Secrets And Lies

Chapter 30

When Brooke arrived back at the hotel, it was almost dark. She'd spent a while outside, just thinking about her decision.

By no means did she regret it but she did hate the fact that she had to choose between the two.

As Brooke set her purse down on the bed, she jumped as someone spoke behind her.

"I honestly didn't think I would see you back here tonight."

Brooke turned around with a confused expression on her face.

"Why?"

"Because I truly thought that you were still in love with him. And I truly thought that you would go back to him since you wanted to do so about a year ago." James admitted in a solemn voice.

Brooke sat down on the edge of the bed and just stared down at the ground before James sat down beside her.

"I kissed him." Brooke blurted out suddenly. She didn't plan on saying that but she didn't take it back either. James deserves to know.

"Why?" James asked in a soft but concerned voice. Brooke glanced over at him, staring deeply into his eyes.

"Because I still love him."

James let out a breath and glanced out the window to the left of them.

"Are you still in love with him?"

"No." Brooke stated honestly.

Loving someone and being in love with them were two entirely different things. Brooke would always love Scott but she was madly in love with James.

"Do you still want to get married?" Brooke asked bluntly.

James whipped his head to the side, staring at her, bewildered by her question.

"Of course." He responded in a definite tone.

A short smile formed on Brooke's lips as they both sat on the bed in silence.

"Do you?"

Brooke glanced over at him and paused for a moment.

"Yes."

The couple sat in silence for a bit before they finally got ready for bed. Neither of them said anything to each other, and it wasn't because things were awkward but because they didn't know what else to say.

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It's been a few weeks since Scott was sentenced and Brooke was back home in Wisconsin. Brooke and Natasha had been spending more time together over the summer since they wouldn't get to see each other very often during the school year.

When they first met up, she asked about Scott, not really knowing what had actually happened to him.

Brooke explained the situation to her, her facial expressions changing often as she listened.

James had also been around but he was usually working. A few days before, Brooke had talked to him about getting out of the drug-dealing business and he reluctantly complied. He knew that whatever job he got, wasn't going to give him as much money which is why he was going to Harvard with Brooke this next school year.

The first few weeks of summer had been perfect. Brooke and her father caught up some more. She also told him about her and Scott and the secrets she'd been hiding from her father. She also told him and James and how he made his money. Initially, her father was furious but when Brooke told him that James stopped, he calmed down a bit but he was still upset with her since she was involved with a man like that.

Everything was turning out to be perfect in Brooke's life. There were no more conplications. No more issues. No more problems. Life was going great for Brooke.

Her and James decided to get married in September, both of them taking time off from school to actually get married.

James still had quite a bit of money left from his past profession and so he was incorporating some of it into the wedding, but also a savings account for the both of them.

Now that summer had begun, both Natasha and Brooke were busy planning the rest of the wedding. Brooke already had her wedding dress as well as the two bridesmaid dresses.

The theme was red, white and gold. The bridesmaids were to wear a red dress with a plunging neckline and a slit on the left side barely above the knee. It was simple yet elegant at the same time.

James had two groomsman to walk down the aisle with Natasha and Gia. They were his bestfriends from work while his other friends were also going to show up as well.

Brooke's father had scheduled the venue, which was to be in the backyard of Natasha's parent's house.

Brooke hadn't heard a single word from her mother and she didn't expect to. After she'd left, it was obvious that she wanted nothing to do with Brooke so why should she be invited to the wedding?

After many weeks of planning the wedding, it was the end of July and Brooke, James and Natasha were all getting ready to leave again for school. Everything for the wedding was all planned and ready to go so when the time came for the day that they got married, everything would be perfect.

"So my bachelorette party is going to be in Vegas. Me, Natasha and Gia are all going out there for the weekend before the wedding." Brooke stated as she bought the plane tickets online.

"I don't know where me and the guys are gonna go. Maybe... New York?" James wondered.

Brooke glanced over at him with an approving look.

"That sounds cool. So it'll just be the three of you then?" Brooke asked as she searched for flights to New York City.

"Yep."

After the tickets had been purchased, Brooke and James both began studying. School had just begun and they were already cramming for tests. Both of them had cold feet about the wedding because they both thought being gone might damage their GPAs but after a long talk, they decided that they could make it work.

Brooke and James were both in Brooke's dorm room, glancing through papers and books when Gia came rushing into the room, startling the couple.

"What's wrong?" Brooke asked with furrowed brows. Gia began searching for the remote and when she found it, she turned the tv on, switching it to the news channel.

"I was in the library when I saw this. Look!" She stated, jabbing her finger in the direction of the tv.

James and Brooke stared at the tv as a news anchor rambled on about something. After listening for a moment, Brooke finally caught onto what she was saying.

"26 year old Scott Evans has escaped federal prison and is currently on the run. Police say that his motives are unclear and that he may be out of state. They also say that he is most likely traveling by foot but could be traveling with any acquaintances he may know outside of prison. He is considered to be dangerous and possibly armed. If you see him, you are urged to call your local police department immediately!"