Nate

Days turn into weeks, and I wonder if Brooke made a "to do" note about me-Forget I ever kissed Nate, and checked it off.

We're back to friends. Back to teasing. She won the stupid bet over the restaurant reservations, and I won a bet about the latest "planned elopement."

Brooke's Mr. Perfect law student didn't last. She didn't make it to date three with Mr. Wannabe high school English teacher, but she's done four dates with Mr. Soon-to-be-Dentist, just not a sex-date yet, and I try to tease her and try to let it be okay, but it's not okay. It twists up my insides every time I think about another guy's hands on her.

Every day we work together I wonder why I can't just say-Brooke. I need us to be friends for a little while longer. Can you wait? I know that's pathetic, but I need the time. I like you. Is how I'm feeling one-sided?

I hate that it's never felt like something I could ask. And I know my brother's solution would be for me to date as many girls as I could. To sleep around and make an idiot of myself, but I'm not that guy.

The problem is that if I don't find the guts to tell her how I feel, I'm going to lose her.

***

I'm proud of these pictures, even though wedding photos aren't my thing. I'm in my office, which Brooke re-vamped a couple weeks ago by blowing up some of her favorite shots and putting them on the walls. I have to admit that I actually look legit in here now.

The bride is scrolling through the pictures on my huge screen and her smile splits her face.

"Nate," she breathes out. "These are breathtaking. I mean, gorgeous."

"Posed," I say before I can stop myself from letting the words come out.

She pauses, her eyes finding mine and I swear she's trying to get a read on me. "Maybe, but that doesn't change how I felt in those moments."

Everything in me tenses a bit, wanting to know what she'll say next. "What do you mean?"

"Just because our ceremony was staged and planned, and my dress was planned, and our photos were posed, doesn't mean I didn't love every second of it. These are real moments in the happiest parts of people's lives, and you've captured it perfectly."

"Thanks." I'm sort of blown over by her words. "It's always felt like I was trying to show something that wasn't there."

"You're enhancing it," she says with a smirk. "And anyway, we always remember things better than they actually were, so really, in hindsight, your photos will be spot on."

"Huh." I scratch my head. "Well, thanks."

"Hmm." She goes back to her photos.

Brooke flashes through my mind again and again. "How's the new husband?"

"Fantastic. He's so bummed he's not here, but he travels a lot for work."

I nod, my throat drying out. "And you're happy?"

"Very." She sits back in her chair. "Got a girl?"

Got a girl, got a girl... Yeah. If I wasn't an idiot.

"I don't know," I sidestep.

She rests her chin on her palm. "You don't know?"

"Pictures?" I ask.

"Well now you have me all curious about a girl you don't know if you have or not," she teases.

"I fell for her hard when I didn't expect it and when I wasn't ready for it. Then I pushed her away." I stop for a moment. "It's like standing on the edge of a cliff."

"Yep," she agrees.

I take my head in my hands, still not fully realizing I'm talking to a stranger. "And I know how bad it can hurt at the bottom."

"Yep."

I stare at her. "You agreeing with me shouldn't make me want to move forward."

"But it does?" she asks, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"It does." Before I lose her.

"Good."

If anyone's worth it, it's Brooke. Only maybe I've messed up too bad. Waited too long. My heart starts hammering in my chest. I'm going to have to do something. And soon. Like now.

The second the bride leaves, I call Brooke.

"What is it?" she asks. "Do we have to re-schedule? I can. I mean, if the dinner meeting doesn't happen tonight, I could probably do-"

"I thought I'd pick you up for our dinner meeting. Does that work?" My blood's pumping so hard I'm not sure if I'll hear her.

"Oh." I can picture her perfectly, re-organizing her night because I'll be driving her. "Yeah. Sure. I can... I mean, that's totally fine."

"Did you get it re-typed in your phone?" I ask.

"Almost." She laughs a little, and I love that she doesn't even try to hide her ridiculous tendencies from me anymore.

"Good. You type that in, and then you can check it off, and don't you dare remind me to be there early because I know."

"Yes. I can't be late, tonight. Can't be. So, if you could be stupid early, I'd feel so much better."

I chuckle but it sounds strangled. "No problem."

And then she hangs up because for her, me picking her up is maybe an odd request, but not totally weird. For her, this night is like any other. As I get ready for our dinner meeting, and know I'm not going to be at Brooke's fifteen minutes early, but an hour and a half early because we need to talk, this is definitely not a normal night for me.

It's just Brooke, I remind myself over and over as I drive to her house. Just Brooke.

The girl I'm falling for.

It rushes through me and makes me drive faster and loosen my tie, which I immediately tighten back up again because I know she likes it snug, and then I loosen it because she likes to tighten my ties.

Holy shit, I'm losing my brain.

I stop in front of her apartment and pull in a deep, determined breath. I can do this.

When I knock on her door, I'm so strung up I'm wondering if I can find words. Maybe she's really into Mr. Soon-to-be-Dentist. Maybe whatever was between us is over for her.

"Oh. Hey." She gives me her Brooke smile and I step past her into her apartment. "You are way early. You know that right?"

"Yeah. I know." I stop and look at her and all the stress and buildup that's been tying my stomach in knots disappears. It's me. It's Brooke. This is good. I slide my jacket off and toss it to the floor.

She immediately walks over to it. "Oh. Brooke. I dare you. Leave it."

"Come on, Nate. This is just practical. We have a meeting in less than two hours. It'll get wrinkled."

I gently grab her arm. "It'll be fine." I lean closer. "It's a dare, Brooke."

She rolls her eyes and shrugs out of my grasp because again, she doesn't realize how much changed for us today, or maybe just for me. "Whatever. I'm finishing a quick snack before I get ready because the restaurant your mom picked has crappy appetizers and I know I'll be hungry."

I lean against her kitchen counter with a smile. I'm crazy, madly, insane about this girl. "Smart."

And then she picks up her phone to scroll through her calendar and I start to laugh because she probably looks at that damn thing every three minutes. The thing is, that quirk goes on a list of quirks, all of which made me fall for her.