"Lindsay!" Brooke hugged Lucas' publicist.
Despite the fact that Lindsay was Lucas' ex-girlfriend, Brooke wasn't threatened by Lindsay. Lindsay genuinely wanted to see Lucas and Brooke happy together because Lindsay truly had love for Lucas. Unlike Peyton who seem to want Lucas all to herself.
"Brooke!" Lindsay hugged Brooke lightly and pulled back to examine Brooke's dress. "Now that dress is gorgeous. Please tell me you sell that here!"
Brooke laughed and glanced down at her purple leopard print creation, "It will be here soon! I'm glad you came to support me."
Lindsay casually waved her hand in the air. "Of course I came! I love Clothes over Bros!"
Peyton stood behind Brooke and Lindsay. She nervously watched the two women interact with one another.
"I can't believe Brooke invited her here when she knows about me and Julian!" Peyton thought to herself as her eyes darted back and forth between both women.
Brooke turned to Peyton. She tried not to laugh at the nervous expression written all over Peyton's face.
"Have you met Peyton?" Brooke asked Lindsay as she pulled Peyton closer to her side.
Lindsay slowly shook her head and examined the petite auburn haired woman standing in front of her.
Lindsay hadn't officially met Peyton but she did catch Peyton and Lucas embrace in a lip lock when Peyton first arrived back into town. Lindsay never told Lucas that she knew about the kiss. She was hoping he'd tell her but she eventually just forgot until now because Brooke's arrival back into Tree Hill came soon after the shocking kiss. Lindsay knew in her gut that it was over between her and Lucas when Brooke came back into town.
"I don't think we've officially met." Lindsay pursed her lips at Peyton. "It's nice to finally meet you Peyton. Last time I saw you, you'd just gotten back into Tree Hill and you were making out with Lucas in Tric in that dusty old office space."
Peyton's mouth dropped open. She didn't know anyone had seen them that day. That kiss was after Lucas and Peyton slept together. Lucas considered it a goodbye kiss but Peyton saw it as Lucas not wanting to let go.
"What?" Brooke cried out.
All three women scanned the room for Lucas. Peyton spotted him first; he was standing off to the side of the store chatting with his old friend, Mouth.
"If you'll excuse me!" Peyton scurried off toward Lucas to warn him.
Brooke was too in shock to stop Peyton from walking over to Lucas so she just stood there with her eyes opened wide.
"Luke can I talk to you for a second?" Peyton whispered into his ear.
Lucas looked up from his glass of sparkling water. "I'm kind of busy Peyton."
"I'll leave you two alone." Mouth left Peyton with Lucas despite Lucas' obvious shake of the head.
"Luke it's about Brooke and Lindsay! Please push your pity little grudge out of the way and just listen." Peyton whispered loudly to Lucas.
Lucas scanned the room and found Brooke and Lindsay standing together talking fast. His stomach dropped to the pit of his belly. "What is it?"
A sigh of relief escaped Peyton's thin lips. "They know about us hooking up when I first got back into town. Lindsay just brought it up to Brooke."
Lucas almost dropped his glass of sparkling water. He managed to grab a hold of the glass again with spilling any liquid on the white marble floors.
"What?" Lucas questioned.
Peyton nodded slowly. "Lindsay seemed to have forgotten about it until she saw me. She probably never got a chance to confront you about it because Brooke came into town soon after."
Lucas felt numb as he watched his fiancée from across the room. Brooke had moved on from talking to Lindsay and she was now making her rounds to her guests. She introduced everyone to her clothing line and new store, group by group.
"Brooke doesn't seem bothered by it." Lucas said quietly.
Peyton followed Lucas' gaze to Brooke. "You know Brooke! There is always a quiet before the storm."
Lucas looked at Peyton and locked his stunned gaze on her. "This is all your fault Peyton."
Peyton laughed in disbelief. "Yeah because I forced you to kiss me and have sex with me."
Lucas shook his head and left Peyton standing alone in the corner of the store. He walked over to Brooke. "Hey Brooke!"
Brooke was walking away from another group who'd she convinced to buy one of her expensive pieces.
"Hey Luke." She sounded bored.
Lucas frowned and followed behind her. "What's the matter Brooke?"
Brooke turned sharply on her heel to face him. "Why didn't you mention to me that you and Peyton were kissing before I got back into town? This whole time I'm thinking this girl is crazy because she is holding onto a high school fling!"
Lucas looked around to see him anyone was watching them, and pulled Brooke into the back to avoid any of the cameras catching their argument.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was important. It was a one-time mistake." Lucas admitted. "I hadn't seen Peyton is almost two years and I was vulnerable because she reminded me of losing you."
Brooke softened up toward Lucas after hearing this. "You still should have told me Luke!"
Lucas wrapped his arms around her waist. "I know I'm sorry. I promise no more secrets. I made it clear to Peyton that it was over."
Brooke smiled and kissed Lucas. "Well proposing to me is making it pretty clear."
The two laughed and joined the party holding hands. The cameras at the store were all turned on the couple as they made their first public debut. Lucas and Brooke kissed for the cameras and Brooke showed off her flashy engagement ring.
The end of the party was now near and it was time for Brooke to give her thank you speech. Lucas presented Brooke with a glass of champagne. He helped her up on a stand so she was standing above the crowd in the store.
"Thank you all for coming out and supporting me and my store! I wanted to open Clothes over Bros in my home town because this is where it all started. Back in high school with a heart broken teenage drawing sketches. I'm so happy to see you all here to support me." Brooke looked around the packed boutique. "I appreciate each and every one of you so much." She rested her hand on her heart. "I hope you had a great time tonight and got use got of all those fabulous outfits."
The room laughed together. "We'll be here all year!" Brooke laughed and held up her glass. "Cheers!" The crowd shouted cheers as everyone clinked glass with someone.
Lucas helped Brooke down and kissed her softly on her pink lips.
"Did I do okay?" Brooke asked her fiancée.
"You did great momma!" Juliet answered for her father.
Brooke laughed, "Thank you baby girl." She kissed the top of her daughter's dark curls.
Lucas agreed with Juliet. "You did amazing Brooke." He kissed Brooke again. "We're proud of you."
Brooke's petite hands flew up to her rosy cheeks. "That means the world to me just to hear you say those words!"
Lucas laughed and hugged both Brooke and Juliet. The family embraced in a bear hug.
"Brooke I'm going to head out now but you did amazing!" Lindsay gently touched Brooke's arms.
Brooke smiled and hugged her, "Thank you again for coming."
Lindsay shook her head, "Thank you for inviting me! I had fun and it was very eye opening." Lindsay eyed Peyton who was walking hesitantly toward Brooke and Lindsay.
Julian had been a no show but Peyton was seen texting Julian all night. Lindsay caught Peyton on several occasions sneaking off to dial Julian's number.
"Hey Brooke!" Peyton approached Brooke after Lindsay left the store. "I'm gonna go but I just wanted to say how proud of you I am."
Brooke smiled and pulled aside her friend. "Thank you Peyton."
Before Brooke could say anything else about Peyton interrupted her, "I'm sorry for the whole Lucas drama tonight. You shouldn't have found out like that."
Brooke shook her head, "No it's okay! Lucas cleared it up for me and declared how over all that stuff is between you and him."
Brooke's words hit Peyton like a ton of bricks. "Oh did he?" Peyton looked back at Lucas.
Brooke nodded once. "Yeah he did. Anyways I'll see you later. Thanks for coming!"
She left Peyton and went back to Lucas and Juliet. Peyton watched Brooke and Lucas kiss passionately then both lean down to kiss Juliet's round cheeks. The sight brought fire to Peyton's eyes. It wasn't over until she declared it over.