by J. S. Cooper
To My Brother’s Cocky Best Friend
J. S. Cooper
Copyright © 2020 by J. S. Cooper
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Blurb
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Excerpt from To My Immature Ex Boyfriend
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by J. S. Cooper
Blurb
To My Brother’s Cocky Best Friend,
Tyler Redwood, you might be my brother’s best friend, but I find you to be insufferable, cocky, arrogant, immature, and totally annoying. You are not God’s gift to women and certainly not a gift to me. No, I don’t need you to wrap yourself in a bow. And even if you did, I would not be unwrapping it. I have no interest in seeing or touching your six pack and no, I don’t need you to teach me the hidden lessons of the kama sutra. Go and find another woman to bother and flirt with. I am not interested at all. Not even a little bit.
Olivia
Olivia,
I have seven words for you. That’s not what you said last night.
Tyler
This one goes out to all the women that believe in true love.
Prologue
Two Years Ago
Olivia,
Derrick tells me you’re coming home for Christmas. I’d love to take you to a show. The Nutcracker is going to be showing at the Bob Carr theater. Want to go?
Tyler
Hey Tyler,
I am coming home for Christmas. You missed me, huh? Not sure how I feel about The Nutcracker, but I wouldn’t mind hitting up the Christmas parade in Downtown Orlando. You know how much I love a parade.
Olivia
Olivia,
I do seem to remember you dressing up in many skimpy outfits, so I guess I love a good parade as well.
Tyler
Tyler,
Those outfits were not for a parade, but rather for nights out at the club with my friends. The only reason you saw them was because you were always in my house.
Olivia
Olivia,
I wasn’t complaining. I loved seeing you half-dressed. You can send a photo now if you want.
Tyler
P.S. I know you want to.
Tyler,
Send you a photo of what?
Olivia
Olivia,
Well if you’re taking requests. 1. Breasts 2. You touching yourself. 3. Your face.
Tyler
Tyler,
Are you out of your mind? Don’t answer that. I already know that you are.
Olivia
Olivia,
So is that a yes? :)
Tyler
Tyler,
In your dreams.
Olivia
Olivia,
You know that’s true. I can’t wait to see you by the way. I have something to tell you?
Tyler
Tyler,
What do you have to tell me?
Olivia
Olivia,
It’s best said in person. Unless you want to call me tonight and then maybe I’ll be persuaded to tell you.
Tyler
Tyler,
No, I’m not calling you for phone sex.
Olivia
Olivia,
What a pity.
Tyler
Olivia,
Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to make the parade any longer. Have a great christmas.
Tyler
Tyler,
Raincheck?
Olivia
Chapter 1
Olivia
“Have you ever done anything really forbidden?” Birdy, my co-worker and friend asked me eagerly, her blue eyes wide as she whispered loudly and glanced towards our boss, Tate’s office.
“What do you mean by really forbidden?” I supposed I should have spoken a bit quieter, but it wasn’t like he was in the office. Tate was at some meeting with another tech company and Jagger, our other manager and our co-worker Magnolia were planning their wedding and had taken the afternoon off to look at wedding venues. But even if they were here, I most probably wouldn’t have whispered either. Our small office felt like a family and when you were around family, you tended to be loud and boisterous. Birdy and I had been working at Cool Credit for less than a year, but it felt like forever (in a good way). I was super grateful that all five employees, me, Birdy, Magnolia, Millie and Jane were all great friends and enjoyed spending time together outside of the office as well.
“You know, forbiiiiiiiidden.” Birdy stretched out the word forbidden as if that were an appropriate answer to my question. Sometimes she really tested my patience, but she was always entertaining, so I forgave her.
“Like jail-worthy forbidden or X-rated forbidden?”
“What’s X-rated forbidden?” Jane and Millie, my other two co-workers at Cool Credit jumped into the conversation as they made their way over to us from the kitchen. Jane had a box of doughnuts in her hand and I grinned at her as I grabbed one and bit into it.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Birdy asked me if I’ve ever done anything really forbidden.” I wiped some crumbs off of my lips as I spoke. “And I’m trying to ascertain what she means by really forbidden.”
“Oh shit, Birdy. What did you do?” Millie immediately questioned her and all eyes were now on a blushing Birdy.
“Well, first of all, what’s with the $100 SAT word of the day? What does ascertain mean?” Birdy’s voice was whispery.
“Birdy, explain what you mean by forbidden?” I took another bite of doughnut. “You brought up the subject and we all want to know, how deep down the hole have you gone?”
“Oh shit, you didn’t hook up with your second cousin or something, did you?” Jane gasped and I laughed at the quick shake of Birdy’s head.
“Second cousins aren’t forbidden, but no.” She leaned in towards us. “I guess when I say forbidden, I mean kinda naughty, or well really naughty. Like if people knew, you’d be in a whole heap of trouble.”
“No, I’ve never done anything like that, but I sure as hell want to know what you did.” I laughed and I could see that the other girls were also fascinated by what she’d just said. “What are you not telling us, Birdy?” I stared at my friend, at her innocent expression and long light blonde hair and wondered if she was exaggerating. What could she possibly have done? I was about to ask her another question when my phone rang.
“Hold one second girls.” I said as I answered it quickly. “Hello.”
“Hey Chubby Checker, what’s happening?” My brother Derrick’s laughter resounded down the phone and I reminded myself to keep my tone polite and not call him an asshole.
“I told you to not call me Chubby Checker any more.” I growled into the phone and now all the girls were staring at me. “What’s up. Derrick?”<
br />
“Hey, just wanted to remind you that Tyler and I are coming to town tomorrow night.”
“Okay.” My heart beat erratically, but I was going to ignore that and the fact that my face was warming. I didn’t care that my brother was coming to visit me with his best friend. Nope, I didn’t care at all. The same best friend that had made plans to meet up with me two years ago at Christmas and then cancelled at the last minute. The same best friend that I hadn’t heard from in years.
“Will you be picking us up from the airport?”
“Nope.” I chuckled as if he’d said something really funny.
“Will you be sending a car?”
“Are you joking?” I laughed even louder now. “What do you think? That I’m made of money.”
“She said no to both.” Derrick spoke to someone else and I could hear a soft husky chuckle in the background.
“Who are you talking to?” I asked him, but then I heard a muffled noise and a smooth deeper voice spoke into the phone.
“Your worst nightmare.” The voice spoke and I knew immediately that it was Tyler and my stomach exploded with butterflies. Tyler Redwood was the bane of my existence, or at least he had been when we were children. He’d been in my life for as long as I could remember. He and my older brother Derrick had been best friends since they were six and I was four and I’d grown up having him around the house. When we were younger, he’d always treated me like a princess and then he’d turned 16 and became an asshole. He and Derrick ignored me and treated me as if I didn’t exist, which would have been okay, if he hadn’t turned out to be absolutely gorgeous and my first crush.
“I had a feeling today was going to be a bad day. What’s up gremlin?”
“What’s up Frodo?”
“What’s up Gollum?”
“What’s up Dobby?”
“What’s up —.”
“Enough Tyler, what do you want?”
“To have a billion dollars. To have a Porsche. To —.”
“You have a Porsche.”
“Oh yeah, I do.” He laughed. “Which I let you ride in back in the day.”
“And?”
“And now you’re not returning the favor.”
“I don’t have a Porsche to drive you around in, unless you buy me one.”
“What will you give me if I do?” His voice lowered and I rolled my eyes. I could see my friends staring at me with a mixture of confusion and curiosity on their faces.
“Nothing. What is it you two want? I’m at work.”
“Too busy to talk. Well this is a first. I seem to remember you being a very talkative girl.”
“Tyler.”
“Send us your address and we’ll take a taxi from the airport to your place.”
“To my place? I thought we decided that you guys were staring at a hotel?”
“I thought it would be more fun to stay at your apartment. That way we can have a more authentic experience. Maybe play some spin the bottle or something.”
“Put my brother back on the phone, now.” I growled, annoyed and flustered. There was no way I could survive in my small ass studio with these two getting on my nerves. I could hear Tyler laughing as he handed Derrick back the phone.
“What’s up, sis?”
“Why did you put Tyler on the phone?”
“Why not?”
“Derrick, I’m at work. I do not need to talk to your idiotic best friend about nonsensical stuff.”
“He was just trying to convince you to pick us up. You haven’t seen either of us in over a year.”
“Hmm, and what’s this about you guys staying at my place? I told you that’s not on the table. I have a studio. There is nowhere for you guys to sleep.”
“It’ll be fine, sis. It will be like when we were young and camped out.”
“I didn’t enjoy camping, remember?”
“Yes, I remember you being a spoiled brat.”
“You’re such an asshole.”
“Is that any way to talk to your older brother? Would mom and dad like to hear you using those words?”
“What do you want, Derrick?”
“So I’m taking it that that's a no on the airport pickup and on staying with you.”
“Wow, you’re getting smarter big bro.”
“Yup!” I laughed. “Love you though. Call me when you land.”
“Okay, chubby checker. See you later.”
“Ciao.” I hung up the phone and shook my head. “My brother was expecting me to pick him and his friend up at the airport.” I explained to Birdy, Jane, and Millie. “I don’t even have a car, which he knows.”
“Sounds like you guys enjoying teasing each other.” Jane noted. “You spoke to the best friend as well?”
“Yeah Tyler and my brother have been best friends for years. He’s almost like a surrogate brother. Just that he’s white.”
“And not your blood.” Birdy grinned. “You can hook up with him if you want.”
“I’m not hooking up with him, eww, he’s super gross.”
“You’re protesting a bit too much.” Millie said. “Is he hot?”
“If you like the Tom Brady look.” I shrugged.
“I like the Tom Brady anything.” Birdy grinned. “That face, that chest, yeah baby. Sign me up.”
“You can have him. He’s one of the cockiest, most immature guys I know.”
“I bet he’s not as immature as my ex.” Birdy laughed. “He could give a two year old a run for his money.”
“Yeah, maybe not that immature then.” I bit down on my lower lip. “But he just has this way of riling me up that gets me so flustered and annoyed.”
“Do you date white guys then?” Millie asked, a half-smile on her face. “I hope that’s not a weird question, but I had some black friends in college who told me they only dated black guys.”
“Not a weird question.” I shook my head and smiled, so she didn’t feel uncomfortable. “I’m an equal opportunity dater. If you’re hot and nice, I’ll date you. And I have some guys in the past that will tell you I’ll date you even if you’re not hot and nice.” I giggled and shook my head.
“I’ve dated some real losers too.” Birdy nodded. “Trust me, I know how you feel.”
“I just want to meet one nice guy. A gentleman that’s sweet and kind and loving and open minded and compassionate who loves me for me.”
“You’re not asking for much then?” Jane laughed. “Don’t get me wrong. I love Tate, but he’s not perfect.” Jane was now dating our boss, Tate and they had a really special relationship, but I could already tell he wasn’t the perfect boyfriend. At least not in my eyes. He was way too full of himself and bossy. I knew that he would get on my nerves, no matter how good-looking he was, but I wasn’t going to tell Jane that.
“Yeah, I know no man is perfect, but I can hope and wish.”
“You and me both.” Birdy let out a deep sigh. “Can you believe we’re the last two single girls that work in the office?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I’m happy for you girls.” I looked at Millie and Jane, who both now had boyfriends. “But I want to find love as well.”
“You will.” Jane said confidently. “You both will.”
“Yeah, maybe one day.” I nodded. “Any way, what were we talking about before the call? Oh yeah, Birdy, you were going to tell us about the totally crazy and forbidden thing that you did.”
“Well, did I say it was totally crazy and did I say it was me?” She played with her long blonde hair and blushed. Birdy had one of those faces that gave absolutely everything away.
“Birdy, are you going to tell us or not?” I tapped my watch. “We have work to do.”
“Well, y’all,” She lowered her voice. “What if I was to tell you that I slept with a priest.”
“You what?” My jaw dropped. “You did not.” I looked over at Jane and I could see that she was just as shocked as I was. Then I looked at Millie who was mouthing something that looked like, “I tol
d you she’s a freak.”
“And what if I told you that I was wearing —.” Birdy started laughing. “Sorry, y’all. I can’t continue. If you could see your faces!” She shook her head. “April Fools.”
“Birdy, it’s December.” I rolled my eyes. “You can’t do April Fools in December. Is that really it?”
“Well, not really, but I don’t want to tell you girls now.” She blushed. “I’ll tell you later, when I’ve got a bit of liquid courage inside of me.
I ran my hands through my shoulder length curls and sighed. “I’m getting back to work. I’m trying to leave early so I can go to the hairdressers tonight.”
“Oh what are you getting done?” Millie asked with a smile as she played with her red frizzy curls. “I need to go myself.”
“I’m getting a blowout.” I hoped they didn’t ask why I wanted to get a blowout the day before my brother and his best friend were coming. It wasn’t as if I wanted to look my absolute best. I didn’t tell the girls, I was also getting my eyebrows and upper lip waxed. And planned on buying a new push-up bra and maybe some Spanx. It had absolutely nothing to do with Tyler Redwood though. Absolutely nothing at all.
“Oh nice.” Birdy grinned. “Oh yeah, Olivia I forgot to tell you, I signed us up for a speed dating event on Saturday evening, you can come right?”
“Yes, I’ll be there.” I nodded. “I’ll make sure to keep the evening free, just text me the details, okay?”
“Awesome!” She did a little dance. “I’m so excited. I’m so excited.”
