Page 20 of Falling for my Brother's Best Friend

Seven

Savannah

Ibarely escape my meeting with enough time to hightail it over to Brooklyn’s in time to get ready for my date. Juno is already antsy that I’m going to bail, and I don’t need her calling Brook and finding out I’m late.

I park in front of what I think of as the Whitmore Estate, because this giant-ass farmhouse in the middle of Alaska is an out-of-place monstrosity. But that’s what you get from a millionaire trust fund baby, I guess.

I walk up the gravel walkway—they haven’t gotten a chance to pave it yet—and two men unloading something large and white from a box truck draw my attention. At the door, I ring the doorbell.

“Sav?” Wyatt comes out from around back of the house. He’s all sweaty in his track pants and T-shirt.

“Do you still run the resort?” I ask.

He smiles and runs his hand through his dark hair. “You know the chickens your sister bought are a full-time job.”

I return his smile. “You should make Brooklyn do it.”

He agrees, but from his expression, I can see that will never happen.

“Where is she anyway?” I ask, eager to get inside and get ready to be picked up because I want this date done and over with. Yes, I know, not the best mindset to go into this with, but it’s the truth.

“She went into town to grab more plants. She’s trying to build a garden. She said she’d be back by now though.”

“Sick of heading over to Holly and Austin’s every time she needs to make essential oils?” I ask, unsure if I should open the door and go in or not.

Wyatt steps up onto the grand porch. “She caught them screwing the other day when she went by to pick some things from her old garden.”

I cringe, imagining myself in that scenario. “Seems like a regular occurrence for the newlyweds.”

“Yeah. I heard they’re trying.”

I ignore the pang pulling at my heart. I may never “be trying” because what am I going to do? Run a business with a baby hanging off my right breast? No other Bailey is interested in working at Bailey Timber, and Grandma Dori spends less and less time there as it is. I’m the one and only Bailey who can keep the family company, and thereby our legacy, going. Not to mention the problem of finding someone who will accept me for me, falling in love, and getting married first.

“I heard the same,” I say. I watch the men round the box truck again and realize it’s a tent they’re carrying. “That for the reception?”

He glances back as if he doesn’t remember. “Yeah. So much for a small ceremony.”

“No such thing when you marry a Bailey.”

“My only saving grace is that half of Manhattan won’t be here.”

“True.”

I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like if they’d invited half of the upper east side to attend. Wyatt’s family owns hotel chains around the world and I’m sure his father would’ve loved nothing more than a swanky Manhattan wedding. As a businesswoman, I have a lot of respect for Wyatt for striking out on his own and purchasing the failing resort in Lake Starlight and turning it around. As a sister, I have even more respect for all the love and support he’s shown my sister since she was left at the altar right before they met.

“Anyway, I’m done talking wedding shit. It’s the reason we eloped. What are you doing here? Brooklyn mentioned you’d be coming by, but she didn’t say why.” He eyes the bag hanging off my shoulder.

“Well…”

As I’m about to tell him the embarrassing fact that I allowed my matchmaking sister to set me up, Brooklyn’s tires sound on the gravel drive before coming to a stop. She opens the trunk of her fancy SUV and grabs a bin of plants and flowers. Wyatt jogs down the steps and grabs them from her.

“Thanks, babe.” Brooklyn smiles at me. “Sorry I’m late. The nursery had some new plants in I couldn’t resist checking out.” She waves it off like it’s not a big deal that she wasn’t on time. “Can I do your makeup?”

She’s forgotten the plants and is on to the next task at hand, but that’s Brooklyn.

“I can do my own makeup.”

“Is this a trial for the reception or something?” Wyatt drops the big crate full of stuff for Brooklyn to plant on the side on the lawn.

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