Tangled: A Small Town, Brother's Best Friend Romance (Willow Springs Series Book 2)

  Tangled

  Willow Springs Series, Book 2

  Copyright © 2020 by Laura Pavlov

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dear Sissy,

  When I think of strong heroines, you are always the first person that comes to mind. Thanks for inspiring me to write characters that aren’t afraid to take risks, dream big, and go after what they want! Do you have to…do you have to…you know I’m such a fool for you…

  Love you always,

  Laura xo

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Acknowledgements

  Other books by Laura Pavlov

  Follow Me

  Chapter One

  Gigi

  I made my way to Art History and maneuvered through the busy campus. Texas University was buzzing with students moving to and from class wearing shorts and T-shirts, enjoying these last few weeks of summer. Flags hung on every light pole with the scarlet and white TU colors and the proud bulldog mascot on full display. I still had to pinch myself at times that I was actually here. My best friend Addy and I had moved into the dorms two weeks ago, and we’d both pledged the same sorority house, Kappa Gamma.

  I’d been so busy with rush week and the start of my classes that I hadn’t had a moment to be homesick yet. I talked to my parents every day, and my brother Cade checked in with me a couple times a week. My three other best friends, Ivy, Maura, and Coco were all attending schools in Texas, and we had Zoom calls at least twice a week and spoke individually even more often. It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time, being here and getting situated, but having everyone’s support, and having Addy by my side, had helped a lot.

  “What’s up, G?” Gray’s voice startled me as he walked up behind me, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin.

  Did I mention that my brother’s best friend attended TU as well?

  “Don’t you have your own classes to go to? Why are you always sneaking up on me?” I hissed. Bantering with Gray Baldwin had become my favorite pastime over the years. Not that I’d ever admit that to him, because in his world, I was just someone fun to pester. Nothing more. He had a way of getting under my skin—always had. Gray was a junior and had just been elected president of his fraternity.

  The boy was born to run a frat house.

  He was the epitome of a cocky frat boy with a wandering eye and a red Solo cup permanently attached to his hand.

  “I happen to be on my way to class right now. Don’t act like you don’t enjoy running into me.” He nudged me with his shoulder, and I looked up to see a wide grin spread clear across his handsome face. Butterflies swarmed my belly. Again. This had been happening more and more over the past few months and it truly had to stop.

  Gray was tall with broad shoulders, disheveled brown hair that was longer on the top and shorter on the sides, and green eyes that always managed to steal the air from my lungs. He was what my best friend Coco would call, sex on a stick. And I hated the way my body reacted to him lately. It made no sense. He wasn’t my type. He was as off-limits as it gets.

  A self-proclaimed player who made no apologies for it.

  My brother’s best friend.

  And he annoyed me more often than he didn’t.

  But he was gorgeous and charming—and that infuriated me.

  “Don’t flatter yourself. Now that I’m officially done with rush, I can start going out. And I don’t need you getting in my business if we run into one another,” I said, trying to cover my smile because I knew that’s exactly what he’d do.

  Gray and Cade had been best friends for as long as I could remember.

  From cradle to grave, they’d always say.

  They were a bit wild when they were together, and they’d left behind a lot of broken hearts back at East Texas High where we’d all attended school. We’d grown up in a small town about two hours away from here, called Willow Springs. It was one of the oldest towns in our state and best known as The Heart of Texas. Gray had been around for as long as I could remember. He was a permanent fixture at our house. His parents divorced when he was young and his dad struggled with drugs and alcohol, but he rarely talked about it. His mother remarried, and she’d gone on to have two adorable twin daughters who I’d babysat more times than I could count. Because Gray couldn’t be bothered and rarely spent a weekend night home.

  “Your business is my business, G. I promised Cade and your parents that I’d look out for you, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.” Cade had always been an overprotective brother, bordering on the ridiculous, and for whatever reason, his best friend thought it was his job to do the same.

  Two girls walked toward us and they both smiled as they blatantly drank him in. “Hey, Gray,” they purred, and I rolled my eyes.

  He nodded but kept his attention on me.

  “I don’t need a babysitter. When I come to your frat party, you need to stay in your own lane.” I stopped when we arrived at the building where I had class.

  “I’ve always liked your lane better,” he said with a smirk, crossing his arms over his muscled chest as his gaze locked with mine, and my stomach dipped again.

  Damn you and your sexy self, Gray Baldwin.

  “Hey, Gray.” Tiffany, the president of my sorority, walked up and stood beside him before turning to me with a flat expression. “Oh, hi, Gigi.”

  “Hey,” I said, and Gray’s eyes never left mine as he greeted Tiffany.

  “So, you have this guy to thank for you and Addy getting a bid at Kappa Gamma. He can be very persuasive,” she said, and she ran a hand down his bicep, and I had a sudden urge to throat punch her.

  Where did that come from?

  He shot her a look as if she wasn’t supposed to tell me that he’d reached out and put in the good word for me and Addy. I already knew, because Tiffany had made her point perfectly clear when we received our bids that she was doing a favor for Gray and that we both owed her one.

  Not exactly an empower
ing sisterhood moment, but I wasn’t sold on the whole Greek life thing just yet, so the jury was still out.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Was that a secret?” She giggled and raised a brow at me. “Come on, Gray, we’re going to be late for class.”

  They had class together? Were they dating? He was probably sleeping with her. Nothing would surprise me when it came to Gray. Another reason why I needed to keep my feelings for this boy in check.

  Hating him was a lot easier than liking him.

  “Let’s go,” he said to Tiffany before leaning close to my ear. “Like it or not, you best plan on seeing me in your lane, G.”

  I watched him walk off, and I made my way into the building and internally cursed myself for letting him get me all worked up.

  I really enjoyed my classes, and Professor Benzo was one of my favorites. The hour and a half lecture went by quickly, and I made my way back to the dorms and passed Bailey in the hallway. She lived on our floor and just three doors down from us. She hadn’t made the best first impression with Addy or me, but her roommate Sadie was sweet. And they’d both rushed the same sorority house as we had.

  “Hey, Gigi. Awww… look at you. You’re so country in your little dress and booties,” she said, with an awful attempt at a southern accent. Why she felt the need to talk with a twang every time she spoke about my clothing was beyond me.

  “I like wearing these flowy dresses in the heat,” I said, looking down at my outfit, which really did keep me cool in this warm weather. Unlike Bailey’s current situation.

  She wore fitted black jeans and a skin-tight black T-shirt. If this was her idea of fashion in the summertime, I was just fine being country. Bailey was from Colorado and she clearly wasn’t used to the Texas humidity just yet.

  “I have to admit it kind of works for you,” she said with a smile. “You have that whole girl-next-door thing going. Some guys probably find that attractive.”

  I laughed. Bailey was a champ when it came to giving backhanded compliments. “Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

  When I pushed the door open to room 711, Addy was sitting at her desk studying. Our room was magazine-worthy. Addy’s mother had designed the space, as southern girls took their dorm décor pretty seriously—or at least their mothers did.

  Our headboards were covered in white velvet fabric, and our peach linen bedding had little white flowers all over it. We had too many throw pillows for a dorm room, but you didn’t mess with Addy’s mom when it came to decorating. Our walls were covered with framed photos from home and distressed wood plaques with sweet, inspirational sayings on them. We had vanity mirrors on our desks so that we could get ready in our room versus having to lug our makeup and blow dryers down to the communal bathroom.

  “Hey, how was class?” Addy asked as she swiveled around in her desk chair, which matched the fabric on our headboards. Not a detail had been spared when designing our room. My mom had chuckled at Addy’s mom about how serious she’d taken it on move-in day, but my mother appreciated that I lived in a space that was warm and cozy and managed to feel like home.

  “It was good. Do we have our FaceTime call with the girls now?”

  She glanced down at her phone and smiled. “Yep. Five minutes.”

  She picked up her laptop and we both plopped down on her bed, setting the computer between us. I filled her in on my annoying run-in with Gray on campus.

  “I know you think he’s being protective, but I swear there’s something there. I see the way he looks at you.” She connected our call as she spoke.

  I shook my head. “Absolutely not. We can’t stand each other most of the time.”

  I hadn’t even admitted to my best friends the way I’d been feeling when I was around Gray lately, because I knew it wasn’t reciprocated. I was most definitely not his type. And he’d never look at me in any sort of way as I was Cade’s little sister. My only hope was that this would pass. It was a silly crush. It wouldn’t go anywhere.

  The girls came into focus and we all talked at the same time just like we always did. Ivy waved her hand in the air, before holding up the large leather-bound book in her hands. “Okay, we have important matters to discuss. And I decided to call our weekends home, Willows Weekends.”

  Ivy was the president of the Magic Willows, a group we’d formed in fifth grade using the first initial from each of our names. Maura, Adelaide, Gigi, Ivy, and Coco. We kept all of our memories in these notebooks, and we’d managed to fill several over the years. We were all within a few hours of one another, with me and Addy in Austin, Maura and Ivy in Dallas, and Coco going solo in Houston. Most importantly, Willow Springs was in the middle, so it would be an easy drive home for all of us. We’d committed to meeting at home at least one weekend a month.

  “Why does it have to have a name?” Coco asked, with one brow raised as she stared into the screen.

  “Because it does, Co. I like to name things. Why must you question everything?” Ivy said, and a tear ran down her face, startling all of us.

  “You know I just like to give you shit, Ive. I love you so much.” Coco’s face turned serious when she realized she’d upset her.

  We were all worried about Ivy. She’d dated her boyfriend Ty for years, and the two had been madly in love. Or so we’d thought. Ty had planned to attend the same school as her in Dallas, but after a crazy scandal with his family was all everyone in Willow Springs could talk about, he’d left town with his mother this summer and he’d taken Ivy’s heart with him.

  “I love you too. I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately. I just cry all the time,” she said, and Maura wrapped an arm around her.

  “She’s been feeling homesick the past few days.” Maura hugged Ivy even tighter.

  “It’s a lot of change.” Addy’s eyes welled with emotion. We’d always felt one another’s hurts as we were connected in a way most people couldn’t begin to understand. True soul sisters. “It’s okay to be sad about Ty.”

  Ivy swiped at her falling tears. “I know. I just can’t decide if I’m mad or sad anymore. We had a plan. And he just jumped ship and left me. Who does that?”

  “I don’t think it had anything to do with you,” I said. “I think finding out his dad not only had an affair, but also got the woman pregnant, was more than he could handle. I mean, the Greenes were the perfect family according to Willow Springs’ standards. This came out of left field. And then with his mom leaving town, I think he just needed to get away for a while.”

  “Let’s use the word woman lightly. The girl he knocked up is barely out of high school, for God’s sake. Mr. Greene is an old perv. It had to be so humiliating for them.” Coco shook her head and rolled her eyes at the same time. Theatrics were her specialty.

  “But that has nothing to do with me. Why would he cut me off? And now he’s in Nashville and probably going to become some big famous country singer and never look back.” Ivy broke out in a sob, and a tear rolled down my cheek. I quickly swiped it away. I hated that we couldn’t hug her when she was going through so much.

  “It has nothing to do with you. I think Ty is just a good guy and he was ashamed about all the talk in town, and when his mom left, I think he just wanted to go with her. And the last time you spoke to him, he said you deserved better. Knowing Ty, he carries the guilt and shame of his father and thinks he’s doing you a favor by leaving,” Addy kept her voice soft and I rested my head on her shoulder, wishing we were all together.

  “Have you reached out to him again at all?” I asked.

  “No. And I won’t. He told me he was done, and he asked me to let him go. I’m not going to beg him to be with me. I have some pride left.” She tipped her chin up just a bit, swiped at her tears, and forced a smile. “It’s done. I’ll be over Ty Greene in no time.”

  “Well, I can’t wait to be under someone new. I’ve been in a dry spell since Shaw and I broke up, but there have alrea
dy been a few prospects in my classes,” Coco said, breaking up the tension like she always did.

  We laughed.

  “Here’s to us all finding our way on this new adventure,” I said. “And we’ll be together in two weeks. I can’t wait to hug you, Ivy.”

  “Me too,” she said, and her smile reached her eyes letting me know that she’d be okay.

  “Magic Willows for life,” Maura said, and we all repeated her words.

  Just like we always did.

  Chapter Two

  Gray

  I’d been back to school for two weeks. I had a chronic headache and wondered why the fuck I’d agreed to be president of my damn fraternity. I could kiss all the good times goodbye. Jack Schwab had convinced me to go for it. He’d been president the past two years.

  “It’s awesome. You’ll get your own room and your own bathroom. It’s massive,” he’d said.

  And I’d probably been too many red Solo cups in to think it through. The fact that I was now responsible for anything that these dipshits did in this house was terrifying. If minors were caught drinking, I was the asshole getting cited. It would be hard to find a college party where students weren’t getting their booze game on. So basically, I was fucked.

  I was sure as shit not about to throw away my chances of going to law school, most especially because Simon, my dickhead stepfather would be all too happy to say, I told you so.

  Hell, no.

  The last time I saw him, he’d made a couple dozen cracks about me being a chip off the old block, and he’d reminded me that he held the purse strings for my future. He’d let me know that he was nervous about investing in someone who could later fuck up. But for now, the man had more money than God, and he seemed quite content giving me a credit card with an unlimited balance to maintain my lifestyle and to keep me far enough away.

  And I was all too happy to oblige.

  At least that’s how it seemed. I’d been dealing with his disdain since I was seven years old, when he and Mom got married. The man had been preparing for me to fuck up my entire life. In high school I’d given him what he wanted, coming home shit-faced more times than not. Sleeping my way through most of our female senior class.