Oh, my stars.
Brooks’s eyes land on me just as I process that it’s really him and not a figment of my imagination. His pace slows, and his hello to the table of men is cut short. The corner of his lip curls to the ceiling just enough that I notice it—and enough to set off a cascade of fireworks through my body.
Heat dances up my neck and colors my cheeks. It’s an unfortunate reaction I inherited from my grandma. My core tightens, screaming at me to do something about the unmitigated need it’s held for a little over a year. Since the last time I had sex. Since the last time anyone touched me like that.
“Audrey? Are you listening to me?” Mom asks.
“What?” I yank my attention away from the walking red flag and focus on my tea as if it’s the most interesting thing in the world. “I apologize. What were you saying?”
I struggle to keep my focus on her and not the man whose attention is heavy on me from across the room. It’s playful and teasing, but also intense. Nothing my mother says could be as interesting as Brooks Dempsey.
“Darling girl, please pay attention,” she says, sighing in displeasure. “We’re celebrating your father’s birthday next weekend. I’ll have Helena send you all the information. It’s going to be fantastic, and you will, of course, need to be here.”
It’s like she knew she couldn’t be as interesting as Brooks, so she decided to play dirty.
My heart sinks in this rotten place of gratitude and guilt. Of course, I want to be there for my father. I love him. But the way my mother approaches these things—the expectation as if I have no life of my own—makes me not want to go at all.
And a week’s notice? How long has she known about this and didn’t think to tell me so I could add it to my schedule?
“Of course, I’ll be there,” I say, forcing a smile even though she can’t see it. It just makes me feel less angry.
“It’ll be at the club. I’ve been trying to organize it while I do a million other things, but it’s coming together beautifully. Lilah Lemons is helping me—she’s such a doll. I know you didn’t hit it off with her son, Lewis, but he’ll be there, too. She said he was delighted to receive an invitation.”
If she had slapped me across the face, I’d be less surprised. “Mother …”
“Oh, darn. I forgot to ask your brother for Seth Cranton’s contact information. He and his wife are new clients of your father’s, so I know he’d want them to come. Hopefully, they can squeeze this in at the last minute. I know how busy they are building a business and starting a family.”
I rest my forehead against my palm.Could this be any worse?
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll call Andrew this evening and get Seth’s information,” Mom says. “I need to be going, Audrey. Behave, and be safe, sweetheart. I love you to the moon and back.”
“I love you,” I say, exhaling sadly. “Bye, Mom.”
She ends the call before I can say anything else.
I take a deep breath and set my phone on the table face down, wishing I hadn’t answered her call ... and hating that I feel that way more often than not.
“Hey, Doc.”
My attention whips to the side of the table, leaving all thoughts of my family in the dust.
Brooks smiles down at me. His unruly hair looks as if he’s combed his hands through it all day. Stubble covers his sharp jawline and throat, and I’d give my right arm to feel it scratch across my flesh.
His smile twists into a smirk as if he can read my mind.
“Oh,” I say, trying to knock the haze out of my brain. “Hey, Brooks.”
“How’s it going?”
“It’s … going.” I smile on the outside, but on the inside, I wince.So not cool, Audrey.“How are you?”
He licks his lips. “My day seems to get better as it goes.”
“That’s better than the alternative.”
“Everything okay?” he asks, pulling his brows together. “That call looked intense.”
I glance down at my phone. “Just family stuff. You know how it goes.”
