Page 24 of Coming Unraveled
“It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.”
Leaving her to rest up he moves to leave the room. Just as he closes the door he hears her whisper, and it instantly melts his heart.
“Thank you.”
Chapter Four
IT HAS BEEN A few weeks since Everleigh woke up to the feel of Brooks pressed up against her, his strong chest against her fevered back. She still remembers how safe and taken care of she had felt, until the next morning when he had pulled the rug out from under her. Not that she wanted him in her life, but it should have been her choice, not his.
He had broken the news that he was sought out to host the medical segment on a televised morning show, one she happened to watch every morning and that he wanted her input. She was his wife after all.
It had taken her all of two minutes to decide that this curse was really a blessing in disguise, it was going to give her everything she hoped for, for him to step away. Even though her heart was breaking on the inside, that stupid muscle finally seeming to piece itself together after all these years, but she ignored the ache. Everleigh thanked him once more for taking care of her and, in her typical stubborn fashion, told him to take the job and to forget about her; that he was destined for better things.
He had tried to reason with her, explaining that he cared for her and she cared for him and that all he wanted was the chance to try to make them work; that as much as she pushed him away he was falling for her.
Her words still ring in her mind, echoing in the space her heart had once beat wildly, now a pile of broken shards rests in its place.
“Brooks, I don’t love you, stop wasting your time trying to make something happen that won’t ever work. I’m just a challenge to you and once you have me you’ll go back to your playboy ways. I’m better than that and frankly you disgust me.”
She knew she was being cruel, but she needed him to step away and take the opportunity presented to him. He had stared into her eyes, searching them for the truth and then spun on his heels and left.
Everleigh never received a goodbye and she was alright with that, expected it actually. But the next day, waiting on her front stoop, was a package containing the signed annulment papers and her chest ached that he had finally given up on her.
Every week she tortured herself, watching his segments on the television and DVRing them so she can watch them later. It had become a sick addiction and watching him on television made her realize something she hadn’t yet let herself feel fully. She missed him.
Leaning against the pharmacy counter, listening to Tamara buzz on about how she plans to surprise her boyfriend for their one-year anniversary, she flips through the social media feeds on her phone, following the hashtag for Brooks McCafferty.
The viewers love him, and so does the network. There were already talks of him being offered a permanent position with the network in various roles including one with the sports network since many of his MLB fans craved him to be back in the spotlight.
She is thrilled for him, he always looks happy on the screen when he talks about things parents can do to keep their children from getting sick or at-home remedies that work. Continuing to scroll through her feed and comments, many start to mention a possible relationship with his producer Charleston Rae Vaughn. Not finding any photographs of them together on the site, Everleigh opens another browser tab and types in the woman’s name and her jaw about drops to the floor when the first picture loads. The woman is a knockout. She has the perfect combination of classy and sexy that men love and women envy. Her blonde hair is a shade lighter than Everleigh’s, but her violet eyes pierce through the screen. She can’t imagine any man not becoming enamored with the beautiful woman.
“Shit,” Everleigh sighs tossing her phone back on the counter and running her hand through the loose waves of her hair.
“Is something the matter, Ms. Everleigh?” Tamara asks as she steps around the counter to inspect further.
“Oh, the machine just jammed again. I need to clean out the dispenser,” she lies.
The new robotics arrived two weeks ago and she and Tamara loved the addition, but the maintenance is a pain when the loose powder of the tablets covers a layer of dust on the mirrors and lasers. Luckily, it happens frequently enough that Tamara doesn’t think twice about the problem.
She reaches for the cleansing wipes kept under her counter, but the sound of her phone ringing has her bolting upright, jamming her head against the metal underside of the counter.
“Dammit!” she shouts as she rubs the sensitive spot, cursing more under her breath.
Just as she comes back to herself she grabs her phone just as the ringing stops. But it’s not the lack of ringing that startles her, it’s the name highlighted in the pop-up window as the missed call.
Brooks.
She wonders why he would be calling; they haven’t spoken in seven weeks. Seven long weeks that she has missed seeing his face, and having him try to make her laugh.
Everleigh hesitates at first, not sure if she should return his call, but she knows he wouldn’t contact her unless it is an emergency. Pressing the return call button quickly she listens as the phone rings once before Brooks’ deep voice picks up on the line.
“Brooks?”
“Hey, thank you for calling me back.”
“Sure, it’s no problem,” she says as she tries to pause down the heavy beating of her heart.
He’s silent at first, causing Everleigh to wonder if he has hung up, but as she is about to check her screen his voice sounds on the other end, “I’m sorry, I probably shouldn’t have bothered you, but I wanted to hear you. I miss everyone. I miss home.”
