In Love with My Brother's Best Friend: Complete Box Set Read Online Free PDF Page B

them anything they needed. He'd only ever had one request. I
was his best friend, and I couldn't even give him that one thing. He
didn't deserve that. Neither did she. I'd felt horrible about it
every single day since it happened. Maybe that's part of the reason I
didn't reach out to Tim as much as I should have. Part of me wanted
to confess what I had done, but I couldn't do it. I knew it would
still crush him after all that time. It was a weak moment. It
shouldn't have happened, and I made damn sure it didn't happen again.
Not that she ever gave me the chance. She ran as fast and far as she
could. I'd spent those last ten years thinking about it and wondering
if she left because she wanted to or if it had something to do with
that night. I never should have given into my feelings. She was off
limits, and I knew it.
    When
I pulled my hands back from the bag, I saw the cuts and blood on my
knuckles. It wasn't the first time it happened, and I was sure it
wouldn't be the last. I had to get through two weeks. Then I'd go the
wedding, she wouldn't show up, I'd go back home, and I'd throw myself
even deeper into my work. That was what I told myself, as I stepped
under that steaming, hot shower and let the water roll over my tense
muscles. There was no way she was going to be there. Everything would
be just fine.

Chapter
4
    Tina
    When
I opened my eyes to the bright sun shining through the window, I knew
that I'd slept longer than usual. It was definitely something I
needed. My hands moved over my face as I yawned. I could feel the
puffiness beneath my eyes and could have only imagined the mess my
face had become after crying so much the night before.
    I
got out of bed, made a cup of coffee, and knew that I needed to take
on the day. There was no way I was going to let myself get bummed
out. It wasn't happening. That was all in the past. If I was going to
take on the world I'd avoided for ten years, I knew I needed a strong
person by my side. It had to be someone fun who could laugh and dance
with me at the end of the long couple of days I knew I was in store
for.
    When
I called Rachel, she wasn't about to leave town after meeting the
hottest guy she'd ever known. She was going to be wrapped up in him
for a long time. That was awesome. She deserved to be happy after
what her ex put her through. I just hoped that Cliff was everything
she'd always wanted and didn't end up hurting her. If he did, all the
money he had wouldn't buy his way out of the ass kicking I would be
giving him.
    The
next person to call was Jen. She could definitely cut loose with me.
After apologizing a million times that she wouldn't be able to take a
weekend off again so soon after Vegas, I hung up the phone feeling
defeated.
    Neither
of my two closest girls could go with me, and I knew better than to
do it alone. I needed a distraction while I was there but couldn't
think of anyone else that would be willing to fly out of town for
three days with me.
    When
I looked at the clock on my phone, I knew I had to get ready for
work. I taught during the school year. It was something I really
enjoyed. Those little ones were the most amazing and honest people in
the world. Every day with them made me happy. I never knew what they
were going to teach me or what new thing they would discover.
Children were the greatest gifts. I also worked at a local restaurant
in the evenings. It helped me keep busy and helped my bank account as
well. During the summer I worked weekdays there as well. There was no
reason for me to be home all day, and I enjoyed the people I worked
with as well as the customers. That was where I was headed that day.
    As
I let the hot water from my shower run over my tired body, I thought
about how much I'd changed over the years.
    A
lot had changed since high school. I wasn't that shy, quiet thing
anymore. Nope, not me. I was the loudest and most outgoing in my
group of friends. The quiet people were ignored. They were the ones
the guys walked right by. I