Chapter Nineteen:
Nate hadn’t exaggerated when he said they were just going to the pub right down the street. After Brooke had re-buttoned and re-tucked in her shirt, re-tied her shoes, and washed her face, she and Nate had walked down the block until they were ducking into a pub that she probably never would have noticed if Nate hadn’t stopped at the door.
“How did you leave so soon after us?” Brooke asked as they stepped inside.
Nate grinned.“A very fortunate, very well timed Danny.”
A cheer went up from the other side of the bar as they stepped inside, past the little entrance alcove. It was too small to be considered an entryway or a lobby, it was just a dark, cramped foyer that then opened up to the rest of the bar. Unlike the night before at Mel’s bachelorette party, where her bridesmaids and guests were all done up to the nines, Nate’s group of friends were mainly wearing jeans and T-shirts. As they approached the group, Brooke recognized all but two of them from the rehearsal dinner, which meant they had all gone home, changed into casual clothes, and then come back out.
She let out one tiny laugh. Nate had grown up in a life of luxury and excess to the point that a rehearsal dinner like tonight didn’t phase him and yet, left to his own devices he was the most unlike her parents. She both loved and envied him for it. She had run away from it, but still subscribed to it. He on the other hand had never left, he had lived in practically the same exact neighborhood, and yet it had never phased him.
“B,” Nate said, excitement lacing his voice.“These are my friends. Guys, this is my big sister, Brooke.”
Brooke had met most of them earlier in the evening, either as they were trickling into the rehearsal dinner or at the table Jasmine had managed to facilitate, but being introduced to them by Nate as his big sister, feeling the energy radiating off him as he practically bounced on the balls of his feet was incredible. Brooke wasn’t particularly good in group settings like this, she tended to fade to the background, she had found over the past few days that Anna really helped bridge that gap. She was friendly and constantly excited, and she was the type of person who was just genuinely curious about every single person she met. It made it really easy for Brooke to sit back, watch and insert witty or clever dialogue when the opportunity had presented itself, but now, now she was smiling shyly at eight guys who Nate was clearly thrilled she was getting to meet.
She did her best to do what Anna would do if she had come along. She forced her smile a little wider.“Hi, I’m Brooke. I think I met most of you tonight, but for those of you who I didn’t get to say hello to, it’s nice to meet you.”
One of the guys who had definitely been sitting at the table with them, leaned over to talk to another one of their friends.“Danny, her girlfriend is a total smoke show.”
Brooke blushed, it wasn’t in her nature to approve of or condone people complimenting others on something they had no control over like looks, it was generally reductive, and usually fairly sexist or agist, but she couldn’t help agreeing with the guy.
The guy who had complimented Anna’s looks, passed Brooke and Nate beers and held his up.“To the Kent siblings for somehow landing the hottest chicks.”
Nate cracked up at that, and glanced at Brooke, clearly nervous at how his friend would be received. Brooke just let out a laugh and held her drink up, too.“I’ll cheers to that. I know we’re cute, Nate, but they are definitely out of our league.”
If you looked up the word joy in the dictionary, Nate’s smile at that exact moment would be the photo.
Brooke felt her cellphone buzz against her chest. After drinking to Nate’s friend’s ridiculous toast, she dug her phone out of her pocket.
Anna Fourchette (11:57 pm):
Hi :)
Brooke Kent (11:57 pm):
Hello, Darling. :)
“You two are so cute. I am sorry by the way,” Nate added, nudging Brooke with his shoulder as he nodded at her phone.
Brooke blushed. She really didn’t want to discuss the fact that her little brother definitely interrupted…what it is that he interrupted.“It’s fine, Nate. I promise.”
“I know, but vacation sex just hits different.” He chuckled and took another massive gulp of his beer.
Brooke's face crinkled with disbelief.“No, nope. Not happening.”
“What’s not happening?” One of Nate’s friends asked. Brooke was fairly certain his name was Martin or Marcus, something akin to that.
“Brooke is really struggling to wrap her mind around the fact that I’m an adult who has sex. She’s also struggling because I definitely just cock blocked the shit out of her.” Nate laughed for real about that.“Let me buy you a beer to make it up to you?”
Brooke could feel herself scowl.
“Fine, one to make it up to you for that, and two more for telling my friends.” Nate held his hands up in surrender.
Brooke just sighed.“It’s really fine, Nate. It was just…” She bit her bottom lip, not wanting to spill their secret, or really share too much of Anna’s business anyways. She decided to settle on something it was clear all the guys who had seen it could agree with, as beneath Brooke Kent as it was.“I had never seen her in that dress before. And that was a really good dress.”
One of Nate’s friends wrapped his arm around Brooke's shoulders and shook her playfully.“That was a really fucking good dress.”
Anna Fourchette (12:01 am):
