Page 50 of Coming Unraveled
Cohen and Luke cock their eyebrows in her direction while the other three stop eating mid-bite.
“Good guess,” Tabitha shoots out as she finishes typing on her phone.
Everleigh shrugs her shoulders and then yawns openly before covering her mouth.
“I’m sorry, you’re probably exhausted. Let me take you to the condo. We keep it on hand for, uh, emergencies.”
She didn’t want to know more, but as she steps into the opulent space residing on the top floor of the shingle-sided building and offering her a glorious view of the water, she practically smacks herself for not speaking up.
Her night in the condo should have been spent sleeping in the king-sized bed, but Everleigh finds herself tossing and turning in the bed wishing she had a pair of warm arms wrapped around her. The arms that made her feel safe, secure, and most of all, loved.
Unable to sleep she unplugs her phone, turns it on, and runs an internet search. Hundreds of articles pop up mimicking Rich’s tale of their childhood romance, all painting her as a vindictive bitch, but at the very top of the searches is an article timestamped about two hours ago. This is her statement, her honesty, her secrets for all the world to see.
Powerless to control herself she opens the web document scanning the words before her. The article paints her in a different kind of light than those that sided with Rich. The writer pours Everleigh’s heart and soul into his words and as she continues to scan the article she can feel the power laced into each sentence. This small piece of her, brought forth from heartbreak, causes the blossom of hope to rise. She hadn’t believed her family that speaking the truth would give her a piece of herself back, but it has. She feels like a weight has been lifted off her weary shoulders and she can finally see her life, her dreams, in a new light.
Before closing out the screen, her exhaustion finally taking its toll, she opens up a picture of her and Brooks from outside his work. The picture that spurred the entire situation. Minus all the turmoil that came with letting herself let someone in, she can tell in her body language that Brooks is far more to her than just a man she cares for. Her body craves his closeness, his magnetism, his adoration.
This time away from him may hinder whatever relationship they had begun to build, but Everleigh knows deep within her heart that Brooks will give her this time to heal, this time to repair her soul so that she can love him freely.
As she closes her eyes and finally drifts off to sleep she allows herself to fall into a deep slumber filled with her dreams – her job, her home, a family, and love. All of which center around the man that turned her hate for him to affection and by proving how he would worship her for all eternity. The best kind of dream to have.
***
BROOKS HADN’T BELIEVED THAT he would have to stay in the small community jail cell for longer than a few minutes, but after spending eight hours in the stuffy room he’s about had enough.
“Finally,” he says just as Preston unlocks the barred gate of the room.
“Sorry, man. You know that I didn’t have a choice. Anyway, I hear that we might have a problem on our hands with Rich. And since I need to focus on that I am letting you out.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Outside of being a general jackass,” he says as he hands Brooks back his personal belongings, “he may have some false identities floating around. And unfortunately, that is all I can say at the moment. I’m headed to the hospital to question him now.”
Narrowing his eyes Brooks hopes to use his power of intimidation but the former FBI agent doesn’t budge, he actually seems to smirk at Brook’s expression.
“Fine, I’ll find out from someone. I’m sure Fred or Shirley know, they seem to know everything. I’m going to be at Everleigh’s so if you need me you can find me there.”
With a shocked expression, Preston stares at Brooks with wide eyes. “No one told you?”
With his hand on the door, Brooks opens it wide. “Told me what?”
“She left.”
It took a while longer than Brooks had anticipated, but he is finally able to track down Everleigh’s brothers to ask her where she went. The problem is none of them want to tell him.
At that moment all of the anger, fear, and grief bloom in his chest and he grabs a vase resting idly on a shelf in Austin’s living room and throws it against the wall. The tearing of his shoulder and the searing pain go unnoticed as he lets his emotions travel through his fingertips and out with the object.
Nikki and their infant Grace jump from their place in the kitchen while she fixes up a bottle causing Austin to lash out at him.
The man who isn’t as tall, but has more bulk muscle fists his hand in Brooks’ shirt bringing his attention to him.
“Look, I know you’re upset but you’re scaring my wife and Grace. I suggest you get the fuck out of my house before we both do something we regret.”
Brooks shakes off Austin’s hold and runs his hands through his hair repeatedly, a nervous tick he remembers doing a lot as a child getting tossed back and forth between his parents.
He hasn’t thought of them for a while, his grandmother is the only person that cares about him and his well-being, but his parents and their secrets all too clearly push their way into his thoughts. The nights of not knowing where he was going to sleep seem all too familiar as Everleigh hides away without telling him her whereabouts. He realizes it isn’t rational, but as his emotions simmer on the surface it all seems too real, too similar.
“Please, Austin,” he pleads with his friend. “Just tell me where she is.”
