Page 6 of Brooke's Bliss
Brooke wasn’t so sure about that.Her brother Max and thetown’s doc, Caleb Burke, had a long history between them.If Caleb couldjustify a couple of extra stitches, he might.“I’m glad he finally got it done.So what’s up?”
She wanted to cry it all out and tell Rachel everything.Over the years Rach had become the big sister she never had.But she didn’twant to put any more pressure on her.Finding out the reason they gave for hergetting fired would do exactly that.
“Well, I wanted to let you know that we’re having a babyboom here in Bliss, and we’ve decided to do a big shower for me and Hope Glenand Nell.”
“Nell’s pregnant?Again?The last time I talked to her shewas one and done.Something about keeping the population down.”Nell Flandershad come into town as Brooke was finishing high school.She’d never beenparticularly close to her, but she seemed like a nice woman.
“Yeah, Henry got the snip, too,” Rachel admitted.“Hehandled it so much better than Max, although he did make sure the bag of frozenpeas he held to his balls were organic.Anyway, I know you’re busy so I wantedto let you know there’s no pressure for you to come.It’s kind of a last-minutething.We’re putting it together for two weeks from now.You’ve been to everyone of mine, and I don’t need anything.It’s more about celebrating Hope, butshe didn’t want to do it alone.I want you to know…”
“I’ll come.I can help.”She took that invite like a damnlifeline.“I can come out in a couple of days and help you plan and seteverything up.I have a lot of ideas.”
She had no ideas beyond getting the hell out of Manhattanand clearing her head.She could figure things out.Talk to Gemma privatelyabout her options.
Breathe.She might be able to breathe.
“Uhm, I thought you would have to work,” Rachel pointed out.
What she wasn’t ready to do was let her brothers know she’dfucked up so brutally.“I have a bunch of paid time off.I finished a bigcampaign a few days ago, and I was thinking about taking a vacation.”
“Sweetie, you should do that,” Rachel replied.“Don’t get mewrong.I’ll take any excuse to get you home.Your brothers recently finishedthe guesthouse.It’s darling, but it needs some interior design.But you’reyoung and should have fun.If you come home, you’re going to have kids hangingall over you.”
Paige and Ethan and Eli.They loved their Auntie Brooke.They wanted her to play with them and talk to them and have ice cream withthem.They wanted her around.“I can babysit.I want to come home, Rachel.It’sbeen…a lot lately.Christmas wasn’t enough time for me.It was too busy.”
“It’s always busy in Bliss,” Rachel admitted.“But I wouldlove to have you home for a couple of weeks.I could use some help, but I don’twant…”
The idea that she could feel needed gave her some hope.Shecould take a couple of weeks and clear her head.She could figure out what todo next.“I want to come home for a while, Rachel.I need to come home.”
There was a slight hesitation, and she knew damn well Rachelsuspected something.Brooke breathed a sigh of relief when her sister-in-lawcontinued.“Well, then I’ll make sure the tiny house is ready for you.I’ll usestuff from our place, and we can go shopping while you’re here.I would loveyour eye for design.I know it’s a guesthouse for you, but I would love for itto be nice.”
She could make something pretty.She could do something thathelped her family.“That sounds perfect.”
She packed her bags that night.She was surprised at howlittle there was.Everything here was Ami’s.She’d moved from dorms in Denverto a small place she shared with a bunch of students who were in her grad classat Parsons.Then she’d gotten the job with Bianchi and moved in with Ami.
She’d never had her own place.Never had her own dishes orfurniture.Never picked out curtains.Her whole adult life had been aboutpreparing for the job, getting the job, doing the job.
Who was she without her work?
It was time to go home.
Chapter One
Bliss, CO
Brooke waved to Logan Warner, who sat in thedriver’s seat of the Navigator.They hadn’t been forced to do anything soordinary as fly into the small airfield in Alamosa.Nope.Seth Stark’s “cabin”came with its own landing strip and small hangar.
And Nell and Poppy protesting at the end of it.
It was good to be home.
“Tell your brothers hi for me and that we hope they’ll comeout and meet our little monster,” Logan said with a smile.Logan had droppedoff Seth, Georgia, and their son at the big cabin they kept here in Bliss andgiven Brooke a ride into town.He was planning on slipping into The TradingPost and surprising his moms.
“I will, and thanks so much, Logan.”Logan was only a yearolder than she was and he had a kid.A whole kid.Wesley Stark-Warner was thecutest baby.After her niece and nephews, of course.Wes was a cuddlysix-month-old who looked at the world through curious eyes.
She’d held him and wished she could find wonder in the everyday the way that baby did.
The Navigator rolled away, and Brooke stepped into Stella’sCafé and thought about the fact that just this morning she had been inManhattan.It had taken less than twenty-four hours to leave her entire lifebehind.She’d even packed what little she had in case she decided not to comeback.She’d stuffed her suitcase as full as possible and started searching theInternet for the cheapest flight she could find, thinking it could be daysbefore she could get home.
“Brooke,” a familiar voice called out.
