Page 55 of My Scorned Best Friend

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After I pull out of her driveway, I reach over the console and take Clara’s hand. It’s soft, and as our fingers link, I can’t stop myself from looking at her when we hit a stop sign. She smiles my way, and all feels right in my world.

It was clear when I was jealous that I had feelings beyond friendship for her, but for some reason, after giving myself permission to explore a romantic relationship with her, in just a month it’s like I’m some lovesick teenager.

“I’m gonna be honest, I’m a tad apprehensive telling your family,” she says.

“Why?” I squeeze her hand.

She glances my way. “What do you think they’ll think of us?”

“They’re going to be thrilled. They seemed to know what I didn’t realize for years.”

She swivels in her seat to face me fully. “I do want to clear that up. I mean, I wasn’t pining over you for years.”

I park in the driveway of my dad and Marla’s place. Laughing, I turn off the ignition. “I didn’t think that.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I started thinking maybe there could be more between us, like, a year at most before we slept together. But mostly, the night that we did, it just felt so right that I grasped onto the idea of us. And then after I knew what it was like for the two of us to be together, I was really invested. But I don’t want you thinking I was some lovesick puppy for years.”

I tighten my grip on her hand. “Are you trying to tame my ego, or just want to make sure I don’t take you for granted?”

She sighs, her eyes darting behind us to another vehicle pulling up.

“Clara?”

“I just don’t want you to think I was looking at you differently all those years we were friends.”

“Noted.” I nod.

“I mean—”

I cut her off with a kiss. She lets out a little sound of surprise but sinks into the kiss, her hand wrapping around the back of my head, her nails running through my short hair.

TAP. TAP.

Clara backs up and wipes her mouth as if there’s evidence of us.

I turn to see Cam standing by my window with his jaw hanging open.

“Now or never. Let’s do this,” I tell her.

I climb out of my truck and Cam pats me on the back. “Finally. You might be the dumbest fuck I know.”

I don’t say anything about the fact that he stares at my baby sister as if she’s his favorite dessert.

“Don’t go blabbing it, okay?” I grab the carrying case with Clara’s dish from my back seat, and all three of us walk up the driveway together.

“I can keep secrets, unlike most of you Greenes.” He tips his head toward Clara. “Looking good.”

I put my arm around her, and she giggles.

“Getting all protective already, huh?” Cam laughs and walks in through the garage first.

I give Clara one more look to say we’ve got this, and we follow him into the house.

The minute we walk in, it’s as if we entered a day care. There are babies crying everywhere, and as I walk into the family room, Emelia runs past me in tears, then up the stairs.

“Damn it!” Jed yells and goes to follow her.

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