Another garbled sound of relief escaped my lips.
“So, what were you doing for hours hunched over your computer?”
I was quiet for a moment.
“Freckles?”
“If I say it out loud it becomes real,” I said. “And it might be the most insane thing I’ve ever thought of. But the idea kind of slammed into me today and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”
“And you don’t want to tell me until you’re sure.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to tell you because I haven’t even told my friends yet and if I tell you first . . .”
“What?”
I looked at him over my shoulder. “It means . . . I don’t know what it means.”
“It means things are changing,” he said quietly. “And you’re not sure you want them to.”
I swallowed. “Things have already changed. Hadley and Salem . . . they might tell me and Wyn things, but we’re not the first ones they tell now. Because they have Declan and Cas.”
“I’ll listen,” he said. “And I won’t say anything. Not unless you want me to.”
“I can hardly keep it to myself.” I bit my lip. “You’ll really listen?”
He nodded.
“Okay,” I whispered, turning back around. “I’ll tell you, but only if you keep massaging me.”
He squeezed my shoulders.
And then I told him my dream.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Apartment
I tried to explain everything in linear fashion, but eventually my excitement overwhelmed me. As I spoke, more and more ideas for my plan evolved.
Eventually, I turned and looked at him. I wanted to see his face and gauge his expression. Glean any sort of truth about how he felt about my crazy idea.
I exhausted all my words and ended on a gasp, like I’d been running a marathon and had finally made it to the finish line.
Brooks didn’t say anything for a long time. He just stared at me with those whiskey-colored eyes.
My excitement dimmed. “You hate the idea. You think it’s stupid.”
He shook his head slowly.
“Then say something,” I said with exasperation. “I know I haven’t thought out a true business plan, and I will, but rightnow, I’m going on intuition. And I think it could be really wonderful. Not just for me, but for the town.”
“I think it’s a genius idea,” he said.
I froze. “You do?”
“Yes. I think you found something you’ll love, and I think you found something the town will love. Not just love. Need. I think you and the town need this.”
He lifted my hands in his and kissed my knuckles. “I think it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. If you need my help, you let me know. Yeah?”
