My Unexpected Vow: California Billionaires Book 2 by Harlow James (children's ebooks free online TXT) 📗

the shitstorm that would follow, but I’m starting to think it’s turning into something real. At least for you.”

I turn away from them, feeling uneasy as they continue to stare at me. “We agreed to six months. That’s it. The woman drives me insane, always has. I was just trying to be a good friend. I’m not going to ignore her, especially when she’s hurting just because we’re in this predicament.”

“Yeah, but now you’re living together. Things start to shift when you get to know someone on a deeper level, and when you start picking up on all of their quirks.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, she definitely has some of those.” I glance back at them as Wes narrows his eyes at me.

“Are things changing for you, Hayes?”

I level him with the same serious stare he’s giving me. “Do you really want me to answer that question?”

“I always want honesty from you.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, I drop my head and then admit the words out loud for the first time. “Yeah, I think things are starting to change for me.”

Wes moves back a bit, and then slowly smiles—fucking smiles. “Thank God you’re finally seeing it.”

“Hot damn, you were right,” Silas agrees, slapping his hand on Wes’s shoulder.

“What the fuck are you two talking about?”

“You and Waverly. This thing between you guys…” Silas waves his hand at me again. “All that hatred was just a façade.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. Until we got married, I’m pretty sure hate was the only thing we felt for each other.”

“But now?” Wes asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I…” I pause until the words just start to flow out of my mouth more effortlessly than it feels when I hit the keys on the piano. “I like coming home knowing she’s there. We share our days with each other, and fuck, she makes me laugh. She also drives me crazy with her caps left off of her pens, and when she does yoga in the living room, flaunting her ass at me. And neither of us can cook to save our lives, but fuck… life has just been better since she moved in with me.” I shrug and then veer my eyes back to my friends.

Wes holds up a hand. “First, please don’t talk about my sister’s ass to me.” Silas and I both laugh. “But second, that’s what being in a relationship is all about, man. That’s how Shayla makes me feel. And if you’re feeling that way about Waverly, then own it and explore it. There are far worse people for my sister to end up with.”

“You’re… you’re seriously okay if I try to date my wife?”

Silas throws his head back in laughter. “God, did you just hear what you said? This is some twisted shit you’d only read about in a book or a watch in a movie.”

I shoot him a glare before shifting my eyes back to Wes. “Honestly, Wes. You’re okay with this?”

Wes lets out a sigh and then crosses his arms over his chest again. “To be frank, I was really fucking pissed at you when you told me the two of you got married while you were drunk. But the more I thought about it, and discussed it with Shayla, the more I think there’s always been something between the two of you that bordered on flirtation. I know dating your best friend’s little sister can be thought of as crossing a line, but part of me has always known that when you found the right woman, you’d step up and be the man I always knew you were.”

“Damn, Wes,” Silas says.

“Like I said, there are worse men for my sister to end up with. And even though I’m begging you not to share details with me, if I’m sensing just how conflicted you are about shifting the relationship between the two of you, I just want you to know that you have my blessing.”

I stand there, dumbfounded by the honesty that my best friend just bared to me. Wes and I have been friends for so long, it’s almost like we know each other better than we do ourselves. I stood by him as he made mistakes years ago and battled alcoholism. He’s bailed me out of situations that could have wrecked my professional reputation and talked me out of pursuing women that probably wouldn’t have registered on the crazy-meter. He knows how much I hate disappointing my parents, but also feeling like I have these unrealistic expectations to live up to because I’m their only son.

He knows me for all of my faults and strengths, so the fact that he’s giving me his blessing to date Waverly really fucking means a lot.

“I think I might cry,” I reply, still slightly slack-jawed.

“Ah, fuck. Don’t do that, Hayes.”

“Well, don’t give a speech like that and expect me to keep it together. I fucking love you, man.” I pull him in for a hug as Silas cackles behind us.

“And another one bites the dust,” he mumbles.

Wes and I part and spin around to shift the attention onto Silas now. “And what about you? When is Silas De Luca finally going to settle down?”

Silas straightens the cuffs on his dress shirt, avoiding looking directly at us. “You guys know I don’t have time for a relationship. Between the restaurants and my family, I barely had time to meet up for this tux fitting.”

“Excuses, excuses,” Wes mutters.

“What about Chloe?” I add as Silas’s eyes pop up and meet mine.

“What about her?”

“I saw that little spark between you two in Vegas a few months ago. You know, she’ll be the maid of honor at the wedding.”

“Good for her.”

“So, are you gonna talk to her?”

Silas steps up to the mirror, spinning around to check out his ass in his slacks. His Italian blood has blessed him with one hell of a massive physique. Wes and I aren’t small men in comparison, but Silas definitely possesses a broader stature than us both. Right