Gone Country

Chapter 22 (Out The Country, Into The City)

A whole week flew by in a blur. I was busy with chores and of course having fun with Brant. Everything was going by so fast that I hadn't even realized that school would be starting soon and Avery would be going into her sophomore year with Jax.

Today was their open house and they were excited to get their schedules and things. I had wanted to tag along, but I had to finish packing before tomorrow. Brant was all set for New York, though I wasn't sure he was mentally prepared yet. He's been looking forward to the trip, then again he's scared he's going to turn into a city slicker overnight. I highly doubt that will happen.

He was being patient with me today. I'm sure he wanted to do something better than watch me go through clothes and stuff things I needed to toss into my black duffle bag, but he laid across my bed in nothing but his boxer briefs and kept his eyes on me without a complaint.

He's been acting a little strange lately, like paranoid strange. We still sneak away to sleep next to one another at night, but nowadays it's like there's more to it. Just last night he was playfully kissing on my neck, telling me that I was the most beautiful girl in the world while tracing the outline of my underwear under my nightgown. Something was up if he was being this intimate with me.

For now I put those thoughts to the side. I needed to choose an outfit to wear when I go see my mother. When we would arrived, I was going to take Brant everywhere and show him the sights. My dad got a rush on his check so we have his money, but sadly my boutiques didn't make it. We could've reopened it, but I already knew that the business had died the moment I officially moved here. This was my life, not that.

"You should wear that when we go visit your mom," Brant said as soon as he saw the nice black dress I pulled out of my closet. That's exactly what I had planned on doing. I walked over to him, giving his forehead a kiss for being so smart.

"What are you going to wear?" I asked when I zipped up the dress into a garment bag.

"My best suit of course. Lillian would kill me if I showed up to see her after all of these years looking like a mess."

I laughed while I crawled onto the bed with him, curling up next to his body so I could take a short break. "You're right," I sighed. "She would have."

His fingers fell into my hair, comforting me at this tough time. The day after tomorrow was her anniversary and I already felt like I was going to cry. Brant saw how distraught I had become and kissed my nose. "No crying today," he whispered. "Let's take your mind off of things. Let's go attempt to make chocolate chip cookies."

He just wanted some cookies. I didn't argue, I knew I needed a distraction away from what was to come. When he urged me out of bed, I clung to his arm, burying my face into his muscly bicep that I love to admire. "What's it like having a best friend that's in love with you?" I asked when we reached the kitchen.

He smiled at me, pulling my arms around his bare torso so I would be pressed up against his hard chest. "It's weird," he admits. "But it's nice knowing that someone does love you, even if you can't return the feelings. It makes me wanna do everything I can to make you happy, mostly because being in love looks beautiful on you."

My cheeks warmed at the thought. I never knew that it effected my outside appearance, that was something he has failed to tell me before. "You smile brighter, you're eyes are the brightest of blues, and your laugh is like a beautiful symphony that you can't unhear. So what's it like having a best friend that's in love with you, you ask?" He paused to think of the right word to describe it. "It's unsettling," is what he chose to use. "I don't really know how to explain it better than that. You tell me how you would feel if you were in my shoes."