Brandon (Anderson Billionaires #3) - Melody Anne Page 0,7
was time she confided in her bestie. Maybe they should call Sarah, and the three of them could come up with a plan together. That’s how it had always been between them.
Of course, now that Brooke and Sarah were married to Brandon’s brothers, she wasn’t sure they’d be allies. They might have matchmaking plans in their heads about the third in their trio marrying another brother. It was like a bad Hallmark movie. Okay, if she was being honest in her own head, she could admit she loved those movies. She didn’t hate love at all; she just didn’t think it was right for her.
“Brandon’s here,” Chloe whispered. Brooke smiled, and Chloe wanted to call her a traitor.
“Does he have you all hot and bothered? I don’t know why you always run from him. You two could light up the city with the electricity that sparks between the two of you. And with him being an electrician, I’m sure he knows which wires to cross.” She laughed at her own joke. At least she found herself humorous.
Chloe sighed as she rolled her eyes. That only made Brooke smile even wider. She knew now that at least one out of her two best friends wasn’t going to be any help to her. She was doubting her other best friend would do her any good, either.
No matter how many men Chloe had dated over the years, she was normally finished with a guy by date number three. Brooke knew this about Chloe, and it had never been a problem. As a matter of fact, her friends had been impressed with her willpower. Sarah had been pretty similar, actually. Not Brooke. Brooke had been in relationships before. But she was also one hell of a tough woman, and no man had been able to be her equal until Finn. Now her bestie was happier than Chloe had ever seen her before.
“I don’t want him,” Chloe hissed. “I did have him, though,” she added very quietly.
Brooke looked at her again, and then her eyes widened in understanding. The girls normally didn’t keep anything from each other, and Brooke wasn’t a stupid woman. She was putting the pieces together.
“When?” she gasped.
“After Sarah’s wedding,” she admitted.
Now it was time for Brooke to be hurt and irritated. “Are you kidding me?” she said, one hand firmly planted on her hip. “You went this long without telling me and Sarah?”
If it had been simply anger in her friend’s gaze, Chloe wouldn’t have felt so scolded. It was the hurt that was her undoing.
“I’m sorry. I was hoping if I forgot about it, then it would just go away,” Chloe said.
“But we share everything,” Brooke said.
“I know. I know. But I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Chloe tried to explain.
“Oh, you just fell onto a bed and ended up naked and sweaty, then?” Brooke said. She was shaking her head at Chloe.
“No, I was very aware of my decisions that night. Plus, I was feeling sorry for myself, and he flirts very well, and you know—one thing led to another. It had been a really, really, really long time.”
“I can totally understand you sleeping with the guy. I just don’t get how you can keep it from your besties,” Brooke pointed out.
“I had to do the walk of shame for the first time in my life. That’s how I was able to keep it from you,” Chloe said as she threw her hands in the air.
“You know neither Sarah nor I would ever judge you,” Brooke said. “We’ve all done things that weren’t our proudest moments, but then we’ve also always had each other to talk to about it to make ourselves feel better.”
“I know. And I probably would’ve felt better long ago if I’d come to you guys, but I’ve been hoping he’d just forget about it.”
“You aren’t exactly a forgettable kind of woman,” Brooke said.
“And you are married to his brother. This is a mess,” Chloe said.
“If you really aren’t interested, then you have to be honest with him. I’m sure he’ll respect that,” Brooke said.
“He hasn’t done anything wrong, exactly,” Chloe told her. “He’s just always around. And now Joseph is pushing me hard to work on this kitchen, which means we’d be locked together for hours on end.” She was tapping her foot in agitation.
“I’m not sure if that’s a bad or good thing. I’m confused now,” Brooke said.