Page 37 of Stevie
Unknown: Puppet
Unknown: PUPPET
Unknown: CHER!
Me: Please leave me ALONE!
Unknown: I DID leave you alone. Despite everything you owe me, I let you go. And YOU Cher, YOU are the one that invited me back in. Now, fix what you did.
Me: No, I spoke the truth, I’m NOT letting you control me anymore.
Unknown: Okay, Puppet, I’ll see you around.
Unknown: I still love you
I continue to bite my thumbnail while looking over the texts. I’m an idiot. I should’ve ignored them.
“What’s wrong?” Brooks asks as he pulls us into the parking lot of my doctor’s office for my post-op check-up.
“Nothing,” I muttered from behind my thumb. Brooks’ large hand grabs mine and pulls my hand to his mouth. He kisses my thumb so softly that it sends flutters through me.
“Stop munching on your thumb then,” he teases, giving it a small bite that nearly causes me to moan out. I don’t want to tell him. The last few days that I’ve been recovering have been beyond amazing. Our talks, the movie nights, and him reading to me, I’ve realized that I do absolutely love this giant man, and that thought terrifies me.
“Vincent texted me,” I admit and hiss when his hand tenses around mine.
“Sorry, baby,” he whispers, kissing my hand. “Let me see your phone,” his voice is so soft, like a protective hug, but the darkening in his moss green eyes and the tension in his scruffy jaw tell me it’s taking everything in his power to remain calm.
“Brooks,” I move my hand from his and cup his face. He instantly closes his eyes and rests into my palm.
“Stevie,” his voice is almost strangled, “Baby, this is so amazing, but if you don’t give me your phone, I’m going to take it, and I’m probably not going to be nice about it, and then I’m going to hate myself.” Rolling my eyes, I hand him the phone as I see my Mama pulling up.
“You go ahead and look through it. I gotta go–”
“I am not looking through your phone,” he interrupts, handing the phone back. “I just wanted to see the messages. Are you okay to go inside without me?” I watch him put his ear bud in his ear and I know he’s about to call Greyson.
“Yeah, I’m sure I can handle it,” I say dryly, and I’m about to get out when I see his dark face staring forward. Gently leaning over, I kiss his cheek, causing him to spin and look at me. “I like you,” I say, watching his stunned expression morph into a genuine, sweet smile.
“I like you too, baby.” He leans over and kisses my forehead just as Mama walks to my door and opens it.
“You need a chair, bejbe?” I shake my head as I slowly get out of the Jeep.
“No Mama, I’ll walk.” Turning back to Brooks, I notice his face morphing again. “Will you be here when I get out?” Brooks gives me a small smile.
“I won’t leave you, Peaches.”
* * *
“You and Brooks seem closer.” Mama smiles as she scrolls through her phone. I feel my face grow hot as the nurse takes my blood pressure cuff off.
“Y-yeah, I mean… I–”
“You like him, yeah?”
I scrunch up my face, giving her a pained stare. “Don’t tell Baka yet, okay? You know she will start on the vision thing.” Mama laughs, lightly shaking her head.
“My god, she’s going to be impossible to live with once she finds out.”
Brooks
