Brandon (Anderson Billionaires #3) - Melody Anne Page 0,8
a chance of avoiding him, not in this town, so you either have to be honest with him and tell him to back off or tell him you need time to figure out what you want. I’m sure he’ll respect that.”
“Do you think a guy would even understand if we told him we have no clue what it was that we wanted?” Chloe asked.
That made Brooke smile. “Nope. He won’t understand it at all, but it would give you some breathing room. I really want to see you work on this project. The entire town is rallying behind it.”
“As much as I’m frustrated with Joseph, I want to do it. I’m just so stubborn I haven’t signed the papers. But I have done some preliminary drawings. I could make this kitchen efficient and amazing. And maybe it would get publicity for this place as well. Though I’m busy now, it’s the novelty of a new place in town. I want it to stay busy forever; then someday maybe it can even expand into more cities.”
“I think that’s a smart business plan. Just tell Brandon to back off and let you breathe, and all of it will work out just fine,” Brooke assured her.
“Is that how it worked with Finn?” Chloe asked.
“Finn and I were complicated from the day we met, but in the end it all worked out.”
“I don’t want to get married,” Chloe said.
“This isn’t the eighteenth century. You don’t have to get married if you don’t want to,” Brooke pointed out.
“I don’t want to fall in love.”
Brooke gave her a smile. “I don’t think you really get a choice in that.”
“You aren’t reassuring me,” Chloe said. “I’ve always believed love is a choice. I chose to love you and Sarah. And I’ve chosen not to love a man.”
“I’d say because we’re more sisters than besties. And as far as men go, that’s because the right one hasn’t come along.” She looked to the door. “Or he hadn’t until maybe now.”
“This isn’t love. This is just hormones. I’ll beat them,” Chloe said, more determined than ever before to prove herself right.
“Well, good luck with that,” Brooke said as she laughed.
“Look out the door and tell me what he’s up to,” Chloe said with a growl in her voice. Brooke was of no help at all.
“He sat down at a table. Marcy handed him the menu and appears to be going for coffee.” The normality of the moment snapped Chloe from her panic attack. She actually found herself smiling the tiniest bit as she tugged on Brooke’s arm to get her attention.
“You have to go find out what he’s doing here,” Chloe said. “Hopefully it’s nothing more than a coincidence, and he’s not looking for me at all.”
“Considering this is your place, I highly doubt he’s just here for the coffee and pastries. Though they are damn fine. I think I’ve gained ten pounds since this place opened.” She sent a glare Chloe’s way, as if that was her fault.
“I don’t make you eat the food,” Chloe pointed out.
“Yes, you do!” Brooke exclaimed. “Since you practically live here, if I want to see you, I have no choice but to come in. And there’s no way anyone can walk into this place without getting hungry.”
“That’s why I bring you here again and again. You stroke my ego,” Chloe said.
“Your ego doesn’t need stroking. You know what a good cook you are. You got the chef genes, hands down.”
She flinched a bit at that statement. She wanted to be good on her own, not because it was in her genetics. She didn’t necessarily want to be better than her parents; she just wanted to be best on her own.
“That’s most certainly true. Though Sarah has gotten a lot better at cooking.”
“Good. Then I never have to,” Brooke said, perfectly content to not be a world-famous chef.
“It amazes me anyone wouldn’t want to cook. It’s so much fun to throw ingredients together and watch magic happen.”
“That only happens when you love to do it. I light stoves on fire when I attempt anything fancy.”
“That’s true,” Chloe said with another smile. “And you’ve done well at calming me. Now you have to go find out what Brandon wants.”
“While you hide in here?” Brooke said.
“Yep, I’m totally hiding, and I’m not even ashamed of it.”
Brooke disappeared out the doors, and Chloe crept over and glanced through the crack as Brooke sashayed up to Brandon. Brandon looked up with a big smile. Then he stood