Forbidden King: A Small Town, Brother’s Best Friend Romance (Magnolia Falls Series Book 3)
Chapter 24

RIVER

You still with us, Hayes? Haven’t gotten an update since yesterday morning. You getting that fire under control?

HAYES

Good timing. Just heading back out. We’re finally making progress. I should be home in a week or so.

ROMEO

I just watched the live footage on the news, and that is one bitch of a fire.

HAYES

Tell me about it. We had a close call last night with the wind shifting. But I’m here today, so clearly, I survived.

Dude. Do not joke about death.

HAYES

Don’t be so sensitive, you dicksausage. I’m fine. How’s my sister? Has Barry stayed away?

Yeah. She’s staying here, but I barely see her because she works long hours. Barry has stayed away. He obviously knows you’ve got people keeping an eye on her.

IT WASN’T A COMPLETE LIE. She was working a lot. But I saw her every minute that she wasn’t working. And we most definitely hadn’t grown sick of one another the way we’d both expected we would. If anything, I couldn’t get enough.

NASH

He’s not going to do anything. He’d be signing his own death certificate. Plus, she’s an adult. She would report him if he laid a hand on her, and he’d be arrested.

HAYES

Yeah. We aren’t kids anymore. We actually have a voice now. I just don’t want him to put her through that. She’s been through enough. She deserves a break.

RIVER

Dude, she seems happy. Her store is thriving. She’s got a bodyguard who doesn’t take a day off. (Don’t get a big head, King. But you’ve been really good about it.) So, how about you take care of yourself and come home in one piece, all right?

ROMEO

Do you all notice that River is much more logical now? Ruby is clearly rubbing off on him. Normally, he’d say: Saylor is fine. Don’t die. See you soon. But this… this is very Zen of you, brother.

RIVER

<middle finger emoji>

I have to agree with Romeo. You’ve gotten so deep in your old age.

RIVER

<middle finger emoji>

HAYES

Damn. I missed this. Thanks for the much-needed entertainment.

NASH

You’ll be back for the bachelor party, so we’ll be very entertaining there, I’m sure.

RIVER

Looking forward to it. Hey, King, I hear you’re having lunch with my girl and I’m not welcome. Fuck you.

Such a jealous little asshole. She asked me to have lunch, and I said yes. Saylor is working today, Nash has baseball practice with the all-star Beefcake, and Romeo will be taking dance lessons for the wedding.

ROMEO

Thanks for outing me, you dickcock.

They don’t call you Twinkle Toes for nothing, brother.

ROMEO

I think I like Twinkle Toes.

NASH

It’s definitely a tougher name than Golden Boy.

ROMEO

Listen, I don’t like dancing. But Demi’s mom insisted we take these damn ballroom dancing lessons. Demi promised me that I could just sort of stand there and she’d lead and do all the hard work. I’m just going to show up and look good.

RIVER

Nice fucking try. You’re taking lessons. Move your goddamn feet and do whatever Beans wants you to do. We promise not to give you a hard time until we’re alone, and then we’ll razz the shit out of you.

HAYES

I can live with that. If she wants you to dance, just do it. You danced all around that ring in the fight. How hard can this be?

ROMEO

Touché.

NASH

Because ballroom dancing and boxing are so similar?

I’ve got to go. I’ve got a hot lunch date.

RIVER

I hope Midge puts the wrong cheese on your sandwich and you shit your pants, you lactose-intolerant dickgoober.

HAYES

I like dickgoober. Storing that one away for another time. I’ve got to get back out there.

Be safe, Hayes.

RIVER

Ride or die, boys.

NASH

Friends till the end.

ROMEO

Watch your back, and get your ass back home in one piece.

When I walked into the Golden Goose, Midge and Ruby were chatting at a table, and my brother’s girlfriend waved me over.

“Midge, you’re looking less grumpy today. I take it Doug is treating you well?”

“Very perceptive, King. Maybe it’s all those romance books I’m reading lately.” She smirked before walking away.

“I think you are the only person she actually likes,” I said, sliding into the booth and giving Ruby a kiss on the cheek.

“What can I say? I’m a real peach these days.” She laughed and did this little shimmy in her leather coat. Ruby Rose put on a good front of being a complete badass, but she had a heart of gold.

“You really are. And my brother is having a fucking meltdown that he wasn’t invited to lunch. You’ve really turned him into a whiny little pussy.” I paused when Letty came over to take our order.

Ruby chuckled. “Oh, trust me, I know. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that I was going to lunch with you and didn’t invite him.”

I leaned back in the booth when our drinks were set in front of us, and I reached for my soda and took a sip. “All right, so what did I do? Did I fuck up?”

“You’re not in trouble. Why would you assume you fucked up?”

“I don’t know. Have we ever had lunch alone?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean we can’t,” she said, shaking her head and smiling.

“So, this is just a catch-up lunch? There’s no agenda?”

“I mean, I may have a slight agenda.”

“Give it to me, girl.” I raised a brow.

“You are so ridiculous sometimes. This is not a big deal. I’ve noticed that you and Saylor hang out a lot. I just wanted to touch base with you on that.”

I rubbed my hands together when Letty arrived with our food and announced that it was made with my special cheese, which made Ruby laugh.

I took a bite of my sandwich before looking at her again. “Why not go to Saylor about this?”

“I have. She’s really tight-lipped. And I get it because Hayes wouldn’t be okay with it, right?”

“Correct.” I nodded, not wanting to say much because I hated lying to the people I loved.

“That’s not what I’m here about, King. I’m here because I care about you, and I care about her. So, I wanted to ask you a few things because I thought you might be feeling like you have no one to talk to. I want you to know that you can talk to me, okay? And we could do it in a way that wouldn’t be saying anything that you don’t want to say.”

I barked out a laugh. “Okay, Rubes. What would you like to talk about?”

“Well, let’s just say I have a situation at work that I could use your help on.”

“Sure. What is it?” I reached for my soda again.

“One of my teenagers is having a fling with his best friend’s sister. If you were a psychic, would you think it’s just a fling and he’s going to break her heart? Or would you say the feelings probably run deeper? Because the girl, she’s something. She’s really special, and I would hate to see her get hurt.”

Unbelievable.

Ruby had always been more observant than everyone else. She was basically a therapist out at the juvenile detention center where River and Romeo had spent some time as teenagers.

“If I were a betting man—which I’m not—I’d say that it’s probably not a fling. I don’t think he’d go there if he thought it was just a physical thing. I’m guessing he has deep feelings for her, but he doesn’t know what to do with them.”

And damn if it didn’t feel good to talk about it without admitting anything that could get my dick cut off.

Her lips turned up in the corners, and her eyes watered a bit, which was very out of character for Ruby. It made it obvious that she’d been worrying about this for a while. “That’s what I was hoping. But why would he be hesitant about feeling that way?”

“Well, maybe he’s never had a relationship that wasn’t casual. And no one he’s ever been with has been his best friend’s sister, so it complicates things. How does he figure out if he’s even capable of being that guy when he isn’t allowed to even go there without being a hundred percent certain that he won’t mess it up? It’s not like he can test the waters as if it were a normal relationship.” I bit off the top of a french fry. “Your teenager is totally fucked.”

“Well, here’s the thing. He’s a really good guy. Like, one of the best I’ve ever known.” She smiled, and I chuckled. “So, he should figure out why he’s so fearful of relationships. Is it because he can’t be monogamous or because he’s afraid of loving someone? Two valid reasons right there.”

I finished chewing. “That’s nice that you like him so much. I’ll bet he’s really good-looking, too.”

“He’s all right. He’s got this older brother, though, and that guy is hot as hell.” She fanned her face, and we both laughed.

“Lucky him. So, the monogamous thing is not an issue. I’m guessing this guy doesn’t want to be with anyone else.”

“Interesting. So it’s all about the fear, isn’t it?”

“I didn’t say that. I just said it wasn’t about being monogamous. At least it wouldn’t be for me, but obviously, we aren’t talking about me.” I winked.

“Obviously not.”

“For me, I have never been in a long-term relationship, and it isn’t because I can’t be monogamous. It’s because I hadn’t found anyone that I wanted to be monogamous with. But it sounds like your troubled teen has found that person, so hats off to him.”

“So if it’s not about being monogamous, it’s got to be about fear. It’s the only valid explanation.”

“Fear of what, Dr. Rose?” I waggled my brows and feigned disinterest, when I was dying to know.

“Fear of failure. Fear of loss. Fear of letting anyone down.” She leaned forward, gaze locked on mine. “You see this kid I’m working with… he lost his parents at a young age. He and his brother both handled that loss differently.”

“How so?” I took a bite of my sandwich.

“Well, his brother was a real closed-off grump, but he eventually came around. But this kid that I’m working with… he never has a care in the world. He’s a perpetual good time.”

“Damn. This is my kind of guy. I’m sure he gets all the girls, huh?”

She nodded, a wide grin spread clear across her face. “He sure does. But you see, I think he’s got real feelings for this other girl.”

“His best friend’s sister?”

“Correct. And he’s scared shitless.”

“Because his friend will probably cut off his dick if he replaces out how he feels. I mean, look at his track record.”

“Well, I mean, that’s not really fair. Who has a great track record before they replace their person? I didn’t. River didn’t. Romeo didn’t. Demi didn’t. No one has a great track record before they commit to someone, do they?”

“They have relationships that last longer than five minutes. And I’m guessing your teen, well, he’s been a bit of a playboy, right? So his best friend won’t think he’s capable of changing, and it’s a fair concern.”

“Then, if it’s important to him, he’ll have to convince his best friend that it’s the real deal.”

“Maybe the girl he’s talking to won’t want to get the brother involved until they know what it is.”

She sighed. “I understand that. It is no one’s business, but it won’t go over well to keep this kind of secret either. That’s what’s going to get you into trouble—er, him into trouble. If he feels this way, he needs to talk to his friend. Before it all blows up in his face.”

“True. But perhaps as much as he’s worried about his friend replaceing out, maybe he’s more concerned with her needs right now. And she doesn’t want her brother to know, so he’s trying to be respectful.”

She studied me for the longest time. “This just isn’t about not knowing how to have a relationship because you’ve experienced a lot of loss. This is deeper, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“This is no fling at all. I think my teen is in love with his best friend’s sister.” She tilted her head to the side and smiled. “He’s probably been in love with her for a long time.”

“He probably has, Rubes.”

“Damn. I thought I was coming here to smack some sense into you, but you’re the one who smacked some sense into me.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Don’t let this go too far, King. It’s going to blow up if you don’t figure it out soon enough. Your brother is noticing, and so is Demi. You two are not as sly as you think you are. It’s hard to miss it when we’re in the same room with you. Hayes will sniff this out in a hot minute, and he needs to know this is not you taking advantage of her.”

“I know. I’m going to talk to her about it. We’ve been trying to figure things out. Waiting for one of us to tire of the other,” I said, done with pretending we weren’t talking about me. “But I’m not tiring of her. I’m fucking crazy about her. She’s all I think about. And I can’t tell a fucking soul because I feel like a disloyal asshole.”

“You need to get this straight. There are two people you need to talk to first, and that’s Saylor and then Hayes. In that order. She deserves to know how you feel first, and then she has to understand that you owe him the respect of talking to him. He’s a great guy, King. He’ll understand if it’s from the heart.”

I closed my eyes and blew out a breath.

“I know. I just don’t want to fuck it up.”

“Well, start by being honest. Tell her how you feel. Make sure she feels the same, which she obviously does, but that conversation needs to happen. I mean, she’s been staying with you every night since Barry’s visit, and we all know he’s not a threat at this point. You like having her there. She likes being there. So have the damn conversation, and then be a grown-up and go to her brother and tell him you’re in love with his sister.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“Trust me, being vulnerable is never easy. But loving someone… it’s worth it, King.”

I nodded.

I knew she was right.

Loving Saylor was the easy part.

Convincing her brother I was worthy… that would be tricky.