Chapter 4:
Brooke woke up to the sound of a beeping alarm and she groaned when she saw the clock. She could hear Samantha rummaging around in the kitchen and a cabinet door slam shut. Brooke looked at the door and raised her finger tips to brush her lips and smiled. She couldn't help but smile when she remembered her second date with Julian, even though it had been five days and she hadn't seen or heard from him since. The kiss had been amazing, and she allowed herself to squeal into her pillow while in the privacy of her own bedroom as she remembered the mix of chocolate and wine in their kiss. She looked at the door and contemplated "Brooking" herself, as the gang still unfortunately called it, while she remembered the way his hand had gripped the back of her head, his fingers ran through her hair, and his thumb had caressed her cheek. She noticed the door was shut, but not locked and there was not a chance in hell she'd risk Sam being scarred by that scene!
She reluctantly put her robe on and strode into the kitchen and called out, "Sam! I thought teenagers were supposed to sleep in on the weekends?" She suddenly stopped in her tracks at the sight before her. Samantha was now sitting on the couch talking to Julian. Julian! What the hell?! She tightened her short robe around her and ran her fingers through her hair. She wasn't wearing make-up and only a short robe with an even shorter nightgown underneath, but more importantly she was glaring at the man who had come on so strongly only to have vanished for the past five days. Julian stood to greet her as she slowly walked towards the couch to squeeze Sam's shoulder, "Sam, what are you doing?"
Samantha gave a nervous chuckle and tried to free herself from Brooke's grip. "Good morning, Brooke! Julian here was just trying to win the Samantha seal of approval. Apparently, my seal can be bought with coffee." She got up from the couch to walk to her room and shrugged off Brooke's glare, "I'll leave you two to discuss how you want to celebrate."
Julian lifted a hand to wave to Samantha as she left, "Thanks, Sampson… I'll be sure to hijack a sugar delivery next time, and bring a muffin." He was still standing and turned his attention to Brooke, "Look Brooke… I'm sorry." He let out a big sigh and held out his hand to her. Brooke hardened her glare towards him and took a step backwards. Shit! Julian thought, I have royally fucked up. Julian sat down on one end of the couch and gestured towards the other end for Brooke. He hoped she would sit down and allow him to explain; however, she placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes.
Brooke was finding it difficult to stay mad at him. He looked contrite, but damn, he looked good. His face had the scruff of at least two days worth of non-shaving. He was wearing faded jeans that hugged his hips with a t-shirt and jacket. He looked casually cool and put together. She actually preferred this look over his expensive and showy suit… it seemed to fit him better.
Julian looked down at his hands and then looked back at her. "My brilliant plan turned out to be not quite so brilliant. You see… I wrote my phone number in the book, but I never got yours." He gave a half-hearted chuckle and shook his head. "I'm so sorry that I didn't contact you, but I had to fly back out to LA to get some contracts for the business I've been doing out here in Tree Hill. There was no way for me to call you to let you know where I was or to tell you that I can't stop thinking about you." She shifted her weight and crossed her arms, he could tell she was starting to soften. "I would've sent flowers, but I realized I didn't have your address. So all I had was my memory of how to get to your house and I came see you as soon as my plane landed. Well…" he nodded to two additional cups of coffee sitting on the table, "I made a quick stop to pick up a peace offering."
Brooke gave a small smile at this and sat down next to him and accepted the latte as an olive branch. She sipped the warm liquid and was surprised he remembered exactly how she liked it. He grinned at her and leaned across the couch towards her, "You know the coffee makes this like our fifth date." Brooke smiled as he reached out to cup the back of her head and bring her in for a kiss.
Julian quickly tightened his hold on the back of her head and Brooke gave a soft moan as they kissed each other with a bold intensity. "Ahem…" Brooke and Julian quickly pulled apart as Samantha was standing in the doorway grinning at the two adults. "Just a reminder that there are impressionable children in the house… you wouldn't want to give a curious teenager any ideas of proper couch and guest etiquette."
Julian let out a low chuckle and ran a hand over his face as he watched Brooke straighten her robe and removed herself from his body. "Sam… you're killing me," Brooke said with embarrassment. Samantha laughed and grabbed an apple from the counter, "Don't mind me. I'll just be listening at the door, meticulously taking notes for the next time Jack comes over." She turned to go back into her room as Brooke stood there with an open mouth stuttering and failing to get a snappy retort before the door shut. Julian grabbed Brooke's hand and joked, "Well, since she is taking notes… we don't want to disappoint." Brooke pulled her hand free and gave him a look that made it clear fun time was over. "Eeww… she's my foster daughter, not a sex therapist." Julian laughed as she squeezed his chin and declared "pervert" before kissing him one last time.
Julian waited on Brooke's couch for her to get dressed and they could grab some lunch. Julian smiled in appreciation of Brooke's simple white sundress and minimal make-up. He kissed her on the neck and smelled her light, clean scent. "G-d, you are beautiful, Brooke Davis." Brooke smiled up at Julian and declared, "You're not half bad, Julian…" she trailed off and her brows furrowed in confusion. "Julian… Julian??? Oh my gosh, Julian, I don't even know you're last name!"
Julian laughed and leaned his forehead on hers, "Baker. Julian Baker." He attempted a sultry look and brought his hands together and held his finger out as if it were a gun. Brooke laughed at his horrible James Bond impersonation. She pushed him out the door, "You're such a dork,"
Julian and Brooke were talking about their careers while eating at a small café near the beach when Brooke finally realized something. "You're the producer behind my friend's book… Lucas Scott!" Julian nodded his head and looked at her from his tilted head. He placed his hand over hers and said, "Guilty as charged. I also feel guilty because I feel that I already know so much about you from the book… and I forget that we've only just met." Brooke smiled and teasingly asked, "Well, have any of your ex-girlfriends written a bestseller about you?" She shrugged and acknowledged the situation, "Look, Julian… Lucas and I dated a long time ago. You already know the ending to that story, but you're not the first to read the book and think they know me. Lucas's book is only one perception of me. I am not the girl in the book. You don't know me."
Julian tipped her chin up with his finger and kissed her lightly on the lips and said, "I know you're not the girl in the book. You're better. You're more amazing and beautiful than words could begin to describe. You're right… I don't know you. But I'm enjoying getting to know you Brooke Davis, and I hope one day I can say that I do."
Brooke smiled at Julian, but she was beginning to worry. It had been a long time since she allowed anyone into her heart, and she wasn't sure if Julian was trustworthy. She didn't want either of them to get hurt, but she also didn't want any of her friends to hurt. As they continued to eat their lunch, Brooke wondered about the repercussions of this new relationship on Lucas's movie deal and even Sam.
Brooke looked out the window of her store and thought all of Tree Hill seemed to be involved with the production of Lucas's movie. Residents were lining up to be cast as extras and hopefully get a glimpse of any Hollywood stars they may arrive for filming. Various locations were campaigning to be featured in the film, and everyone was buzzing with excitement of the impending film crews. Local talent was being used in almost every capacity. Julian and Lucas asked Peyton to produce the soundtrack for the film, which led to Haley writing a song especially for the film. Lucas was busy with the script, and Julian was just busy. Julian even got Sam a small job as an assistant to an assistant gopher or something like that. The only one who seemed excluded from the film was Brooke.
Brooke enjoyed hearing everyone gush with excitement about the newest developments, and Julian had spent nearly every night with her for the past couple of weeks. Ever since their "tenth" date and she giggled at the memory. Julian was great and she felt that she was truly beginning to fall for someone for the first time since she forfeited Lucas to Peyton. Julian respected her attempts to hide his sleepovers from Sam. He would leave early in the mornings to go to work, but most mornings he would simply return with coffee and breakfast (wearing fresh clothes of course). She knew Sam knew it was all a show. Sam would make a wise-ass comment that would elicit a blush from Brooke's cheeks and a chuckle from Julian. But Brooke knew how happy Sam was that Julian was around and had become such a stable force in their lives.
Brooke turned away from the window and continued sketching. She was almost finished with her new line that was inspired by Sam. Sam had already named the new line "Trunk of Sam" after her days of living out of a car. She was going to show the final designs to Sam that evening over dinner. She put her pencil down and smiled as she turned toward the door when she heard the chime ring. She lifted her eyes expecting to see Julian running in for a quick kiss as he raced off to a different production meeting, but instead was met with cold grey eyes.
Brooke reflexively took a step backwards and held her hands up, "No… get out." However, the unwelcome intruder ignored her request and continued to approach Brooke. "This is my store and I asked you to leave. Don't think I won't call the police to have you escorted from the premises." She was glad that her tone did not reveal her seething emotions of fear and anger.
"Now Brooke is that anyway to talk to your mother?" the eyes taunted her as her mother gave a little chuckle. "Not that I'd expect anything better with you considering the company you keep these days." Her eyes were focused on a picture of Brooke and Sam together at the beach.
Brooke was livid that she would insult Samantha, "Victoria, why don't you hurry back home to hell? Oh wait, you were kicked out because you scared Satan!" Brooke's voice had risen to an almost scream and she flung her hands in the air in frustration.
Victoria decided to ignore Brooke's remark, she much preferred pushing her only daughter's buttons. "I think it is interesting that your boyfriend would choose to go into business with your ex-business partner, if that is the way you truly feel." Victoria realized she had a major victory when she saw the look of shock and confusion on Brooke's face.
Brooke looked at her mother in disbelief and hated that she had to ask her mother for clarification, "What are you talking about Victoria? What kind of business and how do you know who I am dating?" Victoria laughed at Brooke's ignorance of her knowledge about her daughter's life. "Clothes Over Bros. was hired by Julian Baker to design the costumes for his newest movie." She crossed her arms as she enjoyed watching the news sink into Brooke. Brooke's spine tingled at her mother's words, and not in the good way.
"You're lying. He wouldn't do that. He knows how I feel about you." Brooke could barely whisper in disgust to the cold, taunting face of her mother. The thin lips turned into a snarl, "Tsk… tsk… now darling," her mother managed to turn an endearment into a vile insult. "You know the name of the company is Clothes Over Bros. but in your case it could be certainly be called Clothes Over Hoes." Her mother dismissed Brooke's attire with rolled eyes and an absent minded wave.
Brooke's face flushed in anger and took a step towards Victoria. Her mother's eyes flashed as she enjoyed seeing the impact her words had on her daughter. Victoria gave a slightly shrill cackle, but Brooke simply rolled her eyes. "Want to tone it down mother, all of Tree Hill's children and virgins wear garlic and crosses just in case you come to town." Brooke narrowed her eyes at her mother, "So Julian hired COB, why are you in town? The only thing you design is the next apocalypse."
Victoria strode across the room towards Brooke and grabbed her arms for a brief moment. "Do you think I would miss the opportunity to show you what a mistake you made in abandoning the company to flounder in this wretched little town?" She laughed and turned to leave the store without a backward glance at her daughter.
Brooke lost track of time as she stood in the same spot her mother had left her. Had she been there in shock for ten minutes? An hour? Longer? She wasn't sure, but she felt the cold closing of her heart towards Julian Baker. She felt the waves of betrayal wash over her as she sunk to the floor in temporary defeat. She pulled her knees close to her chest and allowed herself to cry for everything she had lost. She cried for her company, her innocence, her mother, and lastly for the man she thought could restore her heart. As the final tears dried on her cheeks, she shook her hair from her face and stood up to look around her "store." She gathered her sketches and her strength. She was going to need it before Julian arrived at her house later that evening.