Page 81 of Pretend You Love Me
He pulls back just a little.
“Is he forcing you to be here?”
“No.” She’s shaking her head.
He inches slightly further back. I can breathe again.
“Did he help you run away?”
“No. No, James, I just met him.”
“You just met him?” he roars and leans toward me again. I wince.
“Yes, and that’s none of your damn business. Get off him.” She’s pulling his arm again.
James takes a step back. His gaze is going from her to me and back again.
“Brooklyn?” I say. I’m still trying to get my head around this. I’m staring at her.Pleading.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“You didn’t know?” the President asks.
“No.”
No one says a word until we hear another car pull up. A pile of people unloads and rushes our direction.
“What’s happening?”
“Is she okay?”
“What did we miss?”
“She’s fine. What took you so long?” The President calls.
“I’m in a car with two pregnant women. That’s what took me so long. They had to pee like sixteen times.” I recognize this voice as Will Sterling.
Four women and two men rush over to Brooklyn and crowd around her.
“I thought you said she was okay,” one of them says.
“What happened to your face?” one of the pregnant ones asks.
“Oh my god and your arm?” the other pregnant one adds.
Brooklyn waves her arms in the air.
“Stop. Stop. I’m fine. Really. Minor car accident. Little fall.” She continues waving her hand around dismissing the idea that anything bad has happened to her.
“Oh my god, I love your hair,” one of the girls says.
“I’m thinking about keeping it this way,” she answers.
“You should,” one of the angry brothers says.
“Did you do it yourself?” one of the girls asks.
“I did.”
