Fell For My Husband's Best Friend

ch 4

The morning light spilled through the curtains, Harper sat at the edge of the bed, half-dressed, half-awake, staring at nothing. Liam’s arm lay across her waist, heavy, possessive and unaware. He was still asleep, peacefully.

She slowly lifted his arm and slipped out of bed. The wooden floor was cold against her feet. Every sound felt too loud, the creak of the boards, the hiss of the coffee maker and the faint hum of rain outside.

Last night’s dinner replayed in her head. Jaxon’s voice, eyes and the way her pulse betrayed her every time he looked at her. She hadn’t done anything wrong, not yet but the guilt already sat heavy in her chest.

The doorbell rang. She opened the door to find Jaxon on the porch, his hand clutching a folder. “Hey,” he said quietly. “I forgot my jacket last night.”

Her throat tightened. “You could have texted.”

“I tried but you didn’t answer.”

She stepped aside, he walked in his eyes scanning her face. “I will get it for you,” she murmured, turning toward the living room.

“Harper,” he said, stopping her. He took a step closer not touching her, just close enough that she felt it. “please, give me a chance. You how I feel about you and I know you feel the same.”

She turned around, then whispered. “Listen Jaxon, whatever you think there's between us doesn't exist.”

“I know.” He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “But pretending it… won’t make it go away.”

Her hands trembled around the folder she held. “You can’t come here like this, especially when Liam’s around.”

“Then tell me to leave.” His tone softened, same as last night. “Say it, and I will.”

He watched her for a long moment silent, then nodded slowly. “Right. I guess that’s my answer.”

He turned to leave, but before he reached the door, Liam’s voice echoed from upstairs. “Babe? Who’s that?”

Panic flickered across her face. “Just the mail!” she called back too quickly.

Jaxon looked at her one last time, pain flashing in his eyes. “Take care of yourself, Harper,” he said quietly, then walked out into the rain.

The sound of the door clicking shut felt final. Liam came down seconds later, shirt half-buttoned. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she lied. “Just sorting some things.”

He kissed her head absently. “You seem quiet today. Maybe you should come by the office later, get out of the house.”

She nodded, forcing a smile. “Maybe.”

When he left for work, the house felt too still. Harper sank onto the couch, running her fingers over the edge of the folder Jaxon had left behind. She hadn’t noticed it before, that it was labeled Reed Construction Proposal.

She flipped it open and froze. Inside was a copy of a signed contract with Liam’s name and Jaxon’s company. A partnership agreement she had never heard about, but at the bottom, in fine print, something else stood out: > Primary project investor: Nora Bennett.

Harper blinked, her heart pounding. Nora, the woman Liam had “bumped into” last month at a gala. The one who had texted him late, “about business.” Her pulse quickened as fingers tightened around the papers.