Chapter 24 Brooks
Brooks
“What are you guys doing?” I ask from the doorway.
Jasmine and Harper are both standing on a table in our small break room with some sort of banner in their hands.
“Oh, it’s Aspen’s birthday today, so we’re hanging decorations,” Jasmine explains.
“Hmm. I don’t remember either of you hanging decorations for my birthday.
” I know it’s Aspen’s birthday today. I saw it on her new hire paperwork and set a reminder in my phone.
And if that wasn’t enough, Zach texted me yesterday to ask if he could bring her balloons while she’s working.
I told him no because it would be a distraction.
I hope that will keep him away. I have a feeling his presence would ruin her day.
“Well, maybe you’re not as important as Aspen,” Jasmine teases.
Harper laughs. “We’re trying to make her feel like she’s part of our family here.”
“Aaaand she hasn’t mentioned her birthday to me at all, so I thought it would be fun to surprise her,” Jasmine adds. I’m glad Aspen and Jasmine have become such good friends. She needs that.
“We got decorations and some cupcakes. And I got her a gift card to the boutique in town,” Harper says.
“I got her some new books from the bookstore. She goes through them so damn fast.”
“Oh, so I’m gonna look like the asshole who didn’t get her anything?
” I say, moving to the coffee maker to pour a cup.
I already got her something, actually, but I’m not giving it to her in front of everyone.
I’ll stop by her cabin later and give it to her with the cake I made.
Yes, I made her a cake. I couldn’t very well go into town and order something.
There’s no doubt that it would get out that I bought a cake for someone, which I’ve never done.
“Don’t worry,” Harper says while rolling her eyes in my direction. “I wrote that the gift card is from both of us.”
I chuckle. That is something Harper would do. She takes care of everyone. I hope one day she can find someone who can take care of her for a change. “Always looking out for me.”
“Someone’s got to.”
“Where is Aspen, by the way? Isn’t she usually here by now?
” I know she is, but I’m trying to play it off like I don’t know her entire schedule.
Between the gifts, the cake, and always wondering where she is and what she’s doing, I’m starting to feel a little crazy.
She’s always in my head, and I can’t decide if I want her there or not.
“We sent her to the coffee shop to get us coffees. We told her we wanted fancy coffees, not that black crap you drink.” Jasmine’s head nods in the direction of my cup.
“You’re having her run your errands on her birthday?” I ask.
“Well, how else were we gonna get her out of here long enough to decorate?” Jasmine asks as she rolls her eyes. “Now, either help us with these decorations or see yourself out.”
I have every right to tell her this is my ranch and I can be wherever I want, but after knowing Jasmine for so many years, I just laugh and put my cup down to help them finish decorating.
We manage to get all their girly decorations up and the cupcakes out on the table by the time Aspen is back, and the three of us shout “Happy Birthday” when she walks in.
The look of shock on her face is priceless. She jumps a little but manages to steady the coffees in her hand.
“Oh my god,” she whispers, and then she starts shaking, which is a strange reaction. Jasmine and Harper notice, too. They walk over to her and grab the coffees, and Jasmine wraps her in a hug as the tears start flowing. “How did you know?”
“I told you we were going to be best friends. Best friends know each other’s birthdays and celebrate them!”
Aspen pulls back and looks around at all the decorations. Her eyes land on me for only a moment before she looks away.
She wipes the tears from her cheeks. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying. It’s just that no one has ever done anything like this for me. I’m just overwhelmed, I guess.”
“Well, get used to it. You’re part of our family now,” Harper says, rubbing Aspen’s back to help calm her down.
Aspen walks over to the table to look at the cupcakes and the gifts. “This is too much. You guys didn’t have to do all this.”
“We wanted to,” Jasmine tells her sweetly. “Now come on. Cupcakes happen to be my favorite breakfast pastry, and we have presents to open!”
I clear my throat to grab their attention. “I’ll let you girls do your thing. Happy Birthday, Aspen.”
She smiles at me. “Thanks, Brooks.”
I nod before I leave the three of them alone, knowing I’ll celebrate her birthday with her later.
I leave work a little early to put the final touches on Aspen’s cake. I wanted to make sure it was ready by the time she gets home from work. I watch out my window like a stalker waiting to see her drive up, and when I finally see her car, I walk outside as casually as I can.
“Hey, Birthday Girl. Got a sec?” I call out to her.
She smiles and walks toward me. “Hey, where’d you run off to this afternoon? You didn’t even get a cupcake.”
“I had some work I needed to do in one of the guest cabins, and then I wanted to get back here to finish up your birthday surprise.”
Her eyes go wide. “What?”
“You didn’t think I wouldn’t celebrate your birthday, did you?” I ask.
“You’ve already done so much. The decorations, the gift card. . .”
I shake my head. “Nah, that was all the girls. I can’t take credit for any of that. I had my own thing planned. Come in.”
I wave her into the house, and she follows behind me. “This is too much.”
“It’s not. It’s not enough.” Nothing will ever be enough for her.
She follows me to the kitchen, where the cake is sitting out on the counter, with a small gift bag next to it.
She looks down at the cake that’s covered in chocolate frosting. “Brooks, did you make this?”
When she looks up at me with glossy eyes, I wonder if I’ve gone too far. I’m trying to not fall in love with my son’s ex, and yet here I am, baking her a fucking birthday cake. Sometimes I wonder if I like to torture myself.
“I did, but just know I’ve never been much of a baker, so I’m not sure how good it’s going to be.”
“It’s the thought that counts, Brooks. This is so special. Thank you so much.” I hear the waver in her voice, and I hope she doesn’t start crying. This was supposed to be a happy moment to celebrate her. The last thing I want to do is make her cry.
I nudge the bag closer to her. “Here. Open your gift.”
She rummages through the tissue paper before pulling out a square box.
My heart is beating annoyingly fast as I watch her open it.
I don’t give gifts to people often. Zach usually just wants money.
My parents just want my time. I usually get Harper something on her birthday and Christmas, but it’s always pretty generic. Aspen deserves something special.
Now that she’s opening it, I’m nervous that she won’t like it.
She opens the box and gasps.
“Brooks…” She pulls out the belt buckle I had custom-made for her. It’s a smaller one, nothing like the big ones I wear. It’s got a horse with a few flowers around it and her name engraved in it. The outside has a border of sapphire gems for her birthstone.
“You’re gettin’ so good on the horse that I, uh, figured you needed to look the part.”
Her voice cracks as she repeats my name. “This is incredible. Thank you. Really. Thank you.”
“Of course.”
“Can I… Can I hug you?” she asks. The question doesn’t help my heart rate. It feels like my chest is about to explode. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to deny Aspen anything.
I open my arms wide, and she walks right into them. I wrap myself around her, holding her close. I’ve been trying to keep her at a distance these last few weeks. It’s been tough to say the least. This hug, feeling her against me, means just as much to me as it probably does to her.
“Happy birthday, darlin’.”
“Thanks, Brooks.”
I hold her for longer than I should, just feeling her in my arms. She fits perfectly against me.
She pulls back and looks up at me. “Can I ask for one more thing for my birthday?”
“Sure.”
“Can I have a kiss? Just one. I promise it won’t mean anything.”
That’s a lie, and we both know it. It’ll mean something to me. But I can’t say no to this woman. I know I shouldn’t do this. It only adds more hope and complications to our situation.
“One kiss,” I say as though I’m trying to tell myself.
She nods.
I swallow hard as I move my hand up to her cheek and back through her curls until I’m cradling her head in my hand. Then, I pull her close. I hesitate only slightly before my lips land on hers.
I could’ve gone with a quick peck. It might have been easier to walk away after that. But, no. I can’t half-ass anything. If I’m only going to get one kiss, it’s gonna be the best damn kiss I can give her.
She makes it easy, melting into me, letting me take whatever I want.
Her lips part, and I press my tongue into her mouth. She meets me stroke for stroke. Kissing her feels like an out-of-body experience. Like this is where I’m meant to be.
She lets out a breathy moan, which sends a shock straight through me, bringing me back to reality. I drop my hand from her head and slowly separate myself from her.
Her eyes take several seconds to reopen, and when they finally fall on me, the lust in them is overwhelming.
I shouldn’t have kissed her. I was doing so well staying away, pretending like that first kiss never happened. And now, because of my inability to say no to her, I’m going to have to start all over again.
“I…” I start to say something, but nothing seems appropriate.
She swallows and squares her shoulders. “Thank you. That might be the best gift I’ve ever gotten.”
She turns from me and starts collecting her things on the counter. I know she’s trying to make this not awkward between us, and I appreciate it more than she knows.
“Can I take the cake?” she asks.
“Oh, yeah. Let me get the lid.”
I grab the plastic lid from the other counter and seal it up for her.
“Are you going out tonight to celebrate?” I ask even though I don’t really want to know. It just makes this harder.
“Yeah. I’m meeting Jazz and a few of her friends at Roadside later. Dawson is taking me to dinner first.”
“So things are going well with you two?” I ask.
She shrugs noncommittally. “Yeah, I suppose. I mean, he knows I’m not trying to rush into anything. But he’s fun to hang out with.”
I want to ask what else she’s doing with Dawson but stop myself before I make everything worse. I saw her birth control. I’m not an idiot. They’re both young and attractive. Of course they’re doing other things.
“Good. That’s good. Well, happy birthday and have fun.”
I walk her to the door and open it for her.
“Brooks?”
“Hmm?”
She turns and looks at me. “Tell me not to go.”
Don’t go.
Don’t go.
Don’t go.
I swallow hard and shake my head just slightly, but it’s enough to see the disappointment flash across her eyes. “Go have fun, Aspen. Enjoy your birthday.”
She nods. I know she doesn’t like my answer, but I have to believe she understands it.
She walks off, and I shut the door and lean my head against it. I just sent her off to be with another man.
Fuck, I’m going to be thinking about that kiss for the rest of my life.