Chapter Fifteen

Wyatt

"I'll be here," I said as I hung up my phone call with Damon.

Apparently, he needed to borrow something and was on his way. And it wasn't just him. Brandy called me earlier and said she was on her way over, too, insisting she had to see me about this week. It was going to be like Grand Central Station around here soon.

I grabbed my shirt off the bed and barely got it over my head before the phone rang again. I looked upward and nearly let out a groan at the shrill sound. I had only been up for an hour and this was the third time my phone was ringing. "What is it with everyone today?" I wondered as I looked at the readout and saw it was Andrés.

I answered the phone and rubbed my forehead, asking, "What's up?" I was hoping to get right to it, whatever it was.

He was breathing heavy when he began telling me, "I thought something happened to you." He went on, "I searched the entire office. Are you sick?"

I shook my head, knowing full well he couldn't see me. "No. What? Why?"

"Well," he paused to laugh, and then continued, "I'm in the office and you're not here. I don't think that's ever happened since you started."

I was so glad he found my tardiness amusing, I thought to myself. I switched the call over to speakerphone. "Very funny. I had something I had to take care of this morning. I'll be in later."

"Naturally," he teased. "As long as you're good, man."

"I'm good," I said, and realized that I should probably tell him that I was taking some time off Thursday. "But while we're on the topic, I'll be out of the office on Thursday." It just felt easier that way so I could go with Brandy to the pool party and not worry about stepping away from work. I had a tendency to not be able to walk away once I started working.

I heard him fidgeting with the coffee machine before he finally answered. "No problem. Are you sure you're good, though?"

It was out of character for me to take time off, but I didn't think it was this big of a deal. "Yeah, just going to one of those weekend long wedding events with a friend."

"A female friend?" I knew Andrés so well by now, I didn't even need to be standing in front of him to know that he was probably wiggling his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive way.

My love life—who knew it was this amusing. I should call the media, this might make the front page of the newspapers. I could see it now: Former Military Man Finds Love Again and Gets Out of the Office.

Pulling a play from Damon's wife's book, I rolled my eyes. Not nearly good as Sabrina did, but the sentiment was definitely there. "Yes. She's a friend." Period. End of story. That was all he was getting. This wasn't middle school dammit and we weren't braiding each other's hair.

He sighed heavily. "Then I must remind you to open all the doors for her, listen when she speaks, and always ask if you can kiss her first." When he finished, Andrés started cracking up in laughter.

"Har-har." I sat down on the bed and shook my head. If only he knew this wasn't even real, that it was all pretend. I could only imagine what he'd say then. I closed my eyes for a brief moment. I couldn't think about any of that. No one was going to find out. That was the plan, anyway. And it had to work, so there was no question of what would happen when everyone found out. Because they wouldn't. Brandy and I were the only ones who would ever know this thing was all make-believe. Well, and her boyfriend, and Laurel. Finally, I asked, "You done?"

I heard him let out a sigh after he was done laughing and then the rolling of his chair. "Well, it's been a few hundred years since you've been out with a woman, I just thought you needed the reminder."

"It's not like that," I countered. "And, honestly, you're nearly as bad as my brothers."

"Hey, how are they by the way?" he asked, switching gears. "Tell Damon to call me, will you? We can all go out, get beers one of these days. Talk about your love life," he tacked on to the end.

"Oh, I'll be sure to relay the message. Thanks for your concern, really, I'm touched. Now I'm going to hang up before you try to give me some more pointers on how to impress the ladies. I'll see you later." I promptly shut that down and flipped my phone over on the bed, as if that'd stop it from ringing again.

I crossed the room to the window and pulled back the curtains. It was shaping up to be a nice day, having started out a bit cooler, but now that the sun was up, I couldn't wait to get outside.

I rolled up my shirt sleeves and let my mind wander back to Brandy's call this morning. I wondered what she wanted. Before I could think about it any further, though, there was a knock at the door. Maybe that was her, I mused.

"It's open!" I called out, knowing I already propped it open with the swing bar in anticipation of Damon and Brandy. I crossed my arms and turned around, waiting to see who it was.

Next thing I knew in walked Damon.

"Hey," I said, "help yourself to whatever it is you're looking for."

"Thanks, bro." He walked to my closet as I went to the kitchenette to grab the pot of coffee I had made for myself and set it on the two-seat table by the window along with two cups.

"So what it is you're looking to borrow anyway?" I sat down and poured myself some coffee.

When he didn't answer, only kept searching the small space, I went on to taking a sip. Then he pulled out a two-sided leather belt with a stainless steel buckle. "Found it!" he called out. He turned around and walked over to where I was, rolling it up and setting it down on the table. He sat down opposite of me and leaned back. "Good to know I can come to you for these things."

I raised a brow and waited for him to explain the sudden need to borrow one of my belts.

He waved a hand in front of his face. "It's not what you think."

I grinned. "Dude, I wasn't thinking anything."

He ignored my comment and explained, "Sabrina wants me to dress up for something she has going on this weekend and is insisting I need to wear a brown belt, which, of course, I don't own." He reached for the pot of coffee. "You don't mind, do you?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. Did you eat? I was thinking about ordering room service."

"Yeah, Sabrina woke me up early," he said and winked suggestively.

I gave him a disgusted look. "Really? I so don't want to know about your sex life."

He leaned back and grinned. "You're boring, you know that, right?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "If being boring means not wanting to hear about your brother having morning sex, then I guess I'm boring. In fact, make me the damn Governor of Boringland. I mean, geez, is this what you sit and around and talk about with Colt and Deke?"

Damon chuckled. "Dude, you so need a woman in your life. And fast." Then he sighed and changed the subject. "So why are you just sitting around here? Besides waiting for me, I mean. Why aren't you on your way out the door for work yet?" he asked, taking a sip of his coffee. His expression turned sour and he brought the cup back to his lips, spiting out the contents. "God, you drink this?" He pointed to the contents in the cup, then pointed at me. "What the hell is the matter with you? This stuff is awful. Remind me to bring you a better blend next time I come over."

I shook my head. "It's not that bad and, in answer to your previous question, I'm meeting someone here." I instinctively knew I was being too cryptic. Damon would ask more questions. Frankly, it was almost as cryptic as what Brandy had said to me. Not that I could help it, really, having no real information myself other than the fact that she was coming over.

Just as I predicted, he leaned forward and put his elbows on the table like he was getting ready to gossip with me or something. "Really, whose stopping by?" he questioned.

Trying to stave off whatever other questions he'd have, I shrugged and answered, "Just a friend."

"A friend, huh? A lady friend?"

A lady friend? That was exactly the bullshit question Andrés had for me. What was with everyone? "Do I look like a thirteen-year-old girl?" I wondered aloud.

Damon's eyebrow shot up and I almost burst out laughing at his expression, but resisted. "Do I want to know what that means?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Forget it. She should be here any minute, maybe you should go."

"Or I could stay and meet this mystery woman. Come on, man. Tell me what's going on."

"It's nothing, really. Just a friend. Someone I used to know who I ran into at work again recently. She asked me to help her out with something and I agreed, okay?"

Damon looked like he was considering my words, wondering if he was going to buy them. "Okay, but if it was just you lending a hand, it wouldn't be something you were all secretive about. So what's really going on?"

I waited, thinking about how much I wanted to say. I knew the intention was for no one to know, but he was my brother and I happened to know this was never going to end if he didn't know what was up. "She needs a fake boyfriend for some family event and I agreed. It's this weekend, so she wants to stop by to run over some details," I said, glossing over as much of it as I could. And, technically, it was true, I didn't know why she was coming over, but that made the most sense to me, so I went with it.

It might have been true that Damon was my best friend, but it didn't change the fact that I wasn't one for sitting around talking about my personal life or my feelings. It only got worse after Susan's death, but I didn't care for it ever. Susan's death just made matters worse. It seemed the less I wanted to talk about it, the more everyone had questions and wanted to pry into my life. Frankly, I knew my family meant well, but this was my life and it was really no one's damn business.

They wanted to know how I felt? I was pissed off and, frankly, lost, but no one wanted to hear that. What everyone wanted to hear was how I was getting on without her, moving on, knowing she was at peace. But that wasn't the case. And I really didn't see how it ever would be.

I stood up and walked to the window again, waiting for Damon to say whatever it was he was going to say about this fake boyfriend bit. "Well?" I prompted, wanting to just get it over with.

"Well, what? I think that's a nice thing you're doing. Could be fun, too."

I looked over my shoulder at him and scoffed. "Which I could use more of. I know, I know," I supplied anticipating what was coming next.

But he shook his head and stood up, too, coming to stand next to me. "I wasn't going to say that. I was just going to say that after your little acting gig was over I was hoping we'd get a chance to go surfing again if the waves were just right. I haven't been back on the water in too long, but every time we hang out I think about those old days. God, we used to have so much fun." His gaze was fixed on the ocean just outside my window.

I understood exactly what he was saying. There was something about being out there that just got to me. "Yeah, sounds good," I promised and found that I really meant it.

"But maybe on a day it's a little warmer," he said and shivered. "I could do without getting sick after."

I had to laugh at my brother. "Our cold is like sixty degrees."

"Whatever. Cold is cold." Then he decided, "I should be going," turning to the door.

I was about to walk him out when another knock sounded. Brandy.

Damon looked from me to the door, but my eyes were focused on the door. "On second thought," Damon said, backing up and sitting down again, his interest written all over his face. He clapped his hands together and smiled. "I think I'll stay and have another cup of mud."

Damn my luck. Why couldn't she have come later? Say, after Damon left? I swore, Brandy had the worst timing. She was late for the one work meeting we had and now this. What was with this woman?

"Fine," I ground out. "But not a peep from you, understand?"

He mimed zipping his lips and throwing away the key and I only narrowed my eyes. "I mean it."

I crossed to the door to meet her as I called out, "Come in."

Hardly a second later, Brandy swept in, her hair in a messy knot on the top of her head. She looked like your typical Florida girl, only prettier, wearing a long sleeve shirt and jeans that hit the floor, probably because she was wearing flip flops and lost the added height she typically had with her heels. I brought my eyes back up to her face and watched as she smiled and I couldn't help but think about how her smile seemed to brighten the whole room. It made even me feel lighter.

"Hi, Wyatt," she said, staring at me.

I locked eyes with her and couldn't help the grin that came across my face. It was as though as soon as she walked in, time stopped and it was only the two of us.

She soon reminded me Damon was still here, though, as she broke contact and looked over my shoulder at my brother. "Oh, I didn't realize you had company," she said, coming to rest her gaze on Damon.

"It's just my brother," I explained. "Damon, this is Brandy. Brandy, Damon."

She took in the sight of him and then looked back at me, as though comparing us or something. She winked at me and I shook my head, crossing my arms as she turned back to Damon and said, "Nice to meet you, Damon." It was like she couldn't help but flirt.

Damon smirked and stood up, extending a hand. "Pleasure's all mine. So you're the mystery girl, huh?"

She gasped and her eyes seemed to dance with excitement as she looked over at me where I was standing slightly behind her. "I'm Wyatt's mystery girl?"

I cleared my throat and uncrossed my arms. "I said nothing about you being my girl, but a mystery yes. At least, to my nosey brother." I looked at him, pointedly, but he only grinned back at me. I should've known he wasn't going to leave this alone.

I should've made him leave.

She nodded. "Well, I like being a mystery. Only, I have to say, Damon, you're a mystery to me, too. Seems Wyatt here isn't in the business of sharing too much." Then she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and swallowed. "How much did you share, Wyatt?"

I walked to her side and brought my hand to the small of her back before pulling back and clearing my throat again. "He knows," I said simply.

Understanding dawned on her face. "Oh, then you know your brother is doing a very good thing," she gushed and regarded me.

I wasn't sure how good it was, but only time would tell. I put my hands in my pockets and rolled back on my heels. "So you wanted to talk?" I prompted.

"Wait," Damon cut in, "you didn't even offer her a cup of coffee." He turned to her and gestured to the table. "What do you say?" he asked, sitting down, clearly not intent on leaving anytime soon.

She shrugged. "Sure, why not? I never say no to coffee, not that I need the caffeine," she pointed out and then laughed. "Wyatt can vouch for that. We only reconnected and I think he already noticed how much energy I have."

I made my way over to the kitchenette to get her a cup as she continued to talk. "You know those people who say they can have coffee in an IV?" she asked, but didn't pause long enough for an answer. "Well, that!" she raised her voice. "That right there can never be me. I mean, seriously, you don't know me well enough, but there's just no way! I cannot have that much caffeine. I would be like a child after they stuffed themself with Halloween candy, only without the vomiting." Then she sighed. "Right, Wyatt?"

I nodded, thinking about what she said about how much energy she had. She did have a lot of energy. And she talked a lot, especially when she was nervous. I wondered what that was about.

I walked back over to them and couldn't help but notice Damon smiling as he took the mug from my hands and began filling it with coffee for her. "I think it's nice," Damon finally replied. "I'm also full of energy, as you say. Wyatt here has had a lot of practice dealing with it, right, bro? I mean his first wife, she wasn't like us," he said, laughing and gesturing between them, "but I have every confidence he'll fair well playing the part of your doting boyfriend. Wait, it is boyfriend, right?"

Cringing, my eyes were fixed on Brandy. She didn't know about Susan. Brandy was a hard read, though, not even so much as flinching when Damon dropped that bomb. Her gaze turned to me, but she didn't seem to fixate on the part about me having been married before. "Yes, boyfriend," she answered, all but having forgotten about the cup of coffee Damon had just handed her.

I watched Brandy carefully, but her facial expression was unchanging. I had no idea what she was thinking, but she got quiet for the first time since I'd known her. Frankly, it scared the hell out of me.

"Well, now that we cleared that up for you, Damon, you've had your coffee and got what you came here for, you really should be going, right?" I asked pointedly, picking up the belt he needed to borrow and guiding him out of his chair and to the door. "It was good seeing you. I'll call you," I said.

Moving toward the door, Damon looked over his shoulder. "Nice to meet you, Brandy," he shouted before turning to me. "Wy, have fun," he said to me, wagging his brows.

I opened the door and all but pushed him out. Closing it behind him, I turned around and looked at Brandy, who placed her purse on the table beside her cup and her eyes were fixed on me at the door.

I needed to get this back on track, I mused. Meeting my brother and finding out about Susan were not on her agenda, I was sure. Damn, Damon. But she did come here to talk to me about something, so I closed the gap between us and said, "Okay, now that he's gone. You had something you wanted to talk about?"

Swallowing hard, Brandy turned and looked right at me. "Oh, yeah. Uhh," she said, hedging.

"Brandy," I prompted her when she didn't say anything.

She smiled and fidgeted with the bracelet on her wrist. "I, uhh.... Well, you know how sometimes you don't think about something or mention it because it doesn't seem important, but really it is? And then time passes and conversations happen and you still don't say anything, but you just know you have to," she rattled on.

I walked closer, coming to stand by the table. "Would you like to sit down or should you just say whatever it is?" I asked, taking the lead and sitting down myself.

She dropped down in the chair Damon vacated. "Thanks. Okay, fine. So the wedding and all the pre-wedding events are in Destin," she said, looking down at her untouched cup of coffee.

I reached for mine, but as I processed what she'd just said, my head snapped up. "Destin?" I asked, not sure I heard her right. "You mean, the city on the Panhandle. Along the Gulf of Mexico. The one with like a nine hour drive from here?"

She had the decency to look apologetic as she snapped her fingers and pointed at me, confirming, "That's the one."

I raked a hand through my hair and exhaled. "So, let me get this straight, when we go to this pool party thing on Thursday, it'll be in Destin, not here in Miami?" There went any hope of me going into the office on Friday before the rehearsal dinner. "Fine. It's not ideal, but it's not a big deal."

Sighing, she sat back, visibly relaxing. "Oh, thank goodness. I was so worried you'd say the drive was too much or you didn't want to stay overnight with me."

Shit, I hadn't even thought about the overnight thing. The last time I stayed the night with Brandy was the night we met at the bar and I had to call upon every ounce of self-control I had to just get through the night. I remembered the way she asked me to stay with her. She slept, curled up, her hair flowing behind her on the back of the couch, snuggling close to my chest. Breathing heavily, I sighed. Could I do it again—for three nights?

"I don't know, Brandy. On second thought, maybe this isn't such a good idea. And think about your mother. How will she handle this whole thing? And just think how it'll go when I supposedly break up with you later. It's a recipe for disaster."

Leaning forward, she grabbed my hands. "Oh, Wyatt, no. No, please. It'll be okay. And if sharing a room together is a problem, we can see about getting you your own room. Although, last I heard, my aunt rented out the entire place. It's a small villa property and they have a lot of out-of-town guests coming. But we can make it work, right?" she asked looking crestfallen.

I looked down at her hands holding mine. I felt my gut clench and knew I had no control over the situation as I exhaled and answered her. "Right. It'll be fine."

But I wasn't so sure it would be.

She dropped her hold on me and stood up. "So when do you want to leave?"

I did some fast math. If the pool party was in the afternoon, then we'd have to leave in the middle of the night, but that just felt like some form of torture. Instead, I proposed, "How about late Wednesday night? We can drive through the night and we'll get there for breakfast. We'll have all day to relax before the pool party starts."

She nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'll be ready. I'll pick you up Wednesday night then."

I shook my head. "I have an SUV. I'll drive. More room."

"Still, I'll come by and leave my car here, then. If that's okay," she said expectantly.

I nodded.

"Okay, well I really should be going. I have to meet Laurel. Thanks for meeting with me, Wyatt. And, again, thanks for doing this."

I still wasn't sure about it all, but I made a commitment and I really did want to help her. "If you keep thanking me, you'll run out of things to say on our drive home," I said, feeling only a little better about the whole thing.

Laughing, Brandy walked to the door. "Why do I doubt that?" She opened the door and slipped out.

My room suddenly felt empty and too quiet, all visitors gone. That was my cue to head to work.