25

Brooke

Monday morning came all too quickly for both of us, I think. Resurfacing back to reality after our emotionally binding weekend was like coming down from floating in the clouds to walking barefoot in the desert. But since we were doing it together as a couple, it was okay.

As I was settling the cottage for my days and nights away in Boston, Caleb’s phone started blowing up. He took call after call, growing more agitated with each one in a way I’d never witnessed coming from him before.

“No response is the best way to handle it, Calvin, and if you want the funds for your subsidiaries to continue flowing from BGE to your press, then shut this whole mess the fuck down as quietly as possible. Make it go away and you will be rewarded.” He tapped into his phone.

“What? Hell, no! Those shithead parasites aren’t getting a statement from me. Seriously, Georgie, you know me better than that by now. Fucking figure it out. Use the full resources of the company that you have at your disposal, and don’t give me a reason to find someone else to head up the department. Hanging up now.” More taps into his phone.

“I don’t care. Why should I, exactly? It’s private information they are not entitled to know. Todd, I shouldn’t even have to say this, you are the head of fucking PR—do your job and relate to the public, for fuck’s sake! I already told you what to do, but you didn’t like my suggestion.” He ended the call abruptly, and on to the next.

“Hey. Yeah, I am done with these goddamn paparazzi circus performers. I need you to reach out to LeRoy in security for setting up a plan for round-the-clock surveillance. Two, with one on call should be sufficient. Twenty-four seven, when out of my sight—at least until this all cools down, or some new sensation pops up in the world to distract the vipers away from her.”

I glanced up from watering Nan’s potted fern to find him tracking me. He mouthed “Love you” to me as he listened to whoever was speaking to him. He held out his hand, beckoning me to come to him. He took hold of my hand when I came into his reach. “I’ll be in around eight thirty. Thank you.” His call ended, he pulled me down to sit beside him on the living room couch. He took hold of my chin and gave me such an intense look, I knew something was wrong.

“Who was that on the phone?”

“Just now? Victoria. Before her, it was a series of crybabies in need of some slaps upside the head, unfortunately.”

“Caleb, what has happened?”

He still had hold of my chin, which he maneuvered toward his lips for a soft kiss before pulling back again and delivering the same intense blaze from his eyes as before. “I need you to remember all of the things we said to each other this weekend. Those were real words, real feelings, real emotions—the real fucking truth about us. Okay?”

I felt myself break out in a sweat. “You’re scaring me. What is this all about? Caleb—I don’t know what—”

“Shh . . . it’s going to be fine,” he soothed, “don’t be scared, baby. I’m handling it. All I need from you right now is to trust me to take care of everything to keep you protected. Because I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you or take from what we have together.”

Protected from what?“Please tell me,” I begged, feeling like I might be suddenly sick. Oh God. My first thought was Marcus’s family. Could they have found me via my connection to Caleb? Probably yes.

“I love you, Brooke,” he reminded me, his voice roughly insistent.

“I know you do. I love you, too.” Caleb loves me—don’t forget that.

His jaw tensed. “The paparazzi got wind of the wedding this weekend. They also have photos. Probably sourced from a caterer or someone who facilitated on Saturday, and now the photos have been leaked with lots and lots of speculation. Celebrity news in every format knows about you and me. I had hoped we could have a long time of incognito and quiet before we were faced with this kind of thing. But, that time has evaporated, I’m afraid.”

“What are they saying?”

“Here’s CNZ’s top story of the day.” He handed me his phone with a screenshot and photos from the website of a popular celebrity-news TV show. REAL LIFE CINDERELLA STORY—BLACKSTONE BILLIONAIRE CLAIMEDBY THE MAID’S GRANDDAUGHTER the headline read. There was a picture of us together at the wedding. Caleb and I dressed to the nines, standing in the doorway of Stone Church, taken just at the moment when he’d kissed the top of my head. The lighting in the photo made it look as if my dress were white instead of the multicolored gold lace it was actually made of. The photo was misleading and suggestive—as if we were the bride and groom, coming out of the chapel newly married. If I were seeing it from a bystander’s viewpoint, I would certainly think so. Done purposefully to appear as if we’d had the secret wedding instead of Herman and Nan. The truth wildly stretched to make a nonstory into a headline, which would sell more papers and magazines. Fucking hell.

Oh, my God.“Caleb, I don’t know what to say.” And I really didn’t, because it was shocking to think the general public was seeing my picture, and reading my name, and . . . watching me. Do they know? Did the Pattens know where I was? Marcus’s family had stayed away, but they had to suspect I knew things about them. Or did they think they were untouchable? I wondered if I should be afraid.

“You don’t have to say anything, Brooke. I dreaded this happening eventually, but hoped we could have a more gradual introduction of you and me as a couple to the public. The paparazzi dog me all the time, and I fucking hate them. Unfortunately, the wedding tipped them off, or more likely somebody on the island offered the tip for money.” He grimaced disgustedly. “It happens all the time.”

“So, your phone calls just now were to stop the stories?”

His expression softened in sympathy—for me. “I wish I had that power, baby, oh how I wish.” He tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ear. “No, I am afraid we have been outed. It’s out there for public consumption now. The paparazzi is going to stalk you and follow you around and write things that are not true about you in the media. They will take your picture and ask you questions when they catch you off guard. The more controversial the story or unflattering the picture, the more valuable it becomes to them, because it sells more papers.”

“But, I don’t want attention like that, Caleb. I don’t want it—I can’t bear to be followed around and pictures—”

“Shhhhh.” He pressed me against his chest, his hand holding me securely at the back of my neck. “It’s okay. Remember what I said when I started this conversation. I love you, and you need to trust me. I am handling it.”

“But how does that work, Caleb?” I asked sadly. I couldn’t imagine what he could say to calm the panic rising up inside me.

“I’ve already put in motion to have security on you every second I’m not with you. You shouldn’t go into your office today or maybe this entire week. You can work from the penthouse and have Eduardo come meet you there. I can call your boss when we get to my office.”

“Bloody security guards?” I couldn’t even imagine that scenario.

“I’m afraid it’s necessary, baby. I’m so sorry, but it wouldn’t be safe for you without security, and I won’t take that chance. You’re too precious, and there are too many fucking lunatics in the world.”

“Like someone might try to kidnap me for ransom or something?” Where had all the oxygen gone? I felt suddenly sick.

“Oh fuck, don’t say that. Nobody is going to get close enough to have the chance to do anything to you. I will make sure. Brooke, baby . . . it’s okay. You’ve just gotten a rude introduction to how the media feeds off celebrities just because they have fame, or in my case, wealth.”

“You’re angry about what they’ve said about us,” I said from against his chest where he was holding me so close to his heart.

“What? Angry? No! I’m not angry about the picture or what it suggests. I love you, and we are together. End of. They would’ve gotten hold of it eventually. I’m so sorry, Brooke, but it’s just one of those not-so-pleasant consequences that come with being with me.”

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t really. The shock of what he was saying had barely registered in all parts of my very befuddled brain. Caleb rubbed a hand up and down my back while he held me.

The silence drew out, becoming uncomfortable as the seconds ticked on. Finally, I pulled myself out of his hold and looked down at my lap. I couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Brooke?” His voice sounded thready.

“Yes?” I kept my head down, still unable to look at him.

“This is the part where you are supposed to say something like, ‘I know you love me, Caleb, and I don’t care if the world knows about us because I love you, too.’” His voice carried an edge, and I could tell my silence had made him feel as if I were rejecting him.

I lifted my eyes to find him looking very concerned, and maybe even a little hurt. “Oh, Caleb, I know you love me, and I love you back. I am frightened of people invading my personal space . . . and knowing things about me. I like my quiet life. I want to keep my quiet life as it is.” If he only knew how terrified the thought of photographers snapping my picture and strangers following me around made me feel, he might be a bit more understanding. Smothered. Suffocated. Controlled. Those were the feelings I hadn’t felt since I’d come back to the island. Those were the feelings associated with Marcus and his terrifying instability. Breathe.

But this wasn’t the same thing at all. It felt the same, but I had never been safe with Marcus.I was safe with Caleb, though. Caleb wasn’t trying to control me but keep me safe. Safe.

And safety was on the island.

“I know you do, but I can’t promise your life will ever be the way it was before, at least not for a while.”

“Caleb, I can’t—”

“What? You’re saying you can’t be with me now?” The look he gave me ripped into my heart.

I took a shuddering breath. “Not publicly, Caleb. I can’t go back to Boston right now. I’m staying here. I’ll work from the cottage this week.” I knew I was babbling senselessly, but I couldn’t still the panic building inside my chest.

“Brooke, there is no way I am leaving you here unprotected, or letting you out of my sight right now. No fuckin’ way, so you can just forget that idea, baby, and let it go right on out of your pretty head.” He glared at me in a way I had never seen from him before. “You’re coming back to Boston with me until I can get your security situated,” he insisted, reaching for me.

“But I didn’t choose this,” I snapped, pulling back from his hands. “I didn’t choose this.” This time the words came out as a faint whisper.

He froze, his eyes widening as he stared me down. “I know you didn’t choose this, and neither did I, but I’m trying to make it livable for us both.” His scowl was replaced by a softer grimace as he reached for me again—more slowly this time, but not taking no for an answer, either—pulling me to his chest.

I allowed him to hold me and listened to him telling me the many reasons why I had to swallow my fear and go back to Boston for now. He said it would take time to make a secured home for me on the island—and it broke my heart. I didn’t know how to tell him what I knew would hurt him. I was scared and feeling like a selfish bitch, but that didn’t stop me from complaining.

“But, Caleb, you said you would come and be in my world with me. You told me,” I reminded him, knowing it would change nothing about this situation.

“I know I did, and I will, Brooke, but I need some time to make that happen, and right now there’s a nest of pit vipers trying to dig out a story about you, and the only way I can shield you is to take you back to the city, where I have the resources in place to keep them the fuck out.”

“It’s not permanent, Caleb, you have to understand that I will go for the short term, and only because of safety reasons. I won’t live with you in Boston permanently. I wish I could, for your sake, because your home is there, and your work. But I know that I can’t. It’s very h-hard for m-me to explain, but I n-n-need to live here on the island.” I shuddered and gasped for air that seemed in very short supply.

“I understand, baby,” he said quietly.

“You do?”

“I do. I understand that’s what you need, and because I love you, I want to give you everything that you need. We can live on the island if the city is a deal breaker for you. It doesn’t even affect me that much because I can come and go via chopper in mere minutes, but—and this is one huge-ass but—I can’t do it overnight. It is going to take some time to get a suitable place for us here, with security that is acceptable, and especially to limit the access of every fool who thinks they can approach us.”

I nodded into his chest, breathing in his scent to help stabilize my overtaxed emotions. “Thank you. I’m sorry for all of this trouble. I wish I could feel differently, but it doesn’t change how much I love you.” It didn’t change how much I loved him, but his words just made me love him more. He wasn’t trying to make me yield to his demands, but make our new life livable according to safety and my needs. I understand that’s what you need, and because I love you, I want to give you everything that you need. My mother never got that from my father.

He sighed, and it felt as though it was a sigh of relief. I recognized his body language loud and clear. “You will probably never know how much I needed to hear those words from you right now, baby.” Yep. I was right. “And I don’t want you to be a different person—ever. You are just how you should be, and there is nothing to be sorry for.”

“None of this mess changes the fact you are a remarkable man. I cannot even begin to understand why you aren’t running away from me at a fast clip, but you aren’t. You stay with me and tell me you love me and say you will make your home here—with me—and it feels like I’m in a waking dream. This couldn’t possibly be real—”

“It’s real, Brooke. It’s real.”

After a few more minutes of silence he asked, “Ready to go?”

“I’m ready,” I lied.

As I drove us to the helipad, I ruminated over everything. I knew it would be hard for me to see stories and pictures of me in the gossip magazines, and I made a vow not to read them. The thought of things being written about my personal life made me physically ill. This paparazzi issue would be a tough nut for me to crack. I would do my best and I didn’t want to let Caleb down, but I couldn’t deny the worry now settled in my heart.

I didn’t know if I was strong enough to make it through unscathed—and I guess I was about to find out.

The closer we got to the helipad at Lucas’s place, the more I realized the many concessions Caleb had made in order to spend his weekends with me on the island. He was doing his best to accommodate my wishes, except for where the ferry was concerned. He told me Blackstone Island Ferry wasn’t going to cut it for his commute, and he didn’t want me taking it, either. He cited the time delay was unacceptable for him when his helicopter could make the trip in a quarter of the time. I didn’t complain. I’d miss seeing Will, but it was wonderful to make the journey to the mainland in mere minutes, instead of an hour or more depending on the sea conditions.

Caleb’s pilot was a huge ex-soldier named Spence. He didn’t say much, but Spence was reliable. He was always waiting for us when we pulled up to the helipad, just as he was now. The helicopter was fired up and ready to go when I parked and locked up Woody. Caleb helped me navigate through the extreme wind blasting down off the rotors, and got me settled into my seat and our bags securely stowed.

As he buckled me in, I watched his hands working determinedly in securing the straps, which would make this journey a safe one for me. A kind of a metaphor for what he was trying to do for me in his life. I trusted him completely.

He gave me a quick kiss before strapping himself into his own seat. Caleb didn’t seem to have any doubts, and I liked that he was so confident about having me in his life. His confidence would have to do for the both of us right now, because I didn’t have mine down yet.

The time to face my new life in the spotlight had come, no matter how much I despised the idea. I was with Caleb now. Everything else could be sorted out with time and patience.

The time to ponder my new situation was very brief.

Because just a short fifteen minutes later, Spence set us down on top of the Blackstone Global Enterprises building in the middle of downtown, corporate Boston.