"Got it," I say, my jaw tightening. "Is that it?"
"Yes. Have a good evening."
She doesn't approve of me. She wants her daughter with some rich guy, even if he treats her like shit.
I'm not going to worry about it. I need to stay focused on why I'm here. I take the elevator up to her floor and knock on the door.
Brook opens it, her eyes widening when she sees me. Didn't her mom tell her I was here? She looks like she just got out of the shower, her hair wrapped up in a towel. Her face is free of makeup and she's wearing an oversized pink t-shirt and black yoga pants. Damn, she's beautiful. Every time I see her, I can't stop staring.
"Dean. What are you doing here?"
I hold up the spaghetti. "I promised you leftovers. I had to bring them to you before Jake ate what was left."
"You took it from Jake?" she asks, sounding horrified that I'd take food from my brother.
"Relax. I left him more than he could eat. He won't go hungry."
She sighs in relief. "Okay. Come on in."
I love that she worries about Jake. It's one of the many things I love about her.
Taking the spaghetti to the kitchen, I set the container down and open the lid. "Can I use your microwave?"
"Dean, forget about the food. Tell me why you're here."
I walk over to her, my heart pounding. "I thought about what you said. About you wanting to be friends and me pushing you away."
"And?" she asks, her eyes bouncing around my face like she's trying to read my expression.
"And...I want more." I take a breath, still unable to believe I'm telling her this but knowing it's what I want.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I want to keep seeing you. Talking to you. Being the one you go to when you need someone."
Her lips creep up. "Are you saying you want to be friends?"
"I think so," I say, breathing hard. "No. I know I do. I want this, Brook. I want what we have to continue."
"What about the other stuff?"
I shrug. "It's up to you. I'm a guy, so yeah, I'm going to say I want that but if you don't, I'm good with that."
"I want it," she says, biting her lip.
"Like right now?"
"No," she says, laughing. "My mom will be back soon. I'm saying I want to keep doing that stuff, even though we're just friends."
"Are you sure about that? Because I'll understand if you want to find someone else. Someone who can commit to more than what I'm offering you."
I want to offer her more. I really do. I'm just not there yet.
"I don't want that," she says. "Not right now. But I do need you to commit to doing this, meaning you'll stop pushing me away when you get scared."
"I'm working on that."
"Then I think we have a deal." She holds her hand out to shake on it.
