“You are the best, Brooke. Would you be able to stay here so he’s not out of place too much?”
“Here?”
“Yeah.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“In your house?”
“That’s what I was thinking.”
“Do you have a spare room?”
“I have a study with no bed in it. But you can just sleep in mine.”
“Yours?”
“Yeah.”
“Your bed?”
My lips twitched when a blush rose in her cheeks. “Darlin’, are you okay?”
She coughed, choked, and nodded before she gave me the thumbs-up with both thumbs.
“You’re good with staying here?”
“Sure.” It sounded a little squeaky.
“You really are a lifesaver, Brooke.”
She snorted. “Or I just don’t have a life.”
I could change that. She could join ours because we’re full of life. “Well—”
Her hand shot up with her palm out flat. “Don’t.”
Grinning, I moved around her to the couch. “Want to sit down?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t you have somewhere you need to be?”
“Nope.” I sat on the couch and grabbed the remote to switch on the television. “I thought we could watch a movie together.”
“Dustin—”
“Miss Brooke!” was yelled from down the hall, and I heard Benjie’s pitter-patter of feet as he ran into the living room and dove at Brooke. She swung him up in her arms with the brightest smile I had seen yet. My heart stuttered and then raced before my body warmed. Benjie cupped her cheeks. “You’re here.”
“I am. It’s good to see you, kiddo.” She planted a kiss on his cheek and hugged him close before placing him back on his feet. Benjie took her hand and pulled her to the couch. He sat next to me with Brooke close to him.
“Daddy got a movie for us to watch, and he said we could cook some popcorn.”
“Sounds great.”
I didn’t miss the glare she sent me over Benjie’s head. I smirked in response. When I shot her a wink, she looked away.
One day I would win her over. While I’d fucked up, it had been an honest mistake of me being an idiot. I wouldn’t do it again.
My phone on the coffee table started ringing and I cringed when Letta’s name popped up. I quickly glanced to Brooke to see if she’d seen and caught her looking away from it as her jaw clenched.
“Daddy, you going to answer it?”
Fuck no, I wasn’t. I hadn’t heard from her since I’d taken her out that day and I didn’t want to know what she needed.
Ruffling his hair, I shook my head. “Nah, buddy. It’s not important like this movie and the company I have.”
“Can we have popcorn now then?”
Chuckling, I stood. “Yeah. Who wants a drink as well?”
“Me,” Benjie sang.
Brooke cleared her throat. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“I’ll be back.”
“Do you want us to pause it?” Brooke asked.
Smiling, I moved around the couch. “I’m sure I can catch up.” My phone rang again. Letta. Shifting back to the coffee table, I picked it up and turned it off. “Can’t have anyone interrupting our movie night.”
Benjie beamed up at me before he leaned into Brooke, who put her arm around him. It was no wonder Benjie warmed up to Brooke straight away; she was easygoing, fun, and sweet. He could probably tell she loved the times she was there for him, and in a way, it was good she’d spent time with Benjie first so they could have that bond.
Halfway through the movie, I got up to make some dinner for us and heard someone come into the kitchen a few moments after.
Glancing over my shoulder, I was surprised it was Brooke willing to venture into a room with only me in it.
It was progress at least.
“Do you need some help?”
“What happened to the movie?”
She shrugged and shifted from one foot to another. “We decided to wait for you this time.”
Nodding, I smiled. “Sure, I could use some help. Do you want to cut up the lettuce and tomatoes? It’s only an easy dinner of tacos.”
She walked over to the counter. “I can do that.”
As I went back to cooking the meat, I kept flicking my gaze to Brooke not far from me. I liked this. Both of us together in the kitchen cooking. Emily had always hated when I tried to help because she was set in the ways she liked dishes, but having someone help was good.
“How was work today? No glory hole incidents?”
She laughed. “No, thank God. It wasn’t too bad. I met Carter’s family Tuesday.”
“Carter mentioned they got everyone together before he had to go to LA. I’ll be leaving Saturday to meet up with him. He didn’t say much though. How do you think it went?”
“Good.” She smiled over at me. I hadn’t had a damn tingle in my gut in a long time. “Reagan finally realizes her feelings for Carter are reciprocated. Oh, and Carter’s ex, who works with Reagan and me, followed me to their place after she found out about the family dinner.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Serious?”
“Yep. They quickly got rid of her though.”
“Sounds eventful.”
“I also got to meet Courtney and State. They invited me to the biker compound when they have their next party.”
The spatula dropped out of my hand and hit the floor.
“What?” I demanded a little curtly.
Brooke’s brows scrunched down as she looked at the spatula, then up at me. “I’m going to the next party at the compound.”
Like fuck she was. “You shouldn’t. They get pretty rowdy.”
Brooke snorted, shaking her head, and went back to cutting. “I can take care of myself.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Excuse me for a moment.” I turned down the heat and speed walked into the living room, snatching up my phone. “Dinner will be ready soon. I’ve just got to make a call, buddy.”
“Okay.” He didn’t even bother looking up from his comic.
Down near the front door, I put the phone to my ear and waited for State to answer. I’d known Carter for a while, so we knew each other’s families, and State and I got along. I’d even been to a couple of parties at the compound myself, which was how I knew they got rowdy.
“Yo, Dusty, what’s up?”
“State, love you like a brother, man, but do not invite Brooke to a party at the compound.”
He chuckled. “You got a hard-on for her or something? Afraid a brother will hit her up and win her over?”
“You could say that. Look, I fucked up at the start with her, but eventually she’ll be mine.”
“Good to hear, but I can’t not invite her, man. Court and she hit it off, so it’ll be outta my hands in the end anyway.”
“Fuck.” I scrubbed a hand over my hair. “Fine, can you do me a favor and let me know when it’s going to happen?”
“Let me guess, you’ll want an invite also?”
“You got it.”
“All right, man, I can do that.”