Page 5 of Enemies with my Bestie’s Brother
“I know, but it wouldn’t feel right. I worked so hard to get where I am on my own. I don’t want to build a client base from your friends who feel like they have to give me a shot because I know you.”
Penny shakes her head. “None of them would think that.”
I take a bite of my mousse, nearly moaning when the taste of white chocolate and lemon melts on my tongue.
“Believe me, I appreciate the offer, but if I ever do come out here, I want to make it on my own.”
Penny rolls her eyes and nudges Parker with her elbow. “See? I told you almost word-for-word what she would say.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “Whitney, you know it wouldn’t be a problem for us to help get you set up here. If you change your mind, just say the word and I can have a list of clients lined up for you.”
My cheeks warm as I nod. Penny’s family has always had money, and mine hasn’t. I’ve had to work twice as hard for everything I have in my life.
I know that she’s worked hard too, but it feels weird to accept her help. The last thing I want her to think is that I’m only her friend for the money and the connections that come with being attached to her and the rest of the Gould clan.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” I take another bite of my mousse, hoping that they’ll change the subject.
Penny’s face lights up as she waves her spoon at me. “Did I tell you that Grayson is moving back to San Francisco? He’s nearly finished with the sale of his business, and then he’s going to be back here.”
My heart stops in my chest as I look at her. “I thought Grayson’s been back here for the last year?”
She shakes her head. “Nope. He was supposed to move back a lot sooner, but the original sale fell through. It took him some time to set up another deal and close on it. He should get here a few days before you’re supposed to leave. You two should have some time to catch up.”
The room seems to get impossibly smaller as I look at her. There is no way that she knows what happened a year ago, is there?
There can’t be. If she knows, she would have said something before now.
Grayson Gould is the last person that I want to see. I still remember the way it felt when I woke up after the best weekend of my life to find him gone.
It wasn’t that I had been expecting anything more than a weekend of fun, but I had seen a side of him that I hadn’t before. It would have been nice for him to at least say goodbye before he took off.
Instead, he left me alone in a bed, wondering why the hell I had risked my friendship with Penny for a man who wasn’t even there when I woke up.
“Well, that’s great,” I say, hoping that the words don’t sound as strained to them as they do to me.
Penny’s smile only stretches wider as she nods and looks at Parker. “It’s going to be so great to have him here. I miss him when he’s away. Honestly, I didn’t know if he would ever really come back here.”
“Well, it looks like he’s going to be home soon.”
The mousse starts to taste sour in my mouth as guilt and anger go to war inside me. I want to tell her about what happened with her brother, but there are no words that come to mind.
I should have told her last year. It would have been easier to talk about then. It likely would have been easier for the both of us to move past.
Now, after keeping a secret from her for a year, I don’t know how she would react.
I can’t tell her right now. I don’t want to ruin her excitement over her brother finally coming home.
Penny continues to talk about Grayson’s homecoming while all I can think about is how to escape.
There is no way I can be in San Francisco when he gets back.
Chapter Three
Grayson
WhenIstepoutof the airport and into the sunshine, I take a deep breath.
I’m finally home.
