20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
B rooke scrunched her nose, then swiped her finger against the tip where it tickled and snuggled back into her pillow. Something tickled her nose again and a husky, masculine chuckle made her eyes fly open.
It wasn’t a dream!
Cody dropped the lock of hair he’d been using to tickle her and kissed the tip of her nose this time. “Good morning, sweetheart.”
He was lying on the pillow beside her, still naked, at least to his hips, where the sheet hid the rest of his gloriously muscled body. Hair tousled, golden scruff covering his chin and jaw, his eyes were alight with the same joy filling her up to bursting.
She put her hand on his face and brushed her thumb over his full bottom lip. “You’re here.”
He kissed her thumb. “No place I’d rather be.” His hand slid under the covers and landed on her hip, where he squeezed her tight. “Are you sore?”
“A little,” she confessed. “But in a really good way.”
“Then we won’t go riding today. So what should we do?”
She beamed, so excited and just…elated. “First, breakfast. I’m starving.”
“Me, too. You gave me a good workout last night.”
Said the man who woke her up in the early morning before the sun had even hinted at dawn to make love to her again. Slow and sweet, he’d been so tender it brought tears to her eyes from the sheer joy of being with him, lying in his arms as he kissed her hair and settled her beside him again. She’d fallen back to sleep with her head over his heart and his strong arms wrapped around her.
She still felt safe and protected and cared for with him beside her.
“I want to spend the day with you. Whatever you want, it’s yours,” he promised. “Think about it while you shower, then meet me downstairs for breakfast.” His lips pressed to hers in a soft caress, just the barest hint of the passion they’d shared last night, but a new tenderness that made her ache for more. “Today is for us. Tomorrow we’ll talk about the future. Our future.” His smile, the open, excited one she hadn’t seen often, warmed her heart and brushed away any and all fears and doubts.
She nodded, liking that he wanted to spend the day wallowing in the bright and happy emotions they were both feeling this morning.
He kissed her one more time, then slipped out of bed, standing there naked, not a care in the world.
She sat up, letting the sheet fall to her lap, baring her breasts. “God, you’re gorgeous.”
His heated gaze swept over her and his impressive cock swelled.
She couldn’t help the grin or her excitement. “Is that for me?”
“Yes, damnit. Looks like a cold shower for me.” He bit out those words. Then his voice and eyes softened. “You need time to recover today.”
Regretfully, she did. And she needed time to process all of this. Everything was different now. Better. Amazing. But different. What did that mean for the two of them going forward?
Cody leaned over and kissed her again. “Not today. Today we enjoy it. Tomorrow we work it out.”
With that, he snatched up his clothes, held them in front of him, and went to the door, giving her a really nice view of his perfect ass. He peeked out to be sure the hall was empty, then stepped out and closed the door behind him.
She wondered what her mother would think of Cody sneaking out of her room.
She’d be happy for them. She knew how much Brooke loved Cody.
But did he love her?
Yes, in a way. But maybe more now.
They’d talk about it tomorrow.
Today, she got to have Cody all to herself.
At least that’s what she thought until she’d showered, dressed, and reached the bottom of the stairs and heard Cody’s deep voice coming from his study. “I got your texts. All nine of them. What’s so urgent? I thought we ended things last night.”
“Cody, please, hear me out.”
Kristi.
Brooke’s insides went cold.
She should have known Kristi wouldn’t give up Cody without a fight.
The cleaning crew was tidying the living room and patio out back from the party last night. She walked past them and stood just outside the study doors, listening and hoping Kristi didn’t tear her and Cody apart.
Cody didn’t notice her by the door and continued to stare at Kristi, looking mildly perturbed. “What are you doing here? You made it perfectly clear last night how you felt and that we were over.”
Kristi sank onto the edge of the sofa and stared up at him. “I’m sorry. I said some things I didn’t mean in the heat of the moment.”
Cody folded his arms over his chest. “You accused me of having an affair.”
“I was hurt about the attention you paid Brooke. It’s no secret I’m jealous of your relationship with her.”
Everything had changed when Cody kissed Brooke.
“Until last night, I never gave you a reason to think Brooke and I were anything but friends. I tried to apologize to you about the kiss, but you didn’t want to hear it.”
Wait. What? Cody was sorry he kissed me?
No. He wouldn’t have made love to me all night if he regretted it.
“I was furious. I let my emotions get away from me. I hate that we left things unsettled last night.”
“You settled everything when you said you were done and walked out the door. That was pretty damn clear.”
She leaned toward him. “That’s not what I want.” The plea in her eyes begged him to understand.
Cody looked impenetrable, and Brooke hoped that meant he didn’t want to get back together with Kristi.
“I love you, Cody. So much. We are so good together.” Her whole body leaned toward him, imploring him to understand and accept her back.
Cody’s arms dropped. “For a long time, we were. But lately…we fight more than anything else.”
Kristi’s eyes glassed over and her lips trembled. “We can’t end this, Cody.” The desperate way she said it made Brooke’s stomach knot.
She felt something bigger coming.
Cody sighed and dropped his arms. “There’s something you need to know about me and—”
“I’m late. I took a test this morning. I’m pregnant,” Kristi blurted out, then burst into tears. She covered her face and cried harder.
Brooke felt her whole world shatter into a million pieces.
All her hopes and dreams exploded into tiny little splinters.
The pain in her heart became so unbearable she could barely breathe.
Her gaze locked on Cody, shocked into silence even as his mind worked out what Kristi had just told him.
She saw everything he thought reflected in his eyes. Kristi was pregnant with his baby. She needed him. The baby needed him. He had to take care of them. There was no other choice.
His gaze shifted to the floor and she knew he was thinking of them making love in that very spot for the first time last night.
He glanced at Kristi and Brooke saw all the light go out of him.
All the broken pieces of her heart crumbled to dust.
“The broken condom last month,” he whispered.
Kristi nodded, her gaze on her hands in her lap.
Cody did exactly what Brooke knew he would do. He kneeled on the floor in front of her, took her hand, and reassured her like the good man he’d always been and would always be. “It’s okay.”
No it’s not. Nothing is okay.
She wondered if Cody thought the same thing.
The sadness and loss in his eyes said he did, but he quickly hid those feelings away. He was good at that. She’d always been good at getting him to show her how he really felt.
This can’t be happening.
Tears streamed down Kristi’s face. “Cody, you don’t understand. My parents are going to be furious with me. This will disgrace them. They won’t be able to show their faces at church. People will talk.”
“Your parents will understand. These things happen.”
“They taught me to be a responsible woman and look what I’ve done.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. We are both responsible for this.” He raked his hand through his hair. “This is our child. We will take care of him or her. We will give the baby the family it deserves.”
Kristi went quiet and stared at Cody. “Do you mean that?”
“Yes. We’ll get married like we talked about and you and the baby will have my name. Everything will be fine.”
Brooke didn’t think even for a second that he wanted to marry Kristi. He was doing this for his child.
Apparently Kristi heard the same resignation she did in his words. She sniffled and looked away for a moment before turning back to him, disappointment in her eyes.
This wasn’t the proposal she’d hoped for. Kristi probably hoped to tell Cody she was pregnant, and he’d be so excited he’d pick her up and spin her around, kissing her and begging her to marry him.
This definitely wasn’t how Cody expected his morning to go either.
They both looked shell-shocked.
But after a year together, it was clear to Brooke and now Kristi that her feelings ran far deeper than Cody’s did for her.
He’d be happy with his child though. Cody would be a fantastic father.
Which made Brooke question the timing of all of this.
Kristi had to be reeling after seeing Cody kiss her. She obviously suspected something more was going on and that she might lose Cody for good, so she sprung this on him this morning, so she could hold on to him.
It didn’t matter.
A baby was on the way no matter when Kristi told him.
Today…a week from now…Brooke still lost Cody.
“Do you mean it? We’ll get married?” The tears dried up and she smiled expectantly at Cody.
“Right away,” he assured her. “We can probably be married no later than next month. I’ve got a few cases to tie up. I’ll handle them, giving you time to plan a small wedding. We’ll keep things simple.”
Kristi’s gaze narrowed with confusion. “But I thought we’d have a proper ceremony. People will expect us to invite our friends, families, and your colleagues and other prominent members of the community. They’ll want to share in our day.”
Cody shrugged and stood. “Invite whomever you want, so long as you can get it done soon.”
She frowned, frustration clouding her eyes.
Cody tilted his head. “I thought you wanted to do this quickly, before people discover you’re pregnant.”
“Well, I’ve only just realized how late I am.” Her voice shook and held a tremble of unease. “It’s only been a little more than two weeks.”
“You waited that long to say something.” Cody didn’t look happy.
Brooke understood why. If he’d known, he’d never have been with Brooke. At all.
Kristi tried to explain why she held off telling him. “I thought I was late because of stress, or… I don’t know. It was a surprise for me, too.”
Cody nodded that he understood, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t upset she’d held this back from him.
Kristi took Cody’s hand. “With it being so early in the pregnancy, we have time to plan a lovely ceremony that can include all the things we want for our big day.” Kristi could plan the extravaganza of her dreams to show off to all her friends.
Kristi noticed her standing in the doorway. The look she sent Brooke said so many things. She suspected something happened between her and Cody last night. Her eyes lit with triumph that she’d been right to come first thing this morning and claim Cody for herself.
Brooke shoved aside the agony of losing Cody, recovered her senses enough to plaster on a fake smile, and walked into the room. “Congratulations.” She took a deep breath and swore she would not cry. Tears clogged her throat, but she choked them back.
She stared at Cody.
His gaze dropped to the rug, then came back up and met hers, and the bleak look in his eyes destroyed her. His pain, hers, blocked out the light inside her and left her in a darkness so complete it swallowed her whole.
She loved him so much; she didn’t want to lose him. But she saw it all too clearly in his eyes. He’d made his choice. He’d give her up to give his child what Cody lost when his mom left: a family that stayed together. A mom and a dad, who loved their child.
She tried to understand and not resent him or the situation. “A wedding and a baby. I hope you two will be very happy together.” The words tasted vile, but she got them out. For him.
“We will be.” Kristi stood and took Cody’s arm in her hands. She held him and beamed a triumphant smile at Brooke.
She’d won.
Brooke conceded. What else could she do? “You’re a lucky woman. Cody’s the best.”
“As his friend , you’d know just how lucky I am. I’d thought you might be reluctant to give him up after all these years. We appreciate your support.”
Brooke got the message. Kristi was marrying Cody and having his baby. He’d chosen.
Brooke couldn’t fight that. She wouldn’t. She’d bow out gracefully and try to salvage the broken pieces of her heart. She didn’t think it would ever mend, but maybe, someday, she’d find a way to stop loving him and move on. Right now, it didn’t feel like that would ever happen. It probably wouldn’t. She loved him so deeply, he’d become a part of who she was. She didn’t want to lose that, but maybe she’d find a way to be happy again.
“And of course you’ll attend the wedding.” Cody pleaded with his eyes for her support, to understand he needed her to get through this.
Go to his wedding—watch him marry another woman—she couldn’t do it.
Feeling as if she’d woken in an alternate universe, she screamed inside, Wake up! This can’t be real!
Nothing happened. This was real. She’d lost him. Forever.
The shrapnel of her broken heart had shredded her soul and it bled, leaving her feeling hopeless and more alone than she’d ever felt in her life.
“Um, I’ll be back at school.” She turned to Kristi and caught the victorious look in her eyes. Bitch! “I’ll be gone before you know it.” Brooke stared back at Cody, seeing her pain reflected back from the deepest depths of his eyes.
“ We understand. Your classes keep you quite busy.” Kristi used that damn false cheery tone she used whenever she spoke to Brooke.
The tone and that “we” grated on Brooke’s last nerve. “Yes, quite,” she said lamely. The tears threatened. She needed to get away. “I was just coming to tell you, Cody, I’ll be out the rest of the day.” She couldn’t look at him anymore and not beg him to choose her. She spun around, but only took one step before Cody’s deep voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Brooke.” Just her name. That’s it.
She turned, chin up, facing him with all the strength and tenacity he’d always told her he admired about her. “Kristi and the baby are your future now.” Tears filled her eyes, even as she blinked them away. She couldn't let them fall and make this any harder on Cody.
She wouldn't give Kristi the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
She glanced at Cody one last time. Took him in and let him go all at once.
She walked out of the room, devastated to her very soul, throbbing with a pain she’d carry with her the rest of her days.
She’d thought last night was a new beginning for them.
This morning proved it had just been a going-away party for their friendship.
She'd never watch him marry Kristi and have a family with her.
Just her luck she didn’t get away clean. Her mom walked out of the dining room and called out to her. “Darling, come, join me for breakfast.”
Brooke sucked back the tears and headed for the front door without stopping. She needed to get away before she fell apart right here in the foyer and crumpled into a ball of misery.
“Sorry, Mom. I’ve got plans with a friend in town. I’ll be back late. Don’t wait up.” She snagged the keys to the ranch truck and her purse off the entry table where she’d left them and walked out without looking back.
She closed the door and came up short in front of an equally surprised delivery man carrying a gold box.
“Brooke Banks?”
“Yes.” She reached for her purse, hoping she had some cash.
The delivery guy held out the flower box. “Don’t worry about it. The tip’s taken care of.”
“Um, thank you.” She had no idea who would send her flowers. Right now, she didn’t care. She needed to get out of here.
She followed the delivery guy out to the driveway, opened the truck door, tossed the box on the seat next to her, gave in to curiosity, and opened it.
A dozen red roses. Gorgeous. Their heady scent quickly filled the truck cab.
She pulled out the card and read the note.
You made last night remarkable.
Had Cody sent these?
Who else would do it?
She burst into tears, tossed the card back in the box, smashed the lid down on top of it, started the truck. She tried to drive away from her memories and all the hurt but they just went with her.