Page 69 of That: Taylor & Brooks

Slim whistled low under his breath. “Oh, this nigga in love.”

Taylor took a sip of her drink, a simple question turning the heat wasn’t what she expected. “I walked into that one.”

Brooks leaned in, ignoring Slim. “You did.”

Before she could respond, Slim clapped a hand on Brooks’ shoulder. “Bro, let me holler at you real quick.”

Brooks groaned but stood, nodding at Taylor before following Slim a few steps away.

Slim didn’t waste time, arms crossed, studying him trying to crack the code.

“Listen, bruh, I get it now,” he said, shaking his head with a small laugh. “When you was acting all moody and shit, checking your phone every five minutes, I thought you was tripping. Thought maybeshe had you out here looking crazy for no reason.”

He glanced back at Taylor, who was laughing at something Kirk said, her face glowing under the soft lights. “But now? Seeing her with you? I get it. That woman got something different about her.”

Brooks smirked, rubbing the back of his neck, eyes drifting right back to her. He couldn’t help it—she was magnetic.

“Yeah. She does.”

Slim exhaled, nodding like he was finally accepting what was already obvious.

“So let me get this straight… she ghosted you for two weeks, and you still flew her out? That’s insane, brodie.”

“Y’all kill me. Say one thing, then switch when it’s me.” Brooks snorted. “You did it. I can do it too.”

“I told you to reach out. Not fly her across the damn country.”

Brooks shrugged, completely unfazed.

“Wasn’t even a question. She called, and I answered. I missed her. So, I brought her here.”

Slim let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head.

“Damn by boy, you gone. That woman got you locked in. Me? I’d at least got a new car out of your simpin’ ass.”

He sipped his drink, eyes narrowing on Brooks with a smirk.

Brooks chuckled, rolling his eyes.

“Fuck you. But I ain’t even gon’ hold you... she already did.”

He leaned back, casual as ever.

“A Porsche.”

And that was the truth. No shame. She could have anything she wanted and whatever he had. She wasn’t there for that and that made him want to give it to hermore.

Slim hollered, damn near choking on his drink.

Brooks ignored Slim’ theatrics his eyes found Taylor again. Still laughing and joking with his people, already folded into the crew with ease. Watching her in that moment—so comfortable, so damn beautiful, was exactly what he’d hoped for when he asked her to come.

He didn’t know what he’d been missing in life by staying so closed off. But he knew now. His heart beat a little different. His mind wandered more to the future. He didn’t just want what was in front of him, he wantedmore.

“Look, just know if you fuck this up, we calling her, not you. She already the favorite. She prayed over dinner. I felt like I was at church.”

Brooks chuckled, shaking Slim off before walking back to Taylor, who was watching them curiously. “Y’all talking about me?”

“Yeah, just making sure Brooks knows what’s up,” Slim said smoothly, grabbing his drink.

---