Brooke
“Broooooooke!”
As soon as I get out of my car, I’m nearly knocked on my ass by a one hundred and twenty pound, auburn-haired goddess flinging her arms around me, and hugging me tight as though she never wants to let me go.
“I missed you so much.” Hope smiles, stepping back. “How was the drive?”
“Long.” I remove the sunglasses I’ve been wearing for most of the three days that it’s taken me to drive to Arizona, and rub my eyes. Hope’s not fooled though, a look of pity passes over her face when she catches sight of my swollen, red eyes.
“Oh, B,” she says, taking my hand in hers. That’s all it takes to set me off again. How I got here in one piece, I’ll never know. I had to keep stopping because I was crying so hard I couldn’t see the road ahead of me. There were several times that I almost turned the truck around to head back home. What stopped me was my brain replaying the sounds of another woman being fucked by the man I love. The man who I was, until very recently, supposed to marry.
After the confrontation I’d had with Brody, I knew that there was no way I could go back to sticking my head in the sand. Not after everything that had happened. The once happy home we’d shared would forever be tainted by the fact that he’d screwed someone else there. It would only serve as a painful reminder that I was no longer Brody’s one and only.
If I couldn’t cope with Brody sleeping with another woman, then there was no way I’d be able to sit back and watch as he moved on with someone else entirely. All the while having to endure the faux sympathetic looks from the so-called great and good of the town. I could just hear them talking about me.
Oh, that Brooke? Well she and Brody were engaged, you know. Poor thing, thinks that he’s going to beg her to come back. I would think after he and Joely had their fifth child last month, she would figure out that ain’t going to happen…
I knew that I had a three-day window until Brody returned from his trade show. As soon as he left that day, I’d started to put my plans into motion. First thing I did was head into work to hand in my notice.
Having already called Hope to take her up on her offer of a place to stay, the only thing left to do was pack my belongings and fit everything that I could into my car. It was as Lola was helping with the last few things that I’d looked around to see all the photos of Brody and me on the walls. Against Lola’s warnings, I’d torn each and every one down, then burned them in the fireplace. It was possibly the most cathartic experience I’d ever had. So much so that I’d headed to the computer and deleted all photos of us, blocked his number from my cell, and removed all traces that Brody and I had ever been together from social media. By the time I was finished, hardly anything had remained. The last thing I did, before shutting the door on my former life, was to write Brody a note and leave my engagement ring where he’d find it. Then I’d grabbed my bag, walked out the door, and didn’t look back.
I spent my last night at Lola’s, bidding her a tearful goodbye before getting into the truck and heading to my sister’s and my new life. I swore as I headed out of Emmerton that I’d shed no more tears over Brody McAllister. Unfortunately, while my head knew that Brody and I were finished, my heart had, and is still having, a little trouble catching up to the fact. The tears started as I crossed the state line, and they haven’t stopped yet.
“Come on. Let’s get you settled inside,” Hope says as she links her arm through mine. “You can freshen up, then I’ll show you around.”
“What about the stuff in the truck?”
“Jake and Louis said they’d unload it.”
“Jake and Louis?”
“My neighbors.” She laughs as she looks over her sunglasses, waggling her eyebrows as if I’d know who the hell she was talking about. “You know. Jake…”
Jake…Jake…oh that Jake.
“Hot Jake? The stripper?”
“Performance artist, I’ll have you know,” a deep voice says, making me jump. I spin around as I try to locate the source of the voice, only to be confronted by one of the sexiest guys I have ever seen. He’s leaning against the side of a black Camaro, his arms folded across his massive chest. His massive, shirtless chest, showing off his very defined eight-pack and V dip which leads to his jean clad legs that can barely hide the large bulge in his groin area.
Holy. Mother. Of. God.
“Hello,” he says, pushing off the car and walking toward us. “Eyes up here, pretty girl. Look at the face. Not the package.”
I keep my eyes firmly on the ground, unable to look at the guy through sheer embarrassment. I’m sure my face and eyes are now both a fetching shade of crimson, which will complement the reddish tones in my hair, making me look like a tomato.
“Hey, Jake.” Hope purrs.
So this is Jake. My temporary new neighbor. Ground, please swallow me whole now.
“Hey, Hopeless.” I look up to see a shit eating grin spread across his handsome face. “You going to introduce me to…” He holds out one large hand to me. The other he uses to push his aviators on top of his light brown hair, revealing midnight-blue colored eyes.
Ground, are you listening? Swallow me up right now.
“This is my big sister, Brooke.” Hope returns Jakes grin as she nudges me in the side. “She’s just a bit…tired.”
“Well it’s nice to meet you, Brooke,” he says, stepping forward to take my hand in his. “Even if the cat has got your tongue. I’m Jake Steele.”
Hope elbows me in the side again.
“Yeah, you too.” I manage.
“She speaks!” Jake laughs.
“Asshole,” I mumble.
“Feisty.” He nods. “I like it.”
I roll my eyes, and turn to Hope. “Is he always like this?”
“Yeah.” She giggles.
“Okay.” I take a deep breath. “Hi, let me reintroduce myself,” I say, shaking Jake’s hand. “I’m Brooke, Hope’s older sister. Just a few things you should know so that you don’t think I’m crazy. I’ve just had possibly the second worst week of my life; I won’t go into details, but I’ve left behind my whole life. It’s taken me three very long, tiring days to get here. What I could really do with right now is a drink. I’m sorry I looked at your crotch, but I was only wondering if you stuff socks down your pants or something.”
“You did, huh?” The look on Jake’s face is priceless. A mixture of pride and amusement and a little bit of embarrassment.
“Yep.” I manage to smile, the hurt of the past forgotten temporarily.
“Well. I…uh,” Jake says, rubbing the back of his neck. For a moment he looks quite bashful, until I catch the wicked glint in his eye. I think I’m going to have to keep an eye on this one. “Well, I can guarantee you that what you see is the real deal, sweetheart. I don’t need socks. I could give you a demonstration if you’d like?” He winks.
Definitely trouble.
“Ewwww. No. I don’t know where you’ve been.” My nose wrinkles in disgust.
“In your dreams?” He smirks.
“In Lord knows how many women’s vaginas, more like.”
“And you know it.”
I shake my head in amusement at this overly confident, relentless, sexy ass.
“Listen. How about Louis and I unload your car? Then we’ll pick you and Hope up. We can go out for celebratory drinks.”
I glance at Hope, who nods her head encouragingly, then back at Jake.
“Ummm…I don’t know. Thanks, but…”
“I’d like to be your friend, Brooke,” he says quickly. “I think you could do with one. No offense, Hope.”
“None taken.”
“Look, I really appreciate it…” I look between Jake and Hope.
“But?” Jake asks.
“But I’m really tired after the drive, and if I’m honest, I don’t feel like celebrating. Probably, won’t for a very long time. I appreciate the offer and all, but I just want to slouch in front of the TV with a pint of ice cream and cry. Like I said, I’ve had a crappy week—”
“All the more reason to come to the club tonight,” he says brightly.
“I need to grieve.” I finish.
“That settles it. WE are going out tonight, my treat. You’ll be our VIP guests.” Jake holds out his hand. “Now give me your keys and I’ll unload the heap of junk that you call a car. You go inside. Do what you need to do. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
I stand there openmouthed as Hope takes the keys from me and gives them to Jake. He winks at her, puts his shades back on, and jogs toward my car.
“Come on, B. Looks like we have a date tonight.”
“He just completely ignored what I said.”
“He’s like that.”
“He’s an arrogant ass.” I fume as Brooke drags me by the arm toward her apartment building. “Where does he get off speaking to me like that?” Hope snorts in derision as she guides me through the network of brightly painted doors. “You were no help.”
“It’s best just to let him get on with it.”
“Bullying people?”
“He’s not a bully, Brooke,” she says, stopping at an orange door. “He’s a good guy and he likes you.” She pushes the door open with her shoulder and beckons me inside.
This is the first time that I’ve seen Hope’s new apartment. It’s compact and cute, much like Hope herself. There’s very little here of Hope’s old life—a few pictures of her and me, some old ones with our parents, but that’s about it. I realize that she left a lot behind when she fled Emmerton last year. After what happened with Cade, she’d disappeared completely. One day she was at my table sobbing because Cade had reduced her life to an international joke, and the next day she was gone. After she’d been missing a few days, I’d filed a missing person report with the police and waited and waited.
Five months later, I’d received a phone call from her to say she was in Arizona. Hope wouldn’t tell me where exactly she’d gone or what she’d done, but she had told me that she had a new life, and that she was happy. The only thing Hope had asked me was that I didn’t tell Brody where she was. I’ll admit, at the time, I was a bit annoyed that I wasn’t allowed to share that information with him. After all, it was Brody who’d been my one beacon of light in the dark days after her disappearance from our lives. I understood her reasons though. Hope simply didn’t want Cade to find her. She chose to leave everything of her past behind. Seems to be a common theme in our family. Now, it’s my turn not wanting to be found by a McAllister brother, not that he would look for me. I guess he’s already making plans to move Joely in.
“And, finally, this is the kitchen.” Hope beams proudly as she interrupts my thoughts. I haven’t listened to a word she’s said since I walked in.
“Nice.”
“It’s small, but it’ll suit the two of us,” she says, wrapping her arms around me. “You’ll be so happy here, Brooke. Scottsdale is a whole world away from Emmerton, no more cold winters for a start.”
I give a weak smile at her enthusiasm. Personally, I’m not so convinced.
“You don’t need to worry about the guys next door,” she continues. “They’re great, you’ll love them, and the best part is the parties.”
“Hope.” I sigh. “I know what you’re doing and I’m not interested.”
“You say that now.” She laughs, stepping back to lean against the countertop. “Give it a month or so and you’ll be wanting to tap that.”
“Hope!”
“Seriously, they are all H.O.T. Each and every one of them.”
“Please don’t tell me that you’re sleeping with one of them.”
“And what if I am? Just because Cade is whoring himself out to anything with a pulse…”
I hold my hands up in defeat. “If it makes you happy…just make sure you use protection and don’t tell me about it. Ever.”
“I am careful, big sister, so you don’t need to worry. I’m just having some fun, I think I deserve it, and you do too. No strings attached sex with guys who look like gods could do you a world of good. Forget about Brody. As of now, he’s a mere memory in your world, don’t give him power over you. Don’t miss out on something great all because you’re hung up on the fact that he slept with some skank in your house. Repeat after me,” she says, taking my hands in hers. “He has no power over me.”
“He has no power over me.”
“Louder for the people at the back. HE HAS NO POWER OVER ME!”
“HE HAS NO POWER OVER ME. HE HAS NO POWER OVER ME.”
“That’s it!” she squeals in delight as I dance around her small kitchen. A loud thump on the wall makes us both jump.
“Hey, girl power. We get it. He has no power over you, now can you shut the fuck up. I’m tryin’ to watch the game here,” a masculine voice yells from the other side of the wall.
“Sorry, Louis,” Hope shouts, flipping the wall the bird as she does so.
“Stop fucking swearing at me and get started baking. I need cupcakes, Cupcake.”
“Make them yourself,” she yells back.
“Don’t make me come round there and spank your sexy ass.”
“My sister is here.”
“Oh hey, Brooke,” Louis calls. “I don’t mind you watchin’. I’ve done sisters before.”
Hope makes a face that I think matches my own. What is it with these guys?
“Pig,” Hope shouts.
“Cupcakes,” Louis yells back.
“In your dreams, buddy.”
Louis lets out a deep sexy laugh. “You know it. Nice to speak to you, Brooke.”
“You too?” I say to the wall.
Hope grabs my hands and leads me toward her living room. We look at each other before bursting into laughter.
“They can’t hear in here.” She smiles.
“Are they always like that?”
“You mean are they always alpha assholes? Yep, but they’ve got hearts of gold, so don’t take what they say seriously. Louis is lovely by the way.”
“Have you…you know?” Hope’s grin is all the confirmation that I need. “Hope!”
“Brooke.” She smiles.
“But you were so down about Cade…”
“Things change, Brooke.”
“Things being a mysterious voice on the other side of the wall.”
“Things like having a threesome with your two hot neighbors, if you must know,” she singsongs, and primly sits down on the couch. My jaw drops in astonishment. “Oh close your mouth, Brooke. You’ll catch flies.”
“I’m trying to comprehend my baby sister having a threesome.”
“Best cure for a broken heart. You should try it.”
“Oh. My. God.”
“Hey, don’t knock it.”
I throw myself next to her on the couch, mirroring her position by tucking my feet underneath me. “So, are you in a relationship with them now?” Hope leans on her hand and sighs.
“No, it’s just a friends with benefits deal. I’m not ready for another relationship. Not yet anyway.” A sly smile spreads across her face. “Once you get settled in you could always…I’m sure Jake wouldn’t mind.”
“They like being treated as sex objects then?” I shake my head. “Not being treated as a person, just sex on tap by lonely women?”
“They strip for hundreds of adoring women, who want what’s in their pants, every single night. They’re young, sexy as hell, and single. Believe me, none of them want to settle down yet. They just want to have fun, and they want to have that fun with like-minded women.”
“Sounds…ideal?”
“Ideal for them. Look, I was the same as you, B, but Jake showed me that I don’t have to spend my life crying over someone. I can have fun as well. Just wait until you meet them all.”
“There’s more?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Don’t tell me you slept with them as well?”
“Not yet.”
“Dear God.”
“Hey. Like I said, I’m just having some fun, and if you got that stick out of your ass, you could too.”
“I’ve just come out of a very long-term relationship and like I said, I’m not ready to get involved with anyone just yet. Maybe never, and most definitely not just for sex. That’s not my style and I doubt I’ll be changing my mind anytime soon.”
“I’m sure you’ll change it when you meet the rest of the guys at the club tonight.”
“I’m not going.”
“Yes, you are. Besides Liam, Niall, and Zane are really looking forward to meeting you.”
“What are they, a One Direction tribute act?”
“No. They’re strippers.”
“Is there one called Harry as well?
“Huh?” I may have to disown my sister for her complete disinterest in pop music.
“Never mind. Why don’t you go? I’ll stay here.”
“Nope. You are coming with me to MOS whether you want to or not. I wasn’t going to say anything until you met all the guys, but Louis said that they may have an opening for you. His eyes lit up when I told him what you did for a living. I don’t think they like handling the financial side of the business much. Earning the money, yes. Making sure all the accounts tally, not so much.” Hope gets off the couch, and offers me a hand up. “And the best part is, that if they offer you a job and you take it, you’ll be working with me.”
“Okay.”
“You’ll at least come to the club then, to meet them I mean?”
“How can I say no?” I smile as Hope does a happy little jiggle.
“I promise that you won’t regret it. I swear I’m living the real-life version of Magic Mike.”
“I’m just going to meet them. Don’t get your hopes up, Hope.” I grin.
Hope waves her hand in dismissal. “I’m just glad you’re here, Brooke, and working with you would be the frosting on the cake. I’ve missed you so much,” she says, burying her head in my shoulder like she used to do when we were little kids.
“I missed you too, piglet…I’ve missed you, too.”