From Best Friend to Bride

by Jules Bennett

  He pulled the phone out, saw his brother’s number and didn’t know if he was disappointed or relieved that work wasn’t calling him in.

  “Hang on,” he told Megan. “It’s just Eli. I’m not done with you.”

  Her eyes flared, and he realized how that sounded considering all that had transpired between them within the past week.

  “What?” he growled into the phone.

  “Mom fell.” Eli didn’t bother with any pleasantries. “I’m pretty sure her ankle is broken.”

  “Oh, hell.” Cameron ran a hand down his face and sighed, meeting the concerned look in Megan’s eyes. “Want me to meet you at the hospital?”

  “I’ve already got her here,” Eli answered. “You don’t have to come, but I wanted to let you know what was up. Dad is home, and he’s watching Amber for me. Nora came with me to sit with mom. Drake got called into work when one of his guys reported in sick.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Cameron shoved the phone back in his pocket and yanked his keys from the peg by the door.

  “Mom fell,” he said, answering Megan’s worried look. “Eli thinks her ankle is broken. I’m heading to the ER now. Dad is babysitting for Eli.”

  Megan stepped out onto the porch, holding the screen door open for him. “I’ll go by your parents’ house and sit with Mac and Amber. I’m sure he’s worried. Keep me posted.”

  Before she walked away, Cameron reached out, wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck and looked her straight in the eyes. “I meant what I said. We’re not done talking.”

  Megan’s eyes locked on to his, her shoulders straightened and that defiant chin lifted. “I’m pretty sure we’re done discussing just how much you’re denying both of us something that could be amazing. Until you’re ready to face the fact you enjoyed kissing me, rubbing your hands on me, and admit you’re just running scared, don’t bring it up again.”

  She pulled away and bounded down the porch steps. “Just text with an update on your mom. No need to call.”

  And with that she headed toward her house, leaving Cameron to stare at those mocking hips.

  Yes, he’d liked kissing her, thoroughly appreciated the feel of her curves beneath his hands. He was a man and she was a sensual woman whom he’d wanted for years. So what if he was running scared? Better to stop the disaster before it completely ruined their friendship.

  As Cameron headed to his truck, he had a sinking feeling their friendship had already rounded a curve and was speeding out of control, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

  Chapter Ten

  “This fuss isn’t necessary.” Bev tried to maneuver her new crutches as Eli and Cameron flanked her sides, assisting her into the house. “I’ll be fine. There’s no need for everyone to hover.”

  “You will be fine,” Eli agreed. “But for now we’re going to hover. Just be glad Drake had to go in or you’d have all of us.”

  Megan held the door open with one hand and propped Amber on her hip with the other. “You know it’s useless to argue with these guys, Bev,” Megan said, catching the woman’s grin. “Just let them think what they want to boost their egos.”

  Cameron’s gaze swung to hers, and Megan merely lifted a brow. If he wanted to apply those words to the turmoil they had going on, so be it. Wasn’t her fault if he had a guilty conscience.

  Megan closed the door and pulled Amber around to settle against her chest as the baby continued chewing on her cloth rattle.

  “I’ve already brought your pillows and pajamas down to the guest room,” Mac stated, moving forward to take the place of his sons. “We’ll be sleeping down here until you’re healed and can do the stairs.”

  “And I’ll be stopping by in the mornings,” Nora stated, coming in through the door, holding Bev’s purse. “I can do your grocery shopping after work so Mac doesn’t have to worry about anything.”

  “One of my patients has volunteered to babysit Amber until you’re feeling better,” Eli added.

  “Oh, for pity’s sake.” Bev stopped in the foyer and sighed, shooting glares at all those around her. “I can get through these next six weeks without rearranging everyone’s lives.”

  Mac placed a hand over her shoulder. “Complain all you want, but when I had bypass surgery, you all steamrolled me and took care of me. Now it’s our turn to cater to you.”

  A lump formed in Megan’s throat at the sincere, loving way Mac looked to Bev. They’d always been such a dynamic couple, always strong even when dealing with hellion teen boys and all their shenanigans.

  Megan knew that Mac’s bypass surgery last year had rocked them all because the pillar of the family wasn’t as indestructible as they’d all thought him to be.

  Megan’s eyes traveled to Cameron. Her breath caught in her throat when she found herself under the scrutiny of his bright blue eyes. Amber started fussing, pulling Megan’s focus back to the infant in her arms.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart.” Megan patted her back. “You’re just getting sleepy, aren’t you?”

  Nora smiled, set the purse down on the accent table and reached out. “I can take her. She’s not used to being awake this late.”

  “I’ll run Eli home,” Cameron chimed in. “Go on ahead and take her.”

  Nora said her goodbyes in a frantic attempt to get her unhappy child out the door. Once she was gone, Mac assisted Bev down the hall and into the spare room.

  “I’ll get her meds from the car,” Eli volunteered. “She won’t need any more tonight, but I’ll put them in the kitchen where Dad can see them.”

  Eli headed out the front door, leaving Cameron and Megan alone. Why did they always somehow gravitate toward these situations? Before last week she wouldn’t think twice about being alone with Cameron, but with all this tension crackling between them, she truly didn’t know what step to take next. And she’d made it clear that the ball was in his court.

  “I’m heading out,” she told him. “Let your mom know I’m here if she needs anything. I’m free all weekend once I get back.”

  Cameron nodded. “Thanks for your help.”

  She waited for him to say something else, but he continued to stare in silence. Eli came back inside, carrying a small white pharmacy bag. He glanced between Megan and Cameron.

  “Everything okay?” he asked, his brows drawn together.

  “Fine,” Megan and Cameron replied in unison, still eyeing each other.

  “O-kay,” Eli whispered as he moved on through to the kitchen.

  Shoving her hair away from her face, Megan gritted her teeth as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her keys. Without another word, she headed out the front door and into the cool evening. She’d just hit the bottom step when she heard the screen door slam.

  “Is this how it’s going to be?” Cameron yelled. “This awkward, sometimes-polite chitchat like we’re virtual strangers?”

  Megan took in a deep breath before turning to face the man on the porch illuminated by the soft glow of outdoor lights. With his hands on his narrow hips, black T-shirt stretched tightly over toned shoulders and that perfectly cropped hair, Cameron gave off the impression of someone in control and pulled together.

  Megan knew better. She’d experienced just how much he relinquished that power when she’d touched him, kissed him, pressed her body to his. And that interesting tidbit of information was something worth hanging on to.

  The chill in the air slid through her. A shiver racked her body as she wrapped her arms around her midsection.

  “If you feel awkward around me, then it sounds like you have some issues to work out,” she threw back. She wasn’t going to make this easy on him, not when he was being so infuriating. “I’ve always heard intimacy helps people relax.”

  Maybe she shouldn’t poke the bear, but they’d already gone past the point of no return. She may as well toss it all out there.

  Cameron took a step forward, his eyes still locked on hers. “Why are you acting like th
is?”

  Megan shrugged. “Maybe that kiss was a wake-up for both of us, and I’m willing to face it instead of run from it.”

  Cameron bounded down the steps, coming to stand right in front of her. So close, she could feel his warm breath, but he didn’t touch her.

  “You keep coming to me,” she added, looking up into those eyes filled with torment. “You keep provoking me, too, but then you back off. You can’t have it both ways, Cam.”

  He gripped her arms in an almost bruising manner as he leaned over her, giving her no choice but to lean back to keep her gaze locked on to his.

  Without a word, his mouth crushed hers. The instant demand had her clutching his shoulders and cursing herself for giving in to his impulses so easily. But damn it, she was human. She’d wanted this man for as long as she could remember, and she was going to take what she could get...for now. She wasn’t settling for seconds; she was biding her time until Cameron realized this was right. Everything about them coming together was perfectly, wonderfully right.

  Reluctant, Megan tore her mouth away. “If you’re only kissing me because you’re angry with yourself or you’re trying to prove a point, then stop.”

  His forehead rested against her temple, those lips barely touching her jawline. “I don’t know, Meg. You make me crazy. I can’t do relationships, and I won’t do a fling—not with you. But part of me can’t seem to stop now that we’ve started.”

  Not quite the victory she’d hoped for, but one she would definitely take. She had him torn, had him thinking. Still, she wanted, deserved, more.

  “I won’t be someone you figure things out with along the way,” she told him, sliding her hands away from his taut shoulders. “If you want more, you say so.”

  She stepped back, waited until he looked at her before she continued. “Be damn sure if you come to me that you want what I’ve offered because there’s no going back.”

  Megan waited, giving him an opportunity to respond. When silence greeted her and the muscle in Cameron’s jaw moved, Megan swallowed, turned on her heel and headed to her car.

  Maybe her going out of town would give them the space they both needed to regroup. Maybe the time away would give her the insight she needed on whether to stay or go.

  That reminded her—she still needed to inform Evan that she’d be gone. Hopefully he wouldn’t tell his questionable friends that her house sat empty. She wanted to be honest with him, wanted him to know that she trusted him, but in all honesty, she didn’t. She knew the group he was with was only making his attitude worse, hence his phone call. She had no clue what he truly did with his free time, but she had a feeling it wasn’t legal.

  Evan had obviously felt himself sinking deeper into a place he didn’t want to be when he’d reached out to her. Megan could only pray while she was gone for these two days that the most important men in her life came to some decisions...and she hoped the outcomes would be what she wanted.

  * * *

  “Care to explain what I just saw?”

  Cameron winced as he stepped back into his parents’ house. Eli stood in the foyer near the sidelight like some Peeping Tom.

  “Yeah, I care,” Cameron mumbled. The last thing he wanted was to discuss what had just happened because each time he lost his damn mind and kissed Megan, he always felt worse afterward. He was using her to feed his desires, knowing he couldn’t go any further.

  “Then would you like to tell me why you and Megan look like you’re ready to fight one minute and the next thing I know I look out and see you all but devouring her?”

  Cameron clenched his fists at his side. Eli’s arms crossed over his chest as his eyes narrowed. Eli had married his high school sweetheart, but Megan had been around for so long. And they’d all been friends. Damn it. Cameron hadn’t even thought of how his brothers would react if they knew...

  Hell. Cameron couldn’t even put a label on the debacle he’d made of his life in the past month.

  “Leave it,” Cameron warned as he started down the hall to check on his mom.

  “She’s resting and Dad’s in there.” Eli moved quickly, coming to block the entrance to the hall. “I told them we’d lock up and turn off all the lights.”

  “Fine. You get the lights. I’ll check the back door.”

  Eli made no attempt to move. Raising his gaze to the ceiling, Cameron sighed. He should’ve known this wasn’t going to be easy.

  “I have no idea what’s going on,” he conceded, looking back to his brother. “We’ve kissed. I know on every level it’s a bad idea, but I can’t stop myself.”

  A little of the anger in Eli’s eyes dimmed as his shoulders relaxed. “How does she feel?”

  Cameron couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, she’s made it clear she’s ready to step from the friend zone to something more.”

  Eli tipped his head and shrugged. “And you’re angry about this?”

  “You know I’ve made it clear for years I don’t want a commitment. Megan’s heard me say it over and over.” Damn her for making him so confused. “I won’t use her, Eli. She’s the type of woman who deserves stability and a family. I can’t give her either.”

  “Can’t or won’t?”

  No, he wasn’t getting into this. Cameron maneuvered around Eli and went to make sure the back door was locked. When he came back to the front, Eli had turned off the lights except the small lamp on the accent table.

  Eli opened the door and gestured for Cameron to go on ahead. Once they were on the porch, Cameron started to head down the steps, but Eli had to open his mouth again. Ridiculous to think he’d be able to make a break for it.

  “You can’t be married to your job forever,” Eli called out. “At some point you’re going to be lonely. Megan’s a great girl. You two would be good together.”

  Cameron spun around. “I’m not looking for advice on my love life. There are complications that you don’t know about and I can’t get into. So just drop it, and don’t mention what you saw to anybody.”

  Eli stared back, not saying a word.

  “Promise me,” Cameron demanded. “Not Drake, not Mom or Dad.”

  After a minute, Eli nodded. “Fine. But you better not mess around and hurt Megan. She’s the only woman in your life other than your mother who puts up with your moodiness and your unruly schedule.”

  Cameron turned back, heading toward his truck parked last in the driveway. He wasn’t even entertaining thoughts of how much Megan had put up with. Because then he’d have to admit how much she truly did care for him.

  Cameron knew he wasn’t going to get any sleep at all tonight, so he headed to the station. Might as well check in with his guys and see if there were any new developments. Of course, if there had been anything, he would’ve been called. Still, he couldn’t go home because Megan’s presence was in every single room...especially his bedroom.

  His office was practically Megan-free, and he always had work he could do. But Eli was right. Cameron was afraid to go deeper with Megan. How could he be anything else? Too much rested on his shoulders, and no matter what weight he relieved himself of, he’d have more taking its place.

  Everything in his life, both personal and professional, all pointed back to Megan somehow. There wasn’t a damn thing he could do to save her from his choices, regardless of the path he took.

  Chapter Eleven

  Megan thought for sure that after visiting the new facility and meeting the staff she’d potentially be working with, she’d have a clearer insight on a decision.

  As she maneuvered her car onto the exit ramp that would take her back into Stonerock, she was more confused than ever.

  Yes, the facility was beautiful. But the nicest computer equipment or fancy waiting areas, complete with a waterfall wall for a calming atmosphere, weren’t going to sway her into making a life-altering decision.

  What Megan cared about was the people she’d be able to reach, to help, the difference she could make in their lives. Megan’s potential supervisor had
gone into great detail about the areas the clinic planned to target. Topping the list were poverty-stricken neighborhoods where alcoholism and drug abuse had spiked in the past few years.

  Just the mention of that area had pulled Megan’s mind back home with Evan. She knew he had a problem, and she’d give anything to fix him. That’s what she did; she had a degree to fix people. But if he didn’t want to change completely, she could use all the fancy words and textbook cures in the world and he’d still remain in the pit he’d dug for himself. Though she didn’t think he was using drugs—she hadn’t seen the telltale signs—she did believe he was mixed up with a group who wasn’t immune to the industry. Why else did he always need money? Why else would he always be worried about his safety?

  So did she truly want to leave, risking Evan choosing to stay behind? Or did she want to stay in Stonerock where she’d already developed relationships with clients? Those clients trusted her, counted on her. Would they feel as if they were being abandoned if she accepted the new position?

  Megan’s cell rang, cutting off the radio. Pressing the button on her steering wheel, Megan answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Megan.” Marly’s chipper voice came through the car speakers. “Are you busy?”

  “Just driving. What’s up?”

  “Nora and I were wondering if you were free tonight. I know it’s last minute, but Eli said he didn’t mind keeping the girls for us.”

  As exhausted as she was from her whirlwind trip, a girls’ night out sounded like the reward she needed. Megan couldn’t remember the last time she’d been out with a group of friends. Going out with Cameron didn’t count, not that they went out. They tended to grill at his house or watch movies, and then she’d go back to her house.

  “Count me in,” Megan said, turning onto her road. “I’m almost home. I need to change, but I can meet you all somewhere.”

  “We’re heading to Dolly’s Bar and Grill.”

  They arranged the time and Megan suddenly found herself getting another burst of energy. She wouldn’t think about Evan, Cameron or her work situation. She’d have a beer, chat with the girls and have a good time. A simple, relaxing evening.