Never Marry Your Brother's Best Friend (Never Say Never, #1)

I could have easily bought something more expensive. So what’s Luna’s issue?

“That’d you’d drive a car like this. Fancy, but not flashy. It’s just . . .” She pauses, searching for a word as her eyes lock on mine, delving into my soul. “You.”

Feeling unsure, I reply, “I’m going to choose to take that as a compliment.”

In the car, things don’t get any better as I get down to business. “I figure we need to have our story straight in case Elena asks any questions. I looked up how Thomas and Elena Cartwright met to see if we could work in some similarities for connection. It was pretty straightforward—they met through friends, dated for a short time, married, and lived together for almost fifty years of wedded bliss, by all accounts. They never had children, but Thomas has a niece he doted on as almost a substitute child. The Cartwrights are known business minds, with a variety of investments, but they’re also philanthropists, working with everything from children’s hospitals to women’s causes in developing countries.”

“And art,” Luna reminds me. “That’s why I’m doing this.”

Despite her direct hit to my ego, I tease, “And here I thought you wanted to spend the evening with me?”

“You thought wrong.” She looks out the window, watching the city fly by. “So the story is . . . we met through my brother, dated, and fell in love. You proposed at the museum and we married after that. You work for your family business and I do tours at the museum. Probably best to keep it as true to life as possible so we don’t misspeak.”

I nod and then remember. “I told Zack about the deal too. He was surprised you agreed but said he was fine with it.”

She turns her head slowly, and when I glance over, her lips are pressed into a thin line.

“What?” I ask, splitting my attention between her and the road.

“You asked my brother for permission when he has absolutely nothing to do with this? I don’t need his or anyone else’s permission for anything.” Her tone is no-nonsense, and I’m left staring at the back of her head when she whips around and resumes staring out the window. Her lips move slightly, as if she’s talking silently to herself. Or possibly preparing a speech to rip me a new one.

I decide that it might be in my best interest to keep my mouth shut and not argue that talking to Zack about taking his little sister out to dinner, even on a fake date, much less in a fake marriage situation, is completely reasonable. He’s my best friend, and the last thing I would do is disrespect him by seeing his sister behind his back, especially for something outrageous like this.

We ride in silence for several minutes, the only sound the interruption of the automated voice giving me directions. “Next exit, 126 miles.”

Shit. It’s a long drive to the Cartwright estate, at least three hours, and I think we’re going to be traveling in utter and awkward silence. Still, I set the cruise control and think of turning on the sound system. I could use a few hours of surround sound. But that would require talking to Luna about what she’d like to listen to, and the vibe she’s giving off tells me her answer would be the sound of my balls being chewed on by rabid toy poodles or something like that.

When my phone rings, I’m actually thankful for the distraction. I hit the button to answer and my brother’s voice sounds out.

“Carter, man . . . I need your help.”

I groan in annoyance. Kyle always needs something, usually a swift kick in the ass, and he manages to blow up his life at the most inopportune times. He’s the youngest Harrington, and as the baby of the family, you’d think he was coddled, but you’d be wrong. He was basically left to his own devices growing up and used our parents’ money to get into and out of trouble.

Drag racing? Yep. Both illegal street ones where he pretended to be in The Fast & The Furious franchise, and even some on a track . . . where he wiped out a half-million-dollar Lamborghini Huracan.

Out of control parties? Of course.

Brought home by the local police? So many times I lost count.

But did he ever pay a ticket or fine, or spend time behind bars? Absolutely not, despite it being warranted a few times. And since becoming an adult, there’s no telling what he’s done because he sure wouldn’t share it with us.

“I’m sure you do. What’s wrong?”

“Where are you? Any chance you can swing by for a minute?” He’s trying to sound casual, but there’s a thread of distress in his voice. And I’m already calculating the time it’ll take to get to Elena’s if I add in a stop at Kyle’s. The dinner is way more important, but he’s my brother, even if we’re not the closest.

“I have an important dinner tonight. Can it wait?” I ask hopefully.

Kyle laughs roughly. “If it could, would I be calling you?”

He’s closest with my sister, Kayla, and likely always calls her first. She was the one to play second mother to him when they were little. As they got older, he became Kayla’s protector. Thankfully, he didn’t take her along on any of his paths to hell. At least that I know of. But they forged a connection that’s beyond what any of the rest of us siblings have.

“Fair point. I’ll be there in fifteen, but it needs to be quick. I can’t be late, not for anything,” I warn.

I hear Kyle sigh, and the line goes dead.

“What’s that about?” Luna asks curiously.

Kyle’s drama seems to have drawn her attention away from the window, at least, but we don’t share family secrets, and despite Luna being my ‘wife’ for this occasion, I can’t reveal too much. Not that I know anything in this particular situation.

“With Kyle, honestly, there’s no telling. He might need money or he might want to show me his new motorcycle, or anything in between. He’s . . . unpredictable.” That’s not enough to describe Kyle, but it’ll work as a warning for the few minutes Luna will be around him.

Luna lifts her brows as she comments, “Is that the worst thing someone could be in your world?”

“No,” I argue, “but you don’t know him. He’s always going off on tangents and wild goose chases. It isn’t a healthy way to live.” I’m hoping Luna can read between the lines a bit, but she takes me literally.

“Says you. Did you appoint yourself chief decision maker on how everyone else should live their lives? Because if so, you should probably rethink that,” she says matter-of-factly. Her fire is back in full-force, and though it’s exciting, I wish it wasn’t directed at cutting me off at the knees.

I shove my hand through my hair in frustration. “Fuck, you’re probably right, but that doesn’t change where we’re going or what we’re doing.” I solidify the declaration by pressing the pedal down, speeding toward Kyle’s, as Luna resumes staring out the window.