He's the One (31 page)

‘Okay, if you say so.’ Her mom actually smirked!

Brooke shook her head. She knew the truth about Flynn. And she didn’t like the way her mom had managed to sidestep any questions about her own past. But Brooke had an ace up her sleeve – in the form of Nina. Her gran would know about the blond man, she was sure.

And so the following day, Brooke went round to Nina’s after class. Her gran had been baking chocolate brownies and it was official, she made the best brownies
ever
. The whole house smelled deliciously of baking. Brooke was not going to be able to say no. Damn. It would mean extra time at the gym but resistance was futile …

Nina grinned at her as she sat at the kitchen table, drinking a mug of tea and tucking into one of the brownies.

‘I can’t believe you’re drinking normal, regular tea and eating an actual brownie. What’s got into you? Where’s my LA princess? The girl who can only drink mineral water and thinks that sugar is the devil’s work?’

Brooke rolled her eyes. ‘You’ve worn me down by never having any herbal tea. And you know I absolutely have to eat your brownies!’

‘Good, you could do with putting a bit of weight on.’ Nina adopted a very bad American accent. ‘Size zero is, like, so last season.’

‘That’s crap, Nina, you can never be too thin or too rich.’

‘Don’t you believe it. Men want women with curves, not some skeleton. How is your love life by the way? Your mom mentioned a boy at college, Flynn or something?’

Was nothing secret?

‘Nothing’s going on there. And actually, Nina, I wanted to ask you about Mom’s.’

‘Oh? I didn’t think she was interested in seeing anyone at the moment, I thought she was doing the big
I want to be alone thing
. Even though, frankly, she’s been doing that for the last God knows how many years, married to Zac. I’ve seen fridge freezers with more warmth than him. I don’t know how she managed to stick it out for so long.’

Nina had never got on with Zac, who’d always kept out of her way when she was over for a visit.

‘Come on, Nina, he’s not that bad.’ Brooke didn’t know why she felt any loyalty to Zac, he’d hardly bothered to reply to her long emails other than to say everything was fine and he hoped that she was well. And this was someone she had spent nearly fourteen years of her life with … She wondered if he would even remember that it was her birthday soon.

‘Anyway, let’s not talk about him. I saw some of Mom’s old photos and there was one of this good-looking blond guy she was seeing when I was about four. Mom tried to make out he wasn’t important, but I got the feeling that wasn’t true.’

She expected Nina to crack a joke, but unexpectedly she looked wistful. ‘Oh, him.’

That seemed intriguing. ‘So who was he?’

‘Cory. The love of your mother’s life, I think it’s fair to say.’

WTF! Brooke had never even heard her mom mention him.

‘And so what happened?’

‘She met him when she was twenty-one and they spent the summer together.’ Nina hesitated. ‘I really think you should get your mum to tell you the rest herself. It’s her story, not mine.’

Brooke thought of the way Liberty had snatched away the photos of Cory. It didn’t seem likely that she would talk about him.

‘So did she ever see him again? Where does he live?’ Brooke was hungry for information. She suddenly felt as if there was this huge part of her mom’s life that she knew nothing about.

‘I’ve no idea. She never talks about him.’ Nina smiled. ‘She might do to you though. Ask her.’

‘I did try and she completely blanked me. Said it was just a summer romance and it didn’t mean anything. It didn’t exactly sound like a brief affair, Nina.’

‘No, it was definitely more than that.’

‘So why did she end up marrying Zac?’

Nina shook her head. ‘I can’t answer any of these questions, sweetheart – only your mum can.’

Brooke pushed her plate away, suddenly not able to finish the brownie. She couldn’t understand why her mom would have given up her great love and settled for second best. It didn’t make sense to her.

‘What’s his surname? Maybe we could find out where he’s living and put him back in touch with Mom again?’ It seemed such a romantic idea, like something out of a play or film.

‘We’re talking fourteen years ago. You can’t just
crash into someone’s life like that. He’s bound to be settled down and most likely has kids now.’ Nina sighed. ‘Sometimes, however painful it might seem, the past is best left alone.’

Brooke absolutely did not agree, but she could see that there was no point in telling Nina that so changed the subject to her party.

Chapter 33

Brooke’s eighteenth birthday party was less than a month away and everyone at college who had been invited was hugely excited … everyone, except Mila, who shut down every time the subject was mentioned. Brooke guessed it was because she felt self-conscious about her body. And even though she was starting to lose weight from her regular gym sessions and by eating more healthily, she still dressed in shapeless, baggy clothes that did absolutely nothing for her. An intervention was needed, and Brooke knew just what to do. She invited Mila over for a girl’s night in on Friday. Earlier she had arranged for a local boutique to send over a selection of dresses – the owner had been to school with her mom. Of course, once Harry got wind of the night, he begged to be included as well.

At first Mila was reluctant to take any part in the makeover. ‘There’s no point; nothing’s going to make any difference. I’ll still be the token fat girl in a sea of skinny beautiful people.’

Brooke exchanged eye rolls with Harry. This was going to be harder than she had anticipated. ‘Look,
just let me have a go at doing your make up. It’s not a big deal, and if you don’t like it, you can take it off.’

‘Okay, but no posting any before and after pictures up on Facebook,’ Mila warned.

‘I swear that what happens in my bedroom, stays in my bedroom,’ Brooke replied, wondering how she was going to get Mila to loosen up. Her friend was walking over to the dressing table as if she was on the way to her execution. It would have to be alcohol.

‘Harry, stop reading
Heat
and go and get us a bottle of wine – ask my mom for some rosé.’

He sighed and threw the magazine down. ‘I was in the middle of a very important decision – who do I prefer, Harry Styles or Max George? It’s kind of cheeky boy versus naughty boy. Maybe I could have both. Ooh, I’d forgotten about the Beiber. I like him now he’s gone a bit naughty, flashing his pants at everyone.’

‘Wine,’ Brooke repeated, knowing that Harry could go on indefinitely about those boys.

‘Your wish is my command, mistress,’ he declared, finally peeling himself off the bed.

‘You’ve got beautiful skin,’ Brooke told Mila truthfully as she began applying foundation. The more she had got to know Mila, the more she had come to realise how exceptionally pretty she was.

‘I’ve certainly got a lot of it,’ Mila replied. ‘And so if I do lose weight, I’ll just have folds of skin hanging down, like Elephant Woman. Still, on the plus side, I guess I could have my own website and charge people to have a look – my own private freak show – and that way save some money to go to college.’

It was typical of Mila to be so down on herself. Brooke tutted. Where was Harry with that bottle of wine? Didn’t he realise that it was an emergency?

He reappeared clutching a bottle of rosé as Brooke
was getting to work on Mila’s eyes, blending primer on to her eyelids before she applied the colour.

‘Sorry, sweets! I got chatting to your mum, or Liberty as she said I could call her. Imagine … me, on first-name terms with a Hollywood star!’

‘Ex-Hollywood star,’ Brooke muttered. ‘I don’t think she’ll ever act again in LA. My ex-stepdad will see to that.’ Zac really did feel like her ex-stepdad – he had barely been in touch. It was as if he was divorced from Brooke as well. Thank God he and her mom had never had any kids, then it would have got even nastier …

‘Well, it’s a big old world out there. I’m sure she could get work wherever else she wanted.’ Harry poured them each a large glass of wine and walked over to consider Brooke’s handiwork. ‘Not bad, princess. You rock as a make-up artist.’

‘She’s got her work cut out, trying to give me a makeover,’ Mila muttered. ‘It’ll be her biggest challenge ever.’

Enough already! Brooke exchanged looks with Harry, who raised his eyebrows as if to say,
What can you do?
Well, not sit back and take this endless stream of negativity, that was for sure!

‘Okay, we’re going to have a rule that none of us can say anything negative about ourself and our life tonight. So I can’t moan about missing LA, you can’t bitch about your appearance, and Harry …’

‘I never complain, I’m a constant ray of sunshine, haven’t you noticed?’ he piped up. ‘I am one hundred per cent a glass half-full kind of guy.’

Actually, that was true. She had only ever heard him bitch about Eve, who frankly deserved it.

‘Okay, well then, Harry can just be his lovely sunshine self.’

She finished working on Mila and allowed her to
look in the mirror. Brooke was rather proud of her handiwork. She had defined Mila’s eyebrows and given them a great shape, and had emphasised her blue eyes with a smoky grey eyeshadow, flicks of black eyeliner and false lashes. Her skin looked flawless, under a shimmer of bronzer, and her lips were glossed a subtle red. Hmm, maybe if the acting didn’t work out, Brooke could get a job as a make-up artist – that had to be better than waiting tables. Though she wouldn’t get to see Flynn, and she had come to enjoy those times with him at the restaurant.

‘What do you reckon?’ she asked.

‘Not bad,’ Mila marvelled. ‘If only I could have a new body as well—’

‘No, no! We agreed, no negative comments. Harry, what do you think?’

‘Love it. But, sweetie, you have got to do something about your hair.’

He was right. Mila’s hair, peroxide blonde with two inches of black roots, was a mess.

‘I know, I was going to bleach it again before the party.’

Ouch! It already looked to be in terrible condition. One more run in with the peroxide and Mila would be lucky if she had any hair left. ‘Actually, my mom’s booking a hairdresser for the day of the party, so they can do yours as well.’ The old Brooke would have said up front and unapologetically that blonde was not for everyone, but now she found herself saying gently, not wanting to upset Mila, ‘Maybe you should go darker – I think brunette would really suit you.’

‘Yeah, I’ve been thinking that as well, but I can’t afford to pay to have it done at the moment.’

‘It’s all paid for,’ Brooke told her, again getting that buzz out of doing something for someone else. ‘So
come on, now for the dresses.’ She knew that this was the part that was likely to freak Mila out the most, as she never wore anything that showed off her figure, so she sent Harry downstairs to mix up some Strawberry Daiquiris. Her mom didn’t mind if they had a little bit to drink at home. So long as no one got pissed and threw up on the carpets.

Mila remained sitting where she was, arms folded defensively.

‘First of all I got you some Spanx.’ Brooke threw a selection of packets on the bed. ‘And before you try and make a negative comment, everyone wears them on the red carpet, and I mean
everyone
– from Gwyneth Paltrow to Katy Perry – and I wear them myself. So I’m going to see what Harry’s up to while you get changed. Come down when you’re ready. Oh, and help yourself to whatever shoes of mine you want.’

‘Okay, thanks,’ Mila said quietly.

Downstairs Harry was at work with the cocktail shaker, in between charming her mom with his anecdotes.

‘How’s it going?’ he asked Brooke as she sat down at the marble breakfast bar.

‘I’m not sure, I still think she might bail on us.’

‘You’ve got her this far. I can really see that she’s lost some weight from all your workouts at the gym, and at college she’s been eating far more healthily. Usually she’s, like, stuff it, I may as well eat whatever I want because it won’t make any difference. But she’s been going for salads and soups lately.’ He looked over at Liberty. ‘It’s all your daughter’s influence. She’s been so lovely to Mila. A real friend.’

Liberty smiled. ‘I know, and it’s great.’

For once Brooke didn’t even feel tempted to come out with a cynical putdown. It was a good feeling,
knowing that she was doing something for someone else. She thought of how quickly she had dismissed Mila when she’d first met her, judging her entirely on her appearance, writing her off as the fat girl who could be of no interest to her, just because she didn’t conform to Brooke’s idea of what it was to look good. She was ashamed of her earlier attitude.

Twenty minutes and a cocktail later, Mila finally made an appearance. She had chosen a bright red halterneck dress, with a wide skirt and fitted waist. The Spanx had done their job of sucking everything in. She looked like a different person, a confident person. She actually walked differently, with her shoulders back and her head held high, rather than shuffling in, looking apologetic for even being there. Everyone was speechless as she stood in front of them.

‘That bad, is it?’ she asked, misinterpreting their silence. ‘I thought so. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.’ Her shoulders seemed to sag.

‘No way!’ Brooke rushed over to give her a hug. ‘You look fantastic, I promise. Totally fantastic! Actually I’m kinda worried that you’ll upstage me at my own party, which I don’t think I can allow.’

‘You really think I look okay?’ Mila asked nervously.

‘You look amazing,’ Harry said, leaping off his chair and hugging her as well.

‘Beautiful,’ Liberty echoed. ‘Like an old-school movie star.’

‘And I’m getting the dress for you – my present, a thank you for making me so welcome here,’ Brooke added. ‘I think it’s perfect for the party.’ She could see Mila was about to protest and held up her hand. ‘Really, I’m buying it and that’s final.’

And then Mila managed a smile, a slight wobbly, tentative one at first that grew into a broad grin.