Page 207 of Hold Me Until Morning

But it was the pained gasp that echoed from the other side of the stables that broke Hailey’s heart.

Brooke stood across from her, and she could barely make her out where she was hidden in those shadows, though she could clearly see the betrayal that was slashed all over her best friend’s face.

“Brooke.” Hailey croaked it.

Brooke’s only response was to run, her feet pounding in the opposite direction of where Cody had gone. It took half a second for Hailey to come to her senses, to realize what she had done, and she took off after her, slamming the stall gate shut and racing to catch up.

By the time Hailey made it out to the far end of the stables and into the encroaching night, Brooke was in the distance, running toward the house.

“Brooke!” Hailey shouted behind her. Her boots crunched on the leaves that littered the damp ground.

Brooke ignored her, and she increased her pace, flying up onto the massive front porch and tearing through the door.

Hailey pushed herself as fast as she could go, clambering through the rambling house and up the stairs to her room.

Guilt splintered through her when she found Brooke dragging her bags out from under Hailey’s bed.

“What are you doing?” Hailey begged.

Brooke swatted at the tears that rolled down her cheeks. “What does it look like? I’m leaving.”

Brooke ripped open the top two drawers of the dresser that Hailey had given her to stow her things while she stayed there for the summer, and she wadded up two armfuls and shoved them into the suitcase she’d tossed onto the bed.

“No, please don’t go.”

Brooke scoffed an aggrieved sound. “And stay here with someone who is supposed to be my best friend and instead would betray me like this? I don’t think so.”

“Brooke…” Hailey surged forward. “Let me explain.”

Brooke’s laughter was bitter as she stormed across the room to the dresser and gathered up another wad of clothes. “Explain what? That you’re fucking the guy I’m in love with? After you know how I feel about him?”

“No, of course not?—”

“You can save it because I don’t want to hear it. I saw everything I needed to know.”

“Please, Brooke…just listen to me. I didn’t…” Hailey tried to grab Brooke’s hand to stop her. “I would never. Cody and I are just friends.”

The second Hailey said it, she knew it was a lie.

Brooke whirled on her. The treachery Hailey had cast was emblazoned in her features. “I saw, Hailey. I saw, and I know.”

“Brooke.” Shame blistered through Hailey.

Brooke zipped up her suitcase, dragged it to the floor, and hurried across the room. Only she stopped in the doorway and looked back at Hailey. Tears blurred her gorgeous face. “You broke my heart, Hailey. I would never do something like this to you.”

“Brooke—” Hailey started to rush back across the room, but Brooke stopped her with the shattered belief written in her expression. “Just leave me alone, Hailey. Leave me alone. I never want to see you again.”

Brooke turned and walked out, and Hailey crumbled.

Shame dropping her to her knees.

How could she have done this to Brooke?

To her best friend?

To the one person in the world who had ever really been there for her?

She’d make it right. Apologize. Grovel. Beg. Never look at Cody Cooper again. The way she never should have done in the first place.

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