Page 84 of You First
“You say that, and I believe you, but when he’s on top of me, and he’s getting pissed off, I don’t feel like I have a choice.”
“Holy shit! He gets pissed off when you say no?!”
Meredith rolled her eyes. “Only every time.”
“Okay. That’s it. That’sit.We are getting you out of there.”
“Brooke, I love you, and I’m grateful, but Oscar and I can’t move in with you and your parents.”
“I’m not talking about you moving in with me. I’m talking about me moving in with you. You, me, and Oscar. Together.”
Meredith held her breath. She didn’t dare hope. “You can afford that?”
She heard Brooke blow out a breathy laugh. “No. I’d have to get a real job.” Brooke’s parents gave her a hefty allowance to watch her younger sisters after school, but it was enough to keep her in new clothes and a steady supply of CC’s Coffee. “Besides, it’s Penny’s turn. And she’ll love having her own room.”
Meredith thought of Oscar and Leona. “It would need to be close. Say what you want about Leona, but I have to have her help with Oscar. And he loves her and Big Jim. And Jamie,” Meredith added honestly.
“I don’t care where. We’ll find a place,” she said. “It’s time. I need a place where I can sleep with whoever I want, and you need a place where you can sleep alone.”
Meredith laughed, and Brooke joined her. But it only took a moment for reality to step in.
“We might have to get something furnished,” she said, wincing. “I don’t have much.”
“We’ll hit the yard sales,” Brooke reassured her. “I’m sure Mom and Dad have some things we could take, and they’ll help us out a little.”
The confidence in her voice said it all. Having the support system of her family made it easy for Brooke to take this leap.
“You’re so lucky,” Meredith murmured. “I hope you tell them you love them every day.”
“I do,” Brooke said softly.
“Well, then tell them I love them.”
Brooke laughed. “I will. And I’ll start looking tomorrow,” her best friend offered. “You have enough to handle with your boss-boyfriend.”
She inhaled deeply through her nose. “I don’t know what he is.”
Brooke’s voice was gentle. “He’s someone you care about.”
It was the truth. She couldn’t deny it. And the simplicity of the statement gave her a little peace.
She cared about him. A lot. And she knew how to take care of him.
Meredith stood up from the floor and brushed herself off.
“Thanks, Brooke. I’ll talk to you soon. I need to get back to work.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
AS SHE EXPECTED,Jamie was not at all keen on her intention to spend another night at Gray’s, and when Meredith heard that Oscar had cried himself to sleep asking for her, she vowed to herself that she would be there, snuggled around him, when he woke up in the morning.
When she came out from hiding in Gray’s bathroom, she learned that Bax had been dispatched to bring back dinner for everyone, herself included. Grateful, Meredith settled herself at the kitchen island and called Gray’s editor. By the time dinner arrived, Jude Colligan had agreed to every one of her requests, all the while sounding as shaken and distraught as she’d been to learn the gravity of Gray’s condition. The editor, who sounded like someone old enough to be Gray’s father, had told her four times that Gray could halt progress on the current novel without any change to his contract. When she finally made it clear that Gray was taking the next two weeks to finish the book — contract or no — the poor man promised everything. Rapid turnaround time on all phases of the editing process — even if he had to do the line edits and proofing himself.
She was just hanging up when Bax came into the kitchen carrying two giant bags bearing the Ruth’s Chris Steak House logo. He didn’t miss it when her eyes bugged, and Gray’s brother gave her a beleaguered look.
“No. This is not a normal Blakewood thing. We don’t get takeout from Ruth’s Chris. Ever,” he said, as though reading her mind. Then he nodded toward the second floor. “But he insisted. He also wants you to join him up there for dinner.”
Bax handed her one of the two bags, and she took it, but what he said troubled her. “Would this fall into the category of behavior changes?” she asked.
