Page 25 of Her Brother's Billionaire Best Friend

I recognized that voice. Despite my best efforts, the days and nights I stopped by the town hall in a car or lingered a little long, I hadn’t seen my old buddy David since the morning of—well, you know what. But the tall, good-looking guy on the top of the porch, leaning against the place, could hardly be mistaken for anyone else. His dark black hair was neater, and he had a stubble. But it was still David. My oldest friend. The man I’d left behind without so much of a goodbye all those years ago.

“Can I help you?” said David, stepping down from the porch. He seemed to think I was some kind of driver, only when he came up close, he stopped. His mouth opened a little in shock, and for a moment, I thought he’d figured out who I was. But then, he pointed at me.

“You’re Lucien Barnes!”

I breathed a sigh of relief. I leaned over through the window and shook his hand. “You’re Laura’s brother, right?” I said. “Drake, right?” I said, thinking quickly.

“David,” he said.

“David,” I repeated, as though I was hearing the name for the first time. “Well, good to meet you. I was just giving Laura a ride home.”

“Appreciate it,” said David. “How was the trip?”

“Just fine,” I interrupted. Laura stood with an arm around Kyle. Her face was shadowed in the lamplight, but I couldn’t resist gazing at the line of her jaw, her collarbone protruding from her open-necked shirt, as she looked away. Avoiding my gaze. And Kyle was still staring at me with that penetrating gaze.

For a moment, I looked at them, the happy family. David, tall and strong (he’d been bigger than me in high school, but that wasn’t the case anymore). Laura, beautiful Laura with her hair still tangled from the helicopter ride. And Kyle, in her arms. Suddenly I felt ashamed, like I didn’t belong here. I’d taken Laura to bed and told her every stupid thing I was thinking. Without really knowing anything about her. Without knowing anything about her family situation.

“Well, have a good night, you guys,” I said. “Laura, take the day off tomorrow. I’ll see you Thursday, okay?”

“Okay,” said Laura. I smiled at her, and she smiled back. “Goodbye.” She waved slightly. Behind her, David was already turning away and heading up to the house. As I pulled away from the kerb and headed on up to Lakeview, I watched him in the rear-view mirror, turning on the steps to throw me a final, searching glance, before I rounded the bend and the family disappeared.

When I got back to the house, I poured myself a drink and stood on the terrace. But this time, instead of staring at the Falls, I looked down at the twinkling lights of the town. And finally I turned to my left and looked at the southern side of the valley, searching the streetlamps and tiny glowing dots for Laura’s house.

I knew that things had gone fast with Laura. Much too fast. But it confirmed my suspicions about her. She really did feel something for Conor. Why else would it have been so easy to charm her? Being with her had felt natural, simple. And there had been moments when the façade fell and I could really be myself, say the things I wanted and talk to her the way I needed to. It had left me feeling a strange combination of feelings. Guilt, on the one hand, because I was lying about who I was. Laura might have thought she was with someone new, but I knew the truth. And the way she’d touched me that night made me feel like my old self again…

No, it still doesn’t make up for what she did.

But even I couldn’t deny that Laura had changed too. She still looked the same, just as beautiful, as soft and feminine as I’d known her to be. But at the same time, she seemed a little less proud. Not that she couldn’t sass me when she wanted to. But I got the feeling that the years hadn’t been kind to her. And it couldn’t have been easy for Laura to move to a new city. Where was the father of her child? Who was he?

I took another sip of my whiskey and cherished the warm trickle as it hit the back of my throat. I wanted another to help me sleep but I had strict rules about that kind of thing. I knew that I had my dad’s genes in me. And I knew that so often one drink led to another. And another. And another.

As I passed through the silent, empty house and climbed the stairs to my bedroom, my thoughts turned to David. I expected Laura not to recognize me—it wasn’t like she’d ever really loved me. But David was a shock. Partly, my reason for keeping away from town was that I knew I’d run into him one day. David was well-liked, he was captain of the football team and now he worked at the mayor’s office. People knew who he was in a small town like Caluga Falls. But I couldn’t shake a wounded feeling at the fact my own best friend didn’t recognize me. Of course, I should have been happy. Everything would be ruined if he did get any idea who I was.

But they really had forgotten about me. They’d forgotten about Conor. I guess he’d never meant that much to any of them.

I thought about that, as I lay my head down on the pillow and surrendered to sleep.

*

I spent the next day doing plenty of thinking, plenty of soul-searching. After the trip to Vancouver, I had less to do, as most of my employees and executives would be taking their vacations. Without work, my life was empty and barren of all enjoyment. I read for a little while, then I worked out. Then I went to the office and took care of a few things. Then I read some more, this time hit the cross-trainer and pumped away until I was sweating and every muscle in my body was burning. I put on a pair of hiking boots and a windbreaker and did a 5k jog to warm down afterwards, before returning to my house and plunging my body into a bath to avoid feeling too sore tomorrow.

But nothing took my mind off Laura. Nothing could stop me from thinking about her.

Of course I wanted to be sure that Laura really did like me. Then I could tell her the truth. I felt sure that some part of her wondered about me and what it was that felt so familiar and comforting. I just needed to get her to commit. Then I would reveal myself.

I’d tell her the truth. After all, it seemed only fair. I could reveal that I wasn’t really Lucien—that I was Conor, that I’d always been Conor. I could tell her about it all—the years in the SEALs, the accident, my discharge, the company. Finally I’d have someone to tell. Eleven years of secrets off my chest at last.

But I had to be sure. Sure that she wasn’t just taking advantage of me, enjoying a fling with the boss while it suited her.

So I waited. I worked late and slept a few hours. My heart was beginning to pound faster and faster by the time 8 am swung round the following morning. Laura buzzed in and I double-checked that it was her on the security cameras. Then, I opened the gate. She had a door-key and the lock was on a timer, so she could come in through the front without setting off the alarm from the time the gate opened.

I watched on the security feed, which I could bring up live on my computer screen any time I wanted. Laura was wearing a pale, summery dress and a smart pair of flat shoes. Her hair was done up, not loose about her shoulders like normal. She looked good. But more than just looking well made-up, she looked professional. Like she was prepared for something. I wondered what she was going to say as I heard her come in, one floor beneath me, and finally head up the stairs.

Last week we hadn’t said hello to each other in the morning, except for the first day. So I was pleasantly surprised when there was a knock on the door to my office, which connected to hers. I’d left it open this time—encouraging her to talk to me.

“Come in,” I said, and Laura entered.

“Hi,” she said, and for a moment, we stood there, breathing each other in. Her dress had three-quarter length sleeves and a cute little bow on the small of her back. It looked pretty sweet, and I waved her in.