Sweet Bits Read Online Free Page A

pang. No, she thought immediately, but then wondered why. They were just buddies. Josie could date him. She was cute and single and Ben was good-looking and a great catch.
     
    “I’m just kidding,” said Josie.
     
    “No, it’s fine,” said Ali. “I guess I could set you guys up.”
     
    “No, Ali, I’m kidding…would you really?”
     
    “Yeah, sure, why not?” said Ali. She didn’t have feelings for Ben. Anything she was feeling was just happiness to have him back as a friend, right?
     
    “OMG, that’s is so cool of you. You’d really do that? He’s a hunk.” Josie had seen pictures of the infamous Ben in Ali’s photo book. If he still looked that good, she was in.
     
    “I’ll give him a call,” said Ali.
     
    “OK,” said Josie giggling. “Send him my picture. The one of me on the beach. That’s a good one.”
     
    “OK, OK,” said Ali. “I’ll take care of it and let you know.”
     
    “Put in a good word for me,” said Josie.
     
    “Don’t worry. It’s as good as done.”
     
     
     
    ***
     
     
     
    “Dude, how’d it go?” Dirk gulped his beer.
     
    “Good, good,” said Ben.
     
    “Good? Details, man, details.”
     
    “Well, she’s working doing what she loves, she’s going to go to culinary school and she seems happy.”
     
    “Dude, that’s not what I care about. How does she look? Still gorgeous?”
     
    Ben laughed. “Yeah, still gorgeous.”
     
    “Cool, man. So are you going out again?”
     
    “We’re not dating, Dirk. I told you that. We’re just friends.”
     
    “Uh-huh,” said Dirk unconvinced.
     
    “She’s still cool, though. Still a very cool girl.”
     
    Dirk smiled at him. “Those are hard to come by.”
     
    Ben drank his beer thoughtfully. “That is true,” he agreed.
     
    “So, what now?” asked Dirk.
     
    “Well, she called and wants me to go out with a friend of hers.”
     
    “What?”
     
    “Yeah, it’s kind of odd, but I guess her friend is cute and fun and she just figured it would be a great fit.”
     
    “That is weird, dude. She actually set you up with someone else?”
     
    “Yeah. We’re going out this weekend.”
     
    “You’re doing it?”
     
    “Yeah, why not?”
     
    “Because honestly, since I’ve known you it’s been Ali this and Ali that and now that she’s back in your life, you’re going out with someone else?”
     
    “I don’t talk about her that much.”
     
    “Dude…seriously? Every story you tell with a girl in it seems to be from years ago and her name is always Ali …”
     
    “Really? I do that? Nah…”
     
    “Yeah, you do.” Dirk looked at him. “Why don’t you just admit it? You love her. You always have.”
     
    “Because I do love her…as a friend. She knows it; I know it. That’s it.”
     
    “OK, tell yourself that if you must, but don’t go getting involved with someone else with kind of feelings.”
     
    “Wow, Dirk, I’ve never known you to be so Oprah-esque,” laughed Ben. “I can’t believe you, of all people, are giving me relationship advice.”
     
    “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Dirk pretended to act hut.
     
    “Because you usually go out with a girl a maximum of four times and then end up bored. You’re not exactly “the relationship” king,” said Ben forming his fingers into air quotes.
     
    “Well, maybe not, but I know love when I see it,” said Dirk. “I just don’t see it in my life,” he laughed.
     
    “Well, truth be told, I’m not exactly looking forward to this date this weekend. I’m doing it to please Ali.”
     
    “I get it,” said Dirk. “That makes sense. Plus, you never know, she might be really hot.”
     
    “Ali said she was “cute,” so you know that could mean anything.”
     
    Dirk grimaced. “Cute,” huh? Hmm…
     
    “Yeah,” said Ben following the train of thought.
     
    They drank their beer and pondered the word cute as it applied to a girl. They both knew it was a crap