She walked out of the room, devastated to her very soul, throbbing with a pain she’d carry with her the rest of her days.
She’d thought last night was a new beginning for them.
This morning proved it had just been a going-away party for their friendship.
She'd never watch him marry Kristi and have a family with her.
Just her luck she didn’t get away clean. Her mom walked out of the dining room and called out to her. “Darling, come, join me for breakfast.”
Brooke sucked back the tears and headed for the front door without stopping. She needed to get away before she fell apart right here in the foyer and crumpled into a ball of misery.
“Sorry, Mom. I’ve got plans with a friend in town. I’ll be back late. Don’t wait up.” She snagged the keys to the ranch truck and her purse off the entry table where she’d left them and walked out without looking back.
She closed the door and came up short in front of an equally surprised delivery man carrying a gold box.
“Brooke Banks?”
“Yes.” She reached for her purse, hoping she had some cash.
The delivery guy held out the flower box. “Don’t worry about it. The tip’s taken care of.”
“Um, thank you.” She had no idea who would send her flowers. Right now, she didn’t care. She needed to get out of here.
She followed the delivery guy out to the driveway, opened the truck door, tossed the box on the seat next to her, gave in to curiosity, and opened it.
A dozen red roses. Gorgeous. Their heady scent quickly filled the truck cab.
She pulled out the card and read the note.
You made last night remarkable.
Had Cody sent these?
Who else would do it?
She burst into tears, tossed the card back in the box, smashed the lid down on top of it, started the truck. She tried to drive away from her memories and all the hurt but they just went with her.
Chapter Twenty-One
The front door closed with a clack, breaking Cody out of the trance he’d fallen into the second Brooke said Kristi was his future, which sounded too much like goodbye.
She had to understand. He wanted his baby to have a mom and a dad under the same roof, not a fractured family like he grew up in. Like Brooke had growing up, too.
His gaze found Susanne’s confused one as she stared at him from the living room. Then her eyes and expression turned to one of understanding. She knew he’d never hurt Brooke on purpose. That didn’t mean he hadn’t inadvertently upset her over the years she’d chased after him.
Susanne gave him afix itlook, then turned and walked back to the dining room.
He didn’t think he could ever repair Brooke’s broken heart, or his own. Not after this.
He’d thought everything had changed last night. He’d woken up this morning thinking he’d started a new chapter in his lifewith a woman who had become so much more than his best friend and lover.
Brooke was perfect for him in so many ways, he couldn’t count them all.
In one night he’d had her and lost her.
His throat clogged and his heart hurt with every beat against his tight ribs, demanding he not do this and lose the one good thing he’d had in his life. The one thing he’d had and swore he’d never let go.
He’d never felt anything close to what he felt for Brooke with Kristi, but Kristi was pregnant, and she and his child needed his promises now.
