The Lemon Sisters (Wildstone #3)(89)

She rolled her eyes and then stared at him. “Are you one hundred percent serious about Brooke?”

“Yes,” he said, without hesitation, and then paused, eyeing her like she was a locked-and-loaded rattlesnake. “You’re not going to cry again, are you?”

“No.” But she totally was. She looked around for a diversion. “I heard you’ve been looking for your dad.”

Garrett shrugged. “I can’t just leave him out there on the streets.”

“That’s where he was before he showed up.”

“But I can’t go back to the past, to before I knew he was sick. Life’s annoying that way.”

“Yeah.” She huffed out a sigh.

He let out a low laugh. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“Hear what?”

“Whatever Linc did.”

“Do you have caffeine? This story requires caffeine.”

They ended up in Garrett’s kitchen, leaning against the counter, mainlining coffee as she told him.

Garrett didn’t look surprised. “He feels responsible for Ethan,” he said, “who, in spite of being a doctor, is also clueless, hapless, and incredibly needy. That drives Linc crazy. I hope you get that part of what he loves so much about you is that you’re none of those things. You’re smart, too, but you hold your own, and you’ve never been clueless, hapless, or needy a day in your life. He’s lucky to have you, Min, and believe me, he knows it.”

“I just don’t want to be the last one he thinks about.”

Garrett laughed. “Are you kidding? You’re all he thinks about. He just knows that you’ve got what it takes to run the world you two have created so he can run his. You’re everything to him. Let him prove it to you.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll try.” She paused. “You seem really happy. It looks good on you. Now that I know about your past with Brooke, what you were to each other, it makes so much sense, you and her. I just wish you could’ve told me.”

Looking regretful, he shook his head. “I couldn’t have explained it to myself back then, much less to someone who loved her as much as I did. And then when she was gone . . .” He shook his head. “It nearly killed me.”

“Me, too,” she said softly. “She said she needed space, and my parents and I made the mistake of giving it to her. We all reached out, but she wasn’t great at responding or keeping in touch. I let myself get hurt by that instead of reading into it that maybe she needed me. I’m having a hard time forgiving myself for that.”

Eyes shadowed with the memories, he nodded. “I was no better. I figured she’d moved on from me and her silence only proved it.”

“I think she’s going to let us in now. Do you think there’s really a chance for you two?”

“Depends on who you’re asking.”

“You,” she said. “I’m asking you.”

“Then yes. But it’s not up to me.”

“I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“Neither do I.”

“You love her,” Mindy said softly, her heart squeezing in happiness for two of her favorite people.

“I do.”

“Does she know you bought this place from Ann to someday fill it to the brim with your own family?”

At a sound behind them, they both turned and found Brooke standing in the doorway, covered in Mindy’s children. Millie was on her back, piggyback-style, and Brooke had Maddox and Mason each under an arm. All three kids were holding on to a bag of what were presumably doughnuts, since there were chocolate and sprinkles all over their faces. They were each grinning from ear to ear.

Not Brooke, though. She was staring at Garrett. “I mean, it makes sense,” she said, joining their conversation. “You’d make a great dad.”

Mindy stood, heart in her throat at the look of utter devastation on her sister’s face, who clearly knew she couldn’t help Garrett fulfill his dream. “I’m sorry, Brooke. Don’t listen to me. I’m barely caffeinated—”

“Mindy,” Garrett said quietly, eyes on Brooke. “I need you to give us a minute.”

“Yes, but—” Oh God, this was bad. “Brooke, I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth. Those were my words, not his, and—”

“It’s okay,” Brooke said. “Don’t worry about it.”

That was hard to do when Brooke was looking like Millie had the day Mindy and Linc had ruined Santa Claus for her. Feeling like she’d just set a train in motion that couldn’t be stopped, Mindy opened her mouth, but Garrett put his hand on her arm. “I’ve got this. Take the kids home, okay?”

Mindy pulled Millie from Brooke’s back, and then her two boys. When she leaned in to kiss Brooke’s cheek, it was icy cold. “I’ll be right next door if you need me,” she said softly. “I’m so sorry.” And then, though she didn’t want to, she left.





Chapter 23


“I want your everything.”

Garrett shut the door behind Mindy and turned to Brooke, whose eyes were hooded, expression completely closed off. She’d shut down, retreating inside herself, which was terrifying because the last time she’d done so, he hadn’t seen her for seven years.