Page 74 of Need Me
Her eyes squeezed shut in aggravation as he alighted from his fancy Corvette. This made the third time in two weeks that he’d stopped to see her. Opening her eyes, she didn’t bother to raise her head from the pillar as he mounted the stairs and sat down byher.
“Badday?”
She snorted and took a gulp of wine. “Yep, and it just gotworse.”
“Ouch.”
A smile touched her lips. “Sorry if the truth hurts. No matter how much you keep coming back here, my feelings about you aren’t going tochange.”
Jamal sighed and propped his forearms on his knees. “I know that. I finally accepted that the other night. You deserve to be happy. You really love this guy?” He bumped her with a broad shoulder. “I really do care about you, Brooke, it’s the truth. It’s killing me to see you in this kind of pain,” he said. “I was just checking up onyou.”
Her gaze slid to meet his. “Youwere?”
“I came here tonight to check on you one last time and let you know that I’m leaving town. All the stuff with Great Grandma’s estate is wrapped up and I have some business in Japan to take care of. I’m flying out tomorrowmorning.”
He put an arm around her and pulled her against his side. Brooke didn’t object when he hugged her. There was no passion in his embrace, only an offer of friendship and comfort. Burying her face against his chest, Brooke accepted it and thought how strange lifewas.
Here she was, finding solace in the arms of the man had thrown her away like old dishwater, while her heart yearned for the new man she’d fallen in love with. Although she hadn’t known it right away, Brooke realized that she’d lost her heart toRobert.
She missed him every second of the day and tortured herself by looking at his Facebook pictures. He’d made his pics of Liam public and Emily had told her that he’d told all their friends about his son. It had shocked them all, but they’d rallied around Robert, giving him their fullsupport.
It made Brooke happy for his sake that he had so many people to lean on while he healed. They offered her the same sort of love and caring, for which she was grateful. She’d even cried on Tyler’s shoulder one night. Eventually, she’d run out of tears, but was still left with a hole as large as the Lunar crater in herchest.
Jamal kissed the side of her head, interrupting her train of thought. “I have to go. My flight leaves out of Denver in a couple of hours. Stay strong. You’ll get throughthis.”
She just shrugged in response and leaned away from him. He rose, bent to kiss her forehead, and said, “For what it’s worth, he’s a damn idiot for letting you get away. I know that from personalexperience.”
A glimmer of humor sparked inside Brooke. “Take care,Jamal.”
He smiled. “You do thesame.”
She nodded and he jogged down the steps. As he left, Brooke resumed her previous position and watched the storm rollin.
* * *
Robert pattedPrecious’s neck as they trotted along a well-marked trail that led back to his place. She was an excellent saddle horse and he enjoyed riding her. They’d gone about two miles when lightning had started flickering in thedistance.
Not willing to take a chance, Robert had turned Precious for home, putting her into her smooth trot that ate up the ground. A couple of drops hit his head just as they arrived at the barn. He rode Precious right inside and halted her at thecrossties.
Sliding off her bare back, Robert praised her and gave her the two baby carrots he’d been carrying in his pocket. She munched them happily while he took off her hackamore. The mare had bad experiences with a tradition bridle, so the bit-less hackamore suited herbetter.
His cellphone rang as he picked up a dandy brush. He always gave Precious a quick grooming after a ride. He was surprised to see Anna’s picture as heanswered.
“Hi there. How are you?” heasked.
“Well, I’m a little frazzled,” she said. “Can you come to the hospital and helpme?”
He fumbled over his words. “H-help you?How?”
“I need help feeding the babies. Chase had to go to Denver with Ric, Tyler and Emily caught Hayley’s cold and can’t be around the triplets. Kate’s on an emergency call and Brooke isn’t available, either,” Annasaid.
Pain lanced Robert’s heart when she spoke Brooke’s name. “What about thestaff?”
Anna sighed. “It’s crazy here tonight. I don’t know if it’s the storm or what, but it seems like every pregnant woman in town is having their baby tonight. The staff is so busy. Please come help me,Robbie.”
His group of friends had picked up Kate’s nickname for him. Even as trepidation wound around his heart, Robert agreed to come. “I’ll be there in just a few,Anna.”
“Thank you somuch.”
