In Love with My Brother's Best Friend: Complete Box Set by Sharon Cummin

She was a million times
more beautiful than I could have ever imagined being.
    It
took all I had to fight the tears from streaming down my face. I held
Chris' hand even tighter. Seeing her with Jackson reminded me why I
never would have been good enough for him. It was time to finally
come to peace with that. Then she turned to face me. She was even
more beautiful than I thought. Her skin was flawless and her eyes
were big and bright. She had the sweetest smile on her face. It was
that moment that I realized I was in jeans and a t-shirt and that my
hair was pulled into a ponytail. I'd been in such a hurry and
laughing with Chris, and I'd totally forgotten what a mess I was.
    My
mind started moving a million miles a second and I turned to run,
just like I had been for ten years.

Chapter
7
    Tina
    “ Tiny,”
I heard Jackson whisper.
    I
thought I was going to lose. I seriously thought I was going pass out
right there. Then Chris squeezed my hand and leaned down next to my
ear.
    “ You've
got this,” he whispered. “Whatever is going on, I'm right
here with you. You know I've got your back. Do I need to kick some
butt?”
    I
looked up at him and smiled, as I shook my head and turned back
around. It was my brother's wedding. I couldn't run. It was time to
face him. I could do it. It was only a couple of days.
    My
eyes moved from Jackson's hand on her back up to his face. I felt my
heart clench tight and jealousy run through my body. It took all I
had not to snatch his hand from her back. I couldn't do that, but it
didn't make it any easier not to. I moved my feet to take that final
step. My brother turned to look at me just as my eyes saw Jackson's
hand move on her back.
    That
was it. Something snapped in me. I wasn't running anymore. I'd missed
so much time with my parents and my brother because of my feelings
for him. I lived in New York because of those same feelings. I was so
tired of running. Of course he was with that beautiful woman. She
looked perfect, just like him. I felt my tears fighting to break
free, but I wouldn't let them. I wouldn't let him see what he was
doing to me. How could I still let him bother me after all those
years, I thought? It felt like everyone's eyes were on me. The room
was quiet. I felt like they were all waiting for me break, but I
wasn't going to. I couldn't do it. I couldn't let them see me like
that. Jackson's eyes were one me. I could feel his stare and felt
like he could see straight through to the mess I was inside, but I
couldn't let him see it. My hand was shaking in Chris', and I felt
like I was breaking. It wasn't going to happen. I wouldn't let it.
    I
looked at Jackson's hand again and moved my eyes to his. The smile
I'd gotten so used to putting on face appeared. I'd been faking it
for ten years. In the happiest, most energized voice I could push
out, I spoke.
    “ Jackson,”
I said. “This is my boyfriend Chris.”
    I
could see Chris' eyes shoot over at me and felt his hand squeeze mine
so tight I thought he was going to break my fingers. Then I turned
and looked up at Chris and smiled. He looked straight into my eyes
before putting his hand out toward Jackson and smiling.
    “ It's
nice to meet you, Jackson.”

In
Love with My Brother's Best Friend, Part 2

Chapter
1
    Jackson
    I'm
not sure why I expected Tina to be alone just because I was. Why
wouldn't she have someone in her life after ten years? That night
hadn't meant as much to her as it had me. I probably never even
crossed her mind anymore.
    She
was beautiful and perfect and deserved so much happiness. It sucked
that I couldn't be the one to give that to her. She felt
self-conscious about what she was wearing. I could tell by the way
she moved from foot to foot as she talked and the way she kept
touching her hair. There was no reason for her to feel that way. She
had long, beautiful dark hair. I don't know why she had up in a
ponytail. It always looked so nice down around her shoulders. She was
wearing jeans, but they