The Best Thing Read Online Free Page B

mind?”
    “I don’t mind. Go ahead.”
    He made himself at home by heading into the living room and turning on the television. The game wasn’t over yet, so when Tori came downstairs he asked her to wait as the last few minutes ticked down. When the game was over, he clicked off the remote and turned to her. She was perched on the edge of the leather sofa.
    “She okay?”
    “She’s out. Not much of a drinker anyway, so when she decides to put one on, it generally throws her for a loop. I just wanted to make sure she wasn’t going to end up sick. She got into her pajamas and she’s already snoring.”
    He laughed. “Good. Everyone needs to cut loose every now and then.”
    “True. She had some snooty parents at the day care center to deal with this week who decided to inform her how they thought she should run things. Real know-it-all types and just relentless perfectionists who think their kids don’t ever poop or have boogers.”
    Brody snorted. “Yeah, I know the type. In every business there are customers like that. You just have to grin and bear it, when all you want to do is smash a fist in their smug faces.”
    “Exactly. And you know Calliope—she’s as sweet as they come, but even she folds under the pressure every now and then. And with Wyatt being out of town, I could tell by her tone of voice at the end of the day today she was ready to explode, so I suggested we go out tonight.”
    They closed the front door and Brody made sure everything was locked up before making their way to his truck. “I’m glad you could be there for her so she could let off some steam and vent it out.”
    “That’s what friends are for. We’re there for each other.”
    They got into the truck and he backed down the driveway to make his way back to town. “I guess she’s always there for you, too.”
    Tori stared out the window. “Always.”
    “Yeah. Like she gave you love advice tonight?”
    Her gaze shot to his. “No she didn’t.”
    “She said she did.”
    “She was drunk.”
    He was silent for a while as he drove toward town. So was Tori, who stared out the window.
    “I didn’t know you were seeing someone,” he finally said.
    “I’m not seeing anyone.”
    “So she gave you advice on how to ask someone out?”
    She sighed. “Let it go, Brody.”
    He heard the subtle pleading in her voice and decided he should probably let it go. But something twisted in his gut at the thought of Tori dating some random guy. Or any guy, for that matter. She hardly ever went out, and when she did, it didn’t last. She was pretty selective with guys she dated. He wondered why.
    “You haven’t had a boyfriend in...hell, Tori, I don’t remember you ever dating anyone seriously.”
    She shot him a look. “Why? Do you have a friend you’re thinking of setting me up with?”
    He frowned at her. “Hell, no.”
    Her lips curved in a hint of a smile.
    “Is that funny?”
    “No. Not at all.”
    “I have great friends.”
    “I know you do.”
    He thought about all the guys he called friends, the times they’d all gotten together, and which ones had given Tori a second look. Probably all of them, considering she was gorgeous. “Is there one of my friends you want to go out with?”
    “Nope.”
    That relieved him a little. But only for a second, because he knew damn well that what Calliope had said about the love advice hadn’t been made up, and usually people who’d had too much to drink spilled a little too much of the truth.
    When he pulled into Tori’s apartment complex, he got out of the truck and opened her door.
    “Thanks for the ride.”
    “It’s late. I’ll walk you up.”
    “That’s not necessary.”
    “I’ll walk you to your door, Tori.”
    She blew out a breath. “Fine.”
    As they walked up the back stairs, he frowned. “Lots of foliage around here. And you’re on the second floor.”
    She fished into her purse for her keys. “And?”
    He waited while she unlocked her door, surveying the