Page 25 of Broken Boundaries

Zach is standing behind a tree.

With his tongue down another woman’s throat.

“Aspen, glad I caught you. You forgot your hat.” I hear Brooks’s voice, but I don’t register what he’s saying.

“Aspen? You ok?” he tries again, putting his hand on my shoulder.

“Is that…?” My voice is shaky, and I’m hoping my eyes are playing tricks on me.

“What?” Brooks follows my line of sight. “Goddammit.”

“Is it?” I ask again, a little more frantic. “Tell me I’m seeing things.”

“Come on. Stop looking.” Brooks turns my body and tries to lead me away, but I stay stuck in place.

“No. No! I need to go over there!” My heart is in the pit of my stomach.

“Not here, Aspen. You don’t want to make a scene here.”

“I do want to make a scene!”

“Aspen, trust me. Not right now.”

How could he do this to me? After everything we’ve gone through. All the promises he made me. I uprooted my life and moved here for him, and not even a month later, he’s cheating on me?

I look back over my shoulder to see Zach still hasn’t pulled himself away from whatever woman he’s decided he wants to throw away our relationship for.

Brooks puts his calloused hand on my cheek and turns my head away from the scene of the crime to look directly at his face. “Stop looking at it, darlin’.”

“What am I supposed to do?” I ask faintly. Brooks sighs, drops his hand from my face, and puts his arm around my shoulder, forcing me to move with him as we walk to his truck.

“First step is getting you out of here.”

I nod because I can’t think of anything else to do besides go rip Zach’s fucking face off.

When we get to his truck, he doesn’t wait for me climb in; he picks me up and puts me in the seat. Then he straps me in as if I’m not capable, and honestly, I’m not sure if I am capable at the moment. I feel like I’m in shock. How could Zach do this to me?

Brooks gets in the truck and drives us away. I don’t know where we’re going, and I don’t really care.

My anger grows the further away we drive. I should’ve confronted Zach. Now he gets to enjoy the rest of his night thinking he’s getting away with this. “Why did you make me leave? Because you didn’t want me to confront your son?” I snap suddenly, surfacing from being lost in my thoughts.

Brooks calmly responds. “No, he deserves whatever plans you’re coming up with in your pretty head over there. That was an asshole thing for him to do. I’m just as disappointed in him. I got you out of there because you’re new here. This is a small town, and gossip spreads quickly. If one person had seen you going at him, that’s what you would’ve been known for forever. You’re better than that. You’re better than him.”

Yeah, I guess that makes sense, but he’s forgetting that the only reason I came to this god-forsaken town was for Zach. If we’re not together anymore, which, after this, we will most certainly not be, then where does that leave me? Surely not in Blue Haven.

“Where are you taking me?” I ask, once I realize we’ve passed my apartment.

“The ranch. My house. You’ll stay there tonight, and then tomorrow I’ll take you back to your place to do what you need to do.”

His house? I’m staying in Brooks’s house tonight? I’ve been here for almost a month and haven’t been in his house yet. Why would I? He’s my boss, not my friend. It’s weird to spend the night at your boss’s house, right?

I guess exceptions can be made when his son breaks your heart.

Brooks follows the road from the lodge to his house, leaving his truck parked out front. I attempt to get out of the truck myself, but he’s there in an instant, helping me down. I mumble a quick thanks and then follow him to his house.

The inside of his house is way nicer than I was expecting. While it does give bachelor vibes with the leather couches and minimal wall decor, it still feels very homey. There’s a giant stone fireplace in the living room, a beautiful rug between the couches to warm up the room, and pillows and throw blankets pepper the couches. Overall, it’s very inviting. It’s very Brooks. It even smells like his spicy scent in here. The same scent I’ve noticed in his office.

“I’ll show you to your room, but make yourself at home, alright?”