The Right Kind of Wrong: A Brother's Best Friend Romance by Fabiola Francisco (open ebook .TXT) 📗

As soon as I hang up the phone, I get ready for bed and lie on my back, staring at the dark ceiling. I need a plan, and I need it quickly.

- - - - -

I make a strong pot of coffee after a sleepless night and grab my phone off the coffee table where I left it last night. I need to talk to Ally today. The more I put it off, the worse it will be when I tell her the truth.

I stare as the coffee drips into the pot, the tapping sound in tune with my heartbeat. As soon as the coffee is done, I’ll call her.

With a steaming cup of coffee in hand, I stare at her name on my phone before pressing the icon for video calls. I take deep, even breaths as I wait for her to answer.

Her gorgeous face pops up on my screen after a few rings. Smiling, I take in her soft features. Her hair’s tied up on her head, and her face is clear of any makeup. She’s stunning.

“Hey.” Her eyes light up.

“Hi, babe, how are you feeling?” I lean back on the sofa, allowing the leather to comfort me as I build up the courage to talk to her.

“I’m good. My feet are a little swollen, but it’s all part of the journey, right?” She giggles softly and then angles the phone toward her belly.

“Look at you,” I comment. “Beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly as her face reappears on my screen. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I take a deep breath and shake my head. “No. I got a letter in the mail from the consulate yesterday. My visa application was denied.”

I watch as her eyes widen for the briefest second, and her breath falters. “What?”

I nod. “I’m sorry. I could’ve sworn I’d get approved.” I shake my head. “But it was a no from them. I need to double-check exactly what day I can travel over there again, and I’ll book a flight. I need to see you.”

“Cam… I can’t believe they denied your application.” Her words are strangled by her emotions, and it feels like a knife straight through my chest.

“I know.” I bow my head. “I just… I don’t know what to do. I should have a solution to this, but I’ve never felt so helpless before.” I rub my eyes in frustration.

“Hey, this isn’t your fault. You don’t have to have the answers to everything. I sure as hell don’t. We’ll be together,” she adds with confidence.

“Let’s talk about something else. How’s my boy doing?” Ally smiles widely.

“He’s growing each day. I think he’s definitely going to be an athlete with how much he moves.” I smile as I hear her talk. I can’t wait to see her holding our son, watching her be the best mom. My chest tightens as the idea of not being able to witness that firsthand twists my insides.

Ally tells me about work, the disastrous date Rubén went on this week, and about the light snow that fell yesterday. I love talking to her, even if it’s about the weather. I love her. Irrevocably so. And I haven’t even told her yet.

Talking to Ally melts away my worries for a little while. She’s like a soothing balm on a third-degree sunburn—a gentle touch to my wild heart. She brings something to my life I never thought I’d have, never imagined I’d want—safety and calm. Instead of going out each night and finding someone to warm my bed, I wrap up work early so I can talk to her before she goes to bed. I want no one else but this woman, and I’ll be damned if one rejection letter will stand in our way.

chapter 28

Allyson

When Camden told me last week that he didn’t get the visa to come to Spain, everything shifted inside of me like a stubborn Rubik’s Cube finally clicking together. My list of pros and cons no longer mattered, as there was only one clear list in my mind. The fog had lifted from the uncertainty clouding my brain, and I knew what I wanted more than anything. I put a plan in place with the help of Easton. I just hope Camden is on the same page as me.

These last seven days have been full of planning, organizing, and life-changing decisions.

“Are you ready?” Noel smiles at me. I nod, grabbing my bag, but she takes it from me before I can drag it a few inches. “You’re super pregnant, and I will not allow you to do any force.” I roll my eyes and cross my arms. I’m right at the cut-off where I can travel, so I’ve had to act quickly.

“I’m capable of carrying a bag. How do you think I get my groceries home?”

“Psshh… Not if I’m here,” she continues to argue. Goodness, I thought Camden was overprotective, but Noel has been a million times more protective.

She flew out here a few days ago as promised and helped me get everything sorted, which I am forever grateful for. She even made some contacts in Madrid for her blog and will be featuring Spain in a future post.

“Are you ready for this?” Her voice turns soft. I nod, swallowing the emotional lump in the back of my throat and look around my apartment one last time. I want this, more than anything, but change can be scary.

Noel hugs me tightly and whispers, “Everything will work out exactly as it should.”

I wrap my arms around her and cling on to her for support before taking a step back, a deep breath, and closing the door behind me.

- - - - -

I take a deep breath before knocking on the wooden door separating me from my future. I run my sweaty palms down my leggings and then bring them to my stomach. My heart slams in my chest as I wait for the