Page 57 of Just Enough

“Ben?” a soft voice asked. We both looked forward and saw Kelly walking toward us. “I didn’t realize I’d see you this quick. Your mom told me you were coming home this week. I had made plans to come see you.” I stiffened.

“Hey, Kelly,” he said kindly. “It’s been a long time.”

She smiled. “It has.” She glanced my way with another smile. “Hey, Emily.”

“I haven’t seen you at Crash’s in a while,” I responded in kind, even when I felt strangely uncomfortable at Benjamin seeing his firsteverythingin years.

“You’re still working there, I see.” Her words seemed nothing more than friendly, so I didn’t think she was trying to be rude. “I also heard you published a book online.”

“Three actually. It’s a series. It’s entertaining as hell, and I’ll have you know the hero of the story is me,” he said it proudly.

I snorted, strangely embarrassed. “It’s not you, you. I just took bits and pieces of your personality and used them to write him.”

“Same thing.” He shrugged his shoulders and smirked at me.

“I see that you two haven’t changed, always together.” She gripped the shopping cart.

“We’re rooming together,” Benjamin stated.

Her eyes widened. “I had no idea. Your mom never told me.”

“Because I just moved in today,” he said at ease.

She was clearly upset with this news. I had a feeling she had been waiting for him to return home if she had been talking to Faith about it. The thought was stressing. Benjamin wasn’t giving her the chance to make a move though, and I hated that it relieved me.

I never thought about it until now. When he dated, he’d bring her back to our apartment where I’d be too. I’d have to watch and hear things that made me sick to my stomach just thinking about it.

My idea of sharing him with a wife no longer seemed appealing. It made my blood run hot just letting the thought cross my mind. I was weird, and I hated myself for it, but I couldn’t make the thoughts or feelings go away.

Day one together was already so different from how we used to be. Only it was just me that was different. My Benjamin was the same. I grabbed my head and rubbed my forehead. Benjamin saw me do it. “Are you sure you’re not getting sick?” he asked for the second time today. The first time was because I felt flustered around him, this time it was Kelly and my thoughts making me uncomfortable and heated.

“Just tired, I think.”

“Well, let’s get this over with so we can leave,” he said. “We’ll see you around, Kelly.”

He said “we” instead of “I” and I was pleased that he was grouping us together, leaving her no room to ask for his number or something.

“Yeah sure.” She looked disappointed with the outcome, and I didn’t feel sorry. In fact, I was so relieved when we went into the next aisle away from her.

“I think she wanted you to ask her out,” I said softly as I tossed some sandwich meat into the cart.

“I’m sure she’ll get around to it.”

I frowned. He was right.

We finished our grocery shopping in silence mostly, Benjamin must have mistaken my surly mood for me feeling bad because he didn’t seem to notice. He placed the groceries in his truck and stood by the one I was using, waiting for me to start it up. His protective nature soothed some of my frostiness. “You know, I’ve been driving just fine all this time without your hovering.”

“You know you’ve missed it.” I smiled at his teasing. “You’re carrying precious cargo, I have to make sure you’re careful all the time.”

I snorted. “I promise I’ll be careful with your baby.” I meant his truck.

“I was referring to you, goofy.” He tapped the inside of the door and stepped away from my window.

This was Benjamin.Mybest friend Benjamin. His coddling was nothing new, but why was my damn heart pounding? How many times did I have to go through these same lines in my head each day?

Never mind. I was going to continue to ignore it. Best not to even let the truth cross the mind.

“Be careful,” he added, and I quickly rolled up the window.

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