Page 56 of Need Me
Chapter 13
Arriving home late that evening,Brooke greeted Buster, who meowed loudly as he followed her to the kitchen. She yawned while she fed him and then put a mug of water in the microwave to heat for tea. When it was done, she put a chamomile and lavender tea bag in it and headed upstairs for abath.
Between her night with Robert and the long day at the hospital, she needed something to soothe her muscles and her mind. The doorbell rang just as she started the bath water. Robert had dropped her off since her car was here at home. Maybe he’d forgottensomething.
She went back downstairs and looked through the peephole. She yanked the door open. “What are you doing here,Jamal?”
A sexy smile curved her ex’s lips. Once upon a time, that smile had robbed her of her good sense. Now, it just annoyed her. “I was just passing through town and thought I’d stop to sayhey.”
“Get off my porch, get back in your car, and leave me alone. Forever this time.” Just the sight of Jamal touched off Brooke’s fury. Over six feet with a shaved head, brown skin, and a powerful body, Jamal could have his pick ofwomen.
Brooke started to close the door, but Jamal stopped it with hishand.
Brooke’s nostrils flared. “It’s been a very long, stressful day and I don’t have time for your shit,Jamal.”
Jamal raised his hands, palm-up. “I just wanted to seeyou.”
“Well, I don’t want to see you.” Brooke crossed herarms.
Jamal sighed. “Brooke, I know I screwed up with you and I’msorry.”
“Yeah, you said that about a million times. I don’t believe you any more now than I did then.” Brooke backed into the foyer. “I’m closing the door. Get off myporch.”
Brooke didn’t wait for a reply, just shut the door in his face and locked it. In a few moments, she heard him leave the porch and a car door slammed. She’d been so rattled that she hadn’t taken the time to notice what Jamal drove now. Looking through the peephole, she got a distorted view of a red four-door of some sort. The car started and backed out of herdriveway.
“Son of a bitch,” she muttered and got her cellphone out of her purse. Needing something stronger than tea, she grabbed a small bottle of wine from her fridge and headed back upstairs for her bath. As the tub filled with suds, she drank her now-cool tea and rinsed out her mug, which she refilled withwine.
Then she got undressed and sank down into the tub. Picking up her cellphone, she tapped Emily’s icon on her home screen as the hot water started to seep into her tensemuscles.
“Hey, you,” Emilysaid.
“Hey. This is a day for surprises,” Brooke said. “Anna and Chase have triplets, and Jamal shows up at my frontdoor.”
“What?When?”
“Like two minutes ago,” Brooke said. “Said he screwed up with me and he’s sorry. Thinks I’m crazy enough to take himback.”
Emily’s laugh conveyed her disbelief. “Why now? You guys broke up lastJune.”
Brooke took a sip of wine and played with the bubbles. “I don’t know. Why did I ever go out withhim?”
“Because Jamal is sexy, funny,rich—”
“Oh, God. You could be talking about GQ,” Brooketeased.
Emily giggled. “You didn’t let me finish. Except for the cheating and lying, he treated you like a princess. He took you to newplaces.”
She’d watched her mother put up with her father’s cheating for years, and Brooke was determined that history would not repeat itself. A man with money did not equate to happiness. She would put a man who loved only her well ahead of a man who thought buying presents made up for manyindiscretions.
Brooke chuckled. “Yeah, well, last night Robert took me somewhere and we didn’t even have to leave thebed.”
Emily let out a loud laugh. “That good, huh? You didn’t mention anything today about lastnight.”
“Well, I was sort of playing Chase’s private nurse.” Brooke laughed. “I’m just kidding. I’m so happy for him and Anna. I was so honored they asked me to be there for the delivery. I just hope all those sweet angels pull through. I’m worried aboutTwinkle.”
“I can’t believe that baby has a nickname before her real name,” Emilysaid.
“Can’t blame me,” Brooke said with a laugh. “That one’s on Chase. And God help that girl when she grows up. She’ll be twenty-five before he lets her go on adate.”
