Read Online Just Friends by Delaney Diamond - Free Book Online Page A

lighter than their darker
tones made others outside the family pause, but had no bearing on
their closeness as a family.
    Ivy shut her laptop and slowly rolled her
neck. “I sure am ready to go. I’m hungry. Starved, actually. Are
you?”
    “I’m surprised you didn’t hear my stomach
from my office,” Trenton joked. “I have a meeting in less than an
hour, though, so we’ll have to eat downstairs.”
    Ivy stepped around the desk in a navy-blue
pants suit, her long hair in a sleek bun at her nape. “Fine by me.
Today’s been a crazy day, so while I’m glad for the break, I have
plenty of work to keep me busy when I get back.” As the COO of the
family’s restaurant group, she oversaw the entire operations of
their casual dining chain, The Brew Pub, and the high-end
restaurants named Ivy’s.
    Minutes later they’d taken the elevator to
the first floor and were nestled in a corner booth of the crowded
pub. The chatter of patrons mingled with the clatter of cutlery on
plates, and the aroma of hearty burgers, fries, and other pub fare
filled the air.
    Trenton had a mug of Full Moon beer and a
huge steak sandwich in front of him. Ivy had chosen a glass of
white wine and a chicken sandwich on a brioche bun. They shared an
order of Wreck ’Em fries, the pub’s famous appetizer, covered in
chili, cheese, and jalapeño peppers. Occasional glances in their
direction signaled the building employees and outside customers
knew exactly who they were, but no one disturbed them.
    “How are the wedding plans coming?” Trenton
bit into his sandwich.
    His sister had recently become engaged to New
York Times Bestselling Author Lucas Baylor, the father of her
daughter and a man she’d lost touch with for many years, until they
reconnected last year.
    “It’s coming. Not like this is my first
marriage, but Mother wants a huge society wedding, of course.”
    “Of course.” Ivy’s first wedding had been a
rushed affair without the pomp and circumstance.
    “The thing is, Lucas and I haven’t picked a
date yet, which is a bit problematic when planning something as
grand as Mother wants.”
    “What’s the holdup?” Trenton sipped his
beer.
    “I told Lucas that I didn’t want to get
married until we found his biological family, and I meant it.”
Lucas had grown up in the foster care system after being abandoned
as a child. “It’s the biggest day of our lives, and I want him to
have his family there.”
    “How does he feel about that?” Trenton popped
a fry in his mouth.
    “He pretends it’s not a big deal and says he
just wants to get married, but I know it hurts. He wants to know
where he’s from and he wants to know who he is.”
    “But hasn’t he searched before?”
    “He has, but he’s never used Cyrus’s
guy.”
    At the mention of their older brother,
Trenton raised his eyebrows. “Cyrus’s guy already ran a background
check on Lucas.”
    “That was a preliminary report to see if
there was any dirt on him. I told Cyrus to have him dig deeper, to
leave no stone unturned. I don’t care how long it takes. I want
something for Lucas. Anything.”
    “If anyone can find Lucas’s family, he can.
And if you’re willing to wait…”
    “I’ll wait.” She smiled tentatively. “I hope
I don’t have to wait too long, though.”
    Trenton chuckled. “Too late now. You put it
out there.”
    “I know.” She sipped her wine. “Oh, I ran
into Lana the other day. Love the changes she’s made to her
appearance. She looks great, doesn’t she?”
    Trenton frowned. “Yeah, I guess.”
    “You guess? She looked fabulous. I almost
didn’t recognize her.” Ivy stabbed the fries with a fork and took a
bite. “Her eyes are gorgeous. You can really see them now without
the glasses.”
    Trenton grunted.
    Ivy arched a brow. “Okay, what’s going on?
What am I missing?”
    He searched for the right words to articulate
his feelings. “She’s changing,” he said.
    “How?”
    “She just is.”
    “I don’t