Coming Home (Pierpoint View #1)

Chapter Sixteen - Summer

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Summer

Brooks left early yesterday morning and I’m kind of glad. After I embarrassed myself the last time I saw him, I think I needed the time away from him to collect my thoughts.

For all of yesterday, I’d been sifting through my feelings, writing them down and making a plan of attack. I can’t be this confused when it comes to this guy, for my sake and his. What I did a couple days ago wasn’t fair on him, I didn’t even know how he felt about what I was pushing on him and judging from his reaction, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t something he wanted and that’s okay, I can deal with that.

The most important thing right now, is working out what I want and how I feel. And hopefully, Alex is going to help me do that.

When I walked into her studio just after lunch time, I didn’t recognize her. She’d dyed her hair, but this time it’s bleached a white blonde on one half and black on the other. I don’t know how she can get away with dyeing her hair this much and not have it all fall out.

I sit down on the couch across from Alex in the reception area, the leather creaking under our weight.

She holds out her hand expectantly .

“Okay, give it.” She says, and I hand her the notebook with my thoughts and feelings in it. When I called her to tell her about my incident with Brooks, she told me to write each thought I had into a bullet point for her to turn into a yes or no question for me to answer, it’s technique she actually does with her yoga therapy clients if yoga just doesn’t quite cut it.

Alex reads through what I’ve written, she clears her throat and begins.

“We’ll start easy. Number one: You get along with Brooks, yes or no?”

I roll my eyes and nod. “Yes.”

“Number two: You find Brooks attractive, yes or no?”

“Yes.”

The questions go on and on until she reads the last one, “Do you trust Brooks to be good to you, whether thats in a relationship or otherwise?”

I’d already answered yes to all the questions she asked me, including but not limited to “Do you want to have sex with Brooks?” and “Would you like a relationship at some point with Brooks?” but this one is different. Trust is a major thing I was lacking in my last relationship and its one thing I want the most out of my next one.

Alex looks up through her eyelashes from the notepad and sees me deliberating. “I purposefully left this question until last, your previous answers should help you answer this one.”

And she’s right, of course. It’s just hard admitting that to myself and to someone else.

“Yes. I do.”

Alex snaps the book closed placing it on top of her crossed legs.

“So we’ve made our decision. You’re going to talk with Brooks?” she asks.

“Yes.” And it feels good admitting that.

“Perfect, then my work here is done. When Brooks gets back, you’ll tell him.”

My jaw drops. “Absolutely not. Are you crazy!?”

“What did we do all this for then?” she asks, as if I’m the one who’s crazy.

“But what about how he reacted the other night? He didn’t seem interested like that, in fact, he seemed the complete opposite,” I argue.

“Summer, all we’ve decided is that you’re going to tell him how you feel and thats that, we can’t expect anything else out of it right now,” she reasons.

She’s right again. “I know,” I say, if somewhat begrudgingly.

When I told her about my reservations with Brooks, I also told her a little about what happened with my ex and she agrees with what my therapist once said about how I know to be cautious now and I know what I want from a relationship now.

“Good!” Alex’s gaze drifts behind me, “Now, I have a hot date and you need to leave.”

I turn to look behind me and see Grayson walking up the side of the studio, Gaia in tow.

I raise my hands as if in surrender, “Okay, okay, I’m going,” I get up and give Alex a hug, “Thank you.”

“Any time, Summer.”

Now I’ve made the decision to tell Brooks, I have to think of what I’m going to say, of how I’m going to say it and I spend the drive home and the rest of the evening thinking about what I’m going to say while moving around the tables and chairs in the cafe to the perfect floor plan .

The furnitures all in, I moved the last of it in here yesterday because I need something to distract me from my embarrassment, and now I just need to get the last final touches done and the place should be ready to open soon, I’m just being really picky about some things. Things like where to put my tables and chairs and who to hire. As of yet, I have no one in my employment, but I think I at least have a date in mind where I think we should be ready to open.

The one thing I’m not being picky about right now though, is me deciding to go upstairs and get in bed with a caffeine free tea — thank you Fred — to read my new book.

Talking to Brooks fades to the back of my mind as my thoughts this morning are more about who I’m going to be hiring because it’s all well and good having a date to open in mind, but it won’t mean a hell of a lot if I don’t have the staff for opening day. Luckily, there is one person I know who has some experience in this industry.

I presume Lennon is working at the book store today, she’s there most days even when she’s not working, which is why I find it strange that Brooks seems to be having trouble with her. Every time I’ve ever interacted with her she’s been great, friendly, even when I’ve seen her dealing with shitty customers she has such a good attitude. I know I don’t see her outside of the store but I can’t seem to link the girl I’ve been told about to the girl I’ve met.

Just as I walk out the front door of the cafe to find Lennon, I see Brooks’ truck driving up towards his house. He’s not meant to be back for at least another few days, right?

Confused, I send him a message, the first one ever.

Are you home ?

His reply comes not even a minute later.

Come over.

Just when I thought I didn’t have to think about this today, he pops back up. I guess now is as good a time as any, it won’t give me a chance to chicken out at least.

I always thought his house was closer than it is but apparently not because the less than 1o minute walk I thought it would be, turned into half an hour.

It’s a beautiful house, like I told him before it reminds me of my Gran’s, and I can only imagine how peaceful it is up here, completely overlooking the cliff. The sunsets must be spectacular here.

As I walk up the long gravel driveway, Brooks comes out the front door carrying a suitcase and I watch as he puts into the back of the truck. It’s crazy how effortless he makes it look.

I take a deep breath before calling out to him. “Hey!”

He turns, a giant smile forming on his face at the sight of me which makes me feel all giddy inside and my breath catch. He walks in my direction and I take a moment to marvel at him. When I first met him he was limping, grumpy, and a down right asshole and now we’re friends, his attitude having done a full 180 and now I crave his presence like a school girl with a silly little crush.

I meet him halfway and now that we’re standing in front of each other it’s a little awkward. I guess the last time we saw each other he saw me basically naked and I pushed myself on him and he turned me down and now neither of us know how to react.

He clears his throat. “How are you doing?” he asks. His demeanor has changed. He’s always been confident, but he’s standing taller, more sure of himself, even his smile seems a whole lot more sincere now.

“I’m good, what are you doing back so soon? I thought you were supposed to be gone a week? It’s only been…”

“2 days,” he says, looking at our surroundings, his eyes following a couple people who have found their way on to a trail down the cliff. From here it actually looks like it could be part of his property and if it is, it makes me even more jealous than I was before.

“Exactly.” I nod.

“How about we go inside first?” he suggests, holding out an arm in my direction, ushering my inside.

We make it inside and now I’m well and truly envious. The outside of the house is an old ranch style home and the inside follows the same theme, except its been updated with all new features, like the large shiny range cooker I can see through the doorway into the kitchen that doesn’t look like its ever been used.

He sees me looking around, taking in the interior design, and he chuckles. “Make yourself at home, Princess.”

Brooks leads me to the living room, taking a seat on the couch. The large TV hanging on the wall is showing what look like highlights from a game of hockey. I should definitely get into it, especially because Gray’s been advertising the fact he’ll be playing all the NHL games on the TVs at the pub recently and everyone seems to be ecstatic about it and I don’t want to feel left out.

I take a seat opposite him on a big comfy armchair that I could definitely fall asleep in if given the chance, folding my legs underneath me. I notice the people on the TV talking about a team in Calgary but Brooks grabs the remote and turns it off.

“So…” I feel so fucking awkward and I don’t know how to br ing up the elephant in the room, or in my room I guess, he doesn’t know what I’m about to say to him. “What are you doing back so soon?” I ask.

His attention falls on me, his heated eyes traveling the length of my body and I can feel his gaze like a soft caress burning its way across my skin.

“I got back yesterday morning. I’ve been cleared to go back to work starting tomorrow so I came back to pack,” he says, not meeting my eyes, and my heart sinks. I knew it would happen I just didn’t think so soon. “Well,” he huffs out a laugh, “Technically I start back today but I needed more time to get my shit together.”

Finally he looks at me and I can tell this news make him ecstatic, “Your doctor cleared you to work?”

I swallow down my own feelings. He’s going to be leaving in the next 24 hours it seems, and I’m not going to spring my feelings on him when he’s been going on about getting to go back to work ever since I’ve known him.

He nods. “Yeah, he told me to take it easy but I’m all set.”

“That’s great! I’m so happy for you!” I say, cringing at the smile I’m forcing myself to put on. “Do you know when you’ll be back?”

He shakes his head. “Not until I have work out here I think, not sure when that is yet though. For sure I’ll be back next summer though.”

It’s like another shot to the heart.

“Sounds great!” I’m trying, I really am.

“Thanks,” the smile has not once left his face, “I was actually just about to head out, just put the last of my things in the truck, it’s a long drive,” he says softly.

It hurts. It shouldn’t, he really doesn’t owe me anything, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less. He doesn’t know how I feel and I guess he doesn’t reciprocate the feelings either.

I shouldn’t have let whatever this is, brew between us and I can’t blame anyone but myself for how I feel right now.

At least this is a clean break, I won’t have to see him after this. He’ll go to work and I’ll be here and I can get over whatever infatuation this was.

Which is why I feel so pathetic asking, “Do you think you’ll be back for opening day?”