by Holly Renee
I looked over at my best friend and flipped her off.
“You’re the one who literally just got back from your honeymoon. Not me.”
“I know.” She plopped down in my tattoo chair. “But ever since you and Mason have been back from your dad’s house, I can barely stand to be around either one of you.”
“You’re being ridiculous.” I opened one of my drawers and pulled out some supplies.
“Am I?” She tapped her chin. “Last night at dinner you barely even spoke to me. You were too busy talking about what you and Mason did or what you and Mason had planned.”
“Are you jealous?” I looked at her out of the corner of my eye.
“Of course, I’m not jealous. I could never be jealous of Mason, but you are my best friend.”
She actually crossed her arms and I couldn’t help but laugh at her pouting.
“How do you think he felt when you started dating Parker?”
“And now you’re defending him!”
“I am not.” I moved over in front of her and pulled her into my arms. “I never realized you were such a needy best friend.”
“Well, I am,” she mumbled into my chest.
“Then let’s go.” I tugged on her hand and she looked up at me.
“Go where?”
“It’s Taco Tuesday. I’m sure we can find somewhere to serve us some margaritas.”
“What about the guys?” she asked hesitantly, and I wanted to point out to her that she was far more wrapped in Parker than I was Mason. At least that’s what I was claiming.
“They can hang out on their own for one night.” I grabbed my cell phone off my table and tucked it into my back pocket. “Are you coming or what?”
“Yes. I’m coming. Don’t get your panties in a wad.” She reached her hand out, and I started to pull her out of the chair before she got sassy. “You really are spending too much time with my brother.”
“Hey, Livy.”
“What?” She pushed against the arms of the chairs when she realized I wasn’t going to help her up.
“The first night I had sex with your brother was in that chair.”
“Gross.” She jumped out of the chair as if it now carried an STD. “You are such an asshole.”
“Yes.” I looped my arm in hers. “But I’m your asshole.”
Mason
I knew when Staci text me that she and Livy were going out for margaritas that it wasn’t a good idea, but I didn’t realize how bad until I heard their laughter before I even managed to get through the front door of the restaurant.
They were trashed.
Staci was wearing a sombrero on her head, and my sister was practically lying in the booth she was in laughing. There were only two margarita glasses on their table, not a damn trace of food, but there were two pitchers that had nothing but ice left in them.
“Are you two having fun?”
They both looked up at me like two deer in headlights then they broke out in a fit of giggles.
“You are so handsome,” Staci said the words through her laughter and Livy scrunched up her nose.
“That’s so gross. That’s my brother.”
“I know.” Staci nodded her head and that damn sombrero bounced back and forth. “But look at him.”
Livy closed one eye and stared up at me. “Nope.” She popped the p so loudly that most of the restaurant turned to look. “I don’t see it.”
“Okay.” I looked down at them. “It’s time to go. Have you all paid your bill yet?”
“Nope.” My sister said the word again, and they both broke out in more hysterics.
“Don’t move.”
Livy was still looking at me with one eye closed, but Staci saluted me.
I went to the counter and paid their ridiculous bill that proved that they had drunk far too many margaritas before I made my way back to their table. It took me forever to get them out to my truck. Not only could they not walk straight, but they wouldn’t stop laughing long enough to focus.
It took about every ounce of strength and patience I had to get them in the backseat. They were leaning against one another, their hair was a mess, and they were holding each other’s hands.
I text Parker before I pulled out of the driveway and told him to be outside to get his wife when I pulled up.
“I love you, Livy.” Staci’s voice was so soft I could barely hear it.
“I love you too. You’re my sister.” Livy hiccupped, and I prayed that she didn’t throw up in my truck.
“What if we actually become sisters?” Staci whispered, and my heart thundered in my chest.
“Like sisters-in-law?” Livy asked then the two of them started laughing again. “I can’t wait for you all to get married.”
“Shhh, Livy.” I saw Staci slam her hand over Livy’s mouth, and I tried to hide my laugh. “He’s right there.”
“What does it matter?” Livy’s mumbled voice was barely understandable. “He already knows you love him.”
Staci groaned then they were quiet for the next several minutes.
When I finally pulled up outside Parker and Livy’s house, they were both passed out against each other and Livy was letting out the tiniest little snore.
“It looks like they had fun.” Parker opened my back door and lifted Livy in his arms.
“That would be an understatement.” I chuckled as I ran my fingers through my hair.
He nodded toward Staci who was completely sprawled out in the backseat. “You got her?”
I knew he meant did I have her tonight, but I had her. I had her for everything she needed. “I got her.”
He nodded his head as if he understood exactly what I meant, then he carried my drunk ass sister into their house.
Staci
Two Months Later
I was running late for dinner at Mason’s house, but work was crazy. The guy I had been tattooing was not prepared for the commitment he was making when he asked for a full sleeve, and I dreaded having to listen to him bitch through the whole thing during his next session.
I had tattooed eighteen-year-old girls who had handled it better.
He caused me to have a damn headache.
“I’m here. I’m here,” I yelled through the house as I threw my bag down on the table in the living room and moved toward the kitchen.
I almost tripped when I saw the kitchen covered in yellow daisies. My favorite, yellow daisies.
“What’s going on?” I looked at Mason who was leaning against the kitchen counter with a smile on his face.
“Do you like it here?” He didn’t move an inch from where he stood.
“What?” I was so confused.
“Do you like it here? My house? Do you feel at home here?”
I looked around at his house, a house that I had been spending more nights at than my own apartment and turned back to him.
“Of course, I do.”
“But do you really feel at home here?” He took a step toward me and my breath caught in my throat.
“Yes.” I touched one of the yellow daisies. “Why are you asking me that?”
“Because.” He moved another step closer to me and wrapped his arms around my center. “I think it’s time that you start living with both feet on the ground.”
I didn’t know what to say to him. I didn’t know what he was asking of me.
“My house.” He motioned around him. “This place. It means nothing without you. It doesn’t feel like a home without you.” He ran his fingers along my cheek. “I know that it takes a lot for you to trust, but I want you to put your trust in me. I want you to trust that I will always put you first and I will always take care of you. I want you to trust that as long as you’re willing to take a chance on me, I will want you.”
“I do.” I could barely get out the words.
“Then move in with me.”
It may not have seemed like much to some, but it was everything to me. It was everything that he knew what it meant to me. It ha
d been so long since I had truly felt at home, and he was right. It didn’t matter where we were. I wouldn’t feel at home anywhere without him. He had become my home. My safe place.
“Are you sure?” I didn’t want to push him into anything. I didn’t want him to feel like he had to do this.
“I’ve never been more sure about anything.” He pushed a piece of hair out of my face, and I rose on my tiptoes to press my mouth to his.
My hands roamed over his beard, and I kissed him hard.
“Is that a yes?” He mumbled against my lips.
I laughed and nodded over and over again as he slid his arms around me and lifted me off the ground.
“Finn’s excited.”
“He is?” I looked out the window toward his house.
“Yeah. He told me that he could definitely get you to be his girlfriend now that you were his neighbor.”
“And what did you tell him?” I ran her fingers over the back of my neck as he looked down at me.
“I told him that if he wanted to stay best friends, then he needed to back off my girl.”
I pressed my lips together to stop my laughter.
“That little shit told me that he could find more best friends, but he’d never find another girl like you.”
I couldn’t control my laughter then, and Mason pinched my side which only made me laugh harder.
I watched his eyes dance with humor before he started carrying me toward the bedroom. Our bedroom.
“It looks like I taught him something right after all.”
He smiled then leaned down and pressed his lips against mine.
He tossed me onto the bed, and I laughed as I looked at the man that I loved.
And I knew that I could read every romance novel that lined the walls of my apartment, but nothing would ever compare to this.
Because Mason Connor had somehow surpassed every single one of my book boyfriends.
Want more from The Good Girls Series?
Add Where Bad Boys are Ruined to your TBR
Where Bad Boys are Ruined
Coming Soon
Acknowledgments
To my husband, Hubie: You always support me, even when you have to sacrifice more than you ever should. I couldn’t do any of this without you. I would have given up long ago if it wasn’t you who had my back. Thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for believing in my dreams. I love you.
* * *
To my mom and my sisters: I may be the Mouth from the South, but you three are the best group of cheerleaders a girl could ask for.
* * *
To Cheryl Woods-Lucero: Thank you for always taking the smallest pieces of my stories and helping me every step of the way. I can’t tell you what your help and support means to me.
* * *
To you, Reader: Thank you for taking a chance on my story. I can’t express how much it means to me.
* * *
xo, Holly
More Books by Holly Renee:
The Good Girls Series
Where Good Girls Go to Die
Where Bad Girls Go to Fall
Where Bad Boys are Ruined
The Rock Bottom Series
Bottoms Up
The Garage Series
Letting Go
Breaking Down
Follow Holly Renee:
www.authorhollyrenee.com
Newsletter
Facebook
Instagram
