Writing a spicy romance novel with your best guy friend isn’t a problem.
Picturing him as you write the steamy scenes … now that could get complicated.

Tobias Banks is a bestselling romance author and my best friend. He’s smart, brilliant, and kind-hearted. He has never shown an interest in settling down, and he’s the one constant in my life I know I can depend on for anything.

So it shouldn’t surprise me that as soon as my personal life shatters, he’s there, picking up the pieces and reminding me who I am.

In a matter of days, we are back to our lively banter. I’m living in his spare room, and now, he’s helping me achieve my lifelong dream of writing a romance novel.

Life feels good again, free … except I’m not looking at him as the friend whom I used to pull all-night study sessions with during college. Nope, I’m looking at him as the man who walks into the kitchen each morning shirtless, smirks when I say something he likes to hear, wears shirts that hug his arms a lot tighter than I remember, and looks at me as if I’m his next meal.

Falling for my best friend isn’t smart. I can’t lose him, but if I’ve learned anything since we set out on this journey together, it’s that love doesn’t make the rules; we do.

And we only get one chance to do it right.

The Night They Met

(ten or so years ago)

**Author Note: This scene was included in part of the epilogue from More Than Write. **

Tobias

“Happy birthday to one of the best guys I know, Tobias, and congratulations on your first book deal, Zane!” Beck cheers loudly before he, Zane, Simon, Hero, Graham, and I clink our shot glasses together.

The Fireball burns all the way down.

One by one, my friends slap me on the shoulder, and I fist-bump Zane before wandering back into the living room where the majority of the party is taking place.

About a year ago, the six of us met in a creative writing class, where we discovered we’re all male romance writers. We’ve been a tight group from day one. I’ve had people in the past who were supportive of my dream to write, but nothing compares to having good friends who share the same goals as you. They just get it.

A month ago, I rented an off-campus house. Beck, Simon, and Hero live here with me. Graham and Zane have their own apartment.

This is the first party I’ve had here since we moved in. It’s June. It’s my birthday month, and tonight has been so great that I’m considering making this an annual tradition. Not just for my birthday but also because during the school year, the guys and I have such busy schedules. Somehow, we manage to cram writing time into our days, but to hang out, have some beers, and enjoy ourselves, those are rare times.

Like I said, we all have big goals. Bestsellers, six-figure contracts, awards, movie deals, serial show deals, audio deals, billboard signs, and so much more.

Determination and dedication aren’t something we lack.

I lean against the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. I don’t know half the people here. The turnout looks like word spread. Living in a college town can do that. But I don’t mind it.

I’m glad I could host a fun night like this for everyone.

“Dude, look,” Hero says, coming up behind me as he cracks open a new beer. “Who is that?”

He nods to the front door where a group of girls just walked in.

 “Which one?” I ask, my gaze instantly falling on the last one to step through the door. She’s taller than the others, but not by much. Maybe five ten, five eleven. She’s got on a pair of cut-off shorts, slip-on sneakers, and a pink one-shoulder top that really brings out the color of her tan skin. She has straight, shiny brown hair pulled into a high ponytail. It’s so dark that it might actually be black. I’d need to get closer to know. Her big brown doe eyes scan the room as she takes a breath. My guess is, she doesn’t know anyone here. I should be a good host and introduce myself while offering her and her friends a drink.

“The one in the blue dress,” Hero says.

I smile.

I have no clue who either of them is. I’m just glad he wasn’t checking out the same woman as me.

“No clue. But this is our house, so let’s go over there.”

Hero is one step ahead of me, but I hear a crash in the kitchen behind us. Some guy just dropped a whole tray of shot glasses. I sigh, letting my buddy take over greeting our new guests.

“This is why we set out the paper cups,” I say and point to the stacks of cups.

“Sorry, we just wanted actual shot glasses.”

“Clearly,” I say and clean up the mess.

I’d make him do it, but his stumble on the way out to the patio says he’d probably make the problem worse.

I glance at the clock. It’s only nine, and people are already this drunk.

Hell.

I grab the four bottles of hard liquor sitting out and jog them up the stairs to my room. I don’t mind sharing, but beer will be just fine for everyone here on out until the night is over. Maybe it’ll slow some of these people down.

As I descend the stairs, I glance at the door. The girl in the pink shirt isn’t anywhere in sight. But I do spot Hero chatting it up with the girl in the blue dress.

Simon and Beck are playing video games on the couch, and Graham is trying to read a book while the redhead next to him is basically trying to climb into his lap. I make my way through the kitchen, grab a fresh beer, and head out to the patio where Zane is chugging a red cup at one end of the beer pong table.

It almost feels like we’re at a frat party. If it were fall and the semester had started, I’m sure we would be. But tonight is basically just a bunch of college kids who either live here full-time or stayed to take classes over the summer.

I chuckle to myself.

Does this mean my house is full of like-minded people who know what they want in life and are eager to get there, or is it full of nerds who like summer school?

“Is something funny?”

With a smirk still on my lips, I turn my gaze to the woman next to me, only to come face-to-face with pink shirt girl.

My smile widens.

“Hi,” I say instead of answering her question.

Under the patio lights, I can faintly spot the light pink color in her cheeks.

“Hi,” she replies.

Before I can say anything else, a Ping-Pong ball smacks her in the temple. For obvious reasons, she’s not injured, but it does startle her enough that she drops her drink.

Her beer spills onto the ground between us.

“Sorry!” Zane yells. “But I get a free pass tonight!”

I grab the ball and toss it back hard enough that it pegs him in the forehead.

Pink shirt girl laughs.

“Sorry, my friends are kind of crazy,” I say. “That one just got his first book deal, and he’s going insane right now to celebrate.”

She smiles wide. “You hang out with people who write books?”

“Don’t sound so surprised.”

“It’s just weird is all. I mean, college guys barely read, and here you are with someone who writes actual books.”

Her tone is flirty, and the smile she gives me hits me right in the heart.

I fucking like that smile.

“Oh, stereotyping, are we?” I flirt back, crossing my arms and widening my stance as I wait for her reply.

She shakes her head.

“Nope. Just speaking from experience to all the college guys I’ve met so far.”

I chuckle, wink at her, and then lean closer. “Want me to blow your mind?”

She laughs, and my heart swells.

I’ve never heard a laugh that physically gives me energy. I want to listen to it again.

“Is that a sex joke I don’t get?”

“No.” I step even closer to her.

I swear she leans in too.

“Actually,” I say in a whisper, “I write too.”

“No you don’t. You’re just trying to impress me after the comment I just made.”

“It’s the truth. Me and my friends. There are six of us. We all write romance.”

Her smile twitches like she isn’t sure if she should smile or laugh or just walk away because I’m now that weird guy.

“Prove it,” she says, and honestly, that wasn’t what I was expecting her to say. “Let me read something you wrote.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah”—she bumps my shoulder— “or I’ll think it’s just a line you give to get into a girl’s pants.”

“All right.” I hold out my hand. “Follow me.”

“Where to?”

“My room.”

“Oh no, I set myself up for that one, didn’t I?” But she follows me.

“I’ll be a true gentleman,” I tell her. “Unless you tell me to be different.”

“What a gentlemanly thing to say.”

I tug her behind me through the kitchen and up the stairs. Just as we reach my door, I turn to face her.

“By the way, I’m Tobias. What’s your name?”

She blushes as I open the door.

“Natalie.”

Chapter One

Tobias – Present Day

A bad day can always be fixed by writing. It doesn’t even have to be a lot of words. Maybe just a couple hundred. And it doesn’t have to be in one of the many romances I’m currently writing. I could just open a blank document and write precisely what I’m thinking, get it off my mind. Of course, I could just share my thoughts with my friends—I trust them more than anyone else—but writing has never let me down either. Both are a solid choice.

I glance up from my computer. All my friends are here with me today. No matter where our lives take us, we always make time once a week to get together and write. We dabble in all areas of the romance genre, but writing is what brought us together. Maybe that’s why I trust it so much. It’s brought a lot of good into my life. Words are powerful and change lives more than most people realize.

Today is a quiet day at The Space. The Space is a public workspace Simon, one of the guys sitting at this table, and I opened last year. We both had our reasons for wanting to open this place, but we share this: no matter how much our lives changed over the years, we wanted the group to always have a place to get together.

Sure, we could have picked someone’s home, but we’re realistic. Aside from me, they’re all on their way to getting engaged, married, or growing their families, and having a group of six adult men show up to take over the living room or kitchen to work doesn’t seem sensible.

“Something on your mind?” Hero asks, sitting across from me.

I shake my head. “Just thinking about this scene.”

And how to finish it, because who are these characters? I have no idea anymore.

I glance at the word count. Oh, thirty thousand words later and what the hell have I been writing?

Typical.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Zane, who is sitting next to Hero, asks as he looks up.

One by one, Graham, Beck, and Simon also move their attention from their laptops to me. This is an open opportunity, but I take a quick glance at the time. They’ll all be heading out soon. I’m not sure what my problem is when it comes to writing these days, so I don’t even know where to begin.

“No. I think I’ve got it,” I lie. “I’m just trying to figure out how to rephrase the opening paragraph.”

They all nod as if they get it, and I’m sure they do in a way. Writing is a challenging career. We second-guess ourselves almost daily, but god, I love it. In addition to making a story come full circle, the thrill of problem-solving a plot and seeing the characters reach the happily ever after they deserve—I can’t get enough of it.

Still, something is off with me. I haven’t finished a book in two years. Two years.

I write about 75 percent of the story and then I stop. I move on to a new one. Over and over. I have nine unfinished books saved on my computer. I know sticking to my niche and sticking to my style is what my readers want, but I’m … uninspired, maybe. I don’t know.

I rub the back of my neck and let out a breath.

Fuck. What is wrong with me?

The entrance door opens, pulling Hero’s attention. “It’s crazy how busy this place gets. It’s no wonder you opened a second location in Colorado.”

“We’re looking at properties to expand to a third location, also in Colorado,” I tell them. Turns out, people really love having a place they can go. Since we don’t sell food or drinks, people can bring in anything they like, and honestly, I’m not shocked that the residents of Wind Valley take care of this place as if it were their own. I had been worried it would get trashed by the occasional lazy person, but so far, so good.

Our low membership fees are also why this place has been so busy. People have the Internet at home, so we had to ensure it would be worth it. Location is also a plus. Somewhere to go instead of driving home when they’re already downtown. Wind Valley isn’t a big city, but it could still take some fifteen to twenty minutes to get across town.

Not to mention that over this past summer, we dove headfirst into making this space available for weddings, parties, work meetings, or whatever someone needs.

It’s been more successful than we imagined. When we started, I thought it would take up a lot of writing time, but it doesn’t. So I know starting and running this company with Simon isn’t my problem.

I built a place for me to write.

I just can’t seem to do it.

“Really? A third location?” Beck asks with surprise in his eyes. “That’s amazing.”

He pats Simon on the back and then reaches across the table to give me knuckles.

I chuckle. I’ve known these guys for twelve years now, and sometimes I feel like we forget how old we are.

Do guys in their thirties still give knuckles?

Obviously, the answer is yes since I just did it.

“Lucky for us,” Simon speaks up, “Tobias is willing to take on more work here in the scheduling department, and he’s done most of the traveling. He’s basically running it on his own.”

I laugh and shake my head. “Once we sign that new lease, it’s just scheduling and then crossing our fingers that contractors and designers do their job by the time they say they will. Plus, we’re in different places in life. The work here is equal as far as I see it.”

Beck clears his throat, and when silence falls over the table, I know they’re all itching to make a follow-up comment. The part about where we are in life.

No one speaks up, and for that, I’m grateful.

My dating life, or lack thereof, has been a hot topic lately. I’ve lost count of the number of times they have all mentioned someone they think I should ask out: the new barista at Loves a Brewing, the woman who moved in next door to Hero and Nora, the woman who just ran by the window and looks like she might be single. Yes, that happened last week.

I get it. They’re in love and want that for everyone around them. I’m not even mad that they want me to have what they have. It’s just not in the cards for me right now.

I need to figure out this writing rut I’m in first.

Sighing, Zane looks at his watch. “I need to get going. Willa and I have been trying out new recipes for the blog she and Greer started, and she needs me to stop at the store.”

“That reminds me,” Simon says as he closes his computer. “I have a bag of stuff in my car that Greer says is important for the photo aesthetics on their new page.”

One of my favorite things about my friends is, not only are we all driven people but the people who have become part of our lives are too. Every single one of them is out there making their dreams come true, and they’ve managed to find the perfect partner to stand behind them on the way.

I’ll admit I’m a bit of a sappy guy regarding my friends, but hell, I got lucky. I’m not afraid to admit it.

Slowly, Graham, Hero, and Beck pack their things too.

“Dinner at my house next weekend,” Hero calls out.

“Next weekend?” Becks clarifies.

“Yeah.”

“Natalie’s engagement party is next weekend.”

“Oh, right. I forgot.”

All eyes drift to me.

Again.

“What now?” I ask, not moving from my spot. I intend to finish more work before heading home for the day.

“Nothing,” Hero says while Beck and Graham mumble something I imagine is along the same lines.

For as long as I can remember, all my friends have had this fantasy that my best friend Natalie Miller and I are supposed to end up together.

No matter how many times we both tell them that we are nothing more than friends, just friends, the best of friends, actually, it’s like they don’t hear us. Hell, Natalie is getting married, and as Beck just mentioned, her engagement party is next weekend. An engagement and a wedding all in under six months seems fast to me, but maybe that’s just how it goes for some people.

Truth be told, I think that’s more a Griffin, her fiancé, thing than a Natalie thing. I’ve known her for a decade and rushing seems way more like her fiancé’s style. Then again, he did take four years to propose to her, so what do I know?

I wave goodbye as the guys all leave me behind. I glance around The Space—our members are all focused on their work. My group had been sitting at the biggest table in the room, and now that the guys are gone, there’s no sense in me taking up space out here.

I grab my things and head into the office in the back.

Maybe it’s time I did something significant with my life: move to a different state or perhaps even date someone and actually put effort into it.

Neither of those thoughts appeals to me, though.

I love Wind Valley and want to stay here. If I ever left, it would be to Lovers, where my grandma lives, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

I close the door behind me, and as soon as I pull out the chair and sit down, a text comes in.

Natalie: Hey, Casanova! Are we still on for tomorrow?

I groan at her nickname for me. Ten years. Ten years, and she won’t give me a new one. I think I’ve earned it by now. Then again, I’ve only ever had one for her, but since she met Griffin, it doesn’t feel suitable to use it. I just call her Natalie or Nat now, and she seems okay with it.

Tobias: Pizza at my place, and let’s pick a new nickname for me.

Natalie: Perfect. I’ll bring my laptop so we can go over your social media posts for next month. And not a chance 🙂

Splendid. That’s exactly what I want to do right now when my writing career is at a standstill: create social media posts. But hell, just because I’m stuck on the words doesn’t mean I need to fail in all areas.

Tobias: Bring your A-game for the posts.

Natalie: Oh no. What happened?

Tobias: Do you want the extended version or the short one?

Natalie: Short for now. Long later.

Tobias: The short version is, I still don’t have a book for my editor, so she took me off her books.

Natalie: Do you want me to come by now? I have time. We can talk it out. You know what? Don’t answer that. I’m headed your way.

Typical Natalie. Outside of the guys, she’s the one person who has always been there for me. She supports me in ways I never imagined a friend could. Hell, she was the first person I told I wrote romance, outside of the guys and my grandma Betty. She knew before my parents and my little sister, Quinn.

I knew the moment I met Natalie that she would be different, but this moment reminds me just how lucky I am to have her in my life.

Hell, she’s supposed to be planning a wedding, but she’s ready to drop everything to help me instead.

Yeah, she and Nora own the company that does all my social media and promotions, but Natalie was doing it way before they started getting paid for it.

Tobias: I’ll be fine till tomorrow. I have other things to keep me busy.

Natalie: Are you sure? I can be there in five minutes.

Tobias: I’m sure. See you tomorrow night.

Natalie: I’m bringing the newest book from Dana Volney for you to binge-read. Maybe you just need to escape.

Tobias: I always like a good escape. It’s the best palate cleanser.

Natalie: If you change your mind, let me know. Griffin left this morning for San Francisco, so I’m free.

I’m about to text her back when my computer dings. It’s like a sign that I need to get off my phone and get back to work.

So I settle into my seat and open the computer.

First up is an email from my agent, Doug.

Good ole Doug has been with me and all the guys since college. He didn’t go to school planning to be a literary agent, but he met us, and things kind of snowballed for him. Now he’s running the most well-known agency in the industry and producing bestsellers, movies, and television shows daily. Of course, none of those are my books because I currently suck at writing. Specifically, completing a story.

Maybe this is how I go out, you know? How my career ends.

Doug’s email will be something I need to process, so I choose to get it out of the way. If I don’t read it, I’ll obsess over it, and then I really won’t get any work done.

About a month ago, I caved and finally told Doug I was struggling to finish a book. Before that, I just gave him the line of “I’m working on it” or “I’m almost done” or my personal favorite, “I just need one more round of edits.” Admitting failure isn’t easy for me. Doug recommended that I send him the first few chapters of each title, and he would shop around to different publishing houses. I’d love to self-publish them like most of my backlist, but maybe if someone else saw their potential, I’d finish one. I don’t know. At this point, I’m so desperate to finish a book, I will try anything. What I do know is, according to Doug, my name is well known enough that some publishers would contract me even on an incomplete, but today is not that day.

I read quickly, but the words boring, slow, weird, cliché, and out of character all stand out like bold letters.

Well, if I wasn’t feeling like my career was stalled before, I sure am now.

Chapter Two

Natalie

“Did you ask him?”

I sigh and then balance the phone between my shoulder and ear while I pack my work bag. I’m heading over to Tobias’s house for a pizza and work dinner tonight. It’s how we have planned his social media posts since we met. I might own a company with my other best friend Nora, but that doesn’t mean this Tobias and Natalie tradition has to change.

“No. I was going to, but he brought up a work thing, and I didn’t think it was the right time.”

I can practically hear Nora rolling her eyes at me.

“You know he’s not going to be happy about it,” she says. “Griffin’s sister can be a lot to handle.”

“Trust me. I know.”

I know you’re supposed to love the family you’re marrying into, but Griffin’s family is different. To sum it up, I think my fiancé, Griffin, was adopted. His father doesn’t care for me, and I have no idea why. I’ve never done something to offend him. I’m not poor, and I don’t come from a broken family—his father has voiced that he’s not a fan of those people. My family is from Wyoming. My parents are still married, and as far as I know, they never struggled to pay their bills. We are just your average Joe, happy, loving family. Then we have Griffin’s mother, who somehow just can’t remember my name. I’ve settled with just letting her call me Nikki at this point. Griffin swears he’s never even dated a girl named Nikki, so who knows where she got it, and his sister is … wild. That’s all I’m going to say on that.

Then you have sweet, charming, considerate, and thoughtful Griffin, who makes me smile every single day.

So yeah, adoption has to be the answer.

“He’s not going to be impressed that you waited until the last minute.”

“True, but in my defense, I didn’t think Griffin would want him there.”

We’re driving to Lovers this weekend, a small town just a couple of hours away, to look at Lovers Lodge. It’s where the ceremony and reception will take place. It was Griffin’s mother’s choice, but I didn’t argue about it because it really is pretty. I thought it would just be me and Griffin going, but his sister is coming with us now. I wanted to invite my family, but my parents are babysitting while my older sister and brother-in-law are out of town. Nora has her hands full with her own baby, so that leaves Tobias, and I wasn’t about to start that never-ending fight with Griffin. But a couple of days ago, Griffin mentioned over the phone that he was happy with the idea of me inviting Tobias to join us.

I’ve been meaning to ask him to come ever since.

But like Nora said, Griffin’s sister, Cassie, can be a lot.

A. Lot.

“I’ll ask him tonight when I see him. I’m packing up to go over there now.”

“Good. You need someone in your corner when you get to the lodge. Tobias is the perfect choice.”

Yeah, let’s just hope that he says he’ll do it. I know it was just a text, but it sounded like he had a lot on his mind with work.

“I’ll let you know what he says,” I tell her. “Talk to you tomorrow.”

“Sounds good. Bye.”

I hang up and drop my phone into my purse to finish packing. When I’m all set, I grab said phone and take a selfie, sending it to Tobias.

Natalie: A-game ready.

He snaps a selfie back, holding up two Ben and Jerry pints in front of his smiling face.

Tobias: Hurry up.

I’m out the door in the next instant.

***

I love having a job where I can make my hours and work from anywhere. Days like today make me love it even more.

I walk into Tobias’s house as if it were my own and drop my things onto the kitchen table with a loud plop.

I hear him jog down the steps and come to a stop as he rounds the corner to the kitchen. He shakes his head and leans his hip against the counter.

He studies me with a scowly smile; it’s a thing with him. I smile back despite his facial expression. I know Tobias better than he thinks, and even though he’s looking at me like I’ve just disturbed him, without a doubt, he’s in a good mood.

“If you keep looking at me like that, you’ll get a funny wrinkle in the spot between your eyes.” I move around the table and try to reach over the counter to press my finger to that spot on his face, but he swats my hand away.

“So?”

“So, you’re too young for wrinkles.”

“Maybe I want the wrinkles. Some women love the older man look.”

I let out a bubbling laugh.

“Sure. Maybe the young ones. Are you planning to start robbing the cradle, Casanova?”

He groans. “Don’t call me that.”

“Okay, Casanova.”

“Seriously, Nat. It’s been years.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that the night we met, I was convinced you were pulling the ultimate line on me. Or lines. Like a whole scheme.”

The sound of his laugh warms me. His laugh is like home; I’ve missed it for the past few weeks.

I’ve been busy with wedding plans and preparing for the party next weekend. It turns out, picking out the right place settings and making a list of your friends and family is a lot harder than it sounds. It doesn’t really help that Griffin and I have the opposite taste in a lot of things. Ergo, we can’t pick a spot to honeymoon. He wants sightseeing, checklists, and plans. I want sun and relaxation and to spend time together without being required to be somewhere.

It wasn’t that his ideas were terrible. In fact, they’re places I hope to see one day, but not for a honeymoon. Griffin wasn’t getting it, and we were getting frustrated. We ended that specific call just minutes ago. I got out of my car, grabbed my things, and headed into the one place I know puts me at peace: Tobias’s house.

I still can’t believe I’m having an engagement party. I didn’t think I’d be the kind of girl to go all out. I mean, I’m not, but Griffin wanted to do all the wedding-related planning, and I didn’t have any reason to tell him no. He wants us to celebrate as much as we can. What kind of girl would argue with that? I just do what he asks at this point.

“Well, you were in for quite the surprise the night we met, weren’t you?” Tobias moves around the counter, watching me as he takes a seat at the table.

“More than I ever thought possible. Did you already order the pizza?” I ask.

“It’s four o’clock.”

I shrug. “We used to eat dinner this early all the time.”

“Yeah, and then party and eat a second dinner at ten or eleven. My body can’t do that anymore.”

I nod. “Is that what the eight-pack staring back at me says?”

He glances down at his body quickly, then smirks.

“Okay, so maybe there are still a lot of things I can do with this body.”

I roll my eyes.

“Okay, let’s not get a big head or any—don’t even start!” I point a finger at him as I process what I said, and his mouth opens to make a sarcastic comment. “We are adults.”

“Kids at heart, though.”

He rests his hand over his heart as I roll my eyes again and smile.

“Let’s just start working and then order food before I get hangry.”

Tobias grins and then rubs his chin, a slow smile creeping onto his lips.

“I better order the pizza now. You aren’t going to enjoy working with me tonight.”

“Why not?” I ask.

“Because.” He reaches for the back of his neck. “I think I forgot how to write.”

“You didn’t forget how to write.” I sit beside him.

“Are you sure? Because I haven’t finished a book in two years. Two years, Nat. What does that say about me?”

“Really bad writer’s block?” I ask with a shrug. “Have you talked to the guys about it yet?”

He shakes his head.

“I’ve started to a couple of times but never go through with it.”

“Why?”

He runs a hand through his plush hair. “Their lives are all … flourishing. I don’t want to bring them down.”

“You need to tell them,” I say softly.

Tobias confessed to me about eight months ago that he was having a tough time writing. I wish I had the solution for him.

Holding it in, though, is not a good idea.

“I will.”

“Soon.” I let my voice grow stern as I stare him down. “They might not have the answers, but they will understand and find a way to help. They’re your best friends, Tobias. Tell them.”

“I have only one best friend,” he says, pointing his pen at me. “And she knows about it.”

“You know what I mean.”

He sighs, sliding his computer in front of him and opening it.

I snap it closed.

“Okay, wait, let’s think. What happened two years ago? What were you writing, and what were you doing in life? Let’s find the moment that started this … problem.”

His lips twist as he thinks. “I don’t know. I was working on that small-town billionaire’s series, and the final book had just been released, and I was just living life.”

“Come on. Think harder. Be more specific. It can’t be that difficult. Two years ago, I was selling my house and moving in with Griffin, Nora and I were rebranding the company, and you were on a book tour that fall. Maybe something happened during that trip.”

I wait for him to come up with something, but he just stares at me. His eyes narrow briefly before he looks away to open his computer again.

“You’ve really been living with Griffin for two years?”

I nod. “Yes, and now we’re getting married. It’s a normal line of events.”

“Yeah.” He rubs his chin again. “It’s still just crazy to me.”

“You know what’s crazy to me?” I say quickly. “That you and Griffin aren’t friends yet.”

“We have nothing in common.”

“Um, hello?” I point to myself. “You have me.”

“That’s where it ends.”

I sigh. After four years, I would have assumed that my best friend and boyfriend, now fiancé, would have become friends, but no. Griffin is stuck on Tobias secretly being in love with me, and, well, I’ve told Tobias about it enough times that I’m sure that’s the reason he has a tarnished image of Griffin.

I unzip my laptop bag and pull out my MacBook, ready to get to work. It’s probably best we change the subject anyway. If they were going to make it happen, one of them would have by now, right?

I log into our company dashboard and have just pulled up Tobias’s account when he knocks on the table beside my keyboard.

“Hey.” He smiles when I look up.

“Hi.”

“If you want me to be his friend, I’ll put in more effort.”

“You will?” I ask and beam a smile. “Really?”

He nods. “If that will make you happy. I should have done this a long time ago.”

“Oh, it will. I can’t imagine going through the rest of my life with my bestie and fiancé not friends.”

“Well, rest assured, if I can help it, that is the case no more.”

“Thank you.”

I wish I could say that Griffin is just as eager to make me happy when it comes to Tobias, but I get it. For years, people have assumed there is more between us. Our relationship is one-of-a-kind. It’s hard to explain, but at the end of the day, Tobias and I are just friends, and we will always be there for each other.

“Speaking of Griffin,” I start, using this as my segue. I clear my throat. “Can you come with me this weekend to Lovers Lodge?”

“For what?”

“To view the rooms for the ceremony and reception.”

“Don’t you need your fiancé for that?”

I nod once. “He’ll be there. He gets back tonight but then leaves Sunday for work again.”

“He knows your engagement party is next weekend, right?”

“He will be back by then too.”

“Does it bother you that he travels this much for work?”

“You’re trying to change the topic, but I won’t let you. Please come with us.”

He huffs out a laugh. “Why do you need me to come with you and Griffin? Won’t that be—oh shit, Nat, really? Is his sister going?”

I look everywhere but at him.

“Nat. Answer me.”

“His mom couldn’t make it, so his sister is going, and yes, I need you there to help distract her.”

He leans back, crossing his arms. “Look me in the eye when you ask me.”

I cringe.

In addition to Griffin’s sister being a tad crazy, she’s also Tobias’s biggest fan ever. Like an ultimate fan. Like one book shy of building a shrine to him in her bedroom kind of fan. Anytime she’s around him, she melts and loses her mind. I need this weekend to be Griffin’s and my choices, not his mother’s, which is precisely the voice his sister will give if it’s them against me. Hence Tobias. Still, even I feel bad for him when she’s around, so I know this is a big ask.

I slowly look up and bite my lip.

His arms are crossed, and he’s shaking his head.

“Please. It’s one day. I’ll even read another of your books if that makes you say yes.”

He laughs. “Wow. You’re desperate.”

I press my hands together.

“You’re my favorite romance writer.”

He tosses a paper clip in my face.

“Says the woman who’s read only one of my books.”

I cringe. But it’s true.

Technically, it was half a book, but I can spare him the details.

After his first book came out, Nora read it first. I’ll never forget her words: Don’t read this book unless you want more than a friendship with Tobias. I’ll also never forget that I didn’t listen. Sure, I waited until he had three or four books released, but she was right. I started a book, and when the sex started—holy moly, dirty talk—I saw only him. He doesn’t know that small fact, though. He never will.

I still read romance, just not his.

Now that I’m getting married, though, I should give them another chance.

Heck, he writes such incredibly sexy books that maybe I’d learn something new for the bedroom.

“It was my favorite romance ever,” I add to hopefully seal the deal.

“Oh god, here she goes. Let’s hear it.”

“Hear what? Me begging?”

He nods once. “Yes, I want to hear you beg, Natalie.”

His deep voice makes me pause.

I look at him.

He looks at me.

“So, you’ll come?” I ask.

“Yep.”

“Perfect! I’ll pick you up on Saturday at about nine.”

“Sounds good. These next two days will be torture waiting for this magical moment.”

“Stop.” I laugh at his sarcasm.

Okay, one problem solved for me, and now it’s his turn.

“Before we discuss my job, let’s discuss yours. Tell me about the book you’re currently writing.”

“Okay, let me just … done. Pizza is ordered.”

“Smart.” I cross my legs in the chair and rest my chin in my hands. “I’m ready.”

“Okay, well, it’s a fake marriage slash enemies-to-lovers story.”

“Tell me more. That’s a hit right now. You should see my Kindle. Everyone is loving them, and—right, right, we’re talking about your books. Now, keep going. I need to know what happens to this fake couple.”

“Well, her ex shows up to get married at the place where she works.”

“And so, naturally, her enemy is also there, and he pretends to be in love with her so that her ex knows she’s not still pining for him?”

That laugh I love so much fills the room.

“You got it.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“I don’t know. No chemistry between the characters, I guess.”

“You guess? Is there banter, hand brushes, does he touch her lower back, does he—”

“It’s all there,” he cuts me off. “I think I need to change something with the whole process, but I don’t know what.”

“Hmm.”

I hate that I don’t have a solution for him.

“It still blows my mind that you can write all these love stories, and yet you’ve never decided to settle down,” I say instead of making up some crap advice to cheer him up. He’d hate that.

He shrugs and then asks, “Have you been talking to Grandma Betty?”

I shake my head. “No, but Betty is a smart woman. Did you know she just joined Snapchat? Last night, she snapped me a picture of you sitting in a muddy puddle in nothing but your diaper.”

“Jesus. I should never have introduced you two.”

“Mud looks good on you.”

“Everything looks good on me.”

I fake a gag, then we get to work on his social media platform scheduling.

Tobias is a fantastic romance writer. I could tell him this over and over until his ears bleed from listening to me, but I also know him well enough to know that wherever is going on with him, he needs to come to terms with how to solve it on his own.

About twelve posts and one pizza down later, I grab the pint of chocolate chip cookie dough from his freezer and sit on the edge of the table. My gaze drifts to the small stack of nonfiction books he keeps around to enhance his writing craft. The one with two names on it sparks an idea.

“Hey, what if the change you need is to co-write a book?”

He pauses, his gaze snagging on my bare legs for a split moment.

“Co-write a book. With whom?”

“Me,” I say. “I told you I wanted to write a book the day I met you. I would be such a fun writing partner. I have no expectations of this business, so no pressure, you know.”

“No.”

I tap his thigh with my foot.

“Come on, it could be fun. Plus, that would mean you’re stuck with me forever. Even after I’m married.”

He stands to grab the other pint of ice cream, watching me closely.

“Is that something you’re worried about? That I’ll disappear once you’re married?”

I shake my head instead of answering right away.

I didn’t think it was, but the words fell from my lips so easily that maybe it is.

“No, of course not. I just … you said you wanted to do something different, and I’d love to write a book. It was just an idea.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

I smile and sit back down, but something feels off.

Tobias walks behind me to get to his seat but stops, wraps an arm around me to hug me from behind, and kisses the top of my head.

When he joins me at the table again, I sneak a glance his way. Once upon a time, he always went with his gut. He made choices right and left without thinking about them. Now he doesn’t know what direction to go with anything in his writing life.

I’ve always known how to help him, but today I don’t.

Maybe I’m not afraid to lose him after I get married. Perhaps I’m worried that I already am.