Page 13 of Endlessly Yours (The Wilder Brothers #10)

Or rather, he was screwing with Brooks. But I wasn’t about to say that out loud.

“He wants to be screwing something,” Ava muttered, and I choked on my water before glaring at her.

Heat scorched my skin, and it had nothing to do with the sun. I looked up to see Brooks studying my face.

I swallowed hard and did my best to pull my gaze from him as the whistle sounded.

Somebody called out a number and then a name, but it was all I could do not to stare at Brooks as his body moved in such quick motions.

He worked with his hands for a living, and I knew exactly what those hands felt like on my skin.

But the way that he moved with such grace and strength?

It just did something to me. I barely resisted the urge to press my thighs together again.

Then Callum whistled at me, and I looked up, only to see Brooks slam the other man into the ground.

“Brooks!” I called out, my voice sharp.

“Oh, that’s going to leave a bruise,” Aurora called out.

The two of them were growling at each other as I ran over, not thinking. I put my hand on Brooks’s shoulder and pulled him back.

“Seriously? It’s not a full contact sport.”

“Well, Brooks and I just had to say a few things to each other. Help me up, baby?” Callum asked, holding out his hand.

I glared at him, wondering what the hell he was up to before I pulled him up to his feet, my back pressing against Brooks’ front.

I swallowed hard, ignoring the heat of both men. They were both above six feet and towered over me, and suddenly, I felt like a little mouse with two giant lions growling at me.

I cleared my throat before shaking my head at the two of them and walking back to Ava.

I had no idea what that was about, but I wanted nothing to do with it.

Or at least that’s what I kept telling myself.

“I have so many questions,” Ava said after a moment, and I rolled my eyes.

“And I don’t have any answers. It’s pottery and wine tonight, right?” I asked.

“Yes. And we should go head to that now,” Aurora answered. “The boys can keep getting all sweaty together.”

My lips twitched, but I didn’t turn back to see if Brooks or Callum were looking over.

I didn’t want Callum, and I knew he didn’t want me. But he was annoying Brooks for some reason. How was I supposed to tell him it was all in vain?

Because Brooks didn’t want me, and I couldn’t want him.

Reminding myself of that, I pulled out my phone.

Me

Everything going okay?

Cameron

Fine.

I sighed, knowing that I had given her a phone so we could keep in contact for emergencies and just so I knew where she was, but she hated texting me back.

But the rule was, if she wanted to keep the phone, she had to answer me.

One-word answers, though, were all I was going to get out of her.

Instead of belaying the point, I pressed her contact information and called.

“I said I was fine,” Cameron snapped.

I closed my eyes and prayed for patience. “Cameron, tone. And I know you’re okay, but I also wanted to talk to Alice.”

“Fine,” Cameron grumbled.

I sighed, knowing I was going to have to work on her attitude. I just had no idea where to start. Brooks had helped for an instant, and Cameron had at least apologized for talking back to me in the way she had, but every time that I tried to discipline her, I saw my sister’s face.

And felt the emptiness that was losing my twin.

Tears pricked my eyes as I followed my friends towards the main Wilder building for our evening in, as Alice came on the line.

“Hi, Aunt Rory. I am about to play with Faith. We have a book stamper.”

I smiled softly. “The one for the edges? What color are you choosing?”

“Pink, of course. And roses. I’m really excited. Do you think we can paint some of your books? The ones that you drew for?”

“We can make that happen. You have fun tonight with Cameron and the others, and tomorrow when you get back, we can look through some of the books I have drawings in.” At least the ones that were safe for work , I thought to myself. “What do you say?”

“I love it! And maybe you can help me figure out how to draw a flower of my own?”

“I can do that, baby,” I whispered, my heart swelling.

Because Alice was trying. She was so lost, so scared, and just wanted to be with everybody at all times.

And I had no idea what the hell I was doing with either one of them.

“I have to go now. I love you,” Alice whispered.

“I love you too,” I said, a single tear sliding down my cheek.

I swallowed hard as the phone clicked off, knowing Cameron wasn’t going to even try to get back on.

I was failing both of them in subtle ways, but I was at least trying.

At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

“Faith says they’re having fun,” Ava said softly as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder.

“Yeah, Alice says so too.”

“Nothing from Cameron?” Aurora asked, her voice low.

I shook my head. “No. But at least she answered her phone?”

“Yes, there is that,” Aurora said gently as she squeezed my hand.

“You know what? I could really use a drink. Just lean into this whole girls’ night thing,” I said after a moment.

“Good thing we happen to have drinks here,” Maddie said as the Wilder woman came forward and gestured towards the large array of wine, cheeses, and fine foods on the table.

“We have snacks, a few wines I want you to try out, and then, pottery.”

“It’s just painting tonight,” Aurora added. “I figured we could at least try to work out glazes and paints for the kiln before we invest in pottery wheels or even slabs,” she said with a laugh.

“The only reason I know any of the words you’re saying is because I watched The Great Pottery Throw Down,” I said after a moment. “And I don’t know much.”

“You know more than I do,” Ava put in. “But you know, you are the artist of us all. So I can’t wait to see what you’re painting turns out to be.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t paint on vases or teapots. And if I’m drinking, it’s not going to be too pretty.”

Maddie handed me a glass of red and grinned.

“This is a pinot noir, and you’re going to love it. And not just because I say so. And I want to hear all about your work. I’ve only seen some of it, but Ava here tells me you have not safe for work art? As in, the scenes from the books that I love? Tell me everything.”

I looked around the room at the Wilder women who’d joined us and a few friends of theirs and let out a breath.

I had been alone for so long because it was easier to do so, and I reminded myself that my sister had left, but now she was gone forever.

And I was out of my depth.

But with these women, maybe it wasn’t so bad.

Maybe I could figure something out.

So I sipped the wine that was indeed amazing and took a seat in front of a teapot.

“Well, I can’t talk about too much of the work I’m doing, except for one of them does have a dragon.”

“As in a dragon that the heroine rides? Or that the heroine rides ?” Ava asked.

“Why not both?” Aurora said before she put her hand over her mouth. “I can’t believe I just said that out loud.”

Considering Aurora was sweet, and I thought innocent, I burst out laughing, shaking my head.

“It’s the former, but I have drawn something of the latter. This one, though, the hero and heroine are on top of a dragon.”

“I want to know everything, and I need to know the book,” Maddie said as she pointed at me.

“Now, let’s get to glazing, and tell me so we can add to my Tbr.”

Laughing, I took a seat, knowing that I really wasn’t okay. Yes, I could laugh, I could smile, but something needed to change. Only I had no idea what it was going to be.

I continued to drink, ignoring the fact that I was probably having a little too much. But it wasn’t as if I was driving anywhere. I had a place to stay for the night, and then I would pick up the girls and figure out the next phase of this new life of mine.

And I was not going to think about Brooks or Callum. Because Callum was only flirting with me to annoy Brooks.

And Brooks wanted nothing to do with me.

I was the one who had been sitting on the sidelines, practically having an orgasm, just watching Brooks take off his shirt.

I was the lost cause and had been ever since that night in the airport.

By the time I finished my teapot and was helping the others with their different art pieces, I was feeling warm and happy and only partially drunk.

Not too drunk that I was going to make terrible decisions, but enough that maybe all of my worries weren’t so hard on my chest.

Or at least that’s what I wanted to tell myself.

“Knock, knock,” a deep voice said from behind us, and I watched as Elijah walked into the room, eyes only for his wife.

Maddie looked up at him, smiling wide.

“You’re early.”

He shook his head. “No, you guys are running late. You said you wanted me to pick you up by 8:00, so we could have the rest of the night. Is that okay?”

I looked down at my phone, surprised. “Oh, it’s late,” I blurted.

“Just a little,” Elijah said simply before he leaned down and brushed his lips against Maddie’s.

My heart swelled, and a little jealousy slid in.

I shouldn’t be jealous. It wasn’t as if I’d ever been in a serious relationship like that. Had ever been wanted the way that Maddie clearly was.

And when everyone else’s significant others began to trickle in, taking their women home. The loneliness that settled in felt far starker than usual.

Prepared to walk myself to my little gray cabin, I pulled out my phone, knowing that the girls had texted good night earlier while I had done the same, but no other emergency texts had come in.

Nobody needed me, and I was alone. But that’s what I was good at. Right?

“Rory,” a deep voice said behind me, and I whirled, nearly tilting over. Brooks reached out and gripped my elbows, keeping me steady.

“What are you doing here?” I blurted, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

Wyatt had already carried Ava out, except she didn’t drink often and had nuzzled into his neck. Everyone else was trickling out, having said their goodbyes, and now I was here, alone with Brooks. Or at least practically.

“I wanted to make sure you got to the cabin okay. You’re staying in the little cottage, right?”

I nodded, letting out a breath. “Yes. But I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“Rory, we both know that’s not true.”

My heart kicked, and I had no idea what he meant by that. “I’m fine. You should go do what you were planning on doing. I’ll make it back on my own.”

“I’m not letting you walk around with alcohol in your system alone.”

“I’m safe here. You know that, right?”

“Maybe, but I’m still not doing it.”

I met his gaze, annoyed because I had no idea what the hell he was thinking. But that was the problem with Brooks Wilder. I never knew what he was thinking.

Instead, I grabbed my bag and walked with him out into the heated night.

Even though I only wore a T-shirt and cut-off shorts, it was still warm enough that I couldn’t feel a nighttime chill.

Which probably was an issue that I needed to worry about, or maybe it was the heat from being beside Brooks.

It was a short walk to the cabin. A small gray one that I knew had special significance in the Wilder family. Though I didn’t know every story that came with it.

I unlocked the door, ready to turn and say goodbye to Brooks, but there he was, standing behind me. He had put his shirt back on, as well as a pair of jeans, but the ball cap that he usually wore was gone. He just stared at me, confusion in his gaze.

“Thank you. Though you didn’t need to do that.”

“But I did.” He reached out then and ran his thumb along my jawline.

I swallowed hard, heat and hate sliding through me.

But the hate wasn’t for him.

No, that was the problem. It was never for him.

“Sleep with me,” I blurted, and I wasn’t even aware I was going to say the words until they were out.

“You’re drunk, Rory.”

I shook my head, feeling far more sober than I had before.

“I’m not. And I don’t mean fuck me. Just sleep with me. I could really use a hug. And I know that’s desperate, but I don’t care. Just hold me? For a bit?” I let out a breath. “Because I have a feeling you need one too.”

He stared at me then, and I had to wonder who exactly had just said all those words. Because they sure as hell didn’t sound like me.

Instead, he ran his thumb over my lips before letting out a breath.

“Okay. Okay.”

And without another word, he closed the door behind him, locking it.

And then he followed me into the bedroom as we toed off our shoes, and not even bothering to take off my makeup or my clothes, I slid under the covers as he did the same.

His jeans were warm against my legs, and I snuggled into him, needing that warmth.

I hated the fact that his arms felt like home, even though he was nothing of the sort.

But as he finally let out a breath, his heart beating softly against my ear, I sank into him, letting myself pretend.

Pretend that I knew what I was doing. Pretending that I wasn’t failing my family.

And pretending I could be someone that Brooks Wilder could want.

That Brooks Wilder could love.

And I fell asleep letting the facade wash over me, knowing that it would end with the next breath, and it would be something I would just have to get over.

Again.