Page 51 of Downpour

Her smile was sad. “You should still come if you want. Or we can come to you.”

“I’ll think about it.” But she knew that was a ‘no.’

Before I could turn my wheelchair, she laid a hand on my shoulder. “The rain will stop, you know.”

I glanced out the window. “It’s not raining.”

“I don’t mean outside, sweetheart.” She leaned down and dropped a kiss on my head, just like she used to when I was a boy. “If the clouds don’t part where you are, keep going until you find your sunshine.”

I slipped outside while everyone was distracted by Becks and Nate’s little one. Brooke was waiting by the truck. While I pulled myself up into the cab, she put my wheelchair into the bed. We made the drive back to the house in silence. I was tired, but not ready for sleep.

“Just give me a sec. I want to change my clothes. I think I still smell like horses and smoke,” Brooke said, disappearing into her room and closing the door.

When she returned, she was wearing a pair of cotton sleep shorts and a tank top that exposed her entire back, along with most of her ribs and waist. She grabbed the slices of pilfered pie and two forks from the utensil drawer.

“The deck or the couch?” Brooke asked.

We settled on the deck, each with our own slice of pie. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees as the crickets and frogs sang a quiet tune.

I took my time with my fork, not feeling as much pressure now that there weren’t a dozen eyes watching.

Brooke devoured her pie in two bites.

I paused and observed as she wiped the crumbs off her lap. “You weren’t full, were you?”

A mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. “I’ll never tell.”

13

BROOKE

“Are you sure I can’t do anything for you?” I said, looking up from my phone.

Ray and I had fallen into some sort of routine. We went to therapy three days a week. I usually ran his errands in town while he was at his appointments. And then we just hung out at the house and did... nothing.

And I was starting to go crazy.

Ray looked up from the rope he was tying. It was a pattern he seemed to be following from his phone. It was plaited in an intricate design of knots and loops.

He cracked a smile. “Do I look like I need help right now?”

I huffed. “I know. I’m just bored. Don’t get me wrong, I’m super grateful for the job. But I feel bad. I feel like I’m taking advantage of you. I’m not actually doing anything.”

“You’re keeping my family from dropping in unannounced four times a day.”

“I know. But should I be cleaning or something?”

“The house is clean.”

“Do you want me to cook something? A snack or a treat?”

“No,” Ray said quickly. “I need to make sure my homeowners insurance is paid up before you go back in the kitchen.”

I flopped on the couch. “Can I ask a kind of intrusive question?”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Has a ‘no’ ever stopped you before?”

“I’m just curious.”

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