A Penny For The Girl

Chapter 30

Tates POV

It had been a month since the night in the games room. Zac and Talia were officially together and I was really happy for them. Brooke and I were getting along really well and becoming good friends. We had forgotten about that almost kiss, well Brooke had, I can't help replaying it over and over again in my head wondering what it would've been like if that girl hadn't of interrupted. Man it had been too long, I hadn't been with anyone as I was supposedly happily married but it was a struggle which was why I was so hung up on what happened at the club. I was probably just desperate for a bit of action! For some reason though I couldn't get her off my mind, I'd even started dreaming about her.

Last weekend, Zac, Talia, Brooke and I were all in the swimming pool laughing and messing about. We were playing some sort of water volleyball with a beach ball and no net, it had been girls vs boys and we had won although we may have cheated!! Brooke had been wearing an emerald green bikini that matched her eyes and my breath had caught at the sight of her, I couldn't get out of the pool for a good 10 minutes trying to calm myself down. There's no denying the girl was beautiful, you'd have to be blind not to notice it.

We had ended the evening in the hot tub drinking champagne but when I went to bed that night it ended a lot differently in my dreams! I needed to do something or I'm going to end up leading Brooke on and doing something we will both regret and I don't want to hurt her like that. I don't want her as anything more than a friend, as much as I desire her body that's all it would be and she would want more.

It was Saturday and the boys were coming over this evening in the games room, even dad was joining us, while Brooke, Talia and mum were at a spa for a girlie weekend. They would be back on Sunday.

Later in the evening we were sat around in the games room having a few drinks and a laugh. The boys had been teasing Zac about how Talia had him wrapped round her little finger, he didn't even bother denying it. I had never seen him so happy and I was genuinely pleased for him. Talia couldn't wipe the grin off her face either these days, I had even caught her singing the other day. I'm glad they found eachother, the pair of them make me think that love really could exist.

I was completely lost in my own thoughts that I hadn't realised everyone had gone quiet and were staring at me. "What?" I asked as I looked up.
"We were just talking about Brooke" Brent said wiggling his eyebrows.
"What about her?" I asked them slightly defensively.
"We were just wondering when you'd tell her how you feel?" Xavier responded.
"What are you talking about?" I snapped.
"Come on mate, we see the way you look at her" Carter said
"Even a blind man can see you want her" Xavier added.
"I don't know what you're talking about, I have no feelings for her except friendship." I said quickly.
"So what are you planning to do?" Dad asked me.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused
"Well, once you take over the company are you going to stay with her or let her go?? Set her up in her own life? Never see her again?? Stay friends and watch her fall for someone else?" Dad clarified. Clenching my jaw at the last comment I took a second to think about my answer.
"She deserves to be happy, I will give her the option and see what she wants to do then will respect her decision. She can fall in love with whoever she wants and I will happily let her go. I will never see her as more than a friend, I've already told you guys I don't feel anything like that for her, what don't you believe me?!" I replied exasperated, getting up to make myself another drink. I tool a few deep breaths to calm myself down before I went back to my friends. I couldn't understand why they won't drop it, I know how I feel and she is just a friend. That's all she could ever be.

I sat back down and everyone had gone quiet. Jaxon cleared his throat then turned to me "So as you don't want Brooke, you won't mind me making a move on her then will you." He smirked. Within seconds I had leapt out of my seat and grabbed his t-shirt shoving him up against the wall. "You stay the hell away from her, you hear me, you don't touch her!" I yelled in his face. Jaxon laughing broke me out of whatever trance I was in. I stepped back letting Jaxon go and made my way back to my seat confused at my own reaction. What was going on with me? Man I was wound up, I needed to get laid, surely that's what this was all about. Right?

"So now you know how you feel about her, do something about it!" Jaxon broke me out of my thoughts. I looked at him puzzled "What do you mean, I don't..." I was interrupted by my dad "Oh cut the crap Tate, man you're stubborn, you don't react like that if you don't like her."
"Seriously guys, Jaxon I'm sorry for the way I acted, I'm just really wound up at the moment, I'm incredibly frustrated if you know what I mean, it's been a while that's all." I didn't even sound convincing to my own ears anymore. Where they right, did I like Brooke? Everyone was just looking at me their faces clear that they didn't believe a word I just said.
"Look, I know you guys want what's best for me but can we please not talk about this anymore." I had to think about this but right now I just wanted to have some fun with my mates.

The tension soon dissipated and the evening went on. We had a good time and it had been a while since I'd fully relaxed with my friends. Although I tried not to think about our conversation from earlier I couldn't help thinking about Brooke. I wondered what she was doing, if she was having a good time, I hoped she was. I kept thinking about her smile and her laugh, it was a magical sound.

The night grew late and soon my friends were leaving, my dad had gone to bed already and I was just saying goodbye to everyone. Just before Zac left he pulled my aside. "Tate, Brooke is an amazing girl, don't make the same mistake I did, denying your feelings will only hurt the both of you. You're not wound up because you need someone in your bed, you're wound up because you're lying to yourself." After he left I locked up and went to bed thinking about his words.

I couldn't sleep, I had been laying here for hours now thinking about Brooke and what had been said tonight. Maybe they were right, am I that stubborn that I couldn't even admit to myself what I felt. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about her tonight but I put that down to the conversation we had earlier but if I really thought about it she was always on my mind, I thought about her constantly when we weren't together. I wanted her to be happy, I wanted to make her happy, I craved to see her smile directed at me, hear her laugh at something I said.

I couldn't get the night of the club out of my head, the feel of her in my arms as we danced, the way her lips parted as I leant towards her, her eyes begging me to close the distance and kiss her. She wanted it, I wanted it, I wanted to kiss her, to taste her lips again. I could still remember the softness of her plump lips when we had the interview and I stole her first kiss. But she was drunk at the club that night, how do I know she wouldn't have regretted it the next morning? I was furious at the obvious girl that pushed her out of my arms trying to take her place but really I guess I should be thankful. I'm not sure that I could've stopped at just one kiss, I don't know how far we would've gone. She looked incredible that night, I was angry at all the guys who were staring at her but I didn't blame them!

She always looks incredible, she was beautiful and I couldn't deny the way my body responded to her. The shape of her body in her bikini, the way she looks in a dress, even when she has her hair shoved in a messy bun and wearing joggers with no make up. She was kind, considerate and forgiving, holding no grudges when she had every right to. She had a heart of gold and saw the best in everyone, including me. My parents were right about her, they really were the best judge of character. She was supportive and loyal and she didn't have a bad bone in her body. I didn't deserve her, but I don't think anyone did. I tried to think of life without her or the thought of her with someone else, the pinch in my heart and the irrational anger that came over me gave me the answer I've been agonising over for hours. I liked her. I liked Brooke and I had no idea what to do about it.

Authors Note

Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I'm not overly sure this chapter is worth the wait either, I'm not particularly happy with how it's turned out but it's the best I've got at the moment. Anyway thank you to KrishananKrishanan for reminding me to update!! Hope you guys enjoy it! 😃