If Someday Never Comes

Chapter 26

Brooks's POV

"Shit," I mumbled to myself as my head fell back against the driver seat of my Jeep. I can't believe I let it slip about knowing where Sydney worked in North Carolina. Layla hasn't told me a damn thing about her life because I always told her I never wanted to know but after my third whiskey last night I did a deep dive on social media. I haven't touched my accounts in years which was made apparent by the last photo posted was one of Sydney, my favorite one of her. I had it framed in my dorm. It's in the bottom of a box in my storage unit from when I packed up and moved home. I've never gotten around to going through any of it so it sits there gathering dust like the rest of my past, just waiting for me to unpack it. 

 Seeing her face so lit up and happy was like a knife to my gut. Memories of who we were, what we had back then, and as I typed her name into the search bar I felt a twinge of fear, unsure of what I would find. As I scrolled through her profile there were pictures of her and Quinn, out for what looked like boozy brunches, singing karaoke, dancing, and sitting in what I'm guessing was their apartment. She had some pictures with friends a few guys that looked like complete tools and a few of an elderly lady that was usually flipping off the camera. Then there were the ones of her at what I discovered was the Coffee Bean, she had tagged the location so then I ended up scouring their website for information about this place, the owners' Ken & Sara, and their daughter Betsy. There were even pictures of them with Sydney on the About Us page. 

They looked like they loved having her there, and of course, they did, she's Sydney fucking Graves, everyone loves her, I remind myself. I loved her more than I had ever loved anyone until my heart slammed shut on itself like a trapped door and at that thought I rubbed my palm to my chest before my breath could get too heavy.

I ended up so far back on her profile that I was able to see photos from college, her cheering, meeting new friends, and finally us. High school. The photo of her and I, Quinn and Sam shoved into a booth when they came to campus for a weekend, a photo of me laying in her bed surrounded by papers when I helped her apply for colleges, and then one of the two of us, her kissing me on the cheek while I smiled bigger than I ever remembered smiling. It was the reason I ended up drinking two more whiskeys AND the reason I feel like such shit today.

I take a deep breath as I sit there burning fuel outside of the office. I came here to get some work done but my head was pounding and my chest felt tight so I sat there in silence for a few more minutes when a screeching ring came through my Bluetooth. 

  Layla's photo pops up on my screen and I press the green button to accept. "Yeah." 

"Brooks what have I told you about answering the phone like that?" she screeches. 

"God, take it down a few notches Lay, damn," I whine. 

"What's with you, you seem grouchy and that's saying something because you're doom and gloom 90% of the time." she snaps with a laugh under her breath. 

There's no sense in hiding it so I tell her, "Whiskey hangover." 

"Aw, poor Brooksie. Why'd you drink so much? Realized you were engaged to Cruella DeVil and decided alcohol was the only option."

"Funny." is the only response I can come up with because there's no sense in arguing, Layla has seen through Courtney's bullshit since high school so there's no sense in wasting the little energy I have fighting with her about it. 

"In all seriousness, it's not like you to drink enough to feel like shit the next day, you good?" 

Layla and I have a different relationship, mainly because I don't let anyone in, but if I do need to talk some shit out with someone she is a good listener, and when she tries to tell me what to do she doesn't get offended when I hang up on her. 

We worry about each other, hell we love each other but we don't like to make it all that obvious. I appreciate that she gives me the space to handle my life in my own way, even if I know she doesn't agree. I also appreciate that she doesn't try to fix me. She knows more than anyone how much things changed for me when Dad died. 

"Yeah, I'm good. Busy with work." is the simplest answer I can think of. 

"Hm. Work. Yeah, I heard you invested in a new project with none other than my best fucking friend whose heart you crushed to pieces. Good work." I can hear her disapproval and sarcasm dripping through the phone and it makes me sit up straighter. I didn't think about how Layla would react to this project because frankly, I didn't fucking think at all, I just acted. But Sydney and I's involvement took some getting used to on Layla's part all those years ago so I'm surprised she hadn't called to rip my ass about this if she knew already. 

"You know?" I ask as I clear my throat. 

"Of course I know you dumbass. Sydney called me as soon as she officially decided to sign the contract. We don't keep secrets from each other anymore, especially where you're concerned."

"And you didn't try and talk her out of it?" I hate how desperate my voice sounds right now so I clear my throat again, "I mean. It's just business." 

"You keep telling yourself that big bro but no I didn't try and talk her out of it, Sydney has enough going on, between moving her entire life back to Indiana and her mom being sick, if this project is what makes her happy and if your involvement is the only option then I support her but so help me God, Brooks Bradley Dawson, if you screw her over I, will break your knee caps."  

A small laugh falls from my lips, Layla is tough but we both know deep down how much of a softie she is, we just won't tell her players that. "It's just business Lay. Now did you call me for a reason or just to annoy me on a Saturday morning?" 

I hear her hesitate on the other end. "Lay. I've got shit to do, out with it." 

"Okay, well, I was wondering..." she sounds nervous and the back of my neck starts to sweat, this must be serious, "And you don't have to if you don't want to..." The pieces click together so I say, "How much do you need to cover the wedding?" at the same time she says, "Will you walk me down the aisle?" 

Again, speaking at the same time, I say, "You want me to what?" as she scoffs, "You think I'm asking you for money?" 

I stop talking because my heart is pounding in my chest and I feel a stinging behind my eyes, "You want ME to walk you down the aisle?" I ask again, nearly in a whisper. 

"Well, yeah. I mean with Dad, gone, you're the next best option, that is if you want, like I said you don't have to..." 

I cut her off. "Yes. Layla, I'd be honored to walk you down the aisle." As I blink away the pressure behind my eyes. 

"Really? Okay. Cool." she says softly. 

"Cool." is all I say back as I smile to myself, a real genuine smile, one I haven't felt in a long time. 

AN: We all know we've done a social media deep dive on an EX once or twice. The worst is when you accidentally like a photo, so Brooks got lucky! HAHA.