Chapter 25
twenty-five
. . .
Brynnlee
“That color looks amazing on you.”Marco claps his hands together. “Your skin tone,” he sighs. “I’m envious.” I arch a brow as a stare of my perfect, bronzed skin, every hair in place, drop dead gorgeous friend.
“You glow,” I tell him and he blushes as he waves his hand at me as to say please stop.
“I do like this color though.” Coral pink, it did pop against my olive skin tone. The dress was loose fitting, hanging off one shoulder. The back is completely open, stopping just above my ass. That is the space where it fits a little more snug, contouring to my lower half.
“Match it with the strappy Valentinos that you rarely wear, but really should. Those shoes are so hot, and if I didn’t have fat feet I’d steal them and wear them myself. I’ve considered taking them and setting them up on my mantel so I can admire them so much more than I should.”
I only laugh, because I know he’s not joking.
“Bangles, those hoop earrings you wore last week, and leave your hair down.” He’s got it all planned out and I stare at myself in the mirror, imagining everything he’s mentioned. The man has some amazing taste. So much so that I’m always texting pictures to him when I’ve gotten ready to get his opinion on how I look.
“Did you make the reservations?”
He laughs. “Please girl, do you know who you are talking to? Did I make reservations?”
He is the most organized person I know. Taking a trip with him involves an itinerary right down the scheduled bathroom breaks. Taylor and I laugh at him every time, he can be a little bossy and over the top.
“Maple and Ash for seven thirty, dinner and drinks. I wasn’t sure what kind of clubbing you were in the mood for, crowded and wild or low-key, but either way we go we have options. We’ll see how the night goes.”
I spin around to face him. “Well, I know what I’m wearing.” I offer him a wink. “You’ve already planned my entire look for me.”
Taylor,Marco, and I walk into the restaurant and pause as he offers the name for our reservation. The host smiles at him with a come-hither kind of look. Peeking up at him through her long lashes she bites her lower lip. It happens all the time, women see Marco and they fall a little in love at first sight. He smiles, because he is a happy kind of guy. He bats his lashes, not because he’s wanting their attention, but because he has lashes that most women would die for. He doesn’t try for their attention but he doesn’t have to. He is easy to fall in love with, and never has the heart to tell them differently. But Taylor never seems to miss the chance.
“You are adorable,” she tells the hostess. “Gorgeous actually but even that can’t change this fella. You don’t offer the right equipment, sweet pea. He’s with the two of us almost daily and neither of us have been able to pull him over to the other side. The only vagina he’s ever been near is the one that birthed him, babe.”
I laugh under my breath and I cover my mouth with my hand. I’ve already had a few drinks and I’m feeling more relaxed than I have in days.
“The good ones always seem to be into other men, or married.” And that comment pushes me over the edge as I can no longer hold back.
“That’s right,” I say through my laughter, holding up my hand to offer her a high five. “Watch out for the married ones babe, they will hook you and then drop the bomb.”
Taylor nudges me with her hip and the hostess starts to lead us toward our table. The restaurant is busy, with almost every table full.
We end up in the back corner in a round booth.
As we slide in our waitress joins us and takes our drink order.
When she delivers our drinks I don’t waste time lifting mine and draining half the cup. “Do me a favor.” I hold up my cup. “Keep these coming. If the glass is low, just get another one coming. Through dinner keep me hydrated.”
“She’s nursing an angry heart,” Taylor explains and the waitress offers an understanding nod.
“Do you know what you’d like for dinner?”
There is this strange thing we do when the three of us go out. We each order a meal and then split them each into threes. Each of us taking a portion allows us all our own little smorgasbord of sorts.
“I’ll take the Alaskan king crab,” Taylor orders.
“Me, I’ll have the half Maine lobster.” Marco closes his menu and passes it to the waitress as she then turns back to me.
“Filet mignon, medium rare, with a side of A-1.” It”s always the same, I’m assigned steak so I don’t even have to look at the menu. “Can we also get an order of roasted mushrooms?”
“Of course.” She takes the rest of the menus. “And how will we be doing the check this evening?”
“All on one,” Marco says.
“Besides my drinks, do those separately.”
“Brynn,” both Marco and Taylor say almost simultaneously.
“I’m not making the two of you pay for my drinks when I plan to outdrink the both of you.”
The waitress slips away, probably hoping to avoid the debate taking place at our table.
“We are the ones that planned tonight,” Marco declares.
“Yes.” They both have been hounding me all week, insisting that I need to get out. “I’ve got my drinks.” With that I stand. “Now I need to use the ladies’ room.” I point to my now empty glass. “Will the two of you stop arguing and tell our lovely server that I need a refill?”
With that I turn around and start toward the opposite end of the restaurant. My legs are already feeling a little less steady beneath me. Feeling less wound up than I have for the last week, I practically glide through the place and gently push open the restroom door. Stepping inside I quickly pee and pause at the sink to wash my hands.
As I turn around to leave a familiar woman exits the stall and the two of us almost collide.
“I’m so sorry,” I mumble, taking a step back.
“Oh hi,” the woman says with a smile and then it hits me. His sister, we’d only met once before but they share the same eyes and it pains me to see them.
I’ve done my best to wipe those eyes and his smile from my memory. Every time I’ve closed my eyes I’ve seen them both.
“Brynn.” She tilts her head to the side, and instantly I know that she knows. “How are you?”
“I’m okay.” This is so uncomfortable.
The door opens behind me and I glance back feeling like I’ve been kicked in the stomach all over again.
“Jenna,” Naomi says, moving around me. “This is Brynn.”
“Brynn.” The door closes behind her. “The Brynn?”
They share a look and I run through all the possible ways I can escape this situation. Of course it’s my luck to run into not one but both of Jensen’s sisters.
“Wow you weren’t joking,” the one I now know as Jenna adds, “I love the dress.” Jenna I swear is the female version of Jensen, painfully so.
“Thank you,” I tell her. “It was great meeting you, but I should get back to my friends. We just ordered and I hate to make them wait.”
“Brynn,” Naomi hollers out just as I’m about to push open the door. “I won’t interfere.” Which I am more than positive that’s what she is about to do. “I know he didn’t tell you about Chrissy and he was wrong. But just so you know, it’s not exactly what you”re thinking. If I were you I’d have this story created in my mind where he is the villain and he deserves that. But he’s my brother and I love him and I also hate to see him suffering.”
I bite my lip and focus on my breathing.
“He’s not the villain.” This time it”s Jenna. “Jensen is not the monster in this story, Chrissy is. I know right now you”re angry and he’s probably the last person you want to see or talk to. But when that anger starts to weaken and you can find it in your heart to let him explain, please give him that chance.”
“It was really nice to see you both.” I push through the door and walk across the restaurant with purpose. As I join Taylor and Marco at the table and see I’ve got a new drink already waiting, I grab it and drink half in one gulp.
Marco mumbles something and I take a deep breath and look at him and Tay. “I spent a few minutes in the restroom chatting with not one but both of Jensen’s sisters.”
“Oh,” Marco says but neither of them argue when I finish the rest of my drink and motion to our waitress for another. Complete oblivion could not come soon enough.