Page 47 of Falling into Place
Brooks: hi.
Carly: Hi!
Brooks: i miss you
Carly: I’ve only been gone three days ...
Brooks: i still miss you
Carly: I miss you more.
October 15
Carly: I just passed a cool-looking coffee shop and it made me think of you.
Brooks: weird, pretty much everything makes me think of you
Carly: Stop being so sweet
Brooks: ok
Carly: But not really because that was lovely and I’ll look at that text every hour for the next three days straight.
Brooks: ok
October 17
Carly: My mom says if you want garlic next year, now’s the time to plant it
Brooks: on it
Brooks: does garlic shrink into anything i should know about
Carly: hahahahaha
October 30
Brooks: [image]
Carly: What am I looking at?
Carly: Did you try to go shopping by yourself? I thought we talked about that
Brooks: calm down it’s my halloween costume
Carly: Ohhh
Brooks: i’m a ninja. my nephews picked it
Carly: Ninja? That’s kind of hot
Brooks: are you dressing up?
Carly: All the people at Backstitch are doing character costumes. I picked Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus.
Brooks: yeah i’m gonna need a picture of that
Brooks: and also for you to keep that costume for later
Carly: Really? Ms. Frizzle?
Brooks: i like science
Brooks: don’t judge me
Carly: Is it the hair or the crazy dresses?
Brooks: it’s all very good
November 6
Brooks: guess what?
Carly: You watched The Notebook again and bawled like a baby?
Brooks: nope
Brooks: i signed up to be on the discussion panel for the next schwartz rounds
Carly: No way, really?
Brooks: yep
Carly: That’s so great! What are you talking about?
Brooks: connor’s dad was discharged today. walked out of here on his own and everything, and i just thought it would be good to talk about how it felt to be part of his care after what i went through
Carly: I’m so proud of you. I wish I could hug you right now but it’ll have to wait until I come visit next weekend
Brooks: i have so many plans for us
Carly: Like what?
Brooks: i feel weird texting it because they mostly involve us being naked
Carly: I’m in.
November 25
Carly: I’m thankful for you, Brooks Martin
Brooks: i’m thankful for you, Carly Porter
December 10
Brooks: jeff got stuck with me on his trivia team again
Carly: Lol how’d that go?
Brooks: i tried to tell him winning wasn’t everything. he didn’t like that
Carly: I’d be on your team any day.
Brooks: this is why i love you
Brooks: well, one of the many reasons
Carly:
December 25
Brooks: merry Christmas, beautiful
Carly: Merry Christmas. I wish you were here.
Brooks: yeah?
Carly: Always.
Brooks: you’ll probably like the present I got you, then
Carly: !!!
Brooks: let me up, will you?
January 16
Carly: I sent you something, did you get it?
Brooks: you mean this?
Brooks: [image]
Brooks: i thought it was for oreo.
Carly: Omggggg he looks So Cute
Brooks: he says thank you, he’s very warm.
Brooks: but i was kind of sad there was nothing for me ...
Carly: [image]
Brooks: holy shit
Brooks: how are you so sexy
Brooks: p.s. that’s so much better than a sweater
February 14
Carly: How are we not together on valentine’s day ??
Brooks: why are you yelling
Carly: Because it’s our first valentine’s day and we’re too far apart why did i do this i miss you so much
[incoming FaceTime call from Boy Toy Brooks]
April
A knock sounded below Carly’s feet.
She leaped up and jogged down the stairs, opening the door to the garage apartment she’d lived in for the past six months and launching herself at him.
“Whoa.” Brooks caught her with a laugh, lifting her feet off the ground as he hauled her up against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and he buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply.
She hadn’t seen him since Christmas, which was too damn long.
She pulled his head down and kissed him. He wasted no time turning up the heat and backed her against the wall next to her door, sliding his tongue in her mouth and sending her stomach into a deep dive.
The side door to the house swung open. “Oh, uh ... hey, Carly. You’ve got something on your face.”
Brooks backed up and held out his hand. “Steve. Nice to see you again.”
“I’d say the same, but you’re taking one of my wife’s favorite new friends back to Oklahoma tomorrow, so I gotta be honest and say I’m kind of pissed at you. She’s gonna be grumpy for like a week.”
“Yeah, I’m not sorry to be taking her.”
Steve nodded. “Fair.” He shifted his gaze to Carly. “We’re sad to see you go. What time do you two head back?”
“Not until noon.” She’d miss Steve, too. He’d been super friendly from the day she moved in and, as the foodie in the house, had introduced her to all the best places to eat and drink in the neighborhood. “Did Riza mention we’re grabbing breakfast in the morning? I hope you can come, too.”
“I’m in.” He glanced at his phone. “I gotta run, but text me when and where, okay?”
“I will.”
Steve turned to his car as she and Brooks climbed the stairs to the small apartment.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Brooks came for her again, taking back her attention and stealing her breath.
When they finally pulled apart, she led him through the room, weaving around the boxes and rolls of packing tape strewn around the space.
Brooks kept her hand in his. “We’re never doing this again.”
“What, live in different states?”
“Yeah.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
He stared at her flatly.
“Okay, yes, it was awful.” She didn’t regret it, though.
She’d learned a ton about the resale business, which she’d take back with her to Oklahoma, and she and Brooks had come out of this stronger than ever before.
They’d talked every single day while she was gone, a complete one-eighty from how things had been with Ben when he’d done the same.
Everything about this experience had been different.
Brooks slipped his arms around her waist, and his hands dipped low on her back. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m so glad you did this. But next time, I’m coming with you.”
She slid her hands up and down his chest, wondering if they had time to mess around before the dinner reservations she’d made. She’d wanted to go to her favorite restaurant one last time ... but he smelled so good and filled out that shirt so damn well. “You’d do that?”
He dipped his head and kissed her deeply. “I’d follow you anywhere.”
She hummed happily against his mouth.
A few moments later, he pulled back, a strange look on his face. Sweet but almost ... nervous? “When we get back, want to head straight to my place?”
She didn’t follow. “Sure. He’s playing it cool, but I know Pepper’s been dying to see Oreo. Why make them wait?”
He rubbed his jaw. “I meant, like, take all your stuff there. For good. What would you think about moving in with me?”
Her heart lurched into her throat. “Really?”
His gorgeous eyes searched hers as he nodded.
“You’re sure?”
“I’ve never been so sure of anything.”
She grinned, grabbing his hand and swinging it side to side. “Okay, but I have rules.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“Wanna hear them?”
“They won’t change my mind, but okay.”
“We make the bed when we get up.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fine.”
“I get to paint the bistro set on the porch any color I choose.”
“Have at it.”
“Tuesday nights are movie nights.”
“Unless the Thunder are playing.”
“Deal.” She squinted while she thought. “Oh, and you have to donate the jeans.”
He stilled. “What?”
She narrowed her eyes. “You haven’t been wearing them while I’ve been gone, have you? You promised.”
“No.” He looked away. “It’s just ...”
She frowned and stepped closer to peer into his face. “What is it?”
“They sort of have sentimental value to me now. When I see them in my closet, I think of you. How we met, the way you stole them and then lied about it, and that time things got hot when I found them again. I love every memory attached to them, and I don’t think I can stomach giving them away.”
“Are you trying to make me cry?”
“Not like that’s hard to do.”
“Fine! You can keep the jeans, you big softy.”
He looked so damn happy. “Good. Anything else?”
“Yeah.” She gazed up at him, heart bursting. “Promise you’ll love me forever.”
His smile faded into something serious and fierce. “I don’t usually make promises,” he said, reaching up to trail his thumb across her cheek. “But for that, I’ll make an exception.”