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“I’ve missed you too,” my voice croaked.
She took my hand, and it was time to face Brooks. Crap. It was made more pleasant by the fact that I was still wearing my I’m Magically Delicious shirt and cutoffs. My only saving grace was that my legs were toned and shaved.
Together, June and I faced Daddy and Brooks.
Brooks stood with his arms folded, looking me over. His lips were curled up into a snarl.
I rose to the occasion. “Brooks, you’re looking so fresh faced. You have that facial glow.”
June spat out a weak laugh. “How funny. He did have a facial today. Apparently, the aesthetician was something else. She really got under his skin. Brooks ranted about her for over an hour after he got home.”
I had to press my lips together to keep from smirking. “That’s so awful.”
“Carly said you own a spa now, is that right?” June asked me.
I was surprised Carly knew that; she had probably seen me post about it on Facebook. I was constantly touting Serenity Spa on there. I nodded while watching Brooks’s eyes widen at the news.
“Perhaps you can give Brooks some advice on how he should handle his poor treatment.”
I gave Brooks a brilliant smile. “You should definitely write a scathing review online.”
“I plan on it,” Brooks growled.
“I can’t wait to read it.”Chapter FiveThere were few things more uncomfortable in my life than sitting in the waiting room with Brooks staring at me while his momma took a moment to be alone with Tom. Things like having your date put his hairy, overarched foot on the table, getting a cavity filled, gynecology appointments, and being stood up for prom. However, I would have taken any of them rather than be alone with Brooks right now. Daddy had left to get some rest. Unfortunately, I couldn’t, even if it meant facing Brooks. Tom needed someone by his side who loved him and stuck it out with him, just in case the unthinkable happened. Not that I blamed June for leaving Tom; I couldn’t imagine that kind of betrayal. Brooks, on the other hand, should have at least reciprocated some of his father’s attempts to reconcile, in my opinion. Even a card on his birthday would have been nice.
Brooks sat one seat away from me on the stiff waiting room chairs. We were the only souls around in the ICU waiting room, as it was around midnight. The only sound that could be heard was the low hum of the TV playing in the background.
My peripheral vision told me Brooks was glaring at me, and my senses could feel the iciness of his gaze. All I could do was stare aimlessly at my phone.
“Why did you lie to me today?” Brooks’s deep voiced shattered the silence.
I set my phone in my lap and turned toward him. Dang, the five-o’clock shadow played well on his face. His facial hair was much darker than his golden-brown locks, and it really added to his broody persona. Not that it mattered how attractive he was. He was a jerk and dating Morgan.
I tapped my lips. “Could have something to do with the fact that you didn’t recognize me. Or perhaps I’m still a little salty that you stood me up on prom night. Or maybe it’s because I’d thought I was one of your best friends, and you treated me as if I never existed.” I had to work hard to keep the emotion out of my voice.
His lips parted, but he said nothing.
Figures. I went back to staring at my phone.
“If you had been truthful today, I would have put two and two together. I told you, you looked familiar. And the setting we were in was out of context,” he defended himself.
I couldn’t believe that was all he had to say to me after twenty years. After the history we shared. “Congratulations, Mr. Hamilton, you’ve won your case.” I didn’t even bother looking at him. In fact, I turned more away from him and decided watching late-night TV was the ticket. Who didn’t need more talk shows in their life? Not that I could really pay attention. I was more than worried about Tom, and being near Brooks was disconcerting. The tension between us was strung tighter than my string bikini.
After several minutes, Brooks moved to the seat next to me. “Grace.”
A shiver went down me. How ridiculous. It’s just there was something in the way he always said my name. My God-given Christian name that only he used.
“I am sorry,” he cleared his throat as if he hadn’t said those words in a long time, “for not being more perceptive today. I’ve done my best to forget everything about Pecan Orchard that I could.”
My head whipped toward him. Did he have any idea what a punch to the gut that was? I obviously had meant nothing to him. I took a moment to search his eyes, desperate to see anything of the boy I’d known, or thought I’d known. The boy I had loved. I sighed when all I saw was a steely determination. “You’ve done an excellent job.” I stood and walked over to the other side of the empty room just before the tears started to fall.
