Page 21 of Marrying My Brother's Best Friend

“I can’t ever go through that, Gracie,” he murmurs against my neck as I hold him close.

This insight into his soul helps me understand him better, and in that moment, there’s nothing I can say to Trevor. So I hold him tight against me and savor the warmth of being in his arms.

***

Later that night, after dinner, Trevor and his boys are hanging out in the living room while I get on a video call with Natalie. Her eyes sparkle with excitement, and she’s grinning wide the entire time as she grills me about New York.

“The entire town’s raving about you two. They say you’ve been in a secret relationship with the basketball star for years, and the paparazzi won’t stop dropping by to take pictures of Espresso Books.”

“How’s the shop doing?” I haven’t had the time to worry about the bookstore in the past week, and I’m hopeful that Natalie will keep things running in my absence.

“We’ve had way more sales in the past week than we’ve had in years, Gracie. Everyone’s suddenly interested in our coffee and books. Guess what… Jace’s back in town for the weekend and he’s thinking of hiring a new manager. Did he tell you about it? I put him in charge of the store to handle things and he can’t be there all the time, so he needs someone to keep an eye on things.”

I shake my head as a sinking feeling weighs down on my heart. My brother and I haven’t spoken since our last argument at the bookstore. Jace is pissed at my decision to help with Trevor’s ruse.

“He’s always been protective of you,” Natalie answers with a light chuckle. “He’s probably worried that you’d run off into the big city and fall for the jock while forgetting that all of this is fake and it’s not going to last.”

Natalie’s laughing while speaking, but her words are so true. It leaves an unsettling feeling in my gut and makes me shift restlessly on my bed.

She notices my silence and arches a suspicious brow. “No way,” she gasps, her eyes widening into round saucers.

“What?”

“Oh my…You’re falling for him,” she squeals.

Heat flushes down my neck and steals my breath away with a force that I’ve never felt. “Don’t be silly, I’m not,” I deny fervently, shaking my head to buttress my point. “Trevor’s a friend in need and nothing more.”

“Yeah right,” she says. “That flush on your cheek tells me otherwise, Gracie. Have you two kissed yet? How steamy have things gotten between you two?” She starts making smooching sounds with her lips, and I burst into laughter alongside her before she settles down again.

“Don’t fall for him, Gracie,” Natalie says after some time. She sounds more solemn now and the look in her eyes is serious. “He’s not the kind of guy you fall for. He’s just like candy. You can have a bite and let go because you can never get enough, even though it’s bad for you.”

“I know,” I say to my best friend with a sigh that renews the hollow depth in my heart. “That’s what makes this so hard.”

My smile turns wistful as I replay Trevor’s earlier outburst in my mind. All I knew about his parents before now was that his dad left when he was thirteen and his mom was rarely ever around to care for him.

I suspected in the past that he’d been hurt before, but I could never have imagined that his wounds ran so deep. Deep enough to make him swear off love forever.

Chapter 12

Trevor

Gracie is the only thing I think about. After my outburst in the kitchen, my friends and I decided to spend the night playing video games and drinking. It’s a usual boys' hang-out theme, and I prefer to have their company around tonight because it’ll help distract my thoughts from the woman driving me insane in the next room.

My boys are enjoying the game while we’re in the living room, and I’m nursing my can of soda, watching them play while trying to analyze my thoughts.

I never should have told her about my parents, I think with a deep sigh. I’ve never wanted Gracie to see me as weak or broken. Now that she knows about my past, she might think I’m living with a deep scar in my heart. I’ve never wanted her to see me as weak or broken, so I’ve never explained this to her.

The truth is, my parents lived their lives and made their mistakes. I don’t intend to make the same mistakes and allow myself to experience the same hurt my mother endured. My fear constantly nags me. What if I turn out to be just like my father? Gracie deserves better than that.

“Hey,” Billy calls to gain my attention after some time, and I turn to look at him before lowering my can to the ground.

“So, what’s up with you and the small-town girly?” he asks. “You two really married? In such a short time? There’s been rumors in the team, man. They think you’re putting on a show for management.”

Billy is my closest friend among my teammates, and he’s the only one I’ve ever been able to confide in. Billy stares at me inquisitively, and I sigh before shaking my head.

“She’s just a friend,” I whisper to him.

His eyes widen, and I motion for him to come with me. We head to the kitchen, and I grab a bottle of brandy from my top shelf, pour us a glass, and then pull out a chair to sit.

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