Read Best Friend's Brother #3 (Best Friend's Brother Romance Series - Book #3) for Free Online Page B

was no way he was anything but a good
man. Only a good man would take such good care of his family.
    “How is your husband doing?”
    “It’s up and down for us both, you know? He went to
work today. That usually means it’s a good day for him. They let him make his
own schedule since technically he’s retired already, so that’s nice too. When
he’s having a bad day, he stays home and works in his shop.”
    “I know that feeling. Good days and bad days.”
    She looked lost for a second and then she said, “I
don’t have many good ones. It’s so hard to know what to do…you know? ”
    “I know. I wish I came here today with some words of
wisdom, but I can barely function some days myself.”
    She nodded and looked like she was fighting back
tears. Then suddenly she said, “Oh! Ian brought over the best cookies
yesterday. Do you want some coffee or tea and some cookies?”
    Ian brought over cookies. This guy was killing me.
“Sure, that sounds good,” I told her. We went into the kitchen and while she
was fussing over making tea I looked at the chalkboard hanging on the wall. It
said: “Dinner is in the microwave. Eat. Both of you. I love you both so much! Ian.” I felt the
tears stinging my own eyes as I read that. His mom noticed me looking at it and
she said, “He leaves dinner a few times a week too. I’m not sure that either of
us would have made it through this without him. He’s been our rock.”
    I understood that. He was mine too.
    *****
    After my visit with his mom, I was even more excited
about seeing Ian than I thought possible. There is nothing sexier to me than a
man who takes care of his family. So what if he screwed up when he was a kid.
He was a man now and from what I saw, a damned good one. I started getting
ready for our evening early. I couldn’t sit still anyways without staring at
the clock. It wasn’t moving fast enough and it was making me crazy. I took a
long bubble bath and then I spent almost an hour deciding what to wear. I
wanted to look good for him, but I didn’t want to look like I was trying too
hard. I finally settled on a tan A-line skirt that came to just above my knee
with a tan lace blouse and a camisole underneath. It was casual but nice at the
same time. I wore my tan cowboy boots with it and I straightened my hair. I
just let it fall to my shoulders and frame my face. Nothing fancy, but again,
nice. I put on just enough make-up to make my eyelashes pop and my lips look a
little plumper. When I was finally ready, I was pleased with the look. I looked
at my phone. It was two-fifteen and I had a text from my dad. It said, “Honey, if you’re okay I was going to have a
drink with Tom after work and then I’ll be home.”
    I texted back.
    “I’m
going to spend some time with a friend tonight. Don’t worry about me. Stay at
Tom’s if you drink. I don’t want to worry about you.”
    I got one back that said, “ Okay, but if you won’t be home, text me, okay?”
    He needed some medication. His neurosis was getting
out of hand.
    “I
probably won’t be, Dad. But I’m going to be at my friend’s house, not out
driving. Please don’t worry.”
    “Okay.
Love you.”
    “Love
you too.”

 
    CHAPTER
NINE
    ALEXA
    I made it over to Ian’s apartment right around three
o’clock. I met the pizza guy on the stairs. I knocked on the door and Ian
pulled it open. He looked surprised to see me. I think he thought the pizza guy
had forgotten something. He looked me over and the look he had in his eyes made
me all tingly inside . “Wow, you look…wow. Come in.” I
felt my face go hot from his compliment. He didn’t have to finish the sentence.
His face said it all and I was so glad.
    I stepped inside and he closed the door and then he
said, “Damn, I missed you.” He opened his arms but he looked like he wasn’t
sure if he should hug me or not. I stepped into them and he wrapped me up in
his strong arms. It felt really good to be there. “I’m glad you