Page 12 of Enemies with my Bestie’s Brother
“Look, I understand that you probably need the money, but I’m not going to fall victim to whatever scheme you have going on,” I say, crossing my arms as I look at her. “And I don’t know why you went to my sister when you knew that I was moving back to town, but this isn’t happening.”
Her eyebrows shoot up her forehead and her mouth presses into a thin line. “You asshole.”
“Tell me that I’m wrong.”
“You couldn’t be further from the truth, not that it matters to you. You clearly made up your mind about me a long time ago.”
I scoff. “You’re honestly going to sit here and pretend that sleeping with me last year and then coming here today isn’t some elaborate scheme to get more money out of my family.”
Seconds later, ice cold water splashes against my face and drips down my neck. My shirt is soaked, and it feels like I’ve jumped into the Atlantic Ocean in the winter.
I stare up at her in shock, but she says nothing as she grabs her clutch and slides out of the booth.
Whitney doesn’t spare me a second glance as she walks out and leaves me fuming.
“Whatareyoudoinghere?” Penny asks with a bright smile as she lets me into her apartment a couple hours later. “You’re supposed to be meeting with the interior designer.”
“Did you forget to tell me that the interior designer is the friend that’s been riding on your coattails since college?”
Penny’s smile drops immediately. “What did you just say about Whitney?”
“Penny, don’t try to pretend that it isn’t true. She may be good at her job, but it’s only because she’s been coasting along, using her connection to you and our family.”
She holds up a hand. “Stop right there. You barely know Whitney. You don’t know anything about her, in fact. It’s not fair of you to judge her the same way that you should have judged your last girlfriend.”
It’s a low blow that only pisses me off more.
“You know something, she is one of the best interior designers out there right now. I thought that getting you one of the best would make you happy,” Penny says, shaking her head. “But, you’re letting what you think you know about her get in the way.”
“I know enough about her to know that this is a bad idea that isn’t going to work. She just wants to use us to get her name out there.”
Penny’s cheeks are tinged with pink, and I’ve never seen her look this angry before. Her eyebrows knit together as she puts her hands on her hips. Her mouth opens and closes several times before she sighs.
“You know, I don’t know what’s happened to you because you don’t talk about it, but I know that this isn’t the man you used to be. You used to be willing to give people a fair shot.”
“Well, a lot has happened in the last few years.” I cross my arms and look at her. “I found out about the type of people I can trust, and she isn’t one of them.”
“Grayson, you need to listen to me when I tell you this.” She takes a deep breath, her face relaxing slightly. “You’re letting your preconceptions about people get in the way, and you’re going to live a miserable life if you keep allowing that to happen.”
My shoulders slump slightly. “I don’t want to fight with you about this.”
“Then you need to give Whitney a chance. Based on how upset she was when she got here, I’m willing to say that both of you said things you might not have meant.”
“I meant what I said.”
Penny glares at me for a moment. “Grayson, stop being so hard-headed about this. Whitney is a talented designer. I approached her about helping you. I didn’t tell her who you were. I just want my best friend to stay in the city for a little longer.”
“You should have told me about this. You know I don’t like it when you meddle in my life.”
She shrugs. “You never would have agreed to the meeting if I told you the designer was one of my friends.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t have. Those are the kind of friends who only want to use you.”
Penny sighs and shakes her head. “Just give Whitney a chance. I’ll talk her into meeting with you again, at your hotel room tomorrow evening. You just need to promise me that you’re actually going to give her a chance.”
“If I give her a chance, will you promise to get off my back about it?”
“Yes.”
