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The Best Thing Jaci Burton 38060K 2023-09-01

"Aweso hiured I’d have to drive the lush hoht"

"Hey Not a lush I was sober enough to give you love advice, wasn’t I?"

Tori glared at Calliope Brody gave her a quizzical look "Love advice?"

"Drunk talk You ready to go? Calliope pickedit back to her house tomorrow"

"It’s okay Just follow me to her place and we’ll drop her car Then I’ll drive you home Save you a trip back over there tomorrow"

"It’s not a problem"

"I need "

She hesitated then nodded at Brody "Okay, fine I’ll meet you at Wyatt and Calliope’s house"

Brody scooped Calliope out of her chair and led her to the parking lot

"Calliope, do you want to ride with me in your car?" Tori asked

"Oh No, I’ll ride with Brody See you at the house" Calliope gave Tori a wave

Tori gave them a worried look, then said, "Uh, okay See you there" She headed over to Calliope’s car and Brody put Calliope in his truck She started to sing and he rolled his eyes Wyatt owed hi he adored his sister-in-law, because he’d left a warame on TV for this

"You need to talk to Tori," Calliope said as they hway toward Wyatt’s house

"Huh?"

"Justwell, I can’t say more than that, other than you need to talk to her"

"Is this about the Christs, Brody Open your eyes"

"My eyes are wide open, Calliope"

While they sat at a stoplight, she looked over at hilasses askew on her face She slid theave him a stern look "Men’s eyes are very rarely wide open You only see what you want to see, not what’s really there"

"What the hell are you talking about? See, this is the probleht talk, then we’re supposed to figure out what the fk that all hed "I know But Tori’s my friend and I can’t say any more than that But trust me, you want to talk to her"

"I’ve already talked to her She won’t give oddaain Shemetaphors"

They pulled into the driveway and he helped Calliope slide out of his truck Brody walked her to the door and helped her find her keys in her purse She giggled--a lot

"You really did have a good tiht, didn’t you?"

She tilted her head back "Have I mentioned I had a shitty day today?"

"Yup"

"Then yes I had a good tiht"

"Sounds like you needed it"

Her head bobbed up and down "You have no idea"

He opened the door and turned on the lights, then ot safely inside By then Tori had pulled Calliope’s car into the garage, so sheand a kiss on the cheek "You’re the best brother-in-law ever"

"Anytime You know that"

Calliope threw her ared her, then whispered in her ear Tori shifted her gaze to Brody, her eyes widening

"Okay I’ to bed Love you both and lock the door on your way out"

Brody shook his head as he watched Calliope’s weaving forave hi to run upstairs and make sure she’s okay If you don’t mind?"

"I don’tinto the living rooame wasn’t over yet, so when Tori came downstairs he asked her to wait as the last few ame was over, he clicked off the ree 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 ot into her pajahed "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 ho decided to infors 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 custorin and bear it, when all you want to do is s 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 Brodytheir way to his truck "I’lad 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 uess she’s always there for you, too"

Tori stared out the"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

"I didn’t know you were seeing so anyone"

"So she gave you advice on how to ask soo, Brody"

He heard the subtle pleading in her voice and decided he should probably let it go But so souy, 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 inhell, Tori, I don’t re anyone seriously"

She shot hi of setting me up with?"

He frowned at her "Hell, no"

Her lips curved in a hint of a sreat friends"