by Ann Hunter
“Is that him?” Laura whispered.
Brooke beamed at Dejado, looking ultra dreamy in a white button down shirt and blue tie that matched her frock. When he grinned back at her, revealing those dimples of his, her stomach went all to twitterpated pieces.
Laura squeezed her arm. “Well done.”
Brooke blushed a little, taking one step at a time for Laura who trained her eyes on Johnathan, looking almost as handsome as Dejado in a black shirt and silver tie, with perfectly coifed sandy hair.
They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Hillary insisted on taking lots of pictures before they left. Brooke kept glancing at Dejado, hoping he’d look back at her and there would be this magical connection; the kind you saw in movies where sparks flew and the background went all fuzzy. But his line of sight kept waltzing down the hall where Alex sat in the den watching tv.
“Hello, Your Highness,” he called.
Alex flipped him off without looking.
“I guess she really is Princess Charming,” he chuckled to Brooke.
Brooke took a deep breath, reassured that Alex wasn’t a threat, and this was still going to be a perfect night. She’d read somewhere that if you pictured how you wanted your day to go, and stayed positive, good things would happen. So she smiled at him, hoping this night would end on her doorstep with him drawing her close, and that starry-eyed connection happening.
When he placed his hand on the middle of her back, guiding her outside with Laura and John, she felt the tension and threat of jealousy ease out of her, and walked closer to him. She could feel his warmth even a few inches away. Almost like it could protect her somehow.
He lowered his head to hers, and she caught a breath of his minty toothpaste and light cologne. “You look great,” he murmured.
Brooke’s arms got all goosepimply. “So do you,” she hummed back.
He must have noticed her skin prickle, because he swung his jacket over her shoulders. “Better?”
Brooke slipped her arm through the crick of his elbow. The best.
Shortly after they got to the dance, the drama club took the stage to perform the song “Lady’s Choice” from their recent production of Hairspray.
“Do you want to dance?” Dejado asked.
Brooke glanced at Laura as she announced, “I think John and I will sit out the fast one.”
Brooke felt bad and wanted to stay by her. Dejado raised an eyebrow. “Why did we come here if we’re not going to dance?”
Johnathan seemed to agree. He got out of his seat at their table and bro-tapped Dejado on the chest, with a bit of a head buck like follow my lead.
As the Lady’s Choice jammed on, John and Dejado started dancing for the girls. Laura burst out laughing and clapped her hands. The young men looked slick. Brooke giggled as Dejado had trouble keeping up with John, and started making up his own goofy moves. The Chicken Dance could not have been more entertaining.
When another fast song came on, the boys slipped off to gather punch and goodies. It didn’t take long for Brooke to give up talking to Laura over the loud music, and both were happy when their dates returned.
Dejado was the first to ask Brooke to dance when a slow song came on. She took his hand and he led her to the middle of the floor, sliding his arm around her back. They swayed with the rhythm as she gazed into his dark eyes, and he gazed back, not minding when she leaned her head against his. This was her Beauty and the Beast moment. The one where you just knew they might make it, where their relationship could be a real thing.
She got a little dizzy off his subtle cologne, but it was the kind of dizzy you welcomed when you felt all floaty and warm. Like the first time she’d tasted mulled wine at Christmas, not knowing any better. She closed her eyes, smiling, as he murmured, “I’m so glad I met you, Egg.”
He moved his mouth closer to her ear to whisper, “You’re my favorite person.”
It made her happy to know, but how do you even respond to that? Thank you? Mine too Fish’n’Chips. Instead of getting caught in an awkward trap, she decided to just enjoy the moment. Being close to him like this was something she found herself daydreaming about lately.
They ended up checking out from the dance a little more than half way through when Laura mentioned she was getting tired. They hit a cozy diner in town on John’s dime, where Dejado dipped his fries in tea.
Brooke thought it was funny, like dunking fries in a chocolate shake, but Laura and John were weirded out. Dejado gnoshed his soggy fry openly. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”
Brooke grabbed one and went for it, watching the tip of the fry make ripples in the cup. She bit into it, chewed, then covered her mouth. “Sorry, but they’re right.”
They laughed.
When they got back to North Oak, Dejado walked with Brooke back to Pop’s place under a starry sky. He loaned her his coat again, and when they got to her doorstep, he reached for the lapels and casually tugged her close.
“I had a great time,” he said.
“Me too.”
“Thank you for asking me to go.”
They gazed at eachother and Brooke found her hand on his arm. She leaned in to kiss him, but was met with Dejado’s palm against her nose.
“Oh,” he said. “No thank you.”
Brooke’s eyes went wide, confused and feeling like she’d taken a left hook to her face. She let his coat slide from her shoulders.
Dejado’s brow furrowed. “I’m so sorry if you thought we were… I was being nice. A good friend. You’re a great gal, Egg.”
“But the dates, and the— ”
“You’re my only friend here in the states. Of course I wanted to spend time with you. I’m so, so very sorry if I gave the wrong impression… led you on.”
Brooke was sure she was going to be sick. Her knees quaked. She bit her lip to hide its quiver.
Dejado reached for her hand, but she pulled it away. “You scare me, Egg,” he said gently. “You know what you want, and you go and you get it. I respect the bloody Hell out of that.”
Brooke struggled with the lump in her throat. “I scare you.”
He shook his head. “Your dreams are so big, I don’t know if I could keep up with them. But I want you to be happy. And I’ll do what I can to help you find that happiness. Because that’s what friends do.”
Brooke hugged herself, rubbing her arms. She felt hot and cold at the same time. “Is there someone else?” Before he could answer, she blurted out “It’s Alex, isn’t it?”
Dejado slung his coat over his shoulder and looked down at his feet guiltily. “I’m sorry. I really like her.”
“She doesn’t want anything to do with you.”
He looked into her eyes, full of earnesty. “But I want everything to do with her.”
“You’re sixteen.”
“Only barely.”
“She’s fourteen. Don’t you think that’s weird? Cade and Hillary, they won’t let her date for two more years. Did you know that?”
“So I’ll wait for her.” Dejado shrugged. “More time to get her to like me.”
Brooke braced against the cottage, her lungs heavy with pins and needles. A swirl of stars assaulted her vision, and she thought she might pass out. “Please leave.”
Dejado touched her shoulder. “You’re my best friend, Egg. Please don’t let that change.”
She shrugged him off, hoping he couldn’t see her tears. “Leave.”
GONE RANK
Brooke collapsed on her bed, sobbing. Her face seared with heat from the heavy weight of humiliation. She let her mind run away with all the nasty charges of inadequacy. How could she have been so blind? So naive? To believe she was the kind of girl a boy would want? Was she even pretty? Attractive at all?
A soft knock fell outside her door. “Brooke?”
“Go ‘way, Pop.”
“You, uh…” he cleared his throat awkwardly. “Is it women troubles? You need me to run to the store?”
“No.”
<
br /> She heard him sigh. “Was it that boy?”
Right now That Boy sounded way better than Fish’n’Chips. Her stomach turned over just thinking of him.
“Can I come in?” He cracked the door, and when she didn’t chase him away, he entered the room.
Brooke sat up, wiping the tears from her face, turning her fingers black from runny mascara. “Don’t say I told you so.” She sniffled.
Joe exhaled softly and sat on the edge of her bed beside her. He pressed his hands together between his knees and nodded.
“I can be a real blowhard, I know. But you ain’t the first girl whose heart’s been broke.” He slipped his arm around her. “Come here.”
Brooke sank against his shoulder, letting the tears come. Her grandfather stroked her hair with a surprising gentleness she hadn’t known before.
“I remember the first time your mom was like this. Loving can hurt, but it makes our hearts stronger.”
“I’m crazy about him, Pop,” she choked.
“Aw, Brookie. I bet he’s crazy about you, too, just not the way you want him to be.”
“Laura can land a boyfriend. Why can’t I?”
He kissed her forehead. In spite of his wiry whiskers, Brooke appreciated it. She took a deep breath to steady herself.
“You’re special,” he said. “And we both know you’re meant for greater things.”
“So. What?” She sat up, looking at him. “I keep throwing away relationships in pursuit of my dreams?”
“You and your mom are alot alike. You both knew what you wanted at young ages. And what separates dreamers from doers is sacrifice. And you’re a doer. So don’t let anyone get in the way of your dream, girlie girl. Not even me.”
Brooke took the handkerchief he handed her and wiped her cheeks and nose. “Does that mean I can bring Morning Glory home?”
He laughed and got up from her bed. “No.”
He shut the door softly and Brooke was left staring at her teary reflection in her vanity mirror. She was a go-getter, a doer, meant for more. It’s what made Dejado respect her. Could she use that to still win him over? He was willing to wait for Alex, could Brooke wait for him?
She didn’t want to give up relationships for her dream. Where was the happiness in that? What point was there in chasing your dream, achieving them, if you couldn’t share it with someone else? Couldn’t she have her dream and a life? Or was it easier to close her heart, to protect it, like Alex did?
Brooke didn’t want to have to choose. She was still too angry, too hurt, too resentful, and she knew whenever she went to Clearbrook, she’d have to face That Boy. With it in a prime location between Oaklawn and Churchill Downs, he’d taken up residence there so he could bounce between the tracks, earn a wage, and help her board Morning Glory.
How long would that last?
She needed to keep Dejado around. She needed to show how much she wanted him around.
Alex lowered herself onto the straw in Venus Galaxies’s stall, waiting for the new black filly to notice her. She liked how it was dark and quiet this evening. The stall felt like the perfect place to unwind before dinner and sort out everything going on.
Even though she kind of felt like she and Hillary had reconciled, Mr. North’s reaction to those questions left her with a new feeling that she was a triangle in a square hole. Sure you could make it fit if you tried hard enough, and it sort of did - half way - but it felt awkward, like there were still missing pieces.
Venus Nights peeked out from beneath her dam’s belly in the corner. She blended in like a shadow, like she wasn’t even there. The milk mustache on her muzzle gave her away.
Alex smiled and reached out her hand, making a little kiss noise to coax the filly over. The filly smacked her lips and leaned forward, then decided better of it by wheeling away, back to the corner.
That was okay with Alex. She wouldn’t trust anyone who tricked her like she had with the halter and stuff either. They had time to become friends, as long as North didn’t sell her like he had tried to with Promenade.
She stayed quiet, her eyes trained on the little shadow. Venus Nights would peek out from under her dam’s tail, and Alex would lean that way, until the filly ducked around front and peered out from her dam’s chest. Alex smirked. “Peekaboo.”
Venus Nights tossed her head, leaning against Venus Galaxies who munched her evening grain contentedly. The mare shifted her weight to three legs with a soft sigh.
Alex scooted toward the back of the stall, trying to get closer, just as she heard voices nearing. She recognized Dejado and Johnathan.
“I don’t understand. I told her I only wanted to be friends, and it’s like she’s redoubled her efforts to win me over.”
“You can’t be just friends with girls, man. That’s suicide.”
“What should I do? I really like her, but not like a girlfriend. I don’t want to lose her friendship, but she’s putting me off.”
Alex hunkered down in the shadows as Johnathan leaned on the wall just outside the stall.
“Maybe you should take off for a while,” he suggested. “Give her time to cool off.”
“What? Just like that? Just vanish?”
“I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than hang around Clearbrook all day. Why not head up to Belmont for the spring? Get ahead on the stakes races.”
Alex held her breath as Dejado paced past Johnathan. He ran his fingers through his dark, floppy hair, jaw tense as he swallowed. “I don’t know if I can do that to her.” He paused in the aisle, staring into the distance. “I need to find a way to let her down easy.”
A small spark went off in Alex. She liked that he didn’t want to hurt Brooke, but she also liked that this could be an opportunity to get Brooke to get off her back about the dumb boyfriend too.
“Sounded like your letting her down easy before backfired,” Johnathan said. “Don’t cry to me when she throws herself at you and tries to make out with your boot or something.”
The thought of Brooke wrapping herself around a boot and slobbering all over it made Alex almost laugh. She bit her knuckle to keep herself quiet and cringed when it came out like a weird sneeze. Venus Nights’s ears perked and she tottled over to inspect. Alex bit her lip, not sure whether to push her away or hide behind her. She hoped the boys hadn’t heard.
Venus Nights lipped Alex’s ear. Alex squeezed her eyes shut, squirming under the soft lips and toothless gums. The filly snorted on her and nibbled her hair, tugging. Alex shoved the fuzzy bum around to block the boys’ view of her before they found her out.
“Anyway,” Johnathan said, hiking a thumb in Alex’s direction. “This is the pride and joy of North Oak.”
Alex wished she could disappear. Maybe coming in here wasn’t such a great idea afterall.
“She used to be my aunt’s horse, but then she passed away. Venus Galaxies went on to win the Breeders Cup without her anyway.”
The mare stopped munching her dinner to gaze at them, then crossed to her filly to nudge her away from Alex.
“You brought me here to show me your dead aunt’s horse?” Dejado asked. “Is that how you win all of your new friends over?”
Johnathan shrugged. “Just thought you’d like to see real quality after hanging around all those Clearbrook horses.”
Alex peeked around Venus Galaxies’s leg to see Dejado thumb his nose. She thought his expression reflected her own opinion of Johanathan. A solid, snarky classy. She didn’t think she could like North’s son less.
Except that he was telling this Dejado guy, whose eyes suddenly met with Alex’s, to leave Brooke. Alex’s breath caught. Dejado’s stare seemed to bore through her before he rolled his eyes back to Johanathan, shoving his fingers into his pockets and shrugging. “Sure, John. Quality.”
“I mean they’ve got some okay horses over there, but we’ve got the good stuff.”
Dejado’s eyes shifted back to Alex. She scuttled closer to the corner of the stall as Venus Nights bega
n to nurse off her dam. Her fluffy little tail swatted Alex in the nose.
Dejado chuckled, but kept acting like he was paying attention to his new ‘friend’. He folded his arms across his chest. “I think I’m a pretty good judge of horses. Why don’t you leave me alone with her for a bit, and we’ll catch up later.”
Johanathan clapped him on the shoulder as he passed. Dejado turned, watching him go. He didn’t say anything until he and Alex were alone.
“How much did you hear?”
Alex winced as Venus Nights stepped backwards and accidentally squished the side of Alex’s chucks. “You’ve reached Ishmael. Please leave a message.”
He kept his arms folded, remaining in profile to the stall door. “Hello, Ishmael. What do you think I should do?”
Alex shoved the filly’s behind so she’d stop stepping on her and swatting her in the face. “Go.”
“Really? I don’t want to hurt her anymore.”
Alex huffed. “Not you, Dork.” She rose from the corner, brushing off straw from her jeans.
“Should I stay then?” His eyes shifted to hers.
“Is that what you want?”
“I don’t know. Do you want me to?” Dejado cleared his throat. “For Brooke I mean.”
Alex picked a fleck of straw from Venus Nights’s rump. “What do I care? Why are you even asking me?”
“She’s your friend.”
Alex rolled her eyes. “Sometimes.”
“What does that mean?”
“What do you think it means?”
“You don’t like giving direct answers, do you?”
“Brooke said as much about yourself.”
Dejado blew out a breath, muttering under his breath, “This is going nowhere.”
“Sure is,” Alex muttered back.
“Look,” he said, then huffed. “I mean really. Why aren’t you making eye contact?”
“Why would I?” Alex shrugged. “I don’t know you.”
“Do you want to?”
She shrugged again.
“I’d like to know you.”
“Look buddy, I really don’t care what you do. You wanna stay? Stay. But Brooke’s been blind to everything else in her life since you came into it. She’d be better off without you.”