Marrying My Best Friend's BFF: A Friends to Lovers, Accidental Baby Romance (Love You Forever Book 2)

by Alexis Winter

  I start the engine and get the air going since we’re both hot and sweaty from that hike. “Look, Riley, I’m not mad at you, okay? I’m mad at myself for having these feelings for you even though I know I shouldn’t. If I can’t have you the way I want you, I’m okay with friendship, but that’s all it can be. I can’t keep the line straight when there’s flirting and kissing. That kind of stuff makes me want to do more than I’m allowed.” I look over at her and she nods.

  “I know, and I’m sorry. I just had so much fun today. It seems every time we’re together, we have a lot of fun, and I hate that we can’t explore where those feelings could take us.”

  I reach over and pick up her hand that’s between us. I hold it tightly, rubbing my thumb back and forth across her soft skin. “I know. Me too.”

  “Friends?” she asks, arching her brows.

  I laugh. “Friends,” I agree, shifting into reverse and hitting the road.

  Four

  Riley

  I had so much fun with Preston today that the line that’s supposed to be between us got a little blurred. I had so much emotion pumping through my body. I was excited, scared, nervous, and then there he was, looking like a delicious snack. His icy blue eyes locked on mine and his sweet lips turned up into a smile. I was lost. That kiss . . . that kiss was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It felt like someone had lit a fire and thrown me in it, the flames licking every bit of flesh. Every nerve ending came alive with tingles that flooded my body like a powerful wave. A simple kiss between friends had my body feeling more alive than it ever has before.

  Keeping space between us will only be harder now that I know the way my body responds to his. It’s damn near impossible if you ask me. But it’s the way it has to be. I love Piper like a sister. I could never go behind her back and take a man who means so much to her without her permission—even if she isn’t in love with him, he’s still her best friend. I need to try to keep my emotions away from our friendship.

  When we make it back to my place, he parks the car and looks over at me as I remove my seatbelt. The sun is just starting to fall from the sky, lighting up the horizon in oranges and pinks. “Thanks for today. I had a lot of fun.” I offer up a smile as a peace offering.

  He nods, but the smile he’s wearing is forced. “I did too. Thanks for coming with me.” I see his hand twitch like he was going to reach for me, but stopped the action before it could get too far. I can tell by the look in his eye that he’s fighting the urge to give me a goodbye kiss.

  I wet my lips just thinking about it. “Well, I guess I’ll talk to you later.”

  He presses his lips together and nods. “Okay. Good night, Riley.”

  I open my door and step out into the parking lot. I walk the short distance to the door and pull it open. Before stepping inside, I turn to look at him one last time. He’s still sitting in his car, watching me. His bottom lip is pulled into his mouth and his brows are scrunched together. I smile and wave before stepping in and closing the door between us.

  I’m fresh out of the shower when my phone rings. I grab it and answer without checking who’s calling. “Hello?” I say, pulling the towel from my hair.

  “Hey, Riley. What are you up to?” Piper asks.

  “Oh, nothing much. Just got out of the shower. You?”

  “I was wondering if you wanted to come over. Calvin is having a work dinner with his new partner, Daniel, and I was hoping I could buy you some pizza and talk you into checking out some bridal magazines with me.”

  I smile. “Are you bribing me with pizza to plan your wedding?” I ask, smirk in place.

  I hear her take a deep breath. “Maybe. Is it working?”

  I laugh. “Duh, you realize that I’m, like, 76 percent pizza, right? I was actually the lesser-known fifth Ninja Turtle. Let me throw on some clothes and I’ll be over.”

  She squeals with delight. “Thank you! I’ll even order some cheesy bread!”

  I snort. “You mean to tell me you were considering ordering pizza without the cheesy bread?” I scoff. “What have I taught you?”

  I can practically hear her eyes rolling. “I know, I know. Bye.”

  “See ya.” I hang up the phone and go to my room to throw on a pair of yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt. I pull my hair up into a wet, messy bun and slide my feet into a pair of flip-flops before grabbing my purse and leaving.

  When I pull into Piper’s driveway, I park next to the pizza delivery guy. He’s already at the door, handing our order to Piper. Just in time! I climb out and make my way to the door, passing by him on my way. Piper stands with the food in her hands and her back against the door, holding it open for me.

  “Just in time,” she says with a smile as I take the food from her hands and walk inside.

  “I know. I’m just that good when it comes to pizza,” I joke, setting the food on the island in the kitchen. I turn around and see stacks and stacks of bridal magazines on the coffee table in the living room. “Wow, what did you do? Buy out the entire newsstand?”

  She giggles as she pulls a couple of plates out of the cabinet. “No, that would be too much work. I simply did an internet search and signed up to have them all mailed to my house with one online form. A much quicker process.”

  I shake my head. “This is crazy to me.”

  She hands me a plate and opens the pizza box. “What is?”

  I shrug. “The whole wedding concept. I mean, legally tying yourself to one person for the rest of your life seems insane to me.” I grab two pieces of pizza and rip off a nice helping of cheesy bread before setting down my plate and moving around the island to grab a beer from the fridge.

  She snorts. “That’s because you haven’t found the one yet.”

  “I guess so,” I agree, but don’t really mean it. I’ve always believed that people should wait until they’re a lot older to get married. And I know that might sound strange given my upbringing, since my parents were happily married. I’m not some product of divorce and growing up with a single mom trying to make rent on her own. I had a happy childhood. I just think it’s crazy to expect two young people to grow and change at the same time and at the same speed.

  The two of us take our plates to the couch and grab a magazine.

  “So what kind of wedding are we going for?”

  She shrugs. “I don’t really have a theme in mind. It’s just going to be a small, country church wedding. The reception will be at the country club. Pretty basic really.”

  “Okay, and what kind of dress are you thinking you want? So I know what to look for later.”

  She takes a bite of her pizza and chews it slowly while thinking it over. “I don’t want anything super-tight, because I don’t know how much I’ll be showing by then. Maybe something that ties up the back so if I get bigger than expected, I can just tie it a bit looser. And it’s going to be winter, so I don’t want strapless or anything. Oh, and nothing that will draw too much attention to the girls, ‘cause they’re already getting bigger.”

  I laugh and shake my head. “So you want to wear a potato sack?” I joke. Practically every dress I’ve seen so far is sleeveless, tight, and low-cut. Somehow, wedding dresses have become sexy.

  “That’s why I need help! Everything that’s in right now is the exact opposite of what I want.”

  “Maybe you should go into a few stores and try stuff on instead of looking through these magazines. I mean, these things are pretty pointless anyway, right? If you actually see something you want, it’ll cost double the normal price than it would at a store.”

  “I know,” she agrees. “I was just hoping to get ideas. And I felt like I needed an excuse to hang out. I haven’t seen you since the dinner. Did Preston scare you off?” She actually looks worried.

  I laugh. “What? No way. You think I scare that easily?” I joke. I feel guilty for not telling her we’ve been hanging out. Maybe I should mention it.

  “Once you get to know him, he’s really not that bad. H
e comes off a bit strong if you don’t know him, though, which is why I’m asking.” She tosses her magazine to the side and picks up her pizza.

  I take a sip of my beer. “Well, actually . . . ” I swallow down the fear that’s bubbling up my throat. “We talked at our cars that day and decided that in order for us to be there for you and the baby the way we’d like to be, we needed to get to know each other and become friends. So we went for coffee when we left here.”

  “You did?” she asks, pulling her brows together.

  I nod. “I see why you guys have been friends for so long. He’s hilarious and fun to be around.”

  “So are you two like . . . seeing each other?”

  “What? No! We both agreed that anything more than friendship between us wouldn’t be good for anyone involved. I mean, if we did and things didn’t work out, how awkward would that be—being thrown together at every family function?”

  She nods. “Yeah, that’s what Calvin was afraid of. He was scared that Preston would sleep with you, break your heart, and ruin our friendship. I think it’s a good idea that you two get to know each other a little better though.” She offers up a small smile between bites.

  “We should all do something soon. I need to get to know Calvin, too. I mean, he’s going to be my best friend’s husband.”

  She giggles. “God, that sounds so weird. I’m going to have a husband! And a baby! What’s happened to my life?”

  I laugh. “Well, I think it all started with getting drunk and filling out an online form for a terrible TV show!”

  She reaches over and smacks my arm playfully. “You’re right. I’m still not sure if that was a good move or not. I mean, it really messed things up with Preston for a while, but it’s what brought me to Calvin.”

  I nod. “Sounds like it was the right move to me.” I shrug as I pick up my beer and take a sip. I watch her for a moment as she’s looking all dreamy-eyed, then I follow up with, “Can I ask you a question?”

  She nods as she takes a bite of pizza. “Sure, what’s up?”

  “I was just wondering how it’s all working out. I mean, you said you loved Preston, but then fell in love with Calvin. Now you and Calvin are getting married and having a baby. I mean, does Calvin worry that your love for him may not be real or that you could leave him for Preston? And does Preston love you too? Would he try to sway you over to his side since you’ve always been his and now suddenly you’re not?”

  She takes a deep breath. “Looking back on it all now, it’s easy to see. I wasn’t really in love with Preston at the time of the show. I thought I was, but I was just mixed up. I’d always had a crush on Preston. I mean, he’s good-looking, funny, always a good time . . . who wouldn’t want him? And we were close friends. So that crush on his physical appearance and the emotions brought on by our friendship kind of mixed together. But now I would never in a million years want to be in a relationship with Pres. I mean, first off, I never want to do anything that could possibly break up our friendship. We’ve been friends for too long to lose it now. And second, he’s not the kind of man I want. Preston is fun—and always down for an adventure—but he’s not the stay home from work to help take care of you when you’re sick type of guy. He wouldn’t cuddle up with you on the couch to watch a movie without trying to get laid. He’s not the I want to spend the rest of my life with you kind of guy either. He’s a right now kind of guy. And that’s not what I want. I want forever. I want friendship, romance, trust. I kind of feel like Preston belongs to everyone, you know? He’s a people person, and when he’s in a room full of people, everyone notices him. I wanted someone who would belong only to me. And Calvin fits that to a T. So, no, I don’t think Pres has romantic feelings toward me, and I don’t believe Calvin’s worried I have a thing for his brother.”

  I can’t help but wonder if she’s right about Preston. If things did move forward with us, would I always feel like I was on the back burner while everyone else got his attention?

  “Is there something going on with you and Preston?” she asks, looking at me from beneath her lashes.

  I laugh and shake my head. “No, we’re just getting to know each other. We’re friends—that’s it and we both agreed to it.”

  She nods once as she picks at her pizza. “Well, I know what Calvin told Pres, but if there is something there, you should go for it.”

  I look over at her quickly. “Go for what?” I ask, feeling my brows dart up.

  She holds up her palms. “I’m just saying, I love you and I love Preston. You have my blessing if you need it.”

  I’m still confused. “Blessing for what exactly? I’m not trying to hook up with your best friend, Piper.”

  “Okay, I’m just saying . . . if you feel like there could be something there, explore it. Don’t let me stand in the way of doing whatever it is you want to do.”

  I roll my eyes and shake my head—trying my hardest to be casual—but I can feel myself overreacting. “That pregnancy sure has gone to your head, you know that?”

  She rolls her eyes this time. “Yeah, it sure has,” she agrees, but I can tell she’s being sarcastic.

  The two of us sit on the couch and eat nearly all the food by ourselves. We look at bridal magazine after bridal magazine and only make it through half the stack, but she now has a slightly better idea of what she wants now. It’s going on 9 p.m. when I finally head home. I don’t know why, but on the drive, I have a sudden urge to call Preston. I don’t even think twice about it until the phone is ringing over my car speakers.

  “What’s up, Riley?” he answers.

  “Oh, uh . . . nothing much. I’m just driving home from Piper’s and was needing someone to talk to so I don’t fall asleep at the wheel,” I lie, feeling like I need an excuse to talk to him. Truthfully, I’m dying to tell him that Piper gave us her blessing, but I don’t know if that’s the smart thing to do. I’m attracted to him like no one else, but that doesn’t mean getting together would be a smart move. Our friends and their growing family will always connect us. Maybe keeping things simple would be for the best.

  “Oh, yeah? And what did Piper have to say?”

  “She forced me to look at a million bridal magazines.”

  “Forced you?”

  “Well, she bribed me with pizza, so pretty much.”

  He chuckles and the sound cuts right through my body, making the butterflies in my stomach take flight. “Sounds just like Piper, bribing people with pizza. That’s my old trick.”

  I smile at the amusement in his voice. “Well, it worked out for her. This time,” I add on.

  He laughs. “Yeah, well, I know how much you like to eat. I have a feeling it’ll work out for her every time.”

  I roll my eyes with a smile. “Yeah, probably. I can’t turn down pizza and cheesy bread.”

  “What do you say we go out tomorrow night after work? I’ll show you where you can get the best pizza.”

  I snort. “It’s Chicago, Preston. All the pizza here is good.”

  “No, not like this. Come on. What do ya say?”

  I smile but force myself to sound annoyed so I can try to keep that line in place. “I guess. Whatever.”

  “Oh, don’t sound so annoyed at getting to eat pizza for two nights in a row. I know you’re probably smiling over there.”

  I laugh. “I was.” I pull into the parking lot at my place. “I’m home. Thanks for keeping me alive.”

  “Anytime. See you tomorrow.”

  I wake up in the morning and get ready for work. The morning passes by unusually slowly. I usually enjoy working and hanging out with the people in the office, but now all I can think about is how I’m going out with Preston tonight, and how Piper gave us her blessing. It really is like dangling a mouse in front of a hungry cat. I’m the cat and Preston is the mouse being dangled in front of my face. All I want to do is eat him up.

  The sandwich cart makes its way around the office and I grab one in an attempt to stay at my desk to finish my article
. I’d like to leave early today, and I don’t want to have to take my work home with me. I want to be able to enjoy my time with Preston and not worry about the article that’s due tomorrow. I eat my egg salad sandwich and type so quickly my fingers grow stiff and begin to hurt. Soon, I finish my article and send it over for approval. I pack up my laptop and leave the office for the day, making a mental note to check my email later to make sure it’s been accepted.

  On the drive home, my stomach begins to churn. That stupid sandwich. I knew I shouldn’t have eaten egg salad off a cart, but there wasn’t anything else left when it got to me. I’m not even a fan of egg salad, and now I’ve probably been poisoned by the stuff. I make it home just in time to run to the bathroom and fall to my knees. I empty my stomach in the toilet. I flush, stand up, and move to the sink to brush my teeth. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I look horrible. My face is pale with a sheen of sweat. I have dark circles under my watery, bloodshot eyes, and my face seems hollow.

  I brush my teeth and decide to take a relaxing shower in the hope of feeling better in time to go out with Preston. I turn on the water and crawl beneath the hot stream. My stomach is upset, still churning and cramping. I curl into the fetal position on the shower floor and remain there until the water runs cold.

  I wrap myself up in my fuzzy robe and pile my hair on top of my head. I decide to rest on the couch. Maybe I just need to sleep it off a little. I lie down and pull a big blanket up over me. My eyes close and I drift off to sleep within minutes.

  My phone rings a little while later and I open my eyes to a dark room. The sun has already gone down. I’ve slept most of the afternoon and early evening. My stomach is still churning, but I force myself to reach for the phone.

  “Hello?” I answer, trying my best to control my voice.

  “Riley? Are you okay?” Preston asks.