The Way That I Love You
Chapter 4: Clothes Off
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing, even though I wouldn't mind owning Chad and James.
"Hey Brooke."
"Chase?" To say she was surprised would be an understatement…she could actually feel her mouth opening and closing like she was a fish. For a moment she thought that maybe, just maybe it was Lucas.
"I'd ask if you're surprised to see me but by your face I take that the answer is yes." He said in a playful tone with a smile on his face.
Everything was going opposite to what she had planned. She was supposed to be with Millicent having a nice lunch at her office in the back of the store, then she'd go spend some time with Jamie and after she'd go pack but now she's in a plane on her way to New York City with Chase Adams. Not that she wasn't glad to see him and have some company since Lucas oblivious didn't come, she just wasn't expecting it. "What are you doing here?"
"I have a job interview in New York."
"That's great Chase." Brooke said while sitting down next to him.
"I know, maybe I'll finally start to live my dream." He said while looking into her eyes. "What about you? I though you were going to live in Tree Hill permanently?"
'I am but I got a call about a problem with some models and well, here I am."
"Listen, my interview is in three days do you think we could meet up and talk? Maybe have some dinner? I wouldn't call our last meeting a catching up one." He said referring to Lucas' bachelor party.
She had nothing to lose, right? After doing what she had to she was free so why not spend an evening with an old ex-boyfriend talking about what had been going on in their lives? "Sure."
--
"James Lucas Scott you better get back here right now little man or you'll be in serious trouble." Haley James-Scott yelled while running around after a naked five years old. She had no idea what had gotten into Jamie, he was always so grown up but today he decided that it'd be funny to run around the house naked and wet.
"You have to catch me momma." He yelled.
"Jamie, come on I don't have time for this, okay? I have things to do and you aren't helping me. Besides, your Uncle Lucas will be here any minute." She was tired. It wasn't even noon and she was exhausted. She and Nathan's appointment hadn't been the most pleasant thing, actually it hadn't been anything because when Dr. Rebecca said that she had to talk about her and Nathan's past she flew from the room faster then anyone could say ball.
She was practically running down the street trying to leave before Nathan could get her but she knew it wasn't going to happen because even though he wasn't totally recovered he was still a lot faster than her and her small feet.
"Haley! Hales wait up!"
'Talking about the devil' she thought.
Trying to quicken her pace she almost fell but quickly recovered and got to her car with Nathan still yelling after her. She got her keys out of her purse and opened the door and when she thought she had escaped Nathan got in front of her and closed the door while blocking her way. "Nathan, get out of my way right now." She said as nicely as possible.
Ignoring her he said "Why did you run away?" Before she could utter a word he continued "You said you wanted to try and work things out but at the first appointment you ran out of there as soon as the Doctor asked you to open up."
"Nathan I…"
"I don't want to hear it, okay? If you don't want to do it for me, for us, at least do it for Jamie because right now he's there hoping that his parents are going to get back together again." And with that he turned around and left Haley there with her thoughts.
She was feeling really guilt and stressed and Jamie wasn't really helping matters, especially since Brooke called half an hour ago apologizing and telling her that she wouldn't be able to take care of him today because she had to go to New York immediately. She couldn't even be mad at her because since she moved back she's been the best godmother any kid could ask for, and for it Haley was grateful.
Without any other choice she called Lucas and begged him to help her, not that she had to beg that much since as soon as she asked him he had said yes. So now she's giving him a bath before Lucas gets there. Well, she was trying to. "Jamie please, momma's asking you now."
"No! You have to catch me." He yelled and when she got to the living room she saw her son jumping naked on the couch.
Before either of them could say anything else the door opened and Lucas came in.
"Whoa! What's going on here?" He asked while crossing his arms in front of his chest.
After running a hand through her hair Haley said "You nephew decided that it'd be funny to run around the house naked."
Seeing Haley's frustration Lucas turned to his nephew "Come on, Jamie help your mom here."
"No!" Jamie said still jumping on the couch.
He knew Haley was losing the little patience she still had left and he really didn't want to see a mad Haley James-Scott. "Please J. Luke, for me?"
"No!"
He decided to try a new approach. "Why are you doing it? It's so not like you." He got no answer so he continued "What can I do to make you come down?"
"I want Aunt Brooke." Jamie said with a pout on his face and his little arms crossed around his little chest.
"I told you that Aunt Brooke wouldn't come because she's in New York sweetie." Haley said.
"But I want Aunt Brooke, momma." By now both, Haley and Lucas knew that Brooke had taught Jamie that pout.
"I know you do sweetie but she can't. You know that if she could she'd be here." She said and looked at Lucas as if to say help me.
"Listen Jamie, I know you want to spend the day with your Aunt Brooke but you can't, so what about you spend it with me?"
For a moment they thought Jamie would disagree but then he smiled and ran towards his room while saying "Yes! I'm going to get ready."
--
Haley and Lucas were in the kitchen drinking some coffee waiting for Jamie to come down.
"Thanks Luke, I didn't know what to do anymore."
"No problem Hales."
"It's just that this day has been hell already."
"Now that you mentioned it, how did your appointment with Nate go?"
"If I was to describe it with one word I'd say disaster."
"That bad?" He really thought that maybe Nathan and Haley would have made some progress.
"Yes, especially because I ran five minutes after we went into her office."
"Haley."
"I know, okay? I know it was wrong but she asked me to talk about how Nathan and I met and suddenly I felt the need to get out of there."
He wasn't mad at her because he had no right to, he was just disappointed. "Haley…you said you were going to try."
"I know what I said but try to open up to the person who hurt you that much and then you can talk."
"Okay, okay. No need to get aggressive." He said while putting his hands up in the air.
Before they could continue Jamie came in with his little snickers in his hand "Momma, put my shoes on for me?"
"Sure sweetie, come here."
--
She's been waiting for him for fifteen minutes now and she was getting worried. He was never later. Never.
"Come on, where are you Luke?" She said to herself.
She was starting to feel like an idiot sitting there alone. The waiter had already asked her if she wanted to order something twice and Lucas was no where to be seen. She decided that she was going to wait for him five more minutes but after that she was out of there.
--
"Really? I can't believe you'd do something like that." Brooke said between laughs. Her and Chase have been talking for an hour now and she was surprisingly having a great time despise everything that had happened between them years ago.
"Seriously Brooke, I did. Why is it so hard to believe?" He didn't understand why she didn't believe him. He had forgotten how much he missed her laugh besides, it was really good to see that he was the reason she was laughing again.
"I don't know. Let me see, because you, Chase Adams got wasted and went running around campus singing it is raining man in your underwear. And all that because of a dare?" She said laughing even more imagining Chase doing it.
"In my defense I was really, really drunk." He said as he playfully pointed a finger in her direction.
"Whatever you say."
"Ladies and gentleman please fast your seatbelts we are about to…"
"What do you say about dinner tonight? At my place?" Brooke asked.
The question took both of them by surprise but she had had a great time talking to Chase and she didn't want it to end so soon.
"Sure, is seven okay with you?" He was surprised but glad with Brooke's request.
"Perfect."
--
"I'm really sorry Peyt but Haley called me and asked me if I could watch Jamie since Brooke is in New York…" Lucas said as he and Jamie sat down and he gave Peyton a peck on the lips.
She was about to leave when she saw Lucas coming through the door of the restaurant with Jamie in tow. "It's okay Luke." Turning to Jamie she said "Hey Jamie."
"Hey Peyton." He replied without enthusiasm. When his Uncle had said spend the day with him he had imagined ice cream and a game on the river court not lunch with Peyton. He liked her but if he had to have lunch with two adults it'd be either his parents or his Uncle Luke and Aunt Brooke. Peyton was kind of boring in his opinion.
"Are you ready to order now miss?" The waiter asked.
"Sure, I want a salad and a coke."
"I want a beef and a coke too. What about you J. Luke?"
"Mac and cheese with an orange juice." He said while looking at his Uncle with his puppy face that no one was able to resist.
"And you can bring him what he wants." Lucas said to the waiter. "Orange juice? I thought you loved coke?" He asked Jamie as soon as the waiter went away.
"I did."
"Why don't you like it anymore?" This time though it was Peyton who asked.
"Because Aunt Brooke said it's bad for my health." He said with a serious face and Lucas couldn't help but laugh.
"She did, didn't she?" He asked.
"Yep! She said that if I keep drink so much coke I won't be the next Mackey Jordan. I think she meant Michael Jordan but I never said anything to her about it." He whispered the last part to Lucas.
Mackey Jordan. Definitely something that only Brooke would say.
--
As soon as she stepped her foot into the building she was bombarded with questions.
"Miss Davis I need to ask you about the fall line…"
Or
"Miss Davis Pete is looking for you everywhere…"
Or
"Miss Davis I'm so glad to see you're back…"
When she finally got to her office and sat down on her chair to relax for a minute Pete, her editor walked through the door.
"Miss Davis I'm sorry to bug you already but there's been a problem in the last photo shoot and…"
"Pete, breathe please." Pete was a really great guy. He was tall, had a nice body, and shaved blond hair, aqua blue eyes and a tanned body. Brooke met him two and a half years ago and since then he became one of her only real friends in New York and even though she said for him to call her Brooke he insisted in calling her Miss Davis. She knew she could trust him with her life and her company and that he only said that there was a problem when there really was one, one that he could fix by himself.
"Sorry. It's just…ahhh…come here." He said and opened his arms waiting for her to give him a hug.
She didn't wait any longer. She got up and went into his arms. "I've missed you too Petey. I'm so sorry for not calling…"
"I don't want to hear it missy." He said pretending to be mad but couldn't resist the smile that was appearing on his face. "Forget it. I forgive you." He said and went to hug her again.
Oh! Did she mention he's gay?
--
After lunch he, Peyton and Jamie went to the park so Jamie could play and he and Peyton could talk without Jamie listening. He noticed that throughout lunch Jamie was looking really bored and he wanted his nephew to have fun not sulk around.
"So…are you going to tell me what's bugging you?" Peyton asked.
"Nothing much it's just that…"
--
It was already eight o'clock and she was finally making her way to her apartment. The day had been exhaustive. She had forgotten who much more stressful it was to work here instead of Tree Hill that was always peaceful.
When she stepped into C/B this afternoon she could feel the old Brooke coming back, the Brooke who only thought about work, the Brooke who had no private life, the Brooke who was the boss, the Brooke who was lonely.
As soon as she opened the door of her apartment she felt the coldness of the place. It wasn't because of the weather, that was hot since its summer but it was the coldness that the place had because she was always alone there, the only people who had been there were Pete and Victoria.
If someone looked at her place they'd say how beautiful and well decorated it is. The furniture had been picked by her mother since she said that there was no way she'd let Brooke decorate the place because she had no style. Funny how Victoria said that to her and nowadays her company has made more money then her mother could ever dream of having.
Sometimes she just wished that someone, anyone would be there with her so she wouldn't be so lonely all the time. She wished to have what Nathan and Haley have, a family. If her kid is half of the kid Jamie is she'll be more than happy.
Putting her purse in the table she made her way to the window and looked at the view. She could see half of New York and loved it. It was one of the few things she liked in her whole penthouse. Sometimes she'd spend hours just looking at the people below her and even if for a moment she'd feel less lonely.
Sometimes she wished she could have been anywhere but here.
--
Forty five minutes later she was getting out of the shower when there was a knock at the door. Didn't Chase get her message saying she wouldn't be able to have dinner tonight? Even if he hadn't there was no way he'd be knocking at her at 9:30. Besides, no one was allowed to come up to her apartment without her permission. She opened the door and was met by
"Lucas?"
You guys don't need to tell me how much I suck because I know that already. Also, I know I said that I'd try to update sooner but life just got in the way and I just found the time to write a decent chapter now. I had written another chapter 4 but I hated it so I wrote this one instead. I'm not going to promise anything anymore because even if I did you guys wouldn't believe me (I know I wouldn't). I'm already working on the next chapter but I'm not sure when it's going to be ready. If I'm taking too long to update let me know. Also, I'd like to thank Melissa (BL4ever) and superstargirl7 for pushing me to write. Anyway, thank you for reading and don't forget to review. :)