Page 2 of Enemies with My Brother's Billionaire Bestie

Honestly, he looks so good—maybe better than he did years ago. I’m sure there are plenty of girls swooning over him daily, but those brown eyes? They don’t sway me. Well, maybe they almost did, but Elliot Sharp is still the same brute he was back then.

“Elliot! Ollie!” Daniel’s voice echoes from the entrance, filled with excitement. He strides over to my side, a broad grin on his face, while Julia dashes forward to wrap Elliot in a warm, enthusiastic hug.

They both act like it’s perfectly normal to have Elliot Sharp waltzing into our home, but it definitely isn’t. What on earthhappened in the three years I’ve been gone? Did everyone suddenly develop a taste for chaos?

My brother kisses my hair with a smile on his face, and as much as I want to fold into his arms, I also need some explanation. He seems to read the horror on my face.

“Elliot is here for the wedding, too; he’s my best man.”

“What! I can’t stand the thought of being around him,” I blurt out, eyes wide with shock as I shoot Elliot a look of pure disdain. Daniel laughs, the sound light but amused. “Trust me, darling, you’re going to see him a lot more than you have in years, so brace yourself.”

My chest tightens at his comment, and I brace myself for Julia to burst into laughter, but no one is laughing. I try to keep a calm exterior, but inside, I’m desperate to pull my hair out. Julia claps her palms together excitedly. “Great, now that we’ve addressed the elephant in the room, can we go inside and plan my wedding?”

Daniel takes one of my bags, leaving Elliot and me standing there in awkward silence until he reaches for the last one. When I place my hand over his in protest, a shiver trickles down my spine at how smooth his hand feels.

“I can carry my own weight, thank you,” I seethe through gritted teeth, and he lets go with a mischievous smile.

As I lift the bag off the ground, my eyes widen in shock. Wow, what a surprise—I didn’t realize I packed a small elephant! I groan to myself, and as I take a step, I stumble under the unexpected weight.

Great, now I’m really going to give him something to laugh about.

Just before I hit the ground, his arms wrap securely around my hips, breaking my fall. Another shiver rushes down my spine as his beautiful face and warm breath come within a few inches of mine.

“Is this how you handle your own weight? By crashing butt-first onto the ground?” The humor in his eyes is unmistakable, and when his lips curve into a small smile, I catch a glimpse of a dimple I hadn’t noticed before.

Pushing him aside, I straighten up and avoid his gaze.

“That bag isn’t mine; maybe they switched it at the airport,” I defend myself, only to realize how ridiculous I sound as the words leave my mouth. Elliot grabs the bag effortlessly, as if it were just a small sack of potatoes.

“Well, you shouldn’t always be so stubborn—it’s irritating,” he says.

“You don’t get to tell me how to act, and this doesn’t mean I don’t hate you!” I pout, pointing at my bag in his hand.

His smile widens as he leans in, and my heart does a backflip for the third time tonight. I hate how close he’s standing.

“I don’t think hating me will be an issue,” he says, his voice low and teasing. “Because I don’t plan on trying to make you like me at all.”

My heart races as he pulls away, and though I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, I know for certain that the last thing I want is to be friends with the boy who bullied me for no reason. Elliot Sharp was a monster, but I’m not that timid girl who was too scared to stand up for herself anymore.

“You’re not going to ruin things for me again, Elliot. Not this time.”

Chapter two

Elliot

Ican't stop looking. I've tried to appear indifferent, distracted even, but when no one's watching, my eyes drift to her, wondering if those blue eyes always sparkle like that when she smiles. I haven't seen Olivia Reed in years, but the woman standing before me is nothing like the timid sixteen-year-old I used to know, and I hate myself for noticing.

Those yellow joggers should be hideous—no one should wear joggers that practically scream, "Look at me, I'm a walking banana!" But somehow, Olivia pulls them off, and I have no idea how.

I knew she was coming, and mentally prepared myself for the trouble she’d bring. Water and oil, they say, should never mix, and her reaction today proves we’re still on the same page.

If it were up to me, I'd stay in the kitchen, buried in the heat of my restaurant, creating new dishes for Daniel’s wedding. But he's my best friend, and I owe him this much—even if it means dealing with his not-so-little sister.

"You’ve been staring at her all day," Daniel says, rolling his eyes as he sets the plates on the table. "Don’t tell me you two still hate each other? It's been six freaking years, dude."

I rub my temple, giving him a half-hearted shrug. "Look at her. Who wouldn’t hate your sister? You heard how she spoke about me. She's barely been in town a day, and I already have a headache."

Daniel nudges my shoulder playfully. "In her defense, you did ruin her prom. She cried a river that night, and you’re lucky I didn’t knock you through a wall."

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