by Eva Luxe
Amelia comes even closer, and she’s smiling now. “So, I just have one more question for you, Brent. Will you marry me?”
Amelia drops to one knee and holds up the ring she’d been hiding in the palm of her hand.
All of a sudden, I’m crying and smiling at the same time. “Of course I will, Amil!” I drop to my knees and embrace her, then reach into my own pocket for something I’ve been carrying around for far too long: her ring.
“I have a little confession of my own,” I say, “I’ve been carrying this in my pocket since the day after we went on that wedding venue tour. That’s the day I knew there could be something special between us.”
Amelia smiles back at me. “That makes two of us.”
Epilogue – Amelia
8 Weeks Later
I burst into Brent’s dressing room, holding my white dress up so I won’t trip over it. “Brent!”
He turns from where he’s fixing his tie in the mirror. “Hey! The groom’s not supposed to see the bride before the wedding! It’s tradition!”
“Oh yeah? And what about us is traditional, really?” I laugh, and he joins in.
“True. What is it?” he asks, taking my hand.
“Oh, just some news to make this day even better.” I say, “I just saw Rosa, and she told me Jason and Violet got fired from the firm!”
“What? Really?!” Brent smiles. “That’s great, but…how? Did you kill someone? Blackmail someone? Because if you had some big secret plan and didn’t include me, I’m going to be upset.”
“It wasn’t me at all!” I laugh. “Remember Cindy, the new receptionist I told you about?”
Brent nods. “I met her. She’s really sweet.”
“Yeah, unless you try to sleep with her in the copy room.”
“What?!”
“Yeah…turns out I wasn’t the only one that Jason tried to double-dip on. He came on to Cindy…aggressively, and she hit him so hard with a ream of paper that he has two black eyes. Styles heard about it, and fired him on the spot!”
“And Violet?”
“Oh! She got so mad when she heard what happened, she went after Jason in the hallway. Full on Thunderdome-style throwdown, apparently. Didn’t end well for either of them.”
Brent grins, then kisses me. “If that isn’t the nicest cherry on top of the day, I don’t know what will be.”
I press myself against him. “We still have some time before the ceremony. I can think of something…”
Brent wraps his arms around my waist. “You really think we have time?” I answer him with another deep kiss.
BAM. The dressing room door bursts open, revealing Rosa in her bridesmaid’s dress. “There you are! Quit riding your fiancée long enough to make it official, would you?! Everyone’s waiting!” With that, she’s off down the hallway.
“Well, I guess that’s it then.” I sigh. “Rosa’s word is law.”
“Hang on,” Brent says. “Is that how it’s going to be once we’re married, too?”
I just look at him, the love of my life, and laugh.
A little while later, I’m walking down the aisle of the winery at Crystal Plaza. I can’t believe that Brent and I are getting married at the place we jokingly visited together. But it all seems very fitting.
Rosa’s up there, and the foster child that she and Sam brought in is standing beside her as our flower girl. She’s five years old and simply adorable. And Rosa is happy to be her foster mom. It turns out she knows how to be responsible, when it counts. Maybe I was just afraid to let my carefree friend turn into the mother she wanted to become. Before taking my vows with Brent, I vow silently to never doubt Rosa again and always cheer her on.
Nikki’s up front too, dressed in a pantsuit and vest as the Best Woman. And there’s Brent, beaming a happy smile at me. For a long time now, we’d been pretending we were actually going to get married, but here we are actually doing it.
When it comes time to say our vows, all I can do is look into his handsome eyes and feel so happy that he’s mine. He’s helped me work through a lot of things, and accepted me as I am. I hope I’ve done the same for him.
We talk about this in our vows, and smile at each other the whole way through. And then at the end, Brent says this:
“I promise to always sample wedding cake with you.”
Then he winks and whispers into my ear, “And off of you.”
The minister pronounces us husband and wife, Rosa and Nikki and all our guests cheer, and just like that, we’re real married, after pretending to be engaged for so long. I’m so glad it’s official. I can’t wait for my husband to fulfill his promise of licking icing off me. And for everything else the future has in store for us.
The end.
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Love, Eva
Brother’s Best Friend is Back
Copyright © 2017 by Eva Luxe; All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 1 – Chrissy
“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”
I was reaching into the fridge in my parents’ kitchen when I heard a strong, deep male voice behind me. I wasn’t sure if it was addressed to me, but I was intrigued for sure.
I popped the top off my beer, took a sip, and turned around, curious enough to engage in conversation with whoever it was.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
I tossed the man a sexy grin and raised an eyebrow. I couldn’t identify the mystery man at first glance, but he was cute as hell.
“Don’t you recognize me?” He flashed me a smile, showing off his perfect white teeth.
I took a moment to drink him in. He was tall, brooding and absolutely gorgeous. He had muscles everywhere, and I had to resist the urge to reach out and touch those bulging biceps just screaming to be squeezed.
Then it dawned on me who he was. “Holy shit! Adam?” I shrieked like a school girl.
He nodded, his eyes sparkling. “In the flesh.”
“Oh my God, I can’t believe it,” I stood on my tip toes to wrap my arms around his neck. He enveloped me in a huge bear hug, lifting my feet off the ground and making me feel dainty and feminine.
I breathed in his cologne and felt a tingle between my legs that I wasn’t expecting. I drew back to take him in again.
“Wow, you really haven’t changed a bit,” I said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He playfully tossed a light punch at my arm.
“Nothing, really,” I said with a little edge of flirtatiousness in my voice. I bit my lip. “Still cute.”
His cheeks flushed. “Aw shucks, you’re embarrassing me, Chrissy. I must say though, you are not the way I remember you at all.” He stepped back to size me up.
“Yep, all grown up now.” I did a sexy twirl. “I’m not Jack’s annoying little sister anymore.”
A new voice came from behind us. “Well, let’s not go too far.”
I turned around to see my big brother Jack approaching us with a teasing grin on his face.
I stuck my tongue out at him. “You just love to taunt me, don’t you?”
“It’s what older brothers are supposed to do.” He smiled and shook Adam’s hand. “Well, look what the cat dragged in! My dad did mention something about you showing up at the party. It’s great to see you, man.”
“Great to see you too, dude,” Adam said as he gave my brother a pat on the back.
Adam had been Jack’s best friend when they were growing up.
And really, Jack was right─ I had been the tagalong younger sister, always wanting to stick my nose in their business or bust them looking at Playboy.
Even back then, I’d had an enormous crush on Adam. He’d lived across the street and mysteriously disappeared when I was twelve. I knew it was his junior year because he was in the same class as Jack.
“Well I have to go mingle some more,” Jack said. He rolled his eyes as if getting along with family and friends was a chore.
“It is your party after all,” I said and slapped his back.
Jack was getting ready to go out on a six-month deployment to sea. I hated that he had to leave at the same time I was revving up for my summer break, but that was the way life worked sometimes.
I still had my heart set on sunbathing by the pool and lounging around while I tried to reenergize before I had to do it all over again and start my senior at a college a few hours away.
After Jack left us alone again, I looked back at Adam.
He smiled, and my heartbeat picked up. “Wanna go outside and get some fresh air?”
“Sure,” I said. I turned and led the way to the upper deck just off the kitchen.
Jimmy Buffet-ish tunes were playing through the outdoor speakers and there were several people in pool floats, and others laying on the lawn chairs.
I looked over and saw my dad at the grill, flipping burgers, talking to some middle aged guys in khakis.
I sat on the edge of the pool and dangled my legs in the water. I loved how the cool water felt rushing back and forth over my legs.
Adam sat down beside me. “To the summer,” he said and clinked his beer bottle against mine.
“To the summer.” I grinned and brushed my hair off my cheek.
We sat together in comfortable silence for a moment or two, and then I turned to face him.
“Hey, do you remember when you were on the swim team with Jack?”
I leaned in on the question, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world for my hand to land on his thigh. I met his eyes and smiled; if he thought I was going to be embarrassed by that, he was dead wrong. I wasn’t stupid; I knew I was cute, and that no straight guy in his right mind would be upset if I touched his thigh. And I was looking for any excuse to touch him.
He looked down at my hand on his leg and I felt the hard muscle clench beneath it. He didn’t object to it, and I felt the acceptance flutter in my belly. He felt it too. He glanced back up at me and my heart flipped when our eyes met.
“Yeah,” he chuckled and took a swig of his beer. “Those were the good old days.”
Were they ever, I thought. Nothing could be better than Adam in that Speedo.
I glanced up at him and his jaw twitched. He was staring out into space, apparently lost in his own thoughts, maybe about the past.
I remembered how I used to try to sneak peeks of him in his tight small swim shorts. His package was huge back then even as a teenager, so I couldn’t even imagine how epic it probably looked, today now that he was a man.
I tossed a subtle glance down at his bathing suit. His shorts were a lot longer and more casual than his streamlined Speedos, but damn, he was sexy.
“So, why did my dad think you might be at the party?” I glanced up at him and shielded my eyes from the sun, even though I was wearing sunglasses.
I was really sensitive to the sunlight, and Daddy always said it was because I had light blue eyes.
I tossed my long blonde hair over my shoulder and looked into Adam’s eyes. They were green, almost hazel. His hair was dark and he had just the tiniest hint of stubble on his cheeks.
“Oh!” Adam held his hands out enthusiastically. “I’m going to be working with your dad now. I’ve joined his team.” Adam grinned at me.
“What?”
“Yep, I just recently got my master’s.”
“Wow,” I said, impressed. Being an undergrad was hard enough, but grad school was in my future too and I was kind of dreading it. “That’s so awesome, Adam! Congratulations!”
“Yep.” Adam kicked his feet in the water. “I picked it up in Real Estate Development.”
“Ah,” I said, the puzzle pieces finally connecting. “So you’re going to work at my dad’s firm because of it, then?”
“That’s right,” Adam said and leaned in to give me a high-five which I took, and it made a wet slapping sound as our palms hit. He grasped my hand, and the heat and strength of it shot like an arrow to my womb. I swayed toward him, but then remembered my dad, so even though I couldn’t help but sigh a little, I pulled back.
“I’m going to be taking over for Mr. Findman.” He seemed quietly satisfied and gave a subtle nod.
Screw subtlety. “Holy shit, are you serious?” My voice carried and all the khaki guys turned to look, then turned away again. “He was Dad’s top developer!”
I looked back at my dad who waved when he saw me, but his eyes narrowed when he looked at me sitting inches from his new employee.
I edged a little further away. No point irritating the man who paid the bills. “Mr. Findman actually retired this year,” Adam said.
“Yeah but still…wow.” I couldn’t believe that Dad would hire a new graduate, master’s or not. He was a hard ass─ not necessarily to me, but it was surprising.
“Well, I wish you the best of luck.” I smiled and took another sip of my beer.
“Thanks.” Adam smiled. “I start on Monday. I’m kind of nervous, because I haven’t been back here in so long.”
“Nah, you’ll do great.” I waved a hand dismissively. “There’s nothing to it.”
“Are you sure about that?” Adam looked at me as if he were trying to figure me out.
“You know, I’m finishing my junior year in college,” I said, switching topics. Pay attention to me now!
“I can’t believe it.” Adam laughed and shook his head. “Time sure does fly.”
“Whether or not you are actually having fun,” I retorted.
“True story.”
I don’t know why I didn’t recognize him immediately. I would know that face anywhere— I had thought about that face and that body all those nights I would lie in my bed, wondering where the tingling sensation in my belly was coming from and why it would slowly make its way between my legs.
I was only a kid back then, but I’d always been mature for my age.
In the very early stages of knowing him, when he first would come over to play with Jack, I would secretly watch them and wonder what it was like to get that close to him.
Hell, I’d even named my favorite Barbie and Ken dolls Chrissy and Adam, a total secret I kept from everyone else. Especially when Chrissy and Adam started playing doctor together.
I’d dreamed of a day when we’d be high school sweethearts or something, even though he was five years older. I’d fantasized about having his babies, even way back then. But then out of nowhere the rug was pulled out from under me and he disappeared into what seemed like thin air.
I’d cried myself to sleep, soaking my pillow in my tears the day I’d come home and found the For Sale sign out on the Gardners’ lawn.
Now here he was, back in my house, sitting beside me instead of Jack. We’d apparently come full circle.
“So, I guess if you are going to be working with my dad, that means I will be seeing a lot of you then.” I winked at him, unable to control my flirty nature.
Adam’s eyes dipped to glance over my body. “Yeah, probably.”
“Burgers are ready!” my dad announced.
I looked at Adam. I felt a nervous energy next to him and I wasn’t sure if I had an appetite anymore. Apparently he was unaffected by it.
“You hungry?” he asked as he started to stand up.
“Um, maybe I’ll eat in a little bit.” I smiled up at him.
“Okay, well I’m going to go grab a bite,” he said. “Can I come and sit back down next to you?”
I wished he wouldn’t leave in the first place. “Sure. It would b
e nice to catch up some more.” I gave him a friendly smile.
When he walked away I thought about how magical it felt being next to him again. I felt the tug of chemistry and a connection to him just as I’d had a kid. I wondered if it were obvious. I hoped so— I wasn’t a mortified 12-year-old anymore. These days, I knew how to go after something I wanted.
Chapter 2 – Adam
I sat next to Chrissy on the hammock swing on the side of her house, away from the noise of the party.
I was trying to steer clear of Mr. Monroe— my new boss and the city’s top real estate executive. His reputation was as a drill sergeant kind of guy who didn’t want business to mix with pleasure.
The gentle breeze left my skin cool even though summer was amping up in a big kind of way. I was ready to embrace the new beginnings of being back in town, especially since I now knew that Chrissy was home for the summer.
I couldn’t believe it— we were both fucking back for the summer, and she was flirting with me. Score.
We were sitting side by side as we pushed the hammock with our feet.
“It’s nice out here,” Chrissy said dreamily and gazed out into the yard.
“I’m glad to be back,” I admitted.
She turned to face me. “You know, Adam, I’ve been wondering about this for a really long time, but why did you leave in the first place?”
She must have noticed something change in my facial expression because she pulled back, looking embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, it’s okay.” I waved my hand dismissively. “A lot of things happened back then.”
I looked at the ground, not sure it was the time to raise the past but she looked wounded from my instant change in demeanor. I tossed her a friendly smile and her eyes warmed.
“Actually, it’s kind of a long story.” I chuckled.
