Hidden Desires (22 page)

"Well let me ask you, when that guy came in yelling at me, from the way he put things, didn't it seem like Brooke had told him something was going on between us?"

"Yes, definitely. He accused you of turning her into a lesbian. I heard him myself." Denise nodded as she spoke.

"Okay, well, she insists that she didn't tell him anything of the sort. I mean she was serious, she really swears to it!" Cayden explained.

"Really? Then where would he get it from? Do you believe her?"

Cayden frowned deeply. "I don't know."

"She wants to believe that Brooke has the hots for her," Jodie added.

"You can't tell me you didn't see the way that she looked at you Cayden!" Denise said with both eyebrows raised.

"Hell yeah, I saw it," she looked between Jodie and her stupid grin, and Denise with her wide-open eyes. "Okay, she's hot for me."

"And you're hot for her." The waitress said with a wink.

"No, I think she's hot, there's a difference." Cayden said, slightly defensively.

"Please, Cayden, you look like Homer Simpson when he sees a donut." Jodie joked.

"Then, when she pulled down those glasses, her eyes told a whole sordid story." Denise said.

"Oh yeah, I saw that, she was eating her alive!"

"From top to bottom!"

"Excuse me? I am still here you know?" Cayden pouted.

Jodie and Denise shared a laugh at Cayden's expense.

"No really, Cayd, she wants you, and you want her. Why don't you two just get together and talk about it?"

"Come on, Jo, I'm not even thinking of getting anywhere near her. I don't need things like that in my life."

Jodie gave Denise the eyebrow and smirked.
I don't know about that, Cayd.

 
*  *  *

Brooke had work to do, but she couldn't concentrate on one thing for more than 5 minutes at a time. She spent most of the morning glancing at the wall that separates her cubicle from Bev's. She was bursting to tell someone about what happened the previous day but, at the same time, she didn't want to. She felt stupid about the whole thing now that she thought about it. If I just tell her the truth, all of this will be done. Brooke began blushing at the mere thought of telling Cayden she dreams about her.
Oh God! I would just die, but I know that's the only way to get her to understand that I am not lying.

"Earth to Brooke." Bev teased.

Brooke cleared her throat and peeked sideways at Bev. "I was just thinking."

"I can tell, and it must be good judging by your cheeks."

"Yeah," Brooke agreed quietly. "Bev, I need your advice."

"What about, Honey?" the older woman came around the partition and leaned on Brooke's desk.

The small blonde swiveled her chair back and forth nervously. "I saw Cayden yesterday," she started.

"Oh? What happened?" Bev asked, smiling.

"It was a disaster."

"Oh no!" the older woman reached over and put her hand on Brooke's shoulder to reassure her.

"It was awful, Bev, we fought like crazy!" Brooke said, heartbroken.

"Over what? I thought you said you hardly know her?"

"I don't hardly know her... it was Grant."

"Grant? What did he do?"

Brooke groaned pathetically. "I guess I have to tell you."

Bev thought the worst. "Honey, tell me!"

"Well, remember I told you that I dream about her?" When Bev nodded, Brooke swallowed hard and continued. "Well, I think I talk in my sleep," she said quietly, a deep read blush coloring her cheeks.

"And?" Bev thought for a minute, then her eyes opened wide. "Grant heard you? Oh no!"

"Oh yes." Brooke nodded and hid her face in her hands.

"He told you?"

"No, but whatever I said or did, Grant made some assumptions... and he went and confronted Cayden."

"What! Oh my God! What happened? What did he say?"

"He accused her of turning me into a lesbian."

"Bev's eyes opened wide and then closed, then, she started giggling.

"Bev, it's not funny!" Brooke whispered loudly.

"Oh, Brooke! Can you imagine what kind of story Grant must have made up in his own mind?"

Brooke cracked a smile. "I know, it is kind of funny. He said something about a crazed pack of roller blading lesbians holding me hostage." Brooke giggled.

When Bev finally finished laughing, she turned serious again. "So, what happened, Cayden confronted you?"

"No, worse. I went in there with every intention of getting to know her better, and she hit me with it from left field. I felt like such an ass... you have no idea."

"Oh, baby, did you explain?"

"Explain? How can I tell her what happened? All I could do was deny that I told Grant anything. I can't tell her the truth. She thinks I told Grant that we were having an affair."

"Well, she's going to keep on thinking that's exactly what you did, unless you tell her otherwise."

Brooke groaned. "I can't tell her," she fidgeted with some papers on her desk. "Then again, I don't want her thinking I am a liar. That's driving me crazy more than anything!"

"Hmmm, so you think that Grant came up with this idea by listening to you talk in your sleep, then he went and confronted Cayden without any proof?"

"That's exactly what he did," Brooke said sourly.

"And now, Cayden thinks you are running around telling stories about the two of you?"

"Yes."

"You don't want to tell her the truth?"

"God no!" Brooke looked mortified.

"Honey, you are going to have to."

"No... well... maybe. But I don't want to!" Brooke pouted.

"Of course not, but think about it, if you tell Cayden you were dreaming about her, that could open up a world of possibilities for the two of you." Bev smirked.

Brooke blushed. "I suppose so," she replied. "I don't think she's going to be all too happy to see me any time soon though. I really pissed her off."

"When you fought?"

"Yeah, we were both pissed, and we were both yelling... it got out of hand." She said, crestfallen and embarrassed.

"Brooke, you two need to talk in a civilized manner. Why don't you try?"

"I'm telling you, I don't think she wants to see me."

 
*  *  *

Wade wracked his brain for a way to get Cayden and Brooke in a situation where they would have no choice but to talk. He came to the conclusion that it may not be such a good idea to have them alone. If Cayden was acting so weird with Brooke, she might think twice if there was others around. Just that little bit of thought on Cayden's part may make it easier for her to listen instead of talk. The idea hit him as he was flipping through the pages of his favorite gay weekly.
A tea dance? Never. Oh! A mixer! A pet owners get together!
He couldn't think of a better idea now that he had this one in his head. He decided to get a little party together with people treats, pet treats and music. He felt quite pleased with himself. The only thing that had to be worked out was location... and inviting Brooke. He would have to enlist Jodie for that and he knew that once he told her the idea, she would be thrilled.

 
*  *  *

"A mixer." Jodie repeated into the phone, mulling it over.

"Yes, we could invite the neighborhood pet parents, and this way it would be a party! Not only will Cayden have to behave herself, but Brooke won't feel on display for Cayden to scrutinize. I think it's perfect!"

"Where?" Jodie asked, skeptically.

"The shop." Wade said with expectation.

"No way! Cayden would never go for it!" Jodie insisted.

"I know you could convince her. Pretty please," he whined.

"Wade, you don't know what you are asking. If she knew your motives she'd kill you."

"Oh please, I know how to work her," Wade said confidently.

"You have to live with her, Buddy. Okay, I'll try." Jodie relented. "This has the potential to be disastrous."

"It also has the potential to be fabulous!"

"You better be right," Jodie warned, before hanging up the phone.

 
*  *  *

Cayden ate dinner in her room that night going over what Denise and Jodie had said to her. Actually, what they said around her.
Yeah
, she thought,
I think she's hot. But that does not mean I have to sleep with her. Come on now, I think plenty of women are hot
, Cayden stopped thinking for a moment to chew,
but Brooke.... she just fires me up. I wonder why? She really didn't do anything to provoke me. I just acted like a jerk for nothing. Well, there is the fact that she is lying to me. I never did like dishonest people. Then again, I tend to be quite dishonest... a lot. No, that doesn't count. I pretend to be interested in the mindless morons because they spend money in my shop.
The tall woman blushed slightly.
Okay, I admit it, I'm a liar. But I don't lie to hurt people
, she thought pushing her plate away from her. She frowned.
Cayden you are being way too hard on the girl. It can very well be that she made up a story involving you to slap that annoying ass of a boyfriend in the face. She probably had no idea he was going to act on it
. Feeling slightly guilty for terrorizing Brooke, Cayden sighed and pursed her lips in thought.
Ah, but her actions directly affected me. I got harassed and then she lied about it.
The shopkeeper got annoyed again.
She shouldn't have lied.

 
*  *  *

Brooke cleverly avoided any questions by her mother, but her Dad, well, she never could hide anything from him. He looked at her in such a way that had her feeling like a 10 year old little girl all over again. She had to tell him whatever he wanted to know. She wasn't afraid of him, just the opposite. She always was and still is, Daddy's little girl. She loved him, and he adored her. She would feel extremely guilty to tell him a fib. She skillfully crept around him most of the evening, never looking him in the eyes. However, now that they were all sitting in the living room, Brooke had nowhere to hide. She felt the two sets of eyes burning a hole through her and wanted to get up and run away. She stared straight ahead at the television, her cheeks getting warm under the constant scrutiny. Finally, Bert Hewitt cleared his throat and leaned forward in his chair. Brooke closed her eyes and swallowed hard.

"So, Honey, mom tells me you've been moping around here, telling her she wouldn't understand what is bothering you."

Brooke nodded and refused to face him.

"Well, are you sure about that? When is the last time your Mom or I didn't understand you?"

Brooke grimaced. "You always do," she said meekly.