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  FRIENDS FORNEVER

  by

  MELISSA BALDWIN

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  Copyright © 2016 by Melissa Baldwin

  Cover design by Estrella Designs

  Gemma Halliday Publishing

  http://www.gemmahallidaypublishing.com

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  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. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  To my dearest friends:

  Maria—my best friend in Heaven

  Betty—my best friend on the West Side

  Becky—my mentor and support system

  My husband Chris—my soul mate. Thank you for always believing in me.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Thank you to the fabulous Gemma Halliday for taking a chance on Friends ForNever and me. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with you and your fantastic team.

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER ONE

  You've got to be kidding me. Not again. I hit my elbow on the wall, right on the funny bone, and honestly, it's not funny. I try very hard to hide my clumsiness, but unfortunately, I'm not good at hiding things, so I'm sure most of the fifth floor witnessed my run-in with the wall. I make my way back to my desk, massaging my latest elbow injury. Granted, nothing compares to my frequent midnight visits to Urgent Care to get stitches.

  "So, do you think I should pursue that dating doctor?" Bre asks as soon as she spots me coming over. "Or do you think doing that is basically saying I'm a loser who can't get her own date?"

  Poor Bre. We go through this weekly. Honestly, I don't know why she asks me for dating advice because I wouldn't call myself an expert. I haven't had a decent date since American Idol was popular, and everyone knows that hasn't been for several years. Also, this isn't her first rodeo when it comes to these online dating sites.

  "I'm sure a lot of people see a dating doctor," I say, trying to appease her.

  I sit down at my computer and try to focus on my latest article. I'm hoping that someday one of these articles will catapult me into a better position here at Strike a Pose magazine. I would love to have my name embossed in gold letters on the door of my own office. I can see it now: Erin Taylor, Assistant Editor or even better, Erin Taylor, Executive Editor. Ha! A girl can dream, but for now, I will sit in my cute little cubicle next to Bre and her many distractions.

  "Would you go?" she asks. "You know, to meet with the dating doctor?"

  I nod my head quickly because at this point I wouldn't have anything to lose. My answer must satisfy her. She immediately jumps on her computer and then takes about fifty selfies at all different angles. I really hate selfies. I know it's the cool thing right now, but I always look horrible in them. She must be working on some kind of application or profile for her dating page.

  Maybe I should check out this dating doctor or whatever he's called. He might be able to give me some advice on how to act around Aiden. Ahhh…Aiden. I still remember the first time I met him. It was another of my fine, clumsy moments. I hadn't been with the magazine for very long. Bre and I were rushing back from lunch, and I gracefully tripped on the corner of the hideous shag rug that sits in the corner of our lobby. I landed right in front of Aiden, and the rest is history. Of course, I immediately started crushing on him (I still don't get this phrase, but I think that's what the cool people say) because all girls develop a crush on a friend/coworker at some time in their life, right? Like most crushes, it began as a flirtatious friendship and has slowly developed into more, at least on my part. Bre says she thinks he likes me too, but he's never asked me out. Well, I guess that's not completely true. He did ask me if I was going to our art director's birthday party, but everyone in the office was going, so I didn't want to read too much into it. Normally, I don't blab my personal business around the office, but one day Bre caught on to my pathetic attempt at flirting with Aiden. I tried to play innocent and deny my feelings, but I'm a horrible liar. Even if I was a good liar, after having our desks next to each other for a few years, Bre has gotten to know me well enough to know the truth.

  "I did it," Bre announces dramatically, interrupting my thoughts. She leans back in her chair as if she has completed some overwhelming task. I pretend I don't hear her and try to get back to work on my latest article.

  Aside from Bre and her dating drama, I have had a horrible time concentrating on my work lately. I try to find any excuse I can not to write, and I'm not exactly sure why. That being said, it comes as no surprise when my attention is drawn away from my computer and Bre.

  I see Chelsie near the elevator, talking animatedly to a girl I don't recognize. Normally, when a supervisor walks in, employees scramble to look like they are actually working, but not our team. I glance around at my wonderful coworkers. Kevin and Sean are talking about a new club that opened last weekend, Kimmy is looking through a magazine, and Bre is looking through her phone, probably editing her selfies. Chelsie and the mystery girl start walking toward us.

  "I know you're all extremely busy, but can you pry yourselves away from your work for a few minutes?" she asks sarcastically. Everyone finally looks up from his or her various activities.

  "Fifth floor team, I want to introduce you to your new teammate, Aly Sanders. Aly is a newbie straight out of school, so go easy on her," she says firmly. "Aly, this is our team of writers. You will learn a lot from them as I'm sure you can tell." She lets out a sarcastic fake laugh.

  Everyone ignores Chelsie's joke, and we introduce ourselves to poor Aly, who looks like she's going to puke. When I first started in the industry I was terrified, so I can empathize with how she may be feeling. Chelsie shows Aly her new cubicle, which is right across from me.

  My friend Jenn used to sit there until she ran off with the circus. Really. Well, maybe not the actual circus, but more like one of those traveling carnivals that take up residence in shopping centers during the holidays. We all went one night after work, and she met the guy who controlled the bumper cars. I think they got engaged that night, she quit two days later, and I haven't heard from her since. Bre thinks she joined a cult because she left so abruptly. I had to talk her out of writing an article about it for her gossip column. It would have been a good story, but Jenn was our friend, and I felt it was unethical.

  Chelsie is still talking to Aly, so I wait patiently to introduce myself to her. Everyone else has already lost interest and returned to their work.

  "Hi, I'm Erin Taylor," I say cheerfully, after Chelsie answers a call on her phone. "You okay?"

  She gives me a weak smile. I really hope she doesn't puke because I will throw up if I see someone else throw up.

  "Yes, just a bit nervous."

  "I totally understand," I reply. "Let me know if you need help with anything."

  "That would be fanta
stic," she exclaims. "I really enjoy your articles. They're my favorite by far. You're an excellent writer, but don't say anything to the others."

  I can feel myself start to blush. I always get a little embarrassed when people compliment my writing, even after all these years.

  "I promise, and thank you," I whisper.

  Chelsie interrupts our conversation and whisks Aly away to continue her tour. She seems like a really sweet girl and not just because she complimented my writing, although that made me like her even more.

  "She seems nice," I tell Bre when I sit back down at my desk. Bre hardly paid Aly any attention, but that's typical of her. She's too preoccupied with her dating profile to think about the new girl. I return to my work for the hundredth time of the day. I must be so enthralled in my attempt at writing that I don't even notice Aiden standing behind me.

  "Psst, ET, you want to grab lunch?" he asks, startling me.

  I practically jump out of my chair and spin around, giving him a dirty look. He knows I hate being called by my initials, ET, because unlike the majority of the world, I didn't like that movie. I know it's supposedly one of the best movies of all time, but whatever.

  "Haven't I made it clear how much I dislike being called that?" I fold my arms and pretend to act tough, but inside I'm dying. I hate the nickname, but I love the attention from him. I try to shift a little so it doesn't look like I'm staring. Aiden is really handsome, and not only that, he's one of the nicest guys I've ever met.

  "Yeah, yeah. So, lunch?" he asks again.

  "Sure," I say nonchalantly. I silently remind myself to act cool.

  I save my project on my computer and grab my bag while trying to hide my excitement. My excitement is short-lived, however, when Bre decides she's going to crash our lunch all because she needs a man's advice about the dating doctor. I make a promise to myself to never forgive her.

  "I don't get it," Aiden says while shoving a handful of french fries in his mouth. "A dating doctor?" Bre has monopolized most of our lunch with this nonsense, and I, in addition to never forgiving her, may never speak to her again.

  "He has a great reputation," she says defensively. "What about you, Aiden? Would you ever see a dating doctor, or are you already an expert on women?"

  He casually leans back. Damn, he's really sexy. I try not to stare, and I brush my hand against my chin just in case any drool happens to escape.

  "Hell, no. I don't need to get advice from some dude on how to ask a woman out."

  "Oh really? Well, are you seeing anyone right now?" Bre asks. She glances at me and raises her eyebrows. I'm going to kill her.

  "No, I'm not seeing anyone right now," he says flatly. "But, I definitely don't need to pay someone to find a date."

  I hope my silence isn't too obvious, but saying something now would just make me look ridiculous.

  "Are you sure about that?" she asks. He bites his lower lip and turns to me. I can tell by the way he's looking at me that he's about to say something important. I'm completely mesmerized by his chiseled face and blue eyes. Honestly, I could stare into his eyes for hours.

  "ET, I mean, Erin, would you like to go out sometime? For real, though. Just me and you…not with anyone else," he says as he shoots Bre a dirty look. She doesn't seem bothered by it. In fact, she looks quite proud of herself. I may not kill her after all.

  I smile at Aiden and try to play it cool. "Would I like to go out sometime?" I repeat. "When would sometime be?"

  He cracks a smile. "Oh, you're funny, aren't you? How about next Friday night?"

  Is this really happening? Did Aiden finally ask me out?

  Bre sits back proudly. I'm impressed—maybe she should consider being a dating doctor.

  "Um, sure. I don't think I have plans," I say casually. Of course I don't have plans, other than an exciting night of catching up on General Hospital from the week. Yes, my life is that boring right now, but I would never admit that out loud.

  "Great," he says just as casually. We smile at each other, and for a brief few seconds, I forget that Bre is even there.

  When we return to work, Bre eagerly spins around in her chair a few times. "You can thank me at any time. Go on, tell me how much you love me."

  I have been trying my best to hold in my excitement because I'm about to explode. Not exactly something I want to do in front of everyone at the office.

  "Thank you," I say with a huge smile. "And yes, I love you."

  * * *

  I finally get home from work around seven and get ready for my long night of binge watching Sex in the City reruns. I admit I have gotten some of my article ideas from this show. I think most women could learn a lot from Carrie Bradshaw. If anything, I would love to spend just one night in her closet. I know it seems like I have a (small) TV addiction, and that's because I do. But in my defense, I work so hard that TV is my favorite way to unwind. The fact that I have no social life doesn't help matters either.

  I make a taco salad for dinner and get very comfortable on my couch. I look around and let out a sigh. I absolutely love my apartment. I have an amazing view of downtown San Francisco. Last year, I got a huge bonus and went a little crazy at Pottery Barn.

  I'm in the middle of one of Carrie Bradshaw's crazy adventures when I check my email and find one from Chelsie.

  Team: Important Mandatory Meeting tomorrow at 3 p.m., and in case you have forgotten—mandatory means everyone needs to attend.

  I groan. I love Chelsie, but I don't love her mandatory meetings. They usually turn out to be pointless. Most of the time, I wonder why she can't just send out a mass email, but whatever. I may have to come down with a sudden illness tomorrow at 2:55 p.m. Although I'm curious as to why the sudden meeting. She usually gives more notice and more explanation. What could be so important?

  I call Bre to find out if she has any idea what the meeting could be about.

  "Why are you checking emails? Do you ever stop working? Even for a few hours?" she asks with disgust.

  I immediately get defensive. "Of course."

  "Yeah, right," she says unconvincingly. "I'm sure it's not a big deal. Hopefully, it has something to do with us all getting raises."

  I smirk. "We can only hope."

  * * *

  The next morning, I wake up bright and early. I have a feeling it's going to be a great day, so I'm careful with my choice of outfit in hopes that Aiden will stop by so we can talk about our date on Friday night. (Date!)

  When I arrive at work, I notice that Aly is already there, ready for her exciting first day. Taking one look at her desk, you can see that she's fresh out of school by the way she's already decorated. She's included a bouquet of fresh flowers, a framed picture of an adorable dog, and the worst part…a few tiny stuffed animals.

  "Good morning," she says cheerfully. And by cheerfully, I mean annoyingly. "I brought coffee and bagels, so be sure to help yourself."

  "Thanks," I reply. "That was a good move. I'm impressed," I tell her as I hang my coat on the back of my chair. "Bringing food will score you a lot of brownie points in this office."

  She looks relieved. "Good. I just hope it doesn't look like I'm trying to kiss up," she says as she fixes her flowers. I don't have the heart to tell her that it absolutely looks like she's kissing up.

  I sit down at my desk and attempt to get back to the article that I have been working on for what seems like days. I hate to use the term writer's block, but I may have a small case of it. Of course, Bre's dating-doctor drama from yesterday and my impending surprise date with Aiden don't help my concentration.

  Aly sits at her desk and pretends to look busy. I really feel for her though. It's hard being the new girl, just trying to get settled and not sure what you should be doing. You would think she won the lottery when HR calls her to fill out more paperwork. She practically dances her way to the elevator.

  Bre finally strolls in in typical Bre fashion, about forty-five minutes late, and she looks like a train has hit her.

  "
What's wrong with you?" I ask.

  "Nothing's wrong. I was just up late reading all about the dating doc's success stories." She falls down in her chair and looks toward Aly's desk. "What the hell is that?" she asks, pointing to Aly's cubicle. "Stuffed animals? Are you kidding me?" She makes gagging sounds.

  I try to hide my giggle. I knew Bre would not appreciate Aly's sweetness. "Be nice," I tell her.

  She gives me a curious look. "I'm always nice."

  We both know that's not exactly true. Luckily, she loses interest in Aly's desk quickly, so I can attempt to get some work done. I'm really excited about my latest article, and I'm hoping Chelsie will be, too.

  For as long as I can remember, I have loved to write. I think I knew I would be a journalist when I was in fifth grade and our class got to come up with ideas for the school paper. I may not have a social life, but I'm good at my job—at least I think I am.

  When Aly returns, she seems much more relaxed than she did earlier.

  "Good morning, Bre," she says cheerfully. "Did Erin tell you that I brought in breakfast? Make sure you help yourself." Bre gives me a look, and I pretend I don't notice.

  "Okay," Bre replies coldly.

  Aly doesn't seem to notice Bre's rudeness. Instead, she sits down and pushes her chair toward us. "So, can you girls give me the scoop on everything that goes on here? I really want to make a good impression, so I know I need to be up on all the office gossip."

  Bre quickly jumps into this conversation because she loves every chance she can get to give some good gossip. I'm half listening, but really, I'm just hoping that Aiden will swing by our floor. He's the assistant director of finance. His department is a few floors below mine, so he would have to make a special trip up to see me. I just want him to mention our date again because it will reassure the paranoid girl inside me who thinks he might cancel. I never used to be this way, but after a series of bad dates, I became a bit jaded.