Falling for My Brother's Best Friend

CHAPTER SIX

RILEY.

RILEY.

Today is the day I decide to tell my parents I can’t hide it from them anymore. However, being the coward that I am, I chose to call them instead of speaking to them face-to-face.

With the phone pressed to my ear, I brace myself for the reaction I anticipated from my mother. Instead of the “I told you so” I expected, I hear a sniffle and her voice saying, “Oh honey, why didn’t you tell us right away?”

My dad's voice, although muffled in the background, comes through loud and clear. “im going to kill that bastard I warned him when she first started dating that fucker. Where are my damn keys?”

I bite my lower lip. "Mama, tell Pops to calm down. Everything will be okay; I’m not hurt physically, and I have already filed for divorce."

I listen as she tries to convince him, but they start arguing. I roll my eyes and wait patiently for them to finish. "What are you going to do, drive to Chicago? Have some common sense for God’s sake."

"I’ll get on a plane. That motherfucker needs to learn a lesson."

"Your daughter needs you now. Stop being an i***t; we will sort him out later."

I shake my head as she finally says, "I'm coming to see you."

Rolling onto my stomach, I lay in the middle of my bed and reassure her, "You really don’t have to. Besides, I have things I need to do, and I’m sure you do too."

"It can wait; I’m coming over, Riley. I need to see my baby."

"Okay, Ma. I'll let Jackson know you're on your way."

After I end the call, there’s a knock at the door to the room I’m staying in. "Come in," I say, expecting it to be the kids. However, when the door opens, I see Alec dressed in a blue suit, his hair swept back perfectly.

I allow my eyes to travel down his body, taking in every detail as he stands in the doorway. His crisp white shirt is tucked into his suit trousers, and the outline of his abs is barely visible. I can’t help but wonder if there’s a line of hair that disappears into his boxers. I lick my bottom lip just as I hear him say, "Are you done staring?"

I blink, feeling my cheeks heat up as I look back up at his face, biting my lower lip. The smirk on his lips tells me he knows exactly what I was doing.

I shake my head—could I have been any more obvious that I was checking him out? Clearing my throat, I ask, "Did you need something?" He walks towards the bed and takes a seat, letting out a breath.

"Make yourself at home; it's not like I have a lot to do today."

I expect a witty retort, but he remains silent, tapping his leg—something he does when he’s nervous or impatient. It could be either reason when it comes to me.

“Did you need something, Al?”

“I have this event tonight for work that I need to attend, and I was wondering if you would accompany me.”

Me! Why in the world would he ask me? “Why would I need to come to your workplace? Scratch that; why would you want me there? I don’t know anything about computers or advertising.”

He leans back slightly, absentmindedly adjusting his jacket. “It’s not about work,” he replies. “It’s a Christmas party, and I need a plus one. I figured it would be better to ask you rather than someone who would drive me crazy all night.”

Laughter bursts out of me. Since when have I not driven him crazy every time I've stepped into a room with him? He's always been an ass—just look at yesterday's dinner.

"You and I both know I annoy the crap out of you."

He smiles at me, showcasing the dimples in his cheeks. The thought of nibbling on those dimples distracts me from the conversation.

“True,” he says, bringing me back. “But I thought it would be fun for you. Besides, I need your help picking out a Secret Santa gift. You’re better at it than I am, and your company isn’t the worst.”

We stare at each other for a long moment. Does he have something planned? Is this a prank? Will I get there and find it empty? My heart pounds in my chest as he waits for my answer.

I'm overthinking things; he wouldn’t do that. He may be an asshole, but he isn't that much of one. I try to recall the last time I actually attended a party where I had fun, rather than standing by the side of a boring man who would keep me stuck while he chatted with his business colleagues.

Shifting to my knees, the mattress dips, making his body move slightly. I need to be face-to-face with this man. If I'm going to go with him tonight, there are some rules that need to be established.

"Okay, I will come with you, but..." I hold up my fingers to list my demands. "You can't be an ass to me. You can't ditch me unless it's absolutely necessary, and most importantly, don’t try to sleep with me."

He raises a brow in amusement before placing his hand over mine, causing me to jolt at the contact. His other hand goes to his chest—a gesture he always makes when he's trying to convey honesty. "You have my word, little mouse. You're my responsibility tonight. I promised Jackson I would keep you safe. You won't be leaving my side."

He spoke to my brother about this; he really does want me to go with him tonight. I nod and pull my hand from his warm grasp, instantly missing the feeling of his soft skin against mine. God, what the hell is wrong with me?

Climbing off the bed, I ask, “What do I need to wear? Is it formal?”

He stands and begins to walk toward the door. “No, it’s Mr. and Mrs. Claus. I'm not dressing as Santa, but I have a feeling you’re going to be Mrs. Claus.”

Excitement takes over every inch of my body. “Mrs. Claus, as in a Santa dress? You know me too well!” I grab his hand and drag him the rest of the way. “We have to go now if we’re going to find something, and—"

I'm cut off by the doorbell. “s**t” I turn back to him “Mom’s here. I told them I’d be busy today, but she insisted on coming.”

He nods with a single gesture. “Don’t worry about it. Go see your parents. We still have...” He checks his watch. “Nine hours.”

We may have that long, but one thing about my mother she can talk up a storm. Before you know it, time has passed quicker than expected. If I had known he was going to invite me to this, I would have told her I could see her tomorrow.

“Give me an hour, and then we will head into town to get our outfits and whatever else you need.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “I’m not dressing up, little mouse.”

I smile at him, letting his hand go. I bounce down the stairs toward the door. “We’ll see,” I say over my shoulder, making him sigh, which makes me smile even more.

I open the door to find my mom and dad standing there with smiles on their faces. “Hi, honey,” she says, pulling me into her arms and squeezing me tightly, while my father leans over and kisses my forehead.

“Princess, it’s good to finally see you,” he says.

“Hi, pops,” I reply, kissing my mom's cheek before pulling away. They still look the same, except that Mom has longer hair now, her curls framing her face. She must have dyed it recently because the gray that used to show through is nowhere to be seen.

As for Dad, he seems to be embracing the role of Santa for the kids this year. I reach out and grab his white beard with a smile on my face. “Looking good, old man!”

He growls playfully and then picks me up into his arms. “Could an old man pick you up this easily?”

I let out a high-pitched laugh, gaining the attention of everyone else in the house. The kids come running first, followed by Jackson and then Stacey. Alec, on the other hand, stays back, watching the encounter with a look of longing.

He must miss his family, but if that’s the case, why didn’t he go with them this year? I’m sure they had a trip planned.

I turn my attention to Mom, who is already unpacking gingerbread house kits and an art set to make decorations for the tree from her bag.

I give a guilty look as I say, “Mama, I have to leave in a little while. I need to pick up an outfit for tonight; I’m going to a Christmas party.”

She hands the boxes to the kids, who are jumping up and down excitedly, while her brows knit together. “A party?”

I nod and reply, "Yes. Alec invited me. It's something to do with his work—Secret Santa and all that jazz.”

She tilts her head, a wide smile spreading across her lips. "He did, huh?" She looks past me, and I notice the wink she gives before turning back to me. Leaning in, she whispers, "If you find some mistletoe..." She wiggles her eyebrows, and I can feel my cheeks turning red. "Mom, it's not like that!" I protest.

She taps my arm playfully before grabbing my hand and leading me to the living room, where the kids are already getting everything ready.

I spend two hours enjoying time with my family, singing along to Christmas songs and making an angel ornament for the tree. At the last minute, Stacey brings down the Christmas tree from the loft, and we start decorating while the men sit together, chatting about whatever it is they talk about.

As I look around, everyone in the room has a smile on their face. This is where I should have been all along. I should never have moved away; the only time I feel joy and love is when I'm around my family.

After placing the last bauble on the tree, I let out a sigh and turn to my parents. “I’m sorry, but I have to leave already.”

My dad stands up and pulls me into his arms. “Don’t worry, princess. Go and have fun! Besides, you're all coming to our place in the next couple of days, so it’s not like we won’t see you again.”

Alec stands up and comes to my side. “Are you ready?”

Dad releases me and turns to him. “I’m counting on you to keep her safe, son.”

I watch as he bows his head. “I will, sir.”

One thing I can say about this man is that even though he can be a pain sometimes, he is very respectful and one of the few people I trust, which is rare.

Linking my arm with his, we make our way out of the house and towards his waiting BMW. For the next three hours, we search for my dress, and I end up begging Alec to get a red suit covered in glitter. He sighs but ultimately gives in when I give him my best puppy eyes. If he won’t dress as Santa, then this is the next best thing. Besides, when he tried it on, he did look handsome—though I kept that part to myself; I don’t need to inflate his ego any more than it already is.

As he drives back to my brother’s place, he looks over at me and says, “You're a pain in my ass, you know that, Riley Taylor?”

I’ve kept a smile on my face the entire time. I'm surprised my cheeks don’t hurt at this rate. “That’s why I’m loved by so many,” I reply.

He rolls his eyes. And I know Tonight is going to be fun.