Chapter 14: The Confusing Morning After

The next morning, I woke up alone. My bare skin was a stark reminder of the previous night’s events.

I reached for my phone. It was 8:30 a.m. Brennan was already gone.

A pit formed in my stomach. I felt nauseous. I opened my text messages and started to type a message to Belle.

Grace

I messed up.

Belle

Spill?!

Grace

I guess the fiction confused reality. We slept together.

Belle

Wow! I mean, I did tell you there was mutual attraction

Grace

Is that a roundabout way of saying ‘I told you so’?

Belle

Yes. Now, why are you texting me and not going for round 2?

Grace

Because it shouldn’t have happened. I now have to endure a five-plus hour trip home. Awkward on a global scale!!

The door creaked open. I quickly pulled the covers up.

Brennan walked in, a tray full of food in his hands. He circled the bed and sat down, placing the tray between us.

“Good morning, Grace,” he said, his voice gentle.

I stared at him, puzzled. Was this how he treated all the girls he’d slept with? Was this why they always wanted more? Did he lead them on, only to disappear in the end?

“Morning,” I responded, my voice laced with confusion.

“I made us breakfast. Figured we could use the energy,” he said, grinning. His hand moved to my face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

I wanted to get lost in the romance of it all, but this wasn’t a movie, this was real life. And I knew how Brennan was with women.

I wasn’t going to be any different. I wasn’t special.

I forced a smile and pulled away from his touch. I grabbed a throw from the end of the bed, wrapping it around my bare body before standing up and mumbling something about needing a shower.

I retreated to the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I leaned against it, trying to steady my shaky breaths and calm my racing heart.

I showered in cold water, hoping it would wash away the tension building in my stomach.

When I stepped out and wrapped a towel around myself, I knew it was pointless. I was going to have to treat myself the same way I’d treated the other girls.

I exited the bathroom. Brennan was gone again, but the food was still there. I got dressed and sat on the bed, picking at the food.

When Brennan returned, he had a pile of clothes. He placed some on my suitcase before lifting his own onto the bed and packing it.

“We need to leave by ten to make our flight.” His voice was the same as it had been for the past three years. Polite and professional, completely impersonal.

“Okay. Thanks for breakfast.”

Brennan made a noise as he zipped up his suitcase and lifted it off the bed. He dragged his suitcase to the door, glancing back at me.

“I’ll be in the living room.”

He left the room, taking everything he’d brought with him. It seemed reality had finally hit him. His hands were no longer on me, they were on his suitcase, and he seemed eager to leave.

I packed my own things, grabbing my phone from the bedside table and stuffing it into my pocket. I took the tray down to the kitchen. Jaq was there, making coffee.

She glanced at the barely touched food and chuckled.

“It’s nice to see my son so in love.” She took the tray and set it aside.

I smiled, but then remembered my outburst.

“I’m sorry I was rude last night.”

Jaq shook her head and took my hands in hers. She pulled me close, holding me for a long moment.

“My son is lucky to have someone who has his back so fiercely. Everything you said was the truth, Grace, and his father needed to hear it from someone who hasn’t been there his whole life.”

She released me. “Thank you.”

I swallowed the lump of guilt and emotion in my throat before leaving the kitchen and heading back upstairs to get my suitcase. Brennan was there, his hand on the handle of my suitcase.

“You didn’t need to clear the food away. I was going to,” he said, his voice softer again. He straightened up and tugged on my suitcase. “Are you all packed?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Brennan closed the door behind him, and we walked through the house and down to the living room.

Kate and Alec were still there, giggling and kissing by the bay window. As soon as Kate saw me, she rushed over and hugged me.

“We had to see you before we left for the honeymoon.”

“You didn’t need to do that.” I smiled. I almost added, ~‘I’ll see you again,’ ~but I knew I probably wouldn’t.

“Of course I did. You are my hero and I love you. I can see why Brennan does too.”

Brennan cleared his throat and looked out the window.

“Your Uber is here,” he noted.

Kate giggled again, releasing me and running over to Alec. They left, leaving the room eerily quiet. Brennan was by the window, and I was by the door.

“Are we okay?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Before Brennan could answer, Sam and Jaq walked in. Sam approached his son and placed his hand on Brennan’s shoulder.

“I was so blind. I didn’t see the man you’ve become because I didn’t want to admit that you didn’t need me. You are always my son, I’ll always love you, and I’m sorry I ever let you feel or think otherwise.

“I’m proud of you, Brennan Wolf.”

Brennan looked at his dad. He frowned at first, then his eyes softened. He hugged his dad, and I turned away, wiping my tears with the sleeve of my cardigan.

“Thank you, Dad. I love you too.” Brennan’s voice was soft and full of emotion.

“And you,” Sam said. I could feel his gaze on me. I turned to face him, a sudden wave of nerves washing over me. “Thank you for telling me what I should have already known.”

He pulled me into a hug. I looked over at Brennan, who had a tight smile on his face and his arms crossed.

Brennan packed the car shortly after, with Blake and Jade coming out to say goodbye as we prepared to leave.

After a flurry of hugs and promises to visit again, we climbed into the rental car and began our journey down the long driveway.

“Once we’re back in New York, you’re free,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

“Oh, okay.” I swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat. “Thank you.”

The rest of the drive to the airport was filled with silence. It wasn’t awkward, exactly, but there was a palpable tension between us. I wanted to ask about it, but the words wouldn’t come.

Brennan returned the car, and we boarded our flight. He spent the entire trip engrossed in his laptop and music.

I was nothing to him now. My heart ached, even though I’d seen it coming.

It wasn’t until we’d landed and were in his car, driving towards my apartment, that I found my voice again.

“Brennan. Are we okay?”

“Better than ever.” His voice was flat, emotionless. He parked outside my apartment and got out of the car. I stood on the pavement as he wheeled my suitcase over to me.

“It’s been nice knowing you,” he said, forcing a smile.

I pushed down the hurt that welled up inside me. We’d spent the night together; we’d shared so much over the weekend. Surely our friendship meant something.

“I need to collect my things,” I murmured.

“I’ll have someone pack up your stuff and send it to you,” he replied.

I felt like I was imploding, like a junkie denied their fix. I wanted to grab his shirt, to beg him to stop pushing me away, but I didn’t. I just stood there, feeling like a fool.

“If that’s what you want,” I said, dragging my suitcase towards the steps.

Brennan chuckled, but there was no humor in it, only frustration.

He opened his car door and was about to get in when I glanced at my hand. The ring was still there, I’d almost forgotten about it; it had started to feel like a part of me.

“Brennan!” I called out, leaving my suitcase by the steps. I rushed over to the car and slipped the ring off my finger. I took his hand and placed the ring in his palm. “I almost forgot.”

Our hands lingered for a moment. I looked up at him and saw that his previously hardened gaze had softened. He managed a half-smile and closed his hand around the ring.

“You can come into the office and get your things,” he offered.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Brennan nodded and climbed into his car. I watched as he drove away, leaving me with a feeling I couldn’t quite place. Emptiness.

Once his taillights had disappeared into the sea of other cars, I walked back to my suitcase.

When I entered my apartment, I sighed. It was mostly empty, save for the bed that came with the place. I walked over to the bed and sat down, then pulled out my phone.

Grace

I’m home… well, an empty version of home

I stared at my words. It wasn’t just my apartment that was empty. I felt it too.

I got up and walked into the kitchen, opening the cupboard in the hopes that they hadn’t cleared out my stash of wine. I sighed—they had.

Not that it mattered. After a weekend of drinking the wine his family had spent years perfecting, I was ruined. I looked at my phone.

Belle

I’m coming over. With wine. Be prepared to spill.

Grace

Ok.

I could use someone to talk to. Someone who knew about the ruse, someone who could help me make sense of it all.

***

An hour later, I buzzed Belle up to my apartment. She walked in carrying two bags, one filled with takeout and the other with alcohol.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding. This place is barren.” She looked around, as if seeing my apartment for the first time.

“Most of my stuff is already in storage. I guess they’re finishing up tomorrow. I need to be out by Wednesday. We’ll have to sit on the bed, they took the table and chairs.”

Belle laughed and followed me into my bedroom. We sat down on the bed, and she pulled out the Chinese takeout.

“Thought you might be hungry.”

I nodded and opened one of the containers, using the chopsticks in the bag to pick up a piece of orange chicken.

“Wine?” I asked, my mouth full of food.

Belle grinned at me, lifting the other bag up and holding it like it was a treasure.

“I thought, given the topic of conversation, there was only one brand of wine we could drink tonight.”

Belle pulled out the wine. I recognized it immediately by the little glass wolf and the logo—it was a Wolf Wine. A pang of sadness hit me, which Belle noticed.

“Oh, should I ~not~ have gotten his family’s wine?”

I took the bottle and ran my fingers over the wolf.

“No, it’s fine. Except for the price. How much did this cost you?”

Belle grinned and shrugged before pulling out two plastic cups, the same kind Brennan and I had used to taste the $4,000 wine. I stared at them, surprised by the rush of emotions they stirred in me.

“You okay, Grace?” she asked, taking the wine back and opening it. She poured the red wine into one of the cups and handed it to me, then poured herself one.

“I’m great,” I lied. “It was a nice weekend. The estate is beautiful and his family is lovely. Now it’s over.”

Belle’s mouth fell open and she shook her head emphatically before taking my wine from me before I’d even had a sip.

“No way. You are going to tell me everything. From the beginning.”

I furrowed my brow and bit my lip.

“Fine.” I grabbed my cup back and took a drink. The wine brought back memories of the estate and the weekend. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forget.

“It was going well, and then on the first night his mom asked me about my parents and I broke down. Brennan comforted me; he was actually a real gentleman.

“So, on Saturday, he gave me a tour. I ended up filling in as a bridesmaid for his sister, watched a male revue, and got seriously drunk.”

I paused, taking another sip of my drink. Belle was grinning, and I knew it was because I’d never been this wild, not even in college. She found it amusing.

“Then, I stripped in front of Brennan, danced for him. We kissed, but he stopped it and I felt hurt, I guess. Then at the reception, I called out his father in front of everyone for treating him like garbage.”

“Wow,” Belle responded. “How did that go?”

“Brennan and I left the reception, and as soon as we were back at the house, he kissed me—like really kissed me, Belle. It was like pure magnetism, not even gravity could have pulled us apart.

“We had sex. Then I realized I’m one of them now, one of the girls that has to learn how to quit Brennan Wolf.”

Belle grabbed some orange chicken and popped it in her mouth. She chewed for a bit before finally swallowing.

“But Brennan Wolf actually likes you. He cares about you and he knows you,” she almost shouted before draining her cup.

“What does that have to do with anything?” I shot back. “Those things have always been true. The moment he slept with me, things changed.

“He almost didn’t want me to come into the office and get my things myself. He was going to send them out. Belle, he doesn’t want to see me, he doesn’t want me to be a clinger…

“He doesn’t know how to deal with it because I always did!”

Belle poured herself another drink and shook her head.

“You’re as emotionally unavailable as him…maybe even more so. You can’t see what is right in front of you.” Belle frowned. “And if you leave New York completely, you never will.”

“What am I supposed to be seeing?” I asked.

“He’s been with a few women, right?”

“A ~few~,” I replied.

“He never follows up with them. Some of them try and call again, but not all, right?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve told me before Brennan is a straightforward guy, right?”

I sighed. “Again, yes. Look, I don’t know what your point is but—”

Belle held up her hand and shushed me.

“I have a point, please let me get to it.” She smiled and sipped on her wine.

“Do you think it’s completely out of the realm of possibility that he tells the women he’s been with that he’s not looking for more than a one-time thing?”

“I guess he would.”

“Did he tell you that?”

I shook my head. I could see where this was going, but she didn’t know Brennan like I did. Just because Belle had a theory, it didn’t mean it was right.

“You don’t believe me though, do you? Hence being as emotionally unavailable as him.”

I wanted to believe her, but I’d seen too much. I’d been the go-between. I couldn’t be his girl.

“Maybe I am,” I murmured. “Can we just eat and drink the wine?”

Belle stayed until the early hours of the morning. Before she left, she hugged me and told me to plant one on Brennan when I went in the next day. I laughed, of course, but once she was gone it was all I could think about.

I lay down on the bed and pulled out my phone. I typed and backspaced more messages than I could count.

Grace

I think we should talk about what happened.

Grace

I can’t stop thinking about you.

Grace

Did it mean anything to you?

Grace

I’m such a loser.

Grace

Fuck.

I switched my phone off and stared at the ceiling.