My scorned best friend, p.1
My Scorned Best Friend, page 1
My Scorned Best Friend
Piper Rayne
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
© 2022 by Piper Rayne
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
Cover Design: By Hang Le
Cover Photo: Wander Aguiar Photography
1st Line Editor: Joy Editing
2nd Line Editor: My Brother’s Editor
Proofreader: My Brother’s Editor
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* * *
About My Scorned Best Friend
Xavier and Clara kissing in a tree…
* * *
When your best friend growing up is a girl, that’s the song your classmates taunt you with over and over again. But it was never like that… until now.
* * *
It’s always been Clara and me. She’s the only one who truly knows me. After I was drafted into the NFL and ended up the starting quarterback for the San Francisco Kingsmen, I begged her to come with me. But she had her own life and responsibilities back in our small Alaskan town, so I didn’t fault her for staying.
* * *
We remained the best of friends despite the distance. I’d hang with her in Alaska during the off season, and she’d visit me in California while I was playing. Then, one night the lines blurred for the briefest of moments and set in motion a series of events that changed everything.
* * *
I’m not proud of the decisions I made after that fateful night, and I plan on making amends, because I need Clara back in my life. But not as my best friend—as my everything.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue
Cockamamie Unicorn Ramblings
About Piper & Rayne
Also by Piper Rayne
I never thought that when I finally got everything I’d ever dreamed of, I’d be this fucking miserable.
My entire life, I’ve gone with my gut. I trust my decisions—both on and off the field. I’m one of those one-in-a-million cases. I left my small town with a scholarship to a D1 college to play football, entered the draft and was a first-round pick, then two years ago, I signed a five-year contract that’s still the biggest in the league.
I don’t say all that with arrogance. The fact that I have a horseshoe up my ass isn’t lost on me. Guys like me—from small schools in remote areas—don’t get looked at by colleges. They sure as hell don’t get as far as being the best quarterback in the league. But here I am. And despite all that, I’m unhappy.
My phone dings as I’m eating my breakfast before practice, and I pick it up to see a DM from Sessilee. She’s my ex’s good friend, and ever since Giulia and I broke up, she’s been popping up in my DMs.
Sessilee: I’m in San Fran. How about dinner?
I’m not exactly a mind reader when it comes to women, but even I know that going to a dinner where Sessilee will one hundred percent snap a picture or tag me in some shit will stir up drama.
Me: Sorry, Coach has me on a strict regimen. Next time for sure.
The three dots appear immediately, which is probably meant to entice, but now that I have my phone in hand, I do what I’ve done every day for the last week—I scroll to my text messages and make sure I didn’t miss a reply from Clara. Like every other time I’ve looked, the last text in the thread is my own.
Me: You looked good tonight.
Clara’s my best friend, or my ex-best friend I suppose, but I could never think of her like that, even if she’s not talking to me and our relationship has become strained to the degree of archrivals. She and my family got stuck on a layover last week after a family vacation in Hawaii that I couldn’t take since it’s my preseason. The minute I saw her, all I wanted to do was give her a hug and talk out our issues, put it all behind us, but I’m a coward. Instead, I waited until we’d parted that night and sent a message that should’ve said I’m sorry. But as always, I’m too fucking proud.
Messages from Sessilee trickle in as if the woman can’t for the life of her form her thoughts in complete sentences. Instead, it’s a string of two or three words per message.
I keep thumbing up as if miraculously, Clara will decide to forgive me. I tell myself the same bullshit I have every day—that Clara just returned from vacation and came home to a lot of work at the town library, which hasn’t afforded her time to respond to my message yet.
After picking up my plate, I put it in the dishwasher and start the machine before I grab my bag and head out of my condo. On the elevator ride down, I scold myself for being in such a mindfuck.
I’m Xavier fucking Greene and I have the world at my fingertips. I can get into any restaurant in this town, even if it’s the new hot place. Kids wear my jerseys. Hell, adults wear my jerseys. People stop me on the streets for pictures and autographs. I’m in sponsorship ads plastered across the glitziest cities in the country. This is what I’ve worked for my entire life. I should be fucking happy.
I’m so distracted by my thoughts that I don’t realize at first that the elevator has stopped three floors below mine. My teammate, Ben Noughton, walks in, his head down and looking at his phone, a smile tipping up the corners of his lips. He’s probably going to fill me in on last night’s conquest.
He looks up and sees me. “X, what’s up?”
“Morning.” I press the door shut button to get this ride over with sooner. Which is absurd because Ben’s been one of my best friends on the team ever since I started with the San Francisco Kingsmen.
“I never realized how funny Clara is,” he says.
I tense and whip my head in his direction. He doesn’t bother looking at me, his thumbs continuing to tap on the phone screen.
“I mean, at first I was all in because she’s a librarian, you know.”
Oh, I know, fucker.
“The whole sexy librarian with dark-framed glasses in a pair of black sheer stockings—”
“Keep in mind, she’s my best friend.”
Ben has no idea what went down with us.
“Funny you mention that.” He glances at me. “I asked her why she hasn’t been down here in the past two years.”
My gut twists and I reposition my gym bag over my shoulder. I wait for him to continue.
“She said she didn’t want to step on toes because of Giulia. That people might assume things because you’re best friends.”
Where did my truthful Clara disappear to?
Ben shrugs it off. “Anyway, I told her to come down when we play Seattle. With the rivalry between our teams, it’ll make for one great party when we kick their ass.”
My throat dries at the thought of Clara being here that weekend. The fact she’d be there because of Ben is another prick in my throat.
“And what did she say?” I do my best to keep my voice even.
He pockets his phone, his permanent smile still in place. “Said she’d think about it. She’s kind of reserved, huh?”
The elevator stops on the bottom floor, and we step out, both saying good morning to our doorman, Kerbie. He opens the door and my car is there, waiting for me.
When Kerbie opens the car door, Ben slides in. “We’re going to the same place, right?”
“Thank you,” I say to Kerbie and follow Ben in.
What would’ve been an enjoyable ride by myself to the arena will now be filled with Ben’s nonstop talk about Clara.
Sure enough, the second the door shuts, he turns and asks me, “What does she like to do for fun?”
I shrug, pretending I’m reading something on my phone, but all the words are melting together.
“Come on, X. I want to make it nice when she comes down. We can’t talk about books, so help a brother out here.”
“If, you mean?”
His forehead wrinkles. “What?”
“If she comes. She didn’t say she was coming for sure.”
“Hello, I’m Ben Noughton. I know I’m probably not her usual type, but—”
“What do you think her usual type is?” I’ve known Clara my entire life, and even I’m not sure I know her type.
“I’ll bet she likes really smart dudes. Ones with a pipe and a plaid coat with the patches on the elbows.”
A laugh escapes me despite how uncomfortable I am with this conversation. “And you think a lot of those guys live in Alaska?”
“Probably not. That’s why she’s still available. I mean, she’s smokin’ and now that she’s a blonde… Damn, how could any guy no t want her?”
“Yeah, right.” I agree with Ben, because of course Clara would make any guy happy. Her only negative trait is that she’s stubborn as hell, which is the reason we’ve yet to make up after our blowout.
“So? X?”
We pull up to the arena and I grab my bag, ready to flee this nightmare of a car ride. I already sucked up my pride when I told Ben he was free to get Clara’s phone number the night of my family’s layover. Wasn’t that enough? I don’t think I can handle having to tell him how to win her over.
“You know I’m not used to women like her. I’ll fuck it up for sure without your help.”
I blow out a breath, my hand on the handle of the door. I’ll do it for Clara, because she does not deserve to come down here and spend all her time at sports bars where Ben spends more time with fans than he does with her. If she likes him, which she must if she’s still talking to him, then I’ll give him my two cents on what I’d do if Clara was a girl I wanted to impress.
“Listen. Clara isn’t into the scholarly types. Hello, I’m her fucking best friend. I went to school on a football scholarship, not for my grades.”
“But still, man, you’re smarter than me.”
“First of all, she won’t like it if you keep putting yourself down. She agreed for you to have her phone number. That must mean she’s into you. And she’s cool as hell with sports and bars. She can eat more wings than me most nights, but if I was going to date her, I’d take her to a nice restaurant outside of town, or get a private room. Give her the opportunity to dress up and get to know you. Maybe take a walk around the pier after.”
Clara and I have done all the tourist stuff ten times since I’ve been here.
“Show her why you love San Francisco,” I add.
He nods a bunch of times. “Yeah, okay.”
“And I’d hold off on Kozy Kar until the third date or something.”
Kozy Kar is a theme bar that Ben loves, but it’s got a weird vibe that includes throwbacks from the seventies up to the nineties. You can drink on a waterbed, and there are stripper poles and posters of naked women everywhere. What do I know though? Maybe Clara would like it.
“Really? I always take women there. I think it’s cool and there are all the dark corners to make out.”
I swallow hard at the thought of him making out with her.
“Well, she’s not your average girl.” I open the car door, say goodbye to the driver, and head into the arena, saying hello to security.
Ben’s quick to catch up to me. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
I stop before entering the locker room. “Just… I mean, she’s someone really important to me.” That truth remains, regardless of how long it’s been since we really talked.
He puts his big bear paw of a hand on my shoulder. “I know, X. I’m not in this to get in her panties. I’m getting older now and I’m looking to settle down.”
I raise both eyebrows.
He chuckles. “I’m not just looking for fun anymore, that’s what I mean.”
I nod and open the locker room door. “Her favorite food is dessert. Get her anything to satisfy her sweet tooth after the meal and it will be a success.”
His smile grows while my stomach grows nauseated. “Thanks, X.”
He heads to his locker, and I do the same. My mood grows sourer when I see the guy sitting next to my space.
Lee fucking Burrows. The new quarterback brought onto the team to take my place should I not be able to perform this year.
“Hey, Xavier,” he says with a smile. The guy is so laid back it drives me crazy. The worst part is, he’s smart as shit, probably already knows the playbook.
He got traded at the end of the season, and I can’t deny from the tapes I’ve watched, he should do well. He showed that he could probably take my place in a heartbeat.
Which gives me two goals this season. Further secure my position on this team. Show them why they signed me to a huge five-year deal two years ago. And second, win back my best friend.
I walk into my sister’s bookstore, The Story Shop, trying to ignore the chalkboard sign outside the neighboring brewery, Truth or Dare. Today is the first Sunday game day for football, and the San Francisco Kingsmen are playing. Two years ago, I would’ve had Xavier’s number nine written on my cheeks and been decked out in his red-and-gold jersey.
Now, I’m going to help Presley do inventory for her store.
The shop is quiet when I enter, and I take a moment to admire her display of fall books with pumpkins and leaves scattered around.
I didn’t grow up with Presley. She didn’t come into my life until after both my parents had passed away. This used to be my mom’s sewing store and was left to both of us when she died. That’s when Presley arrived in town and surprised everyone, including me. Lots of people think we’re twins, except for our hair colors. We recently flipped them around though. She’s allowed hers to go back to our original brown while I’ve dyed mine blonde.
“Pres!” I call and venture toward the back of the store.
Ohhh.
God, yes.
Harder.
I close my eyes and my head falls back. It’s nice that my married sister, who recently had a baby, is getting some, but I can’t say I’m overjoyed to hear a play-by-play. Or I’m just a bit envious.
CAAADDEEEE…
I quickly walk toward the door, but it springs open before I can leave. The bell goes off louder than when I entered because Jed Greene is a moose-in-a-library kind of guy.
He stops in his tracks when he sees me and runs his hand through his hair. “Oh… hey, Clara.”
The familiar awkwardness consumes the space we’re sharing because Jed has no idea what happened between Xavier and me and therefore seems to have no idea how to act when I’m around. He constantly treats me as if my dog just died.
“They’re busy.”
His gaze sears a path to the back room. “I figured. We’re working our asses off, and Molly needs to go home. She’s still constantly throwing up. She was only helping today because it’s crazy—” He abruptly stops talking and diverts his attention away from me.
“Because it’s the first game of the season?” I prompt so he knows he can discuss Xavier in front of me.
He shoves his hands in his pockets and nods.
“Busy is good.” I thumb toward the back. “I think they’re done anyway.”
Just then, Cade and Presley come out of the back room with their baby, Leighton, fast asleep in a car seat.
“Seriously? You do it with the baby in the room?” Jed shakes his head and scowls.
Cade and Presley look at one another, my sister’s cheeks reddening as she realizes we heard them.
“Next time we’ll ask you to babysit,” Cade says. “She’s sleeping, dipshit.”
Jed rolls his eyes. “Still not right.”
“Talk to me after Molly delivers.” Cade kisses his wife’s lips. “Have fun.” Then he dips down and kisses Leighton on the forehead and whispers something. “Clara.” Cade winks at me as he passes by, and I can’t help but see his resemblance to Xavier.
As if my life couldn’t be more screwed up, my sister’s husband is Xavier’s oldest brother and Jed is Xavier’s stepbrother. Although in the Greene family, no one thinks of anyone else as a step anything.
“Bye, Clara,” Jed says.
As they leave, Jed rambles on about scarring Leighton for life and how her first word will be harder.
“Can you lock the door?” Presley asks and places Leighton’s car seat carrier on the table in the children’s area.
