"B'?" She seemed as though she'd never even given the idea thought before. She stood there, shocked by the notion, knife in her hand idly pointed to her father as if she could just as easily dismiss his notion of Brandon as she had Henry. But for every point in her mind there was a counterpoint.

There was the fact that she'd practically grown up with him. But over that time she'd grown closer to him.

He knew everything about her. But he'd seen her at her best and her worst, and always accepted her.

He was her movie buddy and sparring partner. But he'd always been there for her, forsaking dates to spend time with her.

He'd dated. But hadn't she driven off girls she knew weren't worthy of him? He himself had said often enough how she had to vet any girl he might be interested in.

He was her best friend. But she never realized how she felt until he found his equal.

It was clear on her face as she shot down her own arguments and reached the conclusion that...as much as she didn't want to admit it, she was in love with her best friend.

It might have been a reason to be happy if not for the fact that he was quite possibly in love with someone else.

"Oh God...Daddy!" She collapsed against her father, crying openly for being a stupid, prideful idiot. "I never told him...I never realized and now he's with her."