“A cabin? In the mountains?” Her eyebrows shoot up, hazel eyes searing into mine. I love that she has Mom’s eyes. But every time she gives me this look, an ache rips through my chest. Where I look like Dad, Brandi is all Mom.
“Brandi. You know this was a trip she had—“
“Planned for her ex,” she finishes. “I know, I know.”
“So…”
“So be careful. Don’t let the romance in the air sway you to do something you’ll regret. You only stepped in to save her from going alone to this wedding.”
“I know.” I take a deep breath. “We arejust friends. Nothing more. How many times do I need to repeat this?”
“Okay, okay. I’m just looking out for you. She’ll break your heart.”
“Just friends,” I growl.
“Okay! Love you, Bratz.”
“Love you too, sister.”
Click.
“And what if I want her to break my heart?” I ask the cabin around me in a yelled whisper. “What if she wanted me here because I amme?Not because she would have been alone otherwise?”
Air. I need air.
I push open the kitchen window. “What if we are the ones meant for each other?” I half expect God to answer, but instead, the mountainous silence envelops me.
And then slow footsteps sound midway down the stairs.
I say a silent prayer that Hadley’s presence is perfect timing and that she did not hear a word of that conversation with my sister or God’s great nature.
Chapter Ten
Hadley
ThesmelloffancyGerman beer penetrates my senses, churning my stomach and triggering my gag reflex. I clutch my lemonade between my hands and hold it close to my nose to curb the alcoholic scent. Why in the world did I plan this trip to OkTOBERfest? Oh yeah, Dank Nose Cheater Daniel liked beer tasting, even though I like to steer clear of alcohol due to my past. I take a sweet sip of my lemonade in an attempt to drown out the sour attitude.
Mama called again. I’m not sure why they keep letting her. I’ll have to call the jail and ask Martin to tell her to stop and that I’ll talk with her when I get back from the wedding. She always chooses to mess up her life when my life begins to make sense. It shouldn’t make sense after catching my ex cheating, but last night happened, this morning happened, and now I’m delightfully confused.
Because unless I have been transported to an alternate universe where Braxton and I make sense, I’ve gone crazy.
I keep thinking I heard the words wrong. My best friendsurelydid not question,“what if I want her to break my heart and what if we were the ones meant for each other?”And by no means washereferring tome.
Except he was.
His conversation with Brandi, his sister, made that very clear.
Though I have to say I’m butt hurt over her comment that I would break his heart.
If I did, it would not be because I wanted to. I care about that man more than I care about my own life. If I broke his heart, it would be because I let him know he deserved better and needed to move on from me.
Braxton Rawls is better.
So much better than me.
But I have to admit, hearing those words come straight from his mouth shifted my mindset a little. Is it okay to entertain the idea of us? A version of us that steps right over the line of friendship? I think there's a possibility of anus…if I can get past my ownpast.
“You’ve got to try this Paulaner Weizen Radler brew.” Braxton walks up to me from a tasting tent, pulling me out of my thoughts. He takes a sip and sighs, which makes my brain forget all the reasons I need to NOT flirt with my best friend who deserves better than me.
