Susanne nodded and gave him one of those smiles mothers give their children when they understand far more than what’s been said.
He frowned as he left the room with his hands stuffed in his pockets. When he passed Brooke’s room, he refused to look in. He didn’t need to. Her memory was everywhere in this damn house and stamped on his mind and heart.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Cody spent the evening attending a dinner party and trying to stay in the moment and not think about Brooke and the trouble at her school. He had to live his very hectic life and keep the promises he’d made to Kristi, while working toward partner at his law firm and keeping on top of his board responsibilities.
Brooke had her own life, a life separate and different than the one he lived.
Shifting his focus to his fiancée, he took in how pretty she looked tonight. Beautiful in a navy-blue gown, her golden hair shone bright, and her eyes were blue as the sky. She spoke to a group of people and laughed. The sound made him feel a little lighter. He liked seeing her this way, relaxed and engaging with everyone in the room. She fit in perfectly.
Their lives would be like this from now on.
If he felt like something was missing all the time, he ignored it. He had to.
But…
This was the closest he’d been to Brooke in months. The university wasn’t that far from tonight’s party. He and Kristi would spend the night in the city. In the morning, he could let Kristi sleep in while he went to see Brooke. Check on her. Make sure she was doing okay. See her. Look at her. Talk to her. Hear her voice.
She doesn’t want to see you. You closed that chapter, and Brooke burned the book.
Still, Susanne would appreciate it if he checked in with Brooke and made sure her studies were going well. He’d make sure she didn’t need anything. Whatever trouble was happening on campus, he wanted to know it hadn’t touched her.
He hoped it wasn’t one of her friends who had been attacked.
He could swing by Brooke’s dorm. Just for a minute. That’s all he needed. He’d feel better if he saw her.
You made your choice, and it’s what’s best for everyone. Seeing her isn’t going to change anything.
It would cause a fight between him and Kristi.
Most of the time when he thought back on all that happened, he wondered how it all turned to shit and realigned into this new life, where he didn’t have his best friend anymore. Where the woman beside him was good enough, but not quite perfect.
He knew that wasn’t fair to Kristi. She’d done nothing wrong.
Well, except somehow the pill didn’t work, she'd waited weeks to find out she was pregnant, and she’d neglected to tell him about the miscarriage when it happened. He knew there were reasons, but sometimes he wondered if they mattered and if things could have been different if only…
Yeah. If only.
Kristi broke away from the group she was talking with and headed for him with a smile on her face. When she reached him, she gave him a quick kiss, and put her hands on his chest. “Enjoying yourself, honey?”
“It’s a great party.” Cody took a sip of his drink. He rubbed his hand up her arm to her shoulder just to touch her. Kristi was here. Brooke was living her own life. She didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t want to see him. She had someone else. All he had with her was the possibility that he’d see her later.
“They’re about to serve dinner. Let’s take our seats.”
Cody escorted her to their table.
Kristi smiled, pleased they were at the head table with the benefit organizers, one of whom served on the board at the children’s hospital with him and made sure he and Kristi were at his table. It spoke to the position and standing Cody held within the community and state now.
Mrs. Ireson was the wife of a very prominent judge, and one of the ladies responsible for organizing tonight’s dinner. She leaned into Kristi. “You’re marrying one of the most eligible bachelors in the state.”
Cody rolled his eyes at that flirtatious announcement.
Mrs. Ireson waved her hand at him. “You know it’s true. Most of these people will either attend your wedding or wish they had been invited.”
Kristi shone with the attention.
Cody couldn’t care less.
