�Hey, Gab.� I looked at Evangelique
�Hmm?� She sighed. �What�s on your mind?�
�Is it possible for someone to fall in love with their best friend?�
�Why do you ask?�
�I�m just wondering.� I grinned and she looked back at the TV. �It�s just that there�s this girl I know who has this guy best friend, right?� I nodded. �They�ve known each other a very long time and this girl is in this relationship with this other guy and they�re some what serious ya know.� I nodded again. �And now her friends, including her guy friend, are telling her that she�s in love with her best guy friend.�
�Alright.�
�I was just wondering if something like that is possible.�
�Of course. You can�t stop who you fall in love with no matter what or who it is.�
�Oh.� She sighed and I held back a smile.
�What do you think?�
�That she really wants to be with the guy she�s with now.�
�Do you?� She looked at me. �Eve, it�s all right to be in love with Nick. Just because you�re best friends doesn�t mean you can�t fall in love with each other.�
�But there�s no way I can be in love with Nicky. He�s my best friend and it�d be too impossible and complicated.�
�Why would it?�
�Because it would. We�ve practically done everything together.�
�Ya can�t say everything.� I smiled and she just looked at me. �There�s plenty for you guys to do together.�
�It�s just still impossible. There�s just no way in hell I can love him more than a friend.� I saw her wipe away a tear.
�Why does it bother you so much?�
�Because instead of telling me before hand, everyone waits until my wedding is almost here.�
�But I thought Chloe and Trisha told ya before hand?�
�They don�t count.�
�Why not? They�re your friends and Chloe is also your aunt and your shrink.�
�Because they don�t. I always thought they were on crack, but now�� She sighed.
�What?�
�I didn�t tell anyone this, but this morning with Father Sena, CJ accused me of being in love with Nicky.�
�So he knows?�
�Knows what?�
�That you�re in love with Nick.�
�I ain�t in love with Nick.� I just looked at her. �That�s what everyone thinks, but it ain�t true. Nick thinks the same thing.�
�Really?� This was getting more interesting. �Did he come out and say it?�
�Yeah; this afternoon at my office. He said that the reasons my boyfriends dumped me is because I never stop thinking or talking about him, because I�m in love with him. Of course I told him he was lying, because he was.�
�You do tend to talk about him a lot.�
�I do not.�
�I remember plenty of times where we�re having dinner with CJ and his best friend and the whole time you�re talking about Nick.�
�Whatever.�
�What about all the pictures you have of Nick and you or just Nick? I don�t see any of CJ any where.� She just looked at me knowing I had a point. �Ev, you�re in love with Nick whether you want to believe it or not. Your wedding is Saturday so you must decide if you still want to marry CJ or spend the rest of your life with Nick.� She just looked at me. �You can�t ignore it, because love�s impossible to ignore.�
�But I ain�t in love with Nick. I know I ain�t.�
�Denying it is just going to make it worse.�
�Even if I was in love with Nicky it wouldn�t matter, because he ain�t in love with me.�
�How do you know?�
�Because we�re best friends. How many times do I have to tell you that?�
�Sorry.� She got up and sighed.
�I�m hitting the sack. I�ll see ya in the morning.�
�Alright.�
�Goodnight.�
�Goodnight.� I watched her go upstairs and just shook my head.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Brian�
�Nick, ya just got to tell her,� I said to my friend, as he looked out my back door.
�I can�t,� he said. �It wouldn�t be right.�
�Why not?�
�Because we�re best friends that�s why.�
�That doesn�t matter. You�re in love with Evan and you should tell her.�
�What good would it do?�
�Probably a lot.�
�Do you think it�ll stop her from getting married on Saturday?�
�It�s worth a shot, Nick.�
�I don�t think it�d matter any. She�d probably still marry this prick no matter what I say. She knows I hate him.�
�Why do you hate him so much?�
�He�s an insensitive jerk who wants to get rid of me the first chance he gets.� I laughed and Nickolas looked. �He�s trying to control her life, he doesn�t want me in her life after the wedding�I could go on, but I�ll spare ya.�
�Plus you�re in love with her.�
�Yeah.� He sat on the sofa. �To be truthful I don�t think he loves her like she thinks.� I looked at him and sat down. �I think he just wants her for the money.�
�He�s a lawyer and makes plenty of his own. He represents Tiger Woods and Lance Bass.�
�That doesn�t matter. Evvie still makes more than him and she comes from a wealthy family and a very influential family at that.� I just looked at him. �So why not marry the granddaughter of the late Florida Senator and the daughter of the Tampa Mayor.�
�Don�t forget the daughter of the most successful lawyer in Florida.�
�Right; he just wants the money and power.�
�And you�re confident about this?�
�Yes.�
�And why?�
�She�s paying for half the wedding.� I looked at him. �CJ went behind Ev�s back and made changes and expects her to pay for it. I didn�t see it right away, but this afternoon I finally saw it.�
�Did ya tell Ev?�
�No I didn�t. We were already having a fight and she kicked me out.�
�Now what�d you do?� He just looked at me. �I know ya didn�t tell her ya love her.�
�No I didn�t do that either. We just got into it about a lot of stupid stuff.�
�Like what?� He shook his head. �C�mon, Frack, you kept me up this late.�
�It was just stupid shit. I told her that she doesn�t love Cameron. I just told her the truth and she called me a liar.�
�We all see that she ain�t.�
�I told her that.�
�She doesn�t care?�
�No; I even asked her why him and she said �because he asked.��
�Not because she loves him?� He shook his head.
�I just want what�s best for her. I told her that and she had to bring up the past.�
�How so?�
�Her exes; she blames me for them dumping her. She thinks I had a hand in it and said something to them.�
�But you didn�t?�
�Of course not. It was their own choice.�
�And why do you think that is? You know her best.�
�Because of me.� I just looked at him. �She constantly thinks about me and talks about me.�
�You have a point. Did ya tell her?�
�Yes; she called me a liar again.�
�I see. You had to say something else to get her really ticked off and throw you out.�
�I did.�
�What was it?�
�I told her she doesn�t love CJ and doesn�t want me with anyone because she loves me.�
�What?�
�I told her she loves me.�
�Why would you do that?�
�I don�t know. It hit me and I just blurted it out. I didn�t realize it until after I said it.� He sighed. �I was stupid.�
�Yeah.�
�But she wanted a reason not to marry him so that�s the best I could give her.�
�Why not tell her you love her instead?�
�I can�t. It�ll change everything between us.�
�But you telling her she�s in love with you won�t?� He just looked at me. �It�s love, Nick, and you can�t change that.�
�I know, Rok. It�s just too hard to tell her. A very big part of me is afraid she doesn�t feel the same way.�
�You saw it in her didn�t you?� He nodded. �A lot of us see it also.� He just looked at me. �She�s in love with you, but too stubborn to admit it.� He didn�t say anything. �You make the first move, Nick.�
�And risk our friendship? I don�t think so.�
�It�s better than her never knowing how you feel and you watching her marry CJ and making the biggest mistake of her life.�
�You try to make it sound so simple, but it ain�t. Nothing is that simple, Brian.�
�You still got to tell her.�
�I don�t think so.�
�You�re as stubborn as she is.�
�I got to go. I�ll see ya later.�
�Alright.� He started walking from the room. �Think about what I said, Frack.� I heard him mumble something then heard the door shut. He better think about what I said or I�ll beat him.
CHAPTER 19
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