Page 57 of Shameless With Him

“Well, don’t worry about it. I have Tucker. I’m happy. And, yes, I miss Tobey in my life, but I like the healthy relationships I have now without the lying that had apparently been happening right under my nose.” She shook her head, and both Erin and I reached out to her. “I’m fine. Really. But I do better when I don’t have to talk about it.”

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, and she shook her head again, letting out a long breath.

“No, I’m the one who brought it up because it’s almost similar. Everyone thought there was something between me and Tobey. There clearly wasn’t, and I’m glad for it because I wouldn’t have looked at Tucker and fallen for him like I did. Anyway, the group of us have noticed the looks between the two of you, and not just on your end. It’s been happening for a while now. However,” she added quickly when I opened my mouth to speak, “we don’t want it to end like it did with me and Tobey. So, we’re thinking happy thoughts.”

My brain struggled to catch up. They’d known. All this time, they’d known. No, they only knew some of it, of that I was sure. They didn’t know the depth of my feelings—I wasn’t even sure of those. And, until recently, I was pretty sure whatever looks Caleb had given me that the others had noticed, hadn’t been what they were now. Not that I knew what those looks meant at any point in my friendship or now our relationship—whatever it was—with Caleb.

“I want happy thoughts, too. I just didn’t know that everyone realized I had a crush on him.” There, I could be honest and open about that much.

“It wasn’t just that,” Erin said quickly.

“Really?” I blinked.

“Well, we always thought that Caleb might have a thing for you, too. And considering you two might be feeling something, whatever that something is, maybe we were right.”

I laughed. “I’m pretty sure Caleb Carr has never had a crush on me.”

Amelia snapped her fingers. “See, it’s stuff like that. That was how we realized that maybe you had a thing for my brother.”

“What on earth do you mean?”

“You always call him Caleb Carr when you’re talking about him. You never called me Amelia Carr, or Dimitri and Devin with their last names. Caleb was always special.”

I knew I was blushing, so I ducked my head. “I think Caleb likes it when I call him that.”

Amelia looked down, and Erin laughed. “Okay, we are being very broad in our definition of descriptions here. I don’t want to know too much about what my brother may or may not like.”

I laughed at Amelia and shook my head. “I wasn’t talking about anything dirty. It’s just when we talk, or fight, I tend to say his name like that. I can’t help it.”

“How long have you had a crush on him, Zoey?” Erin asked, her voice soft.

I froze, swallowed. “Not that long,” I lied.

“You don’t have to lie to us,” she said, her voice soft. “We’re not going to judge you.”

“It doesn’t matter when it started, it’s the now we’re figuring out. It’s probably just casual. You know, just a little interlude in our lives where we get to know each other, have fun, and then we walk away as friends. Because I don’t want to walk away as anything but friends. You know?” I said quickly.

Amelia’s eyes darkened, and she nodded. “I know. Just don’t do what I did and imagine the end before you enjoy the beginning and the middle.”

“I did the same thing,” Erin added. “I was waiting for the shoe to drop, and Devin to leave, so much that I almost missed what was right in front of me. So, don’t forget what’s good and enjoy what’s now.”

They looked so worried for me that I was a little worried, too.

I just smiled and nodded. “I promise I’m not going to do anything stupid. Other than, you know, sleeping with your brother,” I said quickly, and Amelia screamed.

“Oh my God, you slept together?”

“I thought you had already figured that out,” I said, holding back a laugh.

“You hadn’t said the words before,” she said, wincing.

“So, how was it?” Erin asked, and Amelia clamped her hands over her ears.

“No, do not say that. I do not want to know.”

“You can just give me a thumbs up or a thumbs down,” Erin said, and Amelia screamed again.

“Close your eyes, you wuss,” Erin said, still laughing.

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