Loving the Best Man (Friends & Lovers Book 2)

by Jaye Diane

  “Emerald?” Devin asked, already knowing where Linc was going with the conversation.

  “I can’t figure her out. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing,” He repeated.

  “I don’t think there’s a man in the world who understands women.”

  “You got that right.” Linc waved at the bartender and ordered another beer. “Every time I think I’m getting closer to her she backs off. I can’t take her mixed signals. She’s making me crazy.”

  “Talk to her.”

  “It’s not time yet. She doesn’t know what the hell she wants.”

  “What do you want?” Devin asked, looking sympathetic.

  “Just to be with her. Is that too much to ask?”

  “You are with her, bro.”

  “She was going to go to her father’s house tonight,” Linc said suddenly, remembering their conversation the night before. “His guests finally went home. But I convinced her to stay one more night. And it helps that her old man still didn’t even ask why she needed to stay with him anyway.”

  “Her father gets caught up in his own life sometimes. Too caught up. At least that’s what Robyn’s told me over the years.”

  “Emerald said something like that last night. Said he got some promotion so he’s probably distracted by his new position.”

  Devin sipped his own beer. “So this is her last night at your place?”

  “Unless I can convince her to stay longer. What the hell is she so scared of?” Linc wondered out loud. He’d always thought he’d been scared to commit but it hadn’t been a fear of commitment. It had been a fear of committing to the wrong woman. Now he was ready to commit and he had to deal with Emerald’s commitment issues. He didn’t even know where to begin.

  “She’s had a tough life,” Devin said simply. “You know a little about it but not everything. Talk to her. Keep it casual. She’ll open up. Start there.”

  “I might as well,” Linc agreed, wanting to ask Devin for specific details. But that wouldn’t be fair to Dev or Emerald so he resisted.

  “She’s tough,” Devin said, admiration in his voice. “But I know she cares about you. Believe me, she wouldn’t stay with you if she didn’t care about you. She doesn’t like to lean on anybody.”

  Linc raised his eyebrows as he took in that information. It renewed some of his fading hope.

  “She wouldn’t let me drive her to work this morning,” Linc said, thinking of how fiercely independent the woman was. It was infuriating at times. A man with a lesser ego would have washed-out and given up already.

  “I’d wondered,” Devin responded with a grin.

  Devin had dropped Emerald off after work and waited for Linc to come out of the apartment building.

  “She said she didn’t want me to be late for work. I told her that’s up to me.” Linc wondered if he sounded as petulant as he thought he did. This was all new to him.

  Devin still grinned but to his credit he didn’t laugh.

  “She took the bus and the train. She’d rather take the bus and the train in freezing weather than let me drive her.”

  “Even though we both work in the city, we’re on opposite sides. If you had driven her you would have been late. She’s right.”

  “But that’s up to me,” Linc retorted. He took the beer the bartender slid over to him. “Fucking stubborn woman.”

  “So you two argued?”

  “You can’t even call it an argument.” Linc took a gulp of the cold beer and set the bottle down with a thud. “She just refused and didn’t want to talk about it. And I didn’t try to say much because I didn’t want her to change her mind about staying another night. Shit. I’m turning into a pussy.”

  This time Devin did laugh.

  “Shut up.” Linc glared at his best friend and Devin laughed even more.

  “So what did your P.I. tell you?” Devin asked after laughing for several more seconds.

  “Marley has an alibi for everything. He’s just started tailing him so he’ll let me know more in a few days.”

  “What the hell…” Devin muttered.

  “Some woman named Larissa who works with him and who’s his girlfriend. She claims he was with her both times that Emerald’s car got hit.”

  “Shit,” Devin reacted harshly. “The bitch is lying for that asshole.”

  Linc nodded. “I was pissed too. Still am. She’s going to help this guy get away with all the shit he’s done.”

  “There has to be some way to get proof. What about all the notes the asshole left at Emerald’s place? She can’t be an alibi for all those incidents.”

  “She admits that they’ve only been together for a few months. But she swears that they go home from work at the same time every night and leave out the same time every day. She said that they’re always together.”

  “That’s bullshit. What couple is together twenty-four-seven?”

  “Wilson said the detectives are skeptical of that so they’re keeping an open mind. The investigation goes on.” Linc finished his beer and signaled for another.

  “I don’t think Emerald knows who the alibi is,” Devin said, “She didn’t tell Robyn anything about that. But she did say he had an alibi for what happened with the car.”

  “She doesn’t know,” Linc confirmed. And he knew she would be mad as hell when he told her. “I’ll tell her later.”

  “So who’s this security guard you hired?”

  “Mark Appleton. Wilson got him for me. He’s outside my place watching right now.”

  “Good. I can let Robyn know. She’s starting to really stress about this.”

  “Don’t tell her.”

  “Why not?” Devin frowned.

  “Emerald doesn’t know about Appleton. I don’t want her to know.”

  “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day, Linc. You have to tell her. Maybe she’ll appreciate it.”

  “No, she won’t. Trust me.” The woman had a stubborn streak like he’d never seen before. She thought she had to take on the world all by herself.

  “If you don’t tell her about the security guard and she finds out later, she’s going to feel like you hid it from her. Tell her.”

  He realized that Devin was right. He recalled her reaction to finding out about Wilson. He just didn’t want to go home and argue with her when it would probably be their last night together for awhile. Although she was a grown woman he couldn’t see her leaving his house in the middle of the night to go back to her father’s house. He already knew her well enough to know what she’d consider that inconsiderate to her father and his wife.

  When Devin dropped him off at home a little while later, Linc felt resolute. He and Emerald were going to have a much needed talk. He hoped that it brought them closer together rather than pushed them apart but he didn’t know what to expect. She was so unpredictable. So far, every time he thought he was making progress with her it had quickly flipped. He constantly felt like he was being pushed back to square one.

  Linc looked down the dark street in search of the security guard’s car. He’d met Appleton that day on his lunch break. The guy was in his early forties and was built like a truck. He had served in the marines before doing private security, which he’d done for more than ten years. Linc felt confident that Marley wouldn’t get too close with Appleton on the job.

  Spotting Appleton’s unmarked black sedan, he waved at the man, letting him know he was free to go, before entering his building. Appleton sent Linc a confirmation text message and Linc sent a quick reply as he greeted the doorman and walked to the elevator.

  When he entered his apartment, loud rap music greeted his ears. He hung up his coat and searched for Emerald, finding her in the kitchen at the stove. She bopped her head and moved her shoulders and hips as she danced to the music.

  He smiled at the sight she made, dressed in a T-shirt and sweats and dancing while she cooked. Her hair was pulled back into a short ponytail and he thought she was so cute that he fought the urge to run up
and hug her.

  “Hey, Em!” He called loudly in order to be heard over the music.

  She whirled around with a grin, apparently not caring that she’d been caught jamming all by herself.

  “What smells so good?” He asked.

  “Beef stew!” She called back. “I hope you like it!”

  “I’m sure I will!” He went to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. He opened it and took a long drink. When he put the bottle down, she was gone and the music quickly turned off. She returned to the kitchen, still smiling.

  “Had a good time with Devin?”

  He nodded slowly, his stomach starting to churn as he thought of everything he wanted to talk to her about. At first he’d been apprehensive about addressing certain issues but an eagerness was beginning to set in and he knew he’d have to choose his words wisely.

  “I told Robyn that we all should hang out sometime soon,” Emerald said as she stirred a pot of white rice. “We haven’t done that in a long time.”

  “You mean like a double date?”

  “No, it wouldn’t be a date. It would be the four of us hanging out like we did so many other times.”

  It was the perfect opening to discuss their relationship but he decided not to. She looked so calm and happy cooking at his stove. He didn’t want to mess up her mood with a serious discussion.

  “Sounds good.” He began loosening his tie. He was still in his work clothes. “Is there enough time for me to take a shower before dinner?”

  “Yeah,” She said, glancing over her shoulder at him. “It’s almost done but I can keep it on low and it will be just fine.”

  He smiled, feeling too distracted by the domesticity of her in his kitchen making dinner for them both, along with all the thoughts he had about what definitely had to be discussed.

  He soon found himself standing under the shower spray, not even moving, focused on what strategy he’d use so that he wouldn’t hurt her feelings or get her guard up. But she seemed to always have her guard up anyway so he was kidding himself. His best bet was to just be honest and patient with her.

  It was ironic that he was now in the shoes of several women that he’d been with. Wanting to get close to someone that has no intention of getting close to you. He supposed that’s what he got for being so wild.

  After he dressed in a plain black T-shirt and pajama bottoms he walked down the hall to the living room. Emerald was curled up on the couch, staring down at her phone.

  “Your mother friended me,” She said, grinning up at him.

  “What? Since when is my mother interested in using social media?”

  “I guess she realized it’s a cool way to keep in touch with some people.”

  “Or an easy way to keep tabs on people without even having to leave home.” Once his mother and Emerald had cleared up their misunderstanding, they’d been like old friends laughing at jokes and talking about him as if he were a silly teenager.

  “Maybe,” Emerald said, putting the phone down. She stood up. “Let’s eat. I’m so hungry.”

  They went to the kitchen together and quickly served their food, taking it back to the living room. It had become their routine to eat on the couch and it now felt like their own cozy tradition.

  “Delicious,” He complimented when he tasted the stew. He’d only eaten Emerald’s cooking a few times over the years but it had been very good each time. Although she was obviously good in the kitchen he knew that she rarely cooked, even just for herself.

  “Thanks,” She said. “I thought we both needed a break from takeout.”

  He nodded and went on eating. They finished their meal in a comfortable silence as a movie played on the television. When they finished eating, he took their plates to the kitchen and poured them both a glass of wine.

  She accepted her glass with a smile and leaned back against the plump cushions. A bittersweet pang pierced his heart and he thought that it would be wonderful to see her like that every day. He was determined to somehow convince her. One step at a time.

  “Emerald, we need to talk.” He put his glass down without sipping any and turned on the couch so that he was facing her. Regretfully, he saw that she instantly tensed up, the smile wiped clean from her face.

  “What’s wrong?” She demanded as she sat her own wineglass on the table.

  “Nothing’s wrong.” He leaned forward. “I spoke to the PI today. He had some news about the investigation.”

  “Let me guess,” She said sarcastically, “Evan Marley skipped town?”

  “No. His alibi is a woman named Larissa…do you know her?”

  “Yeah, the bitch worked with me. She was part-time until I left. Then she replaced me.” She shook her head angrily. “And she’s claiming to be his alibi? Yeah right.”

  “The cops are still investigating. But yeah, she’s his alibi. They live together.”

  “What!”

  “And she says that they go to work together, stay at work together and then go home together. She claims they’re never apart.”

  “No. I don’t believe that.” She closed her eyes and used her finger tips to massage them.

  “Wilson said that the cops are skeptical but they have to take her at her word for now. They’re still investigating.”

  “There were no fingerprints on any of those notes,” Emerald complained. “I couldn’t believe it when the detectives told me. I can’t believe he’s that smart. I’ve always thought he was stupid as hell.”

  “I guess he’s smarter than anybody thought. There’s no evidence so far and he’s got an alibi.”

  “She’s young and dumb. She’ll learn her lesson.” Emerald dropped her hands onto her lap, opened her eyes, and nodded grimly. “It’s okay. She can be his alibi. But they know the police are onto them now. Seriously onto them. Maybe that’s enough to put an end to this mess.”

  He seriously doubted it but he nodded. It would be good if the police involvement scared Marley into backing down. But he wasn’t going to hold his breath.

  “Wilson said he’s been interviewing your neighbors but no one saw anything suspicious.”

  “That’s no surprise.” In the hood, even when people saw things they sometimes pretended that they hadn’t.

  “There’s something you need to know,” Linc said slowly, watching her closely.

  She didn’t say anything. Although he could clearly see the worry in her eyes, her face was completely expressionless. He was starting to get to know all of her mannerisms and defense mechanisms.

  “I hired a security guard to protect you.”

  “No, Lincoln. That’s not necessary.”

  “It is. Marley’s escalating.”

  “But that was before the cops went to speak to him,” She explained slowly as if talking to child. “Now that he knows the cops are looking into everything he’s doing, I think he’ll stop.”

  “There’s no guarantee that he’ll stop, Em.”

  “I can’t even imagine how much this guy is going to cost. I don’t want you paying for that!”

  “Let me worry about the cost,” He said sternly. There was no way he was going to call off the security guard, not until Marley was behind bars. “Paying him is a small price to pay to know that you’re safe.”

  He expected another protest but she surprised him by giving him a small smile.

  “Thank you,” She whispered. “Thank you for everything you’ve done.”

  “You’re welcome.” He smiled back and a small weight was lifted from him.

  She picked up her glass and drained it before quickly standing.

  “I need a refill. Be right back.”

  He watched her walk out of the room and allowed himself to relax on the couch. That had gone better than expected. Now that that was over his nerves began to set in. They still had so much to talk about and he didn’t have a clue about how she’d react to what he had to say. No matter. It was time to get it all out and deal with the consequences, whatever they may be.

&n
bsp; She’d gone to the kitchen to pour herself another glass of wine but she decided to bring the entire bottle back to the living room with her. He’d leaned back, nearly reclining, and she felt like jumping on top of him. Not to seduce him. But just to snuggle against him. And that felt so odd and so new and so alarming that she couldn’t even look him in the eye as she sat down on the couch again.

  “Can I ask you a question?” He asked, sitting up so that they could face each other again.

  He looked so intense that it made her feel a little nervous.

  “Sure,” She said hesitantly, using two hands to pour wine into her glass.

  “Can you tell me a little about your childhood?”

  She didn’t know what she’d expected him to ask but it certainly hadn’t been that. She couldn’t hide her surprise.

  “Why?” She asked. Her childhood and her past were her least favorite subjects and only Robyn knew the horrible details. There were even certain things that Robyn didn’t know.

  “I want to know about you.” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Is that so wrong?”

  “No…” She stared at him suspiciously. He’d been distracted ever since he’d come in from the bar and after he’d confessed about the guard he’d hired, she’d assumed that’s what had had him so preoccupied. But now she wondered what else was going on with him.

  “I’ll tell you something about me that you don’t know, and you can tell me something about you. How’s that?” He was trying to look and sound casual but she wasn’t fooled. His foot was tapping the floor in an uneasy cadence and he would only make eye contact for a second at a time.

  “Okay,” She hesitantly agreed.

  “My mother’s very overprotective of Ally and me because she had two miscarriages before we were born.”

  “Oh,” She couldn’t help but feel sympathetic when she thought about his mother joyously expecting a baby and then unexpectedly having to grieve over the loss of the child. And Audrey had been through it twice. “That’s so sad for your parents.”

  “They’d given up getting pregnant after that. Mom said she couldn’t take anymore loss.”