Free Thick: A Stepbrother Romance by L. M. Roberts Page B

Alex as a best friend. She didn’t care if her opinion hurt you, she was a straight shooter. Just how I liked people around me. I didn’t like being bullshitted, or drug in a million different directions. I had too much of that when I was younger. I was not going to have it again. In the time I’ve been away from Cedar Grove, I’ve matured a lot. There was no way that I was going to go back to being that bumbling idiot that trusted everyone around me. Now you had to prove yourself, which was the only way to even get close to me.
                  The waiter showed up to take our orders, before scurrying off to give them to the cook. I drained my margarita just as a fresh one was put down on the table. I eyed it, knowing that it would be my limit. I was a light drinker. Whenever Alex and I went to bars she would joke about me going to the tee toddler table, and leave the real drinking to those who can take it. I called her bluff once, which was the only time. Waking up with a penis drawled on your face with a permanent marker was not fun. Especially when you couldn’t get all the marks off your face, and had to go to work with a half assed cock and hairy ball sack on your face.
                  “I know what you’re thinking. Trust me, the next time I’ll draw a pussy on your face,” she crudely stated with a giggle.
                  I rolled my eyes and took a drink. “I’m getting better. I think I can hold three of these bad boys now.”
                  “Oooh…You’re such a bad ass bitch.” She teased.
                  I laughed. “You know it.”
                  She giggled just before a serious look came over her face. Fuck. I knew what she was going to ask before she even uttered the words. “What are you going to do if you see you know who?”
                  And…I was right. Do I have FML stamped on my forehead? Because right now that’s the theme my life.
                  I shrugged before I took another drink of my margarita. “I don’t know. I know it’s stupid, and that I shouldn’t care. But I ask my mom about him every time we’re on the phone.”
                  “It’s not stupid to love someone Hun.” She stated, taking my hand in hers. “You’re only human. If anything I would be questioning if you never asked. He was your first everything.”
                  I just nodded. I didn’t want her to know that I was still completely obsessed with him. Not in a stalker way, but in a scorned lover type. Thoughts of him hurt me physically, but I couldn’t help asking about him anyway. I guess you could say that over the years the tidbits of information that my mom gave me has helped me cope with losing what could have been.
                  “You want to talk about it?” she asked sincerely. She knew how hard it was for me to talk about Brad. I loved her for caring about my feelings enough to ask.
                  “It doesn’t bother me as much anymore. I guess in a way, asking mom about him has helped me move on. If that makes any sense.”
                  She slowly nodded, letting my hands go as the waiter dropped our orders off. “It makes perfect sense, Hun. If you don’t mind me asking, I’m taking full advantage. What has your mom said about him?”
                  I snickered. “Well, he is not like his father. He didn’t go into law like many of the other men in his family, he’s actually in construction. Owns his own business actually. She said he’s had a failed married that lasted a couple of years, to Cherish Sharp of all people. She never would tell me when they got married, or even when they divorced.”
                  “Cherish Sharp,” she screeched through the restaurant, causing people to glance in our direction.
                  I giggled. “Yeah, I don’t know why