Frenemies: Girl Next Door, #2

Acknowledgements

I want to think all my girlies; Nikki, Tasha, and Amy, for their help and support.  Also, thank you for all the crazy things you say and do because it provides both entertainment and inspiration!

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Epilogue

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Prologue

I looked around my friend Natalie’s home, amazed at the transformation.  She and her fiancé, Aidan, were having an engagement party.  Her already pretty house now contained gorgeous flower arrangements, candles, and copious amounts of food and alcohol.  I never thought that my bestie, Natalie York, would be the type of girl to go so over the top, but I was wrong.  Well, all this wasn’t just Nat’s doing, I guess.  Her fiancé seemed to be determined that Nat’s entire engagement-slash-wedding experience be the best of everything.  I’d overheard him tell her that she was only getting married once in her life, and he wanted her to enjoy the entire process and refused to let her miss out on anything. 

Nat, being the woman I’d known and loved for years, had to respond with a smart-assed remark.  I’ll only get married once, but after we’re divorced, I plan to live in sin with Dwayne Johnson.

Needless to say, Aidan had a great sense of humor and tolerated Nat’s sarcasm and insane wisecracks with a very sexy half smile.  I loved that for her.  She had horrible luck with men in her past and he seemed to adore her and spoiled her rotten.  While I contemplated how lucky my BFF was, I looked around the crowded living area.  Most of Nat’s family and Aidan’s family were here, and so were most of their friends.  I wandered to the table in the corner filled with bottles of wine and buckets full of ice and champagne bottles.  I snagged a champagne flute, filled it, and sipped.  I was extremely happy for Nat, but I was also a little jealous.  I was supposed to have a date for the evening, but Steve and I fizzled out the week before.  We’d been together for a little over four months but it wasn’t going anywhere.  I didn’t want it to go anywhere.  So that was the end of Steve.

All I really wanted to do was go home, slip into my comfiest PJ’s, and read a steamy novel on my e-reader.  Instead, I took another sip of my wine and knew I would stay until the last guest left and then help with the cleanup. 

You must be Cat.

I turned, glanced over my shoulder, and froze.  Standing next to me was a very tall and extremely good-looking man who had to be Aidan’s brother.  Unfortunately, he knew exactly how good looking he was and he was currently staring at my chest.  I rolled my eyes.  I was used to this.  My mother had passed her curvy figure on to me, and Nat teased me that all I needed was some short bangs, red lipstick, and a retro swimsuit and I could pass for a 1950’s pin-up.  I had long ago gotten used to men talking to my chest and not to the rest of me.  I didn’t like it, but I had stopped getting angry about it.  I had better things to do.  I waited until his attention drifted back to my face, surprised when he had the good grace to blush and look embarrassed.

Sorry, he said.  He stuck out a hand.  I’m Patrick Hart, Aidan’s brother.  Since we’ll be seeing a lot of each other in the future, I thought I’d introduce myself.

I shook his hand quickly, ignoring the little spark that jumped to life.  You’re right, I’m Cat Johnson.  I doubt we’ll see that much of each other, though.  Usually, it’s the maid of honor, not the best man, who helps the bride with the wedding.  Unless you’re volunteering to do grunt work, of course.

Patrick smiled widely.  Too late, Aidan already ordered me to help with any and all duties that Nat deems necessary for me.

Wow, he had a great smile.  I refused to lose focus but gave him a small smile in return.  I’m sure she’ll have a list for you in the near future.

Patrick nodded and took a sip of his beer.   I’ve been told to expect a copy via e-mail within the week.

I giggled because this sounded just like Nat.  Good luck.

Patrick and I were smiling at each other, and I was beginning to think maybe both the Hart brothers were pretty good guys.  Fortunately, Fate decided to show me exactly how wrong I was.  I watched as a beautiful, tall, thin brunette with legs to her chin and hair to her ass walked up to Patrick and slid a hand across his chest to cup his neck.  Her touch smacked of intimacy and I stared as she kissed the corner of his mouth.  She turned clear blue eyes to me.

Hi, I’m Anya, Rick’s fiancé.  She put out a hand for me to shake and smiled brightly.

I shook her hand and gave Patrick, who I now knew was called Rick by his fiancée, a hard stare.  He should not have been openly ogling my cleavage if he was involved with someone.  I get the desire to check out attractive people, but, when you’re in a relationship, you definitely don’t do it in front of the woman you are with.  That’s rule one of dating women.  Don’t stare, check out, ogle, or drool over other women in front of your girlfriend.  Don’t even do it while you’re in the same room with your girlfriend.  It’s lovely to meet you, Anya.  I’m Catherine Johnson, Nat’s best friend.  Please call me Cat though.  I forced myself to smile, even though I wanted to snarl at Patrick. 

Anya linked her arm with Patrick’s.  Please excuse us.  I need to steal Rick away for a minute.  There’s someone he needs to talk to.

I didn’t trust my voice, so I nodded and faked another smile.  Then, I watched them walk away, watched the way his arm slid around her waist and her body fit perfectly against him from shoulder to hip.  She was taller than me, almost as tall as Patrick in her heels, exactly the right height.  I turned away and took a slug of my wine.  Another illusion destroyed.  I was beginning to think Natalie had snagged the only decent man left in Dallas.  Apparently the two brothers couldn’t be more different.  Aidan was a one-woman man, and head over heels in love with my bestie.  It seemed his younger brother was not above leering at women, flirting with them, and then happily strolling off with his fiancée, who seemed to have no clue he was trolling for ass. 

Amidst my ire with Patrick, I was angry with myself as well.  I knew better than to believe that I would meet a wonderful man and actually click with him, and maybe even fall in love.  Those hopes and dreams had died a painful death many years ago.  Now I was just happy with short-term relationships with guys that made me laugh and weren’t ready to settle down.  Or at least not ready to settle down with me.  I was self-aware enough to realize that I always chose men who were completely wrong for me so I could end things easily after a few months.  Right now I was happy with my life and the way I lived it.

This was why I was angry with myself.  For just a moment, I’d forgotten and let Patrick Hart’s charming façade blind me to reality.  I finished my wine, poured myself more, and decided that men sucked.  Well, sucked more than I’d already thought.  I sighed and prepared for a long evening.

Chapter 1

Six months later

I woke up in an unfamiliar room.  Bright morning light filtered through sheer curtains and blinds, illuminating a cozy bedroom decorated in pale blue and white.  I realized I was in Nat’s guest room and I was housesitting for her and Aidan for the next two weeks while they were on their honeymoon.  This was great for me since my landlord had been required to fumigate several of his townhomes.  Apparently, a tenant had reported him to authorities when he had done nothing about an infestation of mutant cockroaches.  He’d been slapped with a hefty fine and given a choice to fumigate by a certain date or get in even bigger trouble.

  I stretched lazily on the soft mattress and smooth cotton sheets.  I loved staying here, because Nat’s sheets were so much nicer than