Page 45 of Best Friends for Never

Be excited.

Be happy.

Be proud.

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone more deserving than her.

Just for a moment, I want to stick around longer to see how it all plays out, watch her dream become a reality.

“She’s fucking incredible,” a deep voice says from beside me.

I look up to find Axel doing the same thing I’m doing—watching Parker with nothing but pride on his face.

“She is,” I agree.

“Given how long you disappeared for, I don’t find you qualified enough to say that, but this is her day, so I’m going to let it slide.”

“I may have been gone for a while, but I still know Parker, Axel.”

He laughs darkly as Parker begins taking questions from the media.

“No, you don’t. Youknewher, but Iknowher. I know the person she is, the woman she’s become, a pillar of her community.” He turns to me, and it’s not often I have to look up to people, but I have to tip my head back to look into his dark, disapproving eyes. “I know her in ways you could never imagine becauseI’vebeen the one who waded through the shitstorm with her. And I want you to remember that after your little weekend jaunt here,I’mgoing to be the one who is picking up the pieces after you leave.I’mgoing to be the one spending latenights with her while she tries to figure out what she’s done to drive you away.I’mgoing to be the shoulder she leans on. So before you try to pull anything, remember that,Hollywood.”

Axel isn’t talking himself up. He’s not letting me know that he’s Parker’s best friend, and I’m not.

No. This is a warning. A threat.

He’s saying if I hurt Parker, I’m going to get hurt too.

And fuck me if I’m not full of equal parts anger and respect right now.

Angry, because if he knows Parker so well, he should know our whole story, know this isn’t all on my shoulders. And respect because ... well, how could I not? Not when he’s so willing to step up for the woman I care so much about.

“You feel me?” he prompts when I say nothing.

“Yeah, Axel, I feel you. Loud and clear.”

“Good. Because I’d really hate to break my promise to her about not pummeling you.”

“Yes, I can see it’s tearing you up inside just thinking about it.”

“Never been more heartbroken in my life.”

A hint of a smile cracks his lips like he’s enjoying the thought far too much as we turn our attention back to the media frenzy still gathered around Parker.

Who knew this was going to be such a hot story? I expected some cameras and questions, but not for this to last so long.

“Parker, a moment?” the last person who should have been allowed here asks her.

“Leonard!” She smiles brightly at the journalist, but anyone with a keen eye can see it isn’t genuine. “How are you?”

“Parker,” he says, bypassing all pleasantries and moving into professional mode. “I assume you’ve considered how this theater won’t bring enough revenue into the community and will strain our already limited resources instead? How this won’t engage tourists and only the residents who already live here, who will inevitably grow tired of thesehomegrown theater productions, thus causing us to have to shut the theater downagainin another few years?”

“Well, I—I ... Of course, I ...,” she fumbles, her response dying on the tip of her tongue.

I step toward them, ready to come to Parker’s rescue, but Axel puts his arm out to stop me.

“Hang on,” he says, still watching this unfold. “Let her answer.”

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