Rules of Friendship: Friends-to-Lovers Standalone Romance Novel

by C. A. Harms

  I understand what he feels. Just the idea of losing Reese makes me crazy with fear. I still haven’t been able to find the right words to describe exactly what I feel for her. Sure, I tell her I love her often. I repeat how much I adore her every chance I get. I guess if I had to try and depict our love, it would be a deep and forever love of soulmates. But it’s more. So much more.

  She offers us a little wave, a sweet tilt of her head, as she does a little excited shimmy with her hips before she walks off the stage. I smile right alongside her father. She’s done it. She’s gotten her degree and could now move forward with what she’s always dreamed of doing. I can picture her now, in her element, offering the best care she can provide to every animal in need.

  She tells me over and over how big my heart is, but Reese has a heart to match mine. She has so much compassion and is truly incredible. Her beauty runs so deep that it’s stunning to watch it unfold in everything she does. My girl is the full package, and every single time I look at her, I feel like I’ve been knocked on my ass.

  “I know I checked out on her for far too long,” her father confesses as I look over and find him watching me closely. “I wasn’t there for her like I should’ve been and that was wrong of me. But I think I always knew that she’d been safe.” His eyes glaze over with unshed tears. “She’s always had you, Dawson. When she was younger, I used to say there was no man out there good enough for my girl. But the truth is that there’s only one man out there good enough for her. You, son. You are her forever.”

  I nod because I’m too choked up to speak. His acceptance means more than I could ever express.

  Reese

  I STAND AT THE counter in the kitchen, my back toward the dining room. I hear Dawson moving around the space, only I refuse to turn around. Instead, I focus on the dough, kneading it over and over. Tears fill my eyes as I envision my mother at my side, as she’d been many times before while we cooked together. It was one of the many things she’d taught me while growing up. She’d place a step stool beside her, just tall enough for me to reach the counter space at her side. Whatever she was doing, it didn’t matter. She’d made me a part of it. Of course, she’d never allowed me to work with a knife until I was much older, but she managed to make sure I felt involved.

  Her homemade noodles were one of the many things she’d passed on to me. I could almost hear her in my ear, telling me just how to fold the dough, kneading, and curling. Sometimes I would close my eyes, and it helped to focus on the voice in my head. It made me feel close to her, help ease the ache inside from her absence. It was strange really, but sometimes it was hard to imagine that she was gone. I hated that she was missing out on so many things in my life. I wanted to be able to share everything with her. I wanted to ask for advice and so many times. I’d longed to hear her tell me she loved me.

  “Can I help?” The sound of Dawson’s voice jerks me back to the present as he steps up behind me. With one arm on either side of me, he presses his front firmly against my back.

  “I’m ready to cut the dough,” I whisper hoarsely, but he doesn’t push me to talk about what I am feeling. He knows. He always knows.

  He also knows how to soothe me too.

  His palms slide along my forearms before they reach my wrists and then cover my hands. I close my eyes, getting lost in the way he makes me feel every time he touches me. He makes it next to impossible to focus on anything other than him. “How do you do that?”

  “Do what?” He asks, though I sense he already knows what I mean.

  “You make me feel like nothing outside of this room exists,” I inform him, letting my head rest back against his chest where immediately his lips find my temple. “Like we’re the only ones who matter.”

  “In a perfect world, that’s true.” I feel his lips as they curve into a smile before he kisses me softly. “All I need is for you to be happy.”

  “You’ll bore of me eventually, Dawson.”

  “I’ll never get bored with you,” he ensures me, kissing along my cheek, over my jaw and down the contour of my neck. “Every day, I swear, I find just one more reason to love you.” My stomach flips with anticipation from his movements and his words. “One more reason to adore you. Bored would never be an option when it comes to you, Reese.”

  I push off the counter and turn within his hold. Looking up at him, I find that look of love and longing in his eyes I’ve witnessed often over the last few months. That same one that makes me feel like I am all he ever needs to be happy. “I love you.” I’ve said it before but not as often as I should. Before he gets the chance to reply, I cup the back of his neck and pull him down to me. Our lips touch, the kiss starting off slow and sensual. I suddenly get it. I now know what he means when he tells me that those three words aren’t strong enough to describe what he feels for me. What I feel for him, too, is so much more than anything I’ve ever experienced.

  “Thank you for always being by my side,” Doubt and regret reside in his eyes. “Even then, Dawson, you were still there. You’re still here, right here with me always. You’ve always been deep in heart and always will be.” I place my hand over my heart to show him exactly what I mean. “You’ve always been the person to hold me up. The person who’d catch me when I’d fall. My mother knew that and adored you too,” I say with a shaky voice, and he instantly places his forehead to mine as he closes his eyes tightly. He experienced that loss with me, and felt it too. “She always used to say, ‘Reese, you better snatch that boy up before someone else beats you to it.’”

  “Nah,” he says, and I lean back to find him wearing a big smile, “I was just passing the time until you figured out I was more than just your friend.”

  “Is that right?”

  “You don’t wanna know the things I thought about when I looked at you.” I arch a brow, and he chuckles. “But in my defense, you were the one that always walked around here wearing those short little bottoms and tank tops. Hell, you still wear those little things. Only now, I can pull them off of you and show you what I think of your sexy clothes.”

  “I did that on purpose.” He now gives me a questioning stare. “I knew you were watching.”

  “So much time wasted,” he declares and shakes his head.

  “Let’s not waste any more.” Using the leverage I have, I wrap my hands around the back of his neck and pull his lips to mine. The second I feel his hands cup my ass, I hop up and wrap my legs around his waist. Never once do we break our kiss as he turns around and walks us toward our bedroom.

  As he lowers me to the bed, he stands over me, looking down. His hungry eyes scan over my body. “All I see is you.” I met his warm gaze with my own, and the intensity in his eyes make my chest tighten. “All I ever see is you.”

  Without warning, he moves over me and instantly I am lost. Lost in him. Lost in our love. Lost in my forever.

  Dawson

  I sit outside 4 Legged Friends while I stare up at the colorful sign displayed proudly on the front of the building. Less than a month ago, Reese and Heather opened their own Veterinary clinic. They both decided after working a little more than a year for local vets that they were ready to venture out on their own.

  The last year has been a whirlwind, for both of us. We’ve both taken off in our careers, and everything was falling into place. Sitting on a bench, I wait for my signal from Heather. My heart races as I rehearse what I want to say over and over in my mind. I contemplate adding something new before it finally hits me that no amount of rehearsing will prepare me for what I plan to do.

  Heather walks past the front window, giving me the most cheesy thumbs up I’d ever witnessed, indicating it is a go. Show time, baby. She is almost as excited as I am, a crazy ball of energy that girl is.

  With one final deep breath, I stand from the bench and walk toward the front doors of the clinic. It is when I reach out for the handle that I notice my hands trembling, and not because I’m nervous or even scared. I’m anxious to begin this next chapter of our li
ves.

  The bell above the door rattles as I step inside where a few people wait with their pets in hand. Heather nudges her head toward the closed door to the left. “She’s almost done.”

  Not even a minute later, the door opens and out steps a young guy leading a little puppy on a leash. I smile, noticing how he looks back at Reese as she follows him out. Two years ago, I would’ve been jealous of the way he was eyeing my girl. Now, I know I have no reason to be. Reese is mine. She has always been mine.

  “We’ll see you again in a couple weeks for Jasper’s last puppy visit.” Reese bends down to pet the pup’s head, and I watch the way the guy’s eyes follow her movements. Just then her gaze lifts and lands on me. As always, once we lock eyes, we are all each other can see.

  “Hello, handsome,” she nearly coos and my heart is seized, the ache that follows always managing to leave me breathless for a few seconds. “Nice surprise.”

  I sense the guy now watching me, but frankly, I can’t take my eyes off my beautiful woman.

  “Missed my girl.”

  That smile of hers still knocks me on my ass.

  “Wes, let me get your next visit set up.” Heather holds her hand out to grab for the paper in Reese’s hands, and I step back, allowing the guy to move past me. Still, Reese continues to watch me.

  “Thought maybe I could take you to dinner.” None of this is going as planned, but with Reese, I don’t need a plan. Every second with her is meaningful.

  “Mmm . . . where?”

  “Someplace nice,” I say, stepping closer and holding my hand out for hers. “We need to celebrate.”

  “Celebrate?” Her brows crinkle in confusion, which makes her forehead wrinkle. “What are we celebrating?”

  Instead of answering her, I kneel before her and witness the very second it registers in her mind what I am doing. Reaching around to my back pocket, I pull out the ring box.

  “Our love.” I feel my heart race, and my throat grow scratchy.

  “Our life.” All movement around us stops.

  “Every day that I wake up and find you next to me, I feel like I’ve been given one more gift. Your smile makes everything better. Your touch soothes the worst of fears. Your love is everything. I wanna spend the rest of life feeling these things day after day. I never wanna go a minute without you by my side.”

  I can see the glossiness as it forms in her eyes.

  “I love you. I cherish you. I need you.”

  “I love you too,” she whispers hoarsely and one single tear runs over her cheek.

  “You’re my best friend and the love of my life. I want to spend every moment of our lives showing you how truly amazing you are. Will you marry me, Reese?” Tears form in her eyes as she starts to nod. I flip open the box and watch as her eyes grew wide. “You’re my safe place. My world. My everything. You still bring me to my knees, beautiful girl, and I know that’ll never change. We are meant to be. It’s always been you, Reese. I can’t wait to officially make you mine forever.”

  Lifting the ring from the box, I slide it over her finger just before she falls to her knees and tightly wraps her arms around my neck. Clapping fills the room and I look to my right to see Heather smiling brightly. The guy with the puppy looks like he’s swallowed a bug or sat on a thumbtack. I won’t lie—I feel like pounding on my chest triumphantly.

  That’s right, she’s mine, buddy. She will always be mine.

  Looking up at me, Reese confesses in a quiet voice, “I have a secret.” Immediately, I lean back so that I can see her face. All kinds of shit rolls around in my mind.

  “You gonna tell me?”

  “I was gonna tell you tonight,” she says with a smile, “but the idea of waiting now seems unfair.”

  Silence passes over us and my chest grows tight. “Reese?”

  She laughs softly, before biting her lip to stop it. “I guess tonight we have two things to celebrate.” Again she grows silent, and I am about to lose my shit when she drops three words that change our life forever. “I. Am. Pregnant”

  Reese renders me speechless with that bomb, a blissful bomb that makes me smile widely. Holy shit! I am going to be a father. And the woman of my dreams agreed to marry me! It was a perfect day, one that I know I’ll always remember. It was the day I’d been gifted everything I could have ever possibly wanted. I can’t help but pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming.

  Reese

  “It’s amazing just how much she looks like him.” Heather and I sit at the kitchen table staring into the living room. Dawson sits in the recliner with our daughter resting against his bare chest. I know how she feels because that very spot is one of my favorites too.

  “He’s like Mr. Mom.” She laughs, and that gains Dawson’s attention. He looks over at us and his eyes lock on mine. I can feel the love he holds for me.

  “He is,” I say without looking away from him. “He’s an amazing daddy.”

  “And Lydia already has him wrapped tightly around her little finger.”

  Oh yes, she does, but the bond he has with our daughter doesn’t surprise me. Dawson is by far the gentlest soul. He was meant to be a father, and I knew before she was born that she’d be the luckiest little girl. He loves us both unconditionally and without pause. He’d do anything for his girls and not a day goes by that we don’t feel consumed by his love.

  He is so much more than our best friend. He is our everything.

  THE CHARMED GIRLS, YOU ARE all amazing. The continued support you show me is something I will never be able to express just how much it means to me. Thank you all for sharing my work and for just being you. You are all the greatest bunch of ladies.

  THANK YOU, LYDIA, because you are a true friend and motivator, always making me laugh and smile. We are an amazing team, and your friendship means the world. Thank you for being one of my biggest cheerleaders.

  BETA TEAM, YOU know who you are. Thank you all so very much for taking this journey with me. Your feedback and encouraging words along the way made this story mean so much. Without you all, it would be what it is now.

  TO MY HUSBAND AND children, thank you for being the best part of my days. For tolerating me when I get lost in the world of fiction and understanding that sometimes dinner may be a little late. Jayden and Tayler, no matter how many books I write, you two will always be my best creations.

  MY READERS, I AM always so humbled by your support. Those random messages I received after you read my books, whether it be something big or small, I truly love them. Hearing what you think, in my eyes, is one of the greatest things about releasing a new book. I am never too busy for you.

  TO MY PA, MEGAN, thank you for everything you do. For keeping me straight because lord knows I need it. Also for being available whenever I need to bounce an idea off of you or a cover I’m just not sure of. You are the greatest.

  KAREN, EDITOR AND a godsend, you are just that. I was feeling discouraged and defeated when my editor fell through. You not only took on this edit as a last minute project but also beat your projected timeline. Lets not forget the fact that you are so reading good at it. Seriously woman, I adore you and all you’ve done. I can’t thank you enough.

  She is an avid romance and mystery reader. She's always had a love for books, getting lost in writing and storytelling even as a young girl. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.

  She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She holds an addiction for Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha’s and KitKat when she should really be focusing on water and maybe a fruit or two to make herself feel less guilty, but that feeling quickly passes...thankfully.

  She is easy going, fun, and although she may seem like one of the quiet ones at first, you just wait until she gets to know you better...that quietness changes, fast

  Also by C.A Harms

  Don’t Be Afraid

  Whisper Forever

  Dare to Dream

  .A. Harms, Rules of Friendship: Friends-to-Lovers Standalone Romance Novel