Under the Stars (Sequel to Across the Pond)

Chapter 29

I excitedly make my way to the beach at Meadows. I'm so happy that I'm practically skipping there. I told my dad that he didn't have to pick me up after work. He asked why, but I didn't mention Brooks' name. It's not that I don't want him to know that I'm seeing Brooks; it's just that I'm not ready to tell him yet.

Once I'm standing on the sand, I look around the area for Brooks, only he's nowhere to be found. I open our texts, making sure that I read his last one correctly.

Brooks: Waiting for you on the beach at Meadows

Is there another beach that I don't know about at Meadows?

I decide to call him, and he answers on the second ring.

"Uh, where are you?" I ask him.

"The beach," he tells me.

"You sure about that? I'm here, but I don't see you."

"Ah, I should've specified where."

"Brooks, there's only one beach at Meadows." I pause. "You are at Meadows, right?"

"Yeah, babe, I'm at Meadows," he says in a cute voice, but the 'babe' part is what makes me go weak at the knees. "But you've gotta walk all the way to the left, past the lifeguard stand and the rocks."

"Geez, you're going to make me walk 10 miles, aren't you?" I joke as I start to follow his directions.

"I would never do such a thing."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just like pigs fly..."

It takes me about 10 minutes to make it to Brooks. When I find him, he's sitting on a plaid blanket, secluded from the rest of the beach. The closer I get to him, the better I can see the picnic that he's laid out for us.

Yup, like an actual picnic. With a woven wooden basket. 

He must've showered because, the last time that I saw him today, he was dressed in workout clothes, and now he's in a light blue linen shirt and white shorts; the color of his shirt making his eyes pop.

Damn, he's a dream.

I almost hate that I have to be in work clothes right now. But the huge smile on his face as I make it closer to him tells me that he doesn't care about what I'm wearing.

"What's all this?" I ask as I come to a stop in front of him. My voice cracks a little because I'm truly touched by his gesture.

"Just a little something that I put together." He opens the picnic basket, showcasing a baguette, chips, a bag of grapes, brie cheese, and a few cans of Sanpellegrino. "It's not much, but I did the best that I could given what was around here."

I swallow hard, my emotions getting the best of me. My first instinct is to lovingly tackle Brooks, but the tears behind my eyes are making that a little hard to do right now.

"Do you like it?" he asks as though I couldn't. But how could one not appreciate what he's done?

I scrunch down in front of him and kiss him on the lips, allowing the gesture alone to answer his question and show my appreciation.

I pull away, but clearly that kiss wasn't enough for Brooks because he pulls me back down and passionately kisses me again; so passionately that we both end up hitting the ground, with me on top of him.

He tucks a strand of my red hair behind my ear as he looks at me before going in for another kiss. The hardest part of kissing him is when he pulls away. It scares me that 3 seconds without his lips on mine makes me feel empty inside.

He sits up first, lending his hand out for me to take, then brings me up to a seated position. He removes a paper plate from the basket and starts concocting me a spread of chips and cheese. 

"How was Jimmy this morning?" he asks, handing me the plate. "I don't have to sock him in the face again, do I?"

I start giggling. "He was fine."

Brooks raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

I start picking at the chips, sensing Brooks' protectiveness. "Nothing. Forget I said anything."

Brooks chews on his lip, and I know that he wants to press further. "Did he do something or say something that I should be concerned about?"

"No, not at all. It's just," I release a sigh, "I'm a little confused as to why he asked me to take on the job. I mean, he didn't let me do anything. I kinda just stood there and watched him play golf."

Brooks appears uneasy as he rakes his fingers through his light brown locks; the way that the sun hits his hair right now makes it look even lighter than it usually is.

"I don't trust that guy," Brooks says. "In fact, I'm going to have a word with him."

"What?!"

"Yeah," he nods. "He has to know his place."

"Brooks, Jimmy wasn't hitting on me or anything."

"Rem, he clearly has ulterior motives when it comes to you."

"Jimmy could care less about me. You're forgetting that he kissed another girl the same night that he and I kissed."

Brooks looks down and shakes his head in a squeamish way. "Babe, I don't want to hear about you kissing Jimmy."

"I'm just trying to prove a point."

"I know the guy," Brooks argues. "Too well. And the bottom line is that he's shady."

"Yeah, well I'm smart," I state and Brooks smiles. "I can handle someone like Jimmy."

Brooks grin stays intact. "Yeah, you can."

I smile back at him, and he gently grabs onto my arm. "Now, come here," he says, pulling me onto his lap. "I don't like when there's distance between us."