Page 46 of Holding You
“Shhh.”
“What ... I mean, how did this happen?”
Now her eyes and smile are wide.
“This is not a smiling matter.”
“Oh. Yes. It. Is.”
“It just … we bumped into each other in the kitchen and then we didn’t … separate until Miles walked in.”
Brooke presses her lips together to keep from smiling, and her head does this odd bounce thing.
“Okay, okay. How do you feel about this?”
I palm my forehead.
“I think I wanted him to do it.”
Now Brooke is making this weird squealing noise, but when I look up, she pulls herself together.
“I think …”
The door opens so suddenly, we both scream.
“Shoot, sorry,” Grace says, and then Quinn walks in right behind her. “It says closed, but you didn’t lock it. I saw Quinn, and she said you were expecting her.”
“Yep.” Brooke stands quickly, grabs the extra brownies, and hands them to Quinn.
“Hey, Ruby.” She smiles.
“Hi.” I look away quickly.
Now, even I know this isn’t usual behavior for me and Quinn, so I’m not surprised in the slightest when she sits next to me.
“Is everything okay?”
I nod.
Then Grace sits.
“Are you sure?”
“Yep.”
Silence falls over us, and then Brooke caves. “Declan almost kissed her,” she whisper-shouts.
“Brooke.” My gaze flashes to Max, whose head perks up.
“What?”
“Nothing. Are you ready?”
I jump to my feet, ready to make my escape, but I pause.
“Not a word of this to anyone, and that includes Miles,” I tell my friends.
Quinn groans. “But this makes so much sense now. He came home all annoyed about Declan moving in.”
