upsets him. This man is like a second father to me, and I’ll be damned if I don’t take care of him.
After a few hours of seeing our furry little patients, I tell Courtney to order us lunch in. We can sit in the break room and chat, that way I’ll be able to keep an eye on Dr. Kramer, who happens to be moving a bit slower than usual today. I asked him to please make an appointment to see my father, and he said he would if he wasn’t feeling better in a few days.
“Lunch is here,” Courtney calls into the back. We both peel off our gloves from working with a dog and toss them into the bin.
“Thanks, Courtney. Come on, Dr. Kramer. I ordered you your favorite soup.” He turns to me with a smile.
“You’re a stubborn girl, Brooke, but thanks.” We walk into the break room together. He takes his soup and crackers from the table, thanking Courtney. “I’m going to eat in my office. I have some paperwork to take care of. I’ll see you ladies shortly.” He walks out of the kitchen.
I shake my head. “I’m worried about him. He doesn’t look good.”
“I know. You didn’t look too hot yourself this morning. What’s going on?”