The Best Friend's Billionaire Brother (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 1)

by Bree Livingston

  “Why does there need to be a chance for failure when there doesn’t have to be? What if you have the money to just do something because you love it?”

  “Because…there’s also the issue of not wanting to come across as using the people we love…or care about.” She straightened as she cleared her throat. “I mean, our families are close. No amount of money is worth ruining our relationships.”

  Wyatt shook his head. “I know, but that only means I want to share it even more. I want to share my good fortune with the people who mean the most to me. Gabby, you’re one of my closest friends. I want to share my good fortune with you. And we’re family.”

  Crossing her arms over her chest, her lips pinched together. “I appreciate that, but that’s not a good idea.” She twisted a little in the seat until her back was nearly to him.

  He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she shrugged it off. “Are you okay?”

  She sniffed. “I’m getting a headache.”

  “We’ve only got a few more miles to Lubbock. I can stop to get you something for the headache and a drink.”

  “Thank you,” she said softly. “I appreciate that.”

  From that point, Gabby didn’t speak another word to him. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but something in his gut said it was more than a headache. The feeling grew when he caught her wiping her eyes a few times. Was she crying? If she was, why?

  He pulled into a gas station on the outskirts of town and parked. As she went to get out of the pickup, he caught her hand. “Gabby, did I do something to hurt you? If I did, I didn’t mean to. On my honor, I promise I didn’t.”

  She shot him a glance over her shoulder. “No, you’re fine. It’s…it’s just this headache.” With that, she pulled free, and it looked to Wyatt like she nearly ran to the bathroom inside the station.

  Why didn’t he believe that? They didn’t keep secrets from one another, or at least they hadn’t until now. What had he said that could have upset her? Offering to buy the paper so she could stay in Caprock Canyon wasn’t for her; it was for him. It kept her close. In between rodeo events, he could come home, and she’d be there. He kinda liked the idea of seeing her in between events. It was for purely selfish reasons. Maybe if he explained it like that, she’d understand.

  Besides, if she and Bandit were serious, wouldn’t she want to come home? This worked out for all of them. She got to be home with Bandit, and Wyatt got…nothing. If her relationship with Bandit was serious, even if she was close, she’d be with Bandit and not spending time with him.

  The idea of her being with Bandit bugged him worse than a thousand flies at a picnic. He lightly punched the steering wheel. What was wrong with him lately? It was like he was looking for his glasses while they were right on top of his head. He let out a frustrated sigh. It seemed, as of late, he just couldn’t think straight.

  How was he going to fare when Gabby could no longer be the person he turned to? If problem-solving was hard now, it would be even harder without her. It sure had been this past five years without her.

  Maybe he’d just buy the paper and surprise her. He’d talk to Carrie Anne and come up with a plan to keep Gabby home. If anyone could scheme, it was his sister. She and Gabby were best friends too, so there was a chance she’d be just as desperate as he was. At least he had the start of an idea. When he got back home, he’d work out the details with his sister. Together, they’d figure out something.

  Chapter 18

  The pretend headache Gabby suffered from earlier was no longer fake. Holding back her tears as best as she could had caused a tension headache. After getting a drink at the gas station, they’d continued on to the bakery. She’d purchased some aspirin and taken it, but if anything, her head hurt worse. That’s what she got for lying. Wyatt had been sweet, apologizing for whatever he’d done to hurt her. She should have been used to being called family at this point, but he’d said it, and it had been an arrow to the heart.

  It wasn’t just how he saw her. Him wanting to buy the paper was a sweet gesture, but that’s not what she wanted. Taking money from him would only make it worse. Every time she walked into the newspaper office, she’d think of him. And if this plan of Carrie Anne’s didn’t work, how could she ever really move on if all she ever did was think of Wyatt?

  Closing her eyes, Gabby cleared her thoughts. This wasn’t the time to think about all of that. She had a job to do for Carrie Anne, and that meant sitting in a bakery, tasting cake, and hoping the headache would dissipate soon.

  None of the cake tasted great, and Gabby was sure it wasn’t the cake’s fault. The headache was making it hard to like anything.

  “This lemon is sure good,” Wyatt said as he finished the bite. “Man, all of it is good.”

  So far, they’d tried half a dozen flavors, and with every sample, the headache slowly worsened, making her stomach turn. It made her glad they’d started with the chocolate. It had been all right, which probably meant it would’ve been fantastic if she didn’t feel so bad.

  The woman, Jasmine Green, owner of This Takes the Cake, smiled. “Thank you.”

  It was a cute place. Large display cases were filled with fresh offerings of cupcakes, cake pops, whole cakes to go, cookies, and truffles. Of course, there were also offerings of drinks for those looking to make use of the dozen or so tables and chairs. The decorations were cute with little signs and sayings written on the walls. Normally, Gabby would have been excited to try such a place.

  She took a small bite of the pistachio and tried to think about the flavor. “Yeah, I think they’re all good.”

  “That strawberry was the best, I think.” Wyatt cut another piece off the sample. “This is what I’d want, but it’s not my wedding.”

  “She wanted three tiers, is that correct?” Jasmine asked. She was maybe in her late twenties, early thirties.

  “Yes, three,” Gabby replied. “And the groom’s cake.”

  They tried a few more flavors ranging from red velvet to spice. If her head didn’t hurt so badly, she’d actually enjoy trying all the flavors. They were incredibly moist with intense flavor. The different flavored fillings weren’t overly sweet. In all, if Gabby were to get married, she’d most likely want to use the same bakery as Carrie Anne.

  Wyatt’s gaze roamed the table. “But how do we choose?”

  Rubbing her temple, Gabby tried to concentrate on the actual wedding cake and picture it in her mind. She knew Carrie Anne well enough that she’d want mostly chocolate. “Israel’s favorite flavor is red velvet, so we’ll go with that for his,” Gabby said. “And for the wedding cake, how about this: the first layer will be chocolate with vanilla icing, and the second will be another chocolate one with white raspberry frosting. This way she has her white wedding cake and also the chocolate she loves.”

  Wyatt grinned. “Those both sound good to me. What about the third layer? We could do strawberry for that one.”

  “That would be for us.”

  “We did drive several hours to test cake. I think that should be worth one layer of cake,” Wyatt teased.

  Gabby lightly slapped him on the arm. “No, but can you do a lemon cake with coconut and pineapple frosting? Like a piña colada cake? She loves those. Well, the virgin ones.”

  “Actually, we can,” the baker replied. “We’ve done a couple of those.”

  “Then that’ll be a good surprise for her.” Gabby rubbed her temple and winced. The headache was moving from the back of her head and settling behind her eyes.

  While Jasmine scribbled down the cake flavors, Wyatt leaned over. “You okay?”

  “It’s just this headache.”

  “Is it a migraine?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe?”

  Without looking up from her clipboard, the baker read the notes back for confirmation.

  “Right,” Gabby said.

  “Okay,” the baker said, again writing on her notepad. “And when she called, she said the cake would need to be deliver
ed by two in the afternoon on New Year’s Eve. Is that still correct?”

  Wyatt nodded. “Yep, that’s still the plan.”

  “Okay, we’ll get working on this.” Smiling, she shook Gabby’s hand and then Wyatt’s. “See you on New Year’s Eve.”

  Gabby stood, picking up her purse and shouldering it. “Thank you.”

  “Yes, thank you,” Wyatt said and stood. “This was great.”

  They walked to the door, and his hand came to rest on the small of Gabby’s back. “Have you got anything for your headache?” he asked.

  The bell ringing above the door may as well have been a gong. “I’ve got some motion sickness stuff. I think I’m going to take that. It usually makes me drowsy. Maybe a little nap will help.”

  He kept his hand on her back, guiding her to the truck and then helping her get in. “Do you want me to get you something else to drink?”

  “No, it probably doesn’t taste great now that all the ice is melted, but the drink from earlier should be fine.”

  “You sure?” he asked, cupping her cheek. “I’ll get you whatever you need.”

  This was the exact reason she loved him. He was always tender, sweet, and caring. He did it without even thinking about it. “I’m sure.”

  He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Okay. But if anything changes, you tell me.”

  “I will.”

  Giving her one last look, he paused and then shut the door before jogging around the front and getting in. He started the truck just as she’d finished fishing her medicine out of her purse. She tossed them back with a long draw of her drink and hoped they’d kick in sooner rather than later. Laying her head back, she closed her eyes and hoped she’d feel better by the time they got home.

  Chapter 19

  It had been about an hour since Gabby had fallen asleep. She’d just started to doze when Wyatt convinced her to lie down and use his leg as a pillow. At the time, he thought he was just being practical, but now he realized he’d just wanted her closer.

  Just as he glanced down, she mumbled something in her sleep and draped her arm across his lap. He slid his fingers through her silky soft hair, pushing it back from her face. Something he wouldn’t be able to do if her relationship with Bandit got serious, or more serious.

  The idea bothered Wyatt. He couldn’t be the only one who felt Bandit wasn’t right for Gabby. Although, it didn’t seem to bother her. She hung all over him. Anytime Wyatt saw them together, it was always her making the move. At times, it almost felt as though Bandit was an unwilling participant, which didn’t sit right with Wyatt. Either a man wanted a woman or he didn’t. You didn’t string someone along. It wasn’t honorable to do that.

  Of course, the same could be said for him and his relationship with Lori. But that wasn’t him doing the leaving and coming back. It was always Lori dumping him and then coming back. He was still angry with himself that he’d done that so many times. It shouldn’t have taken her cheating on him to realize he didn’t want to be with her.

  At least it had ended, but he’d grown increasingly lonely. Maybe that was why he’d taken her back each time. He’d hated being all alone, and at the time, it was better to have a warm body than an empty space.

  “What’s got you thinking so deeply?” Gabby asked.

  Wyatt jumped a little, and the truck slightly swerved. “Gracious, woman. Give a man a heart attack!”

  She sat up and giggled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “I’m not scared. Just surprised.”

  “Right.”

  He glanced at her and rolled his eyes. “Are you feeling better?”

  She yawned and stretched. “Yeah, the headache is gone.”

  “You look like you’re still tired.”

  “I am, but,” she said, rolling her head, “I think I woke up because my neck was hurting.”

  Wyatt slid his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his side. “How about resting your head on my shoulder?”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  He kissed her forehead. “I don’t mind at all.” And he didn’t mind how great it felt to have her tight against him.

  Her nose brushed against his neck as she laid her head down. “I really like this cologne you wear.” She took a deep breath. “I always have, but I think I told you that a long time ago.”

  “I remember.” He blinked.

  Holy smokes.

  That’s why he wore it. Now the full memory of the day rushed back with motion-picture quality. He’d been playing football with Bear, and Gabby had come over to meet Carrie Anne before their dates took them to their senior prom. She’d said hello, and he’d done a double-take. Man, she’d been a treat for the eyes.

  The dress had been perfect on her, and of course, it had been red. It hugged her curves so well, like a neon sign screaming, Look at me. Wyatt’s concentration on the game had faltered, and he’d taken a ball to the gut. It had laid him out. Next thing he knew, she was hovering over him, asking if he was all right.

  He could remember just nodding because he was speechless. The sun had hit her just perfectly, haloing behind her. For a moment, he thought he was looking at an angel. Finally, he’d mustered enough wits and told her she was beautiful. She’d smiled and kissed his cheek before thanking him for the compliment.

  Then she’d said she liked his cologne. From that point on, he’d worn it anytime he knew she’d be around. He hadn’t even realized it until now. For just a brief second that year, he’d wondered what it would be like to ask her out. It had been quick, but that peck on the cheek had affected him more than he’d been willing to admit.

  The whole thing had shaken him up. His thoughts had run rampant with pictures of Gabby and him together. But she was like his sister, and there was no way he could go there, so he’d shut those thoughts out before they’d had a chance to take root. He’d told himself that if a relationship with Gabby went sour, it could affect their whole family. He’d pushed the thoughts so far down that he was only now remembering them. How would their lives have turned out if he hadn’t rejected those thoughts back then?

  She brushed her nose across his skin again as she got comfortable, and goosebumps raced down his arms. “I’ve missed home.”

  “I’ve missed you.” He kissed the top of her head and shocked himself. He was sure she didn’t hear it, though, as soon as she breathed out. The way her body relaxed against him said she was asleep again. He tightened his arm around her, enjoying the feel of her next to him. Boy, did she fit. He had missed her. Missed her smile and her laughter and her—all of her.

  Again, the thought of what would happen to the family if they dated and something went wrong flitted through his mind. At the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if things did work. Having someone by his side, wanting the same things he did, and coming home to her smile each day.

  It wasn’t that Bandit wasn’t right for her; it was that Wyatt couldn’t let him be. It was why Wyatt’s relationship with Lori never went anywhere. Because somewhere down deep, his soul was screaming that he needed Gabby. He was just too clueless to hear it.

  Wyatt’s heart raced as things began to make sense. All the times he’d leaned on her wasn’t because she was his little sister’s best friend. It was because she was his other half. Moments that Gabby leaned on him made him happy because he loved being needed by her. Since she’d been gone, he’d been miserable, and it had just hit him why.

  He cared for her…maybe more than cared for her.

  Carrie Anne’s words were like bricks being set on top of his chest. One of these days, you’re going to figure out the real answer to that question, and she’ll have moved on. You’re going to wake up one day and realize you’ve lost her.

  And she was in a relationship with Bandit. She’d moved on, and here Wyatt was, regretting that it had taken too long for him to realize exactly what she meant to him. If he said anything now, it would be a jerk move. As much a
s he cared about Gabby, Wyatt cared about Bandit too.

  Even if Bandit didn’t seem as into Gabby as Wyatt thought he should, that didn’t mean it gave Wyatt permission to try to steal his girlfriend. Maybe the guy was just shy and didn’t like public displays of affection. What if the guy just liked his privacy, and it had nothing to do with how he felt about Gabby?

  It was a conundrum for Wyatt. Did he approach Bandit and ask the man if he was serious about Gabby? It was possible they were very serious. They’d known each other a long time. Thinking about it made Wyatt feel disgusting. Barging in on someone’s relationship just because a light bulb had finally gone off didn’t seem right to him. That was Wyatt’s fault for not taking his chance when he had it.

  He set his cheek against Gabby’s forehead, and his heart ached at the thought of not being with her. But he wanted her happy more than anything. If Gabby had moved on, Wyatt would just have to accept it. If he really cared about her, he wouldn’t want to mess up her relationship.

  Shaking his head, he grumbled to himself. All these weird thoughts and feelings were Carrie Anne’s fault. Planting that suggestion that Gabby had feelings for him had weaseled their way into his subconscious, and now he was all out of sorts. When he got back to the ranch, he was talking to his sister and straightening this whole thing out. She was the one who started the whole thing, and she’d be the one to fix it.

  * * *

  The entire drive home, Wyatt’s thoughts had gone in circles. By the time he parked the truck, if someone had asked him which way was up, he couldn’t be certain he’d point the right direction. There wasn’t an inch of him that wasn’t at war.

  It didn’t help that Gabby was beside him, arm around his neck and breath tickling his skin. She was warm and perfect, and the longer he held her, the more he didn’t want to let go, which was why he was still sitting in his parked truck ten minutes later, debating whether he should carry her to her room or continue watching her sleep. Either option kept her in his arms a little longer.