Letting My Brother's Best Friend Take My V-Card

PART 6-CHAPTER 197 LUKE

The second I was out of the locker room, I grabbed my phone and scrolled to Josh's number. My fingers were shaking, a leftover from everything that had just unfolded, and it took a second longer than I wanted to hit call. I could still hear Michael's pathetic pleading echoing no, needed-was to find Jess.

The line rang. Once. Twice. I almost hung up and called back, but then Josh picked up, his voice groggy and disinterested. "Yeah?"

"Where is Jess?" I demanded, cutting straight through the tired haze in his voice. My tone left no room for hesitation. "I need to know where she is right now."

There was a pause, then a deep sigh. "What the hell, Luke? What's going on? You need to let Jess go, man. I love you like a brother, but you can't keep giving her hope. She needs a chance to move on,"

I clenched my jaw, my hand squeezing the phone so tightly I could feel the plastic straining. "Josh. Listen. I just ended things with Francesca. She's been cheating on me with some rookie-Michael-and there's no baby. It's not mine. I ended it. It's over."

Silence. I could almost hear the gears turning in his head as he processed that. "Wait. You're serious? You could have led with that, you know, asshole!"

"Completely," I said, my voice a low growl. I didn't have the patience to explain the humiliating details, not right now. "Now, tell me where Jess

DOCK

1. is. I have to see her, Josh. I need to fix this."

was a pause, and then he breathed out a

closed my eyes, exhaling heavily. "So

tell you. In fact, I'm coming with you." Josh's voice had a spark of excitement

process that I'd just upended my entire

flight was a blur, my mind racing over every single thing I'd done wrong in the last few

that led me nowhere but here. Josh didn't talk

in Paris the next day, and Josh immediately whipped out his phone, dialing Laura's number. He paced back and forth, muttering impatiently as each call went

he glanced over at me, his brow

the second I hit call, the phone barely rang once

finally picked up, she didn't

where's Jess?" I asked, keeping my voice steady, though it took everything to keep my

PART & CHAPTER 197

you just

hesitation on the line, then she sighed. "She's... busy, Luke. It's been a lot for her, and I

interrupted, my tone sharper than I intended. "Please. I'm not

she replied, her voice cool and firm.

off, leaving me staring at the phone,

me, already taking a few steps down the street, scanning the shop windows as we walked. We both knew Jess was here somewhere; Laura had just confirmed it by the very fact she'd tried to stonewall me. We kept moving up and down the