She really didn’t want to go in. Despite her excitement at becoming Gabe’s girlfriend, she’d been dreading this moment since letting the girls talk her into accepting his offer. She knew Gabe’s family was very close and extremely loyal to one another, so she wasn’t expecting a warm welcome.
She’d tried to talk Gabe out of this crazy idea, but he insisted it was too late to back out. He’d already told them she was coming.
Before knocking, Brooke checked her phone, praying for a text from him. She hoped he’d come to his senses and call the whole thing off. Engrossed in staring at the blank screen, she didn’t notice the door open. She glanced up as Chris Fuller stepped over the threshold.
He looked exactly the way she remembered him. The only difference was the smattering of gray mixed in with the dark hair at his temples. Gabe was the spitting image of his father. If he aged half as well, he’d still be a heartthrob at sixty.
He drew up short when he saw her standing on the porch. He’d been in the process of closing the door but then left it open. “Uh, Brooke, right?”
“Yes.” Putting on her best fake smile, she surprised him when she offered her hand. “Mr. Fuller, it’s been a long time.”
“Yes, it has. And please call me Chris.” He shook her hand. “How have you been, Brooke?”
The way he asked that with a touch of concern led her to believe he knew more details about her therapy and other equally private moments of her life than she would have liked. She didn’t doubt that Gabe’s parents had been privy to information about her recovery, things that had been kept hidden from Gabe.
Great.
Their pity would be far worse than their anger.
“I’ve been good. Very busy lately.” Eager to flip the question on him, she asked, “How about yourself?”
“Same. Very busy. More so now that there is a wedding on the way.”
“It’s very exciting,” Brooke said cheerfully.
“It is. Luckily, I get to take a back seat and let my wife do all the work.” Brooke laughed with him about that. “Go on in. They’re expecting you.”
“Great.” She tried, with little success, to pass the word without sarcasm.
Leaving Chris to his smoke, Brooke continued into the house.
Warm color tones created an inviting space at the entrance. To the left of the entrance was a long closet with sliding mirror doors, and to her right was a cushioned bench for guests to sit on while removing their shoes, although no shoes littered the space.
Phone still in hand, she had planned to text Gabe to come get her—no way was she wandering into Amelia’s house alone, but her fingers paused over his contact information. The entrance opened into the living room, where everyone had gathered. They had been in lively conversation, which was cut short by her presence.
The silence was far too telling, so Brooke closed the front door, using it as an opportunity to turn her back on the Fullers.
“Hey, Brooke,” Nick called out, cutting through the quiet.
Forcing herself to turn, she gave him a weak smile and a timid wave. At least there was one friendly face.
Gabe was off the couch and rushing across the room toward her. He took her hands and leaned in to kiss her. Wide-eyed, she turned her head and let his lips fall on her cheek. Her face flushed with heat.
“Hey,” he said in greeting.
“Um…hi.”
“Come on in.”
She moved close to him. “It’s not too late for me to leave.”
“Sure it is.” When he pulled her further into the room, she paused to remove her shoes. “Where should I put these?”
“Anywhere in the entrance is fine.” Amelia strutted forward to greet her houseguest.
Brooke tucked her sandals into the corner, out of the way. As she had with Chris, Brooke stuck out her hand, hoping to start fresh with each family member. Hesitant at first, Amelia accepted, but the frown on her face never wavered.
“Hi, Brooke, it’s been a long time,” Amelia said, immediately pulling the past into the forefront of everyone’s minds. Brooke wondered if it had been deliberate or not.
A few years younger, Amelia had been a couple of grades below her in school. Amelia and her friends hadn’t deliberately bullied Brooke during high school, but anytime she passed them in the hallways, they’d chuckled and talked about her in hushed tones.
Nick came over and hugged his fiancée from behind. He brushed a kiss against her cheek. “Why don’t you show Brooke the house?”
Amelia’s eyes narrowed. Likely, she didn’t want Brooke here any more than Brooke wanted to be there. Nick whispered something in her ear.
“Yeah, but…” Her argument was cut short when Nick kissed her.
Gabe grabbed Brooke’s wrist and pulled her away. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
Brooke assumed he wasn’t keen on watching his best friend kissing his younger sister. As he tugged her toward the sitting area, she urgently murmured, “See? I’m causing issues. Just let me leave.”
“That?” Gabe waved it away. “They’re always arguing over something. More than likely, Nick picked a fight just so he could kiss her.”
Brooke gave up and, with her feet dragging on the floor, followed Gabe. He re-introduced her to his mother, Sally Fuller, then proceeded to introduce her to the other couples in the room. The party was rather small for a Fuller event, considering they hosted the biggest Christmas party in town each year.
Tonight, those gathered to celebrate were mostly family. Gabe’s grandparents, George and Tammy Evans, had traveled down from their northern getaway to attend. Amelia’s best friend, Amy, and her fiancé, Brent, were the only others present. As Brooke greeted each one, Gabe told her that the wedding party was going to be quite small; he was to be the only groomsman, and Amy would be the single bridesmaid.
“Come on, Brooke, I’ll show you the house,” Amelia said when she and Nick joined them.
“I’d love to see how you decorated.” And she really did. “I was impressed with the work you did at Gabe’s office.”
That seemed to draw Amelia up short. She wasn’t sure whether it was the compliment or knowing Brooke had been to her brother’s office—either way, Amelia paused for a beat before starting the tour.
Brooke followed Amelia up the stairs. At the top, she was shown a bathroom, which had been made to appear larger than it was through the use of mirrors. In chic black and white, the room had an enclosed glass shower and marble countertop with a deep-set sink.
“This is the bathroom.” Brooke barely had a chance to pop her head in before Amelia moved down the hall.
Brooke was disappointed to discover Gabe hadn’t followed, and neither had Nick. She didn’t want to be alone with Amelia in case she found herself being tossed out a second-story window.
Amelia quickly showed her the two spare rooms, each decorated with warm colors. There were fresh-cut flowers in one, a four-poster bed with multiple throw pillows, and a matching mattress runner in the other.
She was impressed when Amelia showed her the master bedroom. It had a lovely bay window that overlooked the ravine their house backed onto. There was a sitting area with two armchairs, similar in style to the ones in Gabe’s office, although these were chocolate brown rather than black and white. Between the chairs was a round table with an ice bucket and wine glasses. The bed was massive. Brooke assumed it must be at least a king. An armoire sat against one wall, and the whole room was topped off with a room divider painted with a tree in bloom.
“Wow,” Brooke gasped, “this is incredible.”
Amelia brushed past the compliment with a hasty thank you before gesturing to the walk-in closet and the ensuite.
The ensuite was equally impressive, with a Jacuzzi tub and a double sink. The bathroom corresponded with the bedroom, utilizing the same earth tones and nature atmosphere.
When Brooke walked back through the bedroom, she saw Amelia had closed the door and barred the exit with her body.
Not good.
“What are you doing with my brother?”
“Nothing.”
“He brought you here, so it has to be something. He only brings girls around once it’s gotten serious.”
Brooke almost snorted. What a load of horse shit Gabe had been feeding his family.
“Trust me, he had to drag me here.”
Amelia lost some of her gusto. “What do you mean?”
“Everyone here hates me. Hell, until just recently, he hated me.”
The frown on Amelia’s face disappeared, but only for a brief second. “So why go out with him?”
“I’m not still hung up on him if that’s what you think.” It wasn’t a total lie. It wasn’t like she was going to take to stalking him again. Brooke decided to go with a little honesty and hope that Amelia would respond to the sincerity. “He offered me a distraction when I really needed one.”
“Distraction from what?” Amelia eyed her warily.
“My mom’s dying. I’m only back in town for a little while. It’s nice that Gabe is willing to take me out a bit. Get my mind off it.”
“Oh.” Amelia softened by degrees. She seemed uncertain of what to say next.
“I know you have no reason to trust me, but I promise you, this time is different. Very different. There will be no repeat of what happened.” As an afterthought, she added, “Ironically, this time, he’s had to chase me.”
Amelia looked her over before letting out a long breath. “Okay. But fair warning, I’ve got my eye on you.”
“Duly noted.”
“He’s my brother.”
Brooke didn’t have siblings to feel protective of, but she wondered if it felt similar to the way she felt for her mother. When they’d heard the diagnosis, Brooke had wanted to find some way to battle the cancer herself.
She didn’t know how to put Amelia at ease. “I understand.”
Amelia nodded and stepped away from the door but stumbled when it suddenly swung inward.
Nick strode in, Gabe hot on his heels. When Gabe spotted her, Brooke felt as though her feet had frozen to the floor. Every time he’d looked at her since she arrived, she felt like he wanted to get her alone and do the naughty. Either he wanted her bad, or he was good at playing boyfriend.
Nick’s gaze shifted between the two women. “Whatcha doing up here?” He settled his blue-eyed stare on Amelia and said pointedly, “You know the party’s downstairs?”
Amelia motioned. “I’m showing her the house like you suggested.”
Nick looked Brooke over as though he was checking for injuries. “Uh-huh.”
“We were just about to go downstairs and see the kitchen,” Brooke supplied, hoping to help Amelia, but Nick looked between them skeptically. “This bedroom is insane.”
Nick’s face eased into a grin. “Yeah, it is.” He glanced at his fiancée, and she blushed.
Gabe, whom Brooke had been thoroughly ignoring, pushed further into the room, approaching her. Bug-eyed, she nearly jumped out of her skin when he wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Let’s go see the kitchen then,” she suggested.
Nick and Amelia watched them carefully, so Brooke tried to relax her body, but feeling on display made it difficult. When their path remained blocked, Gabe waved his free hand at the door. “Well…”
“Right,” Amelia said as though coming out of a trance. She turned and walked out. Nick followed her, whispering in her ear as they all headed down the hall. Brooke couldn’t hear what they were saying, but when Amelia laughed, she started to feel more at ease.
She attempted to free herself from Gabe’s embrace. Harshly, she whispered, “What the hell?”
“What?” The hand on her hip tightened.
“Why did you leave me alone with her? You know she hates me.”
“She’s my sister. What did you think she was going to do? Drown you in the bathtub?”
“Maybe,” she muttered. “I shouldn’t have come. You should have picked Taylor.”
The tip of his fingers slipped beneath the hem of her blouse to brush against her skin. “I don’t want Taylor. I asked you because I want you.”
“No, you got bullied into picking me, and it was a big mistake. We’re too old for peer pressure.”
Nick and Amelia were already halfway down the stairs. Gabe stopped and blocked Brooke’s progress. Standing two stairs down from her put them nearly at the same height. He leaned toward her, his gaze intent. “No one made me do anything. I picked you because I wanted you with me. Okay?”
“Sure, whatever.” She motioned down the stairs. “Let’s go.”
“Not until you understand I want you here.”
She tried and failed to get around him. Nick called back up the staircase when Gabe and Brooke didn’t emerge.
The glare she’d aimed at Gabe softened when he made it clear he wasn’t moving without her agreement. Defeated, she felt her shoulders sag as she huffed out a breath. “Okay. I believe you.”
“Thank you.” Gabe’s mouth tipped up in a rare smile, which prompted a smile in return.
She felt like she ought to be thanking him. Even though she knew she didn’t belong, the fact that he really wanted her here made all the difference.
Gabe leaned forward and kissed her mouth. It shocked her. Not the kiss itself, but the timing surprised her. Amelia and Nick had left the vicinity, so he wasn’t defending their relationship status. This kiss was for no one’s benefit but their own.
Returning to the base of the stairs, Nick called up to them again. With his back turned, Gabe couldn’t see the look of surprise on his friend’s face, but Brooke did.
Disbelief etched Nick’s features, making her wonder if Nick knew the truth about Gabe’s relationships. They were close, but were they close enough that Nick knew all of Gabe’s relationships had been complete lies?
Breaking the kiss, Brooke raised her eyebrow and said saucily to Gabe, “You’re blocking the stairs.”
Nick’s grin crept back into place. “Somehow, Brooke, I really don’t think you mind.” He turned and strode away. This time, they followed.
The rest of the house was every bit as charming and enchanting as the upper floor. Perfectly painted, well decorated, and clean, each room had an inviting warmth.
“I’m not surprised at how beautiful the house looks, but how do you keep it so clean?”
“Nick’s a neat freak. Right?” Amelia leaned her hip against the counter. They could hear low laughter coming from the living room.
“Whatever you say.” Nick reached up to grab a few more wine glasses.
Brooke understood Nick’s need for cleanliness. He had grown up on the wrong side of the poverty line, just like her. Brooke’s mother had often taken second jobs to get them through, particularly when Dan got laid off. There were times they had struggled, but it was nothing compared to the filth Nick had grown up in. The dump Nick had called home was so poorly maintained people crossed the street to avoid it. Often, Brooke wondered how Nick had managed to become such a great man when his upbringing had been so hard.
Gabe took an empty glass from Nick and filled it with white wine before passing it to her. Surprised he remembered her preference, she happily accepted the offering.
Brooke drifted over to the one room she hadn’t been shown yet. She wrapped her free hand around the knob on the door, just to the left of the kitchen. “What’s in here?”
She knew it couldn’t be the pantry. She’d already been shown that on the opposite side of the room.
“Nothing, really.” Nick shrugged.
“Well, it’s got to be the basement.” Impressed by the size of the house, she asked, “How big is it?”
She twisted the knob but found it locked.
Nick sent her a pointed look, and much like she had that night at the bar, she suddenly felt like stepping back from him. “It’s just a regular old basement. It’s not finished yet.”
“Basically, it’s a big laundry room,” Amelia said as she inched closer to Brooke.
“Got a lot of dirty laundry?”
Nick took a swallow of wine, his gaze direct when he told her, “No more than others.”
Just what did he know about her dirty laundry? Or was he alluding to Gabe’s?
Brooke moved away from the door. Whatever secrets Nick and Amelia had, they could keep.
She was about to suggest they rejoin those in the living room, but before she could, Tammy called, “Amelia! Nicholas! Get back in here. This party’s about you two. I’ve been waiting too many years for this day. Let’s celebrate while I’m still young!”
“I want to try out this game.” Sally’s shout followed.
The foursome made their way out of the kitchen. Gabe led Brooke to the loveseat, where they settled. Amelia reclined on the armchair with Nick perched along the back. Sally and Chris had pulled in folding chairs while Amy and Brent occupied the couch with Tammy and George.
Amy, who’d suggested the couples’ game, explained the rules and the point system. The first round would be for the women. They would be asked a question and required to record their response. Meanwhile, the men would write down what they thought their spouse or partner would answer. If a pair’s answers matched up, they won a point. It was a how well do you know each other game, which made Brooke nervous.
While Amy handed each person miniature whiteboards and dry-erase markers, Brooke leaned into Gabe and whispered, “We can’t do this.”
“What do you mean?” The smile he’d pasted on his face was clearly fake. Did he really think that would fool his family?
“We can’t play this game. We’ll look like idiots.”
“We can’t skip it,” he argued in a hushed tone.
“Sure, we can.” She knew Gabe would try to stop her, but it was too late. “As much fun as this game sounds, it’s probably best if Gabe and I just watch. Maybe we could keep score?”
Sally looked a little confused. “Are you sure? You’re welcome to play.”
“Thank you, but I think it’s much better this way.” She hated that everyone was now looking at her. “I mean, sure, we’ve known each other for years, but we don’t really know each other.” She glanced at Gabe. “And we only just started dating.”
“It’ll be fine,” Gabe assured her and reached for a whiteboard.
“Yeah, if we want to have our asses handed to us.” Brooke hadn’t meant that to come out so loudly, but when George, Gabe’s grandfather, laughed, Brooke found herself blushing. Already, they were making a spectacle of themselves.
“Come on. It’ll be fun.” As Gabe’s tone grew short, Brooke had an epiphany. If all his relationships had been fake, he didn’t know how to be in a real one. Everything he did was for show. Maybe it was time for some method acting, time to teach Gabe what it was like to be part of a real relationship, what it was like to compromise.
Lightly, she touched his knee and looked up at him through her lashes. “Please?”
At first, his brow creased. He was still angry, but by degrees, he softened. Taking her hand, he interlaced their fingers. “Okay,” he said before turning to his family. “We’ll keep score.”
It was decided they would also read out the questions. The first question: where was your first kiss? earned each couple a point. It also created a bit of laughter, considering Amelia and Nick’s first kiss had been in her bedroom, a spot which was, at the time, off-limits to Nick.
Cheekily, Gabe told her, “See, we would have gotten that one. We might not have been as bad at this as you thought.”
As the questions continued, it became clear that not only would Brooke and Gabe have lost, but their bogus relationship might have been uncovered. An intermission was called. Most people refilled their drinks while Sally and Amy set out a few more trays of finger food. Gabe went to fetch them both a refill.
With so many people milling about, Brooke thought it might be a good time to pump Nick for some information. He glanced over when she called out his name. “Have you seen much of Kevin lately?”
As though he’d sensed the topic, Gabe suddenly appeared at the entrance to the living room. He looked pissed that she’d dared ask about her ex.
“I have.” Nick played with a strand of Amelia’s hair. “He comes by the gym at least five times a week now. He’s sticking with the program I put him on.”
“What do you mean?”
Nick peeked at Gabe as though deciding how much to tell. “He’s making some lifestyle changes. Wants to lose some weight. He quit smoking.”
Brooke sat straighter. “He quit smoking?”
Long, impatient strides brought Gabe across the room. He thrust her drink into her hand and plopped down next to her. Near her ear, he said, “Why are you asking about Kevin?”
She didn’t bother to acknowledge his question.
“He didn’t tell you?” Nick wondered.
“We’re not really on speaking terms right now. He wanted a little bit of a break. And this one,” she pointed at Gabe, “refuses to tell me how he’s doing.”
Now Amelia looked as upset as Gabe. “Why does it matter what your ex is doing? You’re with Gabe now, right?”
Brooke glanced at the three faces around her. “Right, but Kevin and I are still friends. I was just curious, that’s all.”
She could tell Nick was trying to play peacekeeper. He gave her enough information while still trying to appease the siblings and end the conversation. It didn’t go as planned. “He’s doing well. Working out regularly, getting healthier. Although he hit a bit of a rough patch when he quit his job.”
“What?” Brooke nearly dumped her drink. “He quit his job?”
Amelia crossed her arms in obvious frustration and leaned away from her fiancé. Tammy, who was still sitting on the sofa with her husband, pretended Sally had called them. Together, they left the living room for the kitchen, although Brooke noticed that George settled in the doorway. His back was to them, but Brooke thought he could probably still hear them.
She lowered her voice and hissed at Gabe. “You should have told me that. He’s not only my friend but your friend, too!”
“He’s not even talking to you right now, so what does it matter? He doesn’t want anything to do with you. Why do you care?”
Brooke’s chest heaved. It felt like a giant fist had grabbed hold of her heart and started squeezing. They’re not your friends. They don’t care about you, not even Kevin. She fought back the tears. She needed to get ahold of herself.
Depression was a bitch, and she couldn’t let that thought take root.
“You’re right.” She sucked in a wobbly breath. “I think I need some air.”
Leaving her glass on the table, Brooke skirted around Gabe when he tried to grab her hand and all but ran out the front door. She didn’t even bother with her sandals.
Standing outside on Nick’s front porch in her bare feet, Brooke sucked fresh air into her lungs.
She was taking on too much. Moving back home, dealing with her mother’s illness, and now pretending to be Gabe’s girlfriend.
When she got home, she’d pull out her coloring book and maybe consider stopping in at the local animal shelter. She could use a dose of kitten-inspired happiness right about now.
She wiped at her cheeks. Once she got herself settled, she’d go back inside and pretend everything was fine, just like she’d done for the majority of her life.
Moving to the railing, she gazed out over the front yard. It was a quiet little neighborhood that Nick and Amelia had built their home in. Across the street, two doors down, a woman was pulling weeds in her garden. A group of children rode by on bicycles.
The front door of the house opened and closed. She expected to hear Gabe’s deep voice, or maybe it was Nick coming to smooth things over. Or maybe Chris was out for another smoke. She certainly wasn’t expecting George.
Gabe’s grandfather strolled toward the railing that Brooke was leaning on. After sipping his longneck beer, he mimicked Brooke’s stance, leaning his forearms on the railing, his drink dangling from his hands.
A long moment of silence passed before George said, “He’s always been a bit of a hot head. Damned determined to have his way, that one.”
Brooke snorted. “We’re made from the same mold. Too similar.” She sighed and, for the umpteenth time, uttered, “I shouldn’t have come here.”
Watching her, George enquired, “So why did you?”
She thought about how to answer without giving too much away. “I guess he was desperate for company. I guess I was, too.”
“You’re very different than the girls Gabe’s brought around before.”
Brooke snorted again. That was an understatement.
“Don’t go taking it the wrong way. Those other girls were meek—nice but quiet, mousy.”
Obviously, they showed a different side of themselves in public because they were anything but shy and quiet at the motel.
“But you…you speak your mind and don’t let anything stand in your way. You put that boy in his place.”
“Sorry,” Brooke mumbled.
George chuckled. “I like it. You remind me of my wife. You’re just what Gabe needs.”
Brooke grunted. “We’re like oil and water. We don’t mix.”
He took another drink. “Have you heard the story about the Spring Fling?”
“Spring Fling?”
“I didn’t think so. It’s this story Tammy likes to tell. It goes like this: she wanted to go to the Spring Fling with me back when we were in school. She kept leaving these not-so-subtle hints, bugged the hell out of me. So when I didn’t ask her, she went ahead and asked me. That wasn’t done back then, you see.”
That sounded like the woman who sat inside, but Brooke didn’t know what point he was trying to make. To placate him, she said, “That’s a cute story.”
“I said no.”
Brooke pushed away from the rail to look at the older man. “Really?”
George gave her a stern look. “Now, this is just between you and me. The way Tammy tells it, I said yes, and the rest is history. But that isn’t what happened.”
Intrigued, Brooke leaned forward. “So what happened?”
“I was sweet on one of her friends and took Susie to the dance instead. Ooh, was Tammy ever livid. She didn’t give up, though, chased me around all senior year.”
Now, that sounded familiar. “You changed your mind?”
“Not at first. I didn’t wise up until after we’d graduated. Tammy moved away and got a job working as a secretary to some rich SOB. I realized that I missed her chasing after me.” So softly, where Brooke almost didn’t hear, he confessed, “I missed her.”
The wind rustled through the bushes. Brooke watched as a bee tried to land on a bright pink flower. “You went after her?”
“Sure did. But by then, the damage was done. I had to start over, wooing her right proper. She wouldn’t expect anything less.”
“I can imagine.”
George was silent for a long time. A blue convertible drove by on the street, blaring rock music from its speakers. Finally, George smiled at her. “Sometimes what we think is oil and water is kerosene and flame. And when they catch…boy, you’d better look out.”
“And you think Gabe and I are kerosene and flame?”
“Honey, I can already feel the heat.” George patted her hand before he ambled back into the house.