Read Online Just Friends by Delaney Diamond - Free Book Online Page B

understand. Do you not like her new
look? I think she looks so much better. Considering the way she
used to dress, she made Catholic nuns look like a bunch of
hussies.”
    Trenton chuckled. “Come on now.”
    “Well…”
    “Okay, okay, I get your point, but I know
her, and this isn’t her. Fixing her hair and getting rid of the
glasses aren’t so bad, but the way she’s starting to dress…I
dunno.” He shook his head and bit into the sandwich.
    “Seriously, Trent, what’s wrong with the way
she’s dressing?”
    Trenton finished chewing and swallowed the
bite. “What was she wearing when you saw her?”
    “Skinny jeans and a really cute top. You have
a problem with her clothes? Does she have to run her outfits past
you first?” Ivy narrowed her eyes and looked at him with
interest.
    Trenton took a big bite of his sandwich and
chewed slowly, using the time to consider how much of his thoughts
to share with his sister.
    “I don’t think she has to dress the way she’s
starting to dress to get a man’s attention. She’s pretty on the
inside and out, so it’s not necessary. But I have a feeling you’re
not going to agree with me on the clothes issue, so I’m not even
going there. I know you’ll agree with me on this, though.” He sat
forward on the edge of the booth’s chair. “She’s seeing a new guy,
someone from her job. His name is Connor and she says she doesn’t
want to introduce me to him because I’ll scare him off.” He
snorted. “Ridiculous, right?”
    Ivy shrugged. “Doesn’t surprise me.”
    “What?” His hand froze halfway to his mouth
with a fry between his fingers.
    “You either badmouth the men so bad she
breaks up with them, or you scare them off with your big brother
routine.”
    “You’re nuts.” He waved his hand dismissively
and popped the fry in his mouth. “If that were true, why did I
encourage her to date TJ in accounting?”
    “Because you don’t consider him a real
threat.”
    “A real threat to what?”
    “Your relationship with Alannah. I swear,
sometimes I think you want her to be alone so you can have her to
yourself.” Ivy paused and narrowed her eyes. “Is that it?”
    “Of course not. You just accused me of
sabotage and what…holding a crush for my best friend? You’re being
ridiculous.” Heat crawled across his scalp.
    “I don’t think so,” Ivy said slowly, eyes
narrowing even more. “In fact, now that I think about it, you
sabotage all her relationships.”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “Saboteur,” she said, pointing. “How can you
even deny it?”
    “I let her—”
    “You let her?”
    He sighed and shook his head. “You know what
I mean.”
    “Yes, I’m afraid I do.” Ivy wiped her fingers
on a napkin and tipped her head to the side. “You don’t even see
it, do you?”
    “See what?”
    Her brow wrinkled as she mulled the next
words. “You’re jealous.”
    “Are you crazy?” Trenton let out a bark of
laughter and dropped his sandwich to the plate. He stared at his
sister, who’d clearly lost her mind. “That’s my girl, my best
friend.”
    Ivy leaned across the table. “You’re jealous,
Trent. Admit it,” she whispered.
    “She’s dated guys over the years.”
    “And they all had to meet your approval.”
    “So what?” His voice had gotten a little
loud, and he stopped right away. He and Ivy glanced around at the
other tables, but no one paid attention to them. Nonetheless, he
lowered his voice. “I was looking out for her. If you want to know
the truth, I was protecting her from men like me. I know the signs
and who they are, because I’m that type of guy. She needs someone
nice, not a man like me who comes with a lot of baggage. Besides,
she’s too good for me, and I’d hurt her. If I hurt her, I’d never
forgive myself.”
    Ivy ran her tongue along the inside of her
cheek, an odd expression he couldn’t decipher on her face. Slowly,
he rewound the words he’d spoken.
    “Trent,” she said