My Best Friend’s Ex
Make Her Mine-Book 4
Alexis Winter
I didn’t mean to fall in love with my best friend’s ex,
Hell, I didn’t even realize I was until he put a ring on her finger.
Too bad I can’t bring myself to tell her that her fiancé is a cheating, man-whoring douchebag
And she deserves a man that will give her the world.
A man like me.
I should have walked away from this situation years ago.
Back when my best friend turned into the a$$-hole he is today.
But I couldn’t.
I told myself I was being the heroic friend, staying just close enough to give her a shoulder to cry on every time he hurt her.
I’m going to tell her the truth this time.
That is, until she shows up on my doorstep tear stained and single.
One minute she’s crying in my arms,
And the next she’s moaning in my bed.
I finally have everything I’ve wished for…
Until he shows up and tells her I knew all along.
How am I supposed to prove to her I’m different?
That I deserve her?
That I deserve to be a father to my baby she’s carrying?
Copyright © 2020 by Alexis Winter - All rights reserved.
* * *
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
Contents
1. Levi
2. Danielle
3. Levi
4. Danielle
5. Levi
6. Danielle
7. Levi
8. Danielle
9. Levi
10. Danielle
11. Levi
12. Danielle
13. Levi
14. Danielle
15. Levi
16. Danielle
17. Levi
18. Danielle
19. Levi
20. Danielle
21. Levi
22. Danielle
23. Levi
24. Danielle
READ THE REST OF THE MAKE HER MINE SERIES HERE
Also by Alexis Winter
About the Author
1
Levi
The day is warm and sunny as I step out of my car, briefcase in hand. I quickly glance at my watch to see that it’s going on eight a.m. I push myself to go a little quicker before I’m late. Even though I know I’m barely making it on time, I can’t help but enjoy the warmth of the day. The heat is making the potted plants in front of the office smell even sweeter than normal. So sweet, in fact, that I can almost taste them. A slight breeze blows from over the lake. The breeze from the water makes the air naturally cooler by several degrees, and it feels good kissing my warm skin. I love being outdoors – hiking, fishing, and playing sports – so having to work on a beautiful day like today nearly kills me.
Luckily for me, I’m the in-house lawyer here at Windsor, which means that if there’s nothing on my desk, I have no work to do. I’m not much of a hopeful man, but I mentally cross my fingers in hopes of my desk being clear when I walk into my office.
Just as I’m entering the building, my phone chimes in my pocket, and I pull it out to see the text message on the screen.
Nick: Hey, man. I’m back in town. Party tonight. You in?
I shake my head and slide it back into my pocket without replying. Nick has been my best friend since college. However, lately, he’s turned into a real dick. He’s always had that better-than-you, I-was-born-with-a-silver-spoon attitude, but this last year, it’s only gotten worse with the job he landed on Wall Street. He spends weeks at a time in New York, leaving his loyal girlfriend here while he works. And from the stories he’s told me, most of his non-working time is spent with women, booze, and drugs.
His girlfriend, Danielle, works here at Windsor, and I see her nearly every day. While we're on a friendly basis, I wouldn’t consider us friends, which means I can’t spill a word of what Nick tells me about his time away from her. And God knows I wish I could. While Danielle and I aren’t exactly friends, we’ve hung out with Nick on several occasions. She’s beautiful and funny, smart and sweet. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to her. But my loyalty lies with Nick, even if I don’t like the person he’s becoming.
Instead of causing unnecessary stress by thinking about my situation with Nick and Danielle, I push it all away as I step onto the elevator. I hit the button for the fourth floor and keep my eyes pointed at the doors so I can get off the moment they open. Taking a deep breath to release my frustrations, I get a whiff of a familiar perfume—sweet vanilla and lavender—and I turn my head to see Danielle behind me.
I offer up a polite smile. “How are you?”
She smiles as her eyes fall to the floor, hidden beneath her long, dark lashes. Her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink before her eyes return to mine. “Good. And yourself?”
I nod once. “A lot better if I could be outside right now.”
“I hear ya. It would be a good day to spend outside,” she agrees, nodding her head, making her loose blonde curls bounce.
Being alone in the elevator with her causes my heart to pound and my nerves to skyrocket. I slide my right hand into my pocket. “I got a text from Nick a bit ago. He’s back in town?”
She presses her plump pink lips together and shrugs. “No idea. I haven’t heard from him for three days now. I guess I’ll find out when I go home and walk into another one of his epic parties.” She rolls her dark brown eyes. Danielle is one of those people who is always upbeat. She goes out of her way to make someone’s day, and it kills me to see her treated so poorly.
The elevator doors open. “Well, see ya,” I say awkwardly, stepping through. I turn back in time to see her lift her hand and wave goodbye between the closing doors.
Having that conversation pisses me off. Nick just got home, and he’s already setting up a party? Meanwhile, his girlfriend of the past six years doesn’t even know he’s home. And imagine getting off work and going home to find a party raging on in your penthouse apartment. No time to chill after work, no peace and quiet. Just loud, drunk people tearing up your house. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why in the hell she’s still with him.
Like most days, walking through the doors of my office is my opportunity to leave everything behind me. I flip on the light switch on and move to the windows to open the blinds. The bright city greets me and makes me long to be out there instead of in here. With the office now fully lit up, I turn to look at my desk.
Every day when I leave the office, I clear my desk completely. I hate knowing I left work piling up. I have a tendency not to rest until everything is done, and I’m a bit of a neat freak. I can’t go to sleep with a dish in my sink, and I can’t leave work until all the files are cleared. When I look down and find two files, a smile form. It won’t take long, and soon, I’ll be back outside where my heart and soul crave to be.
I sit at my desk and start up the computer. I go through my morning routine of checking messages and returning calls and emails. Finally, when everything else is out of the way, I pull the files closer so I can see what I’m working with. The first file is nothing but the start-up paperwork for a new employee. This is easy. All I have to do is pull up the saved contract that Windsor uses for all it
s employees, fill in the blanks, and hit print. It only takes me ten minutes to have the entire thing filled out and printed. I place the contract into the file and set it aside. Opening the next file, I find that an employee is suing the company based on wrongful termination. I scoff and shake my head. So many have tried to do this, and so many have failed. With me as the lawyer, nobody stands a chance. My contracts are ironclad. It’s not my fault if the employee doesn’t read the fine print or ask to have it explained to them.
I email the lawyer representing the client and attach a copy of the contract that was signed, highlighting the section about wrongful termination. I send the email and push away from my desk. In a way, I love this job. It pays well, and I’m on salary, so it doesn’t matter if I work forty hours a week or if I work two. Bennet knows I’m the best lawyer he could possibly have, and as long as things are good, there’s no need for me to be sitting here.
I shut down the computer and gather my things, including the file I finished. Before heading out for the day, I swing by Bennet’s office. His secretary is sitting outside, and she greets me with a kind smile like she always does.
“Good morning, Mr. Finlay. How are you this morning?”
I offer up a smile and nod. “Very well. Is Bennet around?”
“Of course. One moment,” she replies, picking up her phone and speaking so low into it that I can’t even hear her. She hangs up moments later. “Let me show you in,” she says, standing and moving toward the door.
She opens one of the double doors, and I follow her in.
“Hey, Levi. What’s up?” Bennet asks, standing up and buttoning his jacket.
I walk over and shake his hand. “Good. How’s everything going?” I ask as he motions for me to have a seat across from his desk.
“Perfect as always,” he says, sitting back down.
“Here’s the contract for the new employee that was on my desk this morning. I also handled a wrongful termination, but there’s nothing to worry about there.” I hand him the file.
He takes it and places it on his desk. “I know I never have anything to worry about with you having my back.”
I laugh as I lean forward, preparing to stand. “Well, if that’s it, I’m going to take off for the day. The weather is way too nice to spend it sitting in a stuffy office.”
We both stand, and he walks me back to the door. “I hear ya. I think I’m about to do the same. Maddie has been driving me crazy about buying a side-by-side to ride around our property. I think I’ll surprise her today.”
I laugh and shake his hand. “You got yourself a good woman. I’d spoil her every chance I got.”
He nods. “Oh, I do,” he agrees as he pulls open the door.
“See you tomorrow, Ben,” I say, walking out with a wave.
When I finally make it back outside, I take a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of the sunshine on my face, the slight breeze on my skin, and the smell of the floral roses out front. I can’t help but look around me as I walk toward the parking lot. It seems like everyone is out enjoying this beautiful day. Everyone is walking or riding bikes around the city. There are joggers running up and down the sidewalks, tourists shopping, and students parked in front of every bookstore and coffee shop with their books open in front of them.
When I see Danielle sitting at the side of a fountain, I debate even going over. She hasn’t noticed me yet, her nose stuck in a book. Her long blonde hair is curled and blowing in the breeze. She’s completely tuned out the world around her as she reads and snacks on what looks to be carrot sticks. She looks like she doesn’t have a care in the world, and in a way, I envy that about her.
I tell myself that I shouldn’t involve myself in their business more than I already have, but my feet seem to have a mind of their own. The next thing I know, I’m standing directly in front of her.
“Taking a break already?” I ask, sitting down next to her..
When she hears my voice, she jumps out of her trance. Her hand flies up to cover her heart as a soft giggle escapes her lips. “God, you scared me,” she breathes out.
I can’t hold back my laugh. “Yeah, you seemed pretty checked out.”
She closes her book and places it on her lap. “I have an hour before my next meeting starts, and I couldn’t waste it sitting in there.” Her eyes flash over to the office before landing back on mine. “Carrot stick?” she asks, holding up a small, plastic container.
“Thanks.” I reach over and grab one. I take a bite and take my time chewing it, at a loss for words. I want to ask more about Nick, but I tell myself not to. It’s none of my business how they handle their relationship, nor is it my business how she allows him to treat her. I wish I could just tell her, though. Keeping these secrets eats at me every time she looks at me.
“I talked to Nick,” she states, voice void of emotion.
“Yeah?” I ask, popping what’s left of my carrot into my mouth, hoping to avoid this conversation.
She nods. “Yeah, he is back in town. And as I expected, he’s planning a party.” She smiles, but I can tell it’s forced.
I nod, not sure what to say. “And…how do you feel about that?”
She lets out a long, drawn-out breath. “To be honest, a little annoyed. I mean, he’s been gone for three weeks, and the first thing he does when he gets home is throw a party? He used to be so different. If he had to leave, he’d come back to me, and we’d spend all our time together. We’d go out for dinner; he’d buy tickets so we could go to see plays or concerts or movies. But now, I just feel like he’s taking me for granted.”
I let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Danielle. I really don’t know what to say. Nick, he’s been my best friend since college, but recently, he’s not the same guy he used to be.”
She nods her head again as she pulls her knees to her chest. “I know. He’s changing.”
I bite my bottom lip. I guess it wouldn’t be wrong to say the same thing to her that I’d say to him if the situation were reversed, would it? “I guess the only question you have to ask yourself is, are you changing with him? Do you see yourself being with this new version of him?”
She looks up and gives me a weak smile. “I ask myself that every single day, Levi.”
It’s going on seven when I walk back into my apartment from the hike I took. My shorts are wet from sweat, and my t-shirt is hanging around my neck like a towel. My hair is a sopping mess, a mixture of sweat and the water I poured over my head to cool down. I drop my wallet, phone, and keys onto the entryway table as I head for the shower.
I toss all my dirty clothes into the hamper as I step into the shower. The hot water feels amazing on my tired muscles, and I let myself soak a little longer than necessary just because I have nothing else to do. When I step out, I pull on a clean pair of shorts and head in the direction of the kitchen to find something for dinner.
Opening the fridge, I don’t find much of anything, but there is a salad I ordered with my dinner last night that I didn’t eat. I pull out the plastic container and the packet of vegan dressing. I place everything on the counter as I mix everything up, then head to the couch with my salad and a bottle of water.
The moment I turn the TV on, I hear my phone going off. I quickly take a bite of my salad before setting it down and retrieving my phone.
“Hello?” I ask, not noticing that it’s Nick until the word escapes my mouth. Fuck, I wish I would’ve checked the caller I.D. before answering.
“Hey, man. Where the fuck you at?” he asks, a loud party echoing in the background.
“I’m at home. I just got in and took a shower. Sitting down to eat now.”
“So, you’re coming to my party?” He says it in the form of a question, but he’s not asking. Few people know the difference when it comes to Nick.
My hand raises and runs through my hair as I flop back down onto the couch. “I don’t know. I’m pretty tired.”
“What the fuck? We haven’t hung out in ages. Get your ass over he
re. Plus, I need someone to sit with Danielle. She’s all pissy and needs someone to talk to.”
“Why don’t you talk to her? She is your girlfriend,” I point out.
“I’ve tried, but she’s too angry at me. I need you to work your magic and make her see the light.”
“I can’t tonight. I have an early morning,” I try.
“Bullshit. Get over here, or I’m going to tell the story of how you got hammered in college and woke up the next morning butt-ass naked and wearing a wig.” He laughs loud and hard.
My eyes roll. “You act like that’s never happened to you.” I smile just from remembering the incident. That was the only time I’ve ever allowed myself to get black-out drunk.
“Oh, it happened alright, but I have a girlfriend who admits to doing it to me. Who did it to you?”
“Probably you,” I say around a laugh.
Talking with Nick right now, hearing about our old times, it makes me think of him as how he used to be, not the big-shot Wall Street accountant he is now—the guy who thinks his job makes him more important than anyone else.
“So, you coming or what?”
“We’ll see,” I say, hanging up the phone so he can’t argue any further.
I drop my phone onto the couch next to me and pick up my salad to resume eating. As I flip through the channels on the TV, my mind drifts off to Danielle and how she’s probably sitting alone out on the dark patio right now with a glass of wine and a book. I bet she’s trying her hardest to escape this world. A part of me feels bad that Nick treats her the way he does, but another part of me is pissed off at her for allowing it. I mean, doesn’t she see the things he does? Doesn’t she see that he’d rather throw a party than have a romantic date night with her? How does she ignore everything he does and still see the good in him?
My Best Friend’s Ex: Make Her Mine-Book 4 Page 1