Ten Million Fireflies (Band of Sisters)

by Marianne Rice

  “I’ll let you do your thing then. Can I get you anything?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m gonna dig around first and make sure your pipes are in good working order.” With that, he moseyed outside.

  Her phone vibrated in her back pocket and she pulled it out, instantly brightening when she saw Drew’s number.

  Are you free for lunch?

  She responded, I can clear my schedule.

  Brooke chewed on her lower lip while she waited for his response. And waited. And waited. Frowning, she tucked her phone into her back pocket and carried on with her chores.

  It was nearly an hour later before he responded.

  Good. Come at noon. Or before. Now. Come now.

  It was only ten-thirty, and she knew if she went to Drew’s, she wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon, and she had a ton of work to do.

  The plumber is here now. I’ll be there for lunch but will need to come back to check on things. But feel free to convince me to stay.

  Again, he didn’t respond right away. What was it with this guy? He sent a text and ran away from his phone? What was the point of giving her his number and being all cute in his texts if they weren’t going to flirt-text back and forth?

  She checked in with Craig when it was almost noon, who said he was taking a lunch break as well, and she took the path through the woods to Drew’s.

  She could hear the kids before she could see them. Laughing, shrieking, and Drew’s uncharacteristically loud, deep boom of a voice threatening to toss them into the water.

  Stepping out of the woods and onto the road, she turned down his driveway and across his lawn to the backyard. She waved to Katie and Glen up on the deck and watched Drew chase his niece and nephew around the yard.

  The little ones held super soaker water guns bigger than their little bodies and pointed them at their silly uncle. When he noticed her, he straightened and smiled, and the kids used that opportunity to drench him with water.

  “Hey!” he shouted, scooping up Toby as a shield to block the spray from Vanessa’s gun.

  “Put me down! Put me down!” Toby wiggled his way out of Drew’s arms and immediately pointed the gun at him, soaking the front of his uncle’s shorts.

  “Time for lunch, kids,” Katie called from up above.

  Abandoning their weapons, the little ones scurried past Brooke and up the deck stairs.

  She pointed to his crotch. “They got you pretty good.”

  “You and I can play a game of water guns after lunch if you’d like.”

  “I’m good. Besides, it looks like it’s going to rain later. If I want to get wet, all I have to do is stand outside.”

  “You sure your cabin roof doesn’t leak?” Drew sidled up to her, smelling of soap and fresh cut grass, and took her hands in his.

  “It seems like you want it to leak. I don’t have to worry about you sabotaging my cabin so I’ll have no place to stay, do I?”

  “That’s not a bad idea.” Drew cupped her chin in his palm, his brows narrowing in concern. “I didn’t destroy the Penobscot cabin. I’d never do that.”

  “I believe you.” And she did. She couldn’t deny she had her moments of doubt a few days ago, but the more time she spent with Drew, the closer they became, and she knew no matter how badly he didn’t want her to open up the camp, he’d never destroy it.

  “You sure? I still think opening up is a bad idea and you’re going to lose all this time and money you’re putting into it, but I’d never do anything to hurt you or wish you failure.”

  “Like I said, I believe you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

  “You two going to come up here and eat or play sucky face all afternoon?” Katie called from above.

  “I’d flip her off, but the littles are watching.”

  “I am a little disappointed we haven’t played sucky face yet.”

  “Later.”

  “Promise?”

  “Will you stay tonight?”

  Brooke wanted to. She so wanted to. But this flirting game, the anticipation and teasing between them was magical. She feared it would all end after they had sex. It wasn’t that she worried it wouldn’t be good. If it was anything as powerful as the kisses they’d shared, it promised to be fan-freaking-tastic.

  Sex with men didn’t lead to relationships, and she kind of wanted one with Drew. A date, more dinners together, and lots and lots more laughter. And of course, more kisses. Once they had sex, if he was like most men, he wouldn’t want or need anything more from her.

  “I take that as a no.” Drew sighed in disappointment.

  Brooke was all about being straightforward with her feelings and she’d talk to Drew later when they had privacy. In the meantime, she hoped to keep things light-hearted and fun between them.

  “I’ve gotta play a little hard to get.” She chucked his chin with her knuckles and sent him a wink. “Isn’t the chase half the fun? Especially when you know you’ll cross the finish line? Just not when...” she trailed off, tugging his hand and pulling him up the stairs to the deck.

  They enjoyed a rambunctious lunch outside. The kids didn’t stop talking and rarely sat for longer than two minutes. They didn’t take more than three bites before jumping out of their chairs and trying to get Drew to play with them again.

  “Let your uncle eat or he’ll be too tired to play with you later.” Glen leaned back in his chair, a knowing smirk on his face.

  “Sometimes I feel like your visits aren’t about seeing me but pawning off the littles on me so you two can catch a break.”

  “We’d never do that,” Glen said, popping a chip into his mouth.

  “Nope. Never,” Katie agreed.

  Brooke broke out in a laugh. “Are they always like this when you guys visit? Begging for his attention?”

  “There’s no begging, it’s more like demanding.” Drew winked at Brooke and her heart flipped.

  She turned to Katie and Glen. “When was the last time you went out?”

  “On a date?” Glen scratched his chin. “What year is it?”

  “Please,” Drew grumbled.

  “Why don’t you two go out tonight and Drew can watch the kids.”

  “Hey now, I’m on deadline.”

  “I’ll help.”

  “Well, in that case,” Drew leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, “why don’t you two go get ready?”

  “Eager to get rid of us, are you, brother?” Katie gathered the paper plates and empty bag of chips. “I have a feeling you’re using my kids to get to your girl.”

  “I have no problem with that.” Glen patted Toby’s head.

  “I don’t need your kids to get my girl.”

  Brooke sat back, amused by the brother and sister, not minding one bit to be the subject of their banter.

  “Trust me, you need every bit of help you can get. An ugly, surly, boring bachelor living in the middle of the woods, who goes on fewer dates than his married sister? You need all the help you can get.”

  “I’m not surly.”

  “Yeah, you kind of are,” Brooke said, beaming at his scowl. “You were. You can be. You’re very... temperamental.”

  “I am not.”

  “Are too,” the three adults said in unison, and all burst out laughing.

  “Mommy, are you picking on Uncle Dew?” sweet little Vanessa asked.

  “She is,” Drew said, sliding Vanessa’s seat closer to his and picking her up and putting her on his lap. “How about you, Toby, Brooke, and I have a fun night tonight without Mom and Dad around? Sound like a plan?”

  “Can we make a fort in your bedroom and go in the hot tub?”

  Hot tub? Oh, that sounded heavenly and incredibly sexy. She hadn’t spotted it.

  “Yes, on the fort, and a good possibility on the hot tub. You can’t stay in for too long or you’ll turn into a raisin.”

  “I don’t like raisins,” Toby said.

  “We’ll limit hot tub time then. I’ll take the cover o
ff in a bit so the temperature lowers,” he said to his sister.

  Brooke’s phone vibrated in her pocket and she took it out, keeping it low so as not to be rude.

  Craig. He found a corroded pipe and a leak. Great.

  “Thank you for lunch, Katie. The sandwiches and pasta salad were delicious.”

  “It wasn’t anything fancy. Either this or mac and cheese is about all my kids will eat.”

  “Not having running water yet and barely a kitchen makes it hard to cook much of anything, so I appreciate it.”

  “No water? Where are you living?”

  “At the camp in the main cabin. I have a plumber over there right now working on the water situation. The electrician came by yesterday and got the rec hall wired. The stove and refrigerator should be in by the end of the week, so I’ll be able to fend for myself.”

  “Drew? Why are you letting her live like that? You have plenty of room here.”

  “I tried.”

  Not exactly. He asked her to stay the night so they could have sex. Moving in wasn’t on the table, not that she wanted it to be. Brooke valued her independence and freedom and never wanted to be at the mercy of someone else.

  Her grandmother had reminded her daily how much of an inconvenience she was. Never again, if she could help it, would she freeload off anyone. Even though she knew she wasn’t a freeloader at ten, her grandmother made her feel like one.

  Over the years, she worked extra hard to prove she was a hard-working, independent woman who needed nothing from anyone. The last thing she wanted Drew to think was that she needed him.

  “I’m a low-maintenance girl and require little. I stockpiled protein bars and peanut butter and jelly. That’ll get me through until I have a kitchen to cook in, which I rarely do anyway, even when I had a normal house.”

  “Drew,” Katie scolded her brother and Brooke grew uncomfortable for the first time. Being the center of attention or being worried over was new to her.

  “I’ve offended Brooke enough by trying to be gentlemanly. She spent twelve years in the army and is pretty badass at taking care of herself.”

  “You’re in the military?” Glen asked. “That’s cool. Thank you for that. It takes a brave woman and man, hell a brave human being, to enlist these days.”

  Toby and Vanessa had lost interest and ran inside to play, or by the sound of it, destroy the house.

  “Thanks. Anyway, I’m used to roughing it. The weather is decent in the summer. I’ll have my rental back by winter, so no need to worry about finding my frostbitten corpse in—”

  Brooke clamped her mouth and shut her eyes. If that didn’t set her back a million steps with Drew, she didn’t know what would.

  “I’m sorry. Thank you for lunch. I have to go. The plumber...” She scooted her chair back and jogged down the steps and didn’t stop until she reached the end of Drew’s driveway. What an idiot she was. No one would ever accuse her of being tactful, but she usually knew how to be sensitive to one’s feelings, especially when it concerned death.

  “Brooke,” he called out behind her.

  “Listen, that was inappropriate. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—” Drew shut her up with a kiss that nearly knocked her off her feet. Literally.

  He grabbed hold of her hips to steady her.

  “I know. It’s okay.” He touched his forehead to hers and wrapped her in a tight embrace. “You’ll come back tonight? You offered to help with babysitting duty, and I’m not letting you out of it. Don’t leave me alone with those kids, please?” he begged in jest.

  “I’m pretty sure you can manage on your own.”

  “You’ll come back?” he asked more seriously.

  “I will.” She kissed him lightly and ducked under his arms. “And I’ll bring my bathing suit for hot tub time.”

  Drew clasped his hands over his heart and stumbled backward. Brooke shook her head and laughed all the way back to camp.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Brooke had been sleeping in the drafty old cabin for over a week and had yet to give into Drew’s begging to stay the night at his place. He was torn between hurt, annoyance, and being incredibly turned on.

  She’d joked about only being a toy to play with and that he’d tire of her as soon as they did the nasty. What he wanted to do with her was far from nasty. He wanted to hold her throughout the night, kiss every inch of her skin, and love her from sunup to sundown.

  He knew telling her that wouldn’t convince her to stay. Brooke was the type of woman who avoided emotional attachment. She’d all but come right out and told him that.

  Sex wouldn’t end their relationship; he knew it wouldn’t. It couldn’t. What he wanted from Brooke was so much more, and he’d tried to tell her that on many occasions. She’d been hurt before and didn’t think herself worthy. Damn her mother and grandmother for never showing her affection. He didn’t know what else he could do to prove his intentions.

  It was all so confusing. If asked two weeks ago, he’d say he wasn’t looking for a relationship with anyone. And now, a committed relationship with Brooke was all he could think about. For some ass backward reason, Brooke thought sex would tear them apart, yet she didn’t want to commit to anything serious.

  For the life of him, he couldn’t figure her out. Unless there was something seriously wrong with her. Not wanting to go down that road, he closed his laptop, realizing the words wouldn’t flow while he worried about his and Brooke’s relationship.

  Her advice to him last week during their first dinner date rang in his ears. Be straight up and tell her what you want. Hell, he’d done that. He told her he wanted her to stay the night. He told her that he cared about her.

  His feelings for her were growing deep, but he didn’t think either one of them was ready to talk about them. She wanted the status quo, which had been amazing and fun and nice. So why was he so insistent on messing it up?

  There were still issues he needed to sort out—the biggest elephant in the room was his fear and anxiety of the Penobscot cabin and of the camp opening up. It had been years since he’d talked with a therapist. Now may be the time to go back.

  More than anything, he wanted to move forward with Brooke and not have the ghosts and demons of his past tear them apart.

  He contemplated between going for a run and stopping by to see Brooke. Multi-task. He could do both. He laced up his sneakers and jogged down the familiar trail.

  There were two work trucks parked next to Brooke’s car and music coming from the hall. He bounded up the steps and opened the screen door, the creak unable to be heard over the rock music... and the laughter.

  Brooke sat on one of the tables, an open pizza box on one side of her and a gigantic man on the other. He had one foot propped up on the bench and leaned close to her, too close. She tipped her head back and laughed at whatever he’d said, and a wave of jealousy ripped through Drew like he’d never experienced.

  He stood back and watched the scene with dread. With her baseball cap on backward and tufts of hair escaping around the edge, Brooke looked badass yet beautiful. She wore a razor back tank top with the word ARMY across her chest. Military emblems seemed to be the bulk of her working attire.

  It wasn’t the hat or the clothes that called to him, it was her. That genuine smile. That honest laugh. Those dark, mischievous eyes. And right now, they were all directed at a man who was not him. When the music stopped and a commercial came on, he cleared his throat and moved toward them.

  Brooke tilted her head when she spotted him. “Hey. What brings you by?” She hopped off the table, bumping into the guy’s chest, and crossed the room to Drew.

  “Out for a run and thought I’d stop by.” He hadn’t come by all week, too deep in his writing groove. Drew kept his gaze fixed on the hulk behind them and did his best to unclench his jaw.

  “Writer’s block? Wait.” She held up her palm. “I forgot... you don’t get that.”

  “My eyes were crossing, so I thought it was a good time for a
run. I can see I’m interrupting, so I’ll get out of your way.” He turned and headed for the door.

  “Easy now.” Brooke grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him to her.

  The guy who seemed too familiar with Brooke swiped a piece of pizza from the lunch he and Brooke had apparently been sharing and walked over to them as if he owned the place. “I’m going to clean up out here and then run to the lumberyard and pick up the order. I should be back in an hour or so.”

  “Sounds good, Owen.” Brooke still gripped Drew’s shirt and dragged him into the kitchen. She hopped up onto the counter and used her legs to pull him in close to her.

  She was a tall woman and sitting up on the counter made her a fraction of an inch taller than him. Those coffee eyes stared at him as if waiting for an explanation.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “You said.” She wrapped her ankles behind his thighs until his groin pressed up against her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  Brooke shook her head. “Liar.”

  “Who’s Owen?”

  “My contractor.”

  “I don’t like him.”

  “Why not?” She draped her arms on his shoulders, that familiar smug and teasing look glinting in her eyes.

  “He’s big.” Which was true. Drew was six feet, so Owen had to be at least six-five and a solid two-twenty.

  “Do you have a thing against big guys?”

  Drew had been an awkward, skinny kid until his mid-twenties. No matter what he ate, how much protein he took in, how many weights he lifted, he was always scrawny. It’s how he started his chocolate addiction. Not that he wanted to be fat, but anything to cover his ribs.

  It wasn’t until the past ten years that he filled out and even then, he wasn’t bulky. The women he’d dated in the past were petite. It wasn’t something he’d intentionally done. He hadn’t sought short, thin women, they just happened to appeal to him.

  And then he met Brooke, who matched him in height and build. Sure, he weighed more than her, but she was solid, muscular. She was the type of woman who matched well with a guy like Owen.