Page 7 of Beautifully Used
I stepped over to the granite counter and pulled a mug down from the cupboard. This kitchen had everything. A matching center island took up the middle, complete with a little vegetable sink and storage cupboards under it. It was big enough for four people to sit at comfortably while still leaving room for someone to do some food prep. Pouring coffee into the cup, I decided I’d try to have a civilized conversation with Brodie. “Is Jackson going to be okay?”
“Sure, I imagine it might take him the entire day.” He laughed and spooned a strawberry into his mouth. He chewed it and swallowed, then added, “But he’ll recover. He doesn’t usually drink that much, so his system wasn’t ready for the type of abuse he gave it last night.”
“Why do guys do that?”
“Party?”
“Not just party, but party like it’s the last time they’ll ever get to. Just because he’s getting married doesn’t mean he can’t still hang with his friends.”
He stared at me for a few seconds, then said, “I guess, not all women think like that.”
“Well, he wants to marry Lena, right?”
“Yeah, I’m positive.”
“Then why did he need to get so drunk?”
He shrugged. “Tradition, I guess.”
“Well, it’s a stupid one if you ask me.”
Lena came walking in just then. “Hey, you two. I’m going to need some help today. We don’t have tables ordered yet, and Jackson and I were supposed to go pick out what we wanted for the table decorations later, but he’s in no shape to go anywhere. What did you do to him last night, Brodie?”
“Me? I didn’t force-feed him those drinks. He was doing fine until everyone started buying him shots. Knowing Jackson, he probably drank them so he wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feelings by not accepting their offer.”
“Yeah, that sounds like him.”
“It was too late by the time I even realized he was smashed. He stopped drinking though, after the ah … well, never mind, that’s privileged information.”
Lena rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to know anyway. I have complete trust in Jackson.”
Brodie laughed. “You don’t have anything to worry about, little sis.”
“I think I like that.”
“What? The nothing to worry about or the little sis?” he asked.
“Both.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
Brodie glanced at me briefly before averting his eyes back to his bowl of strawberries.
“Anyway, since Jackson needs to sleep it off, can you take Gabby into town to look at table decorations for me?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if I go order the tables?” Brodie asked. “I don’t know anything about decorations.”
“Gabby knows what I like, and you know what Jackson likes, so I’m sure whatever you two pick out will be awesome. I’d go, but I need to meet with the photographer, which is right next door to the place where we are renting the tables, so it makes sense for me to go for them. Oh, and Gabby, I’ll need you to go with me tomorrow when I pick up my dress. Your dress is supposed to be in and ready for you to try on.”
“I can do that,” I said and looked at Brodie, wondering if he was going to brood about having to take me across town today, or if he would be civilized and maybe try to hold a conversation with me. It would be nice if we could get along and try to get to know each other better, considering we’d be forced to spend so much time together over the next couple of weeks.
“Brodie?” Lena prompted him for an answer and he raised his eyes from his cereal bowl.
As his eyes met mine, he shrugged. “Yeah, whatever.”
Great. This was going to be such a fun day. Not. I took my coffee and headed to the room I’d slept in to shower and change for my unexpected, possibly even torturous excursion with Brodie.
Chapter 7
Brodie
