“It doesn’t have to be this way. We can work this out. You want the life we planned. I know you do. I got you that board seat. I can give you the family you want.”
“I want a wife who cares about me. I want a family that supports and loves each other. A woman who puts me first when I need it. That woman is and will always be Brooke.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Stop telling me what I want and what I mean. I’ve made it perfectly clear. I’m hers. I was always hers. I will always be hers.”
Tears fell over Kristi’s pale cheeks. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. Let me make it right.”
Cody shook his head. “She needs rest. She needs time to heal. She needs a little fucking compassion. She needs to have her daughter with her!” he roared.
She clasped her hands tightly together in front of her. “I’m sorry, Cody. I’m so sorry.”
Cody never raised his voice or shouted. At least now he had her attention.
“Cody. Give Brooke her daughter back,” Susanne said from behind him.
Cody turned away from Kristi and carefully took the silver vessel from Susanne. He kneeled next to Brooke, wondering how long she’d been awake and how much she’d heard. Tears slipped out the side of her closed eyes. Gently brushing them away, he spoke quietly to her. “Brooke, honey. Look at me, baby.”
“I can’t. I hit you. I y-yelled at you. I accused y-you. I’m s-sorry.” Her lips trembled and the tears flowed.
“Brooke, baby. Come on. Look at me. It’s okay.”
She finally opened her eyes.
He held up their daughter. “Here she is. She’s right here.” He put her on Brooke’s stomach and pressed both of Brooke’s hands over her. “You’ve got her now.”
Brooke placed her hand on Cody’s stinging cheek. “I’m sorry I hit you. I’m so sorry, Cody.” She squeezed her eyes closed and cried harder.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m fine. You’re the one who’s hurt. Sshh. Baby, I’m okay.” The harder she cried, the harder he tried to convince her. Finally, he kissed her. He fit his mouth over hers and kissed her again and again, until she realized he was insisting she kiss him back. When she did, he softened the kiss and let his lips linger over hers. He pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head no. “I hurt. My foot and arms, they’re killing me.”
“I bet. What the hell were you thinking running down the stairs on that leg like that? You could have fallen and cracked your skull open.”
Her watery eyes pleaded with him to understand. “I wanted her back.”
He brushed a kiss on her soft lips, then on her nose. “I know you did, sweetheart. I’m sorry she wasn’t where you left her. I’m going to fix things right now. I promise.”
Susanne cleared her throat to get Cody’s attention. “Maybe we should get her upstairs before you and Kristi finish your talk.” Susanne glared at Kristi as she stood there with tears in her eyes, staring at Cody leaning over Brooke.
Cody had other ideas. “I think Brooke deserves to hear this.” He stood and turned to Kristi. “I’ll never forgive you for doing this to her. I hope that whenever you do have a child you look at him every day and think about Brooke and the fact she doesn’t have her daughter. I hope you look at your child and remember you took Brooke’s daughter away from her for spite and to manipulate me.”
“Cody. No. Don’t do this.”
He shook his head, trying to figure out how Kristi had turned into someone he didn’t recognize anymore. “I wanted us to talk about this privately. I thought we could sit down the night I found out Brooke lost the baby and she was attacked and I could make you understand why I couldn’t marry you.”
She gasped. Maybe Brooke did, too, but he stayed focused on Kristi, who’d gone even paler. “You were going to dump me that night?”
“I had made the decision to end things days before that, but had to wait until your schedule cleared to meet with you.”
“No.” Kristi shook her head, in complete denial.
“I wanted to take the time to make you understand it wasn’t that I didn’t love you, but that Icouldn’tlove you. I love Brooke. I always have. How could I love someone else? You? When I love her with my whole heart, but have been too stupid to see what was in front of me all this time?
“I thought we could end things amicably. I thought you’d understand now that I’ve lost my daughter, and it’s tearing me up inside. I thought you’d have a little compassion and understanding for what happened to Brooke, and you’d see it’s made me realize I belong to her, with her. I thought you’d bowout gracefully, and the good times we shared together would allow you to wish me well. But then, you had to pull this stunt.
“So, here’s the deal. The phone call I was finishing was with my assistant. She spent the morning contacting the caterer, the florist, the band, everyone. It’s all been canceled. I paid whatever it cost to stop all of it. Every single guest will receive an overnight delivery note telling them the wedding has been canceled. I was going to offer to go with you to your parents’ home and explain. At this point, I don’t care what the hell you tell them. Your behavior is deplorable. If you do anything further to hurt Brooke, I’ll tell everyone who’ll listen you purposely got pregnant to trap me into marrying you.”
