Brooklet Dreams

By the age of twelve, we had become best friends, and by the time we turned sixteen, we were more. I had eyes for only one girl. My girl. But then life changed, and different paths led to broken promises. When she left town, I was forced to let go of our dreams. I spent my days existing. Baseball, classes, and working at the family farm became my life. I didn't care about anything else. Until I met Allison Jo. AJ was the quiet girl I never expected. She brought me to my knees with that beautiful smile. She made me laugh and slowly brought the old me back to life.

Maddison used to be one of the guys, but that was definitely not the case anymore . . She had changed and damn if it didn't make my heart race. With each passing second, she began to consume me. Her smile made my knees weak and the way she looked at me took my breath away. She captivated me, but she was forbidden. She was the one girl I had no right to crave.

I was the ultimate bachelor. I enjoyed my wild life, the late nights, and the fact that I had no commitments. My job and my freedom were all I needed. Or so I thought. Chloe was sweet and kind, and the way she got so flustered in my presence was adorable. That smile of hers did things to a man. And her laugh? It was infectious. She had this gravitating pull that was irresistible.

On the outside, I was nothing more than the fun-loving guy that made everyone laugh. But on the inside, there was more hate than I knew how to control. No one knew the life I'd led; I hid my demons well. But even in all the anger and pain, there was one spark of sweetness. She was younger than me, so innocent, and worst of all, my best friend's little sister. Grace was off limits. Wanting her led to the possibility of losing the only true family I'd had left.

Never did I think a girl like Gretchen Hawthorne would be the woman of my dreams. She is stubborn, irritating, and can piss me off at the drop of a hat. But she is also sweet and has a vulnerability about her that she doesn't allow many to see. She let me in for a split second, and what I found was even more than I had bargained for. Her façade is nothing more than a mask to hide her fears. One wild night in the barn at my cousin's house, and I'm hooked.