“Please.” Brooklyn walked away without a backward glance in his direction, leaving him to either stand there and wait or follow her.
He picked the second option.
A padded wicker couch and two chairs sat in front of the three dressing rooms, and he dropped into a chair while Brooklyn waited for Gabby to return.
“It’s going to look great. Trust me,” he said.
“Derek, if we were talking about picking out a new car, I’d trust you. This is something else altogether.”
“Here we go. I grabbed three different sizes for you to try, but if you need another one, press the button inside and I’ll get it. I also brought this one for you to try. It’s a little different than the one you picked out, but it’s been very popular.” Gabby held up a black-and-white bikini that reminded him of the one worn by the Bond girl in Dr. No, and then unlocked a dressing room.
Brooklyn stepped inside, threw him a look letting him know how displeased she was, and closed the door.
Thanks to the gap between the door and the floor, he had a good idea of what Brooklyn was doing. At first she stood there, and he suspected she was glaring at the two bikinis and silently calling him some unkind names. Eventually her feet moved, and she kicked off her sandals. Another pause, followed by what sounded like “What was I thinking.”
He watched her feet move as she changed. Or he assumed she was changing. With the exception of the one comment, she remained silent. Only the sound of rattling hangers came from inside the dressing room.
“I don’t know about this,” Brooklyn said, indicating she’d at least put one of them on.
“Does it fit?” he asked.
Under the door he saw her feet move as if she turned in different directions to check her reflection in the mirror. “Just because it fits doesn’t mean I should be wearing it.”
“I’m positive it looks fantastic. Let me in and I’ll give you my opinion.” If it wasn’t rude, he would’ve opened the door already rather than wait for an answer.
“No way.”
He prepared to remind her that he’d see her in it at some point, but Gabby joined them again.
“How are you doing? Do you need another size? A different style?” Gabby asked.
“I’m not sure.” Brooklyn’s voice drifted out to them. “It fits, but…”
“She won’t let me see.”
“Would you like my opinion?” Gabby asked.
Silence followed the saleswoman’s question, and he expected Brooklyn to decline her help. Then he heard the doorknob turn.
“Please. If you don’t mind.”
Gabby slipped inside and the door closed again.
“I don’t usually buy suits like this,” Brooklyn said, and her nervousness came through in her voice.
“It’s perfect for your figure. The color looks great on you too. Your boyfriend has a good eye. ”
Derek smiled and almost said I told you so. Since she was already unhappy with him, even though she shouldn’t be since she’d agreed to their bet and knew the terms if he won, he kept the comment to himself.
“I guess I’ll take it. And this too.”
He assumed she referred to the sarong. With the exception of the bikini Gabby had suggested, it was the only other thing in the dressing room with her. He knew she’d never buy both swimsuits.
“I’ll let you change and meet you up front. Your boyfriend’s going to love it on you.”
He agreed wholeheartedly. Now he needed to get over the next hurdle: getting her to actually wear it. Brooklyn could be stubborn. He wouldn’t put it past her to put off spending any more time on the beach or on the Affinity with him. Even as she stood changing, she was probably coming up with a half dozen excuses she could use. If she did, he’d pick his way through them all.
Chapter 9
She picked up her briefcase and empty travel mug then switched off her office lights. Although it was not quite five, since she’d come in to work at seven this morning, no one would mind if she called it a day. On her way down the hall, she passed by Derek’s office. The door remained closed. She’d expected to either see or hear from him at some point today. While she knew he had a trial going on, she’d thought he’d stop in her office when they broke for lunch or perhaps send her a text asking her to meet him. Something they both did on a regular basis. Neither happened. While she realized she shouldn’t read too much into it, she couldn’t stop herself.
However, even without any communication from him, he remained in the forefront of her thoughts. The same place he’d lurked ever since he’d kissed her in front of a room full of people.
In fact, she blamed her inability to sleep the night before on him. When she’d returned from Newport, she’d sat up picking apart the entire weekend. She’d scrutinized every word he’d said as well as each kiss they’d shared, starting with the fundraiser and ending with their time at his condo. As far as appearances went, it seemed like he did love her. He hadn’t confused some other emotion with love. And without a doubt she loved him. She’d just always buried and denied the truth. Since their first kiss up on stage, denying the truth had become more and more impossible. After their time together yesterday, burying her love was no longer an option, something that both scared and excited her.
Sure, he’d acted the attentive boyfriend yesterday. What if after she’d left he’d had second thoughts? Perhaps he’d spent the night analyzing their weekend together as well and decided he’d had his emotions confused. Their friendship would be over. Considering the way he’d touched and kissed her on the beach, she’d never be comfortable in the same room with him again if he confessed he’d been mistaken.
No point in worrying about it. It happened, Brooklyn reminded herself as she stepped into the elevator. Besides, she had other fires to deal with. The first being her family. Her dad had left an uncharacteristically long message while she’d been with Derek. In it he’d first reminded her of the promise she made him and how beneficial it would be if she and Trevor married. From there he’d proceeded to remind her Derek would never be welcomed into the family. He’d concluded by alluding to the consequences she’d face if she chose to forget about Trevor and get involved romantically with Derek instead.
She’d deleted the message after listening to it. Unfortunately, she couldn’t erase the words from her mind. She wished she could. It had been like listening to a complete stranger speak using her father’s voice. A stranger she didn’t like or want to know.
All her life her dad had supported her decisions. When she’d announced she wanted to join the swim team rather than dance, he’d wished her luck and gone to every meet he could. Later, when she decided she wanted to be a lawyer rather than study business and join either his company or her mom’s empire, he’d taken her to tour colleges with the best prelaw programs. To have him turn on her like this hurt.
Upset and in shock, she hadn’t returned his call. She knew not doing so only bought her some extra time. If she didn’t call him tonight either, he’d reach out to her. While she could not answer the phone, ignoring him wouldn’t solve the problem.
Brooklyn pushed the glass door open and stopped short. A black limousine waited at the sidewalk while a chauffeur stood near it chatting with Derek. When he noticed her, he started toward her while the chauffeur opened the back door.
“Great timing.” He reached for the door she’d yet to release.
She glanced at the limo once again before she spoke. “Have you been down here long?”
“Nah.” He took her hand and led her over to the waiting car. “Maybe ten minutes. Fifteen tops. I wanted to make sure I got here before you left.”
“And you’re now getting driven to and from the courthouse in a limo? Isn’t that a little over the top even for you?”
“I walked over to court. This is waiting here for you, not me.”
“Were you afraid I’d get lost driving home?”
“You never pamper yourself, so I booked you an appointment at
Magnolia Day Spa. The limo is here to take you over. Afterward, it will bring you home.”
She’d never visited the popular spa, but she’d heard a lot about it. “That’s not possible. You need to book an appointment there several weeks in advance.”
Derek pulled her close and smiled. “There are some perks to having the last name Sherbrooke.”
“Derek, you didn’t need to do this.”
“I wanted to, so please go, relax, and enjoy yourself. And unless you’d rather I didn’t, I thought I’d stop by and see you when you get home.”
“Okay, but I’m warning you. I might enjoy myself so much I never leave.”
“Then I’ll come in and drag you out.” He brushed his hand down her cheek and she leaned more into him, her eyes closing as she enjoyed his touch. “I’m going to visit Gray and Kiera while you’re at the spa. Call me when you get home, and I’ll come down.”
When he moved his hand, she opened her eyes and met his. The tenderness and love reflected there created a tennis-ball-sized lump in her throat. She swallowed a few times before she answered. “I will. Promise.”
With a single nod, he escorted her to the limo. “See you soon. Have fun.”
Derek closed the door, leaving her nothing else to do but sit back, relax, and enjoy her favorite white wine, which had been left inside.
She’d considered booking an appointment at the spa several times since it opened. For one reason or another, she never managed to find the time. She couldn’t wait to see if all the hype about the facility was true.
She managed to drink one glass of wine before the limo stopped and the driver pulled open the door. From inside she noticed people on the sidewalk stop and look, curious to see who would emerge from the vehicle. They’re going to be disappointed.
“I’ll be here when you are ready to return home, Miss Novak,” the driver said once she exited the limo.
“Thank you.” She ignored the stares and crossed to the spa’s tinted double doors.
Soft music greeted her when she entered. Two women sat in the waiting room, both focused on their smartphones. Behind a pale pink desk, a dark-haired woman sat studying her computer screen, but when Brooklyn approached she glanced over.
“Welcome to Magnolia Day Spa. Who is your appointment with this evening?”
He’d failed to give her that information. “I’m not sure. My….” She paused. She guessed calling him her boyfriend was correct, yet the word stuck in her throat. She’d never referred to anyone as her boyfriend. And she’d never imagined attaching the title to Derek. “My friend arranged everything as a surprise. My name’s Brooklyn Novak.”
“Oh, yes. I spoke with Mr. Sherbrooke when he called this morning.”
Across the room, both women looked up, more interested in her than whatever was on their phones.
“You’ll be seeing Melody tonight. Please have a seat, and I’ll let her know you’re here.” The receptionist didn’t wait for an answer before walking away.
Brooklyn glanced at where the other women sat. Neither had stopped staring at her yet. Sitting near them was out. Thankfully, she didn’t need to sit at all.
“Miss Novak, welcome. I’m Melody.” A pencil-thin woman approached her. “Please follow me.”
Melody led her past several closed doors before stopping in front of one. “This evening we’ll begin with your Magnolia Massage. It’s a ninety-minute-long Swedish-based massage that begins with a dry brushing.” She opened the door and gestured for Brooklyn to enter. “It’s our most popular treatment.”
She’d heard of a lot of things, but not dry brushing. “I’m not familiar with dry brushing. Could you explain it to me?”
“Of course. Please have a seat. This is the brush we use. You can also purchase one to take home with you if you want to continue the practice.” Melody picked up a brush from near the massage table and handed it to her. “Dry brushing is an ancient practice. I’ll brush your entire body using rapid strokes. By doing this, I’ll stimulate your lymphatic system and exfoliate your skin. Once I’m through, we’ll begin the actual massage.”
She’d never had a massage before. Did they all begin with a brushing? Brooklyn handed the brush back and waited for Melody to continue.
“Since this is meant to be a tailored experience, I’ll need you to tell me how much pressure to apply. Once the massage is finished, you should be relaxed and revitalized.”
“You said we’d start with a massage. What other treatments will I be receiving today?”
“Afterward you’ll receive an eighty-minute double exfoliation pedicure and a hand facial, which is similar to our Magnolia manicure.”
A ninety-minute massage followed by an eighty-minute pedicure as well as manicure; she’d be here a while. Maybe she should call and tell Derek not to wait for her. He probably had no idea how long any of these things took.
“Unless you have more questions, I’ll step out so you can change. I’ve left a robe here for you to slip on. Please remove everything, including your bra. You may leave on your underwear if you choose.”
“Thank you.”
Once alone, Brooklyn went for her smartphone rather than undressing. Judging by everything Melody listed, it would be well after nine before she got home. She needed to at least give Derek a heads-up in case he didn’t want to stay in the city quite so long.
He answered on the first ring. “You’re supposed to be getting pampered, not using the phone,” he said after greeting her. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I wasn’t sure you knew how long everything you booked would take. I’ll be here almost four hours. If you want to go home, I understand.” She heard other voices in the background and assumed they belonged to Gray and Kiera.
“When I called the spa, they gave me an estimate of how long you’d be there. Don’t worry about it. Enjoy your time and call me when you get home. I’ll come down.”
Arguing with him was a waste of breath. If he wanted to wait, she’d let him. “You went a little overboard here.”
“Not possible where you’re concerned. See you soon.”
***
Derek accepted the wine Gray handed him. He’d rather spend the evening with Brooklyn, but for now his older brother and his fiancée would do.
“New girlfriend?” Gray asked, taking a seat across the table from him.
“Yes and no.”
“Too bad you didn’t meet her sooner, maybe she would’ve saved you from Aunt Marilyn and the auction.” His brother chuckled. “Although you managed to save your own ass regardless. I can’t believe Brooklyn went along with your plan. And don’t say you two didn’t arrange what happened at the fundraiser. We both know you put her up to it.”
“Do you blame me?” There was no point in denying his brother’s allegations.
“Not in the least. Courtney told me Tasha believed she had you in the bag. Said she was almost on the stage before Brooklyn made her final bid. Courtney overheard Tasha later. She was beyond furious. She wouldn’t even repeat what Tasha said about Brooklyn.”
He’d expected as much. “She’ll get over it and find someone else.”
Gray raised his wineglass in a toast. “To Tasha finding her next victim.”
“Knock it off, you two,” Kiera said as she placed a platter of beef Wellington down. “She’s not always that bad.”
Gray shot Derek a look as his fiancée walked away. One he understood and agreed with.
“So what’s the new girlfriend’s name?” Gray asked. “Why didn’t you take her to Sara’s wedding?”
“It’s Brooklyn,” Derek answered.
“Seriously. I’ve never met another woman named Brooklyn other than your friend and you’re dating one. What are the odds?”
Kiera entered the room again with a garden salad and sat. “Wow, can you be dense sometimes. He meant his friend Brooklyn.”
“No, he doesn’t, Kiera. Derek looks at Brooklyn Novak sort of like a cousin.” Gray faced him again. “Is that
a good way to describe your relationship with her?”
“It was. But Kiera’s right. We’re together.” Derek helped himself to dinner while his brother processed his statement. “How did you know?” They’d told no one, and except for their short shopping trip, they’d not gone out in public together.
“A picture of you kissing at the Brick Market Place and another of you holding hands coming out of a store popped up on a social media feed. A friend of mine sent it to me when she saw it.”
Hell. Who else had seen it? If Donovan Novak spotted it, he’d be harassing his daughter again.
“Why didn’t you take her to the wedding? Brooklyn’s comfortable with the family. She goes to most of the New Year’s Eve parties,” Kiera asked.
“We weren’t together then. It’s a new development.” Although he’d been a fool not to realize his feelings long before now.
“You and her together?” Gray asked. “Have you thought this one through? Are you sure it’s a good idea?”
“Why, because we were friends first? You two were friends long before you reconnected in January.”
“It’s better you were friends first. Means she already knows you’re an idiot and is willing to look past the fact.” Gray’s teasing smile faded. “Her father doesn’t like you. Or did you forget?”
“I don’t care if he likes me or not.” He did wish he knew why the man disliked him.
“She might,” Gray said.
He’d rather not consider her family getting between them. “It’ll be fine.”
“Whatever you say. So why are you here then and not with her?”
“I surprised her with a visit to the Magnolia Day Spa. She’s there now. I’ll go visit her when she comes home.”
“Wow, you have great taste.” Kiera jumped into the conversation again. “I had one of their deep tissue massages a few weeks ago. Amazing. If you’re trying to convince her you love her, it’s a good start.”
When had Kiera added mind reading to her list of skills? “She already knows how I feel. But she needed a day of pampering. She doesn’t do those kinds of things for herself.”
Bidding On The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 8) Page 14