Chapter 13 Aspen
Aspen
I’ve showered and changed into a T-shirt and shorts when there’s a knock on the door. I’m not expecting anyone, and no one knows I live here except Jazz, Brooks, and probably Harper, so I know it has to be one of those three.
I open the door to see Brooks. He’s missing his cowboy hat tonight and has changed from his normal jeans into a pair of sweatpants. He looks relaxed and… gorgeous.
Mine and Jazz’s conversation from the other day floats into my head. What would it be like to hook up with Brooks Calloway?
No.
I can’t think about that. I wouldn’t do that. I’ve just had one too many canned wines tonight. Plus, the man wouldn’t even look at me when I was tanning earlier. He certainly doesn’t want me like that.
“Hey,” I say as casually as I can, hoping my thoughts aren’t painted all over my face.
“Hey.” His eyes fall to my shirt, and I realize I’m wearing his shirt again—the one he gave me when I stayed at his house. How embarrassing. He probably thinks I’m obsessed with him or something. “Have you eaten?”
I shake my head. I should’ve probably at least had a snack to soak up all the alcohol in my system, but I haven’t gotten around to it. “No, not yet.”
“Well, I made dinner and realized I made way too much. Would you like some?”
That’s so nice of him to think of me. “Oh, sure. That sounds great.”
“Do you want to come to the house? Or I can bring you some. Whatever is best for you?”
“I’ll come over. Save you a trip. Let me get some shoes on.”
I quickly slip my sandals on and meet him back at the door. We walk slowly over to his house. The summer sun hasn’t quite set completely yet tonight, and it’s giving a beautiful glow across the mountains.
“It’s so nice here,” I say quietly. “So peaceful.”
“It’s one of the things I love most about this place.”
I never imagined myself in a small town. I always thought I was made for city life, which is why I moved to Atlanta as soon as I could. But now that I’m here, I think I could really get used to this.
I follow Brooks into his house, and it smells absolutely amazing. He walks into the kitchen, where I see there’s a giant pan of lasagna, a big bowl of salad, and a pan of garlic bread sitting out on the counter.
“Wow. That’s a lot of food.”
“I told you, I made too much,” he says, grabbing two plates from the cabinet.
“Did you accidentally make too much, or did you make this knowing you were going to ask me over?”
He freezes and looks at me from over his shoulder. “Would you be mad if I said I knew I was going to ask you over?”
I laugh, and he instantly relaxes. “No, but I hope you know you don’t have to feed me.”
“I know that, but I want to make sure you’re ok and that you’re comfortable here.”
“Because you don’t want to lose the best assistant you’ve ever had?” I tease.
He chuckles as he picks up the spatula and cuts into the cheesy lasagna. “Exactly.”
He fills a plate up before he hands it to me, then does the same for himself and takes a seat next to me.
The lasagna is easily in the top ten best foods I’ve ever eaten. It’s been so long since I’ve had a home-cooked meal. Zach and I weren’t great at cooking, so most of the food we ate at home was frozen.
“This is so good,” I say with a moan. “I’m not going to lie, I didn’t take you as a chef.”
He chuckles, and I realize how close we’re sitting as his knee gently grazes the side of my leg.
“I don’t know if I would call myself a chef, but I’ve been on my own long enough to have figured some stuff out.”
“Like making killer lasagna?”
He smiles and glances over at me. It must be the wine in my system because the look in his dark eyes makes my stomach flip. Yeah, has to be the wine.
I look away quickly. “Why are you on your own if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Just haven’t met the right person, I guess. I’ve always been so busy with the ranch that dating was on the back burner.”
I take another bite. “You don’t think when you’re old and gray you won’t want to have a partner to sit out here and watch the sunset with you?”
“I’m already old,” he says with a laugh.
I playfully shove his very muscular shoulder, and he laughs. “You are not old.”
“I feel old some days. But no, you’re right. I absolutely do want that. Harper has been getting on me about it for years. I do want to share my life with someone. Just need to find the right person. I don’t want it to feel forced.”
“Well, what about Harper?” I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.
“Nah. Harper is like a sister to me. We could never…”
I shrug. “Y’all just seem close.”
“We are close. She’s my best friend. But as much as I love her, I can’t see us ever being anything besides that. She doesn’t want that either.”
“That’s cool. I was just being nosey.”
“What about you? Are you swearing off men now? I wouldn’t blame you.”
I laugh. “I haven’t sworn off anything. I honestly haven’t thought about dating since everything happened, but I always imagined I’d end up married with a few kids one day.”
“You should. Whoever you end up with will be one lucky man.”
I feel a blush creep up my neck. “That’s a sweet thing for you to say.”
“It’s true. I want to make sure that what Zach did doesn’t hurt your confidence. His actions were all on him and had nothing to do with you. You’re beautiful, smart, and fun to be around. He messed up, and I think he knows that.”
Before I can stop myself, I ask, “You… you think I’m beautiful?” It’s the only thing my brain latched on to.
Brooks chuckles. “Yeah. You’re beautiful, darlin’. Anyone with eyes can see that.”
Darlin’.
I swallow down the gasp that threatens to escape.
My body feels like it’s on fire, and I cannot figure out why I feel this way.
I mean, I just got out of a long-term relationship.
I’m not looking for anything. But maybe my confidence is a little shaken right now.
It’s nice to hear that an attractive man thinks I’m beautiful. “Thanks, Brooks.”
He nods and quickly changes the subject. “So, Harper said you did another riding lesson with Beck.”
I focus back on my food and try to get myself to calm down.
There is absolutely no way this man wants me as anything besides his neighbor and assistant.
I need to make sure I’m not reading too much into his words.
They can give me a little confidence boost, but I can’t let myself have any delusions that anything would happen with Brooks.
“Yeah, I did. It felt a lot better this time.”
“Good. You think you’re ready for some trail rides? I could take you out. Show you around some of the easier ones.”
“Yeah, that sounds great.” Although I’m not sure it’s a good idea for me to be alone with Brooks on a trail when my head’s having all these crazy thoughts. I blame Jazz for all of this.
“Good. I’ll figure out a good time and let you know.”
We finish eating, and I make sure to tell him over and over again how good it all was.
“Easily one of the best things I’ve put in my mouth in the last year,” I blurt after he’s taken my plate to wash it.
He pauses and looks at me with a smirk before I realize what I said and how dirty it may have sounded.
“Oh my god, I mean—not like that. That’s embarrassing. I think the cheap wine I had this afternoon is going to my head. That stuff is strong.” I’m rambling, but at least Brooks seems amused by me instead of completely freaked out.
“I see you’re still wearing my shirt,” he says as he rinses off another dish.
I shrink into myself a little bit, embarrassment heating my cheeks. “Oh. Yeah. Sorry. It’s just really comfortable. I’ll wash it and give it back to you in my next laundry load.”
“It’s alright. You can keep it.”
“No, really. It’s fine. It’s losing its appeal anyway.”
“How’s that?” he asks, sounding a little confused.
Me and my big stupid mouth. “Well, it doesn’t smell like you anymore.” Oh, god. What is wrong with me tonight? I need to stop talking.
His hand stops moving under the water, and his whole body goes rigid. “And it’s important to you that it smells like me?”
“I guess it’s just kind of comforting,” I say quietly.
It’s the truth. Putting on his big shirt with his scent enveloping me makes me feel like I’m getting a hug from someone.
It’s been awhile since I’ve been held. I guess it’s my imagination’s way of telling me that someone cares about me.
It’s pathetic, really. And now I’ve just made myself look like an idiot in front of Brooks.
“Keep it.” He starts moving again. “It looks better on you anyway.”
I smile at that, but let the conversation drop before I say something else stupid. Brooks packs a Tupperware full of lasagna for me to take back to my place, and then he walks me out and watches me while I make the short trek to my cabin.
I climb into bed and watch TV for the rest of the night, trying not to think about what Brooks is doing in his big house all by himself.
In the morning, once I’m up and ready for work, I open my door to find a bag sitting on the little mat in front of the door.
I look around, but there’s no one in sight.
Carefully, I bend down and pick up the bag, taking it inside.
I open it up to find two oversized T-shirts.
My heart races thinking about who left these for me.
I pull one shirt out of the bag and bring it to my nose, taking a large inhale. It smells just like Brooks. He’s given me two new shirts that smell like him.
I don’t know whether to feel incredibly embarrassed or really, really happy.