Matt & Brooklyn: A Standalone in the "Again for the First Time" Family Saga (AFTFT Book 2)
Authors: Raven St. Pierre
Matt and Brooklyn
an
Again for the First Time
standalone
By Raven St. Pierre
Matt & Brooklyn
© July 2015, Raven St. Pierre
Cover design by Raven St. Pierre
Photo courtesy of depositphotos.com
Edited by LaKata Kling
This book contains strong sexual themes and content not suitable for persons under the age of 18. This work is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including, but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Raven St. Pierre.
This e-book is licensed for personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Synopsis
She tells herself he’s just a friend, but in her heart he’s so much more…
Matteo Valente is an up-and-coming filmmaker whose award-winning documentary put him on the map two short years ago. It was that very documentary that also led him to the beautiful, intriguingly elusive Brooklyn James. From the moment he laid eyes on her through the lens of his camera, he couldn’t shake the feeling that their meeting was no mistake. Their connection was instant, but Brook has been hell-bent on keeping him in the dreaded “friend zone” while she chases after her
own
dream.
When Matt pays a surprise visit to Brook the day she graduates with her master’s degree, she is forced to take a second look. “Come with me” were not the words she expected to hear as Matt prepared to leave town again. The invitation to spend a week in L.A. left her breathless, but there were so many reasons to turn him down; so many scenarios that could ruin their close friendship, but… at the risk of regretting it later…
she said yes.
“Matt & Brooklyn” is the second STANDALONE in the “Again for the First Time” family saga.
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“Matt & Brooklyn:
an
Again for the First Time
standalone
”.
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A note from the author…
First, let me start off by saying how extremely grateful I am that you’ve decided to read Matt and Brooklyn’s story. They’ve been a joy to write and I hope that shines through from one page to the next. Their journey is one packed with emotion as we experience the highs and lows of two friends discovering that there are actually many layers to what was once seen as a one-dimensional relationship.
Matt and Brooklyn were secondary characters from another story I’ve written called
“
Again for the First Time
”.
Matt is the brother of that story’s hero and Brooklyn is the sister of the previous heroine. This novel is absolutely intended to be a standalone. However, there may be a few familial or situational references from the past that are only summarized briefly in this story for clarity’s sake, whereas they were covered in depth previously in the other novel. With that being said, it definitely isn’t necessary to have read
Again for the First Time
to enjoy this particular book. If you’re interested in Matt and Brooklyn’s backstory, or their siblings’ unique path toward love, you may want to backtrack to that novel once you finish. (
Here’s the trailer
)
Again, thank you so much for supporting me on this project! I cannot say that enough. I hope you enjoy
Matt & Brooklyn
and I look forward to your feedback!
Special Thanks
Sending out a big, virtual hug to all my readers! If I could squeeze you each in person I would, because I truly appreciate you all to no end. To those who have been there since day one, and to those who have only recently discovered my work, a huge THANK YOU for your support!
As for my awesome beta readers, Gretchen (
author, G. Jean Smith
) and Brandon P., and my critique partner, author Victoria H. Smith, without your input on this project I would’ve snatched my hair out one patch at a time. You three were so honest, insightful, and encouraging throughout this process! Thank you both so much!
Prologue
Brooklyn
My hands were so numb. Numb and clammy. Nervous wasn’t even the word for how I felt. It had little to do with the hundreds of people in the university’s auditorium; it wasn’t even the possibility of slipping and falling as I crossed the stage in these heels. Nope. It wasn’t any of those things. Right up until I stood from my seat, I was the poster child for being cool, calm, and collected. But now? Now I could feel myself starting to sweat as I stood there, patiently waiting for my name to be called.
I’d been looking forward to this day for so long. Maybe that’s why I felt so off kilter—the anticipation. As I waited at the bottom of the stairs just to the right of the stage, I surveyed the crowd, finding my family easily. All of my sisters were here; Bernadine, Aura, Lissy, and Delia, along with their families. Mom and Dad made it, too, of course. They’d been planning for my graduation and the party for what seemed like a year. I wasn’t made privy to all the details of the celebration, but based on the size of the guest list alone, I knew they’d gone all out.
Education had always been a big deal in my family. Finishing my master’s program, earning a degree in sociology and anthropology, was important to everyone in my circle. All of my sisters had done the same, finished school in their own respective fields of study. It mattered to me that I’d completed the task, too, but I wasn’t oblivious to the fact that I sacrificed a lot to get here.
A lot.
Maybe more than I should’ve.
“
Brooklyn James.”
When my name was announced, I snapped out of the daze and put on a smile as I adjusted my honor cord around my neck, taking a deep breath. This was it, my moment, the culmination of years of hard work and sleepless nights. I concentrated on keeping my stride steady as I stepped up on the stage. The nervousness began to slough off. My family went wild as I accepted my certificate from the university president and shook his hand. And then, just like that, it was over. I’d done it.
Caught up in the blissful relief of finally having the graduation ceremony behind me, I headed for my seat. However, just as I descended the last step, I stopped, stunned by the tall silhouette blocking the light from the hallway outside the auditorium.
There was no way he came. No way. Not with his busy schedule.
Despite the fact that I didn’t trust my vision, my heart went to racing anyway. My eyes focused through the darkness and that was when I noticed the smile. He must’ve realized I’d spotted him. His body shifted to lean against the door frame as he ran lengthy fingers through his hair, letting it fall lightly to the shoulders of his suit jacket.
It was Matt. He’d flown all the way back to Lindmore from L.A….
For me.
“Brooklyn,” someone whispered from behind, nudging my shoulder just enough to get my attention. I’d gotten so lost inside my head, in my thoughts; I hadn’t realized I was holding up the line. After apologizing to Charlotte, a girl I’d shared a class or two with over the years, the girl urging me to move forward, I made my way toward my seat. However, I glanced at Matt again where he stood in the doorway first.
My heart did this fluttery thing inside my chest as I let the fact that he was here sink it. We hadn’t seen one another in a little more than six months, but we managed to talk just about every day. I’d never been one for making and keeping friends, which made the fact that he’d hung in there, found a way to put up with me, nothing short of a miracle. This was different, though.
He
was different. We depended on each other in a way I never imagined I’d depend on another person outside of my family.
I rarely made moves without Matt knowing and the same held true for him. Even his recent decision to relocate had been made with my input, a move that ultimately landed him on the other side of the country. While, yeah, it would’ve been nice to keep him here, Matt was too much for a small town like Lindmore. He had talent that the world deserved to experience and I told him so. After his documentary about our siblings’ unconventional hookup and eventual marriage was so well received, he quickly became a household name. Just about overnight. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hadn’t heard the name Matteo Valente or hadn’t at least heard of his film:
The Just Say Yes Project
. His face was everywhere –magazine covers, social media sites, everywhere.
I remember the first time I watched him do a television interview. He called my phone while I was taking out the trash and I rushed back inside. It was so surreal seeing his face on the TV screen, talking to the reporter as if they’d known each other for years. He was charming, endearing, which was why people loved him so much. For all intents and purposes, he’d made it. With that one interview, I knew this to be the case. He followed his dream and he and his unique brand of talent were welcomed into the industry with open arms. I admired him for that, told him so every chance I got.
I couldn’t help it; I looked over my shoulder several times throughout the remainder of the ceremony, just wanting to see if I’d imagined him being here. He no longer stood by the door, leaving me to assume he’d found a seat with my family, but I couldn’t see to confirm. I settled back into my chair with a bit of a smile set on my face. I couldn’t wait to see him, to talk to him face to face. Friends like him, the good ones who genuinely care, the ones who’d fly hundreds of miles to attend your graduation ceremony, don’t come around every day. I figured that out within the first few months of us connecting.
Our meeting was inevitable because of our familial ties, but we had one of those vibes between us that made it feel like we’d known each other forever. It was shortly after my sister, Lissy, married his brother a couple years ago that our paths crossed. Well… not so much crossed; it was more like we were thrown at one another. No, Lissy literally flung me at Matt with intentions of us hooking up romantically, but that just wasn’t the way it was meant to go. After a few months of me giving him a hard time, his charm and sense of humor eventually broke me down and I stopped fighting him. We’ve been the best of friends ever since. Matt’s attractive and an all-around good guy, but it just wasn’t in the stars for us to be more than what we are today…
friends.
Best
friends
.
When the ceremony was finally over, I quickly realized that Matt wasn’t sitting with my family like I assumed he would be. My people didn’t seem to notice me looking past them as I searched for the familiar face that had made the last forty-five minutes of being stuck in my seat pure hell. The waiting nearly killed me once I knew Matt was under the same roof.
“Baby, I’m so proud of you,” my mother sang as she took me into her arms. I gave a smile, but was too distracted to reply right away. “You stuck with it and now it’s over.”
I nodded. “Yeah… I can hardly believe it.”
My father scooped me up next, consuming me with a bear-hug of an embrace, kissing my forehead as he uttered words similar to my mother’s. Or maybe it was something altogether different and they simply
sounded
the same because I was so anxious to get to—
“So, where are we eating? You cooked, right, Ma?” Delia asked.
Before I could hear my mother’s answer, Lissy moved forward and looped her arm gently around my neck. “I’m proud of you, sis. Aren’t you glad to be done?” she asked, staring, waiting for an answer.
“Thanks. Yeah, I’m relieved,” I said casually. I couldn’t stand it anymore, though. Curiosity was eating away at me. “Can you guys wait here for a sec? I’ll be right back.”
I didn’t even wait for responses before gathering up the side of my graduation gown in my hand and fast-walking toward the exit of the auditorium. Matt was no longer in sight, but I knew he had to be there. I mean, didn’t he? He wouldn’t have just left. Granted, his schedule was busy enough that he very well could have flown into town just to see me cross the stage before heading back to L.A., but I had to hope that wasn’t the case. I had to. After all, nearly an hour had passed since my name was called to walk, since I first spotted him standing there.
Frustration came over me quickly when I was beyond the heavy wooden doors and Matt was nowhere in sight. I could feel my shoulders slump as my theory started to feel like a real possibility. It was nothing short of a small miracle that he’d made it here at all. Now that his career had blown up bigger than
any
of us expected, it seemed like every well-known producer, director, and reporter was trying to get a slot on his dance card. He was busy. I knew that, respected that, but I prayed I wasn’t about to be let down. My mind wandered over the things he mentioned having to do this week. His plate was full, but he’d somehow maneuvered around those obligations and got here. I’d be crushed if I missed him.
My heart leapt and a gasp hit my throat when a deep, breezy voice filled my senses. I knew that voice. Very well. “So, how’s it feel to finally have your life back?”
I wasn’t ashamed of the relief that overcame me when I realized he hadn’t left. I turned to the right and a pair of dark,
Dolce and Gabbana
Oxfords caught my eye first. Next, was the pant leg of an expensive, tailored, gray suit. Giving myself a moment to take him all in, I didn’t greet Matt right away, just stared. His cool gray eyes were set on me, filled with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty as six months’ worth of distance and longing disappeared. When I finally did greet him, it wasn’t with words; it was with a long, tight embrace that seemed to take him by surprise. Not because we’d never hugged before, but because I typically didn’t wear my emotions on my sleeve like I was today.
I missed him to the point that I struggled not to shed tears when he reciprocated the hug, pulling me in tight against his chest. My eyes closed and I clung to him, grateful that he’d made this trip just to be here for me. “I’m so glad you came. Why didn’t you tell me?”
We separated and Matt shrugged. “Because I know how much you love surprises,” he said sarcastically, knowing good and well that I actually
hated
surprises. He flashed a smile and I felt that flutter in my chest again.
“So, what on Earth are you gonna do with all this free time, Ms. James? No more studying, no more being tied up in class?” A half smile made one corner of his mouth twitch upward and I focused on it.
The thought of not having to crack open a book or meet with a study group overwhelmed me, actually. I wasn’t starting my new job for a little while, which meant the next several weeks all belonged to me. I shrugged when I couldn’t think of anything. “A whole lot of nothing, I guess,” was the only answer I had, and I delivered it with a smile.
Matt nodded and took a step closer, invading my space as he pushed his fingers through his hair with one hand. It wasn’t until he did that, lessened the space between us, that I realized he had something hidden, but not for long. Seconds later, a single, pink rose appeared from behind his back.
“Congratulations,” he uttered.
The gesture, although simple, nearly took my breath away. Judging by how his grin widened, I guessed that was exactly the reaction he was hoping for. I accepted his gift and stared at the rose instead of into his eyes. However, I could only avoid them for a moment because the next thing I knew, he’d taken my hand in his, commanding my attention whether I was willing to give it or not.
“So, I was thinking; you don’t have anything pressing coming up, right?”
I thought that over and then nodded. “No, but–”
He stopped me before I could fully protest, bringing an uncomfortable vibe into the conversation with his many left-field gestures—holding my hand, the rose… that look on his face. Friends don’t typically look at friends the way he was now looking at me. If it’d been anyone else, any other circumstances, it would’ve been fine, but Matt and I had an agreement: this relationship was platonic. We were friends and nothing more. That kept things easy between us. Our boundaries were clear and I preferred it that way.
Boundaries
.
As I thought the word, I glanced down at my hand in his. No… this wasn’t friendly. This felt like something else.
Matt wet his lips and I tried not to look at that either. His eyes and lips were off limits to me at the moment. With this realization, I made myself stare at our hands again, at our fingers that had somehow, at some point, become interlocked.
Oh gosh, no, Brooklyn. Pull away. Pull away.