Chapter 22

Brooke

 

A knock was my alarm clock. Or, rather, a series of them. Knock-knock-knock. Knock-knock-knock.

My first instinct was just to roll over and go back to sleep, but something told me to get up. Stretching, I padded over to the front door. I peeked in the little eye-hole, then inwardly cursed. It was Jake.

“Hey,” he said, as I opened the door.

“Hey,” I said.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to get my brain into functioning mode. Right now, I was just awake enough to realize that Jake being here while Mark was sleeping on the couch was bad.

“I brought coffee and a donut for you,” he was saying, lifting a paper bag he had in his hands.

“Okay,” I said stupidly.

The best thing to do would be to think of some excuse—but I was coming up with nothing.

“Thanks, do you want to take it out somewhere?” I asked, cheerfully, “If you’d just wait outside, I could go get dressed and—”

“Yoooooo.”

Hearing Mark’s sleepy voice behind me, my shoulders sagged. So much for getting out of here.

Now Jake’s eyes narrowed with distrust.

“I thought you said—”

“And I meant it, nothing happened,” I said, quickly, “Mark showed up here at one o’clock in the morning drunk. He slept on the couch.”

Blearily, Mark stumbled to the door. He wore his boxers and a half-asleep expression.

“Brooke speaks the truth,” he said, “No intercourse of any kind occurred—except for the hugging kind.”

Jake’s suspicious gaze flicked to me and I sighed.

“What he means is, all we did is hug. I meant what I said to both of you. Since I like you both equally, it’s not fair for me to just be with one—and that includes hooking up.”

Jake’s expression softened.

“Okay.”

“So, what exactly are you doing here?” Mark asked, scratching his hand through his sandy hair.

“I thought I’d surprise Brooke with breakfast,” Jake said, coolly.

The two men stared each other down. For a second, I was afraid one of them was going to snap at the other, or worse—actually resort to physical violence again. But then, Mark cracked a dopey grin, and patted Jake on the back.

“Guess great minds think alike.”

Jake gave him a sheepish smile.

“I guess there are enough donuts to share.”

Mark pounded him on the back again, then ambled over to the table.

“Knew there was a reason I was your friend.”

“Yes,” Jake said smoothly, sitting down beside him, “My superior surgeon skills.”

Mark snorted.

“Oh please, just because you help every other kid that gets a busted-up face does not mean you have more skills.”

Jake broke a chocolate dip donut in half, handing the smaller one to Mark.

“Maybe we should ask Brooke,” he suggested, glancing at me.

I threw up my hands and joined them at the table.

“No way,” I said, “You’re not baiting me into a conversation about your skills. We’ve seen how well that sort of thing has gone for us.”

Silence. I inwardly groaned. Just when things were starting to get normal again, with the two men joking, had I actually gone and ruined it?

“Should we talk about it now?” Mark asked, eating the donut in one mighty bite.

Jake checked his Rolls Royce watch, then shook his head with a frown.

“Not unless we want to be late to work. We have half an hour to get there as it is.”

Mark emptied the bag of donuts on the table.

“I’d better help you guys finish this then.”

Jake elbowed him.

“Knew it was a mistake giving you the first one.”

Mark took a big bite of a donut, making a face.

“Is that any way to talk to your potentially reinstated best friend?”

A wry smile came over Jake’s face.

“No, I guess not.”

He glanced at me.

“So, we could talk about it tonight?”

I nodded, smiling. My heart buzzed with excitement.

“That works for me if it works for you guys.”

Polishing off the rest of the donut, Mark grimaced.

“Eh, not sure that’ll work for me, actually.”

“What, why not?” Jake said, “You’re busy?”

“Actually yes,” Mark said, haughtily, “I have a drinking date with my new best friend.”

“Oh really?” I asked, smirking at him.

“Yes, him and my new girlfriend. So, it’s me, Dake, and Drooke.”

Jake and I cracked up at that, while Mark maintained “No, seriously guys, we’ve become really close. We’ve bonded over our love of Instagram and little poofy puppies.”

My phone rang.

“Hey Karly,” I said, “Now’s not a really good time.”

“They’re totally there, aren’t they?” her knowing voice replied.

“Yes, but—”

“Are you talking about us?” Mark asked, shooting me a scolding look.

“No,” I said, fighting to keep the smile off my face.

“LIAR!” he and Karly yelled at once.

“Put them on the line!” Karly cried.

“No way,” I said, “I’m hanging up now.”

“What is she saying?” Jake asked.

“Nothing, I—”

“Oh come on, Brooke, don’t you want your best friend’s approval on your boyfriends?”

“They are not my boyfriends, and—”

“Okay, now you’re definitely letting me on the line,” Mark said, grabbing the phone out of my hand.

“Mark!” I cried, but it was too late.

“Yes, this is Mark,” he was saying.

He laughed.

“I think we both know I only have the most honorable of intentions for Brooke. So far, we’ve progressed to her showing me her ankles, and it’s been, well, thrilling.”

He laughed.

“What am I willing to do to get Brooke’s best friend’s approval? Hm,” he rubbed his temple with his forefingers, then his eyes lit up. “How about set you up with my best friend?”

He winked on Jake, who glowered back at him.

“Yeah, yeah, I was just kidding, too. Though seriously, I’ll buy you a cake or something. I need all the best friend approval I can get.”

More laughter, then, “Yeah, yeah, I’ll put him on.”

He shoved my phone out to Jake, who accepted it gingerly.

“Yes, this is Jake,” he said, his voice uncertain.

He laughed.

“Yeah, I guess you could say I’m the nicer one.”

Jake smirked at Mark, who gave him the finger.

“Oh, he did, did he?” he said, casting a dubious look at Mark.

“And that means I have to get two?”

Jake let out a low exhale.

“Huh, we’ll have to see about that.”

Silence, then “Okay, yeah, I’ll put her on the line.”

As soon as I said, “Karly,” her cocky voice said, “You so owe me.”

I sighed, although I was smiling.

“Are you actually going to make them buy you cakes to earn your approval?”

“Hell yeah, I am,” Karly said with a giggle, “You can tell them I’m dead serious. If these guys are really into you and are as rich as you say they are, then a cake or two should be no problem. Actually, switch it around—have Mark buy the two cakes. Since Jake did take you out on that nice date.”

“Isn’t it a bit pointless, though?” I asked.

She let out a peal of delighted laughter, as if pleased I had caught on so readily.

“Brooke. Come on. The hot docs are crazy about you—why not have a bit of fun with it? Anyway, when did a little cake hurt anyone?”

“You’re crazy,” I told her, giggling myself.

“You love it,” she said.

Jake was mouthing at me “We have to go,” so I told Karly, “We gotta hit the road— you and your cake obsession are going to make me late for work.”

“Tell them I’m 100% serious!” Karly was saying as I hung up.

Once I did, both Jake and Mark were looking at me expectantly.

“So,” Jake said.

“Was she actually serious?” Mark said.

“Yes,” I said, “Well no. I mean, she was serious, but you guys don’t have to do that. I mean, buying cakes for my best friend—it’s stupid. She’ll approve of you either way.”

Silence. I could almost see the gears turning in both of their heads.

“Well, I’m stopping by a cake shop before work,” Jake said, after a minute, “You two can do what you want.”

“Fuck you,” Mark said, “If you’re going, I am. No way am I letting you get the upper hand via some bullshit cake bribery.”

“Guys,” I said, “This is stupid. Seriously, we’re arguing about cake.”

But their minds were made up.

Smirking at each other, they started bantering about how many layers their cake was going to have—what message would be on it, and how many sprinkles.

Despite myself, I couldn’t help but laugh at the crazy situation I was in. Not only did I have two sexy surgeons basically fighting over me—they’d taken it to the level of trying to one-up each other in impressing my best friend. And yet, my smile fell as fast as it had risen. Because I didn’t want them to fight over me—I wanted them to agree to share me. Karly’s ridiculous cake demand had only exacerbated the dynamic that was already there—two best friends, each determined to have me as theirs alone.

We finished the whole bag of donuts on our way out of my apartment building. As we walked to our cars, it was just like before. I had one man on each arm, all three of us chatting easily. It had me brimming with happiness—and trembling with fear. Because, while we were getting along now, we hadn’t talked about the subject at hand yet.

What if an open discussion about becoming a throuple ruined this temporary truce?