Chapter 12

She is asleep on top of the covers, printed documents with columns of numbers, legal contracts and an open computer lying around, and on top of her. I tiptoe around the bed and lean in lightly touching her lips with mine. She mumbles something and opens her mouth, allowing me to deepen the kiss without her really waking up. Suddenly she pushes me away. "Hey! Luke." She looks at me in confusion. "I was having this dream, and you were kissing me... wait. You were kissing me!"

"Guilty as charged."

She looks at me with a fake cross face. "You should at least wake me up first."

"Now that you are awake, can we get back to it?"

That gets me a smile. That's my current mission in life. Put as many smiles as I can in that face. "Sure. Let me put this stuff away, while you remove all the unnecessary clothes, and we meet under the covers."

"Sounds like a plan, Pretty Girl."

About an hour later, we are done greeting each other properly, and shared a nice shower. I took an early flight, and a limo from the airport. I brought a couple of large suitcases. I'm in New York to spend my Summer break. Eight straight weeks sleeping and waking up with her every day.

"What were you working on yesterday?"

"Details of the reincorporation. Andy and your mother arrive tomorrow, and I need to be ready to run with it by Monday. "

"And are you ready?"

"Yeah. I can take the weekend off. But after that, it's going to be long days and a lot of hard work."

"Actually, for me too. I'm planning to finish editing Ravens by the end of July. That means long hours for me too."

"I have an idea, fiancee. How about a vacation, say, one week at a beach resort somewhere, in the beginning of August?"

"A whole week of bikini Brooke? Can I apply sunscreen?"

She closes her eyes and hums to herself. "As often as you want, my love. Gotta protect this delicate skin. Do you want to go swimming? "

"Swimming? Sure. Where?"

"I'm a member of a fitness club a couple of blocks away, and I added your name this week. They have a half-olympic, and the club is pretty exclusive, so we might even have the pool to ourselves."

"Thank you. How much do I owe you?"

"Hm. It was five grand for a year's access. But, I certainly wasn't thinking of getting it back. You know, we should discuss our joint financial life, at some point. Do you want to talk about a prenup?"

"I have no objection to a prenup, Pretty Girl. I know I'm marrying wealth, and that comes with the territory. Do you want to ask your attorney to draw some preliminary version, and we go over it together?"

"Sure. But, if that's the case, then I really want to be your sugar momma. Let me pay for our lavish lifestyle for the time being."

That should bother me. But it doesn't. In my heart, I know that I truly belong to her as she belongs to me in a way that makes money pretty meaningless. "I'd love to be your kept boy toy. Should we go to the pool, then?"

We had the pool to ourselves, so, after a few laps, we ended up splashing around, playing pool tag and making out. There's something about Brooke and water that goes much beyond her name. I start thinking of a young adult novel featuring a brunette naiad falling for a handsome shepherd boy, and a jealous blonde sylph...

"Broody! I expect to be able to keep your attention, at least when I'm wearing a bikini."

"Sorry, Pretty Girl. I was thinking of a possible novel plot."

She giggles. "That's a weird thing to compete with for your attention. I guess it goes with falling for a writer. Will you read for me when we get home?"

"What about we first have lunch, and then we take a blanket and a book and I read for you in the park? Any preferences?"

"Hm. Aesop?"

"Great choice. Perfect setting too."

We buy a large loaf of italian bread on the way back home. When we get to the penthouse, Peyton is up and about, and she has a visitor. "Luke, Brooke, this is Julian Baker. Julian, these are Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis." Julian appears to be around our age, tall and slight, with smart eyes and a boyish grin. Casually dressed in jeans, a button down white shirt and sneakers. We shake hands, but his grin gets a little frozen when he takes in Brooke. I'd call that a perfectly normal reaction on a heterosexual male, except that this boy came across the country after Peyton, and she is quite a looker herself. I exchange a glance with Brooke, and I see by her cautious demeanor that her thoughts are pretty close to mine.

"So, Julian Baker, what brings you to New York?" She gives Peyton a little smile. "Just chasing tail, or business as well?"

"I was sent by my studio to negotiate for the movie rights of a certain unpublished novel. It has some unlikely title "A murder or crows", or something like it." He looks at Peyton, noticing the newly sharpened interest, without realizing that Brooke and I are also paying close attention. He smiles and continues. "The tail chasing is just a bonus."

"Wouldn't it be "An unkindness of Ravens?" Peyton asks, giggling.

"Yes, that's exactly it. Wait... how do you know?"

The three of us start actually laughing, which confuses Julian, but, much to his credit, doesn't annoy him. I begin to actually like the guy. "What?"

"I'm the author of the book you were sent here for. Did you read it?"

"No. The studio president read some kind of pre-release version. I was just sent to try to set down some terms." I go to my room and come back with a plastic bound copy of my current working version of the manuscript.

"Here, Julian. We have a meeting at ten on Monday. Please, read it before the meeting. Can I interest you in a sandwich for lunch?"

"Sure. Peyton?"

"Yes, please."

I sliced the italian loaf in half and arranged cheese and cold meats, while Brooke washed vegetables and sliced tomatos. We worked together silently and efficiently, as if we had been doing it for years.

In the end, I cut the loaf in four, and set it in plates with chips on the side, while Brooke brought soda and juice to the table, together with tall glasses filled with ice.

"Thanks. That looks nice."

Julian was impressed with the quiet teamwork displayed by Lucas and Brooke. "So, how long have you two been engaged?"

"It will be one month tomorrow."

He was clearly a bit surprised by that. "And how long did you date before that?"

"Six months."

Brooke starts giggling and Peyton gets flustered. After a bit, Mr. Clueless Baker realizes there's something strange going on, and he turns to Peyton. "What?"

"The three of us have a complicated romantic history. A lot of it is in the manuscript you are about to read. Lucas and Brooke were not dating when they got engaged. Brooke broke up with Lucas in January last year. Soon afterwards I started dating Lucas, but we broke up a little over a month ago."

Julian laughs. "I guess that makes me the rebound guy."

"I was the rebound girl too. These two never really got over each other after they broke up."

Julian and Peyton watch as Brooke and I get ready to leave. Julian is clearly smart and inquisitive, and he is curious about us. I see no problem in indulging him a bit, since he is going to learn a lot about us by reading Ravens. His eyes land on the book I'm carrying. He asks for the book and examines it, an old illustrated edition of the fables of Aesop, beautifully translated. "Where are you guys going?"

"We are going to extend this blanket in the shade of a tree in the park, Brooke will sit with me while I read for her."

Julian stares at us.

"Lucas has been reading to me for years. It's a simple thing that gives me immense joy."

"It's the same for me."

"I've never heard anything like that. It's incredibly romantic."

"It makes us both happy."

"How did you start?"

"Well, it happened probably during the week we started dating, I was lying on the couch at my mother's home, while Brooke was around, bored. I think I was reading Steinbeck. Anyways, I came across a paragraph I liked, and read it aloud to her. She immediately stopped prancing around, sat on my lap and said: please, continue. We've been doing it since. We even did it a few times when we weren't together."

"God! The two of you are an amazing couple."

I smile at that. "Enjoy the book. We are certainly going to enjoy ours."

After they've left, Julian turns to Peyton. "Peyton. You just said you were Lucas girlfriend a bit over a month ago."

"It's worse than that. A bit over a month ago Lucas came to LA and proposed to me. I sort of turned him down and he broke up with me. I met you for the first time that day."

"So that's why you were so upset."

"Yes, well, in part. Things were not going well for me in general. Getting dumped was just the last drop."

"But... what are you doing here, and how can you stand it? I've never seen a couple as wrapped up around one another as those two."

Peyton smiles. "They were always a bit in your face when they were together. But what you just saw goes beyond that. They went through something pretty harsh last week."

"What happened?"

"They found a little boy lost in the park a week ago. He ended up spending two nights here, and they bonded. Those two have the biggest heart, and they held nothing back to care for this scared little boy. So, when they had to return him to his family on Monday, it broke them. They've been in this closed off little bubble since."

"Going back to my question. What are you doing here?"

"Breaking up with Lucas was bad, but the whole LA scene was killing me. Brooke has been my best friend since grade school, and she convinced me to come here to try to turn my life around. To a great extent it worked. Even having to live with the lovebirds, my life is much better now than it was when I was in LA."

"How can it be all right for Brooke to snag your ex a week after he proposed to you?"

"I was in love with him, hell, I'm still in love with him. But he was never mine. Any fool can see it. They belong together. I'm sorry I ever got in the way. Besides, aside from my nearly absent father and a brother in the military, these two are the only family I have. I love them, and, to the extent that my selfish little heart is able, I'm happy for them."

"You're pretty amazing Miss Sawyer."

"I know. How about some of that old rebound sex, handsome?"

He gives her his boyish grin. "I thought you'd never ask."

We appeared to be walking aimlessly, but our feet carry us straight to that same tree, the one we were under when we heard Pitts. I guess Central Park now has a little special spot for us. We extend our blanket in the shade, I sit with my back against the tree, and Brooke sits with her back against me. I begin reading, embellishing the stark little tales with description and different voices. Pretty soon we acquire a little rolling audience, as small children get pulled in and sit to hear for a while, before moving away. During a pause, a middle aged woman approaches us.

"You are a wonderful storyteller young man."

"Thank you m'am."

"I run a city daycare center midtown. Could I persuade you to come once in a while to read for our children?" She gives me a card.

"I'm quite busy, but this does sound like the kind of work break I would enjoy. The name is Lucas Scott, by the way, and this beautiful girl is my fiancee Brooke Davis. Let me get back to you about your invitation."

"Very nice to meet you, and congratulations. I'm Lucy Allbright. I hope to see you."

I continue to slowly work through the tales in the book, as I feel Brooke begin to cuddle and then softly resonate against my chest. It's maybe forty-five minutes until some children yelling as they run next to us wakes her up. She looks at me, with a small smile and her amber eyes cloudy with sleep. "Hey."

"Hey, Luke. How long did I sleep?"

"A bit more than half an hour."

"I feel so rested, fiancee. Best nap ever."

We trade places, with her sitting against the tree, and myself lying down, with my head in her lap.

She runs her fingers slowly across my hair.

"So, Fiancee, what did you think of Julian?"

"I like him. My instincts tell me he is a good guy, maybe a bit of a player, but smart and kind. He seems like a good match for Peyton."

"That I agree. I always thought Jake was a bit too nice for Peyton."

"Was I too nice for Peyton?"

"Nah. You're just too good for her."

That makes me laugh. "Thanks, Pretty Girl. I just hope I'm good enough for you."

"Too good for me too, but just naughty enough to make it work"

I just smile at that. "Do you think she was hoping to get a jealous reaction out of me?"

"That's probably unavoidable, but I didn't catch any malicious vibe from her. I think those two are the real thing."

"I just hope they can make it work long distance, then. If he works on film, he probably needs to be in LA. On the other hand, I don't see Peyton going back there."

"Changing subjects, two weeks from today, we are having a family party to celebrate out engagement. We are having it catered at the penthouse."

"All right. Can I help?"

"If you want. We'll discuss menus later."

"Do you want to come to the airport tomorrow for Mom, Andy and Lily? Their airplane is scheduled to arrive at ten"

"Sure. I've picked up the key to their apartment yesterday. Everything seems to be in order." Brooke managed to rent a furnished apartment in her building, for my mother to use."

"I also need a quiet place to work, Pretty Girl."

"Hm. I have a suggestion. A block from CoB there is one of these long-stay hotels. The rooms are comfortable, the have a little kitchen, good internet and plenty of space for you to spread yourself. I think they cost something like four or five grand a month. I'll try to reserve you one later. When Peyton moves out, we can rearrange her room as an office for you. The good thing is, for now, you'll be nearby in a room with a bed the whole day."

"I love your ability to focus on what's important."

We get back to the penthouse, with Peyton and Julian still in the living room, talking. Brooke takes one look at Peyton and smiles.

"Fiancee, do you see the slightly relaxed, satisfied look in my best friend's face? That's her "I got laid" face. These two have been up no good during our absence."

Peyton gives Brooke a tight little smile, while Julian blushes like a little girl. Peyton gets up, sits in Julian's lap and looks him in the eyes. "Oh, the up was actually pretty good.", which intensifies the blush. Peyton gives him a searing little kiss that leaves Julian panting.

I exchange a look with Brooke which turns into a broad smile and a high five. "Yes!"

Julian looks at us. "What?"

Brooke replies. "We haven't seen this slightly predatory Peyton in quite some time, and we both really missed her."

There's an old Tree Hill saying "A happy Peyton is a catty Peyton."

Brooke giggles. "Fiancee, you just made that up!"

"Guys, please, don't scare him."

"Oh, don't worry, PSawyer. Your boy there is well hooked."

"Do you guys have any plans for tonight? Brooke and I were thinking of going out for dinner, and it would be great if you'd join us."

"We hadn't thought about dinner, but we do have something. Do you remember I mentioned a band called Fast Slap, that I was signing for SIA? They are doing a gig at a club in Queens, and we were planning on going. Do you guys want to join?"

I look at Brooke. She knows that anything Peyton likes, I'll probably like too, but with Brooke this is a much iffier proposition. "Am I going to hate their stuff, PSawyer?"

"You won't like it, but you won't hate it either. It's metal, so it's noisy and a little screamy at times, but it is fairly lighthearted and a little danceable."

"All right then, we're in."

The limo dropped us in front of the club. We got in through a side door, and Peyton found the band sitting in a dirty little room, waiting for their call. "Hi guys, This is my boyfriend Julian, and my friends Lucas and Brooke. These are Bruno, Mike, Lucy and Cosmo. Bruno is a thickset twenty-something, tan, dark haired with tats and piercings, Mike and Cosmo are skinny blond teenagers, and Lucy is a gorgeous black and oriental mix in her early twenties, with long straight black hair and brown eyes. Peyton asks an assistant to take us to a table, while she talks to the band.

As we sit down and order drinks, Julian is looking a little stunned. I give him a smile. "So, your relationship just leveled up?"

He looks a little confused, and then he catches up, smiling back."I guess it did."

"I take it you are pleased with that, handsome."

"It's nice, but unexpected. I was hoping for more with Peyton, but I was prepared for having to chase her some. We had a couple of very nice dates in LA this past couple of weeks. I was expecting for more of the same here. Suddenly, I on her bed and she is calling me boyfriend. Does she always move this fast?"

Brooke replies. "No. Actually it's pretty out-of-character for her. I'm a little worried, because part of it may be for our benefit, not yours. So, my advice is, don't stop chasing her. I know it looks like you caught her, but don't bank on it. Peyton can be pretty skittish"

He frowns. "Thanks for the warning, I guess. Changing subjects, I've managed to read the first two chapters of your book. I'm loving it. What happens with that jackass of a brother of yours, and your sweet friend Haley?"

Both Brooke and I laugh. "Do you mind spoilers?"

"No, tell me."

"They've been married for two years now. I've been living with them, and their baby son, for nearly a year."

"All right. That amazing sweet girl and your horrible brother ended up together."

"It's an epic love story." Both Brooke and I laugh. "And Nate turned out not to be so bad after all. At least after tutormom got a hold of him."

"Tutormom?"

"She means Haley. We are having a family party at the penthouse in two weeks, to celebrate our engagement. If you're still with Peyton, please come. In particular, you'll meet Nate and Haley."

"Thanks. I'll try to come."

The show starts, and it's just as Peyton described, good, fairly light metal, with a beat. Bruno is the lead singer and guitar player, and he has a distinctive voice with a good reach, Mike is the bass player and Lucy is keyboards, both also doing excellent back vocals, and Cosmo is their drummer. The overall sound is good, but raw, and a couple of the songs are excellent. After the set, Peyton joins us at the table.

She looks straight at me. "So, what did you think?"

"I can see why you like them. It's kinda raw. They can benefit a lot from your work, but they've got the goodies. I specially liked the second and the last songs."

Brooke and Julian nod their heads. "Even I liked those two songs, PSawyer."

"I sent a few tracks to Haley and she sent me some suggestions. I'm going to put these guys on a studio next week and try to lay down a good demo. I may have problems with Bruno. The band tends to follow his lead, and he seemed a little defensive when I said their sound needs some work. Let's see how it goes."

"Well, good luck."

"BDavis, will you accompany me to the little girl's room?"

"Sure."

"So, Peyton. Boyfriend. That was fast."

"I like him. He smart, sexy and seems to be a good guy."

"No objection here, sweetie. We like him. Just be careful, with him and with yourself. You'll still have to figure out the long-distance thing."

"So, is he good in the sack?"

"He knows how to please a girl." She gives me a slightly pointed look. "He's no Lucas, though."

I give Peyton a smile, which confuses her. Apparently, she still hasn't completely understood that the game is over. "Was that supposed to make feel jealous, Goldilocks? Sure, Lucas slept with you, that's fine. But now? Now he is mine, body, heart and soul. The only person you're going to hurt if you continue playing these little games is yourself. And poor Julian, who's done nothing to deserve it." And with a broader smile. "Besides, of course Lucas is good. He had the best teacher."

Peyton looks to the floor, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I spoke without thinking."

"It's fine, PSawyer. I'm not mad. It would be next to impossible for you to be completely ok with Broody and I already. But, trying to play my fears and insecurities will get you exactly nowhere. It's not that I don't have them anymore. It's that I know I can't live without him. He is air and sunlight for me. I'll destroy anything that gets between us. I just don't give a rat's ass about fears and insecurities anymore. And, I'm pretty sure he feels exactly the same way."

There's a bit of fear in Peyton's eyes. "You've changed."

"I haven't changed that much, sweety. I'm just not hiding certain parts of me anymore."

Julian watches as the two girls head to the restroom. "They are both amazing."

"I completely agree with that. When are you going back to LA?"

"That depends on how things go with you and your publisher on Monday. I have a ticket for Monday night, but I can change it. I shouldn't be here past Wednesday. I have a question. If we buy the movie rights to your novel, do you have any interest in writing the adapted script?"

"In principle yes. I'd like to retain as much control over how the story is told as I can, and writing the script would be one way of doing that. But I don't know anything about movie scripts. I would probably need some help."

"That was the reason for my question. If it works this way, I can justify spending the time in New York that would take for you to write the adaptation."

"Ah. I see. A little hidden incentive for making a deal with you. I'll keep that in mind. Anyways, I hope you and Peyton can make things work. You seem to be a good match for her."

"I hope so too."

The girls return and Brooke asks to go back home, as she is tired, and we have to be up early

to pick up mom at the airport. Peyton and Julian decide to stay to have a few drinks with the band, and Brooke and I head home.

"What do you think, pretty girl. These two have any chance?"

"I think he is really falling for her, but I don't think she is there yet. She is still struggling to get over you."

"He asked me in case his studio buys the movie rights for Ravens, if I would be interested in writing the adapted script. He said that would justify him staying here while I was working in it."

"Hm. Clever. A little underhanded, but clever."

"What do you think."

"I think you should not sell the movie rights unless it's an extraordinary deal. I believe your novel will be a huge bestseller, and you'll be able to strike a much better bargain later. So, unless Sean thinks the deal is comparable to what you would get for a current bestseller, just forget about Julian and Peyton."

"There's something else. We could use the additional capital to help protect your control of CoB."

Brooke stares at me, trying to process what I just said. "I need to learn a new way of thinking, Luke. I build CoB, but it is no longer mine. It's ours. You wrote Ravens but it's no longer your novel, it's ours. It looks to me like you understand it already, but until this second, I hadn't. I told Peyton today that you were mine, body, heart and soul, but apparently that's not all. Your dreams are also mine now. And my dreams are yours. So, here is how we handle things. I'll take no strategic decision concerning CoB without consulting with you first. And you will take no strategic decisions concerning your writing, or basketball careers without looping me in. You will go to the meeting on Monday, and we will discuss what to do, taking our whole situation into account. How does that sound to you?"

"Perfect, Pretty Girl."

Brooke shakes her head. "I love you, Luke, more than life itself. But I don't deserve you."

I don't have an answer for that, so I just hold her close and kiss her.

We are waiting at baggage claim when mom shows up, with Lily in her arms and Andy trailing her with their carry-ons. I pick up Lily, but soon she begins to cry. "Don't worry, sweetheart. She is just cranky from the long trip. I hug my mother one-handed, and greet Andy, as Brooke and mom embrace. "Dear Brooke, it's so good to see you..." Her eyes land on Brooke's hand. "Oh!" She first looks confused, and then pleased, and then upset.

"Andy, that's the ring Keith used to propose to me. Apparently it made its way to the right place after all. These two are engaged. To each other." Her eyes fill with tears. "Congratulations. Nothing could make me happier."

"Congratulations, Luke, Brooke."

"Now, a lot has happened that I wasn't told on the phone." She gives me a slap on the chest. "What's wrong with you? You're supposed to tell me what happens."

"I'm sorry mom. So much has happened, and it's been so confusing, that at some point we decided it was best to wait and tell you everything in person. It hasn't been long. Today it's been exactly one month since we got back together and got engaged."

"Let's take you guys home. We'll eat something and tell you everything there.