Brooke & Ben: Before Fate Interrupted Read Online Free PDF Page B

me? What if I’ve been cursed by some crazy old
cat lady to turn every guy’s boner into Jell-o Pudding?”
    “It’s not you;
you’re beautiful and you know it.”
    Tasha didn’t
look so certain.
    “You look like
Rachel Bilson’s sexy blond sister!”
    Tasha looked
down to examine her costume. “Not in this mess I don’t.” She shut her eyes and
cringed. “Why didn’t I go with the hot Batgirl outfit? Stupid!”
    “Tash, he’s
dressed up as Leatherface, for God’s sake. You two go together like bad endings
and M. Night Shyamalan movies.”
    Tasha’s eyes
jerked back up to her. “So you’ll do it?”
    Brooke tucked a
long strand of brown hair behind an ear. “No, I’m about to get my drink on.”
    “Thank you,
thank you, thank you,” Tasha squealed, hugging her tightly and kissing her on
the cheek. “I’ll make it super quick. I promise.” She grabbed the doorknob to
Mandy’s room and twisted before Brooke could stop her.
    “Evenin,
ladies.”
    Tasha released
the knob and slowly turned to the cowboy standing in the hallway. He tipped his
big black hat to them, a toothpick wiggling in the corner of his mouth.
    “Looks like I
rode into town just in time for the show,” he said in a bad southern drawl. He
rested a hand on the butt of a six-shooter tucked into an old leather holster
and shot Tasha a devilish wink.
    “Craig! W-What’re
you doing here?”
    “Why, I’ve come to
win back the love of my life.”
    Tasha laughed
sharply and tried folding her arms across her chest only to realize they were
still tied together. “Well, you’re shit out of luck. Lisa isn’t here.”
    He shifted in
his black cowboy boots and pushed his hat up. “I know she’s not here. I told
her to hit the cow trail last week.”
    Tasha’s face
crumbled in slow motion and Brooke didn’t like it one bit. “Why?” Tasha asked.
    Craig came
closer. The smell of his cologne made Brooke’s eyes sting. “Because she made me
realize how big a dad-gum fool I’ve been.”
    Brooke tilted
her head to the side. “And was that because you dumped my best friend or
because of your last haircut?”
    Craig turned to
her and spread a cocky grin. “Touche, little lady. Reckon I had that comin.”
    “You reckon?”
    Craig exhaled a
sour breath that reeked of alcohol. He turned back to Tasha and dropped the phony
drawl. “Listen, can buy you a drink?” He hesitated, eyes flickering over to
Brooke. “In private?”
    Tasha almost glanced
at the bedroom door behind her but stopped short. “Ummm…”
    “One drink and
if you don’t like what I have to say I will never bother you again. I swear to
God.”
    Tasha scratched
at her wrists, the thick rope beginning to leave a rash. She traded an uneasy
look with Brooke before hitting Craig with a cold glare. “One - drink.”
    His grin made a
comeback along with his southern drawl. “Hot diggity, darlin! You just made me
happier than a pig in slop.” He held his arm out and Tasha reluctantly let him
wrap it around her shoulders and escort her down the hallway.
    “Ya got the pig
part right,” Brooke muttered, watching them disappear. She inhaled a deep
breath and turned to Mandy’s door, her mind reeling. After a few seconds, she started
down the hall, heading for a cold beer in the kitchen. She stopped in her
tracks and looked back over her shoulder. A slow grin stretched her lips.
Brooke went back to Mandy’s room and gently twisted the knob. She held her
breath as the door clicked open. The hallway light slipped inside the dark room
first, cutting a white stripe across the floor. Sinuously, she followed the
stripe and shut the door behind her, driving the light from the room.
    A voice startled
her from across the room. “Look, I should get back out there. My buddy is
probably wondering where I’m at.”
    Brooke cleared
her throat and tried on her best impersonation of Tasha. “Sometimes the best
things come from bad ideas,” she whispered.
    Roger responded
with a