Best Friend Next Door (Love Next Door Book 2) *Rough Draft*

Chapter 35

"Why?" All the apologizing, groveling and everything and that was what it all came down to. Hiding the fact that he was rich...well she knew he was to a degree but, to what extent she didn't know. That was his business. She knew her Abe was good at that, but that aching feeling came from simply this, "You don't trust me. Abe."

He blew out a breath clutching the bridge of his nose as he sat on the edge of her desk over her. "Honey, you know that isn't it."

"Then what?" She snapped slapping her hands against the armrests of her office chair, "I don't trust easily, you know that. The last time I completely trusted..."

"I know Val." He blurted.

"And then there's that. You call my ex husband, behind my back?"

He blew out a breath, "That's just it Val." He said, "He hurt you. Even the fact that he would give up his title as a father so easily, I was protecting you. When he requested that I bring him to see Kayla, I knew that if I didn't as her father, if she would have found out, she never would have forgiven me. It was me trying to be a father."

"I'm surprised she didn't blurt it out."

"You and me both." Abe chuckled.

"Why lie to me about it?"

"I was never going to lie to you about it. I just wanted to surprise you, and clearly I'm bad at it Val. It won't happen again."

Her narrow eyes scrutinized him,

"I know you are going to think a million things that aren't true, Val." He blew out a breath, "That is what you do."

She pursed her lips.

"You do Val." He pointed, "I made a mistake I can admit that, but it doesn't change that I love you, I trust you, I value who and what you are." His head fell, "I understand if you want to postpone the wedding, or if you don't want to marry me at all." He shrugged.

"You're not getting out of it that easily." Her lip twitched, "I'm still mad at you."

He nodded. "I know."

She stood wrapping his arms around his neck. "I've been thinking."

"I love the way you think, baby."

"I haven't told you yet." She giggled.

"I don't care I still love the way that beautiful mind of yours works." He slid a hand over her bottom.

"I was going to say maybe in a few years, or when we save up, but clearly that isn't going to be an issue."

"I know it's hard on you to let go of the house you bought for your wife, the house you saw your kids grow up, and the town you love so much, and I've held on to my parent's house for so long. Maybe it's our anchors that keep us apart."

"What are you saying baby?"

She felt the knot in her throat. She didn't feel like she had rehearsed her spiel well enough.

"Vincentville has been amazing, but I've just been thinking. Have you ever thought about retirement?"

He blew out a long breath. He'd seen himself eighty working in his little shop, but he had a partner now. He didn't want to be one of those men that withered away and he'd lived in Vincentville for so long, he couldn't picture himself anywhere else. He just shrugged not wanting to give off the impression that he was a stubborn old goat.

The in four words his entire conflicted and confusing world came together in unity and his life made sense, all because of his beautiful-minded soon-to-be wife, "Let's buy a ranch."

His face brightened, "How long have you thought about this?"

She scratched the back of her neck, "A little while. I mean, we are both set in our ways, but I knew that you wanted to own a ranch."

"What about your restaurant, babe?"

She shrugged, "I already proved I could do it. I guess I could do it again." She sighed leaning into him, "Life is too short. I want to be happy."

"Did I tell you how much I love you?" He pulled her into him kissing her soft lips. It had been the first time he even considered leaving Vincentville, his shop, his safe little life. He was surprised he didn't think about it. He wouldn't have wanted Val to leave her restaurant, her life. Maybe it was time for a change.

"Mel, let me pick you up." Melanie called Isaac while he was on the way home. "Come on, let me be the man for once."

Her heart rippled. She liked that idea. She knew she could be bossy. She had pushed Isaac around since they were kids, but she loved those rare moments where he'd be assertive. So she would allow herself to be dated. That was what he wanted.

A couple of hours later Melanie was peeking out of the window nervously, waiting for Shaggs car to move.

"You are not borrowing my motorcycle!"

"Why not." Isaac was upset that it came out as almost a whine, but tonight was important and he had to make an impression. He had to be spontaneous. What said spontaneous like a Harley. Sure she would have known it was Christian's but there was a streak of jealousy thinking of all the times she held on to Christian riding it. He needed to take that back.

"I'm not letting you wrap duchess around a tree."

Isaac rolled his eyes.

"Just be yourself. It's Melanie."

"Melanie doesn't like myself." Isaac said almost realizing what he said after it was said. His head fell. He was going to surrender, or just cancel it, "Look, I'm sorry I asked."

Christian let out a hard sigh, "First off, Isaac if anyone doesn't like you for who you are that aren't worth your time."

"Melanie is." He blurted, "I know I'm a coward, I'm an idiot, a klutz. I'm only good enough to be her friend. She's been ogling over you since high school. I'm desperate."

There it was the awful truth that surprised him. He was jealous of Christian. Not because he was more popular, or more athletic, or had more women. It was that he had one. Melanie.

Isaac knew he'd had her heart, and her body, but there was something Christian had that he couldn't always put his finger on. What ever it was had her fanning herself, and squealing with excitement when she talked about riding on the back of Christian's bike. Whatever it was made her go through the trouble of making Mrs. Goodwin shirts (Not Issac Goodwin; Christian Goodwin) and screaming at him during his games. This he had to sit through, when she insisted to drag him to every game so she could ogle over his brother. His own flesh and blood.

That fear he deemed irrational as the years went on and they had matured, only now, there were times they would talk like best friends. It seemed like he understood Melanie, his Melanie better than he did. She had given him access to her gorgeous body, and he appreciated that, but there was that thought, Melanie wasn't promiscuous she was flirtatious, and even in high school as friends before the camping trip, he had done everything but with Melanie, all she initiated and it wasn't like he ever had a claim to her, or he'd had a claim to her now.

He didn't like thinking that way but there it was. She may have loved him but it was possible that she wanted his brother. There was no possible. She wanted Christian, and judging from that bet it was possible he wanted her back then, and possibly wanted her now. There was no denying their chemistry, but she wouldn't. He wouldn't

"Dude, calm down." A hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts.

He could just hope that it was all superficial, and what he had was real. He'd lusted after women, It was possible he'd lusted after Rachel.

Christian took a breath running his fingers through his blonde hair. The guy was a damn greek God. He looked like Thor from the comic books. With his white t-shirt leather jacket and washed out jeans. He looked at his stupid sky blue polo shirt and khakis. He looked like he was going to fix her computer.

He took a breath. He felt sick.

"Look, man, I'll help okay." He offered, "But seriously, be yourself."

He nodded. He was going to do what he should have done from the beginning. Be Christian.