Chapter 6
Chapter Six
T he bright August sun hit Cameron full force as he stepped outside the front door of the winery a few minutes before one o’clock on Saturday. He slipped on his sunglasses and inhaled the scents of cut grass and blackberries. A bramble of bushes grew along the opposite side of the road, and this time of year, the air was full of the fragrance of ripening fruit.
At that moment, Brooke pulled into the gravel lot. He waved and walked to where she parked.
She stepped out of the car, and Cameron couldn’t help but look his fill. Her blonde waves grazed her shoulders, and she wore fitted khaki shorts with a cornflower-blue tank. She was also sporting her Burberry sunglasses so he couldn’t see her eyes.
She closed the car door. “Waiting for me?”
Absolutely. He’d meant what he’d said earlier—he’d been looking forward to this since they’d set the appointment. “You’re right on time. And dressed for a hike.” He dipped his gaze toward her boots. They looked worn. “You hike a lot?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know if ‘a lot’ is accurate, but some.” She kicked a pebble. “These are kind of old and beat up.”
“We should hike sometime. Hayden’s wife is really into it. We’ve taken some cool weekend trips.”
Brooke turned toward the winery. “Where are we starting?”
He noted that she ignored his invitation. She probably wanted to keep to business, as she’d told him the other night. But then he’d walked her home, and they’d had that near kiss. Plus, she’d openly flirted with him this morning with that sexy straw situation. It seemed like a social relationship might not be out of the realm of possibility. He sensed she preferred to take things—if there was ever going to be a thing —slow. He could do that.
A tiny voice somewhere in the recesses of his mind asked how he could keep things casual and nurture a slow-burn relationship at the same time. He pretended that voice was talking to someone else.
“We’ll start inside, if that’s okay,” he said. “Hayden will be here in a few minutes.”
“Sounds good.”
Cam held the door open as she stepped inside. Cool air greeted them, and he pulled his sunglasses off. “Hot one today.”
“Definitely.” She pushed her glasses to the top of her head. She wore very little makeup, and he stood by his earlier assessment that she was stunning anytime.
He turned his brain to the winery. “This is a gravity flow facility, which I’m sure you figured out. Top floor is business offices, and this main floor will be the tasting room?—”
“This space exactly, right?” She walked over to the wall of glass doors that opened to the patio and pushed one open.
“Yes. The build-out is starting in a couple of weeks.” He followed her outside onto the covered deck. “This will be a pretty sweet place to sit and have a glass of Riesling.”
She flashed him a smile before returning her gaze to the panorama before them. “Gorgeous view—same as upstairs.” It overlooked the vineyard and the town of Ribbon Ridge below. “Did you lose much vineyard when you built this?”
“A bit, but we were able to acquire about ten acres up the hill. We planted that last year. All pinot noir.”
She turned and walked back inside. “Plenty of space here for tables and events.”
He closed the door as he came in. “That’s the idea.” He went to the wall on the left. “The bar will be here—there’s a kitchen on the other side.” He went through a door, and she followed him.
She chuckled. “It needs a little work. A backsplash would be good.”
He smiled. “It’s in progress. For now, we only need the fridge, the sink, the dishwasher, and the microwave. This will be finished before they start on the tasting room.”
“Who’s they?”
“My brother Dylan’s contracting company. We get roped into doing a lot too—keeps costs down, and frankly, we like doing it.”
“Hello?” Hayden’s voice filtered into the kitchen.
Cam turned toward the door. “That’s Hayden.”
They moved back into the tasting room. Hayden held out his hand. “Good to see you again, Brooke. Thanks for coming today.”
“Thanks for having me. I really appreciate the tour.”
He grinned at her. “Just sell a ton of our wine, please.”
She peered at him and shot a glance toward Cam. “Do you have a ton to sell?”
“Not yet, but we will,” Cam said. “I’ll let Hayden tell you all about what he has planned. Let’s start on the mezzanine.”
The opposite side of the tasting room opened up to the fermentation level below, and a walkway with railings on either side stretched toward the receiving area and where they stored the sorting equipment.
Brooke strolled to the railing and looked down at the fermentation tanks, currently empty.
Hayden joined her and slapped his hands on the metal. “The railings are removable so we can move the grapes down into the fermenters.” She took her hands off the steel, and he chuckled. “Perfectly safe, I promise. Come on, let’s go down.”
Cam rolled his eyes. “Don’t scare her off, Hay.”
Hayden tossed him a teasing look over his shoulder as he started down the stairs. “That’s your job—but please don’t do it.”
Brooke descended between them. “You guys have been friends a long time, I take it.”
“Since first grade,” Cam said. “I’ve tried to get rid of him, even got him to go to France for a year, but he’s like a bad penny.”
Hayden snorted. “As if. You cried like a baby when I left and practically begged me to come back.” At the base of the stairs, Hayden waited for Brooke to step down, then moved closer to her. He lowered his voice, but not enough so that Cam couldn’t hear him, which was the point. “Don’t let Cam fool you. His brothers both left Ribbon Ridge for long periods—years—but Cam could only bring himself to leave for days, maybe a week, at a time and only because his work demanded it. He’s a diehard Ribbon Ridger. Since he left Blackthorn and his hectic travel schedule, some might even call him a homebody. I don’t think he’s ventured out of the state in the past two years.”
Cam came off the stairs and joined them. “Hey, I was tired of traveling. And I have too left the state. We’ve taken several research trips to Washington and California.”
Brooke seemed to be enjoying Hayden’s teasing, if the smile hovering on her lips and the glint in her eye were any indication. “I hear he hasn’t even been to France.”
Hayden nodded, his gaze full of false pity. “True story.” He chuckled. “Come on, let’s talk wine!”
Hayden guided her through the fermentation level. Her questions came fast and furious, and Hayden answered every single one of them. Cam didn’t say much—the winemaking was Hayden’s thing—but he appreciated her intellect and her passion for wine.
As they proceeded down to the settling level, Cam asked, “You sound like maybe you should have been a winemaker.”
She turned her head toward him, her eyebrow arching. “Really? I never thought about it. I worked at a tasting room part-time in college, and that turned into a full-time job when I graduated. From there, I went into sales and distribution.”
This sparked a conversation about southern Oregon wine and where she’d worked. By the time they finished up with the cellar, which included the barrel rooms and the bottling area, it was past time to meet Luke for the vineyard tour. Cam’s phone vibrated—a text from Luke asking where they were.
Cam looked across the bottling line to where Brooke and Hayden were chatting. “Luke’s waiting for us.”
Hayden gave her a sheepish look. “Sorry, I get a little carried away.”
Brooke shook her head. “Not at all. I asked too many questions.”
Cam went to the exterior door. “No such thing.” He texted Luke to meet them out back on the lower level. “We can go out this way.” He slid his sunglasses back on as he held the door.
Brooke preceded them into the sunlight and dropped her glasses back over her magnificent eyes. Bummer. He liked watching them animate and sparkle as they discussed winemaking.
Hayden gave Cam a slight elbow as he walked by. He turned his head for a brief glance that included arched eyebrows and wide eyes that clearly said, Dude, she’s cool, or something to that effect.
Cam knew she was cool. And smart. And attractive in so many ways that went far beyond her looks.
“Oh, I love this!” Brooke exclaimed as she moved toward the massive fire pit they’d just installed last month. She looked around. “Is this for guests? I don’t see an easy access point.”
Hayden put his sunglasses on. “For now, it’s just for us, but we’ll eventually add stairs from the upper deck and another deck, then more stairs leading down here. We may have evening dinners out here—but that’s down the road.”
Cam walked to the pit where she stood. “We reclaimed the brick from the house before we demolished it.”
“House?” Brooke asked.
“There was a mid-century ranch, which Hayden and Bex lived in for a while. We’d planned to use it for something, but it had…problems.”
“The extensive dry rot and the leaking pipes were problems. The rodent infestation was catastrophic.” Hayden shuddered.
Brooke made a face that clearly transmitted what she thought of that— disgusting . “Oh dear.”
“Unsalvageable as a whole, unfortunately, but we saved what we could.”
Hayden nodded. “Some of the wood will be used for the bar in the tasting room.”
“That’s so cool that you reused stuff.”
“Especially this brick,” Cam said. “It predates that ranch house, even. When we went to pull the brick out, we found one buried near the foundation with the year 1879 and the initials BNR.”
“That’s cool. What does it mean?”
Hayden grinned. “No idea. But my sister-in-law Alaina is on it. She and her BFF are history nerds, and they’ve been working on establishing a Ribbon Ridge museum.”
“That’s so neat. I’d totally go to that.” She froze for a moment. “Wait a second. Is that Alaina Pierce? I just remembered she’s married to one of the Archers.”
Alaina was one of the world’s most famous actresses, despite doing only a supporting role in a single film during the past two years. She’d been too busy being a newlywed and a mom.
Hayden laughed. “Yeah, that’s her. She’s completely down-to-earth. She’s just another Ribbon Ridger now.”
Brooke glanced between them. “Huh. How long does the indoctrination take? I mean, I’ve only been here a month or so.”
Hayden looked at Cam and shrugged. “Dunno.”
“Being a Ribbon Ridger is a state of mind. Time’s got nothing to do with it,” Cam said. “There’s a distinct pride that comes in living and working here.”
“What makes it so special?” she asked.
Cam tried to think of something specific—maybe the annual Ribbon Ridge Festival, which had taken place a couple of weeks ago—but there were too many intangibles. For him, it was the only home he’d ever known, and it was the only home he ever wanted. “Did you go to the Ribbon Ridge Festival?”
“I did. It was great.”
Cam wondered why he hadn’t seen her, but it was a widely attended event, drawing more and more people from the Portland metropolitan area every year. It was silly to think he’d pick her out of a crowd. Except now he knew he absolutely could.
“It’s gotten kind of commercial in the past decade or so,” Cam said, “but the festival started way back in the nineteenth century. They had horse racing, dancing, and even a quilting bee.”
“Sounds like something that museum you mentioned should highlight. Maybe you can bring some of that back next year.”
Cam suddenly wondered why no one ever had. “That’s a great idea. Hayden and I’ll get right on that.”
Hayden chuckled. “Yeah, sure. Right after we launch our wines, not to mention everything else on our plates.”
“Good point. Sounds like a job for Alaina and Crystal, though.” Cam looked toward Brooke. “Crystal’s her friend.”
“I figured. Maybe I’ll offer to give them a hand. Sounds fun. And maybe it’ll help me earn my Ribbon Ridge Club Card.”
Cam let out a bark of laughter. “We totally need those. We’ll get Alaina and Crystal on that too.”
Hayden pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. “Bex is bringing some food in a bit if you guys are hungry. I haven’t had lunch.”
“I ate before I came,” Brooke said.
Cam didn’t want her to go when the tour was over. He envisioned them sitting on the patio upstairs. “Then wine—I still have that Riesling in my fridge.”
She smiled at him, showing straight, brilliant white teeth. “I’m not sure I can decline that a second time.”
Luke came down the hill then, his hat pulled low over his eyes. “It’s a good thing I love the sun.”
“You’re in the wrong line of work if you don’t,” Cam said. “Luke, you remember Brooke Ellis.”
“Yep. Good to see you again.” He slipped off his sunglasses and shook her hand. “Ready for a sweltering walk?”
“Absolutely. I tried to choose the right footwear.” She held her foot out to show her hiking boot.
“Perfect. Though a hat would’ve been good.”
She nodded toward his head. “I see that now.” She looked over at Cam and Hayden. “Where are yours? You guys should know better. In fact, you should have a stock of them here—haven’t you heard of swag?”
Cam chuckled. “We’re looking at some—hats, shirts, all that. Maybe you can help me decide what to buy. Tell me what people will want when you go selling.”
“Sure,” she said.
Hayden pivoted toward the building. “I’ve got stuff to do inside. In the air-conditioning. Actually, Cam, I could use a hand.”
Cam preferred to go on the vineyard tour, even without a hat. “I was going to tag along with them.”
“Like you haven’t walked every inch of this vineyard a hundred times. Come on.” Hayden jerked his head toward the winery. “See you in a bit, Brooke.”
Cam had no choice but to reluctantly follow Hayden. Brooke and Luke were already on their way toward the vines before Cam could say anything. He trudged back inside into the cool dark of the bottling room.
He tossed Hayden a glare. “What could possibly be so urgent on a Saturday afternoon?”
Hayden laughed. “Absolutely nothing, dick-for-brains—and I mean that literally. Someone had to save you from yourself.”
Cam pulled the door closed behind him. “What the hell does that mean?”
“You were practically tripping over yourself. Where’s the cool ladies’ man we all know and love?”
Cam scoffed. “You’d give me shit no matter what, wouldn’t you?”
Hayden slapped his shoulder. “It’s what we do.” He walked out of the bottling room and started up the stairs. “But seriously, do you like her?” He glanced back at Cam as they ascended.
“Sure. She’s great.”
“I mean like-like her. Don’t you think it’s time you had a girlfriend again? I know we always give you crap about being a player, but you have sort of abandoned that way of life of late. I guess I thought that might signal that you’re ready to let down your guard.”
Cam scowled at his friend’s back. He hadn’t mentioned the reason for Cam having a guard in the first place, but it wasn’t necessary. They both knew why.
“I’m never doing that, and if you think I should, keep your opinion to yourself.”
They climbed in silence until they reached the fermentation level. Hayden stopped and turned. “Is it wrong for me to want to see you happy?”
“Isn’t this the same crap your family pulled when you came home from France to find Bex ensconced in your house and working for your brewpub? They were all happily paired off and wanted you to get right back with Bex.”
Hayden looked down at the floor, but Cam caught the smile pulling at his mouth. “Yeah, they did. And it pissed me off. But they were also right about me and Bex.” He looked at Cam again, and his gaze was sincere, caring even. “Maybe Brooke isn’t the right woman—believe me, I really don’t want you screwing up a good working relationship if she turns out to be a fantastic salesperson. But the right woman is out there. Jennifer was the aberration, not the norm.”
“Damn it. You had to go and say her name.”
“Dude, everyone eventually said Voldemort too.”
Cam knew Hayden meant well, but his love life was off-limits. “I think you should drop the conversation.”
Hayden held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry. Just… I don’t want you to have regrets.”
“It’s far too late for that,” Cam muttered. “Listen, I’m heading up to my office for a few.” He started toward the stairs.
Hayden called after him. “I’ll let you know when Bex gets here with lunch.”
Cam nodded but didn’t turn. He climbed up to his office, feeling agitated. He hated that word—regret. Because he had plenty of experience with it. He strove to live his life so that emotion never knocked him down again.
Yeah, he liked Brooke, but he still didn’t want a girlfriend. Luckily for him, she didn’t seem interested—even if he was. He was content to flirt with her and keep things light. That was what he did best.
And that was what kept him out of trouble.
By the time they finished the vineyard tour, Brooke was hot and more than eager for that glass of Riesling Cam had promised her. Like Hayden, Luke had been an engaging and incredibly knowledgeable tour guide.
“I have the sense you pretty much live and breathe this vineyard,” she said as they walked back toward the building.
“Guilty. But then we all do.”
She could see that. The four of them seemed to have poured all of their passion—their very souls—into this endeavor. It was inspiring and honestly a little envy inducing.
“You guys are incredibly lucky to be pursuing your dream.”
Luke blew out a whistle. “Don’t we know it.” He led her toward a doorway on the uphill side of the building. “You sound wistful. Selling wine isn’t your dream?”
“I love it, really.” She did. But it wasn’t really her dream . Her dream—to have a family—had been shattered when she and Darren had divorced. She realized she didn’t have a new dream, and that felt like a bit of an epiphany.
“But maybe it’s not where you see yourself in five or ten years,” he said.
She hadn’t thought about that. She’d been too focused on taking one day and then one week at a time. She’d stopped seeing a shrink when she’d moved north, but she still had tough questions she ought to explore.
Oh, get over yourself! Thinking about the future should not send you into a tailspin. Not anymore.
Luke opened the door to the winery as she silently chided herself. They walked into a vestibule with a staircase—the one that led up to the offices, she was fairly certain.
“Oh man, does that feel good.” Luke swept his hat off and closed his eyes briefly.
Brooke welcomed the cool rush of air-conditioning, despite the instant goose bumps rising on her heated flesh. It felt delicious. “Yes, it does.”
“This way,” Luke said, gesturing past the stairs to the main room.
A table had been set up, and a cute brunette was arranging food on it. She turned as Brooke and Luke approached. “Hi!” She brushed her hands on her jean shorts and came toward Brooke. “I’m Bex Archer.” She offered her hand, which Brooke shook.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Brooke Ellis.”
“So I heard. I’m so thrilled you’ll be working with the guys. They need a woman’s influence.”
Luke chuckled. “As if you don’t insert yours. And we have no issue with that.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
Bex tossed him a look of affront. “Hey, I’m too busy with my beer.”
“I meant no offense. Don’t listen to me. I’m overheated.”
“Then I’m just in time!” Cam called from the base of the stairs. He carried two bottles of white wine—the Riesling, which she could discern by the shape of the bottle, and another white.
Hayden came from the kitchen carrying a knife and some napkins. He handed the knife to Bex. “This is for the cheese.”
She gave him a quick kiss followed by a smile. “Thanks, babe.”
He smiled back at her, and it was obvious they were still in newlywed mode or just that sickeningly happy. Brooke had thought that she and Darren had been that happy once, and she supposed they had. But it hadn’t lasted.
Bex put the knife down on a cutting board with the cheese. “Help yourselves!”
There was a fruit salad, a chicken salad, little rolls and crackers, a charcuterie plate, two cheeses, and a spread that looked like fig.
Brooke’s stomach rumbled. Yes, she’d had “lunch” but decided a protein shake didn’t really count. Hadn’t she earned a second lunch after running a 10k and taking a brutal hike through the ninety-degree vineyard? “This is all for you guys?”
Hayden picked up a plate as he tossed Bex a wink. “My wife knows how to put out a spread.”
“Did I hear lunch was ready?” The youngest Westcott, Jamie, jumped down the last few stairs and burst into the room.
“Damn straight,” Luke said as he grabbed his plate.
Jamie came forward and shook Brooke’s hand. “Good to see you again, Brooke.” He was a couple of inches shorter than Luke, but the same height as Cam. His eyes were a mix of his brothers’, with Cam’s green and Luke’s brown converging into a warm hazel. His hair was the lightest of the three, but still brown and thick.
“Nice to see you too.”
Cam looked at Bex. “What, no wineglasses?”
“Oh, I forgot. I admit I wasn’t thinking about wine.” Bex threw Cam a smile.
“Your beer bias is showing,” Cam said.
“I am not biased! You guys are the worst.” Bex laughed, which took any sting from her words.
“I’ll get wineglasses,” Cam said, shaking his head good-naturedly.
“I’ll help,” Brooke offered, feeling a bit like a fifth wheel since they all knew each other so well.
He led her to the kitchen. Inside, he turned to her. “I know you said you ate, but how can you say no to that spread?” He opened a cupboard, which held three shelves of wineglasses stamped with their winery logo.
“I can’t, so I won’t.” She joined him and took down two glasses. “How many do we need?” She started counting people in her head.
“Just five. Bex won’t be drinking wine.” Right, because she preferred beer.
Cam curled the fingers of his left hand around the stems of two glasses and picked up the last with his right before closing the cabinet. “Oops, almost forgot to get an opener.”
Brooke transferred one glass to her other hand. “I’ll get it. Where?”
“That drawer next to the fridge.” He gestured with his head.
Brooke opened it and saw at least twenty openers. She laughed. “Um, you’ve quite a selection.” Like the wineglasses, they were all emblazoned with their logo. “You misled me—you have some swag.”
“Wineglasses, openers, and four- and six-compartment bags to carry bottles. That’s pretty much it. I do have designs for several apparel items as well as a soft-sided cooler.”
“Great idea with the cooler.”
He pushed open the door and stood against it while she walked out of the kitchen. “Thank you. I have my marketing moments.”
“I’m sure they’re more than moments. Your sales numbers from Blackthorn are legend.”
He gave her a side eye. “Is that right?” He laughed. “Along with my reputation.”
She appreciated that he had no problem with the way others saw him. He not only owned it—he seemed to wave it like a flag. “Yep.”
They deposited the glasses on the table, and Cam poured Riesling for the two of them, while the other three guys drank a white blend from a local winery.
Brooke helped herself to a plate of food. “No Riesling for you guys?”
Jamie looked horrified. “Cam guards that stuff with his life. He only pours it for special people.”
“I thought you’d want the pinot blanc. Was I wrong?” Cam asked.
“Nope, I’m good.”
For a brief moment, it had seemed to Brooke that Jamie’s comment was bait for Cam to say that Brooke was special. But Cam didn’t take it. He’d missed a prime opportunity to flirt. Was it because they weren’t alone?
They all dished up from the mini-buffet and sat around the table. Bex and Brooke traded the usual get-to-know-you questions. Brooke was surprised to hear how long Bex and Hayden had known each other—nearly a decade, though they’d broken up for a five-year period in the middle of that. True love, however, had won out, or so it seemed given the way they grazed each other’s hands or exchanged little glances when they thought other people weren’t looking. Or maybe they didn’t care. Maybe they waved their love for each other as proudly as Cam flew his flirtatious flag.
Cam scooted his chair back and stood. “I’m going to sit on the deck for a few.”
Luke stood and picked up his plate. “I’m heading back out to the vineyard. If anyone wants to work , I’ll be in the chardonnay block. Thanks for lunch, Bex.” He smiled at her before taking his dishes to the kitchen and then disappeared the way he and Brooke had come in.
Brooke finished her glass of Riesling and wanted to pour another, but she wasn’t sure she should. Jamie and Hayden were deep in discussion about some piece of equipment Hayden wanted to buy, and Bex stood up and started clearing away the food. Brooke’s gaze drifted to the deck where Cam leaned against the rail, his wineglass dangling from his fingertips.
Bex came around the table near Brooke’s chair. “You should go out and join him.” She spoke quietly so that only Brooke could hear.
Brooke glanced over at her in mild surprise. Was she trying to push them together? Brooke didn’t really know what to say, so she stood up and helped instead. “Where do you want the food?” she asked.
Bex grabbed as many containers as she could. “We’ll put it in the kitchen so the guys can snack on the leftovers tomorrow.”
Brooke picked up some odds and ends and followed her.
Turning from the counter where she’d deposited her items, Bex winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be obnoxious. I just thought…well, Hayden said that Cam liked you.”
Brooke opened the fridge and put away the food she’d brought. “Doesn’t Cam like a lot of women?”
“Yes, but Hayden thought you might be different. And then when you went to help with the wineglasses, I’m afraid I jumped to the wrong conclusion that you maybe liked him too. Probably.” She closed her eyes and briefly massaged her forehead. When she looked at Brooke again, her gaze was clear and honest. “I really am sorry. It’s none of my business. I’ve known Cam a long time—just about as long as I’ve known Hayden—and I’d love to see him find a genuine girlfriend. Here, I’ve barely met you, and I’m being all pushy. Ugh!” She shook her head and smiled. “Terrible first impression. Forget I said anything. Please .”
Brooke could’ve been annoyed by Bex’s desire to meddle, but she was actually charmed. “It’s nice to know Cam has such good friends—he’s lucky. And I get it. My friends keep urging me to get a boyfriend too.” Okay, maybe not a boyfriend . She wondered how much she and Cam might have in common with regard to their unwillingness to seek commitment. Did he have an ex like she did?
Bex laughed and seemed to relax as she tucked the rest of the nonperishable food away in a cupboard. “I’m not sure he thinks he’s lucky, but we can be a tough crowd, especially when you throw in the rest of the Archers. It’s one big crazy—but happy—family.”
That sounded nice. Brooke had two sisters, one older and one younger, both of whom were married with children. Between them and her parents, there was no shortage of people extolling the virtues of committed relationships. Never mind that Brooke had tried that already and crashed and burned.
She thought about joining Cam outside. Why not? She was suddenly quite curious about why he was a player. Plus, there was still some Riesling to drink. “I think I’ll head out and help him finish the wine. Wouldn’t want it to go to waste.” She smiled at Bex. “I’d offer you a glass, but I have the impression wine isn’t your thing.”
Bex looked momentarily confused, her brow puckering. “Oh! The guys just give me crap because I’m a brewer, but I actually love wine. I’d absolutely be drinking some along with you if I wasn’t three and a half months pregnant.”
Brooke’s gaze dipped to Bex’s still-flat belly. A surge of envy followed quickly by a wave of sadness slammed into her. She’d never know what it would feel like to care for a burgeoning life inside of her. She’d never smile and nod knowingly at another woman who’d been there and done that.
Damn. Just when she thought she’d finally compartmentalized her infertility, the old feelings and the despair threatened to steal her breath, her equilibrium, her ability to simply finish a stupid conversation. Come on, Brooke, you can do this. “Congratulations.”
She knew she ought to make some chitchat about impending motherhood, but she just couldn’t do it. She could barely keep her face from crumbling.
“Thanks. We’re pretty excited.” Her hand fluttered against her belly. “We’ve been trying for a little while.”
And they’d been successful. It was strange how one could feel happiness, jealousy, and grief in the span of a single second. “That’s terrific.”
Brooke’s heart, already broken when she’d learned she couldn’t carry or even have a child of her own three years ago, shuddered anew. Someday—God, she hoped someday—she wouldn’t feel that awful pang of loss. It was dumb really. She shouldn’t be able to miss something she never had, right? Just something she’d desperately wanted with all of her heart.
“You okay?” Bex asked.
Brooke focused on the other woman. Her gaze was intent, concerned. She tucked a lock of dark hair behind her ear as she took a step forward. Shit. Brooke wasn’t doing a very good job of compartmentalizing at all.
“I’m great. I was just realizing that I promised a friend of mine I’d meet her in a little bit. I guess I got swept away by your amazing lunch spread.” She summoned a smile and hoped it looked a hell of a lot better than it felt.
Bex nodded. “I hate when I forget stuff. Seems to happen more and more lately.” She laughed softly.
Brooke had to leave. Now. “Thanks again for lunch. It was great to meet you.” She turned toward the door.
“You too.”
Brooke left the kitchen. Jamie and Hayden were no longer at the table, but Cam was still outside on the deck. She ought to go say good-bye, but she couldn’t. She wanted—needed—to be alone. So she grabbed her sunglasses from the table and made her way to the front door.
“Aren’t you going to tell Cam you’re leaving?” Bex asked. She’d apparently followed Brooke out of the kitchen, which Brooke would’ve noticed if she weren’t acting like a total idiot.
“Uh, he looks deep in thought, and I really need to run. You can tell him I’ll talk to him next week. Thanks!” She rushed out before Bex could encourage her to stay or before that look of worry crept back into her gaze. Brooke had enough people—her friends, her family—who’d regarded her with pity over the last few years.
She didn’t need any more.