Page 29 of Fabulous Filthy Friend

Now neither of those things are stress-free anymore. My shower release last night felt off. And then someone slashed my tires, requiring me to sit at my office late to wait for AAA to come to bring replacement ones. Plus…I now have a mastiff that weighs almost as much as me on my couch.

I motion toward Cade’s companion. “Did you have to bring Prince with you?”

He takes a swig of his beer and pats him on the head. “He didn’t want me to leave. Kept making those annoying whining sounds at the door as soon as I closed it behind me. Alicia didn’t want him to wake up the kids.”

“Well, he better not chew on anything or shit on my couch.”

Cade feigns offense and places his hand over his chest. “I’m hurt you would ever think poor Prince could partake in such awful behavior.”

I laugh and drain half my beer. “I’ve heard the stories and seen the evidence all over your house. But nice try.”

Cade takes a swig of his beer and glances at Prince. “He’s a good boy, most of the time. And I promise he won’t do anything to increase your stress level. You’re a wreck as it is. Is all of this because of whatever’s going on with Rachel?”

I walk to the window and peek through the blinds across the street to Cade and Alicia’s house. “Yeah.”

Because of Rachel.

At least, that’s all I plan on telling him right now. It’s not that I think Cade would judge me if I told him about HRD4U and the guilt that has suddenly popped up over doing it; I’m just not ready to open that can of worms at this moment. It’s enough that my relationship with my best friend is on the rocks.

“What happened between you two, anyway? All I heard from Alicia was that something went down and you aren’t talking, which we all know is not usual.”

“I know.” I squeeze my eyes shut and drop my forehead against the cool glass of the window. “I fucked up, though.”

“Why? What happened?”

“She came to church with Mom and me on Sunday, and afterward, we went out for coffee. I had a lot on my mind and having Rachel there didn’t make it any easier.”

“Why? Because you’re in love with her?”

I jerk my head around to look at him. A smug smile tilts his lips.

Coughing slightly, I shift under his assessment. “I never said that.”

“You don’t have to, mate. I’ve been friends with both of you for long enough to know what I see. And what I see when you look at her is love.” He holds up a hand to stop me from interrupting. “And not the kind of love between friends.”

Shit. If it’s that obvious to him, is it that obvious to Rachel, too?

“I didn’t realize I was so transparent.”

He laughs and leans back on the couch. Prince shifts with him and drops his head onto Cade’s lap. “I think you do a fairly good job of hiding it from her, but Alicia and I have definitely seen it. Why don’t you make a move, man? Why not see if she feels the same way?”

“Because she doesn’t. It’s been five years. If she liked me as anything more than a friend, thought of me as anything more than another brother, I would know by now. Something would’ve happened between us. She would’ve said something…”

Cade drains his beer and sets the empty bottle on the side table. “Would she? Why haven’t you?”

“Because I don’t want to risk losing her friendship.”

His shoulders rise and fall. “Maybe she’s holding back for the same reason.”

“No”—I shake my head—“she’s looking for a certain kind of guy, and I’m not it.”

He snorts and sighs. “What kind of guy do you think she’s looking for? Because it seems like none of the guys she’s dated recently meet her expectations.”

Rachel’s perfect guy…

It’s not something I like to think about. Someone else with her. Someone else kissing her. Someone else holding her hand. Someone else touching her.

But I know what Rachel needs.

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