Read Online What If (Willowbrook Book 2) by Ashlyn Mathews - Free Book Online Page B

After a year, he’d dropped out to concentrate on training and racing full time.
    Racing. Perfect guy .
    “Set me down. I have something to ask you.”
    He gave her another squeeze before doing as she’d asked. “Shoot.”
    “I promised Chance a superstar for the gala. You are a superstar.”
    “I ride freestyle motocross, Em. I’m not the one who just won the Super Bowl.”
    She grabbed onto the edges of his jacket. “What you do in those shows is utterly awesome and totally dangerous. There’s fireworks and . . . ” She shook her head in awe at the memory of one of his shows. “And those aerial moves. Chance went to a show last year, remember? I introduced you to him and his parents backstage?”
    He grasped her hands and kissed the tops of her knuckles. “I do. I’d love to help but I can’t.” He let go of her hands. “Going on a date with a woman . . . I’d feel like an imposter, Em. Like I had with you after we’d done it, ya know?” His attention swung to the ground before his dark eyes bore into hers. “Does that make sense?”
    Proud at how far he’d come since that night, yet saddened by his current dilemma, she encircled her arms around his waist and settled her forehead on his chest. “I completely understand.”
    His body relaxed against hers while his sigh seemed loud in the silence. “Thank you.” He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Shall we ride?”
    She let go of him and stepped back. “I want to, but after Drew . . .” She took a deep breath. “I want it to be him that I ride with from now on. Does that make sense?” she asked, volleying his question back at him. She wanted to feel alive and reckless with only Drew.
    Chris nodded, a slow firm move that showed he completely understood. He opened his mouth to say something, but his attention shifted to whatever was behind her.
    “Uh-oh. We’re in deep shit.”
    At the ominous tone in his words, Emma spun around. Drew headed their direction with his fists clenched at his sides and a fierce glare on his face. Dammit, deep shit was an understatement. She’d never seen him this angry even after he’d broken his wrists.
    “Who the hell are you?” he bellowed.
    Or seen him this jealous.
    He pointed a stiff finger at Chris. She uttered a curse under her breath. The men were the same height and build. If a major smack down was going to happen, there could be serious injuries. Please behave like men and not boys fighting over a toy .
    Chris extended his hand to Drew. “Chris Andrews, Emma’s friend from college.”
    From college . She resisted the impulse to cover her flaming face with her hands. God, this was awkward. Her secret guy BFF and her secret boyfriend occupying the same space and breathing the same air choked with smothering testosterone.
    Surprising her, Drew grasped Chris’ hand and shook. “Nice to meet you, man.”
    The air cleared, and she inhaled a deep breath. Wow . He’d spoken the words with a lightness that again caught her off guard. Without knowing what she and Chris were to one another, Drew had accepted Chris in Emma’s life.
    Seeming to understand something had shifted in her relationship with Drew, Chris let go of Drew’s hand and stepped back. An unknown emotion, one she’d wanted so badly to identify when it came to her hurting and confused BFF, crossed his face then disappeared just as suddenly. He smiled. “I should get going and let you two have time together. Time is precious when you love someone unconditionally, isn’t it?”
    He turned and headed for his truck. Chris walked tall as though he’d come to a very important decision. She’d come to her own important conclusion too. After witnessing how Drew had handled himself around who he must realize was Emma’s perfect guy , she trusted him to give him the truth. But only with Chris’ consent.
    “Wait, Chris.” She hurried after him.
    He waited for her by his truck.
    “You can say no if you want, and I wouldn’t hate you or