This whole day had been too much. Canceling one wedding. Deciding on another. Trying to help bring Brooke out of her funk and spend some time outdoors and not hiding in bed.
Kristi.
He really couldn’t believe she’d admitted to getting pregnant on purpose. And that despicable stunt she pulled with Brooke.
When would they finally have some peace?
Chapter Fifteen
The strain on Dr. Nash’s face mirrored Cody’s when they met in his office.
“It’s easy to see the toll Brooke’s condition is taking on you. You need to take care of yourself, too.”
Cody didn’t respond. Brooke was and would always be his priority now.
“She’s okay, Cody,” Dr. Nash added.
Cody leaned back in his chair, turning his face up to the ceiling. Nash had been his doctor for a number of years. Cody had a lot of respect for the man. He found him easy to talk to and always ready to listen. When he’d decided to bring Brooke home, he knew Dr. Nash would take care of her with the empathy Brooke needed.
She needed more than her wounds tended to; she needed someone to understand all she’d been through.
“Is she?” Cody didn’t think so.
Dr. Nash took a seat and sighed heavily. “I’ve treated a lot of patients, many of them hurt worse than Brooke. Sometimes it isn’t the physical injuries that hurt the most.” He stretched his neck, then settled again. “I fixed the cuts on her arms. Most of them are healing well. I took the stitches out of a couple and fixed the stitches on a few others. Janie helped me with some ice packs for the swelling in her arms and her ankle. Her broken wrist hurt her the most. She really banged it up good.”
“She was upset. She pounded on me with every bit of strength she had.” He had a couple bruises blooming on his chest.
“I didn’t want to ask her about what happened.” He eyed Cody, coaxing him to open up without pushing.
“She couldn’t find our daughter’s ashes. She thought I took her away from her.” Cody ran a hand over his tight neck muscles and stared at the doctor. “She needs to talk to someone about what happened. Do you think it would be better for her to be somewhere other than the ranch? She’s so lost and sad and…” He didn’t know how to finish explaining how desolate Brooke could be at times.
“I think she needs to be here with her mom and you. I saw the way you kissed her. It’s in the way you look at her. You’re in love with her.”
A statement of fact Cody didn’t have to answer, but he did. “Yes. I love her.”
“I thought you were getting married soon.”
“I called it off. I love Brooke. I’m going to marry her.”
“I see. That sounds…complicated.”
“It’s really not. And I don’t give a shit about what people think.”
Dr. Nash nodded with another quirky half smile. “What does it really matter if her mom married your dad? That was their love story. This is yours.”
Cody had to agree. “We’re family, but not blood. And the way we were when we were younger isn’t how we are with each other now. We’ve both grown and changed. The closeness we share turned into more. I think even Brooke would say the crush she had on me changed into something deeper after she went away to college and she matured.”
“That’s what happens, right? We grow into ourselves with our experiences.”
“Exactly. So who’s to judge us for turning our amazing friendship into something more?”
“Not me. But some will.”
“I only care about what she thinks and feels.”
Dr. Nash motioned with his head. “Is that her ring?”
Cody glared at the diamond solitaire sitting on his desk. Even the sight of it set his blood to boil. It should have been Brooke’s ring. “No. That one I gave to Kristi. If there was a volcano nearby, I’d toss it in.”
