From what Brian had observed over the years, most of the time, his dad backed down if his mom was really upset. But there were a few times when, no matter how upset his mom got, his dad had remained unmoved. If the tone he’d just heard was any indication, this was going to be one of those times.
“She doesn’t have to go to Harvard. She can just go to a JC like Brian did. And we’ll figure something out with Brenden. Maybe he can get financial aid.”
“No. If we made too much for Brittney to qualify then it will be the same story with Brenden. And Brit’s not going to a JC. She’s worked too hard. I’m going back to the shop. Full time.”
Brian heard the metal legs of the patio chair scrape against the concrete slab and then the loud swoosh of the screen door that led into his parents’ room. He slumped into his desk chair, thinking that both his mom and dad had gone to bed, or at least were in their room, when he heard the muffled sound of his mom crying.
Brian’s heart broke into a million pieces. His parents were good, hard-working people who’d been dealt a shitty hand by life. But they hadn’t folded. No. They’d sacrificed and worked themselves to the bone, no matter what hardships they’d had, all for their kids.
There was no way that Brian was going to let the burden of his younger siblings’ tuition force his dad to come out of retirement. He didn’t know how, but he did know he’d find a way. If it meant forgoing his return to NYU and staying here to run the shop with his cousin, then so be it. He might have to get a second job to make ends meet, but he was young, healthy, and able. He couldn’t say the same for his parents.
As much as he wanted to go downstairs and comfort his mom, Brian knew that’s not what she would want. Both of his parents were proud people, and the last thing they’d want to do would be to accept more of his help.
He’d have to figure out a way to convince them that he wasn’t sacrificing his dreams, his goals, his life to stay here. Brian stood and removed his jeans. As he grabbed a pair of sweats that were lying on the floor next to his bed and slipped them on, his mind was already working on a strategy to approach his parents.
Lying down on his back, he rubbed his hands over his face. So much of his life was confusing, and he had no idea what his future held. The only thing that he knew was that, right now, all he wanted to do was call Becca. His best friend.
* * *
Becca stared at her reflection in the mirror as she ran a brush through her thick, dark hair. Deep circles lay beneath her eyes. Her skin was naturally fair but actually looked several shades paler than usual. Of course, it’s not like the fluorescent overhead lighting in the bathroom was doing her any favors, but still. She would be the first to admit that she wasn’t looking her best.
It had been a long day, she reminded herself. Since she and Brian had left the airport, Becca felt like she’d been strapped into an emotional roller coaster that had done flips, turns, and drops at high speeds. The audition had been some serious flips and turns, and then the big drop of the day had been when she and Brian had been sitting in the jeep and they’d almost kissed. Becca knew that it had really happened, that it had not been her overactive imagination.
Even thinking about it now made her stomach feel like an atrium filled with butterflies flitting around. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the warmth of Brian’s sweet breath fanning across her cheeks. She could smell the clean scent that was uniquely Brian. She could still hear her heartbeat pulsing rapidly in her head in anticipation of feeling the soft fullness of Brian’s lips against hers.
Reaching up, Becca ran her fingers along her bottom lip. For some reason, she knew what kissing Brian would feel like. It was as if a phantom kiss was imprinted on her psyche. Her body had a stored memory of Brian’s kiss. Becca just wasn’t sure if it was a drunken fantasy memory or if it was a reality memory.
She did know that, if Krista hadn’t knocked on the window tonight, whether or not her abstract remembrance of a kiss that may or may not have taken place were real would have been irrelevant because a very real, very sober kiss would have taken place inside Brian’s Jeep parked outside her sister’s house.
As much as that little factoid excited Becca, it also scared the living daylights out of her. Sure, she’d been fantasizing about that (and more!) happening between her and Brian for the better part of a year, but fantasy and reality were two very different things. Tonight, as she’d sat beside Brian during dinner, her mind had been speeding down the what-if highway, swerving around logic-cars and putting the pedal to the metal in the holy-crap-it-could-happen fast lane.
After mentally coasting on jumping-to-conclusion-fumes before finally running out of panic-fuel, she’d decided that, even if by some miracle Brian wanted to take things to the next level, it would not be worth it. Maybe they’d have a shot at happily ever after if they lived in the same state. But she was in school in California and he was either going to be in Harper’s Crossing or New York for the next few years. Becca might not have that much experience in the romance department, but she did know that long distance was a recipe for disaster.
So, inevitably, they would not work. Then what? Would they just go back to being friends? She seriously doubted that that would be case. Sure, they might still talk, try to pretend that nothing had changed, but things would be different…strained. Which, sadly, they already were. But at least, now, she could still fix it. She just had to stop being weird around him.
No more pulling away from him because a thrum of need was running through her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, which was what had happened when he’d hugged her goodnight. No more almost kisses. No more longing gazes. No more mental drives down the what-if highway of love.
She heard Cher’s voice giving sage advice from Moonstruck saying, “Snap out of it!”
Yes, Cher. That was exactly what she needed to do; because if she didn’t, the alternative was more than Becca could bear to think about.
Basically, taking things to the next level—no matter how badly her body and soul wanted to go there—was not worth losing Brian for. Nothing was worth losing Brian.
Becca knew that—in her mind. She just needed to convince her heart and hormones that it was the right decision.
Once she’d set her brush down, she grabbed her dirty clothes and opened the bathroom door to find Krista and Haley standing on the other side. After jumping about a foot in the air and almost dropping her clothes, Becca asked breathlessly, “What are you doing?”
“Waiting for you,” Krista said cryptically.
“Yeah, I got that. Why?” Becca’s eyes darted between her sisters.
“Why don’t we go sit on the couch and get comfortable,” Haley said, always the consummate nurturer.
“Okay,” Becca agreed, her shoulders shimmying as she tried to shake off her startled nerves.
As she followed her sisters down the stairs, it hit Becca that everything was changing and changing fast. Haley and Krista used to live in this house together, but since Haley got married, she’d moved across the street with Eddie and her stepdaughter Emily. Two of her sisters were already married and Krista would be married in a little over a month. She was so happy for all three of her sisters. She really was.
Unfortunately, deep down, Becca had a feeling that she wouldn’t have the same luck in love, especially considering her current predicament. Even if she met someone that was perfect for her, she knew that, most likely, it wouldn’t work. For one reason and one reason only—that person wouldn’t be Brian.
“Okay, so what’s the deal with you and B-dog?” Krista asked as she plopped on the couch and crossed her legs criss-cross-applesauce style.
“Nothing.” Becca felt instantly defensive, but tried not to let it show in her tone as she sat on the shorter end of the L-shaped couch, facing her sisters.
“Really?” Krista asked, raising her eyebrows then looking over at Haley with an ‘are you buying this?’ look on her face.
Normally, Becca indulg
ed her sisters. Growing up, since she was the baby, she’d looked up to them, and truthfully, she still did, but she was tired. And the Brian pool was the very last subject she wanted to dive into. Especially since she’d been mentally swimming in those very waters so much lately, that she felt like her mind was shriveled up like a prune.
“I’m tired, guys,” Becca announced as she stood up. All she wanted to do was get some sleep and not think about, worry, or obsess over Brian.
“Wait.” Haley held up her hand to stop Becca. “Just sit. This is not a gossip fest. We’re actually worried about you.”
Becca sighed. She saw in her sister’s eyes that she was serious.
Sitting back down, Becca tried to put her sister’s mind at ease by explaining, “There’s nothing to be worried about. Honestly. I’m fine. Brian and I are fine.”
“You two seemed…off tonight,” Haley said delicately.
“Off?” Becca knew that she felt like things were strained between her and Brian, but she would never have guessed that anyone else would have picked up on it.
“I think the ‘off’ Hales is referring to is the two of you seeming like you wanted to rip each other’s clothes off,” Krista said bluntly.
Becca shook her head at how ridiculous that was. “Brian does not want to rip my clothes off.”
“Aha!” Krista exclaimed as she pointed dramatically at Becca. “So you admit you do!”
“No, I don’t!” Becca’s eyes widened as she looked between her sisters. Knowing that the more she protested the worse things would look, she shrugged and tried to play it cool. “I mean, he’s…cute. But he’s Brian.”
Haley scooted closer to the edge of the couch. “Listen, it’s none of our business—”
“Yes it is,” Krista interrupted.
Haley ignored Krista as she continued, “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but we just thought that, if we were picking up on the right signals, then you might be feeling a little overwhelmed.”
“And confused,” Krista added.
Becca was torn. If she opened up and talked to her sisters about what was going on, it would make it real somehow. But…it was real whether she said it out loud or not.
“Nothing’s going on. I’ve just… I don’t know. I’ve been feeling… It’s hard to explain, but ever since last summer, I’ve thought…or, um, been wanting…” Becca’s voice trailed off. She knew that she wasn’t making any sense.
“To rip his clothes off,” Krista finished helpfully.
“Yes,” Becca admitted as her shoulders slumped, “I’ve wanted to rip his clothes off.”
Krista smiled and woohoo’d while Haley nodded her head in understanding.
“I don’t know what I’ve been thinking. It’s Brian!” Becca’s hands flew up in frustration.
“I have to say, ol’ Brian boy has always been a cutie, but these last few years, he’s been looking mighteee fine.” Krista wagged her brows.
“I know, but it’s Brian,” Becca restated emphatically.
“You keep saying that like it’s a bad thing.” Krista shook her head like she had no idea why it would be a bad thing.
“Is it upsetting you because you’re friends?” Haley asked with genuine concern.
“No,” Becca immediately answered. “I mean, yes, but we’re not just friends. We are…more than that. He’s like…”
“If you say family, then this just got weird,” Krista teased.
Haley swatted at her, and Becca rolled her eyes.
“Well, he is. I mean, not family, but he’s like… He’s Brian,” Becca said, trying to explain.
Krista raised her hand like she was in school and wanted the teacher to call on her. “Okay, I’m confused. Is he Brian?”
Haley came to her defense. “This isn’t funny.”
“It’s kind of funny,” Becca admitted as she felt her lips turning up at the corners.
If she couldn’t laugh at this, then she knew it would make her crazy. And Krista could always make her laugh. Her redheaded sister had a likeable irreverence that was kind of contagious.
“See? She’s smiling.” Krista pointed to Becca, obviously proud of herself.
Haley rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched in amusement.
Krista turned back to Becca. “So the million-dollar question is…drum roll…are you going to tell him?”
“No.” Becca’s hair fanned out behind her as she shook her head with force.
“No?” Krista and Haley both asked at the same time, looking shocked by Becca’s response.
“No. It would make things…weird.”
Krista tilted her head. “I hate to break it to you, Becca-boo, but things are already weird. You should have seen your faces when I interrupted whatever I interrupted outside.”
Haley’s head spun to Krista. “What did you interrupt outside?”
“I’m not sure. I just know that this one’s”—Krista pointed at Becca—“face was bright red and Brian looked like he’d gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar—if the cookie jar was Becca’s pants. And then he looked like he wanted to punch something.”
“He looked mad?” Haley asked, confused. “Who was he mad at?”
“I can’t prove it, but I think it was at himself. If the mooning looks and sad puppy-dog eyes B-dog was flashing at Snow White all night were any indication, then I think our dear little sister is not the only one who has acquired some unwanted feelings for their best friend.”
“Hello. I am in the room,” Becca spoke up. Her sisters always did this. They discussed her like she wasn’t there.
“We know,” Krista acknowledged—a tad too condescendingly for Becca’s taste.
“Don’t you think you should talk to him about this, Bec?” Haley asked. “I mean, when I told Eddie how I felt, I was terrified and it was hard, but look how that turned out.”
“That’s different. You wanted to be with Eddie,” Becca said, pointing out what she figured was completely obvious.
“You don’t want to be with Brian?” Haley asked.
“I think we’ve already established that she wants to be with Brian,” Krista said.
The more they talked about this subject, the more anxious Becca felt. She stood again. “I appreciate you guys wanting to talk about this, but honestly, I just want to go to bed.”
Haley and Krista both stood as well, and Krista said, “Okay, look. I know I’ve been joking around, but seriously, I think you should talk to Brian. You two have been like peanut butter and jelly since…forever. Just get it out in the open. I know it probably sounds about as good to you as a root canal, but I think it’s the only way to move past…whatever’s going on between you two.”
Becca nodded. “I’ll think about it.”
Her sisters pulled her into a group hug before Becca headed upstairs.
As she lay down in her bed, Krista’s advice kept running through her brain. Maybe her sister was right. Maybe telling Brian was the best way to deal with this. Maybe…
Chapter Seven
The sun shone brightly through the windshield of the Jeep as Brian pulled into The Diner’s parking lot. His eyes turned to the beauty sitting next to him. The rays of light beaming through the glass caused Becca’s dark hair to shimmer.
God, she was beautiful. His eyes drank in her profile. Her long, dark lashes, button nose, and ruby-red lips were so perfect that it actually caused an ache in his chest. How had he gone so many years and not seen, really seen, what was right in front of his face? He’d always known that she was attractive, but heartbreakingly stunning was a new discovery for him.
Nerves were pinging through his entire body as he took the key out of the ignition. This was it. He was going to tell Becca what he’d been feeling over breakfast. It was the right thing to do. He knew it. He also knew that he felt like he was about to come out of his skin.
He heard a loud click as Becca said in a forced, too-happy tone, “Got it on the first try.”
Looking over, Brian realized that she was talking about her seatbelt. The memory of the two of them sitting beside each other in a blanket of darkness, nothing existing in the entire world except the two of them, their lips centimeters apart, rushed back to him.
When Brian’s eyes met hers, he saw a faint blush appear on her china-doll cheeks. The light tint did what he would have sworn was impossible—it made her even more beautiful.
Letting out a small puff of a laugh, Becca grabbed her purse and was out the door in a flash. Literally, all he saw was a flash of dark hair as she exited the vehicle, which he immediately attributed to the fact that she was probably picking up on the weird vibes he was putting off.
Smooth. Real smooth, Casanova.
After opening the door, Brian stepped onto the pavement of the parking lot and sighed. He hoped that, once he came clean, these awkward moments between them would stop happening. They were killing him.
He and Becca had never even gotten into a real fight. Not because they hadn’t disagreed before. They had. But they’d always just talked it out.
Like when Brian had started ditching school, smoking weed, and drinking after his mom’s surgery had left her wheelchair-bound during their freshman year of high school. Becca had shown up at the park he’d been hanging out at with the rest of the stoners and given him a piece of her mind. He hadn’t been happy that she’d called him out, especially in front of his new ‘friends,’ but he hadn’t yelled at her or even argued with her. He listened.
She’d said her piece and left. Then, even though it took a few days, her words finally sank in and he stopped doing all that stupid shit. He started going to school again, stopped getting high and drunk, and actually dealt with the feelings he was having about his mom being in a wheelchair.
He’d dealt with those feelings the same way he was going to deal with the feelings he was having for Becca—by talking to his best friend.
The small bell over the glass door dinged as Brian pushed opened the door. Becca stepped inside in front of him, and even without permission from his brain, his eyes zeroed in on her round, firm backside. His blood started pumping at the way the denim of her shorts was distressed in all the right places, showcasing her curves like the work of art that they were. He tightened his hands in fists, trying to ignore his overwhelming desire to reach out and touch her. His eyes continued down her toned, shapely thighs and his mouth watered at the sight.
Fairytale Love - Becca & Brian Page 7