Okay.” I glanced down at our hands and grinned. “This is weird, huh? We’re outside holding hands. We’re outside together.”
He pulled me close to him and brushed his nose against mine. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
It was more amazing than he’d known. I’d dreamed of that day for so long.
The door to the shop swung open, and an older man came out of the building smoking a cigarette. The dog in the front of the store started howling again. “Goddammit, shut up, Wilson! Shh! Shh! Freaking dog.”
My body tightened up. Brooks narrowed his eyes at me. “You okay?”
Shh… Shh…
I nodded my head. “Yes. I’m fine. Sorry. Sometimes I just have flashes.”
His forehead wrinkled and he lowered his eyebrows as he studied me.
I gave him a tight smile. “I’m fine. Really.”
“Okay,” he said warily.
The man started in our direction, and I wrapped my arm around Brooks’ waist pulling him closer to me.
The closer he grew, the more my stomach tightened. He stopped midway and stomped out his cigarette, then waved us over. “Hey, sorry about the wait. Long phone call, you know, business and all. How about you two head inside with me and we’ll get all of the paperwork done in my office.”
We started in his direction, catching up with him. He held his hand out to me. “Hey, I’m James. Nice to meet you.”
I shook his hand, and the smell of tobacco danced beneath my nose. An unsettling feeling took over my gut. He led us to his office and closed the door behind him. Wilson was still barking, and James shouted once more. “Shh, Wilson! Shut it!” He massaged his temple and apologized. “After all these years that dog still won’t shut up. Anyway.” He plopped down in his chair and gave Brooks a tight smile. “I wish we were meeting on better terms. I’m sorry about your accident. It’s unfortunate when freak accidents take place like that.”
He rolled up his sleeves, and my eyes fell to his forearm, studying his tattoos.
The air in the room was getting thicker, and I swore the walls were moving in on me. He reached in front of him and grabbed two pieces of black licorice.
My mind started spinning faster and faster. I felt his hold on me. I felt his hands around my neck, his lips against my ears, his body on top of mine.
I pushed my chair back and stumbled to stand. “No,” I murmured, moving away from his desk. “No…”
James stared at me with narrowed eyes. “Uh, are you okay?” His glare shifted to Brooks. “Is she okay?”
Brooks stood up and walked in my direction. “Maggie, what is it?” The closer he came, the more my body shook. I shut my eyes, shaking my head back and forth. No. No.
Not only could I see him, but I felt him. I felt his face against my face, his skin against my skin, his lips against…
“Maggie, it’s okay,” Brooks said, his voice soothing. “You’re just having a panic. It’s okay, everything’s all right.”
“No!” I shouted, my eyes shooting open. “No, it’s not okay. It’s not okay. It’s…” I felt cold. I felt sick. I was going to throw up. I knew I’d throw up.
Within seconds my past and present crashed together, and I blinked.
A man was there with another. A woman. She kept telling him no, saying she couldn’t be with him anymore, and he didn’t like that. “We have a life together, Julia. We have a family.”
I blinked again.
Brooks grew closer to me, his eyes filled with worry. “Maggie, talk to me.” James stood from his chair and raced his fingers through his hair, walking my way.
Blink.
He screamed at her, his voice cracking. “You fucking whore!” he shouted, slapping her hard across the face. She stumbled backward and whimpered, her hand flying to her cheek. “I gave you everything. We had a life together. I just took over the business. We were getting on our feet. What about our son? What about our family?”
Blink.