Free Fallen from Grace [Part Two of the Thicker than Blood Series] by Olivia Leighton Page B

crap with sleep deprivation and it just turns into a giant grey blob of confusion.  I still haven't heard from Matt.”
     
    “So what are you going to do?”
     
    “I'm not sure.  I've tried talking to Amante.  He said we'd talk later, but I think he was just blowing me off.  I've tried calling Matt, but he's not answering.”
     
    “Figures, huh?  Two hot men in your life and you can't reach either of them.”
     
    “You think Matt's hot?”
     
    “Yeah-uh!  I'd do him.”
     
    An evil smile curved my lips.  “And I have!”  I jested. 
     
    Tiffany pushed me with a shoulder.  “Stop hogging all the men, whore!” She said, smiling.
     
    I laughed.
     
    “Seriously though... if you had to pick one...,”
     
    Christ, I hadn't even thought about that.  “It's too early to say.  I mean, on one hand, I don't know Amante that well.  On the other hand, uh... I'm not even sure Matt is in love with me.”
     
    Tiffany's head snapped towards me.  “Okay, seriously?  It's been obvious since day one!  That dude is head over heels.  I thought you were aware of it.”
     
    So both Marie and Tiffany were convinced Matt was in love with me?  “You don't know that...”
     
    “You don't see the way he looks at you?”
     
    I frowned.  He doesn't look at me in any particular way... “We're just friends.”
     
    “Maybe to you.  I've seen him stare at you on more than one occasion.”
     
    “He stares at me?”
     
    Tiffany giggled.  “Yeah.  It's not a 'checking you out' stare, but more 'look how perfect she is' stare.”  She nodded.  “You know what I mean?  That dreamy stare.  And that was a year and a half ago.  He has it bad for you, girl.”
     
    Shit.   I sighed.  “Why didn't you tell me before?”
     
    “Because I thought you knew !  A blind person could see he's in love with you.”
     
    I stared at Tiffany.  If everyone else could see it, why couldn't I?  To me, he just seemed like a good friend.  Never did I think he wanted more.  If he was in love with me, why didn't he tell me so?  We'd been having sex as friends for two years... and he knew we were 'just friends' with no strings attached.  Part of me felt guilty, like I had been stringing him along this whole time... but there was no reason for me to feel that way.  I didn't know how Matt felt.
     
    “You okay?”
     
    “Yeah, just have a lot to think about.”  I pinched my nose high on its bridge and sighed.  “So, what about you?  What have you been up to?”
     
    Tiffany laughed.  “I certainly can't top that!”  She stood.  “Come on, you need some shopping therapy.”
     
    We spent the next couple of hours drifting from store to store while Tiffany chatted about her family, movies, music and celebrity gossip.  I zoned in and out of her conversation despite my attempts to remain focused.  I was growing tired of hearing my own thoughts as they seemed to just be stuck on repeat.
     
    “Lets go get some dinner.  I need a drink,” I suggested as Tiffany was looking at the newest shipment of Coach purses Nordstrom's had received. 
     
    She picked up a brightly colored wristlet and smiled.  “Okay.  Let me pay for this little guy first.”
     
    After Tiffany dealt with a clerk that apparently didn't want to be at work, we went to the Loft, one of our favorite places for girls night out.  Situated on the edge of a creek, the Loft offered fantastic French/American cuisine and a nice selection of wines.  We settled on a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon blend and shared an artisan cheese plate.
     
    Lifting the wine to my lips for a first taste, I glanced out the window to the creek behind the restaurant.  I paused.  A familiar face was out on the patio... Matt.    He was sitting by himself, facing the stream, having a beer.
     
    “What...,” I said, not realizing that I had said it out loud, interrupting Tiffany.  I couldn’t believe he was at the same place we were.
     
    “What is it?”  She