Just Once (Book 1 in the Just Once Series)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Brook’s POV:

We’d gotten the keys when we paid the money, just like Nick had said, even still we’d ended up staying the night in a not so great motel, after leaving my mum and Nate’s house last night.

We didn’t have a bed or anything, but Jack and I had gone and ordered one the same day, it had been delivered this morning as we got ready for college.

We’d decided that there was no more point in hiding the fact we loved each other. News would spread eventually and it might as well be sooner rather than later.

I shifted nervously in the passenger seat as Jack parked the car in front of the college building. Students were dotted around and I swallowed hard.

“You ok?” Jack asked gently as he touched my face softly, I leaned into his touch without conscious thought as I nodded once.

“Yeah, I’m just... worried about how people will react,” I breathed as I met his eyes.

“It doesn’t matter what they think, Brook, it has nothing to do with them,” he said softly and I nodded.

“What about your friends? What if they don’t like it and...?”

“Hey, hey baby, don’t. Ok, breathe. If they can’t accept that you are the woman I love, then they can all go fuck themselves,” he says softly and I laugh gently.

“What, as opposed to you fucking them?” I grin and Jack rolled his eyes.

“Smart ass,” he mutters, but his hand is holding mine delicately and he’s sitting there silently, just waiting.

“Ok, I’m ready,” I muttered now. It’s a lie and we both know it, but what the hell. If we are going to do this, it might as well be now.

“At least it’s the last day of college before summer break,” Jack says now and I nod. That is a good thing, that way; it gives everyone six weeks to adjust to the news before they see us again... well at least, before they see us again all day every day in college.

“Yeah,” I mumbled softly.

“We don’t have to do this, Brook,” he says now and I look at him.

“Yes, we do. If we don’t, we can never be together, it doesn’t work like that, Jack, you’re mine and I’m yours and our baby is everything else,” I mutter, “if they can’t accept it, fine, but I’m not hiding what I feel for you anymore,” I mutter now, even nervous as hell, I know what needs to be done and this is it.

“Come on then, Beautiful, we’ve already missed two classes,” he said now, before slipping from the car and coming around to my side.

I’d already slipped from the car and closed my door by the time Jack reached me and I looked up at him and smiled as he slipped his hand into mine.

“Let’s go get some lunch,” he said now and I nod as we walk across the car park towards the college entrance.

You know when you think everyone is suddenly going to stop and notice the fact that you’re holding hands with your step-brother. Your face will go red and you’ll feel all nervous and sweaty as the silence falls all around you and dread at the next reaction almost overwhelms you?

Well, it didn’t happen.

I waited, I looked around the parking lot and still, no one seemed any the wiser, of course, no one was really paying any attention.

“It’s ok,” Jack smiled down at me and I looked up at him and nodded towards the cafeteria entrance.

“They’re going to freak,” I said softly and he shrugged.