After All (Cape Harbor #1)(20)
“Do you want to go sit on the swing?” He nodded toward the large oak tree where a bench swing hung. If anything, sitting there would give them a bit of privacy, and she wouldn’t have to listen to anyone from inside the house going gaga over Austin. Brooklyn led the way, and Bowie waited until she sat before he took the spot next to her. The swing was old and worn out, but the chains were brand new. His father was a general contractor, and Bowie often accompanied him to jobs. The expectation was that Bowie would follow in his father’s footsteps, take over the family business, but Bowie wasn’t sure he wanted to. Bowie had ideas of grandeur. He wanted to go to school to be an architect. He wanted to build skyscrapers in cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. He wanted an apartment overlooking a metropolis and a home along the beach—neither of which he’d be able to afford working at his father’s company. Mostly, he thought about following Brooklyn to college. He knew it was stupid to think about his best friend’s girl like that, but he couldn’t help it.
Bowie’s foot pushed the swing back and forth, keeping them at a slow pace. Brooklyn held her can of beer in her hands, never taking a sip. She wasn’t much of a drinker, at least not at these parties. When it was just their group of friends, she’d let loose and drink. He hated it, though, because when she did, she and Austin were like these other couples, making out in front of everyone without a care in the world. As much as he hated to admit it, he liked these parties because they gave him private time with Brooklyn. Eventually, he hoped he would get over this crush. She was new in town, a rarity, and in time he expected his feelings to subside.
“Do you have plans for Christmas?” he asked her. She had only been in town for a few months. He knew she missed Seattle. She talked about it a lot. Her friends, the school she went to, and how their homecoming dance was at the convention center in one of the conference rooms, and how she had the ability to go to the mall without having to plan a day trip.
“My dad gave the staff the day before and day after off, so I’ll probably have to work.”
“Does he let you give shots or do stitches?”
Brooklyn laughed. He loved the way she sounded. He also loved her smile. It could change his outlook on a crappy day, anytime. “I’ve given a couple of flu shots, but I’m really nervous that I’m going to hurt someone. I’ll learn a better technique once I’m in nursing school.”
“You can always practice on me,” he told her as he bumped his shoulder with hers.
“Thanks. I might take you up on that. What about your plans?”
Bowie shook his head. “My entire family lives within twenty miles of here. We all meet at my grandparents’. The women cook, the men do macho things like repair parts of the house that don’t need it, and the grandkids play video games, get in the way, and play football outside, ruining our church clothes.”
“Sounds like a lot of fun, actually.”
“You should come. One more mouth to feed won’t make a difference.”
She looked back at the house and sighed. Was she wondering what her boyfriend was doing, who he was with? Did she know that the Woodses hosted big holiday feasts and that Austin would be busy? He wished she would break up with him. Bowie wanted a chance with her, and as bad as it sounded, he knew he was better for her than Austin was.
“You can bring your family. We have enough for everyone,” Bowie said. He wanted her at his grandparents’ house with him. He wanted to hear her laugh at his dad’s dumb jokes.
Brooklyn stared at Bowie. “Why are you so nice to me?”
He shrugged. The answer was on the tip of his tongue. He could tell her right now it was because he was in love with her, but he could never say that aloud. “Because you’re a cool chick,” he said, instantly regretting his words. “What I mean is, you’re fun to hang out with.”
“But Austin’s in there.” She pointed toward the house. “Monroe, Mila, Grady, and Graham are all in the house with him. And you’re always with me. Does he send you out to babysit or something?”
Bowie felt his stomach drop. He thought about storming into the house and punching his friend for putting these thoughts into her head, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. Austin would just charm his way out of the situation and make Bowie look like a fool.
“I’m not much of a partier,” he told her. “I come because it’s what we do.”
“I come because I’m afraid he will cheat on me if I don’t.”
Bowie shook his head. “He wouldn’t do that.”
She peered sharply at him, her eyebrow raised. “How could you be so sure?”
“Just something I know, is all.” Bowie sighed. He wanted to move closer to her, press his thigh against her. He desperately wanted to know what her skin felt like. Instead he stayed where he was, with one arm draped over the back of the swing and his hand holding the can of beer to his leg.
“You probably wonder why I stay with him or why I let him act this way. Sometimes I ask myself the same questions or imagine if I hadn’t met him on my first day what I would be doing now. Maybe I’d be inside dancing with some other guy, or at home studying. But when I think like that, my heart hurts. It hurts so bad that I want to cry. I’m in love with that stupid boy in there, and he has no idea how much. Sometimes, I feel like he tells me he loves me because it’s the safest thing to say. I just want him to see me.”