Free Loving the Best Man (Friends & Lovers Book 2) by Jaye Diane Page B

poured a cup.
    “I wasn’t trying to start trouble,” Grace said, putting her hands on her hips. “I forgot that you tagged Devin and Robyn and that everyone would see what I wrote. But if you want to be mad at someone, be mad at Linc for writing what he wrote.”
    “What he wrote was harmless.”
    “He professed his love. Online. With hundreds of witnesses.”
    “What the hell are you talking about?” Emerald asked, accepting the mug of coffee from Carol. “He did not. He said something about two beautiful ladies and that’s it.”
    “He wrote x’s and o’s,” Grace reminded loudly. “That means love.”
    “Lots of people do that. It doesn’t mean anything.”
    “He claimed you.”
    “He also claimed Olivia,” Emerald said, shrugging. “It didn’t mean anything.”
    “ Sure ,” Grace said, wagging her eyebrows.
    “You’re being such a brat,” Emerald turned to leave the kitchen, seeing Carol giggling as she loaded dishes into the dishwasher. “Thanks for the coffee.”
    “No, I’m not. You’re the brat, for fooling yourself into thinking-”
    “Why are you so focused on us anyway?” Emerald demanded. “Won’t you worry about your own love life? Why won’t you give Ryan a chance?”
    “Let’s not go there,” Grace warned as they entered the hallway.
    “Oh, really. But it’s okay for you to interrogate me and harass me about my relationship.”
    “Yes. No. Shit, I don’t know.” Grace stopped walking and leaned forward, putting her forehead on the wall.
    “You obviously like Ryan. You slept with him. And you keep focusing on me and Lincoln. I think there’s a serious issue here.”
    “You slept with Ryan?” Robyn whispered fiercely, causing both Emerald and Grace to jump about a foot in the air.
    Emerald yelped when the hot coffee splashed all over her hands and dripped onto the floor.
    “You two have been very busy while I’ve been gone, huh?” Robyn crossed her arms over her chest and squinted her eyes at them then ruined the scowl by laughing.
    Unbelievably, Grace blushed and her exotic, gold skin became splotchy and red.
    “Grace Jamison, I can’t believe it!” Robyn said.
    Emerald giggled, honestly enjoying Grace’s discomfort after Grace had put her on the spot.
    “Yes,” Emerald said in a bland tone, “While you were on your way to Jamaica, Grace and I both managed to bag some hot guys.”
    Robyn laughed and threw an arm around Grace who gave in and started laughing. Emerald laughed too, the ridiculousness of the whole situation hitting her.
    “What’s going on in here?” Peyton, Robyn’s older sister, asked, holding her daughter’s hand. Whitney was four and looked like a mini version of her mother and aunt.
    “Nothing,” Grace said through her giggles.
    Peyton stared at the other three women suspiciously. Whitney looked wide-eyed. Emerald wasn’t exactly sure why but their expressions set off another round of laughter and she laughed so hard that tears sprung to her eyes.
    “Mom, I have to pee!” Whitney complained, prompting Peyton to wordlessly continue down the hall.
    “Let’s get back to dinner,” Grace said, wiping her own eyes. “Someone else is bound to come out of the dining room and I don’t want to answer any more questions.”
    “Okay,” Robyn agreed. “But we need a girls day soon because I need details!”
    Everyone lingered over dessert and Emerald was the first one to say her goodbyes. Although she’d enjoyed herself and wouldn’t mind staying longer, she still felt weird about getting home too late. She didn’t think Marley would do anything else but there were no guarantees and there was a small niggle of doubt in her mind.
    It took her several minutes to say her goodbyes to everyone, from Devin’s and Robyn’s parents to their siblings and in-laws. Lincoln surprised her, and caused her heart to race, when he walked her out to the car. She ignored the knowing looks that everyone gave them and walked out of the door.
    She