Cherishing His Best Friend: A Billionaire Protector Mystery Romance

by Alexa McLean

  So that’s exactly what I did. I slid my finger underneath the seal and broke it. “Ouch!” I exclaimed as I gave myself a small papercut. I shook the wound as if that would help quell the pain. It didn’t. That stinging papercut pain lingered even as I pulled the letter from the envelope.

  To my surprise, it was from Keith’s wife. She was a shy woman who was rarely seen in public. As kids, we made up rumors that Keith kept her trapped in the basement. Of course, that wasn’t true. Or, at least, I hope it wasn’t true. I pushed that thought from my mind and proceeded to read the letter.

  Dear Brandi,

  I know what my husband did and I cannot stand to live in secrecy.

  As you may know already, my husband has never truly loved me. His heart had always been set on your mother and when your father married her, it broke his spirit. I was nothing more than an afterthought. All these years, I went along with our marriage because I thought there would never be anything better and I was horrified by the thought of divorce. To live on my own? I couldn’t even stand the thought of that loneliness.

  But enough is enough. Keith has crossed a line that I cannot ignore. He pressured your father into drinking that night. I was there to witness it and if you want me to testify in court, I will certainly do that. Your father was a good man and his death deserved to be brought to justice.

  It is my hope that you receive this letter and that it does not get lost in the mail with that subpar mail carrier that keeps losing all my magazine subscriptions. If it does and you decide to press charges for what Keith has done, then you know where to find me. He is never home during the day. It is safe then.

  Sincerely,

  Mrs. Hudson

  P.S. I want to get closure for your father as much as you do and if that means putting my own husband behind bars then so be it. Justice will not be ignored for the sake of a man that has not loved me.

  I could not believe it. Keith’s wife had just thrown him under a bus. Was it true what she was accusing him of? Or was this just a desperate attempt to garner some freedom from a man she did not like.

  Either way, this was a much bigger situation than I could hope to deal with. I needed to consult Reis and from there we could come up with a game plan that would expose the truth once and for all.

  Chapter 24: Reis

  A FEW MONTHS LATER.

  So, Brandi’s suspicions had been correct after all. Keith had been the culprit all along, praying on her father’s vulnerability to alcohol to make him weak. From there it was easy pickings.

  What he didn’t know was that when he instigated that gas-leak fire, he was messing with the wrong guy. To threaten my girlfriend’s life? Well, that was a death sentence right then and there.

  I paid the expense to hire the best lawyers money could buy. They chewed apart his defense and got him rotting behind bars. We thought about suing him for damages but we didn’t want to take away that money from Mrs. Hudson so we allowed her to keep it so long as she promised to leave the little family feud in the past. She was quick to agree. Smart woman.

  “So, what do you want to do today?” I asked as soon as I rolled over and saw that Brandi was awake.

  “Well, first of all, today’s the day I get to take off this stupid cast.”

  I chuckled. “You must be excited.”

  “You have no idea.”

  “You know how they take off those things right? They use a buzz saw.” I said dramatically, trying to scare her.

  “I’m not a little kid anymore. That’s not going to work on me.”

  “Dang.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Well, c’mon chauffeur. I need someone to drive me there.”

  “How did I go from billionaire to petty chauffeur?” I asked with a shake of my head.

  “Hey, you were the one who decided to give up New York City in favor of this tiny town in Maine. You made your bed now sleep in it.” She was about to roll off the mattress when I stopped her.

  “Is that so?” I kissed the side of her neck. “Because I’ll have you know that as soon as that cast is off your leg and you can function normally, I’m going to have so much fun with you that it’ll make your head spin.”

  “Don’t get me started.” She breathed. “It’s too early in the morning to be this excited.”

  “I beg to differ.”

  LATER THAT AFTERNOON, we dropped by the Hudson Family Diner. From the looks of it, business was booming. Mrs. Hudson was behind the counter with a bright smile on her face.

  “Brandi. Reis.” She beckoned us over with a wave.

  We took a seat. Brandi seemed content that she could do this on her own and she no longer needed me to give her a boost.

  “What can I get you two?”

  “How about a couple of ice cream sundaes?”

  “Coming right up.” She spun on her heels and opened up a freezer jam-packed with a bunch of different flavors. She knew exactly what we liked and piled the dish high with sugary treats. I would need to work overtime at the gym to make up for this calorie-filled mess. “So, what brings you around to my neck of the woods?”

  “We decided to celebrate. I finally got that blasted cast off my leg.” Brandi explained. “And you have the best ice cream in town.”

  She smiled and blushed with her modesty. “Thank you, dear. I used to work at an ice cream parlor when I was younger. I loved it. The smiles you get are priceless.”

  Mrs. Hudson really was a charming woman. It was a shame that she had married someone so rotten. I just hoped she could find someone new.

  “I really am sorry for what happened to your father – and you too.” She wrung a napkin between her fingers. “And I wish I could have gathered the courage to do something about it but...”

  “I understand,” Brandi said as she reached over and took the woman’s hand. “I’m just glad you brought light to the situation or I would have lived out the rest of my life thinking that my father had died of his own fault.”

  “Thank you again for helping us,” I said, adding my two cents. “And for working with our diner. I think business is going well for the two of us.”

  “Oh, it’s wonderful. The promotional idea was fantastic. Everyone loves Taco Tuesdays around here and I’ll be joining you for Spaghetti Saturday. Your cook sure knows how to make a mean tomato sauce. Do you think he could share the recipe with me sometime?”

  “Over his dead body,” Brandi answered dramatically.

  “Don’t get any ideas,” I added with a laugh.

  Mrs. Hudson smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of it. As far as I’m concerned, our current arrangement is perfect. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

  “Seconded.” Brandi agreed.

  “Oh, and one more thing. I booked you to play on Friday night.” She said with a wink.

  “What?” Brandi spat, wide-eyed and horrified.

  “Your boyfriend said you were good with a guitar. So, I took the liberty of signing you up to play on Friday night. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Of course she’ll do it,” I said, slapping her on the back.

  “Fine.” She grumbled but I could hear the excitement in her undertone.

  Epilogue: Brandi

  A FEW YEARS LATER.

  My fingers ached from holding my phone for so long. Sure, I could have shifted it over to the speaker but that always made the line choppier and harder to understand.

  “Any luck?” Reis asked as soon as I hung up the call. I was sick and tired of listening to elevator music.

  “No.”

  Reis walked up behind my desk chair and started to massage my shoulders. “Don’t beat yourself up over this. Real estate is never easy. You have to fight for each and every location even when you have a hundred of them. Trust me, I’ve been in your situation a thousand times before.”

  “There has to be a better way.” I ran my fingers through my hair before slouching forward with a sigh. “This is a nightmare.”

  “You’ll get through it. You’ve been d
oing great so far.” He said with an encouraging smile. “If you want, I think I can come up with a way to motivate you.”

  “Let me guess, it involves spending the afternoon in the bedroom.” Now that I thought about it, having some fun with Reis might just be exactly what I needed to get my blood flowing and my mind working.

  “Actually no. What do you say we go back to the original diner? It’s been a while.” He was already grabbing my coat and when I got up, he helped ease it onto my body. He then wrapped a scarf around my neck and finished up with a kiss to my nose. “Wouldn’t want you catching a cold. I learned my lesson the last time that happened.”

  “Oh, come on, I wasn’t that bad.” I protested as I scooped up my purse.

  Reis was right on my tail. Most of the time he walked a few steps behind me not because he was slower but because he liked the view from back there.

  In the garage, I jumped in my car. Reis joined me a second later. It was nothing in comparison to Reis’ luxury vehicles but I didn’t need all that fancy stuff. A nice, affordable, and reliable car was good enough for me.

  I eased it out of the garage and started down the street. As I drove, he rested his hand on my thigh and squeezed it. “Don’t tempt me,” I growled. “Or I’ll have to pull over like last time.”

  “Is that really such a problem?” He asked with this innocent expression on his face.

  “It is when I’m hungry.”

  “You know, I’ve been thinking. You remember when we first started dating and you told me that you wanted to have kids?”

  I drummed my fingers against the steering wheel. “This is random but okay.”

  “Well, we’re not getting any younger and the risk for pregnancy only gets higher with age –”

  “Are you calling me old?”

  “No! Not at all!” Reis shook his head. “Trust me, I’m not an idiot. To call a woman old is to sign your own death certificate.”

  “Smart man,” I said with a slight chuckle. “So, as you were saying?”

  “Well, I was thinking maybe we should start considering making those babies.”

  “Oh yeah?” Since we were paused at a red light, I turned to look at him. “Are you serious about this.”

  “As serious as I’ll ever be.” He answered. “I’ve known for a long time that you’re the woman of my dreams. I would be a fool for wanting children with anyone else. But...”

  I had a feeling there was a catch to this whole thing. “Spit it out.”

  “I’ll tell you once we’re at the diner.”

  “Ugh. You’re so difficult sometimes. Why can’t you just tell me now?”

  “Because it’s a surprise.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that,” I said as I turned into the parking lot. All the spaces were occupied so I was forced to park on one of the side streets.

  “You’re going to hit the car behind you,” Reis warned.

  “No. I’m not.” I returned as I stretched my neck to better see. “Don’t you think I know how to parallel park?”

  “Do you want me to do it for you?”

  “No.” I tapped the gas just a little before switching over to the brake. Only then did I pull forward and slide into the parking space like a professional. “See, there was nothing for you to worry about.”

  “And this is one of the reasons why I love you.”

  “Because I know how to parallel park? That seems like a pretty silly reason to love someone, unless, of course, you live in New York City or something, then I kind of understand where you’re coming from.”

  Reis didn’t bother to listen to the rest of my ranting. I guess that’s what happens when you date for a certain period of time.

  I looked up and he was already at my door opening it for me.

  “After you.” He said once we approached the diner.

  As usual, we ordered burgers and fries.

  “So, what’s this big surprise of yours?”

  He answered by reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out an envelope.

  “What’s this?” I asked, already opening it.

  He waited for me to figure it out.

  I swear, my eyes nearly bugged right out of my head. “Is this what I think it is?”

  He just smiled at me.

  “Reis...”

  “I know you think you’re too old but I know you aren’t. So, to sidestep your stubbornness, I took the liberty of sending some of your music to a friend of mine and guess what? He loved it! Everyone around the world is going to hear your music, Brandi.” He took my hand and slipped something onto my finger. “But I will be the only man who can make you sing in bed.” He said with a wink.

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  Chapter 1: Tori

  IT WAS ANOTHER TYPICAL day at the library. The regulars were tucked away in the corners, noses buried inside their books. I was behind the reception desk organizing some of last night’s returns. I was always fascinated to see what people checked out of the library. I suppose that’s why I became a librarian.

  Once everything was sorted, I checked our email system and responded to a few inquiries. One student, in particular, needed help with an essay about the American Civil War. I grinned, cracked my knuckles, and listed a few primary texts that were sure to impress their teacher, that is if they managed to use it correctly.

  By noon, I pulled a salad out of my bag and munched through the slightly soggy leaves.

  The afternoon rolled by and with nothing else to do, I started reading Searching for Him, a romance novel I had picked up about a week ago. It was a thrilling mystery about a husband who went missing after a tragic sailing accident only to come back ten years to find his wife has moved on and married his brother. I was hooked on every page, devouring every word like a starving woman.

  Swoosh!

  The large front doors swung back, revealing a disheveled looking young man with a mop of hair on his head. He has his backpack slung over his left shoulder. The right strap was missing altogether.

  I offered a smile. “What can I do for you today?”

  “I need an encyclopedia on English Queens.” He said as he looked down at his hand.

  “Well, you can find encyclopedias on the third floor. Would you like me to show you?” I asked, maintaining the friendly smile on my face.

  The young man behind the counter nodded with a sly expression on his face. He was a student at the local college. He frequented the library at least once a week, usually on the days when I worked. I had a hunch that he was developing a crush. The thought made me blush with embarrassment. Maybe a few years back, I would have been flattered by such attention but as it stands, he was much too young for someone in her mid-thirties.

  “Right this way.” We climb the stairs to the third floor. My long skirt brushes against the carpet. I really needed to find the time to fix the hem but I just didn’t have the energy to fish out the sewing machine from the attic. Plus, the dust always aggravated my allergies and I’d spend the rest of the night sneezing up a storm.

  “Um, Miss Prater, is it?” He said, looking at my name badge. Or rather, it seemed like more of an excuse for him to stare at my cleavage. I folded my shawl across my chest to hide my body from his hungry gaze.

  “Yes?” I said while standing on a step stool to grab the book he needed. “This here should be a perfect starting point for your term paper. Make sure you make good use of the bibliography at the end of each article. It’ll be a goldmine for potential sources.”

  “Thanks.” He grabbed the book and grinned. “So, this new pizza shop just opened up down the street. I was wondering if you wanted to grab a slice or two with me sometime.”

  I’ve been dreading this moment. I knew it was coming because every time he tried to leave the library, he l
ingered like there was something he wanted to say he just couldn’t muster up the courage to do so.

  How was I supposed to let him down without hurting him? All I could see was the hopefulness in his eyes as they twinkled in excitement. There was a smile plastered across his face. Obviously, he was very happy with himself for mounting the courage to ask me out.

  “I’m sorry but...”

  Instantly, that twinkled dulled into a deep and stormy darkness. His shoulders sagged with disappointment as he anticipated my rejection.

  “It has nothing to do with you, Matt. It’s just – inappropriate. You’re a student.”

  “I’m an adult.” He stated with a defiant tone to his voice.

  I nodded. “You are. But I’m a much older adult. Do you really want to date a woman who turns thirty-five next month?”

  His lips pressed into a hard line. His eyebrows twitched. Slowly, his eyes swept over my body, soaking in every inch as if to validate what I had just told him.

  “You’re thirty-five?”

  “Almost.”

  His mouth hung agape. Clearly, he was in a state of disbelief. “But... you’re hot...”

  I blushed crimson. It was the first time in a long time that someone had called me hot. I didn’t consider myself particularly attractive. I wasn’t ugly by any means but there were plenty of women who had much better looks than I did. “Matt, if you really want to take someone out on a date, why don’t you try Stacy. She’s our new assistant. Studies are your college. Maybe you even share a few classes with her.”

  His eyes widened. “Really?”

  “Mhm. Do you want me to introduce you?”

  Suddenly, his face grew very red. He tugged on the collar of his dress shirt as his forehead prickled with sweat. “I... Maybe some other time.”

  “Alright,” I responded with a smile. “Some other time, then.”

  Together, we returned to the circular desk where I checked him out. He hurried out of the library and avoided looking over at Stacy who just giggled to herself.