Matt & Brooklyn: A Standalone in the "Again for the First Time" Family Saga (AFTFT Book 2) by Raven St. Pierre Page B
Authors: Raven St. Pierre
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soon. I’d been here four days and this was the first time I’d seen rain, but that didn’t stop me from being upset about it.
I found something comfortable to put on and returned my bathing suit to the drawer, deciding to grab my book and read on the living room couch instead. I took the small blanket from the foot of my bed and plopped down on the cushions of the white sofa with that perfect view of the ocean. To my surprise, I discovered that it was still just as beautiful to look at, rain or shine.
The rest of my day consisted of reading, grabbing bowls of cereal when I got hungry, and napping. In fact, I napped more than anything else. I blamed it on the intoxicating symphony of heavy rain and choppy water, but whatever it was, I was knocked out. Matt closing the front door woke me from my longest snooze yet and I popped my head up from the throw pillow. Peeking over the back of the couch, I locked eyes with him as he propped his umbrella against the wall.
He smiled and I rubbed my eyes. “What time is it?” I asked groggily.
He checked his phone while using the toe of one shoe to brace the heel of the other so he could step out of it. “A little after four,” he answered.
“Oh my gosh. I can’t believe I slept that long. I should be getting ready for the wedding.” I sat up slowly, smoothing my hair. “You must think I’m such a bum. Either I’m lounging outside or slobbing on your couch.”
He laughed at that. “Yeah, right. If anything, I wish I could be here doing the same. I hate that I haven’t been around much.”
He was right. He hadn’t been here much, but I didn’t mind. Life still went on for him with or without me here. I waved him off as he came my way, dropping a few pieces of mail near the lamp on the table behind the sofa.
“You know I don’t mind that, right? You having to work?”
He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets as he took in the same scenery outside that’d put me to sleep. “I know,” was all he said back. He looked so tired, which I knew he had to be.
“Sit with me,” I demanded, slapping the cushion beside me on the couch.
A faint smile touched his lips again and he did as I asked, coming around with slow steps. The couch depressed when he sank into it and my body shifted toward his, my knee pressing against his thigh.
Touching his arm just beneath the hem of his t-shirt, I got his attention. “How was your day?”
My question made him grin again, leading me to think that he had something good to share.
“What is it?” I asked, feeling the excitement growing inside me despite the fact that Matt hadn’t told me anything yet. Last night when we spoke about his documentary, it hurt me to the core to see how disappointed he was that it wasn’t likely to happen. Maybe that had changed, though. Maybe that was why he was in a better mood now.
I shifted in my seat a bit. I understood why the idea of doing a follow-up made Matt hesitant. Nick was bad off. Lissy didn’t talk about it much, but I caught bits and pieces over the past few months just listening to her and Luke. They’d discuss things like taking meals Lissy prepared over to him every now and then, loaning him money, and for a while they’d even considered letting him crash at their house because he was about to lose his apartment. At first, I didn’t understand why Lissy would go out of her way like that, how she could be so nice to someone who, let’s be honest, didn’t deserve it. That was just my sister’s way, though. She had a forgiving heart. Always had.
Now might be a weird time to say it, but I admired Matt; how good he was. It was like he said before, Nick wouldn’t object to doing the film, but Matt had taken it into his own hands to protect his brother because he cared. Even at the risk of missing this opportunity, at the risk of losing out on a lot of money… family came first with him. Because of that, he deserved whatever good came to him.
I touched his hand and his
I found something comfortable to put on and returned my bathing suit to the drawer, deciding to grab my book and read on the living room couch instead. I took the small blanket from the foot of my bed and plopped down on the cushions of the white sofa with that perfect view of the ocean. To my surprise, I discovered that it was still just as beautiful to look at, rain or shine.
The rest of my day consisted of reading, grabbing bowls of cereal when I got hungry, and napping. In fact, I napped more than anything else. I blamed it on the intoxicating symphony of heavy rain and choppy water, but whatever it was, I was knocked out. Matt closing the front door woke me from my longest snooze yet and I popped my head up from the throw pillow. Peeking over the back of the couch, I locked eyes with him as he propped his umbrella against the wall.
He smiled and I rubbed my eyes. “What time is it?” I asked groggily.
He checked his phone while using the toe of one shoe to brace the heel of the other so he could step out of it. “A little after four,” he answered.
“Oh my gosh. I can’t believe I slept that long. I should be getting ready for the wedding.” I sat up slowly, smoothing my hair. “You must think I’m such a bum. Either I’m lounging outside or slobbing on your couch.”
He laughed at that. “Yeah, right. If anything, I wish I could be here doing the same. I hate that I haven’t been around much.”
He was right. He hadn’t been here much, but I didn’t mind. Life still went on for him with or without me here. I waved him off as he came my way, dropping a few pieces of mail near the lamp on the table behind the sofa.
“You know I don’t mind that, right? You having to work?”
He nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets as he took in the same scenery outside that’d put me to sleep. “I know,” was all he said back. He looked so tired, which I knew he had to be.
“Sit with me,” I demanded, slapping the cushion beside me on the couch.
A faint smile touched his lips again and he did as I asked, coming around with slow steps. The couch depressed when he sank into it and my body shifted toward his, my knee pressing against his thigh.
Touching his arm just beneath the hem of his t-shirt, I got his attention. “How was your day?”
My question made him grin again, leading me to think that he had something good to share.
“What is it?” I asked, feeling the excitement growing inside me despite the fact that Matt hadn’t told me anything yet. Last night when we spoke about his documentary, it hurt me to the core to see how disappointed he was that it wasn’t likely to happen. Maybe that had changed, though. Maybe that was why he was in a better mood now.
I shifted in my seat a bit. I understood why the idea of doing a follow-up made Matt hesitant. Nick was bad off. Lissy didn’t talk about it much, but I caught bits and pieces over the past few months just listening to her and Luke. They’d discuss things like taking meals Lissy prepared over to him every now and then, loaning him money, and for a while they’d even considered letting him crash at their house because he was about to lose his apartment. At first, I didn’t understand why Lissy would go out of her way like that, how she could be so nice to someone who, let’s be honest, didn’t deserve it. That was just my sister’s way, though. She had a forgiving heart. Always had.
Now might be a weird time to say it, but I admired Matt; how good he was. It was like he said before, Nick wouldn’t object to doing the film, but Matt had taken it into his own hands to protect his brother because he cared. Even at the risk of missing this opportunity, at the risk of losing out on a lot of money… family came first with him. Because of that, he deserved whatever good came to him.
I touched his hand and his
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