Page 59 of Coming Unraveled
With a gentle hand, he walks her around the side of the car and helps her slide into the passenger seat. Moving around the outside of the car Brooks tries to steel his emotions, not letting her see the fear in his eyes. The fear of not having her.
Slouching into the driver’s seat Brooks turns over the engine and then looks over at Everleigh. “So where is this museum you mentioned?”
He’s rewarded with a bright grin, as she directs him towards the Roanoke Maritime Museum along the water.
The museum is pretty empty when they arrive so they walk around the space with a bit more enthusiasm than most adults. Heck, Brooks hasn’t had this much fun in years.
Towards the end of the tour, he snags his phone from his pocket and surprises Everleigh with a kiss on the cheek while he snaps a photo. And, not to be outdone, she grabs his cheeks in both of her small hands and pulls his head down to meet hers, crashing their mouths together. He snaps a second photo of them, then tucks his phone back into his pocket, never breaking their kiss.
His arm curls around her waist, pulling her closer to him, melding their bodies, while his other snakes into her hair, those sweet sleek strands wrapping around his fingers. He doesn’t fight her for control, he lets her pour herself into the kiss; cleanse her mind of everything but the two of them.
A cough sounds behind them and they pull apart to find a worker eyeing them in amusement.
“Sorry, we have a school coming in for a tour so we needed to check out all the areas.”
“We were just heading out,” Brooks explains as he grabs her hand and rushes her through the large glass doors.
They hold in their laughter until they reach the opening of the pavilion.
Everleigh mumbles something about high schoolers while he gazes out over the ocean, mesmerized by the view before him, the harshness of the waves breaking on top of the water, but the softness of the ripples cresting on the sand.
“I love this spot,” she admits as she scoots close to him, wrapping her arm around his waist, and he gently places his arm over her shoulders.
“It’s gorgeous.”
“Could you imagine have a wedding here? I bet it’s magical at sunset.”
Brooks gazes down at her, taking in her soft expression as she visualizes the moment before her. He can imagine her wearing an ivory colored gown, something of silk and lace, delicate and strong at the same time. He can see her standing along the shoreline amidst the sand and brush, vowing to love him for eternity.
“I bet. It’s every little girl's dream,” he jokes.
“Shush.”
“But, I mean, it’s no Vegas.”
He feels her shake in his arms, giggling as she says, “It would be nice if I actually remembered any of it.”
“Well,” he begins as he turns her into his arms and rests back against the railings of the pavilion, cradling her body between his legs. “There was no Elvis, but instead we had a cute older couple in their seventies that wanted to share their love with the world. They’ve been married fifty-five years. Anyway, you wore that beautiful pale pink dress from Sydney’s wedding and I remember as you walked down the aisle that I had never seen someone so breathtakingly beautiful before in my life.
When you reached me, you told me how handsome I looked, naturally. We exchanged the traditional vows and five minutes later we were husband and wife. The couple going after us was our witnesses, by the way.
There is a picture, you know. They sent it a few weeks later. You looked just as stunning as I remember. I only have one regret from that night.”
“What’s that?”
He leans forward and presses a kiss to her forehead, savoring in the way she lightly sighs at his touch.
“I wish that my grandmother and your family had been there.”
“I wish that I could remember, maybe that’s why it doesn’t feel real.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I am too. And Brooks, you should still consider the annulment, there is still time. I think this job could be the best thing to happen to you and your career. You’d be able to give people important medical knowledge and follow your favorite sport. It’s the chance of a lifetime.”
All Brooks can think is that she is the best thing to happen to him and he refuses to let her slip through his fingers. It would be a blessing if Charleston could figure out a way to get him out of the contract, knowing that these additions weren’t part of the plan. Either way, he didn’t plan on breaking his marriage to Everleigh, he’d figure out something. His grandmother always said he was scrappy and smart; maybe it is his chance to prove it.
Putting an end to the subject at hand Brooks kisses her once more before leading her back to the car.
