More Than Friends Read Online Free PDF Page B

been worried out of my mind.”
    Lily nodded. “I’m
fine.” Would she ever be again? She doubted it.
    “What were
you thinking going over to Justin’s like that?”
    “I guess I
wasn’t thinking.” She pushed out of Mel’s embrace, dropped her bag and flopped
onto the first chair she came to in the sitting room.
    Mel followed,
perched on the edge of the sofa cushion opposite. “So what happened? I know you
got pretty worked up, but I didn’t think you’d go to his place. He said you
threatened to hit him—did you?”
    Lily was so
ashamed of herself she didn’t know where to look. Not at Mel, that was for
sure. She was convinced that if she had the words Best Friend Betrayer stamped
across her forehead, her actions couldn’t have been more obvious. One glance
would be enough to tell Mel everything.
    “I don’t really
remember. I think I might have said something about bopping him on the nose for
dumping you the way he did.”
    “Oh, honey.”
Mel chuckled. “You seriously shouldn’t drink Tequila. Justin didn’t dump me; we
agreed that we weren’t right for each other. He’s sweet, but not for me.”
    Trouble was,
now Mel had figured that out it was too late for Lily to do anything about her
feelings for Justin. He’d once been Mel’s boyfriend, and she wasn’t going
there. Okay, so she already had, but she wouldn’t let it happen a second time.
    She hoped she
never saw him again. Lily didn’t think she could handle watching him make a
life with someone else.
    Five years
ago, she had three close friends. The four of them were like sisters—closer
than sisters. Then Abby started dating Katelyn’s ex-boyfriend, Ben, and
although Kate had given Abby her blessing, jealousy soon ensued. The two
friends came to blows one night in a club after a few too many drinks. Kate had
thought it wouldn’t matter that her best friend was dating her ex but, when it
came to reality, she hadn’t bargained on the gut-wrenching resentment every
time the obviously in love couple showed up. In the end, the four became two
with Abby and Katelyn vowing never to set eyes on each other again. Abby took a
job in New York, and Katelyn married Ben and moved to Scotland. As a result,
Lily and Mel made the girlfriends’ pact. Any ex either of them had would get a
wide berth. Their friendship was too precious to risk losing it over a guy.
    To an
outsider it might look easy enough for Lily to fess up to Mel and beg
forgiveness, but Lily had witnessed firsthand how something like that can enter
a friendship at the core and spoil it from the inside out.
    “Did you love
Justin?” Why Lily needed to know, was beyond her. That sort of knowledge could
only add to her guilt.
    Mel blew out
a breath and leaned back. “Yeah.” She smiled. “I love him. Who doesn’t? He’s terrific,
but I’m not in love with him. I never was.”
    Lily wanted
to scream with frustration. Mel had him and didn’t want him. She wanted him and
couldn’t have him. Anger, hurt and almighty jealousy roiled her insides. “You
said you thought he was going to propose.”
    Mel dropped
her gaze in a gesture of mild embarrassment. “I got my wires crossed. I saw a
receipt on Justin’s desk for a ring and, of course, I let myself get caught up
in the fantasy. It turned out to be a ring for his little sister’s sweet
sixteen.”
    Lily had met Bethany
a couple of times and liked the young girl who had been a late-in-life
pregnancy surprise for Justin’s parents.
    “But if he
did ask me to marry him,” Mel continued. “I would have said no.”
    That was just
dandy. Mel hadn’t thought to let her in on that fact before now. Just left her
to make a fool of herself by accusing Justin and calling him names.
    “Look.” Mel
slapped her palms onto her knees and pushed herself to her feet. “Why don’t I
make us coffee? Things always look better after a decent cup.”
    Lily nodded
although the one she had at Justin’s still churned in her stomach.
    Mel paused