Page 45 of Brooke's Bliss
“I promise we won’t abuse it,” Trev said solemnly.“Normallywe switch off.”
“But Hope’s been so sick.This kid might be an only,” Jamiesaid with clear worry in his eyes.
“We don’t mind helping out.Brooke likes kids.She’s got somany pictures of her niece and nephews on her socials,” Shane said.
Trev winced.“You have to stop that, son.You sound like astalker.”
Shane shrugged.“Well, how else am I supposed to keep upwith her?I can’t call her up and ask how the designs on the fall line aregoing.Though apparently someone should have because that went south.”
“Yeah, I’d like her to tell us something more than it allwent to hell,” Bay admitted.“How can we help solve the problem if we don’tknow the extent of it?”
Jamie’s head shook.“Nope.Don’t you put it like that.Haveyou spent a lot of time around women like Brooke?I suspect not.They don’twant you to solve their problems.They want you to listen to them.To besympathetic and then feed them chocolate or whatever their preferred sweet ofthe week is.They definitely don’t want you making reasonable suggestions.”
“You told a pregnant woman you thought the tea she wasdrinking was upsetting her stomach,” Trev shot back.“Rookie move, my man.Because she came right back with ‘oh, it’s the green tea and not the eightpound baby.’”
Jamie’s face flushed.“I was trying to help.She won’tlisten to Noah because apparently the pregnant dogs and cows he’s handled overthe last decade aren’t the same.She barely listens to Caleb.She says she’lltalk to him when he pushes a baby out of his dick.She treats Rachel like awisewoman.I don’t think her inability to make birth control work should bemore important than Caleb’s medical degree.”
“So don’t offer to help?”He wasn’t getting into thepregnancy stuff.They were far from that.He just wanted her to acknowledge sheliked him in an I’m-not-trying-to-piss-my-brothers-off way.“Because I wasmostly going to kick the shit out of the asshole who stole her designs and thentold her if she wanted to move up in the company, she should blow him.”
“What?”Shane sounded outraged.
“Yeah, I probably should have led with that,” Bay replied.“But I didn’t want to upset her.”
“I want a name,” Shane demanded.
Trev stood up straighter.“All right, now this is where youcan’t fix the problem for her.You have to listen to her and accept herfeelings and tell her how much you sympathize with her.”
He had not expected that reaction from his boss.Trev seemedso protective.Not only of his kids and Beth.He was protective of Bo andeveryone on the G.“I shouldn’t defend her?I’m going to be honest.That’ll behard for me.I’m not sure what we’re here for if we can’t handle thatsituation.”
Jamie shook his head.“Not what he’s saying.”
Trev continued.“You listen and hold her and then we quietlytake a trip to the city and that fucker gets jumped.Now the key to this is tonot take credit.You will want to say something like ‘this is for Brooke’ or‘don’t touch my woman again.’Do not.You take him down in the form of a dudein a back alley whose features he can’t remember.But you never tell her.Ifshe sees a news report, you nod and say yeah, baby, we always knew karma wouldget him.She doesn’t need to know that you were karma.”
“But we’re going to need a name, and I think maybe the wayto get her to open up is to show her how nice it can be to have twoboyfriends.”Shane pulled out their cell.“I’ll call and order some dinner, andthen we can work on her room.”
“You boys let me know when you need to take that trip.I’msure there’s something we can do in New York,” Trev said, heading for the door.
“Yeah, like hiding because my wife might kill me.”Jamiefollowed him, talking as they both walked out the door.“I really was worriedabout her ankles.”
“I told you.You say nothing but ‘yes, baby’ and ‘damn, youlook pretty.’”Trev’s voice cut off.
Shane was quiet for a moment, his eyes on the door that hadjust closed.“You sure this is what you want?”
“Brooke?I thought we talked about this.”
“No, I mean the whole foreman thing,” Shane replied.“Ofcourse we want Brooke, but we have to figure out what to do when she inevitablywants to go back to the city.You’ve never been able to work in a city.”
“Then I won’t work.”He knew it in his bones.“Or I’ll finda way.She’s everything.I know you don’t understand this impulse of mine.”
“It’s called genius.It’s called a gift.It’s not animpulse.It’s who you are and what you do.”Shane’s stare nearly burned throughhim.“You have a damn calling, Bay.”
“She’s more important.”He didn’t want to think about thisright now.“We’ll figure it out.”
“I don’t think we should go into this thing without a plan.”
“Or you can chill.”His brother could be over the top whenit came to staying in control.“Look, let’s take it one day at a time.”
Shane started for the door.“Those days are going to go realfast, and she’ll be walking out the door before we know it if we don’t figureout what we can offer her that competes with her career.Not a lot of fashiondesigners here in Bliss.Anyway, I’ll order the food and get things ready forthe picnic.If you need me, I’ll be out at the storage shed.”
