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I nodded. “I love those damn places. Sign me up. Extra rice, please!”
Rae sighed. “Mmm, my stomach’s already growling.”
Mike licked his lips. “Bet it is.”
I furrowed my brow. “You good, man?”
Rae nodded. “Yeah, you seem a little tense.”
Mike came to a stop at the stoplight and I saw Ally wrap her hand around his.
“Michael, take some breaths,” she said.
Rae paused. “What’s wrong?”
I caught Mike’s gaze in the rearview mirror before he shook his head.
“I don’t know how you did it, Clint.”
I blinked. “Did what?”
Mike scoffed. “Forgave her the way you did. I mean, the whole damn hotel probably heard you two. Did you guys not talk at all?”
Rae sighed. “We’re getting there.”
Mike turned around. “Getting there? You completely laid into Clint for unresolved bullshit you can’t deal with, and you’re only getting there?”
I felt my anger mounting. “Dude, lay off. She feels bad enough.”
“And she should! That party was fucked up, and you’re not the only one she hurt.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, well. There’s nothing we can do about it now except roll with the punches and keep moving forward.”
Ally jumped in. “Like I told you, Michael.”
“Yeah, whatever,” he murmured.
Horns honked behind us and he sped away from the stoplight. He turned around and slouched in his seat as Rae pulled away from me. We traveled silently to the restaurant. Ally got us checked in with reservations she’d apparently made. We sat around that damn hibachi grill with strangers on the other side, staring at us as if we were prized possessions in a museum.
Then Rae spoke up.
“Just spit it out, Michael, and get it over with.”
He grimaced. “It’s best if I don’t say anything.”
Rae locked her eyes with the profile of his face. “Spill it, or stop acting like someone pissed in your cereal. You don’t get it both ways and I’d kind of actually like to enjoy this dinner with you guys. So talk about it or tuck it in.”
Ally cleared her throat. “Maybe not in front of others?”
Mike didn’t listen. “Fine. You want me to talk? I’ll talk. Something you’re apparently unwilling to do.”
He leaned forward before Ally caught his shoulders, trying to hold him back. I shifted myself in front of Rae, hoping he’d take the hint so we could do this when we weren’t in a crowd of strangers. But Rae put her hands on my shoulders, squeezing them and moving me out of the way. No amount of talking from Ally’s point of view got Mike to back down and Rae sure as hell stepped up to the plate.
“Guys, can we not--?”
Mike pointed his finger at Rae. “You acted like a spoiled brat at that party. Not once did you hold yourself with any sense of decorum or decency. You couldn’t even handle your emotions at one part. One, Rae. Because the second there was temptation, you threw yourself straight into the line of fire.”
“Your point, Michael?”
