The Hourglass (7 page)

As I stood I searched
for my keys, picking them up off of the coffee table, and Brooke followed me to the door.
Upon
stepping outside, I turned to face my best friend, noticing that her eyes remained confused. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

I lifted my hand up to her arm and
squeezed it
while smiling at her. “Yes, I know it’s weird, but you two obviously like each other, so who am I to stand in the way.” Hugging her one last time I waved as she closed the door.

Allowing my body to settle against
the cold leather seat of my car, I started the engine and turned the radio on just as the final lyrics to Passenger’s song,
Let Her Go
, played over the speakers. In that moment a single tear rolled down my face and the first thought that came to mind was,
what did I just do?

CHAPTER NINE

Brooke

AFTER WAVING SAVANNAH
off, I rolled my shoulders and stretched my neck out as I padded to the bathroom. A nice long soak in a scalding hot bath was exactly what I needed. Wash away the long damn day. Turning on the water, I added some lavender bath salts and let the tub fill up with the soothing aroma. Stripping my clothes off, I tossed them into the corner of the bathroom, promising to pick them up later.

Wine, I needed wine too.
Quickly
running out to the kitchen in the buff, I cringed when I saw my living room curtains wide open, and the neighbor jogging on his treadmill with a clear view. Oh hell,
screw
it. I grabbed the bottle of wine and a glass, waved and made my way back to the bathroom laughing to myself at his shocked expression.

When I turned the faucets off, the water pouring in stopped and the room was instantly quiet, letting me hear every crazy thought running through my head. Turning on my phone’s music, I drowned out the inner monologue, and poured a glass of wine. Taking a quick sip before setting it within arm’s reach, I was ready to enjoy my soak. Slipping into the tub, my skin instantly turned a bright red as the heat of the water warmed my blood. Sliding in further till I was immersed in the water, I sighed in appreciation of the simple things in life.

I heard a heavy handed knock on my front door. Crap that was probably the neighbor coming over to offer me some aid. I ignored it, hoping he would disappear since we’d never said more than hello in passing, I didn’t even know his name. The knock on the wood was heavier this time, and I growled out loud in frustration. It was obvious he wasn’t taking the subtle hint. Grabbing the towel and wrapping it around myself, I slowly made my way to the door, still hoping he’d go away and I wouldn’t have to deal with him.

Just as I went to open it, a third knock sounded, a bit slower in tempo, but lasting as if he was desperate for my appearance. “Oh my goodness, what!” I yelled as I slung the door open to a melancholy Lucas. Luke. Whatever the hell his name was.

“Brooke. Oh man, I’m sorry, you were in the bath. I saw Savannah leave; I was hoping we could talk more? Or go on our date, you said you’d go out with me tonight,” his voice pleaded as he scrambled for words.

“I should have brought the bottle,” I grumbled under my breath. Pulling in a deep breath I thought about what Savannah said, it wasn’t cheating technically. Looking back up at Lucas I could see the remorse in his eyes. “I have one question,” I began.

“Anything Brooke.
Ask away
,” he quickly replied throwing himself into the direct line of fire.

“Was it intentional? If I am sleeping with a man I expect him to be monogamous, I don’t share. And I like you, Lucas—”

His face lit up like the Las Vegas strip as a smile spread from ear to ear “I like you too Brooke, I didn’t mean to get so swept up in it all. And I was taking things slow with you, but last night, well my desire for you was just unstoppable. Things with Savannah, they’re fun. I mean—”

“Whoa!” I held up my hands in defense to make him stop as my stomach rolled. “I can tell you I’ve probably already heard plenty. That is one of my reservations, I know that you and my
best
friend have been... intimate. We can try this out, date, but the desire needs to be kept in check for a while. I need to be able to trust you Lucas and you have to earn it.”

I looked to the door, expecting him to walk out so I could get back to my bath that was probably cold now, but he didn’t budge. My gaze returned back to him, only to find he was just standing there staring at me expectantly. “Umm, was there something else?” I asked confused.

“Our date. You said we could go on another date. I can tell you, standing there in a towel is not helping me — how did you put it? — keep my desire in check. So go get dressed, and we’ll go out.”

His smile was so disarming, it nearly made me forget my best friend strutting into the elevator and checking his tonsils. His tongue slipping out to moisten his pouty bottom lip left me vulnerable. Helped me remember our night tangled in my sheets. I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I let flashes of memories and thoughts play through my head. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Lucas excitedly asked, dancing on his feet ever so slightly. I could see the wheels in his head spinning, and then in the blink of an eye, his arms were wrapped around me and his lips were on mine giving me the most sincere and innocent kiss possible. My eyelids fluttered, and I was so grateful he was holding me up because in that moment, I swooned and fell for Lucas Wellington even more. I skipped down the hall to get dressed and enjoy a night out, having my best friend’s blessing, with the man I was seriously falling for.

The weekend flew by as Lucas gave me some space to forget the drama from Friday and remember the romantic date he took me on. We had gone out and enjoyed a nice dinner, and had plans to see each other again soon. Throughout the week, Lucas was a regular visitor in my office, visiting me on his breaks to see how my day was going and taking me to lunch each day. Thursday a very ostentatious bouquet of flowers showed up to my office, which had everyone in the office buzzing about how I had landed
the
most eligible bachelor in the Nike Company.

Everyone but Savannah that is, Savannah had been out of the office practically all week, swamped with photo shoots according to her text messages. It was Friday though, and I was bound and determined to track her down and have some time with my best friend to make sure everything with us was okay. Leaving the office, I saw her car in her usual spot and did a one-eighty back in, calling her from my cell phone.

“This is Savannah,” she spouted off.

“Hey stranger,” I tried to sound as upbeat as possible, but paranoia was weighing in my mind.

“Brooke! Ugh, please tell me you are still at work. I was coming to grab you for happy hour. I need a drink,”
my
Savannah whined into the phone. “How anyone expects me to work with these new models coming in is beyond me.”

I let out a giggle, so relieved that we were good. “Of course, I’m in the garage heading out, want to ride together?” My phone beeped with an incoming call and I glanced down to see Lucas’s name flash on my screen.

“Do you have a call coming in? Take it, I’ll meet you in ten,” she said.

“Oh it’s not a number I recognize, probably a telemarketer. Get moving I’m ready for some best friend time!” I squeaked into the phone.

“Jumping in the elevator now!” Savannah hung up and I was left staring at my phone, wondering why on Earth I’d lied. Something with the whole situation just wasn’t sitting right with me, but selfishly I was ignoring it. For just once I wanted to be the one with the drop-dead gorgeous boyfriend. I deserved the romance and the wooing that Lucas was bestowing on me. She told me she didn’t care, and I was letting myself believe it, despite the red flags waving in my mind that he meant more to her than she wanted me to believe. Her mood after the night he ditched her played in my mind. It was the mind-blowing sex, the devil on my shoulder amended.

My phone buzzed with a text from Lucas, and I felt the smile on my face grow.

Can’t wait for our date, I’ve got it all planned out ;-)

Two hands grabbed me from behind and squeezed my hips, making me leap into the air in shock.

“Got ya!” Savannah’s sing-song voice teased from behind. “Aww is that from our Lukey-poo,” she teased as she caught a glimpse of the message. “Hot date, huh?”

I looked at her skeptically, analyzing her every move and word, but she seemed genuinely okay with it all. She grabbed my hand so we could walk together to her car and get in. Savannah peeled out and took us to a bar we didn’t frequent often because it was affectionately referred to as the “hook up club.” We always joked that instead of showing an ID, you’d show a condom to get in.

As we walked in I could tell Savannah was surveying the men. She put on a coy smile, and batted her lashes. I knew this Savannah all too well; this was my friend on the hunt. Men beware, Savannah Prescott was on the prowl. We cozied up to the bar, and she ordered us each a Cosmo. “Cheers! To finding men who make our toes curl, and our hearts skip a beat!” her loud voice carried over the music attracting a few beer-glazed glances. In record time, we were encased by men of varying levels of attractiveness and Savannah was teasing and flirting with each one. If the other day was my basic lesson on teasing and seducing a man, this was a PhD course. I sat there flabbergasted as I watched her interact with the guys, narrowing her selection down like a game of Survivor, and dismissing the ones that weren’t adequately capturing her attention.

“Hey, I’m out,” she leaned in and said to me with a wink, hand locked with that of some guy in an Armani suit. “Can Luke come pick you up?” She asked already turning to leave with the guy who was now nuzzling, nipping, and licking her neck.

“Yeah, don’t worry about me,” I quickly spat out before they just consummated this arrangement in front of me. “Have fun, be safe. Call me tomorrow!” I called to her back as she swayed out with Mr. Armani.

CHAPTER TEN

Savannah

OUR SWEATY BODIES
heaved, begging for air after we’d both been taken to such heightened levels of pleasure. Rolling out from under him I swung my legs off of the bed and searched the dark room for my clothes. Mr. Armani grabbed my wrist and tried to pull me back against him. “Aren’t you going to stay? There’s a great breakfast place around the corner that I’d love to take you to in the morning.”

Continuing the search for my clothes, I rolled my eyes and plastered a fake smile on my face. “Sorry doll, I’ve got to take off. Besides, I don’t do breakfast.”

His eyebrows furrowed in disbelief, and his cocky tone took over. “Did you really just use me for sex?”

My eyes scanned the floor and finally caught a glimpse of my outfit as I scrambled off the bed and began getting dressed. I tugged my boots on and grabbed my purse as I leaned against the door frame. “I believe the proper term is hit it and quit it, and yes, that’s exactly what I just did. Don’t be upset it ended, be grateful it ever happened.” I shot a wink his way, noticing the shocked expression that was on his face and then rushed out to my car pushing the past hour out of my head entirely, as I made my way home.

My couch was calling my name when I got home and so was the container of peanut butter cup ice cream. It was the third night in a row that I’d gone home with a different man, but tonight was the worst; tonight was Friday and I’d just had sex with a man who wasn’t Luke. I pulled a spoon out of the kitchen drawer and made my way to the freezer. After snagging the container of ice cream, I plopped down on my couch. Shoveling a spoonful into my mouth, I opened my laptop and took to my guilty pleasure, Facebook. Not even two seconds in and I was assaulted with a picture of Brooke and Luke on my newsfeed.

Enjoying dinner, drinks and a stroll in Downtown Denver.

The picture was a selfie of a blissfully happy Brooke and Luke, his arms wrapped snugly around her.
Eighty
four
likes, wonderful!
Slamming my computer shut I tossed it on the floor and kicked it under the couch so I wasn’t tempted to keep checking for any other pictures of their stroll down lover’s lane. I forced my giant spoon further into the ice cream carton, scooping out the last bite before I laid back on the couch sighing heavily. Why had I gone and opened my big mouth giving Brooke my blessing? Furthermore, why had I broken the one rule I knew better than to ever break? I yelled out loud, reprimanding myself. “Never fall for your booty partner!” I knew the rules. This wasn’t my first rodeo. But there was something about Luke; something I didn’t realize was there until it became abundantly clear after I’d given him up — and to none other than my very best friend.