Only Her Best Friend - Cami Checketts Page 0,7

it, but he was more than ready for his time and opportunity with Meredith. He wasn’t going to back down to Josh.

“Best friends,” Cruz said, folding his arms across his chest and squaring off with the two of them.

Meredith’s gaze traveled over his chest and bulging biceps. Cruz was certain she was at least attracted to him. She’d definitely done her share of staring at his chest this afternoon. Maybe she was ready to take their friendship to the next level.

“That’s smart of you, Mer,” Josh said, using a nickname he hadn’t earned the rights to and showing that he wasn’t smart enough to realize he shouldn’t be part of this conversation. “Cruz goes through women like they’re water under his board.” He sneered at Cruz, turning quickly back to Meredith as Cruz gave him a threatening glare. “I would hate for a beautiful sweetheart like you to be another casualty of his unfaithfulness.”

“Excuse me?” Cruz was dumbfounded by the player claiming he was the one who used and discarded women, and he was sickened by the disappointed, hurt look in Meredith’s eyes. It was doubtful she’d give him a chance after hearing that, especially as there were many, many pictures of him online that women snapped and shared of him. They declared all manner of dating statuses with him. It didn’t matter if there was any truth to their claims. Social media loved to fester with stories like that about a single, well-known extreme athlete.

Cruz pointed a warning finger at Josh. “You consider this a warning. You treat me with disrespect again, and you’re fired.”

Josh clamped his mouth shut, a muscle working in his jaw. Meredith stared at Cruz as if she didn’t know who he was. The grilled steak suddenly didn’t smell so good. This was his big chance with Meredith, and thanks to Josh, it was getting all messed up.

“Cruz! Cruz Chadwick!” his production manager, Taylee, was hollering. “Get on over here and give us all a speech before we eat the delicious steak you’ve bought for us.”

Cruz stared at Meredith, begging her to not listen to Josh and to trust him. He wanted to yell at Josh to get out of here but was afraid he’d make things worse than they already were.

“Cruz! Cruz! Cruz!”

“Excuse me,” he muttered, turning and striding to Taylee’s side.

He halfway listened to Taylee bragging about him and the crowd laughing and cheering. He gave his own speech, hoping it made sense. All he could really focus on was Meredith and Josh standing close together and talking. Who knew what lies Josh was telling her or what empty flirtations he was using on her?

He finished his speech and told everyone to enjoy the party and the food. They all cheered, and he tried to hurry to Meredith’s side. She’d darted glances at him during the speech but was talking fervently to Josh as if they were best friends. Cruz’s gut stirred with anger, desperation, and jealousy. What was Josh playing at? He realized Meredith was gorgeous, one of a kind, but Josh was only concerned about another beautiful woman falling for him. He wouldn’t care that it was the woman Cruz had always wanted.

“Cruz!” He was interrupted from his march toward Meredith by a hand on his arm. He wanted to shake the person off and keep storming across the yard, but he couldn’t disregard someone like that. His mom treating him as if he had no value had made him determined to always make people know that they were important to him.

He stopped and startled. “Hope?”

“Cruz!” She grabbed him in a tight hug before pulling back and smiling happily at him. “Look at you. My superstar ex-boyfriend, all famous and handsome as ever.”

Cruz laughed. Hope was one of those people who made everybody feel good about themselves. That was more than half the reason he’d dated her most of their senior year. She was the complete opposite of his mom, and the boost to his confidence had been very needed. The other half was that first kiss they’d shared, but they’d never been able to replicate.

“You know I can only take your compliments for half because you give them so freely.”

“Oh, stop, you.” She batted a hand at him. “You look amazing, and I’m so stinking proud of all you’ve accomplished. Are you loving being the crazy athlete and all the fame?”

Cruz nodded. He did love it, and he’d worked hard to be where he was at, yet at the moment