Bumbled Love by Lila Rose

Chapter Eight

Brooke

Miss Baker.”

I jolted from my daze as I walked down the school’s hallway toward my office. It was too early for anything, but I still turned to Jenifer, who had whispered my name in a snappish tone.

“Yes, Jenifer?”

She moved over close and glanced around us. It was early enough not many students littered the hallways.

I really needed another coffee.

“Um, there’s like a heap of flowers in your office.”

Stopping, I looked at her as she nodded. “A heap?”

“A ton.”

Murder would be too good for Dustin.

Picking up my pace, I stalked through the halls until I reached the hallway where my office sat in the middle, and already I could see flowers sticking out of the open doorway. Whoever unlocked my office door for this was going to get my foot up their ass.

“See, there’s heaps,” Jenifer said when we reached the doorway. I hadn’t even noticed she was still with me. But she was right, there were heaps. Literally every surface was covered in bunches of different types of flowers. Even my floor.

The door across from me opened, and Stinky Steve, the physical education teacher, stepped out. “Oh, hey, Brooke. Hope you don’t mind I got Frank the janitor to open your room for the delivery.”

Slowly, I faced him and caught his eyes widening before he took a step back.

“Someone must be really sorry, Miss Baker,” Jenifer commented, but I was too busy killing Steve with my mind.

“All right, got to go.” Steve jogged down the hall, and that was when I noticed Tom coming my way.

“Shit.” Panicking, because I knew he would ask questions I didn’t want to answer, I shoved and shut the door before turning and leaning against it.

Tom’s steps faltered and then stopped right in front of me. “Brooke.”

“Morning, Tom. Great day, isn’t it?”

His gaze narrowed. “What have you done?”

“Moi.” I touched my chest and acted surprised as I used the only French word I knew. “Why, I’ve done nothing.”

A knock sounded.

“Miss? Can I come out? I have to get ready for class.”

Fuck my life.

Tom crossed his arms over his chest. “Who was that?”

“Who was what?” I countered, looking up and down the hall.

“Brooke.”

“Tom. Glad we can remember each other’s names.”

He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I swear to God, I need therapy just to deal with you and Reagan.”

“Miss Baker, sorry, but I don’t like to be late.”

Goddamn goody two-shoes.

Tom’s brow rose.

Thinning my lips, I moved to the side and opened my door to let Jenifer out. I hadn’t even noticed I’d pushed her in there in my panicked state.

“What in the f— Jenifer, you had better get to class.”

I would have laughed when Jenifer bowed at the principal, but I was honestly concerned that Tom’s gaze didn’t move from my office.

“Bye, Miss Baker.”

“Later, Jenifer, and sorry about shutting you in there.”

She smiled. “It’s okay.”

As soon as she started moving, I stepped into my office and went to close the door. Tom’s hand landed on it and held it open.

“What’s all this? Did someone upset you? Who was it? Herb and I’ll kick his ass. We might look charming, but we can be deadly.”

My heart expanded with those mushy, sweet feelings. Tom had always been a little more lenient with Reagan and me because we’d known each other for a while, even before we started working here, since Tom and Herb were friends.

“It was Dustin.”

I waited.

Knew it was coming.

Tom’s face blanked. He cleared his throat. “Yes, ah, well, they have the Super Bowl coming up, so Herb and I’ll schedule a beatdown after that for him.”

Snorting, I rolled my eyes and smiled.

“Of course.”

Turning, I shifted through the flowers and made it to my desk, where a note sat on it. I didn’t pick it up; instead, I said to Tom, “Don’t worry, I’ll get this cleaned up.”

“I know you will.” He shifted into the room and shut the door.

Shit.

“Can I ask what happened?”

Sighing, I leaned back in the chair. “Short version. He wants to date me, but I won’t because he didn’t see me from the start, and the biggest problem is if it doesn’t work out, I won’t get to see his son, Benjie, again. We’ve become close since I started helping out and minding him.”

He gaped at me. “You… he… but you… date him!”

Shaking my head, I pointed at him. “You’re only saying that because you’re in love with him and his team.”

“No. I’ve followed the Wolves for as long as I can remember. I read up on all the news about them, and you know there’s good and bad when a person is in the spotlight. Dustin has been seen as… all right, he’s been called a player, but that type of news hasn’t happened for the last month.” Tom waved a hand around. “Don’t know if you’ve realized, but it looks to me he’s been courting you for a long time and you haven’t noticed. Obviously, he’s sorry about something, but at least he knows he’s in the bad books and is willing to try and get out of them. I’m a man—”

“Really?”

“Shut up. I’ve been lazy in relationships in the past and didn’t give two hoots if I hurt a woman’s feelings. I doubt Dustin did either. Until you.”

Why did he have to go and say crap like that?

Straightening, I rested my elbows on the desk. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not risking anything because of Benjie.”

“Aren’t Dustin and his ex good friends? Dustin wouldn’t do anything to risk hurting his son in any way.”

Glaring, I pointed toward the door. “Quit making sense and get out.”

Tom snorted. “What did he do anyway? Was it bad?”

“Yes! He kissed me.”

Tom gasped and clutched his chest. “That bastard.” He rolled his eyes and turned, moving back to the door. “Don’t wipe the idea away, Brooke.”

“You just want me to date him because he’s on the Wolves and you’ll see more of him.”

At the door, Tom turned and shook his head. “I want you to give him a chance because I think he could make you happy, and that’s really what I want. To see you happy.”

He was gone before I could say or do anything since I’d melted into a puddle of goo. I wasn’t sure how I got so lucky with the people in my life, but I really had. It didn’t mean I’d stop from giving Tom shit all the time.

Grazing my bottom lip with my top teeth, I glanced down to the note and picked it up. I pulled it free from its little envelope and read it.

Brooke, I’ll always be sorry for what happened that first time, but never that kiss. One chance, darlin’. Just one and I’ll prove myself to you.

My hand shook as I placed the note back down. Pressing my fist to my stomach to try and settle the butterflies, I closed my eyes and scrunched up my face.

Why did the asshole have to be sweet? That shit shot me right in the chest, but I couldn’t wipe away my fear that if it didn’t last, Benjie would get hurt.

Was my happiness more important than Benjie?

No. I didn’t believe it was.

When it reached Friday, I still hadn’t sent a text to Dustin thanking him for the over-the-top gift of flowers. I’d pushed it aside since I’d been pissed it’d taken me all day to clean that shit up. But then I didn’t know what to say, because half of me didn’t want to lead him on by thanking him, but the other half wanted me to run to his house naked and kiss him again while I humped his leg. That side was a lot sluttier than I actually was.

Guilt had me sitting in my car out front of Dustin’s because I hadn’t said anything to him, even after the few texts and calls he’d tried with me.

I wasn’t a complete bitch. I did feel bad when I knew I was being a childish dickhead.

Nerves swept through me like my blood did in my veins, but I climbed out of the car and flung my bag over my shoulder.

Just don’t kiss him.

I wasn’t supposed to need to remind myself that, but Dustin was always on my mind, and I kept running over the thought of giving in and dating him. I wanted him. I did, but boy, was I scared. Which translated to me that I wasn’t ready to risk my heart or Benjie and be selfish to give in to what I wanted. Which was Dustin’s mouth on mine.

On the walk up to the door, my nose started twitching and I knew it was one of those pesky nostril hairs tickling me. I rubbed at it, but it kept annoying me. Glancing around, I saw no one, and quickly stuck the tips of two fingers up there, ready to pull that nuisance free… when the door opened.

Dustin grinned. “Never thought I’d open the door to a gorgeous woman picking her nose.”

Heat hit my cheeks and I dropped my hand, but it tickled again so I rubbed the side of it. “I wasn’t. There’s a hair tickling me.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It’s true.” I rubbed it again on the outside and finally there was sweet relief. It must have moved.

His lips twitched. “Sure.”

Can I just die, please?

“I’m going now.”

Turning, I heard his chuckle before my upper arm was taken in a firm grip and I was spun back to face him.

“Darlin’, you ain’t going anywhere.” I was surprised he removed his hand and took a step back. “Come on in.”

“I—”

“Please.”

Biting my bottom lip, I nodded and stepped through, making my way down into the living room. “Is Benjie not with you today?”

“Not until next week.”

Well, shit. I liked having a buffer between us.

Quickly, I sat on one end of the couch and dropped my bag to the floor. I bounced my leg up and down as I watched him take the other end of the couch with a smirk. It was better than bouncing on him.

Do not think of that.

“So, I, ah….”

“You’re not usually nervous around me, darlin’.”

Narrowing my eyes, I pointed at him. “It’s your damn fault with that stupid kiss.” I blanched. I actually felt the color drain from my face. I hadn’t meant to say that. His smirk grew into a grin.

“Why are you here, darlin’?”

Looking away from him, I glanced at the game on the television and noted it must have been an old one because Dustin was on the screen. I quickly looked elsewhere. “I just wanted to drop in to see Benjie and say thank you for the flowers. They were a bit too much, but I appreciate them.”

My gaze spun back when I felt him shift closer. “You’re welcome. I didn’t think you liked them since I hadn’t heard from you.”

Nodding, I cleared my throat and stared at his knees. They were good knees.

Crap, maybe he thought I was looking at his crotch. I averted my gaze to the coffee table and thankfully my phone picked that moment to ring. I prayed it was a lifeline out of this awkward situation.

Dipping my hand into my bag, I pulled it out and saw Nana Bev’s name on the screen. “Sorry, I have to take this.”

“Not a problem.”

“Nana, is everything okay?”

“Why you gotta ask that? It’s like you think somethin’ is gonna be wrong every time I ring. Like I’ve fallen down and can’t get up. Child, my legs are still strong. They can still hold a man’s hips between them, or head, if I wanna get freaky like that.”

Dropping my head, I sighed.

Why couldn’t she have a normal conversation?

When Dustin chuckled beside me, I knew, just knew, he had heard everything she said.

“Oooh, boo, whose sweet voice is that in the background? Wait, are you on a date? Are you gettin’ some, child?”

“Nana, why would I answer the phone if I was getting some?”

Why, dear God, did I ask that? I could have tit punched myself.

“Love you with all my heart, boo, but sometimes you do weird shit. Now tell your nana who that voice belongs to. Have you told him you can’t cook? Tell him he better pray to Jesus when he eats anything you make.”

“Nana, I have to go—”

“Not before—”

“I’m on my way to your place now and we can talk.”

“Child, do not move from wherever you are. Not when a man is there and laughing in that rich, dark voice. Can you imagine what his bedroom voice sounds like?”

“Bye!” I yelled before I ended the call. I dropped the phone to the couch and covered my face with my hands. “Can we pretend you didn’t hear any of that?”

Dustin chuckled again, and Nana was right… it was dark and rich.

“Not a chance, sweetheart.”

Standing, I grabbed my bag. “Anyway, I better go. Nice seeing you. Catch up soon.” I headed for the doorway.

“You don’t want to stay for a drink?”

“Nope, got to go.” I waved over my shoulder, not that I was sure he followed. I opened the front door and closed it quickly in case he was on his way, then bolted for my car like the chicken shit I was.