My Best Friend's Brother: A Standalone Friends to Lovers Romance (Soulmates Series Book 2) by Hazel Kelly Read Free Book Online Page A

explosion.
     
    But
it was probably only wishful thinking.
     
    And
I knew I shouldn't allow myself to make wishes like that, wishes that could
never come true, wishes that made it hard for me to be a good friend.
     
    Shane
and I would never go there. Could never. We'd been frolicking in the friend
zone for so long the doors to other possibilities had rusted and grown over
with moss.
     
    There
was no getting out of this. There was no more to come. This was it, and I'd be
a fool to be ungrateful for what we had.
     
    Plus,
Izzy would be crushed.
     
    They'd
gone to so much trouble to make sure I never felt like the third wheel when we
were little. And as teens, she and I had been conscious to never make Shane
feel like that either. So even if he liked me like that, I couldn't do that to
her.
     
    I
turned the corner and crossed to the sunny side of the street, enjoying the
warmth on my face as I dodged the occasional curbside evidence of other
people’s overindulgent Saturday night.
     
    Besides,
what if it didn't work out?
     
    I
liked to think of myself as an optimist, but the majority of romantic
relationships failed.
     
    Therefore,
it was too big a risk to even consider.
     
    Up
to this point, I'd been very lucky in my life. My birth was a fluke in itself.
Then I'd managed to pull through the complications I had after birth.
     
    I
walked away without a scratch when I was playing Skip-It in the driveway and a
drunk driver ploughed into our mailbox, and I'd only sprained my ankle when I
fell off the neighbor's trampoline.
     
    And
then there was getting away from Mike last night before he really hurt me and
the time that, well, the list went on and on when it came to times I got lucky.
     
    And
someday if my luck ran out, I couldn't risk it being related to my relationship
with Shane.
     
    He
was my rock, the force that kept my compass pointing north.
     
    Without
him, I was much more likely to lose my way, or worse, myself.
     
    I
probably imagined the energy behind that kiss anyway because I was fragile and
confused after all the excitement yesterday.
     
    And
I was pretty lame for reading into it so much when all he'd done was show me a
bit of compassion when I needed it. A better use of my energy would be toning
down my desperation for his attention. 
     
    Because
that could put our friendship at risk, too, and right now, I needed him.
     
    I'd
never say that, of course. It was too needy. But in my heart, I knew that
spending time with him was the best way for me to reconnect with the Andi I was
before Mike broke me down.
     
    Because
no one lifted me like Shane. No one made me feel more myself, more capable. And
I needed that right now more than I needed anything else.
     
    I'd
just pushed my apartment door open when my phone rang. It was Izzy.
     
    I
closed the door behind me before answering. "Hi."
     
    "Did
you just wake up?"
     
    "No,"
I said, clearing my throat. "I just haven't talked to anyone today
yet."
     
    "I
thought you were going to call me back last night?"
     
    I
slumped on the couch, feeling weak as soon as I hit the worn cushions. "Yeah,
sorry about that. I was too busy breaking up with Mike."
     
    "Shit,
Andi. I'm sorry."
     
    "It's
fine. Really."
     
    "Are
you okay?"
     
    "I’m
better than I'd be if I stayed with him." I didn't want to tell her
anything more, didn't want to admit to anyone that last night wasn't the first
time he'd scared the shit out of me.
     
    I
knew she'd freak and tell me I deserved better. And as nice as that was to
hear, the important thing was that I was starting to believe it myself.
     
    "How
did he take it?" she asked.
     
    "Like
a complete prick."
     
    " Mmm ."
     
    "But
he's out of the picture now, so I'll be toasting to my fresh start right after
I have some breakfast."
     
    "What
about Stephanie?"
     
    "She's
away this weekend at some kind of religious retreat that God's always wanted
her to go on."
     
    "Why
didn't you tell me? This would've been the perfect