Page 62 of My Ex-Best Friends

“Shut up, Meredith.” Finn barked at the other woman and then turned back to me. “You didn’t come back for your stuff, did you? You came back for me.”

Meredith gasped. “Finn!”

I laughed. “That’s hilarious. Now get out of my way so I can get my stuff.”

He stepped towards me and Lucy let out a menacing sounding growl. “What the fuck? Get that beast out of here!”

I smirked at him. “Meredith is your problem; not mine. If you want her out, you make her go. I suggest both of you get out of my way, though, unless you want to become Lucy’s snack.”

They argued loudly while I grabbed a suitcase and started throwing my clothes in it. Lucy sat by my side, his presence calming as he watched the door. I shoved as much as I could in the suitcase and then grabbed one of the giant hiking backpacks Finn had needed for the hiking trips he never managed to take. Most of my stuff fit in the two bags and I stopped for a moment to wonder just how little I’d been living if everything I owned fit into a suitcase and a backpack.

Lucy and I left with our heads held high and I felt so much lighter knowing that I’d saved all of my things and I’d never have to see Finn Love again.

I stopped downstairs on the sidewalk and took a deep breath. “Alright, Lucy. I’m on my way to being the best parent you could ever dream of. I also happen to know this bakery down the street that sells dog cupcakes alongside their human cupcakes.”

“Brooke!”

I swore. I was trying to become a great dog mom but it seemed like I was losing my mind. I thought I’d heard Colt shout my name. That was impossible, however, because Colt was back in Beaumontandhe hated me.

“Brooke! Stop!”

That time I knew I’d heard it. I turned around and stared in shock as Colt blocked traffic in his jeep. He climbed out with Logan and Noah in tow, all three of them focused on me and not the traffic swearing at them.

“You can’t leave Beaumont, Brooke.” Colt stopped right in front of me and looked down at Lucy. “Holy fuck, that’s a big dog.”

Lucy’s tongue rolled out and he panted happily at the guys. “Lucy, put your tongue back in your mouth. They’re not our friends.”

“Come home, Brooke. You don’t belong here. Come back to Beaumont.” Logan tried to grab my hand but I pulled away. “Brooke…”

“Please give us a chance to make things right, Brooke. We fucked up. We want to make it right but we can’t do that if you leave.” Noah tugged at his hair. “We went to find you this morning but you were gone. We need you to come home. We came to get you and bring you home.”

I shook my head at them. “I’m not leaving Beaumont. You don’t get to run me out of town. I’m staying. I just came here to get my things from Finn. I decided I’m tired of abandoning my things for men who don’t appreciate or care for me. I’ll be by your house tomorrow.”

I turned and walked away. My heart was in my throat and I wanted to run back to them but I wasn’t sure I wanted to be with them anymore. They’d been cruel and careless and that wasn’t what I wanted for myself.

Lucy trotted along with me, his nose touching my hand every so often. It was only when he whined and stared up at me that I realized I was crying.

50

***Brooke***

True to my word, I went to Logan’s house the next morning. It was a lot harder than going to Finn’s apartment. My stomach was twisted with anxiety and I tried to talk myself out of going a couple dozen times. I made myself, though. I wasn’t leaving parts of myself behind anymore.

Logan opened the door when I knocked, a hopeful look on his face. “Little bunny.”

I pushed past him, Lucy at my heels. “I’m not your little bunny. I just came to get my things.”

“Hey, stop. Just talk to me for a second. Please.”

I swung around to glare at him. “I begged you for a chance to talk last week. Do you remember how you treated me?”

His head dropped. “Yes. I’m sorry, Brooke. I was an asshole. I-”

“I can’t do this with you right now. Maybe ever.” I hurried upstairs and cringed when Colt came out of his room, eyes locked on me.

“We’re not going to let you go.” He stood in my doorway as I packed. “We messed up. We were horrible. Consider us selfish, too, because we’re not giving you up.”

I stopped just before shoving the shirt he’d let me wear the first night I’d arrived back in town. Gripping it tight, I slowly brought it up to my nose and smelled it. It still smelled like him somehow. I dropped it on the bed and zipped up my bag. “A few days ago, that would’ve been the best thing I’d ever heard.”

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