“So was the phone call from your brother before or after you told Luke Brooks to ‘fuck you in his truck?’” Teddy asked on the phone.
“Ted. You are absolutely not helping,” I said. I wish I could say I regretted telling Teddy about what happened in Brooks’s truck, but I was physically incapable of keeping this to myself. It was better to tell Teddy than accidentally blurt it out at dinner or something.
There was already so much I wasn’t telling her—why I came home, the panic attacks—and I needed to balance the scales a bit.
“Just for some additional clarification,” Teddy continued. “The ‘fuck me in this truck’ situation is a direct quote, yeah?” God, she was loving this. “I need to know so I can cite you when I write about this in my journal later.”
“I regret calling you,” I said.
“No, you don’t. Plus, it’s my birthday week, which means you’re legally and contractually obligated to tell me everything concerning you and Luke Brooks.”
“I don’t remember signing this contract.”
“Your dad signed it on your behalf when he started the monthly friendship payments.”
“You’re hilarious, and that joke isn’t overdone at all,” I said in my best monotone.
“We’re getting away from the point,” Teddy said. “I need to know the exact order of events, if it was a direct quote, and what kissing Brooks is like.”
I sighed. Teddy was like a dog with a bone. Once she had her goal in mind, there was no stopping her, so I might as well tell her what she wanted to know.
“It was before the phone call, yes, that is a direct quote from yours truly, and he is a very good kisser.” More than a very good kisser. Hands down, the best kisser I’ve ever kissed. It was honestly irksome.
“Of course he is. There’s no way he wouldn’t be.” I knew Teddy didn’t mean it the way I took it, but it stung anyway. It was a reminder of who Luke Brooks was, and who he’d always been.
Yeah, I’d seen a different side of him recently, and I wanted to believe he didn’t take other women to his favorite place—breakfast burritos and perfectly ordered coffee in tow.
But Luke Brooks had always been a playboy.
This was the man who told me a few days ago that he’d slept with his first kiss’s mom. I had done some social media sleuthing after his admission, and I had to give it to him, Claudia’s mom was hot.
“Emmy,” Teddy said over the phone. “Where did you go?”
“Nowhere,” I lied.
“Emmy, I didn’t mean it that way.” Damn. I forgot Teddy was an actual mind reader.
“No, I know, but it’s true. Of course he’s a good kisser, because practice makes perfect.” I thought about the way he grabbed my throat before pulling my lips to his.
I wasn’t usually the type of girl who made the first move, but in this case, I was happy I did. It was like, as soon as I kissed him, it gave him the permission he needed to just let go.
He’d been so confident, so sure. The way he’d handled himself—the way he handled me—in that moment was just as intoxicating as the kiss itself.
“Do you want to know what I think about this whole situation?” Teddy asked.
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
“I think you need to give Brooks more credit.” Well, shit. That wasn’t what I was expecting. At all. “He’s obviously attracted to you and likes spending time with you. Have you ever known Luke Brooks to do something he didn’t want to do?” She had a point.
“No,” I sighed.
“Did you have a really nice day today?” she asked.
“Yes,” I admitted.
“Do you like the way you feel when you’re spending time with him?”
“You are so frustrating,” I said into the phone. I dragged my hand down my face. Even though Teddy couldn’t see me, I hoped she could sense the gesture.
“Answer the question, Clementine.”
“Okay, fine. Yes, I like the way I feel when I’m with him,” I snapped.
“Exactly. So maybe this is something and maybe it isn’t, but you’ll never know if you keep trying to fit Brooks in the same box you’ve had him in since we were thirteen. This version of him might be new, but I think it’s worth getting to know.”
Leave it to Teddy to make sense out of this distinctly nonsensical situation.
“What about Gus?” I asked.
“What about him?’ Teddy responded, her tone bored.
“Brooks is his best friend. He is to Gus as you are to me, and I don’t want my brother to lose that,” I said. “I don’t want Brooks to lose it either. Best friends are hard to come by.”
“Listen,” Teddy started, “I know Gus has that whole silent-but-deadly protector thing going on, but you can’t let what Gus might think stop you from doing something you want to do. And I’m ninety-nine percent sure you want to do Brooks.” That pulled a smile out of me. “Seriously, Emmy. It’s okay to invite a little positive chaos into your world.”
“Maybe for you,” I said. Teddy loved chaos, but she could handle it. Teddy was the queen of rolling with the punches, or, when the situation called for it, punching right back.
“For you, too. Listen, if Gus finds out and throws a shit fit, I’ll deal with him,” she said. “I don’t think there’s any harm in getting to know Luke Brooks a little better.”
“And when this entire situation blows up in my face?”
“I’ll shield you from the wreckage,” she said. I sighed, but Teddy was undeterred. “You know,” she said, “you’re sure sighing an awful lot for a woman who just got to have a good ol’ fashioned make out with one of the hottest men in Wyoming.” Teddy had a point, yet again.
“He is hot, isn’t he?” I said.
“He is. And so are you. You guys deserve to be hot together,” she said. “Just don’t overthink it, Em. If Luke Brooks turns out to suck, which I am very confident will not be the case, at least you got a hot make-out session and a burrito out of it.”
“The burrito was good,” I said. “The Bean has really stepped up their game.”
“I know. I literally go there for lunch almost every day.” Teddy worked at a small clothing boutique in town, and sold her own designs on her website. “I would’ve taken you there, but apparently you only leave the confines of the ranch with Brooks.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is, but I’ll let you off the hook since you haven’t been home very long. As long as you’re leaving with someone.”
“Why are you so pro-Brooks all of the sudden?” I asked.
“I have my reasons,” she responded.
“Care to share?”
“Nope.” She emphasized the ‘p’ with a pop. “I gotta go. I’ll see you on Friday for birthday bevvies. Love you!”
A few minutes after I got off the phone with Teddy, Gus stopped by my cabin with Riley in tow. Riley wasn’t great at knocking, but I didn’t mind. She made it from my door to laying beside me on my bed in three seconds flat.
“Auntie, your cabin is really small,” she said. “Dad’s is way bigger.”
“Well, both of you have to fit in your dad’s cabin. This one is just for me,” I responded.
“You don’t have a friend like my mom? He lives with us now. They’re getting married.” Gus had told me Camille was getting married. He was happy for her, and so was I. Gus and Cam brought us Riley, but it was obvious to everyone, including them, that they weren’t destined for romance. They were close friends and great co-parents.
“I don’t have a friend like that, but it’s good that your mom has one.”
“Dad doesn’t have a friend, either,” Riley said matter-of-factly. Gus cleared his throat by the door.
“Where were you earlier today?” he asked. “I tried to call you.”
Because I couldn’t tell him I was making out with his best friend, I said, “I went into town. Got some coffee, had some alone time.”
“Do you really need more alone time?” Gus asked pointedly.
“Dad, you said alone time is important,” Riley chimed in. “That’s why I can tell you when I feel like I need some.”
“Yeah, Dad. Alone time is important,” I teased.
“You’re right, kiddo, but Auntie Emmy has alone time all day, every day.”
I shot him a dirty look. Riley and I were still laying on my bed. She rolled onto her side so she could face me.
“Auntie, do you need me to visit more?” she asked. Her tone was so serious. It was adorable.
“You know,” I said, “I do need you to visit more.” Riley kissed her hand and then touched my face. It was a gesture she learned from Gus. He said our mom used to do that, but I wouldn’t know.
“Okay, I’ll visit more,” she said. “But I won’t bring Dad,” she whispered. I laughed.
“What’s so funny over there?” Gus asked.
“Nothing,” Riley and I responded simultaneously. Gus looked at the ceiling, as if asking for strength in that moment. I loved annoying him.
“Anyway,” he said, “I just came down here to tell you we’re having dinner tomorrow. It looks like Wes is going to get his guest ranch, but you know Dad won’t sign off until we vote on it.”
“I’ll be there,” I said.
“Good. Riley, let’s go. I’ve gotta take you back to your mom’s.” I gave her a quick squeeze.
“Bye, sunshine. I love you.”
“Love you, Auntie!” She bounded across my cabin and back to the door. Gus put a hand on her shoulder and started to guide her out.
“Oh, and Brooks is coming tomorrow, so please try to behave.”
