Brooke
I wake to the sound of knocking on the front door. Beside me, Hope stretches with a yawn, looking childlike with her hair all over the place and blinking as she looks around to get her bearings. A quick glance out of the uncovered window tells me that we have been asleep for quite some time—so long in fact that the moon is now high in the sky.
At least it’s stopped snowing.
“What time is it?” Hope yawns again.
“Umm…” I try to focus on the clock on my phone. “Shit, it’s ten.”
“How long did we sleep for?”
“A few hours?” I shrug as I help pull her off of the bed.
We both let out a little scream when someone, once again, wraps on the door.
“Who the hell is that?”
“A serial killer,” I deadpan.
“At this hour? Haven’t they got anything better to do?”
“Apparently not,” I grumble as I pad downstairs and unbolt the deadlock, then fling the door open with abandon. “Merry Christmas, now piss off.”
“And there was me about to sing.”
“JAKE!!” I laugh, jumping into his arms as he spins me around.
“Hey, gorgeous. Miss me?” His eyes light up in amusement as he places me back on the floor after we stop spinning.
“Always.” I grin. “I can’t believe you’re here. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“I was hoping to surprise you, and if I’d told you, it wouldn’t have been, now would it, pickle?” He laughs as he taps my nose. “Now let me grab my crap because I think my balls are about to freeze off.”
As Jake bends down to pick up his bags, a sudden movement from the neighboring porch draws my gaze. I can just make out a Brody sized shape. Instead of slinking back into the shadows or heading back indoors, Brody brazenly heads toward us—this time dressed appropriately for the weather. It’s not the sort of clothing that you just put on quickly, so it makes me wonder if he’s been sitting outside watching Lola’s the whole time. Which, if he has, is a little bit creepy.
“Hey,” he calls out, lifting his chin to Jake, while at the same time sending him a death glare.
“Hey,” Jake calls back. The happiness of a few minutes ago has disappeared, and in its place is confusion. He’s giving me his patented who the fuck is this guy look. The one where he raises his eyebrow like The Rock. I’d find it amusing if I didn’t want the ground to swallow me up whole.
This will not end well.
“Brody McAllister,” Brody says, holding out his hand to Jake.
“My asshole ex,” I growl.
“And you are?” Brody asks.
Jake turns to look at me questioningly, and I can almost hear his thoughts. Who the fuck is this guy? Oh it’s the shithead who fucked with you. I’m gonna fuck with this motherfucker. The look on his face turns from one of amusement to sheer devilment.
Oh, for the love of God, no.
“Jake.” He steps forward to shake Brody’s hand. “Her boyfriend,” he says loudly before lowering his voice so that it’s just loud enough for me to hear. “And soon to be fiancé, I hope.” He grins as he pats his pocket. “Don’t tell Brooke, but I plan to ask her to marry me tonight.” Even in the dim light I can see Brody’s face pale.
“Marry you,” Brody repeats slowly.
“Yup.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.” I can only imagine the evil grin on Jake’s face right about now.
“But she was supposed to marry me tonight,” he says sadly. My heart does a sad little flutter that Brody remembered what should have happened today. Jake remains quiet as though that little bit of information has left him stunned. Which it probably has. He knew Brody and I were engaged. He just never knew that we’d set a date.
“I see,” Jake says without any humor. “Well you shouldn’t have tossed her aside like you did. You snooze you lose, dude.”
He didn’t just say that, did he?
“Jake!” I call, as Brody steps forward—anger and agony written all over his face. “Come inside, it’s freezing out there.”
“Sure thing, baby,” he yells in reply as he stares at Brody. “You have a nice night, Frodo. Think of me while I’m banging your girl.”
Brody’s fingers curl into a fist, and I can see what is about to play out in slow-motion as he takes a swing at Jake, landing a punch squarely on Jake’s jaw. Jake staggers back, rubbing the spot where Brody hit him before letting out a roar and launching himself at Brody. The force of it knocks Brody onto his back.
I let out a little scream as Jake pins Brody down on the ground and hits him several times in the face. Brody manages to roll them both over and repays the favor by grabbing Jake around the throat. Somehow, Jake maneuvers them both so that he’s once again pinned Brody to the ground, choking him with both hands.
“Stop! Please stop,” I cry as I run down the slippery porch steps and grab hold of Jake’s coat, and try to pull him off of Brody. Jake takes one hand from Brody’s throat and uses it to push me off so that I land on my ass in the snow, gasping for breath.
“BROOKE!” Brody roars, somehow managing to shove Jake off of him. All around us, people step onto their porches to watch the spectacle. I have no doubt that everyone in town will hear of it within an hour.
Great.
Suddenly, I’m being lifted into the air. I can smell Brody’s cologne as he holds me tightly to his chest. “There’s nothing to see. Go back inside.” His deep voice rumbles as we start moving. I take the opportunity to snuggle into him, until we’re back in the warmth.
Brody gently places me on the couch, then kneels in front of me. I can see the panic in his eyes as he looks for injuries.
“Are you okay, baby?” he asks as he pushes my hair off my face. It takes everything in me not to lean into his touch.
“Is she okay?” asks Jake, concern written all over his face.
“She’s fine, jackass. She’ll be even better when you back off,” Brody growls.
“Brooke. Are you okay?” Jake says, ignoring Brody.
“Get away from her,” Brody warns.
“You get away from her, asshole. It’s your fault anyway.”
“You were the one who knocked her on her ass, dickhead.”
I look up to see the two man-children nose-to-nose, their normally handsome faces battered and bruised. Brody has blood dripping from his nose. It would be hot if they hadn’t nearly killed one another.
“Hellloooo.” I stand and wave my hands in front of their faces. “When you stop having your pissing contest, find me in the kitchen.” I stomp off toward the back of the house, leaving them to it. “Oh, and I’m fine by the way,” I yell, slamming the door behind me.
When I walk into the kitchen, I find Hope bent over the kitchen counter with her head in her hands. She jumps as the door slams behind me, placing one hand on her heart and the other on the countertop to steady herself.
“Jesus, Brooke.” She quickly wipes away tears.
“Hey. What’s with the tears?”
“What tears?” She can deny it all she wants, but your eyes don’t get all red and puffy from sitting quietly, contemplating your life choices.
“The ones that you were wasting over that piece of crap, Cade, and before you try to deny it, just remember how bad you are at lying.”
“How did you know I was thinking about Cade?”
“I can see the reflection of the laptop screen in the window. It’ll do you no good reading that trash, honey.”
“Says the woman who has two men fighting over her right now.” She snorts. “Where are Dumb and Dumber anyway?”
“I left the two of them to take a leak over the other’s shoes.” I huff, sitting down with more force than is necessary on one of Lola’s kitchen stools, causing it to creak. If the thing breaks and I land on my ass again, then that will just about make my night.
“What happened?”
“You mean you didn’t stand and watch like the rest of the neighborhood?”
“No, I headed indoors. It’s too cold to be dealing with grown men acting like idiots.”
“I don’t blame you.”
“So.” Hope grins as she gracefully sits down in the seat next to me. “What happened?”
“Apart from Jake and Brody’s little spat giving away the fact that we’re back in town?”
“Yeahhh, lets skip over that.” She grimaces.
“In a nutshell, Jake told Brody that he was my boyfriend and that he was going to ask me to marry him tonight. Jake and Brody then decided to beat the crap out of each other and I got knocked on my ass.”
“Oh boy.” Hope whistles. “So what are they doing now?”
“Probably still being all alpha and pulling their best Blue Steel pouts while gazing sexily into the distance.”
“They’re both hot.” Hope giggles. “I wouldn’t say no.”
“Yeah, they are.” I smile at my sister.
“So. Which one is better in bed?”
“Hope! You can’t ask me that.”
“I just did, so fess up, Big Sister. Brody or Jake?” She grins evilly.
“Not answering that.”
“I’m not going to tell anyone, it’ll be between us.” Hope looks around conspiratorially and taps her nose.
“No.”
“Come on, Brooke. Everyone knows you and Jake have done the deed. Spill the beans.”
“Everyone?”
“Yeah. Everyone. We even had a bet on it.”
“Jesus.”
“Just spill.”
“Okay.” I huff. “You seriously want to know?”
“Yeah! Your love life is almost as messed up as mine, and seeing as I’ve sworn off men for the next thousand years, I’ve got to live my life vicariously through you. So…” She laughs as she leans over and grabs the bag of cookies we’d left on the counter earlier. “Who is it?”
“No.”
“No telly, Brookie, then no cookie.” She laughs again as she holds the bag over her head and out of my reach.
“Brody. Okay. Brody is better in bed because I’ve never slept with Jake, so suck it up, bitch. I would be totally up for a threesome with the pair of them though.” I grin, holding out my hand. “Can I have a cookie now?”
“I can give you more than that, babe. Especially if you want that fantasy of yours to become reality, cause you know I can make it happen.” Hope and I turn around at the same time to see Jake and Brody standing in the doorway with their arms folded, both of them struggling not to laugh.
Damn.
“You done beating the crap out of each other?” I know for a fact that my face is beet red. From the matching looks on their handsome faces, I’d say they overheard, not just the last bit, but every single word.
“Yeah, just came to see if you have any Band-Aids or something.” Jake tries to smile with his newly acquired fat lip. I almost feel sorry for him, but then I look at Brody’s matching injuries and any sympathy I had disappears. How is it that guys can beat the crap out of each other one minute then be cool the next?
“I’m sure Brody has some at his place.” I wave my hand in the general direction of my old house. “Seeing as you’re pals now, then you can get them there. In fact, you can sleep at his house for all I care.”
“Don’t be like that, Brooke.”
“Or on the couch. It’s up to you.”
“Brooke,” he pleads.
“And while you’re at it, you can tell Brody the truth.” I huff.
“What truth?” Brody asks, looking between Jake and me.
“That we,” I say, gesturing between Jake and myself, “are not together.”
“He’s not your boyfriend?” Brody’s brows crease in confusion as he looks from Jake to me.
“Yes.”
“No.”
Jake and I say at the same time.
“Well, which one is it?” Brody demands.
“You know what, I’m too tired for this. I’m going to bed.”
“I’ll join you in a bit, babe.”
“Just give it a rest, Jake.” I sigh and look at Brody. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my boss and ex-best friend. I don’t know why I’m telling you this, because it’s more than you deserve.” I brush past them, and head out of the kitchen. “Oh,” I call over my shoulder, “don’t think that me admitting that I’m not seeing Jake is a sign that I want to get back together with you. It’s not. Not in a million years, so you can get any ideas of us being a couple out of your head.” And with that parting shot, I head to the bedroom, slamming the door behind me.