13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
B rooke wound her way through the crowd, smiling at old friends and trying not to laugh at the double takes and outright gawking as she passed. The woman who returned home for Christmas break didn’t resemble the tomboy girl who’d gone back to campus months ago, restless and ready for a huge change.
She noted friends’ amazed expressions and let them bolster her confidence and pride.
The changes on the outside were the direct result of the changes she’d made on the inside. She no longer looked in the mirror and saw all the things she would never be.
Though she was still a tomboy at heart, she finally felt like a pretty girl.
She wasn’t used to this kind of attention. At all. But she wasn’t an awkward kid anymore and everyone finally noticed.
Her future looked bright. She couldn’t wait to graduate college and start her new businesses.
“Brooke, is that really you?” Gloria stared at her, wide-eyed and grinning. “You look fantastic. So…so not the you I remember from two years ago.”
“Time flies.”
Gloria lived next door on a neighboring ranch. She was three years older than Cody. Brooke had a hunch that at one time or another they’d either fooled around or been a thing for a little while. Maybe he just liked sneaking over to her place to party. Gloria had that kind of reputation back in the day. Now, she was married with a little one.
“How are David and Lucy?”
“Amazing. David’s here somewhere, probably having a beer with Cody. And Lucy…there’s nothing like that little ray of sunshine. You’ll find out when you have one of your own.” Gloria looked happier than Brooke had ever seen her.
She envied Gloria’s happy life.
She wanted that with Cody. But being an adult meant putting childish dreams away. Dreams she’d held on to far too long and too hard.
She’d never hidden the fact she was head over heels in love with him. She didn’t care who knew it, or how she’d embarrassed not only herself, but him. She’d never seen her behavior as anything but expressing her feelings. She’d never seen that she’d been throwing herself at a man who would always look at her as a child, and heartbreakingly worse, only his friend. Though he always made time for her. They’d go on long rides, swim, play games. He’d even take her into town for a movie, or out to eat. They had such good times together.
Older, wiser, she had a much clearer picture of what she’d put him through, and she was sorry for it. His patience showed that under it all, they really were good friends.
The best of friends.
He’d had to be a good friend to let her get away with some of the stunts she’d pulled to get his attention.
“Oh, there he is.” Gloria pointed over at Cody. “Now don’t those two make the picture?”
She spotted Cody across the room, standing beside Kristi. The golden couple. Cody stood six-two, blond hair, his skin tanned to a golden brown thanks to a life spent working the ranch. The navy suit he wore set off the light blue color of his eyes.
Kristi was shorter than him at five-six with her perfect hair, perfect teeth, perfect boobs, perfectly slender, and perfectly smiling beside her man. Kristi had also proven to be the perfect snob and master manipulator with her pretty pout.
Brooke rolled her eyes with her back to Gloria.
“They look happy together.” Gloria stuck the knife right in her back without knowing it.
They did look happy. Cody seemed content with Kristi pursuing him for her single purpose in life: to marry Cody Jansen and live the life of the successful lawyer’s wife.
Oh yeah, let’s not forget he’s a board member for the children’s hospital, too.
She wouldn’t let anyone in this room forget it. Heaven forbid she remembered Cody owned a successful ranch as well. Though he spent more time in his downtown office now while the ranch manager ran things here. Still, he spent plenty of nights and weekends tending to ranch business.
To Kristi’s way of thinking, it was a smelly, dirty business he should put aside and concentrate on being a lawyer and pillar of the community. Brooke thought Kristi was more interested in the money, power, and influence Cody was just beginning to wield, and Kristi could use to spend the rest of her life lunching on with her high-society friends.
“I’m glad he found someone and is happy after Harland’s passing. That must have hit him hard. Both his mom and dad gone.”
Brooke faced Gloria, appreciating her kindness toward Cody. “He took it really hard. We both did.”
“Of course. Harland loved you like you were his. And your mom…I can’t imagine how hard it is to live without the man you love.”
It’s hard. Really, really hard.
“She’s doing better, too. She’d love to catch up with you, I’m sure. And you know she’s going to want to not only see some baby pictures but get her hands on Lucy soon, too. You should bring her over to see the horses sometime.”
“I will. Thank you. You know she loves them.”
“Just like I do.”
Gloria squeezed Brooke’s forearm, then headed off, to find her husband most likely.
Brooke took one last look at Cody, abruptly turned, and headed for the buffet table.
He’s not yours.
Before, she’d have made a beeline for Cody and sidled up to him to steal a kiss on the cheek. On Cody’s part, kissing her hello was purely a friendly gesture. For her, it had been a way to touch him and be close.
Now, she gave him space to be with her .
Kristi had his full attention these days. He’d barely spared Brooke a glance since she arrived home. Tonight it seemed he was blinded by Kristi to anyone else in the room. Including her.
Brooke sighed. Sometimes, life wasn’t fair.
“Hey beautiful, where’ve you been all my life?” Charlie smiled down at her with a strange look in his eyes. His gaze roamed over her before landing on her mouth.
They’d known each other forever, but he’d never looked at her quite like that.
To dispel any notion she was interested, she rolled her eyes and scoffed, then went with sarcasm and reminded him of their history. As friends. “Shoveling manure right beside you.” She handed him a plate with a smirk and took one for herself.
Heavily laden platters and brimming bowls of decadent food covered the buffet table. Little Santa, elves, and angel figurines sat in between the abundant fare with twinkling white lights wound around evergreens. She loved Christmas and all the trimmings.
Her mother had helped Cody plan the party, using Brooke’s contacts for catering, decorations, and the invitations. It was basically the same guest list from the summer picnic.
“Nah. The girl who worked beside me in the stables was a skinny kid with stringy hair, baggy jeans, and chapped lips.”
She planted one fist on her hip and gaped at him. “Are you saying I’m not skinny anymore?”
He eyed her up and down again. “You filled out in all the right places.” He winked at her.
For real. A wink.
Laughing it off, she filled her plate with pesto pasta salad and a slice of prime rib. She expected some attention, but not like this. Not from a guy who’d given her noogies and teased her like a kid sister.
Maybe she should look at Charlie in a different way, too. She discreetly gave him a once-over. Cute. Tall and lean. His dark hair a little long, just right for sliding her fingers through the soft-looking strands. But there was no spark.
Still, she appreciated that he’d noticed her and flirted with her.
Her confidence swelled.
Every bud opened into a flower. She’d just taken a little longer to bloom.