Returning to Rockport: A Brother's Best Friend Romance

by Kelsey Clayton

  “I did. She loved them, as always.”

  My eyes narrow in slight confusion. “You bake cookies with my mom?”

  Ivy grins widely and nods. “Every Saturday.”

  The look on my face must be enough to say it all because my mom starts to laugh. “Don’t look so surprised, dear. You’d know all about it if you happened to come home during any of your school breaks.”

  I should have known this topic would come up eventually. My tendency to stay away wasn’t because I didn’t want to come home. There has never been a time where I didn’t love this place. I just couldn’t handle seeing him. So instead, I spent my spring breaks in various places with Julia and my summer vacations abroad with volunteer organizations. Thankfully, we spend Christmas every year at my grandmothers in Vermont – a safe zone for me in some sense. Only seeing my family one week a year was never easy to deal with, but it was what I needed.

  “Yeah Mac, don’t look so surprised.” My best friend playfully nudges me before focusing her attention on my fiancé. “Hey Parker. How are you?”

  “I’m great, and you?”

  “Still swooning over your British accent. When are you going to hook me up with one of your friends?”

  “When you come to England with me.”

  She purses her lips and nods. “I really need to get on that.”

  The four of us sit around the kitchen table, talking about anything and everything - just enjoying each other’s company. However, I can tell there is something on Ivy’s mind. When my mom asks for Parker’s help with something and they walk away, I raise my eyebrows at her.

  “So, you going to tell me what’s up or are you staying tight lipped?”

  Her shoulders shrug and she gives me one of her caring smiles. “I’m just wondering how you’re doing, being back here and all.”

  This is one of those things that makes her my best friend. No matter how convincing an act I put on, she can always see right through it. It’s almost as if we’re linked – whatever I feel, she does too.

  “I’m okay. I’ve actually missed it here, believe it or not.”

  “Have you seen him yet?”

  I don’t need to ask to know who she’s referring to, but just as I’m about to answer, Parker comes back into the room. His eyebrows furrow slightly.

  “Seen who?”

  “My brother.” I lie, watching Ivy muffle a laugh at how quickly I covered that one.

  “Ah. We’re going there tomorrow, right?”

  I nod. “Yeah, we have to discuss wedding plans with Tatum.”

  The look on Ivy’s face tells me she wants to say something, but ultimately, she decides against it and masks her frown with a smile. I don’t have time to question it before my mother comes in with stacks of embarrassing photo albums in her arms.

  Whatever it is, it’ll have to wait.

  2

  The sunlight peaks through the blinds and lands softly on my face, waking me from my peaceful slumber. For a moment, I forget where I am until it all comes flooding back to me. The drive from New York City to Rockport, Massachusetts, seeing my bedroom again for the first time in years, laughing at memories with my mom and Ivy for hours; I’m home.

  I open my eyes and lift my head to find Parker just beginning to stir. His hair is free of any product, which is rare for him. Using the moment to my advantage, I grab my phone and snap a quick picture. Just as I’m looking it over, he opens his eyes.

  “What are you doing?”

  I smile guilty. “Nothing.”

  “Did you just take my picture?”

  “Maybe.”

  He rolls his eyes but pulls me down into a light kiss. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “Love me forever?”

  “That is what I promised, isn’t it?” He takes my left hand into his and rubs his finger over my engagement ring.

  “Having second thoughts?”

  “Not even remotely close. I love you, McKenna.”

  “I love you, too.”

  It’s true – I do love him, in the best way I know how. Parker’s good to me. He holds me when I need it, yet still gives me enough space to feel in control. To be honest, had he not been so patient and persistent, I’d probably still be single to this day. I don’t know where I would be if that were the case. Perhaps I’d be on another volunteer mission or convincing Ivy to move with me to Nashville; something we’ve talked about since we were younger. Regardless, I don’t think I’d be back here. I wouldn’t have the courage for it.

  “I’m going downstairs. Are you coming?” I stand from my bed and run a brush through my long brown hair.

  He stretches and yawns before answering. “I’ll meet you down there.”

  I give him a bright smile and leave the room. The smell of bacon wafts into my nose as soon as I reach the bottom step. My favorite aroma of french toast comes immediately after. I can’t help but feel that sense of comfort you get from being home. It’s something I’ve really missed the last few years.

  When I get into the kitchen, I find my mom standing in front of the hot stove, moving food around like some kind of professional chef. Ivy must be teaching her some things when they get together on the weekends. Having just graduated from culinary school, cooking is a passion of hers – and something she does incredibly well.

  “Morning, Mom.” I walk around her and reach into the third drawer, pleasantly surprised when I find my apron still perfectly folded inside. My mother smiles as I slip it over my neck and tie it behind my back. The second our eyes meet, I realize she’s about to cry. “What?”

  “Nothing. I’m just glad you’re home. I’ve missed you around here.”

  I grin in return and bump my hip into hers. “Don’t be such a sap. It’s too early for overwhelming emotions. At least let me have a cup of coffee first.”

  “Since when do you drink coffee?”

  She looks genuinely surprised, though I’d be lying if I said she was the only one. Ever since the first time I tried coffee, I despised it. The bitter taste on my tongue was never pleasant for me. I’ve always been more for sweetness. It wasn’t until Parker insisted on meeting at a small café in the city, that I actually started drinking it.

  “Uh, since like a year or so ago, I think. When you have exams to cram for, doses of caffeine become lifelines.”

  “Fair enough.” She goes back to flipping the french toast and making sure the scrambled eggs don’t stick to the pan. “So, what are your plans for today?”

  I take the freshly washed strawberries from the bowl and start to slice them. “We’re going over to Maverick’s. It’ll be nice to see him again and I need to talk to Tatum about wedding stuff.”

  My mother stills and then exhales slowly. “Honey, there’s something you should –”

  “Good morning.” Parker greets my mom as he walks into the room and whatever she was going to say goes right out the window.

  She gives him a warm smile. “Hi darling. How did you sleep?”

  He places a kiss on my cheek before taking a seat. “Like a baby. Your home has a cozy feel to it. It’s very welcoming.”

  “You know, I’ve always said the same thing. It’s the reason I chose this house in the first place.”

  “Speaking of houses,” I interrupt. “We have a meeting with the realtor scheduled for Wednesday.”

  “You could always just live here.” My mom suggests.

  I sputter on my hot coffee. “Yeah, no. I actually like you and if I live here for too long, it could damage that.”

  “Nonsense. You’re my baby.”

  That’s exactly my point, I’m not a baby. Instead of arguing it further, I focus my attention back on my fiancé. “Anyway, please don’t forget. The only other opening she has this week is Friday.”

  He nods. “Friday I have a meeting at Harvard and then we have our engagement party, so Wednesday it is.”

  Shit. I almost forgot about that. Will he be there? Who am I kidding? He’s Maverick’s best frien
d. I’d be stupid to think he won’t be. Ugh, focus McKenna. “Okay. I’ll confirm with Jessica.”

  Ignoring the pout on my mom’s face and making a mental note to check who Tatum has on the guest list, I go back to helping make breakfast – though I’m not so hungry anymore.

  WE PULL UP TO the two-story house and I’m blown away by it’s beauty. The light gray cedar shakes mix well with the cliché white picket fence. The bay window that sits in front tells me it was designed with Maverick in mind. He’s always said how he wanted a window he could sit in and watch as the rain poured down. The fence however – that must have been all Tatum.

  Before I make it out of the truck, my brother is barreling through the door and down the steps, wrapping his arms around me as soon as he’s close enough. I return the embrace and find my entire body relaxing. He’s never lacked the ability to make me feel safe, even in the most chaotic of places.

  His hair is a bit darker than mine but our eyes are identical. When I was a kid, people used to say we looked so much alike. Thankfully, as we grew, our differences became more apparent. There is no better ass-backwards compliment than someone telling you that you look like your brother.

  “I’ve missed you, Squid.”

  Despite my initial reaction to cringe at the nickname, a part of me has missed it. It’s something he’s called me since I was a kid. I’m not even entirely sure of where it originated, but it’s one of those things that just stuck. My parents went with it for a little while but stopped when I hit puberty. Maverick, however, rarely calls me by my real name.

  “I’ve missed you, too.” I turn to see Parker coming around the truck. “You remember my fiancé.”

  “Of course, the dude who’s banging my baby sister, how could I forget?” Now that makes me cringe. Maverick notices the immediate tension and starts laughing hysterically. “I’m just fucking with you, man. Nice to see you again.”

  “You as well.” He shakes my brother’s hand in that professional way he does.

  A part of me wonders if the two of them will ever become close, but I just don’t see it happening. Parker comes from a very wealthy family in England, and with wealth comes rules. He’s grown up believing that your image is everything and every action defines you. The only time I’ve seen him let loose is when it’s just the two of us. Meanwhile, Maverick and I were taught to express ourselves and that we should enjoy life while we can. The difference in personalities works for Parker and I, but I think it’s just too much for Maverick to handle.

  “Come inside.” He grabs my hand and pulls me toward the door as my fiancé follows dotingly. “You’re going to love the place.”

  The second we step through the door, I can tell he’s right. It’s cozy yet modern. Down the hallway, the living room has vaulted ceilings that make it feel spacious. A white brick fireplace is stands perfectly in the middle of one wall, and in the back of the room is a floor to ceiling double door; displaying the oasis looking backyard.

  I follow my brother through the house and into the kitchen. My jaw drops when I take in all the sleek looking appliances and white marble countertops. There’s a smoky glass door that leads out to the patio on one side, and an entrance to the dining room on the other. The main thing that catches my attention are the rose gold knobs on all the gray cabinetry. It adds enough to the room to keep it from being bleak without looking gaudy. Whoever added those is a genius.

  When we enter the living room again, I take it in from another angle and notice a staircase we must have passed on the way in. It’s discreetly hidden into one of the walls, leading up to the second floor that overlooks the large space. The child side of me wants to put a trampoline in the middle of the room and jump onto it from the balcony.

  “Nothing special about the upstairs, just a few bedrooms, but yeah – this is it.”

  “It’s amazing, Mav. I’m really proud of you.”

  My brother had a tough go of things for a while. He couldn’t seem to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. One day he decided that what he did want, didn’t exist yet. He decided to raise a startup company from the ground. For a while, I didn’t think anything would become of it but he managed to make it work and became very successful. I couldn’t be any prouder.

  The three of us sit on the couch and catch up a bit. He asks if we’re going to be staying with mom until Parker graduates from medical school – an idea I quickly knock down. It’s not that I don’t love my parents. I just know that if we continue to stay there longer than necessary, the closeness I have with my mom will start to become tainted. We’re two very stubborn people and even before I went away to college, that caused us to clash.

  Footsteps coming down the stairs pull my attention away and I smile when Tatum enters the room. I usually don’t like red hair, but she manages to pull it off. It curls at the ends, the same way mine does, but hers is just a bit longer – going all the way down to her belly button. I don’t think I could handle my hair being that long.

  “McKenna! It’s so good to see you.”

  I stand up to give her a hug. “You, too.”

  After she says hello to Parker, she grabs a large binder from underneath the coffee table and takes a seat across from Maverick. The two of them have been dating since their senior year of high school. We’ve had our fair share of differences. I was only fourteen when they met, and while my brother liked when I was around, she didn’t. It took until I was older before I understood her possessiveness. Since then, we’ve gotten along great.

  “What is that monster?” I ask, referring to the book.

  “Your wedding.” Maverick deadpans.

  My eyes widen as I quickly become overwhelmed. She can’t possibly expect me to look through all of that. I think she senses my hesitation because she snorts.

  “Relax, hun. It’s mainly just a bunch of choices and color swatches.”

  “Oh.” I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

  She gets right down to the details, getting them out of the way as soon as possible. “So, what date were you looking at again?”

  “September 21st”

  “Of next year?”

  “No, this one.”

  Tatum chokes on air and coughs. “And that’s not negotiable?”

  I shake my head but Parker answers her with his typical professionalism. “My nan is not doing well, and I’d very much like for her to be in attendance at the wedding.”

  Her eyes soften in understanding. “Okay, September 21st it is. It won’t be easy, but we can make it work.” She opens her phone up to the calendar. “Mac, I’m going to need to get you into a dress boutique within the next two weeks to make sure we have time for alterations.”

  “That’s fine. Whatever you need, I’ll make myself available.”

  She smiles, then turns back to Parker. “I assume you already have a tuxedo?”

  “That’s correct.”

  We go over a few more minor things, such as when we can go looking at venues. It needs to be soon in order to find somewhere that isn’t already booked for that weekend. In the end, we decide it’ll be best for Tatum and I to go on Tuesday. Parker will be at Harvard to handle some things with his enrollment, but he trusts my judgement.

  Just as she slips the binder back where it was, the sound of the front door opening and closing has her looking at me like a deer in the headlights. It isn’t until I hear it that I understand why.

  “Mav?”

  My whole body tenses instantly. I’d recognize that voice anywhere. After all, I’ve spent enough time listening to it whisper sweet nothings into my ear.

  “In here!” He yells back.

  I’m not even sure if I’m breathing. Tatum is watching me carefully, being only one of few who knew about the two of us. Maverick, however, still has no idea. I try to play it cool but I’m dying inside.

  Before I even have a chance to compose myself, he walks into the room looking every bit as gorgeous as I remember, yet still slightly different. His l
ight brown hair is just a little longer. He’s put on some muscle in his arms, but not too much. Stubble coats his cheeks, making him appear older. I guess technically he is. He’s four years older than the last time I saw him.

  He smiles at Maverick and Tatum, but when his eyes land on me, they widen. “McKenna.”

  “Colton, hey.” My voice comes out squeakier than I intended.

  Crossing the room with ease, he pulls me up and into a hug. As if it’s a natural reflex, I breathe in the smell of him. He’s essentially the same guy I fell in love with so many years ago. His chest feels exactly like it used to as my head rests against it.

  He hurt you. He hurt you. He hurt you. No matter how many times I repeat those words in my head, my heart is doing summersaults while his hand rubs my back. Being in his arms always was my favorite place.

  “When did you get back?”

  I remove myself from his hold and run my fingers through my hair. “Yesterday.”

  “Oh wow. It’s really great to see you.” His attention turns to my fiancé. “I’m sorry, she’s rude.” He quips and puts out his hand. “Colton Brooks.”

  “Parker Hall.” They shake in a way that looks like a contest of ‘who’s manlier’ but I can’t determine the winner. “McKenna’s fiancé.”

  Tatum trying to conceal a laugh pulls my attention from the pissing war taking place in front of me. Colton shoots her a glare then looks back at me.

  “Oh, right. You got engaged. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you.” I smile shyly.

  I can see the confusion of who he is in Parker’s eyes, so I clarify. “Colton has been Maverick’s best friend since they were ten.”

  “Ah, ok. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Yeah, you too.” He mumbles but it doesn’t sound sincere.

  Colton’s expression appears completely neutral, but I know him better than that. There’s something brooding in those topaz eyes of his. Maverick would probably be able to see it too if he was paying any attention. Thankfully, he’s messing around with his phone, oblivious to the way his best friend is plotting a murder in his head. What the hell is his deal?