My Bestie's Ex

by Piper Rayne

  “But I know who he is now. Sierra and I have had our differences what with us being best friends and then not talking for a few years. I finally feel like I fit in somewhere. I love living here with her and Rian and you guys across the hall, but with Ethan…”

  Dylan’s wide smile says he’s happy for his friend. Happy that Ethan’s crush likes him too. “Stop looking so googly-eyed. This isn’t some sitcom where everything will be cleared up in thirty minutes. I know Sierra, and she’s not going to take this lightly. She’s going to hate me and she’s definitely going to expect me to break up with him.”

  “But what do you want?”

  “I want her not to be Ethan’s ex!” I throw my head in my hands. Peeking my head up, I look at him through the slits in my fingers. “I wanted to explore what this was with Ethan because it feels…”

  “Right.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  He chuckles. “Because it’s the same thing he said. That there’s just something different between you two.”

  Damn it. This is not helping.

  “This is the worst. Where did he go?”

  “Him and Seth and Knox went to the bar. I’m gonna head there too. Do you want to join us?”

  I shake my head. “You go. You’re his friend.”

  He stands up and meets me at the edge of the rooftop, placing his hand on my shoulders. “You’re my friend now too. I’ll leave you with one last piece of advice. Sometimes you have to be selfish.” He squeezes my shoulder and a few seconds later, I hear the rooftop door shut behind him.

  That’s when the first tear falls from my eye. Maybe coming to Cliffton Heights was my worst idea ever.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Blanca

  *

  Early the next morning, I throw on a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt. Shoot a text to my sister-in-law Val and tiptoe out of my room to find Rian up and already baking muffins.

  “How early do you wake up to impress him?” I whisper because keeping Sierra asleep is my mission right now.

  “These are for my parents, okay?”

  “But some might miss the container and end up outside Dylan’s door?” I raise both my eyebrows and she narrows her eyes. We both know I’m right.

  “Where are you disappearing to this early? Mystery guy?”

  I glance at Sierra’s door and for a moment I debate telling Rian everything I learned last night. But I decide that conversation might take longer than I have before Sierra wakes so I’m better to get out of here.

  “I’m heading to my brother’s place in the city.”

  “Oh nice. Have a good time.”

  She places the muffin tray in the oven, and I head to the door. With my hand on the doorknob, I turn around. Rian is picking up her Kindle and she looks at me with a sweet smile on her face. Surely, she won’t hate me. I had no idea.

  “Hey, Rian.” I step back into the apartment. Maybe it would be a good idea to get her take on all this.

  She lays her Kindle down to give me her full attention. That’s the great thing about Rian, she’s always one hundred percent present. “What’s up?”

  Sierra’s door opens and she runs her hand through her crimson-colored hair that’s sticking up in all directions. Her boxer shorts are shifted around her waist and her tight tank top is about to expose one of her breasts. Getting herself together takes no longer than a minute and she only makes it to the couch. “Why are we up so early?”

  “I’m making muffins.”

  “Let me guess. Chocolate chip?” She eyes me over the edge of the couch with a sarcastic smile. It’s like a knife to my heart. If she only knew I’ve fallen for her ex-boyfriend.

  “No, funny girl. Blueberry. My mom’s favorite.”

  “And Dylan’s second.” Sierra falls back onto the couch groaning like she’s in pain.

  “I’m out,” I say.

  Rian perks up. “I thought you had—”

  “Nope. Gotta get to the city to see my brother and it’s a long train ride.”

  “Oh, let me get dressed. Who are we seeing? Carm?” Sierra sits up and acts like she’s going to sprint to get ready. She’s so not a morning person, but she has always had a thing for Carm.

  “Dom. You know the one with the wife and baby?”

  She rolls her eyes and falls down to the couch cushions in defeat. “Give them my best.”

  “Will do. See you two later.”

  I walk out before I can be stopped again and asked more questions. Talking to Sierra and withholding the information I discovered last night feels all kinds of wrong. It’s why I hoped to sneak out before she woke up. Then I wouldn’t feel more guilty than I do.

  Heading out to Cliffton Heights on a Saturday at seven in the morning is like walking onto a set of a Hallmark movie. Everyone is all smiles. People walking their dogs, grabbing newspapers, holding trays of coffees they’re bringing home for their significant others. Even the train station guy was friendly as I paid for my ticket. Who wants to work on Saturday morning.

  I purposely pick the first car because Ethan appears to be a creature of habit and ours is always the last car on Sunday nights. I situate myself and stare out the window at the rolling green landscape with the hopes that somebody can give me the advice I need.

  Dom opens the door to their high-rise condo, and I instantly wrap my arms around myself. I heard the rumors about Val and her hot flashes while pregnant, but it’s like the damn arctic in here.

  “It’s freezing in here. You have icicles on your eyebrows.” I point at my brother, and he actually touches them to make sure he doesn’t. I hit him in the stomach as I pass him for the person I’m really here for this morning. “I’m kidding. You and Ryder need to stop giving her hell.”

  I curl up beside Val, pulling a blanket over her. The baby might be under layers of skin, but even he or she has to be freezing.

  “I love you, Blanc, but you gotta get away from me with that blanket. You and your brother, I swear,” Val says, squirming away from me.

  “Be careful, she punched me when I tried to cuddle last night.” Dom sits in the chair across from them, propping his feet up on the table.

  Val narrows her eyes at him, but he challenges her right back until they both laugh. I slide over to the other end of the couch. I have no idea what it’s like to grow a human being inside you.

  “How’s the job?” Dom asks because he’s business most of the time now. At least he let me walk in and sit before hitting me with the questions.

  “It’s good. I’m enjoying it.”

  “Any cute boys work there?” Val asks with a smile.

  “Well…”

  “Oh, spill.” Val turns on the couch to face me. “I’m over Netflix. I’ve watched everything. I want some real gossip.” The pleading expression on her face has me opening up in front of my brother. Which wasn’t really my plan. I figured I’d talk a while and Dom would get bored and maybe head to the bedroom to watch a game or something.

  “It’s just this guy I work with.”

  “And?” Val prods.

  I look to Dom and he rolls his eyes. “Office romance isn’t a good way to start, Blanc. Tell me he isn’t your boss?”

  “No, it’s not that cliché.”

  “But it’s a little cliché?” Val asks, and the smile on her face says she hopes I’m about to fill her gossip meter full.

  I shrug. “Kind of.”

  “An office romance! Are you guys pinned against one another?” Val asks, more hope and excitement in her tone.

  I laugh. “No.”

  “Oh! Oh! Are you his boss?” Val raises her hand as if we’re in a game show.

  Dom groans and rolls his eyes again.

  “Nope.” I shake my head.

  “What about… is he an ex?” Val asks.

  My smile falls. “Sort of?”

  “Is he an ex of one of your friends?” Dom asks.

  I feel my face drain of color, and I nod.

  “Dom! You can
’t opt out of playing and then steal the winning answer. I was playing!” Val crosses her arms over her tummy.

  “Sorry,” he mumbles and raises his shoulders up and down, looking at me.

  And then I bury my head in a pillow and the tears from last night start all over again.

  Val slides closer to me and wraps her arm around my shoulders. “Like how close of a friend?”

  “My best friend. One of my roommates,” I mumble into the pillow hoping they didn’t hear. I’m so ashamed.

  “Your roommate?” I hear Dom’s feet fall to the floor.

  “Relax,” Val says.

  “Wait.” I look up to find Dom pacing the floor in front of us. “You work with him and he’s your roommate’s ex. How small is this Cliffton Heights place? Is there not enough dick to go around that you have to dip into your friend’s ex?”

  “Dominic! That’s harsh.” Val’s hands run up and down my arms and although she tears the blanket off my lap, she does allow me to cuddle into her side like the awesome mom she already is.

  “I just don’t get it. I’ve told you, Blanca. You never mess around with people at the office.”

  “Well that’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Val says.

  Dom narrows his eyes at her for a second and then relaxes. Obviously my brother was messing around with someone at his work before he got back together with Val.

  “Tell that to Enzo,” I say out of spite.

  “He’s lucky it turned out how it did. Plus, he was her boss. He could’ve been sued. He was a moron.”

  “Well.” I square my shoulders at my oldest brother. “The moron is marrying the love of his life. Everyone is and the one guy I fall for ends up being Sierra’s ex-boyfriend.”

  “Sierra Sanders?” Val whispers from next to me.

  I nod. I’m fairly sure she and Dom are having a conversation over my head because Val’s body gets rigid.

  “You haven’t talked to her in years. The office issue is the bigger problem. This is your first job in that industry. Rumors are probably already being spread about you.”

  I look up again and my brother’s face is red. He’s got his cell phone in his hands, probably ready to call the Mancini brother cartel to come over and keep me in line.

  “There’re no rumors.”

  “I think the friend issue takes precedence over the workplace.” I love Val for speaking up. She’s exactly right.

  “And why is that?” Dom asks.

  “Because it’s where she lives for one. Plus friendships are more important than guys. Imagine if Lulu would’ve slept with you while we were broken up?”

  Dom stares blankly at her for a moment. “I would never sleep with her.”

  “She’s very persuasive,” Val says.

  “Babe, I can’t stand the woman for more than five-minute increments. Why on Earth would you think I’d actually sleep with her? Plus, she’s your friend.” Dom leans forward in my direction. “So I never would have done it.”

  “I didn’t know. Okay?” I throw my hands up in the air. “They dated when I wasn’t in her life.” I stick my tongue out at his judgmental self.

  “Then what’s the problem? Call it off. She can’t be upset.” Dom sits back down. “You’d think with the journalism thing and everything, you’d know which information to start with. This isn’t the end of the world. End the relationship and Sierra never even has to know.” Val and I both stare at my brother long and hard until he finally says, “What?”

  “God help us if we have a daughter,” Val murmurs and I laugh.

  “That’s rude.” Dom’s obviously offended, his jaw is hanging open.

  “She’s here crying because she more than likes him. He’s obviously someone important to her, so it’s not as easy as her calling it quits.” Val points at me like Dom doesn’t realize I’m even here.

  “So stop yourself from caring.” He shrugs.

  I groan and Val’s arms tighten on my shoulders. “Jesus, Dom. Get out of your head for a moment. Your sister is hurting here. She loves the boy.”

  “Love? You’re too young.” He grabs the remote and changes the channel.

  Val stands up, it takes her a minute with her belly, and grabs the remote from his hand, turning off the television. “She’s twenty-eight.”

  “She can wait until she’s in her thirties.”

  Val grabs my arm and yanks me up to my feet then puts her hands on my shoulders and turns me toward my brother. “Dominic Mancini, meet your younger sister, Blanca Mancini. She’s not nine anymore. She’s twenty-eight. A grown woman. Treat her as such.”

  Dom huffs, but he blows out a breath. I swear only Val has the power to get through to him. “You really like him?”

  I nod.

  Val sits down on the couch.

  “You want to date him in a serious way? Don’t go through all this bullshit just for a fuck.”

  I bite my lip to stop myself from telling Dom that I already had sex with Ethan, and it was fantastic, more than I could’ve imagined.

  “You go to your friend and ask permission.”

  My eyes widen and I look over at Val. She smiles at her husband and turns to me, nodding in agreement. “You need to tell your friend what’s going on and how you feel.”

  “And if she doesn’t want me to date him?”

  They look at one another and then back at me. Val allows my brother to be the bearer of bad news. “Then the ball is in your court. Which is more important, friendship or the douche?”

  “He’s not a douche.”

  Dom leans forward and his hand falls on my knee. “Blanc, I’m your big brother, they’re all douches to me. It’s just the way it is.”

  Val laughs but smiles proudly at my brother. If she could tolerate the heat of body contact, I think they’d sneak off to the bedroom to have sex.

  I sit back down on the couch and pull a pillow to my chest. When we were kids, Sierra couldn’t share her popcorn at the movie theater. We always had to have our own. I’m not sure much has changed on that front. But my brother and Val are right, I have to tell her how I feel.

  Just then my phone dings.

  Ethan: We need to talk.

  Yeah, we do.

  Me: I’m in the city. Be back this afternoon. Your place?

  *

  Ethan: I’ll be here.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Ethan

  *

  I pocket my cell phone and prop my feet back up on the coffee table.

  “She just got off the train,” I tell Dylan, who’s been here all day.

  Lucky me, he brought Rian’s blueberry muffins. One thing I missed about being with Sierra was Rian’s baking.

  “What’s the plan?” Dylan asks for the millionth time.

  “I told you. I’m leaving it up to Blanca. I have no ties to Sierra anymore.”

  Dylan stares at me with a bored expression like he knows me better than that.

  Sierra’s gonna have a conniption, think I planned this from the get-go and possibly come after me with a machete to the balls.

  “It’s true. It affects Blanca more than me.” I pick up a pillow and throw it at him. “I’m still pissed you had the thought that it sounded like Blanca, and you didn’t say anything.”

  “Man, I told you, I didn’t know. Besides, I don’t know if I would’ve told you. You’d just throw something away that seems pretty great for you.”

  “How do you know?”

  He puts down the controller to my Xbox. “Your face gave it away. When you talked about kissing her in the elevator, I knew you were done. Off the market. Something was different. Plus, the minute I met Blanca I thought about fixing her up with you. You two just kind of fit.”

  “Really?”

  He raises his eyebrows at me. “You having doubts?”

  I shake my head. “If we didn’t work together, I’d be fine. But you know I like to keep that shit separate.”

  “But you still nailed her.”

  I shrug,
picking up the remote to play a game to try and push this shit situation out of my mind. “How could I not?”

  “Because she’s different, so stop being a pussy and just lay your heart down on the table for Blanca to claim.”

  “Who knew Romeo had so many tattoos?”

  He laughs and grabs another blueberry muffin, chomping the top of it off. “I’m not Romeo, that’d be Seth. The Andrews versus the Ericksons. Which bagel place will stand after the bloodbath of bagels across Cliffton Heights?”

  “Are you suggesting Seth has a thing for The Bagel Place girl?”

  He looks at me like I’m an idiot for not figuring it out myself. “No one hates someone that much without their being real feelings under all that hate.”

  I nod because Dylan’s always been good at seeing things like that. Except with it comes to him and Rian. Every one of us knows how she feels except him. One day I’ll have to pull him out of the darkness but right now I have my own problems to deal with.

  “What if it ends badly?” I ask Dylan.

  “Then it ends badly. But you obviously like her. You’ve crossed the line a lot farther than you ever have before.” He picks up the other remote, presses restart, and the game starts over with two players.

  “I do.”

  “Then stop dissecting everything that could go wrong and enjoy the ride. Maybe nothing bad will happen and in twenty years, the two of you will be writing opposing articles in Mars And Venus.”

  “God, I hope not. I mean, if I’m still working at Mars And Venus in twenty-years than I haven’t gone anywhere in my career.”

  “It’s not a bad job.” I see him shrug in my peripheral vision.

  “It’s not the New Yorker either.”

  He shakes his head and the buzzer rings, telling me that Blanca is downstairs.

  “That’s my cue. Want me to scale the balcony?” Dylan asks, setting the gaming controller down.

  “She knows we’re friends,” I remind him.

  I buzz Blanca in and open my apartment door. I could still smell her on my sheets last night and had wished we’d stayed at my apartment. Then all this shit with Sierra would’ve been pushed to another day—like never.