Brooklyn
Idon’t look back as I slam Tyler’s front door and march to my SUV, throwing it in reverse and spitting gravel as I take off back down the long driveway.
I didn’t force him into this. In fact, I gave him an out this morning. Sure, I was trying to tease him into agreeing when I made the Trent comment, but the truth is, if he had said, “Yes, please go with my brother,” I would have. I would have dropped it and called Trent in a heartbeat, because this campaign has to get off the ground ASAP and I don’t have time to babysit or seduce some grown-ass man into it.
I reach the massive archway again and bring the truck to a stop. I roll down the window again and listen to the soft sounds of a few birds singing and the wind winding its way over the mountains.
“Ugh!” I let out a grunt and grip the steering wheel before turning around and driving back up to the house.
I knock on the door and a minute later, a surprised Tyler is answering it again.
“Look, I refuse to work in a hostile environment. I don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want to do, so this is it. This is the last time I’ll offer you an out. If you don’t want to do this, it’s fine, honestly. But if you do want to commit, then no more whining about how pointless or stupid you think this is. This is my job. I was hired to do this and I love it. I take it very seriously and I will always do my job to the best of my ability. I expect you to be professional and not act like a child who didn’t get his way.”
Tyler is standing there as I speak, his face unmoving. He’s gripping the door in one hand while his other is on the door frame—looking effortlessly casual while my stomach is in my throat.
“I’m a friendly, outgoing person,” I continue. “I know I’m young, but I’m not naive, and I can do this job and do it well. I’m not saying we need to be best friends, but I’d like to know that I can be myself around you and not worry that you’re going to bite my head off or belittle my work or complain about how much you hate everything we’re doing.”
He nods his head slowly.
“So, deal?”
“Deal. You’re right. I did agree to this and need to act like an adult.”
I nod. “Thank you. Now I’ll be out of your hair.” I thumb over my shoulder and turn to walk back to my still-running vehicle.
“And Brooklyn?” I turn back around. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m sorry.”
I let out a small sigh of relief and offer a slight smile. “All good. I’ll be here at 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening with the photographer. Leave those clothes organized in the outfits we decided on, okay?”
I wave and step back down the porch stairs. When I shut the door of my truck and slide it into gear, he’s still standing in the doorway staring at me.
There’s something so fascinating behind Tyler Slade’s cold exterior and those dark brown eyes—something that makes me want to strip him bare, layer by layer, and lose myself in him. A warmth forms between my thighs and winds its way up my body till it settles in my chest. It’s a feeling I never even experienced with my ex, Neal.
The warmth dissipates the moment Neal’s name pops into my head. Sweet boy-next-door Neal, who can charm anyone’s mother, connect with their father, and end up best friends with their siblings.
Neal, who could always talk me into staying when my heart was telling me to leave.
“How could you want to walk away from us? We’re meant to be together, Brook. We love the same movies and music, have the same friends—hell, we even met at our favorite restaurant. You can’t break up this dynamic duo. What would everyone say?”
He would hold my hands and pout his lips, his eyes growing big and round like a puppy’s. I can remember thinking that none of those things really matter if you’re not in love with the person, but I wasn’t ready to admit that to myself, and everyone always says love is a choice.
“You just have to choose to love him,” my mother told me.
Everyone thought we were perfect together, and from the outside looking in, we were. We never fought, we didn’t have insanely differing beliefs or backgrounds, but for all the things we were, on my end at least, we weren’t in love.
He was a comfort.
I loved him at first. Truly, I did. But something I’ve come to realize is that I loved him in the capacity I could at the time.
We connected so well and laughed so much. It felt like the universe was giving me the “perfect” guy and I would be an ungrateful, selfish bitch if I didn’t recognize that this was a man who would make a loyal husband and loving father someday. So I ignored my gut and said yes to a first date and several more after that until we were officially a couple.
Maybe I was childish for walking away and leaving it all behind, but I couldn’t accept a ring and a marriage proposal when I didn’t feel a spark or connection when he kissed me. I’d close my eyes and try so hard, but it was never there.
I was starting to believe that the whole chemistry and “sparks” feeling was all a bunch of manufactured bullshit from Disney . . . until Tyler Slade’s lips touched mine.
I feel my shoulders fall as I pull onto the main road and head toward my office. Because even if Tyler Slade is who I’m meant to love, it doesn’t seem like he feels the same way.
“Okay,now look at me but right past me.”