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“Trust me, I’d make it fit if I had to.”
“I bet you would.”
“You know what else I could make fit in—”
“Oh dear Christ, you’re a pervert! Stop it!”
“Hey, you brought up asses.”
“Not assholes,” she quips back at me with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.
“In for a penny…” I chuckle, resting my free hand beside hers. My fingertips graze hers as we finish our breakfast with small talk.
My chest feels so full of everything that I’m not sure how it doesn’t burst. I’ve never felt this much excitement and contentment outside the track or off a podium. Until now, I didn’t know it was possible to feel so much over something so small. Maybe even trivial compared to other big life events. The feeling is cathartic and freeing. To be this happy without having to work tooth and nail for it is a whole new joy of its own. One I never want to be without again.
Chapter Fifteen
There’s something about a summer barbeque that lifts everyone’s moods. Whether it’s the good weather, the food or the company…I don’t know. For me I think it’s partly that it reminds me of when I was growing up. We always had a full yard and a full belly. One of the perks of growing up in a small town, I guess. Sometimes the gossip and everyone knowing everyone’s business makes me want to leave. I’ve always thought of traveling. But I don’t know if I could ever leave this small town for good, I love that we’re such a close-knit community.
Looking to my left, I smile as Brody is engrossed in a conversation with my mom. He fits right in, which surprises me. I thought a jet-setting hotshot like him would hate everything about small-town life. But boy, did he surprise me. He seems to have a habit of doing that.
Brody gets up to refill our drinks, giving me a swift kiss on the cheek and a charming smile before heading to the makeshift bar.
“You guys need to cut it out. You’re so sweet you’re gonna give me cavities,” Summer jokes, ruffling Easton’s hair before he runs off to join Maggie’s crazy brood.
“Stop.” My tone is light and my laugh genuine. There is no place on earth I’d rather be than here with my family and friends. And Brody.
“She’s right, you know. It’s so nice seeing you happy again, sweetie,” my mom says, squeezing my hand and beaming at me. Both her and my dad are always worrying over me, convinced I’m missing out on my life. And maybe I have been playing it too safe. But after Tyler, I didn’t think anything was worth the risk. He didn’t just break my heart, he decimated it. I trusted him and he broke my trust, shattered my heart and left me reeling. Who could blame me for being overly cautious and remaining closed off?
“She’s not the only one,” Maggie says as she slips into the chair Brody vacated beside me. With her brunette waves pinned up in a messy bun, and her usual baking apron missing, she looks more relaxed than I’ve seen her in a while. She meets my curious gaze and admits, “I’ve never seen my brother this alive off the track. In fact, I can’t remember the last time he had this much of a normal life. He went from looking after Holly and I, to driving fast cars and…” Maggie trails off with a deep breath before she finally adds, “It’s good to have him here away from the hustle.”
But for how long? He leaves soon.
Quietening my thoughts, my eyes wander to where Brody is. He’s trying to settle an argument between Blakely and Blaire. My lips twitch to how he lowers to his knees to try to reason with the two almost tweenagers. They’re both pouting but Brody works his usual charm, and has the girls giggling and nodding before long.
The food doesn’t take long, and it takes even less time for us all to polish it off. Mom is quick to clear the plates and make a start on cleaning up in the kitchen, and as always, she won’t even think of any of her guests helping. Brody links his fingers with mine as he talks animatedly with Parker about Australia. Brody raced there a few weeks back and apparently Parker is interested in expanding his hotel empire over there. The Hawthorne Hotels are highly sought after at the moment, so he’s keen to expand while the market is there.
I tune out the noise around me. The conversations between friends, the laughing kids, the crackle of the fire. I just focus on the moment. How I’m feeling. And I feel completely at ease. In this moment, surrounded by all those important to me, in my parents’ yard, I feel like I’m where I was meant to be. Like maybe the past happened for a reason, and it was leading me here to cross paths with Brody.
“I better get them home before chaos ensues,” Maggie sighs, when Brooks starts wailing at one of his sisters.
“We won’t be far behind you” Summer sympathizes, looking over at where Easton has passed out on a chair.
“Let me help rally the troops,” Brody offers, releasing my hand, before stroking my head and letting me know he won’t be long.
As he lifts up Brooks and gets him giggling in no time, I smile—he’s a natural.
“You’re falling for him, aren’t you?” Summer asks, watching me observe the scene in front of us.
I brush off her comment and change the subject, but my mind doesn’t let go. Just watching Brody interact with my family like he belongs, not to mention the way he is with Maggie’s kids. He’s everything I imagined I wanted, but after Tyler, never thought I could have. I don’t know where we’re heading, but right now, I’m content to go along for the ride.
As the evening progresses, there are only a handful of us left. The jet lag and pregnancy were taking their toll on Summer, so she and Parker headed out not too long after Maggie.
The crackle of the fire is soothing and I lean my head on Brody’s shoulder, enjoying this peaceful moment without any hope or expectation for the future.
“So, I hear you’re out of here in a couple of days, Brody. Back to the jet-setting lifestyle of the rich and famous,” Rowan says, taking a mouthful of his beer while eying Brody and I like we’re a couple of silly teenagers.
“The summer break is almost over, yeah. But you haven’t seen the last of me here,” he jokes, making me smile. He puts a reassuring hand on my thigh and I inwardly thank him for not taking the bait and knocking my meddling brother out.
