Page 13 of Eligible Best Friend

After my stepdad’s secrets were exposed, she was humiliated. I only know a portion of her pain. I should’ve seen it coming. I should’ve known that his business trips were nothing more than stereotypical write-offs with other women.

My stepbrother breaks away from the group. Several years older than me, his eyes crinkle as he greets Mom. His smile seems genuine, and for once, I see him as a thirty-six-year-old man and not a petulant fifteen-year-old.

“Maggie. How nice to see you.” Ryan lifts his gaze to me and extends his hand. “Ford.”

“Ryan. This is Lia Wescott.”

Ryan shakes my hand, his curious gaze on Lia, full of obvious questions that are more insulting than I care to admit. Did I pick her up last night at some bar and convince her to come today? Is she the type to get drunk and make a scene? There’s no way she’s as refined as she looks if she’s my date.

I answer some of the questions. “Lia and I are also partners on the ambulance. We’re dating.”

Mild shock registers on his face. “Ah. Lia. That’s why your name’s so familiar. Maggie’s mentioned you a time or two.”

She has? I’m not shocked Mom talks about me. But Ryan remembered? I prepare myself for a subtle dig or a not-so-subtle one like what he used to do when we were kids, but nothing comes.

“Nice to meet you,” Lia’s warm tone puts all of us at ease. “Lovely venue.”

Ryan shoves his hands in his pockets. “Yes, well, Karoline has exceptional taste. She takes after our mother that way.”

My smile tightens. Ryan might not have meant that as a dig toward Mom, that his dad had shit taste, but I can’t help my reaction.

I take Mom’s elbow and tug Lia with me at the same time. “We’ll find our seats. Thanks, Ryan.”

When we’re several feet away, Mom mutters, “That went better than I hoped, but I guess I haven’t talked to them much in the last few years.”

“I still don’t trust him.”

Mom pats my arm. “He was an angry kid and a bitter young man. Maybe family life has balanced him.” She tips her head toward two young girls in twirly white dresses. Girls who could’ve been nieces had I been allowed to be some sort of brother to Ryan and Karoline.

Lia remains quiet as we take our seats. Thankfully, we don’t have to talk to anyone else before the ceremony starts.

Lia crosses one long leg over the other. The movement catches my eye, but my gaze lingers on her satiny skin. She has amazing legs. Shoulders. Hair. What body part am I going to admire next? Fucking toes?

On cue, my gaze trails down to her white strappy sandals and the breath whooshes out of me. Her toenails are bubble-gum pink.

Bubble-gum pink.

Lia Wescott. The woman who never wears jewelry, has never been seen with a manicure, and doesn’t use a dab of makeup paints her damn toenails.

Lust rips into me. I clear my throat and tear my gaze away. Lia peers at me from the corner of her eye, no doubt concerned that someone else is approaching to piss me off. I wish that’s what had caused my reaction and not my wanting to strip Lia down and find out what other surprises are in store.

She’s my friend. Is it normal to want to fuck your female friend so bad you can barely breathe through the need?

It takes the whole damn ceremony to calm my body down. It has to be the abstinence. I’ve been laid too regularly since Cass dumped me. My only other stretch of abstaining was when Cass was pregnant and cut me off, but even then, I didn’t have a case of blue balls so bad it strangled me over bubble-gum pink nails.

Fuck.

I manage to smile and clap when Karoline flounces down the aisle in a wedding dress that billows out in a circle around her.

Ryan lingers behind to invite everyone to the reception and dance afterward. Lia’s arm is back in mine and I fight an internal battle to keep my dick down where it belongs. I refuse to get an erection at my stepsister’s wedding.

“Want to leave?” I quietly ask Mom.

Mom shakes her head. “We made it through the ceremony, and the RSVP was more for the dinner. It’d be rude to leave before eating. But then I’m taking off. I’ll leave it up to you two what you want to do the rest of the reception. You’ve done enough already. I’m…enjoying myself.”

“Are we going to stay for the dancing?” Lia’s eyes are bright. My partner, who is all-business and no play, is actually looking forward to playing. She goes somber. “I mean, if the dinner goes well.”

I want to leave now. Our encounter with Ryan wasn’t bad. But we still have to face Karoline and her mother. It’s Karoline’s big day. I can’t be a dick to her if she says something insulting. Yet, I’m caught not wanting to disappoint Lia. “If everything’s going well, I don’t see why we can’t stay. It’s just dancing.”

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