The waitress turns and scurries off, offering her goods to some of the other guests milling about, and I feel Brookes’ eyes on me. I look up and meet his curious gaze with a casual smile.
“You could have said yes,” he says. “It doesn’t bother me if you drink around me.”
“Oh…” I shrug a shoulder. “I-I don’t drink.”
He balks, looking at me incredulously, like I’m lying. “You don’t?”
I shake my head. “I mean, I can. Ihave.” My stomach knots at the thought, and I swallow hard, forcing a smile as I say, “But I just… I choose not to.”
Brookes quirks a brow, studying my face, and I can tell he’s suspicious. “Why?”
“I just… I-I don’t like the way it makes me feel. I…” Trailing off, I try to ignore the pinch in the back of my neck, try to ignore the way my heart starts to race, try to blink away the darkness that seeps in around the edges of my consciousness, threatening to take away the light at any moment.
“Hey?”
Sucking in a soft gasp, I snap my head up to find Brookes right in front of me, a crease of concern burrowing between his eyebrows, eyes blazing down at me. His big hand gently cups my cheek, forcing my eyes to his, and I blink hard, releasing a shuddering breath. Thankfully, before he can question me any further, we’re interrupted.
“Brookes!”
Brookes’ stare remains entirely focused on me, unwavering, as if he’s trying to get a glimpse inside my head. I break first, turning around and finding a man and a woman smiling from me to Brookes.
“Doctor Stephens,” Brookes says behind me, holding his hand out.
“Thank you so much for coming tonight.” The man, Doctor Stephens, shakes Brookes’ hand with fervor.
Brookes turns to me. “Doctor Stephens is the head of… neurology at the children’s hospital.” He glances back at the doctor with a wry smirk. “Did I get that right, Doc?”
“Close enough.” The doctor chuckles, looking at me while still holding Brookes’ hand. “Because of this man’s donation, we’ll be able to get another MRI machine installed at the hospital. It’s going to save lives, Brookes.”
My smile is wide and proud.
“Anything I can do to help,” Brookes says with a tight, slightly awkward grin, and I can tell he isn’t comfortable with the praise. I can’t help but wonder why Blake would intentionally out Brookes’ donation when Brookes explicitly wanted to remain anonymous. Clearly, he doesn’t appreciate the attention. It makes me curious as to what else Blake may have done against Brookes’ wishes.
When the doctor and his wife walk away, and it’s just the two of us again, I look up at Brookes with a mischievous smile, one that causes his brow to quirk.
“What…” he asks, dragging out the word.
“Truth or dare?”
Brookes deadpans. “Here? Really?”
I nod and, with a casual shrug I say, “It’s the rules.”
He scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Truth.”
I cock my head to the side, unimpressed. “Don’t be boring…”
He huffs a laugh and shakes his head at me, but then, he relents. “Fine, dare.”
“I dare you to tell the next person you talk to what color undies you’re wearing.”
Brookes rears back with a guffaw. “What?”
A few people nearby turn at the sound of his exasperation, and I can’t help but giggle.
Lowering his voice, he leans in and says with a cocky grin, “What if I’m not wearing any, huh?”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “Hey, no judgement here, but a dare’s a dare.”
