Alpha Billionaire Series

BROOKE

A few weeks later...

Mark was warm and comfortable. I loved the feel of his skin against mine. I wanted to stay in his bed, but I couldn't. I rolled, adjusting the blankets so that I didn't take them with me.

He wrapped an arm around my middle, holding me back against his chest with the strength of steel hidden under a soft embrace. His lips teased their way up the back of my neck.

I sighed and relaxed against him. It would be so easy to stay, but I was expected at home. I squirmed against him, fighting m desire to stay, fighting the gravitational pull of him and his bed.

“You leaving so soon?” His voice was a deep rumble full of sleep.

“Yeah, it's late.”

“Can't you tell your mom you're spending the night at Angela's?"

“Mom will already be in bed. If I call or text her now, I had better be in the ER. She's not above grounding me.”

“You're a grown woman,” Mark let go of me and rolled onto his back.

“Ym a grown woman who still lives with her parents. I'm still on their insurance, and I'm pretty sure I'm still technically their legal dependent for tax purposes. So, I need to go home and behave as if I haven't been spending the past few hours having my brains fucked out by one of their good friends.”

“Yeah, brains are definitely gone. Drive safe. Text me when you get home."

Id text him, but he wouldn't see the message until the morning. He was already back asleep.

It was closer to one in the morning than midnight when I got home. I made sure to close the front door loud enough that mom heard it. And then I quietly made it back to my room.

I didn’t bother changing out of my clothes, I just crawled into bed and went to sleep. It would be morning soon, and I had to be up and functional.

When my alarm went off, I was up but functionally was objective at best.

I stumbled into the kitchen, still wearing yesterday's clothes. I needed coffee before I could face a shower.

“You were out pretty late,” Mom mentioned.

I grunted. It was too early for conversation.

“I don't want you to wear yourself out. You know those bags under your eyes wouldn't be so dark if you got some rest and drank more water”

I knew she was just trying to be helpful, but her comments felt judgmental and condescending.

I was tired, I was burning the candle at both ends. It sucked, but the only time I got to be with Mark was after work and most of the time after dinner. And I had to be up early for work. Once I was up, that was it. I didn't take naps. Those were for kids, not grown-ups. There was no time for me to find balance and get rest.

Mark looked clean and refreshed and well-rested when he walked in the glass doors at work.

“You forgot to text me,” he said as he leaned against my desk.

I groaned and closed my eyes. “I'm sorry. I was so tired when I got home, I fell asleep in my clothes."

“Do you need to call tonight off?"

No, I needed to see him. It felt like he was rejecting me because I was tired. I blinked hard and looked up in an attempt to quell the sudden emotions.

“Hey, we'll keep it simple tonight. Maybe a few episodes of that show you like, and then home to bed.”

Home to bed sounded like the best part of the plan.

We touched hands since there was no other way we could touch at work, and he headed to the elevators and up to his practice. I missed his touch, his arms, his comfort.

I missed my bed and sleep.

My day dragged on, seemingly longer than normal. I made stupid mistakes like hanging up on people I meant to put on hold I accidentally sent a patient to the wrong floor. They let me know of their disappointment in no uncertain terms, and loudly in front of anyone who happened to be around.

All I could do was nod and apologize while they insulted my intelligence and threatened my job. It had been a simple mistake.

By the time I got home, all I wanted to do was curl up and hide. I felt completely defeated. I dragged myself upstairs to my room and collapsed on my bed. I only moved enough to drag my phone out.

I texted Angela. “I hate being an adult. This is exhausting.”

“Hard same," she replied. “You wanna go to a movie this weekend?”

I couldn't bear the thought of going to a movie with her and then heading over to Mark's. But I wanted to do both. I wanted to see my friend, and I wanted to see my secret boyfriend. The struggle was very real.

“Do you think we could do a matinee?” I asked

“What kind of an old lady are you that you want to see a movie in the middle of the day. Only my grandmother does that" “Ym so old. So old”

We made arrangements for a Saturday afternoon show. That would work because I could then have dinner and spend the evening with Mark.

I texted him next. “Hey, change of plan, I'm in bed, and I'm staying here until tomorrow morning. Don’t be mad at me." “Don’t worry, why would I be mad?”

“It feels like everyone is mad at me today” It wasn't everyone, but that one patient had ruined my entire day, and it felt like everyone was judging me.

“You rest. I'll see you on Saturday.”

I fell asleep shortly after that. I managed to get up and change out of my work clothes, but only after I had already been asleep for a few hours.

The next morning felt very much like the one before. My alarm went off too early, my mother was too talkative as I got my coffee, and I made stupid mistakes at work. At least it was Friday. I had a weekend to look forward to. Movies with Angela, and a night in Mark's arms.

Iwent to bed early again. It was a habit that I was rapidly beginning to enjoy indulging in.

“When was the last time you got some sleep?” Angela asked as I met her at the theater.

“That's a nice hello.”

“No, seriously Brooke, those bags under your eyes look like you're packing for a European vacation.”

I touched my face and scoffed. “They aren't that bad. This is what I get for not wearing makeup.’

“This guy you're seeing on the side, he isn't making you do anything, you know, like drugs?”

I laughed. “No, he’s not into drugs. You don't have to worry. I'm just trying to do it all and learning that maybe I can't. I don’t getit. I'm only twenty-four. I could stay up all night in college and still function the next day”This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

“Could you really? Or did you manage to just get your body to classes? There is a difference between having your body present at a lecture and having to actually function. I swear working is harder than school ever was, and that includes all the research papers.”

“I hear you loud and clear”

I ordered a large popcorn at the concession counter, and we headed into the movie. As I sat there in the dark shoveling handfuls of popcorn in my mouth, I thought about what she said. Sitting in the theater wasn't difficult. I didn't need to be alert. And I certainly didn't need to be dressed a certain way or have makeup on. It was no different than sitting in a lecture hall. And both were very different from work, where I had to be alert and functional. And my dates with Mark, well, I did wan to make sure he saw me in a certain way, so I was always alert with my makeup on.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized I wasn't giving myself any downtime. I was switched on and functioning all the time. It was exhausting. No wonder I was feeling worn out.

My stomach rumbled uncomfortably about halfway through the movie. I set the popcorn bucket down and stopped frantically filling my face.

“That was fun. You want to get a late lunch?”

The movie had been fun, but at the mention of food, my stomach suddenly lurched.

I barely had time to look at Angela in confusion before I had to run for the bathroom. I made it and didn’t embarrass myself in public by having to throw up in a trash can.

“Brooke, are you okay?" She stood outside the stall as I continued to regurgitate all the popcorn I had ever eaten.

I flushed the toilet and wiped my mouth. “I don't think food is a good idea.”

I washed up and rinsed my mouth out at the sink.

Angela put her hand on my forehead and cheek. “You don't feel warm. You think you can drive home, or do you want me to drive?”

Ifelt alittle wobbly. “Maybe you should drive me home.”

I'texted Mark on the ride home, canceling our date for the evening. All I wanted was to go to bed.