==Hey pervert, got you're number from Emily, hope you don't mind==
Joey looked at the message rubbing his neck before tossing his phone back on the desk and returning his attention to the game. For the first time in a while, he had the house to himself, Emily had gone to some event out of town, and his parents were off on another retreat somewhere. At least they were enjoying their life after raising two children and working more hours than was required of them.
Which left Joey free to do as he wanted for the weekend. Again his phone buzzed and he looked, again the number wasn't one he recognised though, the language at least suggested it was Emily's best friend Lizzie.
==Come on don't be a dick, I'm just being nice, and Emily wanted me to check in on you, make sure you weren't left alone all weekend==
==I'm fine, so no need to worry== He text back quickly tossing his phone back above his keyboard and returning his attention to his game.
==Your brother is been a real dick Emily, he won't even talk me, I thought you said he likes me? How's the beach, and James?==
Joey felt his stomach knot as he read the text, despite the words he knew it was a misfire on whoever the text was sent by, he slammed his phone down and headed down to grab a beer, deciding on dealing with things tomorrow. As he headed back upstairs he could hear his phone ring, another minute and it stopped as he made it back into his room.
Again his phone rang a look at the screen told him it was his sister. He picked the phone up and answered.
"Hey Em, how are ya?" He forced a happiness into his voice now.
"I'm good, just enjoying the down time, relaxing, you should too, I gave Lizzie your number so she can text you. Kinda been bugging me for weeks now, but you know, hard to decide if it was a good idea," She replied, Joey knew by the tone she was hiding something.
"Um, Em is everything OK between us? I mean, you know it's been a weird and amazing ride but well are we OK?" Joey replied softly as he sank onto the edge of his bed now.
"Yea, we're OK, but I kinda met a guy I like, he's not you but he is nice, so I want to see where it goes if that's OK?" Emily replied the moment he heard the words he felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach, as his mind struggled to process things he breathed before he answered.
"Hey it was a weird thing between us, not like we could actually date, normally, I guess, sure have fun OK," He replied softly.
"You're amazing Joey, thank you, but listen, Lizzie she really likes you, so try not to be such a pain to her OK, maybe you'll have fun too, and remember I love you," Emily hung up the call leaving Joey to his own mind now. His thoughts quickly distracted by his message tone.
==OK I get it, you're a big boy and you don't need watching over, but I'm home and I'm bored, so maybe I can just come hang? I'll even bring beer?==
Joey was in no mood for the company but no mood to be on his own either so he did the only thing he could to solve both problems.
==Sure, doors open just come up,==
It wasn't long before Joey heard the door and so hit save and exited his game, turning off the monitor as he heard footsteps on the stairs, and then a knock on his door.
"Come in Lizzie" He called.
"Hey you," She grinned a box of beer in hand "I know this isn't ideal, but come on just try OK, I promise I won't be such a bitch to you,"
"Just don't expect a miracle," Joey replied with a soft sigh.
"Stings doesn't it?" Joey looked up at her words as he waited for her to elaborate, the look on his face must have conveyed the confusion "Emily, oh wait you don't know I know, Oh shit, yea um she told me, I kinda stumbled across texts between you two and well she filled in the blanks, but she came to me yesterday because she'd met a guy and I told her you were a big boy and you'd be able to handle it for her sake?"
Joey opened the beer he'd brought up with him earlier and took a drink, it only now did his eyes finally take a long look over, Lizzie, she was slightly shorter than Emily, her hair was black but dyed, he could vaguely recall her normal colour being a dark blonde, she wore shorts and tight fitting t-shirt that was obviously struggling to contain the breasts beneath it.
"Stop leering at me Joey, I may like you but I won't be playing the rebound girl, not tonight," She teased with her words as opened her own beer.
"You're not my type, too stuck up and self-aware," Joey snapped back with more force than he'd meant to.
"Huh was self-assured, arrogant and would ride anyone that would drop their pants before wasn't it?" Lizzie replied with a grin, they toasted their cans and drank.
"So why are you here? Aside from because my sister asked you to check up on me," Joey finally found a level tone, shifting his attention from Emily now to just sharing a drink and trying to enjoy the evening.
"Honestly?" She asked, Joey smiled and then nodded "Well, I kinda honestly wanted to spend time with you on your own, I know I have with Emily around and you guys had that whole weird thing, but you are a nice guy, I really wanted to just hang, when Emily said she'd met ... well, I figured you might be open to just spending time with a girl who wasn't your sister, optimistic right?"
"And there's me thinking you were going to ask me to finish your English assignment a little quicker," Joey grinned as he replied.
"Humour to deflect awkward, careful Joey might think you like me,"
"Never denied you're hot, even if you are a complete bitch to me half the time, your still hot, out of my league, but hot, and smart, and occasionally funny, and my sisters best friend" He replied.
"Wow, don't hold back will you?" Lizzie looked surprised by his admission "I am mean because I honestly don't know how to be anything else, Emily was always telling me off for being so mean to you, even before, but before you and Emily I was hoping that maybe one day you'd see I liked you, I've told Emily so many times,"
"Could have just asked me out," Joey looked to her before taking his beer and standing "Come on it's a nice day, we can go sit in the yard, instead of my room, and I could use the scenery change quite honestly. She nodded and they made their way downstairs, through the front room and out into the sun baked back yard. They stepped onto the patio and sat around the table they had out there.
"You're right you know, I could have just asked, and I would have a couple of months ago, Emily kept making excuses, course I didn't know then what I know now so, is this weird? Me, you, I don't even know what I thought about this," Lizzie drained the last of her beer and tossed the empty can into the trash can beside them, quickly opening another.
"It is weird, you, of all Emily's friends, you're the one with the crush on the nerdy brother?" He laughed softly he was taking his time with the beer, knowing if he didn't he'd be on the ground long before Lizzie.
"Yea, you're nerdy but it's kinda cute, the way you just don't care, you're just you and that's the coolest thing in the world to me," Lizzie replied now biting her lip, he had never seen her look so nervous, she was always so confident and sure of herself until today, he barely knew where to put himself in that moment.
He felt a blush creep up his neck as he looked away from and smiled, taking a drink he finally looked back to her.
"Thanks, I think,"
Lizzie moved closer to him as she watched her for a moment, before she placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled softly, her touch caused him to shudder just slightly.
"It'll be OK you know, you may never find love like you and Emily, but if you're willing to try and find something just as good it might surprise you," She smiled softly and removed her hand now.
"Might be a while before I'm ready to try to date, honestly wouldn't know how to anyway, just not sure I'm ready for it," He replied
"You and me both," Lizzie replied softly, her words barely above a whisper but enough for him to hear them, as he looked to her.
"I thought you said you weren't here to play rebound girl?" Joey replied as he finished his first beer and much as Lizzie had proceeded to open a second.
"I'm not, but doesn't mean we can't be friends right?" Lizzie replied.
"Friends with benefits" Joeys chuckled in replied, a half joke in his mind as he shook his head.
"Maybe," Lizzies replied caught him out as he took a drink before choking on the moment and spraying her with beer, he knew the look on his face in that moment would be a deer in the headlights type look having just sprayed all over his sisters best friend and possible new friend.
