Chapter Three: Face Your Fears
"Are you coming to the ball?" asked Nathan as they slipped back into their office clothing.
"Don't have a date," said Haley shortly.
"I could set you…" began Nathan.
"Oh what, you're going to go up to one of your friends and say 'hey, want to go on a date with my mistress? She's a total babe and she's good in bed? I don't think so," said Haley.
"Okay, I was just offering. Brooke got a new dress, probably cost as much as my salary for a year," he said, sitting back down to his leather chair.
Haley looked down and searched for something to say. Brooke Scott didn't often come into the conversation, but when she did Haley didn't know how to handle it.
"Does she have any idea? About… us?" Haley asked. Nathan looked up in surprise from a sheaf of papers on his desk.
"Maybe. It's been a while now," he said. Haley nodded, secretly calculating. About a year and a half.
"It's been what, eighteen months? Minus a few in the middle?" he asked.
"Yeah, when I went back home for a visit," she said stiffly. Three months. Exactly.
"Lonely time," he said, pulling her onto his lap. They kissed.
"Sure. So she knows that you've been having an affair for a year and a half but she doesn't care particularly?" she pressed.
"Nope."
"Do you love her?" asked Haley. Nathan looked at her in surprise. They didn't talk often, but already they talked more than he did with his wife.
"Kind of," he admitted. "I mean, it's been ten years. I love her, but we're not in love, I guess."
Haley nodded quickly.
"I have to go. Home. Do you mind if I cut out early?" she asked. He nodded distractedly and she left, letting her fingers trail across his lap as she did.
Haley arrived back in her apartment and was relieved to find it empty. No insane, bubbly Taylor, no supportive, eager Peyton. Just Haley.
She reevaluated what Nathan had said about the Black and White Ball. Did it mean that he wanted her there? Did it mean he wanted her there so they could do it in the cloakroom? Did it mean that if he did set her up with a friend, he'd be wildly jealous?
Haley groaned in frustration as the buzzer sounded just as she was about to step in the shower. Turning off the faucet, she wrapped herself in a towel and speeded for the door.
"Hey?" she said experimentally into the speaker by the door.
"Hey, it's Lucas," said a familiar voice. Her face relaxed into a smile as she pressed the button to buzz him up.
"Hey Hales!" he greeted her.
"Hey Luke. What's up?" she asked.
"Do you usually answer the door like that?" he asked jokingly, indicating the towel wrapped briefly around her.
"No, just for you," she said, in an exaggerated sultry voice. He grinned.
"Cool. I'm just on my way to Nathan and Brooke's. Mom and Dad are visiting," he said.
"Yeah, Nathan told me," she said. Lucas raised an eyebrow, and Haley mentally kicked herself.
"You guys are that close?" he asked in interest.
"No, he just had me um… go through his book to find a date he was free," she lied, feeling guilty. After all, Lucas was among her best friends.
"I've been instructed to attend Nate's ball thing," said Lucas, dropping onto the sofa.
"Oh. Me too, as it happens," she said. They met eyes, and Haley quickly found a solution. "Um, maybe we could go together? Be friends, so I don't have to find a real date?"
"Sounds good. I was going to ask you, actually. Where are those lovely blonde things that live around here?" asked Lucas.
"Actually, I have no idea. Peyton is most likely at work. Taylor is doing god knows what-she parties constantly and still manages to make rent and do it in Chanel. So unfair," complained Haley.
"You've got to stop being jealous of Taylor," coaxed Lucas.
"Come on, you know I don't care less about her," said Haley unconvincingly.
"Sure. You shouldn't be, by the way. Okay, now I really have to go," he said.
"Why'd you come here?" asked Haley, walking with him to the door.
"I was on my way, and needed a break from the madness. So I'll swing by tomorrow night, okay?" he said.
"Sounds great. Bye," she said, smiling at him as he left.
"Nathan! Brooke, it's so good to see you," said Karen Scott excitedly, hugging her son before embracing her daughter-in-law.
"Son, Brooke. You're looking lovely as always," said Dan. Nathan frowned, perceptive for once as his father embraced his wife and shook his own hand. The two of them led his parents to their living room.
"How's business?" asked Dan, as soon as they'd sat down and the maid had supplied them with drinks. Karen rolled her eyes, and Brooke flickered a smile.
"Good. We've got a new client. He's supposed to be the next best thing," said Nathan.
"Great. Now where's that little brother of yours?" asked Karen of her eldest son.
"Lucas is on his way over, Mom. How are you guys? How's Tree Hill?" he asked, inquiring about his hometown.
Brooke allowed her mind to wander as the three of them began to talk about the small town in North Carolina. She'd visited twice, and found little to do.
Her head snapped up in relief when Lucas arrived. Nathan winced when his mother sprung up energetically, throwing her arms around her younger, perhaps more beloved, son.
"Hey Mom. Dad. Nathan, how you doing? Hey Brooke," he said, smiling charmingly.
"You grew a beard," commented Karen. The rest of them eyed the scruffiness of his usually smooth face.
"I like it," said Brooke.
"Makes you look older, bro," said Nathan.
"Saw your win against Florida. Your jump shot could use some work," said Dan sternly. Lucas nodded, absorbing all the information he'd just obtained.
"Yeah. Yeah. Do you mind if I get something to eat? I haven't eaten since lunch," he said.
"Why not? What have I taught you, Luke?" asked Karen, her eyes twinkling. Brooke stood abruptly.
"Luke, I'll take you," she said. The two of them walked into the kitchen as Dan and Nathan veered back to shop talk.
"God, I can't stand these evenings. Dan worships Nate, Karen worships you and I get completely ignored," said Brooke bitterly, taking a sip of her martini.
"Come on, that's not true. They like you!" Lucas insisted.
"Sure. I bet you, that as we speak, Dan is talking about some lovely girl, the daughter of a senator. Or a lawyer. Or something," said Brooke. "They always insinuate that I'm not good enough for him."
"Look, I won't deny that Nathan's dated girls with 'better breeding' but not one of them has known what 'insinuate' means. And not one of them he's loved," said Lucas tenderly, comforting his sister-in-law.
"You really think he loves me?" asked Brooke. Lucas' eyes widened, taken aback. He'd always taken their relationship for granted. Like everyone had.
"Yeah," he said, after a pause.
"I think he's having an affair," she said softly. Lucas spat out a mouthful of his drink.
"What? Why?"
"Because he's smelled like the same perfume for a year. Because we haven't done it in six months. Because he's stopped looking at me like a desirable woman. Because he was never so eager to be at his office before," she said. As she began to cry, Lucas gathered her in his arms.
"Shh. I'll get Haley to check it out. I'm sure it's nothing. You guys have been married a while. You just need to… get a fresh perspective. It'll happen. You guys are in for the long haul," said Lucas encouragingly. Brooke laughed in the midst of her tears.
"What about you? What about your 'long haul'? Haley…?" she asked.
"No, we're friends. Best friends. It'll come to me eventually. Right now I'm more worried about you," he said.
"You're sweet. Come on, we should go out there and face our fears," she suggested.
"Yeah. You're right," he said, ushering her back out to the living room.