I roll my eyes. “What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal?” His eyes widen. “The big deal is that she’s my fiancée’s best friend. I know how you are. You’d reel her in, take what you want, then leave her hurt and brokenhearted. She’d come crying to Piper, then Piper would be upset. And she doesn’t need that stress with the baby. So, again, I want you to repeat after me: ‘I will not have any contact with Riley.’”
“I will not have any contact with Riley. Yeah, yeah, I get it. Happy now?”
He smiles and nods his head. “Very. Now, let’s go back outside. We don’t want to be rude.” He grabs a tray of food and heads back out to the patio. I stand back and watch him go, annoyed that he took away my best friend and is now telling me who I can and can’t date. Who does he think he is? Obviously, anything that happens between us will stay between us, and as long as I’m up front about my intentions, what’s the problem?
What are my intentions? I just told myself to stop with the random hookups and try to find someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. Could that be Riley? Who knows? But I won’t find out until I get a taste. I really should get to know her better before I decide. I grab my beer and head back out, taking my seat.
“So, Riley, do you work with Piper at the magazine?” I ask.
Her dark eyes find mine and she smiles a little before nodding. “Yeah, that’s right. We met in college and became good friends right off the bat. It was completely by chance that we ended up at the same place, but I’m glad we did. It’s fun working with your best friend.”
I look over at Calvin and he’s shooting daggers at me with his eyes, but I ignore him and turn my attention back to her. “Do you both write the same kinds of pieces?”
“It’s really just luck of the draw. No two pieces are the same and you just get what you get.” She shrugs. “What is it that you do, Preston?”
“I’m a systems analyst for the Chicago Cubs. I can get you into any game you want.” I flash her a smile.
“That’s impressive,” she replies. “I love baseball, so I might take you up on that.”
“Anytime.”
“Riley, have I shown you the room we’re going to be using for the baby?” Piper jumps in to ask.
“No, not yet.”
“Come on. I’ll show you and you can help me decide on a color.” The two of them get up and walk into the house, leaving me alone with Calvin.
“Do we need to repeat it again?” he asks.
I scoff. “No, man, I was just trying to be friendly. I mean, if we’re going to be the godparents, I figured we’d be thrown together a lot and I should play nice. That’s all. You act like I can’t even have a conversation with her without it suddenly turning into a porno.”
“Mm-hmm,” he mumbles as he sets down the tongs and comes to sit at the table.
The girls end up coming back outside, but the two of them are so engrossed in conversation that I don’t even get a chance to talk again. After the first 15 minutes, I give up and resort to occupying myself with my drink. Dinner is finally ready, and I end up eating so much steak that I’m ready to crash.
I push away from the table. “Well, guys, thanks for dinner, but I think I’m going to take off. Riley,” I turn to face her, “it was nice to meet you.”
She looks up at me with her big, brown eyes and smiles. “You too, Preston, but guys,” she turns to face them, “I think I’m going to take off too. I have to work in the morning and I haven’t even had a chance to get anything done around the house.”
Calvin and Piper end up walking us to the door and there’s so much talking I don’t even understand it. When the door closes, I let out a long breath. “Man, they sure can talk, can’t they?”
Riley laughs and nods as we head down the front steps. “They sure can, but they’re happy, so it’s understandable.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” We make it to the driveway and she stops at her car door. It feels like she’s waiting for something. “Hey, are you busy right now? Want to grab a coffee and hang out or something?” I ask.
She looks me up and down with her lips pressed tightly together. But they turn up slightly in the corners. “Yeah, I guess I’ve got a few minutes.”
I smile. “Meet me at the Starbucks on the corner across from Walgreens?”
“Sure.” She gets into her car and I turn around to climb into mine.
A little while later, I’m pulling up to her already-parked car. I climb out just as she does, meeting each other in front of our vehicles. I open the door for her and we both walk in. With it being so late in the day, the place isn’t busy, so we place our orders and move to the end of the counter to get our coffee. I notice that she drinks the same thing as Piper, and that makes me smile as I take my coffee and move to sit at a table.
“So, what do you think about all this ‘godparents’ business?” I ask, wanting to break the ice.
She laughs. “Oh, man. Do they even know who they asked?” she asks, eyes wide with confusion. “I mean, I’ve never held a kid in my life! And I’m not exactly the role model type if you know what I mean. I go on too many dates, drink entirely way too much, and can’t force myself to be a normal adult. That shit sucks!”
I laugh. “God, I’m glad it’s not just me. I know nothing about kids. I just hope this is more of a title than an actual job. We’re supposed to help guide the kid? If he comes to me with a question, I’m sure I’ll probably tell him the exact wrong thing to do. I mean, I can’t even guide myself!”
She laughs and nods. “Same. It’s so crazy that they’re even having kids already. I don’t mean because they haven’t been together that long, because they’ve known each other their whole lives. I just mean . . . she’s 25! That’s how old I am and I couldn’t imagine having a kid right now. I’m still a kid myself.”
I let out a sigh. “Finally, someone understands me. I mean, it’s not 1940. We have more choices now. We’re not expected to get married and start popping out kids as soon as we’re legal. I don’t want to rush into things, you know? I just want to kick back, take it easy, and have fun. I can’t imagine getting off work and coming home to a family.”
“I agree 100 percent.” She nods.
I pick up my coffee and take a sip, trying to think of something else to talk about. “So, you like The Strokes?” I ask, pointing to her shirt.
“Absolutely. What kind of music do you listen to?” She leans forward and so do I.
“I like everything, honestly. I like alternative, rock, some rap. I like a lot of stuff I grew up on. My parents were always blasting ‘80s rock.”
“Mine too.”
The two of us sit at Starbucks until we’re kicked out. We talk about music, movies, books, and sports. I feel like I’m actually getting to know her a little and it just leaves me wanting to know more. A part of me was hoping to get to know her so I’d find something that would draw me to her a little less with Calvin’s warning, but that totally backfired on me. Everything I’ve discovered just makes me like her that much more.
I walk her out to her car and we’re talking about that damn show Piper took me on. She’s laughing at my panicked expression and the way I ran off stage, ripping at the microphone. I can’t help but laugh with her. Not that I think it’s funny, but I love the way she laughs so freely. I love how she’s not always serious—that she knows how to kick back and have a little fun.
We stop at her car door and she puts her hand on the handle but doesn’t move to open it.
As our laughing dies down, I say, “Well, thanks for coming out with me. I had a really good time.”
She nods and offers me a smile. “I did too. Now I know why Piper was always talking about you. You’re a fun guy. We should do this again sometime.”
I can’t hold back my smile. “I’d like that,” I say, feeling myself being pulled closer to her.
She looks up at me and wets her lips. Without overthinking, I lean in and press mine to hers. They’re sof
t—so soft—and welcoming. Her tongue comes out and finds mine as her hands move up to my neck. Her fingers lace through my hair as she pulls me closer and deepens our kiss. My body comes alive in ways I’ve never experienced before. There’s this wave of tingles that starts in my stomach and floods my body. My stomach tightens and flips. My heart races and my lungs work harder for air. I’m only getting started when she breaks the kiss and takes a step back.
She smiles up at me. “Good night, Preston.”
I return her smile. “Night, Riley.” I step back and watch as she climbs into her car, backs up, then drives away. I stand there motionless until her tail lights are no longer in view.
Calvin asked me to stay away and it seemed like Piper was on his side, yet I’ve never been good at listening. They both know that. I was told not to have contact with her and I kissed her. I should feel ashamed of myself, but I don’t. I only feel happy and excited to see where this leads.
Two
Riley
What the hell have I done? I kissed my best friend’s best friend! And it’s not like she casually told me, “Oh, this is my best friend.” No, it was actually, “This is my best friend who up until a short time ago, I was completely in love with.” I know she’s with Calvin now and they seem very happy, but what if, deep down, she still has feelings for Preston? I know she’d never act on them, but how would she feel about me starting something up with him?
And not only that, but what if we don’t work out? We’re the godparents to this baby. I assume we’re going to be together a lot: birthday parties, family parties, holidays, important events. Could I face him at all of those events if things end badly? What if it puts a strain on Piper and Calvin? Us getting together would be good for no one else involved. However, he’s good-looking, charming, and funny. He’s a blast to be around. He’s tall, dark, and handsome. And he works for the Chicago Cubs! How cool is that?
Even though I know I should keep my distance from him, I don’t know if that’s possible. But at the same time, I know it’s for the best. God, why does he have to be so perfect? Why couldn’t he be ugly or boring or something? We have all the same interests in common and he’s an amazing kisser. And I bet that isn’t all he’s amazing at.
I take a deep breath and pull down the overhead mirror in my car—staring at myself for a minute. “Stop it, Riley. This guy is off limits and you’re just going to have to accept it,” I say aloud as I jab a finger at my own face in the mirror.
I make the drive home and let myself into my apartment. I drop my keys onto the table by the door and lock up for the night. I head toward the shower to get that out of the way before I do some laundry, but my phone beeps. I grab it to see a text from Preston.
Completely random, but I just got my season passes. Busy this weekend?
Excitement washes over me and I speedily type out a reply.
OMG, yes!!
I can’t stop myself from accepting. I mean, who could? We can go as friends. In fact, I’ll tell him that. I’ll lay out everything I’m thinking and see if he agrees. If he does, great. If not, then I’ll have no choice to but to keep my distance for the safety of everyone involved.
Good. Pick you up Saturday at noon?
Perfect. I’ll send you my address. See you then.
It takes way too long for Saturday to arrive, but when it finally does, I wake up at the butt crack of dawn because I’m too excited to sleep. It’s killed me all week, but I’ve managed to refrain from talking to Piper about Preston. I didn’t tell her about our little coffee date or our kiss. I didn’t mention today’s baseball game. On one hand, it kind of sucks. I like talking to my best friend about the things that are going on in my life and guys I’m really into. But on the other hand, it’s kind of fun doing something I know is off limits. Plus, it’s not like we’re sleeping together. If anything, we’re just becoming friends. Since we’re practically in the same family now, we should get to know each other.
I dress in a pair of shorts and a blue Cubs tank top. I pull my hair into a low ponytail and put on my Cubs hat, threading my hair through the opening in the back. I don’t put on much makeup, since I know I’ll probably sweat most of it off by the end of the day. It’s going on noon when there’s a knock at the door. I sprint over but take a moment to catch my breath before pulling it open to see Preston on the other side.
“Hey.” He smiles and his icy eyes light up. God, my panties just hit the floor.
“Hey,” I reply with a smile of my own, hoping my face isn’t bright red from that little thought about my panties.
“Are you ready to go?” he asks, stepping inside as I turn to gather my things.
“Just about.” I open my purse and grab my ID, phone, keys, and cash. I load down my pockets; I refuse to lug around a purse all day. “Ready.” I turn to face him and he opens the door for me.
As we walk down the hallway to the elevator, I can’t keep my eyes off his reflection in the windows that line the wall. This seems safer than actually checking him out. He’s wearing a blue Cubs hat similar to mine, but he has these little dark curls that are popping out beneath it. He’s wearing a pair of baggy khaki shorts and a Cubs T-shirt. The shirt hugs his big biceps perfectly and the shorts hang from his hips in a delicious way. With all the blue he’s wearing, his icy eyes shine and light up. His tanned skin—not to mention the dark shadow along his sharp jaw—seems more prominent against the bright-blue shirt and hat.
We step into the elevator and he pushes the button for the ground floor. I see him take me in from the corner of his eye.
“You look nice today.” He flashes me a smile of his perfectly straight, white teeth.
I can’t hold back my giggle. “Thanks. You too.” I’m suddenly feeling nervous, like this is a really important first date, even though I’ve told myself we’re only hanging out as friends. Which reminds me . . . we need to have that conversation at some point today.
“Have you eaten? Do you want to stop somewhere or eat at the field?”
The doors open and we walk out into the lobby. “I’m good with hot dogs and nachos. Plenty of beer too.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “I’m glad you call them hot dogs and not wieners.”
I snort. “I’m guessing Piper told you about the hot dog eating contest she won?”
He laughs harder. “Even showed me the picture. I told her to delete that shit and deny it if anyone asks if that was her.”
A smile tugs at my lips. “She’s proud of that accomplishment.”
“So, do you have any hidden talents like that?” he asks, holding the door open and allowing me to step out ahead of him.
“I once had a shot-slamming war with this guy at a bar. He was an old drunk who was always there. The man liked free drinks, and if you paid, he’d play along. Once a week, he would take the challenge against one of us drunk college kids. Anyway, my week popped up and I couldn’t turn it down. All my friends were there, watching and rooting me on.”
“Who won?”
I feel sick just thinking about that memory. “He did. He did that shit every week! I had seven shots of rum to his 11. I was literally sick for a week. Thought I was going to need to get my stomach pumped. God, the dumb things we do when we’re young.”
He opens the car door and I slide inside as he laughs. He takes his place behind the wheel and says, “You know, one time back in high school, Piper and I talked our parents into letting us go see Calvin in college over spring break, but we didn’t actually go. We went to Florida and got hammered on the beach. There was this group of stoners there, and they were drinking something out of a clear glass jar, and they offered it to me.” He laughs. “I sat and hung out with them and drank their homemade shit. I nearly died. Piper had to get take to the hospital, where they pumped my stomach.”
I can’t hold in my laugh. “Oh, man. Did your parents find out?”
He nods. “Yeah, but it took a couple months. The hospital tracked me down and sent the bill to my ho
use. My dad opened the bill and thought it was a mistake. He called the hospital to contest it, but then realized I hadn’t been where I said I was.”
“How much trouble were you in?”
His eyes stretch wide. “Big trouble. I just remember getting screamed at by my dad. Then my mom walked in and screamed at my dad for screaming at me so badly. Then it all somehow turned around and my mom was screaming at me. They were going to call Piper’s parents and tell them what we’d really been up to, but I managed to talk them out of it after I told them I didn’t want to get her in trouble since she saved my life. They figured being friends with me was enough of a punishment for her, so they let it go.”
I smile and watch the road as we drive closer to the field. “I’ve heard so many stories from Piper about the two of you. A part of me feels like I was there.”
“Yeah, she was there beside me, doing all the same stupid-ass shit. I honestly don’t know how either of us is still alive. Did she tell you about the time we jumped off the side of a cliff?”
I shake my head, wondering why Piper never mentioned it.
“It was our freshman year of college—almost the end of the year—and Piper and I hadn’t seen each other since Christmas break. She came to visit me over the weekend and we were hanging out with the guys and drinking—just being stupid. Then someone started telling this story about a nearby cliff. Apparently, the land underneath it had been mined. The mine caved in and the hole filled with water, making a deep pond at the bottom. It wasn’t so much a cliff as land that had once been attached to the bottom of the pond. Anyway, it sounded like a great idea at the time. So we all packed a cooler and hopped in our cars. We made the drive then it was an uphill hike for about 20 minutes. We finally made it and we all stood on the edge, peering off into the water below. No one knew how deep it was. Hell, we didn’t even know what was down there. There could have been old mining equipment for all we knew. But none of us thought of that. We just wanted the thrill of jumping off. I remember one of the guys climbing down and jumping into the water to ensure it was deep enough. He was under for a while, and when he surfaced, he said he couldn’t find the bottom.”
Marrying My Best Friend's BFF: A Friends to Lovers, Accidental Baby Romance (Love You Forever Book 2) Page 2
