Josie couldn’t argue there, but she didn’t want to get swept up in thoughts about her late mom or her absent dad. She wanted to focus on the positive and the happiness that was stemming from all of this chaos.
Reese’s finger slid over the ring on her hand. She cringed, feeling like a fraud every time she looked at it.
“Why did you marry Chris to begin with?” he asked.
The words hung between them and Josie didn’t want to give him the truth. If she gave him the truth, that would just be another shove away from being “just friends.”
Risking more terrified her. She’d rather have Reese back in that friend zone than to keep moving toward something that could crumble. She wasn’t the best with relationships; she’d never had anything serious that lasted, so what did she truly know?
“Jo,” he prompted.
She blinked her focus back to him. “It was a rash decision.”
“Obviously, but what snapped inside that head of yours and made you rush to the courthouse? You had only dated him a few months.”
Maybe she should be honest. Maybe that would be the best therapy and they could discuss what exactly was going on with all of these emotions. They’d talk and figure out why it was best that they just remain friends.
“You were engaged,” she stated simply. “It made me realize that we were entering new chapters in our lives.”
She stared down at him, wondering how he’d take her response. But that was the truth. She’d realized she might not be the only woman in his life forever. There would be someone else he’d share secrets or inside jokes with.
And she had gotten jealous.
There. Fine. She could admit it...to herself. She was human and she didn’t like sharing, okay?
“Making a rush in judgment isn’t like you,” he told her. “You plan everything. Hell, you have an alarm to check your planner. But you married someone because I was engaged?”
“I made a mistake,” she defended herself, sitting up a little more. She crossed her legs in front of her, needing just a bit of distance between them in this small space. “I wasn’t in love with Chris. He was a nice guy, I feel terrible that I hurt him, but honestly I don’t think he loved me, either. He just wanted to be married because his family had been putting pressure on him.”
Completely the truth.
“Why did you get engaged?” she retorted.
Reese shrugged and stared up at the starry sky. “I was taking over Conrad’s full time and starting to wonder about my legacy and who I would share it with. I know I want a family someday, but once I got engaged, I realized I wasn’t ready and she wasn’t the one.”
Josie placed her hand on his chest and smiled. “Sounds like we both dodged bigger mistakes.”
“Speaking of, Chris has been leaving notes and stopping by your house,” he told her. “My contractor informed me several days ago, so I reached out to Chris.”
Josie stilled. “What? You should let me take care of this.”
Reese’s gaze came back to hers. “I let you try that, we ended up engaged and he still didn’t back off. I told him if there was any further contact there would be harassment charges filed.”
Josie didn’t want a keeper. She didn’t want anyone, especially Reese, fighting her battles.
“This engagement wasn’t my doing,” she informed him. “I told Chris I had moved on. You’re the one who threw out I was your fiancée.”
“He needed something stronger than just dating,” Reese replied in that calm tone of his. “I could’ve said we’d already eloped.”
Josie pulled in a deep breath and closed her eyes. The opening was in just a couple days and then they would go back to normal. Hopefully Chris would still keep his distance.
“I’m tired,” she told Reese as she rolled off the side of the swing and came to her feet. “I’m going in to bed.”
Reese continued to lie there, staring up at her. “We can stay out here,” he suggested. “When I buy this place, I plan on staying out here as much as possible.”
Josie smiled, but her heart was heavy.
She wanted things to go back to the way they were a few weeks ago. She wanted to ignore the way her heart shifted when Reese talked about lying with her, holding her or when he spoke of the future. They didn’t have a future, not in the way they’d been playing house these past several days.
“You can stay out here,” she told him. “I’ll be fine.”
She turned and stepped into the house, closing the patio door behind her. Maybe he’d come in and maybe he wouldn’t. Right now, she needed time to think.
Reese had never acted like he wanted more with her. He seemed content with just the physical, which was fine. It had to be. If they tried this whole relationship for real, she didn’t know how long that could or would last. If he tired of her and moved on...that would definitely ruin their friendship.
That was a risk she couldn’t take, no matter how much she might be falling for her best friend.
Fifteen
Reese adjusted his tie, more out of nerves than anything else. The opening was due to kick off in less than thirty minutes, but that wasn’t what had a ball of tension in his belly.
The restaurant business was in his blood; he wasn’t worried in the slightest about failure or mishaps. Manhattan had been his main goal and here he was. Getting the building in the exact location he wanted had been the most difficult part. Everything from here on out was in his wheelhouse.
He stood on the second-floor balcony where he had a clear view of the first-floor entrance and one of the bars. For this location, he’d gone with old-world charm. Black and white, clean lines, clear bulbs suspended from the second floor to the first, a glossy mahogany bar. He’d wanted to keep this place upscale like the others, but really appeal to that classical era he associated with New York.
Josie had accompanied him from the penthouse he’d purchased a month ago. He wanted to keep a place in town because he planned on visiting quite often now. Their conversations had been a little strained since they’d left Green Valley a couple days ago. She was pulling back, and he was losing her.
The fear that continued to grow and develop inside him stemmed from that distance, from this fake engagement, from the fact that after tonight they wouldn’t have to pretend anymore.
He’d just wanted to get through this opening, but now...well, he wasn’t so sure he wanted things to end.
Oh, she wanted to go back to the friendship they’d once had, but that was impossible now. He knew her too intimately, had let her into that pocket of his heart he hadn’t even known existed, and he’d seen her in a whole new light.
After being best friends for twenty years, Reese hadn’t even known it was possible to still learn more about her, but he had. He’d actually discovered more about himself, too.
Like the fact that he wanted to give this relationship a go in every way that was real.
A flash of red caught his eye and he turned his attention to the bar area below. He knew that inky black hair and those killer curves.
But red?
When they’d arrived, she’d been wearing a long black gown with a high neck and an open back. This dress was...damn. This was the hottest thing he’d ever seen. That dip in the back scooped dangerously low, and when she turned, he got an eyeful of a deep vee in the front as well. Classy, sexy and a hell of a shock to his entire system.
Hadn’t he just thought that he’d finally seen all sides of Josie?
She glanced around the open space and he couldn’t maintain the distance another minute. He made his way down the steps from the VIP area and crossed the tile floor.
“This is not the same woman who came with me,” he stated.
Josie spun around, a wide smile on her face. Her dress wasn’t the only thing red—she had her lips painted and it was all Reese could do t
o contain himself and not cover her mouth and mess that all up.
Damn, she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen—and for the time being, fake or otherwise, she was his.
“I wanted to surprise you, so I had some things sent over so I could change here,” she told him. “And I figured if I was going to go all out, I might as well do it all.”
She gave a slow spin with her arms out wide. “What do you think? Can I pull off color?”
He took a step closer and reached for her hips. “I think I’m going to have to cut this night short and get you alone as soon as possible.”
That red smile widened. “You can’t mess me up, so keep those lips and hands to yourself. I have a dutiful hostess role to play as my fiancé is having a grand opening.”
“He’s a lucky bastard,” Reese murmured as he leaned in and grazed his lips up the side of her neck.
She shivered beneath his touch and his grip on her hips tightened.
“We still have time,” he whispered into her ear.
The waitstaff bustled around getting last-minute flutes of champagne and appetizers set out at various tables, but if they saw him and Josie in a passionate embrace, that would just make them look like more of a couple.
And right now, he didn’t care who saw him doing what. He wanted her alone and he wanted her now.
“Other than the fact I want to rip that dress off and show you how much I need you, you do look so damn amazing, Jo.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “I feel...good. I was worried once I got here I’d chicken out and keep on the black dress, but once I slid into this, it felt right.”
He took a step back before he made a complete fool of himself and took her hands in his. His thumb slid over her ring.
“And it matches perfectly,” he told her.
Her smile faltered a bit.
“What is it?” he asked.
Her eyes went from their joined hands back up to his face. “Have you seen the blog?” she asked. “It’s up now. I just scanned through it when I was in the back.”
“I haven’t seen it,” he told her. “Is something wrong with it?”
She pursed her lips for a moment before shaking her head. “No, nothing wrong. It just looks so real. Even I almost believe we’re engaged.”
Reese’s breath caught, but he quickly recovered. Taking her hand, he ushered her off to the side where nobody could overhear. He kept his hands firmly locked with hers because he wanted to get this out; he wanted her to listen to everything he had to say.
Mercy, this was the riskiest move he’d ever made and he didn’t care. If he let this moment, this woman, go without speaking his mind, then he’d regret it forever.
“You’re scaring me with that look in your eye,” she joked.
“What would you say to keeping the ring?” he asked.
Her brows drew in. “You insisted I keep it when I told you to return it. You claimed it could be my birthday gift, but it’s a bit extravagant for that.”
Reese swallowed the lump in his throat. “It’s not extravagant if it’s a real engagement ring,” he suggested. “Keep it, keep me. Let’s do this, Jo.”
Her eyes widened on her gasp and she jerked her hands from his. “Do this? You mean, stay engaged?”
His delivery and proposal really needed work, but he was so damn nervous he hadn’t really prepared his exact words.
“When we were talking the other night, it occurred to me that maybe we hadn’t found the right people because we are the right people.”
Josie continued to stare at him like he’d lost his mind, and maybe he had, but he still had to take this chance.
“Think about it,” he went on. “We have always been there for each other. No matter what has happened, good or bad, we have each other’s backs. Right? We trust each other. We’re a hell of a team in bed and out.”
“But you’re my best friend,” she countered, her voice holding no conviction. “We agreed...”
He took a step closer. “That was before everything changed. I love you, Josie.”
“I love you, too,” she said. “As my best friend. We can’t do this, Reese. Just because we grew intimate doesn’t mean we can build a life together.”
“Your fear is showing,” he murmured. “We’ve already built a life together.”
“My fear?” she questioned. “It’s common sense. We wouldn’t know how to live together, to really forge our lives together like a husband and wife. Have you really thought about this or did you just get caught up in the role?”
“The only thing I’ve gotten caught up in is you. You can’t believe I would ask if I wasn’t serious. I want to try this with you.”
Her eyes misted as she took another step back. “Trying leaves room for failure, and I love you too much to lose you as my friend, Reese. I’m sorry.”
She turned and walked toward the back of the restaurant, leaving him completely confused and shattered.
He’d known before he’d asked that she’d be scared, but he’d had no clue she would completely shut him down. Did she really believe he’d let her get hurt? Didn’t she trust him, trust them, more than that?
Chatter from the front doors pulled his attention back to the moment. Nick, Silvia, Sam and Maty were all smiles as they were the first to arrive. Right behind them, his parents.
This was his family. All of these people right here were here to support him on the most important night of his life.
Josie might have had to put distance between them, and that was fine, but he would regroup and stick around.
He wasn’t going anywhere now that he knew exactly what he wanted...who he wanted.
* * *
Josie smiled and nodded, she shook hands and answered questions. Nobody knew the truth, that her insides were shaking, that her head was ready to explode with all the thoughts ramming together in there, and her heart was aching in a way she’d never known.
How dare Reese spring that on her? A real engagement? Was he out of his ever-loving mind?
“You look absolutely stunning.”
Josie turned to see Silvia and Maty. The two women were beaming, which lightened Josie’s mood somewhat. She needed a distraction and perhaps these were just the ladies she needed to chat with.
“I know you always wear black for your column and appearances,” Maty stated, “but that red is gorgeous with your dark hair and skin tone.”
“Thank you,” Josie said, sipping her champagne. “I was worried it was too over-the-top, but I wanted to do something special for Reese. He’s always on me about stepping out of my comfort zone.”
Is that why he’d proposed for real? To get her out of that comfort zone? Because that wasn’t just stepping out, that was jumping off a cliff without a parachute.
“I just saw the blog right before we came in.” Silvia clutched her glass of sparkling water and leaned in to Josie. “Girl, you two are so adorably in love. I can’t wait to see your journey to the aisle.”
“I still can’t believe we’re all getting married,” Maty said with a wide grin. “It’s such an exciting time.”
Josie wanted to correct them; she wanted to confide in someone that this was all a farce and there was no way she could marry Reese.
He didn’t actually mean what he’d said. He’d gotten caught up, that’s all. He would realize once he had time to come down from this high of the opening that they were better off as friends.
That nice, safe zone they’d lived in for so long was just waiting for them to return. Josie wanted that normalcy back because being in limbo with her emotions, her hormones, her heart...it was simply too much to bear.
She’d felt so brave wearing this red gown, but when it came to her feelings regarding Reese, she wasn’t feeling so bold anymore. She’d tried. She wanted to be that daring woman. But...what if the r
isk was too great? What if they destroyed the life they’d built during all those years of friendship?
“I see the guys are talking with Reese’s mom and dad.” Josie nodded to the bar area. “I’m so glad this is all working out for him.”
Silvia nodded. “Nick was worried if the third brother came forward that he would be like Rusty. I’m just grateful they’ve all found one another. Nick said he’s going to do everything in his power to buy out Rusty, and Sam and Reese are joining forces.”
Reese had mentioned that to Josie. She couldn’t believe he was adding more business ventures to his plate, but that was Reese. He lived for success and to her knowledge, he’d never failed at anything.
Maybe that’s why he didn’t want to let her go. Would he see this public announcement calling off their engagement as a failure, like she had said at the start?
“Is everything all right?” Maty asked, placing a hand on Josie’s arm.
Josie blinked back to the moment. “Oh, yes. Sorry about that. It’s been a long couple of weeks.”
Understatement.
“Would you two excuse me?” she asked.
The ladies nodded and Josie stepped aside to go get some fresh air or a moment to herself. Even with all the chaos of the successful opening, she was having a difficult time concentrating on anything other than this ring weighing so heavy on her hand.
The ring that Reese wanted to mean more than it could.
Josie made her way to the private office Reese kept in the back. Once inside, she closed the door and leaned back against it. She just needed a minute to compose herself, that’s all. Then she could go back and play the dutiful, proud fiancée.
Because at midnight, this Cinderella story was over.
Sixteen
Reese stood on the second-floor balcony once again, staring down onto the empty first floor. The launch had been a huge success. The reservations were all booked up for the next three months and several reviewers were already talking about them during some prime spots on their social media accounts.
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