“Such a sweet-talker.”
“That’s not even my best line.”
“Wow.”
“I know.”
They stood in line at the counter and signed up just in time for the next departing tour. Dwight, their tour guide, seemed to take pride in saying everything in an overly loud speaking voice. “If you’ll all step aboard the tractor trailer, we’ll head out for our tour! Our first stop is the dairy barn, where we’ll get our first up-close-and-personal look at a Holstein cow!” As he continued, Brooklyn shifted her gaze to Jessica in amusement of Dwight and his killer lungs but found her hanging on his every word, an expression of total and compete rapture on her face at the whole experience. It was so unexpected that it was endearing at the same time.
As the hour-long tour unfolded, they moved from one stop on the farm to another, learning about milking times, pasteurization, and care for the animals. They were escorted to a viewing platform, where they watched the milking process take place live and in person.
Through it all, Brooklyn found herself paying more attention to Jessica than the tour itself. A new energy overtook her that Brooklyn had never seen before, this kid-like enjoyment of the afternoon before them and all they were learning. When something especially interesting was presented to them, she’d look over at Brooklyn in excitement to gauge her reaction. Who would have thought? Take the sophisticated businesswoman out of her suit and the city she pretty much dominated, and you had a wide-eyed everygirl in jeans and a curve-hugging top. It was an intriguing discovery.
“Having fun?” Brooklyn nudged Jessica’s shoulder with her own as they followed the group to the final stop on the tour: the nursery.
Jessica nodded, clearly swept up in it all. “Can you believe this goes on out here everyday? While we’re juggling accounts in the land of concrete and high-rises, Dwight and the rest of these guys are out here under this blue sky moving the herd to the barn. At the same time, milk’s being processed in the milk room and baby calves are being born. Each and every day.”
“It’s easy to get caught up and forget the rest of the world exists, isn’t it?”
Jessica paused. “Sometimes I guess we need days like this one to remind us. I love how big the world is. How diverse the people in it can be.”
“All right, all right,” Dwight said, garnering the attention of the group. “This is usually most everyone’s favorite stop on the tour, and I can’t say I blame them! You’ll be given a bottle of milk and the opportunity to feed a calf here in our nursery. Keep in mind that the calves are fairly zealous when it comes to their lunch, so you’ll need to keep a firm grip on the bottle. They may nudge you with their head or shoulders as they drink, but that’s just an instinct. Calves bump their mamas as a way of keeping the milk coming!”
Jessica couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed herself this much. As she kneeled down next to her assigned calf, she laughed at the way he wholeheartedly grabbed hold of that bottle and began sucking it down like there was no tomorrow. Good thing she’d been warned. As the calf drank, she stroked the back of his head soothingly and watched as his eyes slowly drifted up to hers. Right then and there, her heart melted. She was gone. She looked over at Brooklyn, who was studying her with interest from the fence.
“I want to take him with us.”
“I can tell.”
“He could be a city cow. He’d like the Village.”
Brooklyn tilted her head from side to side in consideration. “Somehow I think he’d be happier out here.”
Jessica nuzzled the back of the calf’s neck. “You’re probably right. There’s half the bottle left. Do you want to try?”
“No, you finish. I like watching you with him.”
“We are quite the pair.”
Brooklyn snapped a couple of photos with her phone as Jessica smiled up at her, finishing up with her new best friend. Something warm attached to her and spread out as she fed that little guy. For the first time in a while, she felt totally and completely at ease. Relaxed even. In fact, she hadn’t checked her phone or her e-mail once since she’d climbed into Brooklyn’s car.
She reveled in this newfound ability to unplug. It turned out there were more pleasant ways to spend an afternoon than client calls and staff meetings. She smiled at the woman looking on from a few feet away because she was one of them. Next to her, the calf sucked the last droplets of milk from the bottle and trotted off energetically to join his buddies in the pen. Jessica stared after him fondly.
“Thanks for stopping. This was fun,” she said to Brooklyn as she joined her on the perimeter fence.
Brooklyn tucked a strand of hair behind Jessica’s ear. “It was, wasn’t it? We haven’t gotten to do too many fun things together. Yet.”
“You just said yet, which I like.”
Brooklyn looked skyward, playful now. “I did, didn’t I?” She took Jessica’s hand and threaded their fingers together. “I can be a lot of fun when called upon.”
Jessica nodded, entranced by the way Brooklyn’s eyes sparkled extra blue when she was happy. “I guess we’ll find out.”
“I don’t want to pull you from your newfound second home, but we should probably hit the road. I’m supposed to pick up the key to the cottage by six.”
“Want me to drive?” Jessica asked, overly hopeful.
“Not a chance.”
As they walked leisurely back to the car, Jessica noted the way the fall foliage acted as a striking backdrop to the farm. The surrounding treetops burst forth with yellows, oranges, reds, and brown that blended together luxuriously. It really was a sensational display of autumn and, quite simply, breathtaking. She should make a point to notice nature more, she thought to herself and turned to Brooklyn to make that point. Instead, she found her studying the ground as they walked, pensive. And she understood that she’d drifted. “You’re nervous, aren’t you? For tomorrow.”
Brooklyn stared straight ahead. “I think it’s starting to hit me. Yeah.”
“Don’t overanalyze this. We’re going to have dinner with a woman and her family, and then we’re going to head back to the city.”
“It sounds so simple when you put it that way.”
“Then let’s keep it simple. Can you do that?”
They climbed into the car, and Brooklyn studied the steering wheel before answering. “I’m glad you’re here. I was nervous about it at first, bringing someone with me. But it was a good idea. You were a good idea.”
Jessica sat back as the words sank in. Brooklyn didn’t often let her guard down and allow her genuine emotion to show through. She was a fabulous flirt, an amazing kisser, and an adept conversationalist, but she rarely let things get sincere for too long. So the words carried weight with Jessica. They mattered. “Thank you for saying that. I’m glad you asked me.” They stared at each other for a beat.
“Plus, you’re not bad to look at, so there’s that.” And just like that, they were back to business as usual. The sincerity had been fleeting, but at least it had been there. It was okay. She could keep things light if that’s what Brooklyn needed at this point. And this trip was all about Brooklyn, she reminded herself.
They drove for just over an hour before arriving in the quaint little town of Avon, Connecticut, their destination. And when she said quaint, she meant quaint. It was like something out of a sitcom. It had an actual Main Street, and was that a town library? Dear God, it was.
Brooklyn ducked her head and stared up at the buildings they passed through the windshield. “So this is the place. It’s kind of picturesque, isn’t it?”
“That’s the perfect word for it,” Jessica said, watching with fascination as a man disassembled his fruit stand from what seemed to be the lawn in the center of town. A woman turned the OPEN sign to CLOSED on the door to her flower shop. Dusk was falling around them and the town appeared to be tucking itself away. It seemed like the kind of place where things stayed the same. Stable. That was the word. And she liked that. She wasn’t sure she coul
d ever live in a place like Avon, but she’d sure enjoy visiting.
“So I did a little reading about this place before we came, and there is something I’d like to see before we lose light. Is that okay? It’s kind of on my to-do list.”
“That’s more than okay,” Jessica said, intrigued by the ongoing adventure.
Brooklyn drove them into a nearby park, where they parked the car and headed out on foot. The sky was holding onto the last bits of pink and orange. Because the temperatures were dropping, she shrugged into her green sweater jacket before following Brooklyn down a marked path. After a few moments, “Are you planning to tell me where we’re going?”
“I’d rather show you. I don’t think it’s that much farther, actually. It should be—oh.” And there it was, just around the bend in the sidewalk.
A beautiful covered bridge.
Underneath it, water cascaded down a series of stone steps into a stream. Jessica’s heart sighed at the sight.
“Come on,” Brooklyn said, taking her hand. “I’ve never actually seen a covered bridge in person, but I have this obsession with them. Samantha bought me a coffee-table book of them once for the loft.”
As they made their way onto the bridge and looked out over the stream, Jessica was struck. “It’s so peaceful out here. Almost like we’re miles from any other living soul. Just listen.” The air was crisp with the sound of only the water running beneath them and an occasional swallow call in the distance.
“It’s called the Huckleberry Hill Bridge. It was built in the sixties for pedestrians to cross the pond. The lattice, there,” she said, pointing, “isn’t structural but, rather, decorative. It’s a Town lattice-truss bridge.”
“You know a lot about bridges.”
Brooklyn lifted a shoulder. “I’m just really fascinated by them. Does that make me a dork? You can tell me if it does.”
“Nope. It makes you even more interesting than I already thought you were.”
Brooklyn studied her as if she was not quite expecting that response. “Thank you.” She now looked about as serene as the landscape around them. With the sky purpling at the end of the day, they listened to the quiet for a few moments. It was the kind of easy silence that Jessica loved. After a minute or two passed, Brooklyn turned to her.
“As much as I love New York, and I do love it, there’s something important about a place like this. There’s, I don’t know, a mysterious feel to it. It’s romantic. I guess that’s the word.” And then she looked embarrassed as a blush dusted her cheeks. “That probably sounds ridiculous to someone like you. Hard-core city conqueror that you are.”
Jessica shook her head slowly. “It sounds beautiful to me.” She reached out and grabbed Brooklyn’s hands, pulling her in and placing them behind her waist. They were face-to-face now, close. “In fact, you’re beautiful, and I love that a place like this draws you in. I happen to like it here too.”
“Do you know what I’ve wanted to do since I picked you up this morning?” Brooklyn asked. “When you looked so relaxed and sexy, wearing jeans on the curb?”
“I don’t,” Jessica whispered.
“This, right here. Wrap my arms around you, stare into your eyes. I could do this for hours and never get bored. It’s the most intriguing thing.”
“And that’s all we’d do?” she managed, because she knew it wasn’t.
“Nope.”
Brooklyn inclined her head and leaned in slowly, hesitating just before she reached Jessica’s mouth. It was the most wonderful yet torturous move ever. The buildup, the anticipation, the way they hovered, breathing in the same air, was more than intense. Jessica was helpless to the way her body trembled with Brooklyn so close. She craved the contact. She wanted that mouth on hers. Finally, Brooklyn closed the distance and seized Jessica’s mouth in a searching kiss. The warmth of her was intoxicating, the way she tasted even more so. Jessica was lost, and that was perfectly all right. She skimmed her hands from where they rested on Brooklyn’s waist up the sides of her body, across her shoulders until she cradled Brooklyn’s face tenderly, returning the kiss that rendered her powerless, matching what she was given each step of the way.
She was totally and completely owned, and the realization surprised her to no end. She was used to being in control. She was known for her level head. But Brooklyn had a way of erasing all of that, and she’d be lying if she said it wasn’t a little exhilarating.
As the sun made its final descent in the sky and the cold moved in around them, they continued to kiss slowly on the most romantic spot, this bridge, special to her now for an unforeseen reason. Not to mention, the kissing was some of the best she’d experienced and she lost herself in its unravel, in where it was taking her mind and her body.
When Brooklyn finally pulled her lips away, she blinked at Jessica, her eyes scanning her face, then the bridge, their surroundings. Jessica ran her thumb across Brooklyn’s cheek softly. “What is it? What are you thinking?”
“I’m just memorizing this. You.”
“Really?” Something about the sentiment warmed her and caused her to pull Brooklyn in tighter. It was one of those moments when she felt so ridiculously alive. The trees rustling, the water beneath them running crystal blue, Brooklyn in her arms all soft and amazing.
“Mhmm, really. Because being here with you, like this, is really nice. And if you don’t agree, just fake it, okay?”
Jessica grinned at the concept. “But I don’t have to fake it. That’s the really good news. I’m a supporting player this weekend, though. This trip wasn’t supposed to be about us, remember?”
“And it won’t be. In fact, I got us separate rooms. I plan to behave really well. You’ll be so impressed.”
Jessica scrunched up one eye. “Probably smart of you. But I’m quite forgiving about slips in behavior. Just know that about me going in.”
Brooklyn laughed and nudged her, looking playful and damn sexy as she did it. Maybe it was the fact that she’d pulled her hair out of the ponytail when they’d arrived at the park and it now fell around her shoulders generously. Or maybe it was the way her whole face transformed when she smiled.
Or maybe it was all of it.
It was everything.
Brooklyn stole another kiss and held it. “Let’s take our photo before we go.” She got out her phone and elevated it above them, leaning into Jessica. They smiled as Brooklyn took the picture.
And for good measure, they did a little more kissing under the Huckleberry Hill Bridge until the moon made its first appearance and ushered out the day.
Chapter Thirteen
It was just past three a.m. when Brooklyn bolted upright in bed, struggling to catch her breath. She looked wildly around the room, blinking against the darkness, trying to understand where she was and whether she was okay. She blew out a breath. It was just another nightmare. That was all. Only this one had been more powerful than any she’d had in recent history. She took another deep inhale, reminding herself from past experience that the best thing to do was to continue to breathe and wait for the dust to settle.
She was in the present.
She was safe.
And she was in control of her own life.
As life once again eased into the manageable square, she thought on the intensity of the nightmare. It made sense. As she’d drifted to sleep, she’d had a lot on her mind. Her overly loud inner monologue had been playing on a god-awful loop. So naturally her state of mind had exacerbated her typically unpleasant nightmare into a horrific one.
Tomorrow was, in all seriousness, weighing heavily on her mind.
This was the meeting she’d thought about, imagined, fantasized about on pretty much every difficult day of her childhood. Given, in her version, her birth mother had swooped in when she was still a kid to tell her that it had all been a horrible mistake. She’d then rescued her from whatever foster home she found herself living in and took her back home to live somewhere safe, secure, and happy.
Ironic
ally, somewhere kind of like Avon, Connecticut.
She ran her fingers through her hair as she contemplated what to do with herself. She’d be so much better equipped to handle the next day if she could just work in a few valuable hours of REM. But there was no way she’d be able to sleep now. She was way too keyed up.
She looked to the wall to her right, knowing that just beyond it, Jessica slept soundly. She’d kept her promise and been good, keeping her hands to herself and opting for the second bedroom.
When they’d arrived at the little house on the lake, she’d been pleasantly surprised at its charm. While decidedly petite, it offered a cozy living room complete with soft quilts, a fireplace in the corner, and a set of rockers on the front porch. A small dock in the back extended a short distance into the lake. She’d sat on its edge with Jessica for a while before bed, talking, not talking. It had all been very peaceful. She appreciated Jessica’s attempt to keep her mind off all that terrified her. And her presence and proximity definitely kept her mind moving.
Unfortunately, in that moment, there was no Jessica to save her from herself. And sleep wasn’t going to happen. She could lie here for several more hours, twisting in insomnia, or do something she knew would be way more productive. So she made an executive decision, throwing the covers off her body.
Time for a late-night snack.
They’d picked up some groceries in town for breakfast in the morning, and she planned to take full advantage of them now.
She padded into the all-white kitchen and located a pan from under the countertop. A couple of eggs, onion, tomato, and pile of cheese later, and she was well on her way to a delicious three a.m. omelet.
*
There were noises coming from the kitchen. Jessica blinked against the dark. Why was noise coming from the kitchen? This couldn’t be good. Her defense instincts kicked in. She checked the clock on her bedside table. It was still the middle of the night.
And someone was in the house.
She pulled on her silk robe, wishing to God it was longer and tougher looking, and grabbed the long umbrella she’d seen resting against the rear wall in the closet. Think like a ninja. Think like a ninja. Armed and determined to not show fear, she rounded the corner tightly into the kitchen. “Stop what you’re doing right there.”
Kiss the Girl Page 17