Page 6 of Resolving Rumors

"We've dated off and on since high school."

"I knew you were friends with benefits when it was convenient for both of you, but…"

"That's just what he tells people, so it won't look as bad if someone new turns his eye and he drops me again, like he did with Becs."

"What the hell? Are you serious? First of all, why would you put up with that?" I was appalled at my brother’s behavior if that was the case. Jordan had been his best friend for life and she’d become a part of our family. It was right that he continued to string her along in that way. A shameful part of me wondered if I was any better, considering the way I wanted to keep Devin a secret.

"Because I love him,” Jordan answered. “I hoped that one day he would love me enough to realize we're meant to be. We were almost there…"

"I need to put a foot up my brother's ass!" I demanded.

"No!" Jordan yelled and stood up. My eyes tracked the movement as she paced across the floor of her living room. "I don't want you to say anything. If he comes back to me, it needs to be because I'm what he wants."

"What if he doesn't?" I asked her, knowing that in some way, I was asking myself the same question.

"Then I guess it wasn't meant to be," she admitted quietly. After a breath or two, she threw her shoulders back and shook that thought off. "No, actually, that just means I need to up my game and fight harder!"

"That's the spirit!" I cheered her on. Jordan had been involved in our family for many years, so I hoped that my brother could pull his head out of his ass and do right by her. Besides, they were already best friends. That meant they could be good together in the long run.

We sat quietly for a bit before I turned to Jordan, who had finally parked her butt beside me on the couch again. "What do you think I should do?"

"It's up to you. If you love him, then you have to fight. Just know that when you do, the secret will still be there, unless you just don't care about what other people think of you. Considering who you work for, that might be an issue."

The ball of breathing slime that I worked for was a shark of a divorce attorney. Jordan was right, know matter what, Devin and my previous relationship would have to remain a secret, but so would anything we had going forward until after he managed to get an annulment or divorce. That was if he even wanted to leave Justice. Who knew?

"Thank you for unknowingly rescuing me from a depressing lunch."

"You needed to cry it out and talk to someone who would understand, Vic. I'm always here for you. Austin isn’t my only friend in your family, you know?"

"I know. Thank you. I'm going to head back home after I call work and explain that I got a nasty case of the shits after eating lunch."

"Ew, why?" Jordan asked as she pulled a face.

"Serves that asshole right for leering at my legs in this skirt all day. Now, he can imagine the shitastrophy that happened during my lunch break instead."

"He might be into that."

"Ew! That's disgusting!"

"So is your boss," she countered.

I nodded and got up to leave, but not before I wrapped my friend in a giant hug. "I hope Austin realizes what a gem he has with you."

"Me, too. Maybe Devin will have the same epiphany and we'll both end up with our happily-ever-afters."

I left with a lighter heart than when I'd arrived. Maybe things would work themselves out. The first thing I had to do was go home and read a bunch of text messages to see if the man I loved was worth the fight.

Chapter

Five

VICTORIA

After I got home,I threw my phone on the charger by my bed and left it as I went in search of comfy clothes and a hot shower. Once I washed away all the tears and desperation from earlier, I would shore up enough strength to read through all the messages Devin left for me. It was possible that I waited to read them for no reason. What the hell was I going to do if those messages were about how happy he was with his wife now? It must be refreshing not to have to hide being in a relationship. Besides, Jordan was right. His marriage was another obstacle in ever going public with our relationship.

I let the hot water melt the tension from my shoulders and tried not to think too hard about what awaited me once I got out of the shower. Part of me couldn’t stand the thought of never having Devin in my life again. Well, he would still make appearances as my brother’s best friend, but how badly would that hurt? Family events he might be invited to would no longer be a place I felt welcome, even if my family didn’t understand why. There was no way I could watch him bring his wife and baby around.

The baby.