Page 62 of Chasing Forever
“You sure didn’t,” Jennie chimes in.
We both ignore her once again.
“What is it?” I slide closer to him and put my hand on his thigh.
“It’s you marrying Holden, and me…”
“What?”
He says nothing, so I press again.
“Brooks?”
He swallows and looks at the speaker, taking the picture from me. “Let’s just put this here, and I’ll explain later.”
I frown. “No, I want to know.”
“Not here.”
“Jennie, we’re out. We admit defeat, please let us out,” I say a little louder.
“Sorry, no can do. Rules.”
I stand. “I believe we have the right to say we quit, and you let us out.”
“Come on, this is fun.” There’s a definite whine to her voice.
“Not really,” I say and look over to find Brooks putting the rest of the pictures in order. The torn invitation above the coffee cup, then the hotel key, and last the Vegas wedding.
“The coffee cup should go down after the triple 7s, shouldn’t it?” I reach for it, but Brooks puts his hand on my arm, stopping me.
“No, it doesn’t.”
My shoulders sag. I look at him, heart squeezing at all the blanks in my memory. All the things he clearly never forgot, but I have.
“I swear, Jennie, you let us out or I’m telling your boss,” I say, frustration clear in my voice.
“Jennie’s not here,” she says.
I widen my eyes at Brooks. “Can’t you arrest her or threaten to at least?” I whisper, half-kidding. Really, I’m not.
“Not his jurisdiction,” she sing-songs. I’d like to know what drugs she’s taking up there because this is insane. “And I’m not harming you. You got that one right. Good job, Sheriff. One more and then a kiss, and you’re done.”
Brooks isn’t arguing, and I’m pretty sure it’s because he doesn’t want to get out of here or explain any of this to me. So, I stop waiting. I go over to the lock, but we have to answer questions, getting over a ninety percent compatibility score. It’s all “what would you rather do” questions. I throw them rapid fire at Brooks, pressing down the answers and matching mine even if I think different. Brooks tries to put down a different answer, but I press the same as me. Of course he prefers beaches over mountains. Does it really matter right now?
“Now solve the six-number lock, and you’re there,” Jennie encourages.
I flip off the camera.
“That wasn’t nice,” she says.
“It’s not nice to lock us in here and not let us out.”
“Put our wedding date in,” Brooks says. It’s the first helpful information he’s offered since he went mute during the picture game.
I wind the numbers around and press on the big neon heart. A piece of paper comes out that says, Seal it with a kiss.
I put my hands on Brooks’s cheeks, plaster my lips to his, and pull back. “Open the door, Jennie.”
