Page 65 of Brand
“I’m working. I can’t just leave because you want me to,” I said in a calm enough tone.
As my eyes met Brand’s in a pleading ‘please say no’ kind of way, because I felt like she was about to drop a huge bomb on me and I didn’t want to know. For some reason, I thought it might have to do with our parents and me…and well, the whole threat that our mother had laid down on Brand and his club. I wasn’t trying to avoid, I simply wasn’t ready to pop the bubble I’d been living in the last couple of weeks.
Instead of helping me out, Brand merely flashed me those beautiful dimples of his.
“Go,” he said waving his hand. “It’s fine. We’re not busy right now, anyway.” He didn’t hesitate to crook his finger under my chin, tilt it up, and plant the sweetest of kisses on my lips. Simple as it was, I felt it all the way down to my toes.
I guess I had no choice but to get this over with. Before I moved from behind the counter, I studied Laurel for a beat or two. Her purse was lodged in the crook of her elbow, her hair was perfectly in place, and her outfit was nothing less than stellar. But as my eyes roamed over her body, I took in the tight posture and oddly placed hands, the right covering the left as they rested almost casually on her stomach. Not necessarily an odd pose, but something about it set alarm bells off in my head.
“Yep,” I said moving like lighting around the counter and over to her, not even bothering to grab my purse. “We’re gone.” I grabbed her elbow and turned her towards the front door.
“Later, princess. Hope you didn’t get your Louboutin’s dirty while slumming it for a whole minute,” B-ry called out after us, but I was too concerned with my sister to even care about his comment.
Laurel, however, looked over her shoulder and glared. I mean it was the glare of all glares. I was surprised the guy was still standing after that. But in a blink, her focus was forward and we were both moving out of the shop.
Since there weren’t a lot of places around this area to eat, and none of those would meet her standards, I let her drive us further into downtown. It was no surprise she chose the Phoenix Fire Café. An upscale place with a good salad selection. No, she wasn’t anti-meat, but she did like to watch her figure. Something my mother had instilled in her pretty much from day one. And it also was no surprise when the waiter appeared that she ordered sparkling water and the summer mix salad with light dressing on the side.
I, on the other hand, ordered the breaded eggplant and grilled cheese sandwich. Flipping delicious, let me tell you.
“Okay, this isn’t easy to say,” she started and suddenly I wished I’d ordered some wine.
“Are you…pregnant?” The last words came out as a harsh whisper as I leaned in. “I mean, if you are, that’s great. I’m excited. And I’m here for you no matter what you need.”
“Oh, God! No. Wow, Cami.” She let the weird nervous laughter hang in the air. “I, um, I broke it off with Brice.”
Oh.
Wow.
Um.
Yeah, I didn’t have the first clue what to say. But I would tell you that was the furthest thing I expected for her to tell me right then. So as my shocked silence lingered between us, she started to fidget more and more.
“What?” I finally asked. I needed to make sure I had heard her right.
“I broke up with Brice. I gave the ring back and all.” She held up her left hand, empty ring finger and all.
“Okay, I need you to explain everything to me because I’m really confused right now. I thought you were perfect for one another.” Or at least that was the impression I’d gotten from her.
“We are, in a sense.” She sighed and I wished for a split second that I could be in her head because I had no clue what was going on in there. “On paper, we are perfect. But something has always felt a little off. I don’t know. I’m sure I’m not even making any sense. It’s just…the way you talked about Brand and that dazed, can’t-help-but-to-melt-inside look you get every time made me see things in a new light.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I’d done this. I know it wasn’t really my fault, but something she’d seen made her realize that she was missing something. I couldn’t decide if it was a good thing or not. I mean, I wanted her to be happy more than anything, but would she be able to handle the cost of this decision?
“I want someone who makes me feel. I want every kiss to leave me confused and breathless. I want his touch to send lightning through my veins. I know it probably seems silly and maybe a bit stupid. I can tell you that I’ve never felt anything like that from Brice. Things with him have always felt…comfortable, at best.”
“You’re sure about this?”
“Yes,” she answered with certainty. “I’m going to go to the house and let Mom and Dad know after this. I just wanted to tell you first, I doubt it will go over well. If you don’t hear from me by tonight, then start looking for my body.”
She tried to joke but it fell flat, and I could see the trepidation in her features.
“It will all be alright,” I said as I rubbed the back of her hand with false comfort. I knew my words did nothing to ease the stress she was feeling. The only thing I could do was be there for her after the fallout.
