THE BEST FRIEND'S BROTHER

CHAPTER 2:THE MESSAGE

I stared at my phone until the screen went dark.

Then I unlocked it again.

The message was still there.

You shouldn't have made that promise.

My heart beat faster.

I typed.

Chloe: What promise?

The reply came almost immediately.

Blake: The one you made to Aria.

I swallowed.

He had heard us.

Of course he had.

Chloe: Were you listening?

Three dots appeared.

Disappeared.

Then appeared again.

Blake: Maybe.

I rolled my eyes.

Chloe: You're unbelievable.

Blake: And you're avoiding the question.

I stared at the screen.

Chloe: What question?

His response came quickly.

Blake: Are you really going to stay away from me?

I didn't answer.

Because the truth was, I didn't know.

I'd spent years thinking Blake was nothing more than Aria's irritating older brother. Someone I could argue with without a second thought.

But tonight had been different.

He had looked at me differently.

And I had noticed.

That was the problem.

My phone buzzed again.

Blake: Goodnight, Chloe.

I frowned.

That was it?

I typed a response, but before I could send it, another message appeared.

Blake: Try not to dream about me.

I nearly threw my phone across the room.

Arrogant i***t.

I switched it off and forced myself to sleep.

---

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of coffee.

I walked downstairs wearing an oversized hoodie and shorts, still half asleep.

Then I stopped.

Blake was standing at the kitchen counter.

Again.

He glanced over his shoulder.

His eyes moved from my messy hair to my face.

Then he smiled.

"Morning."

I immediately became aware of how I looked.

I tugged at my hoodie.

"Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Look at me like that."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

He turned back toward the coffee maker.

"I don't."

I walked past him.

"You're annoying."

"So I've been told."

I reached for a cup.

Blake handed me one before I could grab it.

Our fingers brushed.

It was barely a second.

But neither of us moved immediately.

His eyes dropped to our hands.

Then back to mine.

Something shifted in the air.

I pulled away first.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

I poured myself coffee and tried to ignore the fact that he was standing far too close.

"So," he said casually, "did you sleep well?"

I looked at him.

"Why?"

"No reason."

"You're weird."

He smiled.

"And you're nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"You're gripping that cup like you want to murder it."

I loosened my fingers.

He laughed quietly.

I hated how good that sound was.

"You're still the same," I said.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

He leaned against the counter.

"Maybe you're the one who's changed."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

He studied me for a moment.

"You tell me."

Before I could answer, footsteps came down the stairs.

Aria appeared.

"Good morning!"

She looked between us.

"Why are you two awake so early?"

"Your brother was bothering me," I said.

Blake shook his head.

"She came downstairs looking for me."

"I was looking for coffee."

"Same thing."

I glared at him.

Aria laughed.

"I swear, you two haven't changed."

I looked away.

If only she knew.

---

Later that afternoon, Aria convinced me to go shopping with her.

We spent nearly three hours walking around the mall, trying on clothes we didn't need and taking pictures we probably wouldn't post.

For the first time since I'd arrived, I stopped thinking about Blake.

Until I saw him.

He was standing outside a clothing store.

With a woman.

She was beautiful.

Tall.

Confident.

And far too comfortable standing beside him.

I slowed down.

Aria noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She followed my gaze.

"Oh."

I forced a smile.

"Who is she?"

Aria shrugged.

"Probably someone he knows."

The woman laughed at something Blake said.

Then she touched his arm.

Something uncomfortable twisted in my chest.

I immediately hated myself for it.

Why did I care?

Blake wasn't mine.

He wasn't even someone I liked.

At least, that was what I kept telling myself.

"Chloe?"

I blinked.

"Yeah?"

Aria was watching me.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

She smiled.

"Good."

Then she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward another store.

I glanced back once.

Blake was looking straight at me.

And he wasn't smiling anymore.

---

That evening, I went downstairs to get water.

The house was quiet.

Too quiet.

I reached the kitchen and turned on the light.

"Couldn't sleep?"

I jumped.

Blake was sitting on one of the stools.

"God!"

He laughed.

"You scare easily."

"You shouldn't sit in the dark like some serial killer."

"I'll remember that."

I opened the refrigerator.

"I saw you today."

His voice changed.

"Where?"

"At the mall."

He was quiet.

"With that woman."

A pause.

Then—

"You're jealous."

I almost dropped the bottle.

"What?"

He smiled.

"I said you're jealous."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Why would I be jealous?"

He stood.

Slowly.

He walked toward me.

I backed away without thinking.

One step.

Then another.

Until my back touched the kitchen counter.

Blake stopped in front of me.

Not touching me.

Just close enough that I could feel the tension between us.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

My heart pounded.

"Figure out what?"

"Why you care."

"I don't."

"Then look me in the eyes and say it."

I looked up.

His gaze held mine.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he leaned slightly closer.

My breath caught.

But he stopped.

He didn't touch me.

He simply looked at me as though he was waiting for something.

I swallowed.

"Blake..."

He stepped back.

The tension broke.

"Relax."

I stared at him.

"What are you doing?"

He smiled faintly.

"Nothing."

"You were—"

"I know."

He picked up his phone.

Then he looked at me again.

"Goodnight, Chloe."

He walked away.

I stood there, completely confused.

Why had he stopped?

Why hadn't he kissed me?

And why was a tiny part of me disappointed that he hadn't?

I turned toward the stairs.

Then I heard Blake's phone ring from the hallway.

He answered.

I wasn't trying to listen.

But then I heard his voice.

Low.

Serious.

"She doesn't know."

I froze.

A pause.

Then Blake said something that made the blood drain from my face.

"No. Chloe can't find out what happened between us."

My fingers tightened around the water bottle.

Between us?

What was he talking about?

And who was he talking to?

I took one silent step toward the hallway.

Then another.

But before I could see who was on the other end of the call, Blake suddenly turned.

His eyes met mine.

His expression changed completely.

"Chloe?"

I couldn't move.

He slowly lowered the phone.

And for the first time since he'd returned, Blake looked genuinely afraid.

"How much did you hear?"