Page 63 of That: Taylor & Brooks

The strappy heels wrapped around her ankles, added just the right touch of drama. A mini clutch sat in the crook of her elbow, matte black with gold hardware.

Brooks stood up like his body was moving on instinct. Mouth parted just a little. Silent. She’d been worth the wait. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, nodded once. She was the answer to every unspoken prayer.

“You like it?” She asked, chin tilted.

“Let me show you,” he said coming closer. Taylor giggled but went behind the curtain to change.

“We’ll take it all,” Brooks told Elise once they’d finished.

Elise gave a knowing smile and stepped away to handle the arrangements, already coordinating delivery straight to their hotel suite. That entire moment, the way Brooks moved, the way he covered her without blinking, was something Taylor knew she’d never forget.

When Elise returned, she caught Taylor just before she stepped out of the dressing room. It was just the two of them, quiet now.

“You’ve got a good man out there,” Elise said softly. “He loves you.”

Taylor tilted her head, curiosity sparking. “How do you know Brooks? He said you owed him a favor.”

Elise’s eyes dropped, a flicker of somethingtender and sad flashing across her face. Taylor noticed immediately.

“Sorry,” Taylor said gently. “Didn’t mean to pry.”

Elise hesitated, then stepped inside, lowering her voice like she was sharing something sacred. “His mom was my best friend. We grew up together—pigtails and pedal pushers. When she passed, it shook me. I was lost for a while, going through the motions. Brooks showed up out of nowhere one day and told me he wanted to invest in my dream. He said,‘My momma would’ve wanted you to live out loud.’And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.”

Taylor’s eyes glossed over. “That sounds like him,” she whispered.

Elise smiled. “He’s his mother’s son through and through. Quiet, always thinking ten steps ahead, always pouring into somebody. But the way he looks at you?” She stepped closer. “That’s a man who’shome. Don’t second-guess that kind of love just because it’s different. The good ones usually are.”

Taylor swallowed, nodding. “Thank you. That means more than you know.”

“Just take your time,” Elise said, pulling the curtain gently open.

Taylor stood there a beat longer, letting Elise’s words settled on her shoulders—warm, heavy, and hard to ignore. Then she exhaled and stepped back into her shoes, both literally and metaphorically. She stepped from behind the curtain and Brooks was waiting for her at the door to exit.

He extended his hand and she grabbed it pulling it to her chest.

“What next my love?”

“I got a surprise for you later,” he said, lacing his fingers with hers.

She was too weak from shopping to press for answers. They sat close to each other as they rode back to the hotel. It was silent but that was ok. They were just enjoying each other being close.

Back at the hotel, the shopping bags littered the foyer. She didn’t know how she was going to get all of this stuff home. A yawn crept out of her throat. The champagne buzz had faded. She was full. Content.

Then came a knock.

Taylor looked at him. Brooks shrugged.

She padded to the door and pulled it open.

“Mrs. Bishop? We’re ready for you at the spa.”

She turned slowly, a slow smile spread across her face as she looked back at him.

“Mrs. Bishop, huh?”

Brooks didn’t even blink as he came closer to send her on her way. “What y’all Christians be saying? Name it and claim it?”

She grinned, leaned down to kiss his cheek, and whispered, “Keep talking like that, you gon’ mess around and make it true.”

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