Chapter 9 #2
“She was right,” Taylor said, offering him a small smile. His eyes went blank, and she caught it. She’d never had any man be this vulnerable around her. Tyree turned his vulnerability into manipulation. She’d shut right down when he started naming the reasons he’d become an alcoholic.
She tilted her head and looked at him noticing that he had also gone somewhere else. She broke the silence and him out of his daze. “Why don’t you believe it?”
Brooks sighed, leaning back. “I don’t know. I just ain’t talked to Him in a long time. Figured He stopped listening.”
Taylor shook her head, her grip on his hand tightening.
“That’s not how it works. He doesn’t stop listening just because you stop talking. He’s still there, Brooks. Even when you don’t feel it.”
The waiter approached putting the moment on pause. Taylor agreed to let him order and surprise her. She was going with whatever he was going with. She was trusting him. He’d been spot on so far.
As they settled in, she felt his eyes on her, steady and warm, while she pretended to be fascinated by the city lights below. His gaze felt like a physical touch, it was so heavy.
“You really believe that?” He asked again, easing back into their conversation and needing to hear her say it one more time.
“With everything in me,” she answered without having to think about it. “Why wouldn’t I? God is smitten with the lost. We serve a God who meets people where they are, the corner store, the wilderness, the temple, wherever. ”
He nodded slowly, tucking her words away for later. A moment of silence stretched between them before he smirked, shaking his head.
“I didn’t know I was about to get a whole sermon tonight.”
Taylor laughed softly, letting the moment lighten. “See, you should’ve just stuck to wine talk. I never miss an opportunity to talk about God.”
“A blessing,” Brooks said, lifting her hand to his lips and pressing a slow kiss to her knuckles. “I needed that.”
Her throat went dry, heat pooling low as his gaze held hers, unshaken, unreadable.
“Well,” she murmured, reaching for her glass to steady herself. “You’re welcome, Brooksie.”
Brooks chuckled, reaching for his own drink. “Don’t start with that bestie shit again.”
Taylor smirked, sipping her wine. “I didn’t say bestie.”
“Nah,” he murmured, watching her over the rim of his glass. “But you thinking it.”
Brooks just watched her steady, unblinking. Taylor swallowed, suddenly hyperaware of the way his gaze roamed over her. If she didn’t know any better she’d say that he was enamored, under a spell.
“What?” She asked, her voice softer than she intended.
“Nothing,” he said, but his smile said everything. “Just like seeing you in my world while staying completely yourself. You’re still just Taylor, church girl and all.”
“I don’t wanna show up as anyone else other than myself anymore. Done enough of that. ”
Brooks studied her, noting the way she kept shifting, still figuring out where she belonged. In this moment. In this space. With him.
“Do I make you nervous?” His voice was low, even, genuinely curious. He’d watched her loosen up, start to let go, only to retreat again. He knew he could be a lot, his presence, his energy. If he had to dial it back, he would.
“Not nervous. Just… processing. This is all a lot. The dress, the shoes, this place…” She gestured subtly around them.
There was a live jazz band in the background, the lights were dim, candles lit on the table.
By far the fanciest place she'd ever been.
Then, just as easily, her gaze slid back to him.
“And you. Looking at me like that. Smelling good.”
Brooks leaned forward, intrigued. “Looking at you like what?”
She held his gaze, fingers tracing the stem of her wine glass.
“Like you already know things about me that I haven’t even told you yet.
” She took a slow sip, letting the richness of the wine settle on her tongue before adding, “Which maybe you do, considering you knew exactly what size dress to send.”
“I almost asked Blake, but I didn’t. I described you to the lady, and she hit it right on the head. That shit fittin’ just right too,” he acknowledged licking his lips and winking at her.
She was going to be blushing all night if he kept it up with the compliments and the eye contact.
“This place is beautiful,” Taylor said finally, popping an olive in her mouth. “You bring all your women here?”
Brooks leaned forward, his dark eyes holding hers. “Nice try, but there aren’t any other women in my life.”
“Mmhmm.” She gave him that look that said she wasn’t buying it entirely. “So you expect me to believe Brooks Bishop, with all this...” she gestured at him and their surroundings, “hasn’t been entertaining all the women he could as a bachelor?”
“I’ve had dinner with plenty of people. I’ve had my way with women too,” he admitted. “But none of them were you or as important as you. They nonfactors.”
“Yeah, I hear you.
“Come on Tay, why you keep playing me off? I ain’t good enough for you?” His voice was gentle, but his eyes were intense, demanding honesty.
“Brooks,” she said softly, finally meeting his eyes. “No, that’s not it at all. I’ve never done this. The only man I’ve ever been with was at my house, drunk and angry about being put out. I don’t know how to do...” she gestured between them, “this. whatever this is. I don’t even know if I should.”
“You should do whatever you want. However you want.”
She took a shaky breath. “I want to be friends because that’s all I can handle right now. I need that to be enough.”
Brooks studied her. He was used to getting what he wanted, and making things happen on his terms. But Taylor wasn’t some territory to be claimed. She wasn’t something to acquire. She was going to make him work for it, wait for it. And he was ok with that.
“I respect that,” he said, holding her gaze. “But let me be honest with you. ”
“Honest about what?”
“I don’t do temporary. If something’s worth my time, I don’t play with it. You can’t get time back.”
“So, what does that mean?”
“It means I’ll be patient. I’ll be whatever you need right now. But don’t expect me to act like I don’t want this to be more when you ready of course.”
She grabbed his hand across the table, surprising them both. “You’re the only person I have right now who sees me, really sees me.”
Brooks turned his palm up, tracing his thumb across hers.
“I hear you,” he murmured. Then he smirked, “But you won’t want me to stay on the bench for long.”
“Cocky much?” She giggled, her laugh was becoming his favorite thing about her. This was what the night was about. Ensuring her mind was anywhere else but on the shit, she had going on.
“Nah, not cocky. Just patient, kind, sweet, funny, fine as hell,” Brooks shrugged with a smile that had her crossing her legs under the table to calm the pulsing. He knew exactly what that smile did to women. He knew exactly who he was and what he could offer. She’d see it, in time.
“Soooo,” Taylor said, deliberately changing the subject when his stare got too intense. “My divorce should be final in about six weeks. As long as he doesn’t take forever signing the papers.”
She took a long sip of wine, grateful for the distraction. “Hard to believe it’s happening.”
“I’m happy for you but why you trying to change the subject on me?” His lips curved into that knowing smile that made her stomach flip.
He wanted to tell her that if there was a problem he’d handle it and for good this time. Tyree had been warned if he didn’t follow through Brooks would, and he had to know that.
“Because I can tell you can talk any woman out of her decision. I don’t need those problems yet.” She gave him a look right back, finding her footing.
“Yet?” He asked and licked his lips.
The air between them crackled. Taylor felt her resolve weakening it was her now under a spell. This man had grown up fine, but more than that, he’d grown up solid.
“Brooks...” she started, but he cut her off.
“I know what you’re about to say. I heard you, you need time. You want us to be friends first. And I respect that,” he leaned forward, his voice dropping to that tone that made her toes curl. “But don’t sit here acting like you don’t feel what I feel or at least think about it.”
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t thinking about it.” The words slipped out before she could catch them, and the way Brooks’ eyes darkened told her he’d caught every bit of meaning behind them.
“Then stop overthinking it,” he said softly, reaching across the table to run his thumb across her knuckles.
“I ain’t asking for everything tonight. Just asking you to let me show you what it could be, with me.
Just...” he paused, his eyes never leaving hers, “let me be in your world a little bit and you come into mine. Let me prove to you that different doesn’t mean wrong. ”
Taylor looked down at their joined hands.
“You’re making it real hard to keep my walls up,” she admitted, a small smile playing at her lips.
“Good,” he said, that confident grin back in place. Brooks squeezed her hand. He could be patient. Could be her friend, her protector, whatever she needed. But they both knew this was just the beginning.
His smile said everything.
“To new beginnings then.” He raised his glass.
“To new beginnings,” she echoed, clinking her glass with his.
Brooks smiled. The way she was looking at him told him she wasn’t as convinced about “just friends” as she wanted to be.
Their food began to arrive pausing the conversation. He watched her bow her head and begin to pray. He decided to do the same. Brooks bowed his head, exhaling slowly before murmuring under his breath.
“Lord, I don’t do this much, you know that. But if you listening… keep your hand on her. Give her peace. Clarity. And if it’s in the cards, let me be what she needs. Oh, and uh… thanks for the food too. Amen.”