My Brother’s Best Men (Forbidden Hearts #9)

Chapter 1 Sophie

SOPHIE

Love fucking sucks. Seriously, I swear Disney lied to us as kids. Because if love truly existed, I wouldn’t be on this stupid plane right now, heading back home to Cherrywood earlier than planned.

At least, that’s what goes through my mind as I watch Tangled on the plane, while sitting next to the most obnoxiously adorable couple.

It’s going to be a long flight. I shift in my seat, trying to get comfortable, but it’s no use. For starters, there’s barely enough leg room, the air vent seems to be broken because it’s not working, and I’m still reeling from what happened this afternoon.

I’ve been looking forward to my twin brother Sam’s wedding, ever since he and Raegan announced their engagement last year.

Despite living so far from home, I still managed to be pretty involved in helping Sam and Raegan plan this wedding, and if I’m being honest, it was the one thing I most looked forward to every day.

Pouring over table linens and menus and wedding dresses was like a jolt of dopamine to my system.

Sneaking peeks at tropical destinations while holed up in my cubicle at Harding that was apparent. Because they kept going.

Time froze, and I swear the world stopped as I watched my fiancé fuck her, tears pooling in my eyes as he bit out those three soul-crushing words.

“Fuck, I’m coming!”

My heart shattered. I choked out a sob, and I think I did scream then. I can’t remember; it’s all pretty much a blur, but I know the minute he saw me, the look of shock on his face said it all. It wasn’t remorse. It was panic. This wasn’t the first time.

It was just the first time I’d caught him red-handed.

I curl my legs up to my chest as the memory replays in my mind. The woman—whoever she was—seemed shocked to find out he was engaged. I wanted to hate her, and maybe I still do, to an extent. But it was clear she was a victim of Keaton Harding just as I was.

I didn’t think. I just told him it was over, pulled off my four-carat diamond ring and lobbed it at his fucking head.

I grabbed my suitcase, which thankfully I’d already started to pack earlier in the week to prepare for my flight Friday, zipped it up, and left like a bat out of hell.

Then I bought the first ticket I could get to Virginia.

How the hell am I going to tell my parents about this? What am I even going to say? And how the hell am I going to go back to work? Keaton isn’t just some co-worker I was dating. I was engaged to the son of the CEO of the fucking company. Am I going to lose my job?

No, don’t think like that, Soph. That’s dramatic, even for you.

Still, I can’t deny it’s a possibility. Keaton’s definitely got the resources to pull something like that, and I’m not sure he wouldn’t do it if he thought my presence there would reflect badly on him and the company.

Fuck.

I shove the thought out of my mind as the pilot comes over the loudspeaker, announcing that we’ll be descending into the airport in about twenty minutes. My heart races, because reality is settling in—I’m flying in to meet my brother and escape this alone.

And he has no idea I’m even on this plane…

I haven’t called Sam to tell him I’m coming home early, though I know I probably should, all things considered.

I mean, technically I don’t need to, because you know…

family is always welcome. And he’s my brother so I know he won’t balk at me showing up unannounced as a surprise.

And showing up early to celebrate definitely counts as a surprise.