*insta-everything standalone with an HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.
Chapter One
Liberty
“Guess who is moving in next door?”
I shrug, not looking up from my cereal. I’m not in the mood for my brother, Cal, this morning. I’ve got a shift in an hour at the local cafe and I don’t want to play Guess Who.
“Who?”
“Come on, Liberty, be a sport. It’s someone you know.”
“Well it would be hard to guess if I didn’t know them, wouldn’t it?”
“Ugh, you’re the worst. Alright, I’ll tell you. It’s Jameson.”
I gasp. I’m so shocked that I drop my spoon straight back into my bowl, splashing milk all over the table. Is he for real?
My heart is racing at a million miles an hour.
“As in your best friend Jameson?”
“The one and only,” Cal says with a grin. “Isn’t that great?”
I can’t decide if it’s a good thing or not. The thing is, I’ve been crushing on Jameson ever since I can remember. He’s the most handsome man I’ve ever met, with his strong stubbled jawline and his dark hair. He’s got this air of mystery about him too because he works for a huge tech company that keeps everything very hush-hush. He’s not even allowed to have a social media account. Believe me, I’ve looked for him online over the years. It’s been so long since I last saw him that I’ve been pining for even a glimpse of his gorgeous face. But I never expected that he’d be moving in next door.
“What...what made him decide to move here?”
Cal shrugs. “I guess the big city was getting a bit much for him or something. He always said he missed home so moving back here isn’t so strange, right? And when he saw the house next door to us was up for sale well, he just knew he had to take it.”
I can barely breathe. This is going to change everything, surely? How am I supposed to pretend I don’t have feelings for Jameson when I’m going to see him every day? There will be no escape from these feelings which already consume me most days.
The last time I saw him, the experience was almost spiritual. I felt like I left my body for the night, dazed by his presence as he chatted with Cal all night. I bet he didn’t even realize I was in the room, but Jameson was all I could think of. He’s all I’ve thought about since, in fact.
I know that he’s way out of my league. He’s the best looking man I’ve ever seen, and I’m just some plain Jane who happens to be his best friend’s little sister. He’s also ten years older than me. He’s clearly got women lining up to be with him, even if he’s never settled down. Why would he go for me, a twenty-one year old virgin who still lives with her older brother?
I feel my cheeks heating up as Cal continues to enthuse about Jameson moving in next door. I can never tell him how I feel about Jameson. It would be like a slap to the face for him. Ever since our parents died in a car crash seven years ago, Cal has raised me. He gave up everything for me, putting off his studies to take care of me and struggling through even when the going got tough. How can I possibly go for his best friend knowing that it would hurt him?
I pick up my spoon again, but I have no appetite now. I can’t even think about eating now when it’s Jameson who is making me hungry. Hungry for his body, for his touch, for his gaze on me. I wish these feelings would just go away. It would make my life so much easier. But it’s always been, Jameson. He’s the only man who has ever made me feel anything. Boys my own age seem so immature when a man like Jameson is around. I can’t stop myself from wanting him, even if it’s wrong of me.
Cal would kill me if he knew.
I have to suck it up. I have to make sure he never finds out how I feel. I have to keep my feelings to myself. Besides, it’s not like it matters how I feel. Jameson would never want me the way I want him.
“Hurry back after your shift,” Cal tells me. “Jameson is coming over tonight after he’s settled in.”
I almost choke. “So soon?”
“He said the sale went through pretty fast. He only applied a few weeks ago, but it’s all gone through pretty smoothly. So yeah, he’s moving in this afternoon. He says he’s looking forward to seeing you. It’s been years.”
I feel a cold prickle on my skin. How am I supposed to do this? I want to avoid him at all costs, but he’s always going to be around. What did I do to deserve torture like this?