“Night.”
I stood there unmoving as he hopped off the porch, and got into his vehicle. Even after his tail lights were out of sight, I still wasn’t heading into the house. Turner Brooks was shocking me left and right. The top of my hand was still tingling from his touch, and my mind was in a state of distress. When the motion sensor light that acted as my porch light shut off, I was blanketed in darkness. Letting it wrap around me, I closed my eyes and exhaled.
Indifference, Annabelle, indifference.
There was nothing special about that man besides his looks. He was not God’s gift to women, like every woman in a hundred mile radius made these Brooks boys believe. At least they weren’t anything that I found worth more of my time. Giving myself a couple more minutes, I shook off the edginess that was building inside me, and went back in the house. I sought the comfort of my friends, my surroundings, and of course my cat. Time to forget about my crazy night and be the babysitter I promised I’d be.
“Who needs Tylenol?” I said, stepping inside and wondering who was going to be up first to take me to get my car.
“WHERE THE FUCK DID he put the ring?” I grumbled as I patted down Camden’s tuxedo jacket. I swear that kid would have lost his brain had it not been encased in his skull.
“What are you doing, man?” Camden stepped up beside me. “I said it was in my pant’s pocket. They’re over there.” He pointed at a pair of jeans strung haphazardly over the side of a chair. I walked over to them and plucked out the dainty, diamond wedding band that I was supposed to hold until the preacher asked me for it.
“Really, Cam? This could have fallen out. Ever heard of a ring box?”
“Relax, I’ve got this.” My little brother tipped his head back and took a shot of straight Jack from a flask. I could see the nerves settling in.
Instead of giving him a hard time on his day, I gripped his shoulder and asked, “You good?”
Despite the whiskey on his breath, the smile he gave me let me know he was good. “Yeah. I get to marry my girl today. I don’t think life gets much better than this.”
I gave him a slight squeeze and let go. I wouldn’t know. Truthfully, I’d never felt the way that he was feeling right now. Unless being in love felt the same as driving a race car, sky diving, or resetting a bone that has popped out of place, I had no clue what it felt like. Not sure I ever cared to feel that way either. But I did care that Cam seemed ridiculously happy, and for today, that’s all that mattered.
“Hey, asshole, you sure you want to do this?” Wrigley asked as he tried to snatch the flask out of Camden’s hand.
I slapped the back of his head, causing his perfectly combed hair to shift out of place. “Knock it off. He doesn’t need all the guys in here yanking his chain when he’s about to get hitched. And quit trying to drink, you’re not old enough.”
Camden shook his head and grinned. He definitely had a little buzz going, but I was certain he’d sober up the moment he laid eyes on Keegan. “Couldn’t be more sure about anything in my life.”
“You’re such a sap. At least my soon to be sister in law is nice to look at.” Wrigley wagged his eyebrows.
Camden scowled. I stepped in front of him and patted his cheek. “Ignore the baby of the family. He was the last born and got the shit end of the stick with looks and brains.” I heard grumbling but ignored it.
“Oh, hey, man, could you do me a favor?” Camden asked.
“Anything.”
Reaching forward he grabbed a small gift bag that had been perched on the end of the bar. He held it out to me and I took it from him. “Would you mind giving this to Keegan? The girl’s room is just down the hall. I had a little something made for her.”
My brother, the sap. “Sure, no problem. Want me to tell her anything?”
“Nah. There’s a note in there.”
Stepping out of the room, I made my way down a long hallway.
I stood there unmoving as he hopped off the porch, and got into his vehicle. Even after his tail lights were out of sight, I still wasn’t heading into the house. Turner Brooks was shocking me left and right. The top of my hand was still tingling from his touch, and my mind was in a state of distress. When the motion sensor light that acted as my porch light shut off, I was blanketed in darkness. Letting it wrap around me, I closed my eyes and exhaled.
Indifference, Annabelle, indifference.
There was nothing special about that man besides his looks. He was not God’s gift to women, like every woman in a hundred mile radius made these Brooks boys believe. At least they weren’t anything that I found worth more of my time. Giving myself a couple more minutes, I shook off the edginess that was building inside me, and went back in the house. I sought the comfort of my friends, my surroundings, and of course my cat. Time to forget about my crazy night and be the babysitter I promised I’d be.
“Who needs Tylenol?” I said, stepping inside and wondering who was going to be up first to take me to get my car.
“WHERE THE FUCK DID he put the ring?” I grumbled as I patted down Camden’s tuxedo jacket. I swear that kid would have lost his brain had it not been encased in his skull.
“What are you doing, man?” Camden stepped up beside me. “I said it was in my pant’s pocket. They’re over there.” He pointed at a pair of jeans strung haphazardly over the side of a chair. I walked over to them and plucked out the dainty, diamond wedding band that I was supposed to hold until the preacher asked me for it.
“Really, Cam? This could have fallen out. Ever heard of a ring box?”
“Relax, I’ve got this.” My little brother tipped his head back and took a shot of straight Jack from a flask. I could see the nerves settling in.
Instead of giving him a hard time on his day, I gripped his shoulder and asked, “You good?”
Despite the whiskey on his breath, the smile he gave me let me know he was good. “Yeah. I get to marry my girl today. I don’t think life gets much better than this.”
I gave him a slight squeeze and let go. I wouldn’t know. Truthfully, I’d never felt the way that he was feeling right now. Unless being in love felt the same as driving a race car, sky diving, or resetting a bone that has popped out of place, I had no clue what it felt like. Not sure I ever cared to feel that way either. But I did care that Cam seemed ridiculously happy, and for today, that’s all that mattered.
“Hey, asshole, you sure you want to do this?” Wrigley asked as he tried to snatch the flask out of Camden’s hand.
I slapped the back of his head, causing his perfectly combed hair to shift out of place. “Knock it off. He doesn’t need all the guys in here yanking his chain when he’s about to get hitched. And quit trying to drink, you’re not old enough.”
Camden shook his head and grinned. He definitely had a little buzz going, but I was certain he’d sober up the moment he laid eyes on Keegan. “Couldn’t be more sure about anything in my life.”
“You’re such a sap. At least my soon to be sister in law is nice to look at.” Wrigley wagged his eyebrows.
Camden scowled. I stepped in front of him and patted his cheek. “Ignore the baby of the family. He was the last born and got the shit end of the stick with looks and brains.” I heard grumbling but ignored it.
“Oh, hey, man, could you do me a favor?” Camden asked.
“Anything.”
Reaching forward he grabbed a small gift bag that had been perched on the end of the bar. He held it out to me and I took it from him. “Would you mind giving this to Keegan? The girl’s room is just down the hall. I had a little something made for her.”
My brother, the sap. “Sure, no problem. Want me to tell her anything?”
“Nah. There’s a note in there.”
Stepping out of the room, I made my way down a long hallway.
Similar Books
