What Happens Tomorrow (30 page)

WE’RE OFF TO Seattle for the weekend to visit my parents. Unfortunately, Tyler isn’t able to get more time off work, but he doesn’t want me to fly home for the first time alone, so we’ve decided to go together for the weekend.

I called my mom last week to tell her about my promise ring and Tyler and I moving in together. She cried happy tears, saying she never thought she’d see the day I’d move on with my life. It broke my heart. None of this would have been possible if it weren’t for her support. I made arrangements right away to fly into Seattle so I could hug her in person.

I also feel that I need to see Matt and Katelin.

I haven’t been to their graves in almost three years and I need to tell them “in person” about the new chapter in my life.

My parents are patiently waiting at the gate when we arrive at Sea-Tac Airport. I squeeze Tyler’s hand a little tighter when I see my mom and he instantly drops my hand, knowing how desperately I need to go to her. As he removes the handle of my case from my hand, he reassures me, “I’ve got these. Go say hi to your parents.”

I reach up on my toes and kiss him quickly before dashing off to my parents. It never ceases to amaze me that my parents can still make me feel like a little girl, even as I’m approaching my thirty-third birthday.

My dad lovingly kisses my cheek. “You look great… happy,” he whispers, holding me tightly in his arms. I kiss him back, loving how safe and loved I feel in my dad’s embrace.

“I am, Daddy. I really am.”

My mom pulls me excitedly into her arms just as Tyler reaches us. “Hello, Mr. Davidson,” he says, his hand stretched out to shake my dad’s. “It’s great to see you again, sir.”

I laugh into my mom’s shoulder as she does the same to me. Whispering into my ear, she playfully says, “Awww, poor Tyler. He’s so nervous. I hope Dad takes it easy on him.”

I snort because I’m thinking the same thing. My dad is not a small man, measuring six foot three inches, and I can understand how he might be seen as intimidating.

He pulls Tyler into a hug and chuckles. “Son, we’re basically family. Please, call me Martin.” I watch the tension leave Tyler’s body as he smiles and relaxes into my dad’s embrace. “Linda and I are really happy you were able to make the trip up with Brooke.”

It’s a wonderful feeling to watch your father accept the man you love.

At this moment, my cup runneth over.

We arrive at my parents and get settled. I haven’t been home for so long that I’ve forgotten how many photos my mom has around the house of Matt, Katelin and me. I can only imagine how Tyler feels, and I can’t help but stop and look at the pictures as I walk up the hallway towards my old room.

One particular picture catches my eye. It’s me, Matt, and Katelin in the hospital the day she was born.

I quickly look away, but Tyler grasps me by the shoulder and turns me to look at him.

“Hey, what’s going on?” he questions, eying the picture. He looks at me with such adoration as he lowers his face to mine. “Does it bother you? Me seeing their pictures everywhere?”

I stare down at my feet. Of course, it bothers me. Why should he have to be reminded every day of what I’ve lost?

“Hey, will you please look at me?” He grasps my chin between his thumb and fingers, lifting my face up to look at him. “Brooke, they’re a part of you. I get it,” he says, motioning to the picture on the wall.

A lone tear rolls down my cheek. “I just worry,” I confess, wiping the tear away with my hand. “One day this might all be too much for you. Some days it’s all too much for me.”

Slowly, he pulls me in close, resting his chin on my head. “I’m not gonna lie. Is it hard? Yes, sometimes it’s hard to see pictures of you and Matt. It’s hard to see the woman I’m so madly in love with in a photo with another man. But I know that Matt’s your past, and even though his pictures may fill your parents home, he will
always
be your past.”

I squeeze my arms tight around him before pulling away to look up into his pained face.

“And you, Mr. Reynolds, are
my future.” I reach up, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his lips to mine. The familiar feel and taste of his lips make my mind go blank. I try to deepen the kiss, but I feel his lips curl into a grin as he slowly breaks contact.

“I’d love to kiss the hell out of those beautiful lips, but there is no way in hell I’m going to get caught by your parents making out in the hallway beside your bedroom.” I snort and lean my head against his chest.

“Come on, beautiful. Let’s go unpack, then get back to your parents.”

DINNER IS FABULOUS, but then it always is; my mom is an amazing cook. She has made rosemary chicken with wild mushroom rice.

My favorite.

When we’ve finished dinner, I stand to clear the dishes away. “Brooke, honey, sit down. Your mom and I want to talk to you and Tyler for a minute.” Cautiously, I sit back down. Tyler looks calm, cool and collected while I’m sure I look like I’ve just been caught committing a crime.

“What’s up, Dad?”

He looks to my mom who smiles back lovingly. “Your mom and I have been talking and…well, we wanted to tell you how proud we are of you, baby.” There’s a crackle in my dad’s voice that has tears instantly welling up in my eyes.

“You know we’ve worried about you for a long time now. Not having you close and knowing how much you’ve hurt has been hard for us these past few years. But then we came out to visit and saw a change in you that we never expected. You were happy, and for the first time in years we saw you smile. You have no idea how long we've waited to see a smile again.”

I wipe the tears on my face with the back of my hand. Reaching over, my dad takes my hand in his and squeezes. “When you called your mother last week, excited that Tyler had promised a future with you and that you two were moving in together…I can’t even begin to tell you how happy that made us.”

My mom interrupts. “Tyler, I’m not sure we will ever be able to thank you enough for bringing our daughter back. We knew after meeting you that you were a special man.” She pauses for a moment as she slowly inhales. “You didn’t know Brooke right after the accident…” I grasp the hand that Tyler’s has rested on my knee, squeezing it tight at my mom’s words.

“Even though she survived the accident, we lost our daughter that day. She was so completely broken that we prepared ourselves for the worst. No one could get through to her. We tried everything, but nothing worked. When she told us she needed to start over…well, what could we do but let her go? We’d already lost her.

“Not long after she arrived in California, she called and told me about some friends she’d met in her complex. She told us about this nice man named Tyler who would help her out with things while Martin wasn’t around to do it. We didn’t think anything of it at first. We were just happy to know that there was a man close by to help out if she needed it. And if Brooke trusted you, then you must be a decent guy because she didn’t trust anyone. But then she started to change when she talked about you. I heard genuine happiness and excitement in her voice, something that had been missing for so long. After seeing the two of you together, we could see the love you have for our daughter. We knew she would be safe and happy and loved.

“When Brooke called last week to tell me that you’d given her a promise ring and asked her to move in with you, I literally sat down on my kitchen floor and cried after I hung up the phone. My baby has come back to life and it’s all because of you, Tyler.”

He clears his throat and quietly cracks his neck. The emotion in the room is thick. “Martin, Linda, I love your daughter. I’ve never felt for anyone what I feel for her. I promise you both I will spend my life loving and making her happy. I will always have her best interest at heart.” Tenderly he squeezes my knee his twinkling eyes looking deeply into mine.

Home.

CLIMBING INTO MY childhood bed tonight with Tyler after a very emotional night, I feel safe and cherished, feelings I’m starting to get used to. He wasn’t sure about sleeping in my room tonight, but my dad assured him that it was okay.

Firmly pressing his lips against my forehead, he leaves them to linger for a minute before pulling their warmth away. “You okay?” he questions, running his fingertips rhythmically along my back.

“I am now,” I reply, nuzzling my head into his chest, unable to resist the desire to place my lips above his heart. Letting out a gentle sigh, I pull away.

I love the way his heart sounds when it beats, letting me know he’s alive and here.

With me.

“Thank you for loving me.” I doubt he will ever realize what an impact his love has made in my life.

“Get some sleep, Brooke. It’s been a long day and an emotional night.”

I nod in agreement and close my eyes, taking in every beat his heart makes. “I love you, Tyler,” I quietly mouth as he leans down and affectionately kiss the top of my head.

“I love you too, baby.”

I WAKE TO an empty bed, disappointed there’s no Tyler to cuddle with, but then the smell of coffee and bacon fills my senses.

I’m awake now.

Lazily walking down the stairs, I hear my mom and Tyler talking and laughing. It’s great to hear laughter in this house again; it’s been a long time. As I round the corner, I stop and lean against the doorway, taking in the sight of my parents’ kitchen buzzing with life. My dad is sitting around the familiar antique, oval, oak kitchen table my parents have had since I was a child with a coffee in one hand and a folded newspaper in the other as my mom stands over the stove cooking as she talks and laughs with Tyler.

But what catches my eye is the breathtakingly handsome man leaned up against the kitchen counter. His sandy hair still has that fresh from the shower look, and he’s wearing his glasses which kind of drives me insane. Finally, he notices me standing in the doorway and his lips curl as he continues his conversation with my mom, all the while his eyes locked on mine. I get butterflies when he looks at me this way. He makes me feel so wanton and loved.

“You finally decided to get out of bed, did you?” he says in a playfully cocky voice as my parents turn to look at me.

“Well, good morning, lazy bones. We thought you were going to sleep the day away,” my dad teases.

“Really, Dad? It’s a little after nine. I don’t think that constitutes the day.”

My mom rolls her eyes. “Stop giving her a hard time, Martin. Obviously she needs sleep.”

Walking further into the kitchen, I stop to bend down and kiss my dad on the cheek. “Good morning, Daddy.”

He kisses my cheek in return. “Good morning, princess.”

I walk over to my mom and wrap my arms around her aproned waist. “Morning, Mom. It smells heavenly,” I tell her as she leans her head back against mine, a beautiful smile on her face.

“Morning, sweetheart. I think there’s still some coffee left in the pot unless Dad and Tyler finished it off,” she teases.

One last person to say good morning to. Nonchalantly, I pad towards him, stopping to reach a mug from the cupboard for my coffee. I catch him off guard by lightly brushing my breasts against his chest as I stand on my toes to grab a mug.