Free Begin to Begin by A.S. Brown Page B

have become inseparable. I'm glad, though. Benji was Amelia's friend and Joey's brother so they found comfort in each other. I guess it gave them a break from always comforting me.
    Knocking one, I walk right in, not thinking it would be an issue since she knew I was coming over. I probably should have waited though. Because as soon as I walk in, Joey jumps off the couch like he was struck by lightning—no shirt and pants undone to boot. Amelia jumps up in her bra, also pants undone.
    "Lord have mercy. You two are insatiable, aren’t you?" I grab Joey's shirt from the floor and toss it to him.
    "You could have knocked, Marin!" Amelia scolds.
    "I did knock! Not to mention, I texted you and told you I was on my way!" I walk into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water while they get fully dressed. Amelia stomps into the kitchen buttoning her shirt. “You two may be worse than a couple of horny teenagers.”
    "Really, Marin?" she hisses. I lean back against the counter and smirks.
    "Hey. You knew I was on my way. Not my fault your hormones took control." She mumbles something under her breath as she reaches in the fridge and pulls out a bottle of moscato.
    "I know. But he makes my body sing! Sing, I tell ya!” I grab my ears and start singing loudly to block out what she’s telling me when Joey walks in.
    "What's going on in here?" He looks quizzically between the two of us.
    "Amelia was just giving me a little too much information about what you can do to her body," I say with a waggle of my eyebrows. He pauses, turns, and leaves the kitchen. Which in turn leaves Amelia and me laughing hysterically. She watches him leave dreamily and sighs. "Girl, you got it bad, don't you?"
    "God, Marin. What do I do? I think I might be in love." She sighs and pours two glasses of wine.
    I’m happy for her but I can’t help but be a little sad. Benji would have loved to see their relationship bloom. He would have never let Joey go a day without picking on him. "You will be fine. Joey is a good guy. He's almost as perfect as Benji was." We stand silently sipping our wine. I have no idea where Joey went. He didn't seem to want any part of this conversation—I totally don’t blame him.
    "So, speaking of perfect men, how was your day with Dalton?" It’s her turn to waggle her eyebrows suggestively like something actually happened between Dalton and me.
    I don’t know what to tell her, though. He's a nice guy. Heck, he's a very good looking nice guy, I can admit that. But that's all he is to me. Well, maybe a friend. He did say he was going to call me tonight. It will be nice to have another friend now that Amelia and Joey are spending more time together.
    "It was good. We got his little office somewhat set up. He needed a new computer. His was absolute garbage. You wouldn't have believed it if you saw it."
    "Soo, you like this guy?" she asks hopefully.
    Confusion is written on my face.
    "What do you mean by like ? Yeah, I like him but no it don't like him. I think he may end up being a good friend."
    "Mmhmm … Keep telling yourself that." I roll my eyes and change the subject, talking about her job for a few minutes before we walk into her living room where we find Joey watching TV. We talk for a little while longer before I decide to head home.
    “Just saying … Joey and I were supposed to only be friends too.”
    Rolling my eyes, I turn and rinse my glass out and place it in the sink. "All right, you two love-birds. I'm going to head home for the night. I'd like to get to the store early tomorrow." Joey stands and gives me a quick hug before I hurry out the door and then turns and heads for the kitchen.
    "I'll be there around seven, if that works," he calls over his shoulder from the kitchen.
    "Works for me," I call back to him.
    "OK, chica—" she blows me a kiss "—I'll talk to you tomorrow. Drive safe."
    Once I start my car up, I look at the clock and notice it’s 6:30. Dalton hasn’t called yet but he said later. I have no idea