AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Or one answer, at least.
Come on, Brooke, you can do this. “You must think I’m crazy, beating around the bush like this.”
He shrugged. “I wasn’t really thinking about that at all.”
“The thing is,” she said, taking another deep breath. “I wanted to tell you about Nick’s father.” She blurted it out, and it felt as though the words were hanging in front of her in a huge black arrow, pointing to the biggest loser in town.
“You did?” Aiden frowned. She couldn’t blame him for being confused. “What about him?”
“I’m so sorry, it was such a big mistake. Not that Nick is a mistake. I’m really glad I have him, but it was never supposed to happen like this.”
Was it her imagination, or did he lean back from her?
“It’s none of my business,” Aiden said. “What you do with your life is up to you.”
“But it is your business, don’t you see?” She leaned closer. Somehow she needed to make him understand. “You have every right to know the truth. And I should have told your mom years ago. I hate that she’ll never know him. It’s all my fault.”
“Brooke, you’re babbling. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He lifted his hand, rubbing the back of his neck as though the skin there was on fire. “What the hell has Nick got to do with my mom? Or with me, for that matter? I’ve done the math…”
From the way her heart was banging against her ribcage, Brooke wondered if it was going to escape. She opened her mouth, desperately trying to find the words to make this okay, but they didn’t exist.
None of them did, because it wasn’t okay.
She blew out a mouthful of air, but still the ache in her body remained. “It has everything to do with your mom, and everything to do with you. Nick was her grandson, and he’s your nephew.” She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see his response. “Nick is Jamie’s son.”
7
Aiden stared at her for a moment, as if he was trying to let the words sink in. His brow dipped, three deep lines forming as he stared at her with those dark blues. Her breath raggedly escaped her lips as she waited for his response. He must hate her right now. God knew she hated herself.
“You slept with my brother?”
Her throat tightened. She nodded but no words were forthcoming. Shame wrapped itself around her like a blanket.
“You can’t be serious.” His voice was ominously calm. It reminded her of the silence before rain began to lash down. So rare here in Southern California, and yet she could picture it in her mind’s eye. She could smell the dampness in the air before the storm unleashed.
Anger formed on his face, and his head jerked back as he kept his gaze trained on her, as though he was looking for something – anything – to refute the words he was hearing. She felt herself paling beneath his scrutiny. She reached at the collar of her scrubs to pull them away. They felt like they were choking her even though the fabric was loose against her skin.
“I don’t fucking believe this.”
“I’m so sorry.” She reached for him, but he shrugged her off, leaning back, as if he couldn’t bare the thought of her touching him. He pushed himself to standing, walking over to the other side of the room. As if there couldn’t be enough space between them.
Brooke followed him. Everything inside her wanted to take those words back. They might have been true, but she wished they weren’t. So damn much.
“Please let me explain,” she said, scrambling on her feet. She reached out for him and he shrank away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Aiden, It isn’t what you think. We—”
He put his hand in front of him, palm out, fingers splayed. “Stop,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Don’t say it. I don’t want to know.” He stopped short, blinking wildly. “Are you sure he’s Jamie’s son?”
She nodded silently.
“Well at least you kept it in the family.” He laughed, but it sounded more like a growl.
The sound shot through her. Brooke could feel her body begin to shake. Dizziness took over her.
“Do your parents know?”
