Bet Me (Finding My Way) (14 page)

“You really are giving up” he whispers.

“No, I’m taking a step back, If what we have is real then it will never go away” I say softly

“Are you coming back?”

“That depends” I answer

“On what?”

“A lot of things”

“I’m going to miss you” he wraps his arms around me and squeezes me tightly.

“I’ll miss you too, always” I reply.

He pulls back a little and looks into my eyes. I close them as his lips meet mine but pull away when he tries to deepen the kiss.

“I can’t do this, I’m sorry” I whisper and kiss him on the cheek. For the second time in my life I walk away from Tucker not wondering if I’ll ever

see him again or wishing that I won’t but wishing that when I do see him again he finally feels the same way that I do.

To: Brooke Daniels

From: Lucy Stanton

Subject: Missing you

Date: Friday 2 November 10:58

Morning Brooke!

Just wanted to write to let you know that we all miss you and the past two months haven’t been the same without you.

I hope that you are getting on okay wherever it is that you are.

I also want you to know that if I hurt you in anyway at all I am so deeply sorry you don’t understand. I feel like I have lost my best friend and I don’t like it. I would never intentionally upset you.

Your friends Sophie and Matt came up here, they wasn’t too happy to find out that you had left town and Sophie went a little crazy at Tucker, it was very fun to watch. I have never seen a grown man cower before.

From: Brooke Daniels

Subject: RE: Missing you

Date: Friday 9 November 15:23

Hey Luce!!

I’m doing great! I think I really needed to get away, I didn’t realise how stressed ECT I really was.

You didn’t hurt me so stop worrying about it, I know you would never upset me on purpose but you haven’t upset me so it doesn’t matter. Stop worrying I love you and miss you too.

I would have loved to have seen Sophie go off on one as well that’s always very entertaining (poor Tucker) I’ve been on the end of one of her rants,
it’s not pretty.

Is everyone OKAY?

I’m glad Chloe is fitting in, I knew she would!

I really miss everyone and being at the club.

Hope you’re all having fun and the weather is good for you. We have snow… too cold!

Love you & miss you

B xxxxx

From: Lucy Stanton

Subject: RE: RE: Missing you

Date: Friday 16 November 23:12

Hey girlie,

Everyone’s fine, they all say hello.

Yeah, she fits in well, it’s nice because I get a two days off now instead of just one.

The weather here is cold enough but no snow for us (yet).

Where are you by the way? I heard that Tucker went looking for you but had no luck so he came back here. Have you heard from him?

A lot of the customers at the club ask about you too.

Will has been very quiet since you left and asks everyone everyday if they have heard from you.

It’s become a little tradition that on a Thursday night they play your bar dance song and we all do a shot for you.

It would be better if you were here though.

Anyway I’m glad that you’re doing well and feeling better. I didn’t realize you were stressed. You can always talk to me you know, I’m here for you.

Love you,

Luce xxxxx

From: Brooke Daniels

Subject: RE:RE: RE: Missing you

Date: Friday 23 November 17:30

To: Brooke Daniels

From: Lucy Stanton

Subject: Coming home?

Date: Friday 30 November 09:08

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

Of course I want you to come back!

Get your sexy little butt back here!!

Are you coming home?

Luce xxxxx

With help from Chloe and Will I know that tonight is Lucy’s night off but she will be here with the band and Andrew. I manage to sneak in unnoticed and it wouldn’t surprise me if the few customers who saw me only kept quiet because they didn’t recognize me. In the three months I was away I put on some weight, not much but it’s noticeable, I look healthier. I also got rid of my plain brown hair and it’s now a more chestnut brown/red with blonde highlights, I kept the length though and it has grown so it goes down just past my breasts. I’m not wearing anything short or flashy like I normally do when I work at the club. I’m in a cream ruffle skirt that ends halfway between my bottom and my knees, black ankle boots, a black tee with a silver scarf tied loosely around my neck. My hair is down and in loose curls pulled in front of both my shoulders and I have a cream woolly knitted cap style hat on, slightly sideways to the left where my new fringe covers my left eye almost completely.

Chloe arranged it so at exactly ten the DJ plays my song.  

As the song begins to play I walk out of the office and as predicted my friends are all here sat at their usual table, without them noticing me I jump on the bar and the club erupts in screams. Not cheers like normal. Ear splitting screams. I laugh and start my usual dance. Lucy runs up and jumps on the bar alongside me and starts dancing with me. The rest of my friends all jump up from the table and head over to the bar. As soon as the song has finished the DJ shouts out ‘Brooke’s back!’ into his mic and the club erupts into a mixtures of cheers and different shouts of ‘welcome back’ and ‘we missed you’s.

Lucy wastes no time in pulling me into a long hard hug.

“I can’t believe you’re back!” she exclaims loudly in my ear.

“Uhh .. Lucy … I need to breathe” I rasp out trying to loosen her hold on me a little.

“Oh sorry” she laughs and lets me go.

I take the mic that Chloe is holding out for me and turn to the crowd.

“Did y’all miss me?” I call playfully.

“YES!” goes up around me and I laugh at the enthusiasm I see in so many familiar faces.

“Not as much as I missed all of you”

“Wanna bet?” they all scream at once making me laugh hearing my own catchphrase thrown back at me. I’ve missed this. This is home for me. I turn to my friends and catch Andrews’s eye. He’s watching me as if he can’t quite believe I’m really here.

“What’s the matter honey, cat got your tongue?” I tease surprised that he hasn’t joined me on the bar with Lucy. He shakes his head at me.

“I’ll be back with you all in a bit. I think there’s some people that want to say hello to me before I do something silly for you lot” I wink at the crowd and jump down from the bar with Lucy on the customer side.

As I make my way over to my friends a few people stop me to welcome me back and offer hugs and kisses. I feel like I’ve spoken to a hundred people when I finally reach the group. The girls all hug me and the boys all kiss me on the cheek. Well everyone apart from Andrew and Tucker who haven’t said a word to me yet.

I turn to Andrew first figuring he will be the easiest option. I look up at him and take in his still shocked expression. “Did you miss me?” I smirk at him, he says nothing for a few more minutes and then grins and picks me up spinning me around making me giggle.

“I can’t believe you’re back, you never told anyone you were coming back!” he shouts over the music at me once he has returned me on my feet.

“I wanted it to be a surprise, if I told you, then it wouldn’t have worked” I laugh at him.

“Don’t leave again like that again” he scolds

“I won’t. I can’t this is my home. I know that now” I promise him.

Turning to Tucker I watch as he takes in every inch of me. “Hey” I say softly smiling up at him.

“You look different” he notes not smiling.

“I made a few changes” I shrug not sure if he’s happy to see me or not, his expression is giving nothing away.

“I see “ Is all he says before he gives me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek “I missed you” he tells me still not smiling.

I frown at him but quickly smooth my expression into a smile. “You too” I turn to the rest of the group. “I need a drink, anyone else?” 

“Hell yes!” Cam shouts making us all laugh.

I spend the rest of the night catching up with everyone, listening to the stories of their nights out and things that have happened at the club. I learn that Mel and Max are now a couple and Lucy has been dating someone for two months now and is going to introduce me to him tomorrow, none of the guys have met him yet so I wont be the only one who doesn’t know him. Andrew tells me stories of the girls he has been out with lately and a very long walk of shame he had to do this morning. A few times we are interrupted by people coming over to welcome me back and buy me drinks. Jess is dating Cam now but I don’t think it’s going well, there seems to be some tension between them. Tucker still doesn’t say much just makes a random comment here and there. They ask me about what I’ve been doing and where I have been and I explain how I stayed with Luke and spent some time with my younger brother Phin. I tell them about some of the nights out we had and replay some of the things we got up to. Everyone seems happy that I’m back. It’s a bit surprising to see how much they all truly missed me. I knew before I left that they all cared for me but it’s true when I say that they are more like family to me than friends and because I’ve never really had a family it means a lot to me.

“So what can we expect from you , now that you’re back?” Derek asks. I get the feeling that he’s not the only one who wants to hear the answer to this.

“How do you mean?”

“Well you obviously went away for a reason, is all that sorted out now? Are you going to continue being the life of the party? Are you happy?” he clarifies.

“I think I’ve sorted everything out. I’m definitely happier than I have ever been before. I won’t be dancing on the bar again that earlier when I came in was my last ever bar dance. I’m not going to take anymore bets that result in me losing any clothes. I’m not going to say that I won’t take any more bets at all because we all know I will” I shrug “I haven’t changed or anything, I’m still me. I missed you all”

“Before you all leave, Brooke, come up here please” Will calls out from the stage after the DJ calls closing.

I head over to the stage and take the mic Will hands me.

“So your back?” he asks grinning.

“I’m in tomorrow night but then I won’t be back until Monday” I confirm

“What do you mean, Monday?” he asks as the crowd groans.

“I’m not leaving town again, I have a few things that I need to sort out and it’s going to take up all my time” I confirm.

“Anything you need help with?” he asks and then looks at his mic when he realizes he spoke through it but obviously didn’t mean to.

“No I have a friend helping me, but thanks for the offer”

“Well, welcome back anyway and if you ever think of leaving us again we will chain you to the stage” he calls through his mic ad then pulls me into yet another hug. “Now get out of here” he instructs me making me laugh.

“Yes sir!” I answer and then waving to everyone and calling out ‘goodbye’ I leave the club and head back to my house.