AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I assume at her apartment, but I don’t know. I haven’t seen her tonight.”
I know it shouldn’t have made me happy to hear that, but it did. “Why are you here?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t sleep.” His gaze landed on his daddy. “I’ve been thinking a lot.”
“I’m sure you have. I’ll give you some privacy.”
“Grace,” he turned back toward me. “I’ve been thinking a lot about you too.”
I felt as if I’d been dipped in hot wax, warm and immobilized. “You’re still mad about the facial massage?” I went the teasing route, because the way he was looking at me wasn’t helping my resolve. Honestly, he looked like he might want to devour me, and I was going to let him order me off the menu.
He stepped closer to me. “Perhaps a little, but that’s not what I’ve been thinking about.”
I gripped the counter behind me. “What’s been on your mind?” I stuttered, breathless.
“Our friendship.”
My stomach dropped. Right. I sank where I stood. Friends. It’s all we ever were. “It was a long time ago. No need for you to be worried about it now. I should go.”
He inched ever closer. “Why won’t you let me get out what I want to say?” he pleaded.
I closed my eyes, thinking for a reasonable answer because I couldn’t tell the truth.
“Grace.” He was close enough to feel. His warm, inviting scent filled my senses.
I slowly opened my eyes and was met with his imploring ones. “Didn’t Morgan say neither of you like to live in the past?”
His shoulders rose and fell. “That came out more callous than she intended.”
Please tell me he didn’t believe that.
“My past is complicated, but, Grace, you were a bright spot in it. I could always count on you.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised to hear you say that.”
“Why?” He genuinely seemed shocked.
“Because if you’d truly felt that way, you would have come and told me the truth. You would have at least said goodbye.”
“Don’t you think I wanted to?” His emotions bled through. “You don’t know how many times I thought about climbing up to your window, but I couldn’t.”
“What stopped you?” I begged to know.
“You.”
“Me?” I pointed to myself.
He let out a heavy breath and began to pace in front of me. “I didn’t want any reasons to come back to Pecan Orchard, and I knew you would have given me one. My world had just crashed around me, and I couldn’t have you righting it in any way, like you always did when I would let you.” He stopped and faced me, as if pleading his case to a jury. “No matter the situation, you had a knack for making it all better. If I lost a debate, you would take me out to ice cream and help me dissect where I had gone wrong and let me redo my talking points. You were the one who came up with my campaign slogan and made all the posters when I ran for class president. Vote Brooks for a Better Outlook. It was perfect.” He grinned.
“I thought so.”
“Grace.” He took my hand, causing massive flutters. “You were my best friend.”
The flutters died a painful death upon hearing the big F word. I could practically hear them wailing.
“You don’t know how much I appreciated the way you would decorate my truck before every track meet. Or all the brownies you made me for my study sessions when I was trying to increase my SAT score. I don’t think I said thank you enough. So, thank you.” He squeezed my hand.
“You’re welcome.” I pulled my hand away from him.
His brow knit together when I severed our connection. “I’m sorry for not being a better friend to you.”
If he said the F word one more time, I might start using some of my own F words. You know, like fudge, fondue, flan, and frosting straight out of the can.
I nodded because I couldn’t think of anything to say. What I really wanted to do was run away and have a good cry.
Brooks rested a hand on my arm. “I hope we can be friends again, Grace.”
I was definitely eating some fudge after this. Maybe even frosted fudge. Then I was going to go get a CAT scan to figure out why I was hearing voices. One thing I was for sure not doing, and that was becoming friends with Brooks again. I was about to tell him, but I could have sworn I saw Tom move. I sidestepped Brooks and rushed over to Tom. His hand was twitching.
“Do you see that?” I asked Brooks.
Brooks, without getting too close, took a peek.
Tom’s fingers moved.
“I saw that,” Brooks whispered.
I took Tom’s hand. “Tom, squeeze my hand.” I waited. “Please, Tom.” I looked at Brooks. “Talk to him.”
Brooks’s eyes resembled a deer in headlights.
