Page 13 of Enemies with my Bestie’s Brother
I groan and run a hand down my face. “Alright, I’ll give Whitney a chance.”
Chapter Six
Whitney
ThemoreIthinkabout what happened between Grayson and me last night, the more eager I am to go home and forget about him.
Penny stirs the sauce in the pot on the stove while Parker feeds Baby J. I sit at the kitchen island, looking at the flight details on my phone. I think about what I’m going to do as soon as I get home.
Maybe I’ll think about moving to another city entirely. One a little closer to Penny, but still far enough away that I won’t risk seeing Grayson every day.
“You know, I was talking to Grayson last night,” Penny says, glancing over at Parker, who gives a slight shake of his head. She ignores him and turns to me with a bright smile.
“Oh,” I say, arching an eyebrow as I already know where this is going. “And what did you and Grayson talk about?”
While I told her what happened last night, I glossed over most of the details. I’m not ready to tell her that I slept with her brother, so all I revealed was that we had argued over a difference in opinion.
“I told him that he needs to stop letting his fear of being hurt get in the way.”
My eyes widen slightly. “Why would you say that to him?”
She frowns. “He said that you’ve only used our friendship to your own advantage. Even though I told him that that was far from the truth, he still didn’t want to believe me.”
“You didn’t need to defend me against him. I can do that on my own.”
Penny waves a dismissive hand and leans against the counter. “He’s been angry and mistrusting for the last couple years, but over the past few months, it’s been the worst. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”
“I don’t know. There’s no need to worry about it though. We both decided that it would be best for us not to work together.”
“Actually, I convinced him to stop being an ass and give you a chance.” Penny smiles, like she’s doing the most amazing thing in the world for me.
I know that she is trying to help, and just wants me to build my career, by I feel sick and irritated. I told her more than once that I don’t need her help, but she keeps pushing it on me.
Still, I’m grateful to have a friend who cares about me as much as she does. It’s the only reason why I hold my tongue.
“Penny, it’s fine. You didn’t have to do that. I have more than enough work to keep me busy in Keene even if he doesn’t want to work with me.”
“He does want to work with you, he’s just being stubborn about this because of his preconceived ideas about you. If he gives you any trouble — and he shouldn’t — then tell me right away, and I’ll deal with him. He needs to start learning to trust people again.”
I smile and shake my head. “I’ll do it, but if he’s rude, I’ll be the first one to tell him off.”
The corner of her mouth tilts upward. “I know you will be. He’s a good man, when he’s acting like himself.”
“I’m not going to lose any sleep over it, Penny. I’m sure that he’ll be polite enough, and then we’ll go our separate ways. I know that he’s not a complete jerk.”
She turns back to the food, stirring the sauce again. “Does this mean that you’re going to meet with him? He said that he would be willing to arrange another meeting with you, if you’re willing to.”
“Well, I can’t miss out on more time I could spend with you and Baby J, now, could I?”
“Hey!” Parker says, his tone mocking and offended. “What am I? Just another piece of furniture?”
I roll my eyes, my smile stretching wider. “You might be. That depends on whether you’re going to make your amazing lamb chops again.”
“The ones I made the other night?” he asks as he adjusts the bottle in Baby J’s mouth.
“Those very ones.”
He jerks his chin in the direction of the fridge. “You want to put lamb chops on the list? I’ll make sure I put them in the grocery order for tomorrow.”
