Page 90 of Your Secret to Keep

“Yeah. That would be okay with me,” Brooks replies, his chest rising and falling with his fast breath. His eyes find me and the heat that hits my cheeks is impossible to hide.

Megan rolls her eyes and jumps in. “Awesome. Now, I’m sure you have somewhere you’re supposed to be, yes?”

Brooks nods and walks out, wearing a smirk and crimson cheeks.

Honestly, this feels full circle. The first time we met, he was jumping in when Little Dick Randall was being rude. It feels on brand for him torun in and try to defend me, even though it wasn’t necessary. I still love that he did it.

That he cared enough to do it.

That he loves me in a way that proves I’m worth defending.

Chapter 54

Brooks

“Whatdoyouwantto do?” my lawyer asks, gesturing to the photos scattered across the desk.

Pictures of me and Lia in the privacy of my home. Nothing we asked for or even knew it was happening until it was too late. It only took a couple of calls from my team, and one from Jags’ legal team, to figure out what the hell was going on.

Rebecca.

She paid someone to follow us, then immediately turned around and sold those pictures to the press. She didn’t get what she wanted and threw a very public—and line crossing—tantrum.

“Let’s at least send the formal letter that we’re going to sue her for invasion of privacy. I don’t know if I’ll actually go through with it or not,” I admit.

He nods, gathering the photos and putting them in the file. “That’s what I’d recommend. Paired with the defamation lawsuit from the Jags, I think she’ll understand the severity of her actions.”

I fucking hope so.

I’d be in a very different mood if the Jags were going to penalize Lia. She didn’t do anything to deserve something like this. I hate how people act like every detail of my life, or hers, is something they should be welcome to. Yes, I’m a professional athlete, but I’m also just a person trying to figure life out.

I’m walking out of my lawyer’s office, using the back entrance, when someone shouts my name. How the fuck did the paparazzi follow me here?

I turn and am immediately relieved when I see Zack and my dad. They’re standing outside their car while the snow gently falls.

“What are you guys doing here?” I shiver as a burst of cold air whips my cheeks.

Zack hugs me, patting my back. “Lia was on the phone with Willow and Emilie, dishing about the meeting, and she let it slip you were coming here.”

My dad adds, “We wanted to make sure you were okay.”

They came to check on me.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I mutter.

“We wanted to. You’re one of us, Brooks.” My dad steps in and wraps his arms around me.

I let that sink in for a few seconds, before the relief follows. I hug him back and let it say the things I don’t trust my mouth to. Zack hates being left out, so he hugs the both of us.

“Our first group hug,” he jokes and shakes us.

I’m so thankful for the way they showed up for me, even though I never asked. It’s like I’m constantly being reminded that I don’t need to struggle alone. There are people here for me.

People that love me.

I walk in the house and when I don’t hear Rocky running to me, I know they must be outside.

Lia’s in the hot tub and Rocky is on his dog bed, equipped with a heated blanket to keep him comfortable against the winter air.

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