My eyes widen. “I-I mean, I know he drinks a lot but… an addict?”
Happy nods. “I could tell the moment I met him at Ned’s. I’ve seen it before.”
His tone is sad, a little defeated. And I fold my arms across my chest, suddenly feeling really bad for not noticing. “Jaredand Patrick are in the middle of serious damage control with the SNN execs, and Brookes’s manager, Cam, flew in, and he’s trying to put out a thousand fires…” I heave a sigh. “I’ve just been sitting with Brookes, making sure he’s okay. But… he’s not talking. I don’t really know what else I’m supposed to do.”
“Mind if I try talking to him?” Happy asks.
“You?” I quirk a brow.
He nods, flashing me a smirk. “Do I need to remind you who my father is?”
It’s then that I realize Happy Slater is probably the best person to be here right now; Jonny Slater battled drug and alcohol addiction publicly for years, and I know he’s been sober for a long time. If Brookes really does have a problem, then maybe Happy will be the one to get him to admit it.
“Let me grab Patrick,” I say. “You’ll need to sign an NDA.”
Happy nods like it’s no big deal, like I assumed he would, and I turn, heading for the dining room.
With some gentle coaxing, Brookes agreed to talk with Happy.OnlyHappy. The two of them went out onto the patio, and they’ve been out there almost forty minutes. I chose to sit in the dining room with the men while they continued their damage control. And while I pretended to work on my laptop, I’ve been sneaking the occasional glance out through the French doors, trying hard not to appear too obvious, but each time I’ve been caught by either Happy or Brookes or both. I was, however, relieved to see that both men were smiling. At one point, Brookes was even laughing, head thrown back, full belly-laugh laughing, so I know that whatever they’re talking about can’t be all bad.
“So?”
I startle, spinning my head away from the direction of thepatio, surprised to see Patrick suddenly seated right beside me, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.
“What’s this all about, huh?” He arches a brow, nodding his head in the direction of where Happy is outside.
I square my shoulders, averting my eyes to my laptop. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, gee, I don’t know.” Patrick scoffs. “Maybe the big hulking hockey player currently sitting outside with Brookes Devereaux.”
I roll my eyes, shrugging a nonchalant shoulder. “He plays on my dad’s team. We’re… friends.” Even I almost laugh at that.
“Friends?” Patrick’s question is laced with doubt, and I know he’s smiling without even looking at him.
I flash him an unimpressed glance, but thankfully before he can interrogate me any further, we’re interrupted by the French doors opening, Brookes walking in with his head bowed, followed by Happy.
Everyone stands. My eyes flit to Happy to find him looking at me. I quirk a questioning brow, but he shakes his head just once, looking at Brookes.
“Brookes?” Cam speaks, stepping forward.
Brookes lifts his head, his eyes glassy like he’s on the verge of tears. And honestly my heart hurts for the guy because the turmoil in his gaze is heavy, and I can tell whatever is going on has been going on for a long time. Pain is at its most unbearable the longer a person tries to hide it; I can only imagine how hard this is for him.
“So, it’s probably not a shock to anyone,” Brookes says, looking around at everyone in the room until his bloodshot eyes land on me. “But… I-I have a drinking problem.”
I offer him a sad smile.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Brookes takes a deep breath, and, shocking us all, he continues with something I don’t think any of us were expecting. “I’m also addicted to… um, Oxy.”
The room falls deathly silent, stifling with tension, to thepoint it’s almost painful. I glance at Happy as he places a supportive hand on Brookes’s shoulder with a murmured, “Proud of you, man.”
Brookes continues, his voice raw. “It started when I tore my rotator cuff. The doctor gave me pills to manage the post-surgery pain, and I…” He shrugs his shoulders. “It got a little out of hand.”
His gaze zeroes on Cam, looking at him like a little boy looking to his father for approval, afraid that he’s let him down, instead of a grown man at his most vulnerable, looking to his manager for help he’s desperate for. And it feels like an eternity before anyone makes a move, my stomach in my ass before finally, Cam steps forward and wraps first one arm and then the other around Brookes, holding him tight, and it’s only then that I feel tears threatening to break my composure.
Clearing my throat, I turn away and leave the room, feeling like Brookes and Cam might need a moment. Thankfully, Patrick, Jared, and Happy follow.
“What’d he say to you?” Jared asks Happy quietly.
Happy shakes his head. “No offense, my guy, but that’s really none of your business.”
