Page 56 of Shameless With Him

I frowned. “Well, now I feel bad. We can cancel tonight. Most of the food will save.”

“No, we’re doing dinner. We’re going to share this wine, and then we can go home to our men.” Erin looked at me. “And maybe you can call Caleb and invite him over.” She winked, and I did my best to look innocent.

“Oh, wow, you’re as subtle as a sledgehammer right now.” I blinked.

Erin leaned over the counter. “We can’t help it. So, come on, when did it start? What have you done? Tell us more.”

“All I did was text you that I had dinner with Caleb. And, suddenly, you think you know everything.” I rolled my eyes.

“We don’t know everything,” Erin said. “That’s why we’re asking you.”

“Plus, we want to hear it from you,” Amelia added. “And we all saw you two leave together from the baby shower.”

I blushed. “He was just giving me a ride.”

“Yeah? Or were you the one to ride him?” Amelia asked, laughing at her own joke.

I rolled my eyes but knew I was blushing right to my ears.

“Ooh, tell us.” Erin danced on her stool at the kitchen counter.

“I don’t know what to say.” I looked down at my wine, wishing I had the words to describe what was going on. I didn’t know, and that was the problem.

Amelia patted my hand. “Just start at the beginning.”

I sure as hell wasn’t going to start at my beginning. Maybe I could start at Caleb’s. Because nobody needed to know that I’d had an unrequited crush for as long as I had.

It was embarrassing.

“We just started talking, mostly because of the wedding plans, and one thing led to another. We kissed.”

“Yay,” Amelia said, clapping her hands along with Erin.

“And?” Erin prodded.

“And we’re seeing what happens.”

“Well, what has happened so far?” Erin asked, filling my wine glass a little bit more.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Are you trying to get me drunk so I’ll tell you what happened?”

“Maybe,” she said, laughing.

“You are horrible,” I said.

“I am, but I learned from the best. You both did the same thing to me with Devin. We want to know what’s going on, Zoey. Plus, it’s nice to finally see you guys together.”

I froze. “Finally?” I asked, and Erin winced.

“Smooth comment,” Amelia muttered under her breath.

I swallowed hard. “What do you mean, finally? Is there something you know that I don’t?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.

“Okay, I’ll say it,” Amelia said. “You know how everyone thought Tobey and I were together, or that I had that huge crush, and nobody really talked about it with me in the room?” Amelia asked, point-blank.

I winced. “I’m sorry about that. Don’t talk about things that make you sad,” I said quickly. Tobey was Amelia’s former best friend, and after an unfortunate evening when Amelia had professed her love to him, they’d ended up breaking off their friendship because of more than that evening, but it still hurt to think about, I was sure.

That was one of the reasons I had never done anything with Caleb. I never wanted to feel what Amelia had. I never wanted to ruin whenever sanity and peace I had. But I thought it was far too late for that now.

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