Chapter Fouteen
Brooks
Dinner with some of my favorite people is a loud affair, filled with teasing and laughter. When Wren and I finally made it to the bar and to the area Maverick reserved, our crowd hooted and hollered. I”m loving spending time with my brothers and parents, but I love even more that they are getting to meet my friends and my girl better.
Of course, my brothers draw a bit of attention, but once again, Sparrow Falls has proven how awesome of a place it is by leaving them alone for the most part. My younger brothers catch a few kids staring wide-eyed and take the time to say hi and take pictures with, which makes me proud as hell of them. Even though they”re professional athletes, they”re still grounded and know what”s important.
Maverick has a buffet set up and several pictures floating around our tables, so everyone is able to help themselves as they mingle and enjoy each other”s company. I”m talking to my brothers, Cash, Reid, Axle, and Maverick when Wren”s laugh rings out, pulling my eyes to her. Her head is thrown back, and her hands clasp her stomach. I”m assuming it”s something Landon said to Chayse as he smirks proudly at his disgruntled-looking best friend.
I”m only pulled back into our conversation when I feel a punch to my shoulder.
”Hey, asshole, quit mooning over your girl and pay attention.”
I”m not surprised when I see Carson scowling.
”He can”t help it. He”s in luuurve,” Mac teases, making the guys laugh as I flip him off.
”What? You can”t really deny it,” Cam states so matter-of-factly that I can”t help but laugh too. People think he”s egotistical because he doesn”t talk much, but really, he just doesn”t feel the need to fill every second with excessive blather. That”s Carson”s job.
”But seriously, have you told her you love her yet?” Mac asks, completely serious.
”No.”
”Why not?” Cash chimes in, and I almost forgot I wasn”t standing here with just my brothers.
”I think you of all people can understand why I”m trying to take things slow,” I challenge Cash as I cross my arms over my chest.
”Ahh, because your woman is badass and absolutely under no circumstance needs a man?”
I nod in confirmation.
”What you”re not taking into consideration is that she might not need you, but she”s choosing to have you in her life and by her side. That alone is enough to show you how deep she”s in too.”
I quietly think over what he said. They must see how in my head I am because none of them push me any more about my relationship with Wren. The more I think about what Cash said, the more I realize he”s got a point. Wren does not need me, but seeing her storm out of the bookstore today made me realize how much I need her.
Not even saying anything to the guys, I head in Wren”s direction, needing to be close to her right now. She sees me coming and smiles so brightly that my heart skips a beat. My brothers might be giving me shit, but I know they”re right and I”m well on my way to being in love with Wren.
Stepping into her space, I smile when she wraps her arm around my waist and leans into my side, tilting her head back to look into my eyes.
”Hey, little minx.”
”Howdy-ho, McSexy.”
I can”t hold in my laughter hearing my girl say ”howdy-ho”. ”Really? Howdy-ho?”
Wren laughs and so do all her friends.
”I can honestly say that”s not something I ever thought I”d hear you say. Are you having fun tonight?”
”I am.” She smiles coyly up at me.
I suck her bottom lip into my mouth before deepening the kiss. Wren slides in front of me, pressing our bodies together. I can”t stop my dick from hardening as my little minx pushes her center deeper into me.
”Fuuuuck. I mean, I saw you guys on the sidewalk, but you two are literally fire together.”
I pull my head back and look over at Chayse as she fans her face.
Laughing, I tuck Wren back into my side.
”Seriously. They”re even hotter with the whole opposites attract thing they”ve got going on,” Landon exclaims as he waves his hand in our general direction.
”Oh, that”s one of my favorite tropes!” Daphne cries out.
I”ve gotten to know the women in Wren”s life, and I am really enjoying building friendships with them. That said, Daphne shocked the hell out of me just now. She”s usually so reserved and more of a silent observer than participant.
”Oh, girl, me too. Maybe that can be the trope for our first official book club meeting,” Landon gushes excitedly, bringing a smile to my face.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how many people signed up for the different book club meetings.
”But how do we even choose? There are so many good opposites attract romances out there,” Meadow ponders, and all of them start talking over each other.
River lets out a loud whistle, instantly silencing everyone before making sure she has their attention.
”Why don”t you create a poll on the bookstore”s Instagram page? All of you can choose one and then let the public decide. Not only will it select your book, but it will also be great marketing for the store.”
I”m stunned as I stare down at River, even though I know how smart she is.
Wren grins as Meadow proudly wraps her arm around River”s shoulder. River shifts uncomfortably with all of the attention on her now, and no longer has anything to say.
”That”s brilliant, River. My only criteria is that you all pick indie authors for your suggestion.”
”We can do that. That”s basically all we read anyway.” Spencer smiles sweetly.
”Good. Someday, I”d like to be able to host indie author pop-ups here, so the more we can support them and get their names out, the better.”
”Oooh, can I please make some suggestions for a signing?” Chayse gives me puppy dog eyes as she holds her hands under her chin, begging her case.
I laugh but am also relieved with how excited everyone is about the store and the book clubs.
”Sure. You can make some suggestions, and I”ll see what I can do.”
”Yes!” Chayse pumps her fist in the air.
”Brooks, sorry to interrupt, but your dad and I were thinking about heading out.” My mom touches my arm to get my attention.
Stepping away from the group but tugging Wren along with me, I follow my mom over to my dad, who”s waiting for us to say goodbye.
Stepping closer, he gives me a back-pounding hug.
”We”re so proud of you, Brooks. The store is wonderful, and today couldn”t have gone any better.” He”s smiling at me as my mom fidgets nervously beside him.
”Well, maybe a little better. I owe you both an apology. I ran into Jessa at the store, and she led me to believe you two were still in contact. She knew about your bookstore opening, so I suggested she come to support you. I didn”t know you were in a relationship, or I never would”ve told her to come. I”m so sorry.”
Wren stiffens under my arm, and it takes everything in me to not lash out at my mom. I didn”t intentionally not tell her about Wren. I just didn”t think about it either. But from where Wren”s standing and how she reacted earlier, I”m positive she is thinking the worst right now.
Fighting a grimace, I plaster a smile on my face, ready to address my mom, but Wren beats me to it as she slides out from under my arm.
”Please don”t even worry about it. You didn”t know, and I could never see you doing something like that if you did.”
I study her and am surprised to see she”s genuine. I don”t know why since I saw her and my mom talking and getting along well earlier, but I am.
”Oh, thank God. I felt terrible when you left earlier, and I needed to address it with both of you.” Her face relaxes, as does her body when she leans into my dad and smiles.
”Well, it was nice meeting you both. I hope you have a safe drive home.” Wren reaches her hand out towards my parents.
My dad swats hers out of the way, giving her a bear hug and lifting her feet off the floor, making her laugh. My chest warms at the sight of Wren with my dad, knowing how much she misses her parents and how much she needs the love he”s giving her. My mom wraps Wren in her arms, not quite as dramatically as my dad, but hugs her the way only a mother can. My heart aches for Wren as her eyes shut and she sinks further into the hug. When she opens them as she steps back from my parents, they”re glassy, making me want to pull her into my own arms.
Being the little minx she is, she hits me with a glare before heading back over to her friends and brother.
I give my mom a quick hug before she goes to talk to my brothers. I”m going in for a hug with my dad when he puts one hand on my shoulder and stops me.
”I”m not sure what just happened, but you need to fix it. Wren might look different than the woman I imagined you settling down with, but she”s exactly what you need.”
I blow out a breath as I grab the back of my neck. ”Jessa blindsided us earlier, but Wren even more so. She obviously looks very different from Jessa, which made her doubt my feelings and attraction. I reassured her we were fine, but Mom mentioning not knowing about her is not doing me any favors. I swear I didn”t intentionally not tell you guys—it just didn”t come up. To be honest, it took a while to get where we are now. Our first few encounters did not go well. She got under my skin in a way nobody ever has, and in turn, I didn”t always show my best self. By the time I finally got her to soften towards me, I was busting my ass to get the store ready. I think I”ve only talked to you and mom twice since we actually got together, and those were both brief calls.”
”I understand, son, and I think she will too if you talk to her. Don”t let a misunderstanding get in the middle of you two. We may have just met her, but your mom and I agree that we haven”t seen you this happy in years.”
”I”ll make sure I fix this. She”s too important not to.”
I hear cheering and turn around to see Wren and Emerson on the bar. Looking back to where she was just standing, I see a bottle of tequila and empty shot glasses littering the table. Emerson and Wren are strutting their stuff, and I shake my head.
My dad slaps me on the back, pulling my attention to him. He”s got a shit-eating grin on his face as he eyes my girl.
”Yeah, son. I think she might be exactly what you need.”
He gives me a quick hug before heading towards my brothers to say goodbye. Grabbing my mom”s hand, he waves at me once more as he heads out the door. Mom is watching Wren and Emerson, laughing her head off.
I drift towards the bar, glad everyone”s getting enjoyment from watching my little minx as she and Emerson have the time of their lives.
They both have drinks in hand as they work the bar, drawing more and more patrons. Apparently, people are used to Emerson doing this, but Wren is pulling more attention her way. She”s sexy as fuck with her black cut-offs, black thigh-high socks, her platform boots, and a ripped tattoo t-shirt. Her makeup is over the top today, and her raven hair is in waves down her back. The shaved part on the side of her head shows off the intricate roses that I can only imagine hurt like hell. She looks like a dark angel, calling to me with every smile, snarky comment, and sway of her curvy body.
”So, what did you do to piss her off this time?” Lark sneaks up beside me, making me jump.
My head whips back to the bar when Wren screams as Carson jumps up beside her. I love my younger brother, but if he even thinks about touching my girl, I will do my damndest to kick his ass.
”I said, what did you do? As soon as she came over from saying bye to your parents, she looked at Emerson, who started pouring shots. They slammed four or five before tearing off towards the bar.”
Letting out a breath, I look Lark in the eyes so he knows I”m telling the truth. ”My mom apologized to the both of us. She ran into Jessa at the store, who made it seem like we”re still friendly, and invited her to the opening. She told Wren that she didn”t know we were dating, which is what I”m assuming set her off.” Lark glares at me, so I jump right back in, not giving him a chance to chew me out or punch me. ”I swear I wasn”t hiding it from my parents. Wren and I didn”t start off great, and by the time that we were good, I was consumed with the store. I think I”ve talked to my parents a total of three times since I got here, and the last two times was only for a few minutes to check how they were doing.”
I wait as Lark mulls over what I said. It”s killing me to not turn my attention back to the bar, where Wren is having the time of her life, but I know I need to stay in this moment with Lark to show him how serious I am about his sister.
”Fuck, that”s some shitty luck.” He rubs his jaw. ”I didn”t think you”d intentionally hurt her, but she”s also my world and I was ready—and always will be—to take care of her and do right by her. Losing our parents was fucking awful, but even more so for Wren. I did the best I could for her, but I was still basically a kid myself. I dragged her from one shop to the next and probably fucked up more than I”d ever like to admit. She”s got serious abandonment issues, but even more self-doubt than she”d ever show. For her, it was easier to build walls than to let in people who would leave or let her down. And when they did leave, she always blamed herself, even when that wasn”t the case. She acts tough as nails—and to an extent, she is—but she also has a ton of scars that will always be there. She”s always going to need more than she”ll ever let on. So, treat her like the fucking queen she is, and don”t let her push you away when things get rough.”
Lark steps away, letting my mind spin out of control. I”ve picked up on some of the stuff he”s mentioned, but I honestly forget sometimes that she”s not as tough and badass as she wants everyone to believe. She”s so capable and independent that I forget she needs me to reassure her to let her walls down.
It”s getting late, and most of the patrons from the bar have left, but our party is going strong. Mav is behind the bar, pouring more beers as my brother, Wren, and Emerson continue to party on the bar top. The dance floor by the stage goes dark before colored lights come on and the music gets louder. Wren and Emerson let out a whoop as they bend down and high-five Maverick.
Axle stands from where he was watching the show on the stool and grabs Emerson around the waist. He easily lifts her from the stage, dragging her down his body as he lowers her to the floor. She bites her lips before turning and grinding her ass into his crotch. All the girls are yelling and encouraging her. Axle swats her ass, making her jump, and everyone else laugh.
Before he can catch her, she”s tearing across the bar to the dance floor. Her sisters follow, along with some of the guys.
I make my way to the bar and look up at my little minx. Her eyes are hazy, and I can tell she”s a little drunk by how loosely she”s moving. She crooks her finger, motioning for me to come closer. I reach up and pick her off the bar, just like Axle did Emerson.
Wren gasps as she slides down my front and feels what she does to me.
Biting her lip, she looks up at me, wraps her arms around my neck, and starts moving her hips. My mind is frazzled as I try to rein her in. I nip her lip before moving down to her neck and up to her ear.
”I”m sorry, little minx. I swear I was not keeping you from my parents. I”ve barely had a chance to talk to them lately. I am not hiding, nor will I ever, what I feel for you.” I lean back and find her eyes glassy. At the back of my mind, I can”t help think she let me off the hook a hell of a lot easier than I expected.
”I know you didn”t do it on purpose, Brooks. You know I react first and think later. After a few shots and Emerson getting me out of my head, I know you wouldn”t intentionally hurt me.”
”Good.” I smile as I lean in and kiss her hard. It”s messy and has my cock hard as steel as my heart races.
”Now, come on. I need to see if you have any dance moves.”
I smirk, knowing my girl is in for a good surprise. Our mom needed to find ways to burn off our energy, so she enrolled all of us boys in dance when we were young. It was super helpful for my brothers with developing their coordination when it came to sports.
Once we hit the floor, I smile at seeing everyone let loose. Cameron is standing off to the side but reluctantly joins in when Carson and Mac drag him onto the floor. I”m pulling Wren into me when Despacito comes on, making Carson whoop. Mac and Cam are also grinning as they make their way over to me.
”Think we should show them how to move?” Carson wags his brows.
Wren looks back and forth between us, confusion written all over her face. I nod and start laughing when Carson snags Meadow and pulls her to him as she lets out a startled squeal. Mac asks a blushing Daphne as Cam approaches River. I doubt she”s going to join, but whatever he says has her blushing as she takes his hands.
All paired up, I give my brothers a look and we all start moving. Carson and I guide the ladies through a rumba as Mac and Cam move their partners in a more reserved tango. Wren”s eyes are wide and her mouth open as I move us to the music. I like the sexiness of the rumba, and even though she doesn”t know the steps, Wren lets me guide her through the movements. It”s hard to tear my eyes away from Wren”s body grinding on mine, but when I hear a squeal and glance over to see Carson lifting Meadow, I can”t help the laugh that spills from my lips. We enjoy the song and a few more after that before heading off the floor for some drinks.
My brothers and I get slaps on the backs and questions about how we learned to move so well. We”re all a little tipsy at this point, making everyone talk over each other and laugh as we all have a good fucking time.
I couldn”t have asked for a better group of people to call my friends when I moved to Sparrow Falls. I”m happier than I”ve been in years, and a lot of it is because of the friendships I”ve made and having Wren by my side.
Speaking of Wren, I find her talking animatedly with the girls. They look like they”re up to something, and when I see the look in Wren”s eyes, I know it”s time to get my little minx home.
I say a quick bye to the guys and my brothers, who laugh at me as I stalk towards Wren and throw her over my shoulder. I have no idea what I did to deserve this woman, but I know I”m going to worship her the way she deserves and hope like hell she keeps me around.