Page 14 of Secret Baby with my Brother's Best Friend

Jason looked down at his button-up shirt and jeans and let out a laugh. “One of the perks of being the boss. Don’t tell Mandy, but I totally started my own practice so I didn’t have to wear suits every day.”

I grinned. I was glad Jason was still the same, good-natured guy he’d always been. Even being a successful lawyer with his own firm hadn’t jaded him at all. We went up to the counter to order our coffees and then made our way over to the table Jason had been sitting at when I had arrived.

Once we were settled, I asked, “So, how have things been? Wedding plans coming together?”

Jason released a long breath and chuckled. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure everything’s coming together. Mandy’s on top of it all. I just do what I’m told.”

“How is the bride-to-be?”

“I think she’s loving all the planning,” Jason said. “She’s an organizing freak, so a wedding is her Super Bowl. Actually, I have to remember to ask her if she’s meeting Sam later. They’re supposed to look at the wedding favors.”

I tensed at the mention of Samantha. I’d been trying so hard not to think of her, yet she was one of the main reasons I hadn’t come home in seven years.

“How is your sister?” I asked, my throat tightening.

“Good.” Jason shrugged. “Busy. Stubborn as ever. I was just at her house this morning.”

I was careful not to let the reeling emotions deep within me show. I still felt immense guilt about leaving her the way I had the night we were together. I shouldn’t have had sex with her in the first place, but I’d been a real dick bolting right after.

I’d just been so freaked out. I couldn’t understand what had come over me that night.

Sam had always just been my best friend’s little sister. That night, though, when she’d approached me, something had seemed to unlock within me. She’d always been pretty, but she’d been suddenly stunning. Sultry. Sexy.

I’d lost total control of myself and crossed a line. I hadn’t known what to do afterward. I’d panicked, and then, I’d left town completely. Had I run away? As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I couldn’t really deny it. I’d been terrified of Jason finding out, but over the years, he’d never brought it up.

Samantha had kept our encounter a secret.

My reason for staying away had shifted from fear of my best friend hating me, to fear of giving into temptation once more. Samantha was forbidden to me. I couldn’t risk crossing that line with her again, but I’d known I wasn’t strong enough to resist her.

She continued to haunt my thoughts throughout the years, and the memory of our night together lived permanently on the edge of my mind. I compared every woman I was with to her, and they had all fallen short.

Samantha was dangerous to my sanity and self-control, and I’d done my best to avoid falling further under her spell.

“So, I have a list of best man duties for you,” Jason said, snapping me out of my wandering thoughts. “You’ve been slacking so far, you know.”

I smirked. “Oh, have I? Well, a thousand apologies. What do you have for me?”

Jason produced a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it, smoothing it out on the table between us.

Clearing his throat, he began, “Number one, you need to go in for a tux fitting. We gave them your measurements, but you know how these things can go. I don’t want you wearing capris the day of the wedding.”

I nodded, conceding the point. “Noted.”

“Two, you must organize a bachelor celebration.”

“Naturally.”

“Nothing too wild. I have a reputation to maintain in this community, you know.”

I chuckled. “All right. Only a few strippers then.”

Jason grinned before looking back at his list. “All right, let’s see. Reception speech, help with setup, ummm…oh! This is an important one. You’ll be in charge of the rings the day of. Basically, make sure the ringbearer has them at the start, and then, you’ll hold onto them until the actual exchange.”

“Gotcha,” I said. “Not a problem.”

“Henry’s super excited to be the ringbearer,” Jason declared, his smile widening. “It’s all he talks about when we’re together.”

I frowned. “How do you know this kid?”

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