Her best friend, Theresa, would help her answer some of these questions. She was the most sensible and grounded person in Brooke’s life. Brooke went down to the guesthouse, retrieved her phone from the bed where she’d left it and dialed Theresa’s number.
“Well, it’s about time you called me back,” Theresa started, sounding more like Brooke’s mother than her best friend. “I’ve left you, like, four messages.”
Brooke tried to shrug away the tension in her shoulders, but that was hard when she was braced against an onslaught of lecturing. “Five, actually. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner—”
“You know I’m just worried about you. The last time we talked, you were going to get your brother to tell you where Nic had gone.”
“I did that.”
“So where is he?”
“About two miles down the road from the most gorgeous Greek town you’ve ever seen.”
“And you know this Greek town is so gorgeous because...?” Theresa’s voice held a hint of alarm.
“I’ve seen it.”
“Brooke, no.”
“Yep.”
A long pause followed. Brooke almost wished she was there to watch her best friend’s expression fluctuate from annoyed to incredulous and back again.
“What about the Berkeley interview?”
“It’s in three days.”
“Are you going to make it back in time?”
In truth she wasn’t sure she wanted to. The idea of raising a baby by herself scared her. She wanted to be close to family and that m
eant living in LA. “That’s my intention.”
“What was Nic’s reaction when you showed up?”
“He was pretty surprised to see me.”
“And when you told him about the baby?”
Panic and longing surged through her in confusing, conflicting waves. Twenty-four hours earlier, coming to find him had felt necessary instead of reckless or impulsive. And in hindsight, it had been foolishly optimistic. She’d been convinced Nic would return to California with her once he knew he was going to be a father.
“I haven’t yet.”
“What are you waiting for?”
Brooke fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. “Things got a little complicated after I got here.”
“Did you sleep with him again?”
“No.” She paused to smile. “Not yet.”
“Brooke, you are my best friend and I want nothing but the best for you,” Theresa began in overly patient tones. “But you need to realize if he wanted to be with you he would.”
“It’s not as simple as that.” Or was it? Hadn’t Nic chosen duty to his country over her? Once again Brooke pictured Nic in formal attire, standing between two other men who looked just like him. Beside them were two thrones where an older couple wearing crowns sat in regal splendor. “But he cares about me. It’s just that he’s in a complicated situation. And I couldn’t tell him over the phone that I’m pregnant.”
“Okay. I’ll give you that.” Theresa was making an effort to be positive and supportive, but clearly she didn’t believe that Brooke’s actions were wise. “But you chased him all the way to Greece. And now you haven’t told him. So what’s wrong?”
“What makes you think anything is wrong?”