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“Ah,” I buzz with a shake of my head. “Just…not yet. Let me finish.”
He nods. His smile is still present against my hand.
“The second and most important thing I wanted to tell you…the reason I brought you over here…basically my reason for everything at this point…”
He raises his eyebrows.
“I know. I’m rambling. But the reason I’m rambling is because I want to tell you that I love you.”
His eyes widen—just slightly—and my heart and blood pressure take a dive that even the dutiful Benji at the couch behind me isn’t prepared for.
Chase catches me just as I’m falling, and then he lifts me into his body and squeezes so tightly I can hardly breathe.
It’s enough to keep me just on this side of consciousness, though, and Chase makes sure to use the time efficiently.
“Brooke, I need you to look at me right now, and I need you to listen. Do not pass out, do you hear me?”
I try to nod, but God, the pull is strong.
“Do not pass out before I can tell you I love you too.”
Everything freezes, and a jolt of electricity rights the rhythm of my heart. I am suddenly, wholly, impossibly aware.
“You…you love me too?”
“More than I’m comfortable admitting.”
“Chase…”
“Brooke, when it comes to me and what I’m looking for in this life? You’re it.”
“Chase,” I whisper his name again, nearly undone.
“You’re. It.” He brushes his lips softly against mine, and even though I’m definitely conscious and I’ll remember those words for as long as I live, I might as well be a puddle of love-struck, moony-eyed goo on the floor.
He loves me.
Holy hell. Somehow, someway, I turned my life into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
And bagged the absolute finest man on the planet.
Tonight, my life is an actual dream.
There’s only one little problem.
At what anniversary is it safe to tell your husband that the book you published together was actually about him? Fiftieth?
Asking for a friend.
Monday, June 5th
Chase
Freshly showered after our third round of lovemaking inside our hotel room at the Graduate Hotel in Nashville, I wrap my towel tighter around my waist and wink at Brooke through the glass wall of the shower.
She’s a fucking little goddess in there, her naked body on full display and my eyes refusing to miss a second of it. I’ve been inside her for what feels like hours tonight, but when it comes to Brooke, I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied.
I don’t think I’ll ever have enough of her.
“I’m not one to rush people, but I’m telling you, if you take too long in there, I’ll just end up joining you instead.”
“We need to eat!” she exclaims on a laugh.
“Then I guess you need to find your way to some clothes.”
“You’re incorrigible.” She splashes water at me over the top, and I laugh as I dart out of the way to avoid her fire. But I don’t leave the bathroom just yet.
“And you’re beautiful.”
“Chase Dawson.” She points one defiant index finger in my direction. “I swear, if you keep smooth-talking me like that, I’m going to end up inviting you back in here. And then Benji is going to have to be on guard for both of us.”
“Fine.” I hold up two hands in the air on a smile. “I’m going.”
“Aw, man,” she whines, her lips turning down at the corners into the most adorable little pout, and I can’t not smile.
“Woman, you drive me wild.” I take in her gorgeous body and her pretty eyes one last time. “But I’m really going.”
She giggles and draws a heart in the steam on the glass, and I step out of the bathroom and into the bedroom to get dressed with a permanent smile on my lips.
We’ve already planned to find sustenance after we’re both done getting ready, but my stomach growls as though I’m starving, thanks to the whirlwind of the last, I don’t know, hundred hours or so.
Brooke told me she loved me last night, and I can still hardly believe it—can still hardly believe how lucky I am.
Now, I know that sounds sappy, but after the absolute shitshow of my relationship with Caroline, I didn’t know that I’d ever find someone I wanted to try with again.
I didn’t know that the reward could ever be worth the risk.
But all this time spent with Brooke has flipped everything I’ve ever known on its head. It’s taken my preconceived notions about hard rules of professionalism and keeping your personal life separate to a different stratosphere—to a planet where that’s not only impractical, it’s impossible.
Because sometimes life brings people together for a reason. Sometimes life knows better than you and teaches you to throw caution to the wind. Sometimes life reminds you that there’s more to it than a job.
This was a major issue for Clive and River in Brooke’s manuscript, but the more I’ve lived it myself, the more I’ve come to realize that all that bullshit is just that—bullshit. If it’s in the way of happiness, get rid of it. If it’s worth it, it’ll find a way to work.
