As a grown woman, I remind myself that doing something like that is out of the question. I’ve just got to trust Roderick is happy with what we’ve started to build. That we’re good and I don’t need to fight off gorgeous women from his past. That I don’t need to seek out a banana and eat it in a provocative manner in front of him in a silent promise of what I’ll do for him the moment we’re alone.
I am mature and confident.
Then Courtney leans in to whisper more info that I devour like the masochist I am.
“Dated in high school for two years. They broke up when she left for college.” Her voice is barely loud enough to qualify as a whisper, but the words hurt like she drilled them into my eardrum.
I don’t think she’s saying them to hurt me, more to make sure I have the same amount of information as everyone else in the room. So I’m not caught unawares.
Doesn’t change how the info plucks at my nerves. I’ve seen enough Hallmark holiday movies to know how this story turns out. Woman working in the big city comes back to her small hometown to visit her parents, and then she runs into her high-school sweetheart. At first, things are awkward between them, but then there’s bonding over baked goods, and the surly girl he’s been dating as a pale replacement to the original gets pushed to the side. Chaste kiss under the mistletoe. Roll credits.
I’m screwed.
“I think I need another glass of wine,” I mutter to Courtney, trying not to stare at the golden-haired goddess talking to my man.
“Oh, honey.” She strokes my hair and urges me to rest my head on her shoulder. “Let’s get you a shot.”
“Warner?” Zoey calls her boyfriend’s name loud enough to get the entire room’s attention.
“Yes, dear?” He’s grinning, likely at the volume she chose to use.
“Did you ask Roderick about the double date?” she asks as though they’re having a casual conversation, just the two of them.
The room goes silent, and I pause my escape to the kitchen.
“Not yet,” Warner replies, still smiling. “Did you ask Juliet?”
“Not yet.” My friend turns toward me from her seat at the card table, where she’s playing Hester and Tanya. “How about it? You and Roderick want to go on a double date with me and Warner? We’ll do something fun, not just sit at a boring restaurant.”
Zoey’s face is pure innocence. Except for her eyes. Those are pure calculation.
Us humans need to have each other’s back in this den of wolves.
Glancing at Roderick, I find his gaze on me.
With a tilt of his head and an eyebrow raise, he clearly asks,Do you want to?
I bite my bottom lip, even as a happy grin pulls at my mouth, and give a quick nod.
He smirks and nods back.
And without speaking or even signing, we have an entire conversation.
“We’re in,” I say.
“Cool. It’s a date.” Then Zoey goes back to her cards like she didn’t just claim my man for me in front of the beautiful threat that is his ex.
Zoey can be abrupt sometimes, but in an amazingly perfect way.
Before I regain my bearings, I feel a hot hand on my lower back that I’m pretty sure isn’t Courtney’s.
When I glance up, Roderick is looming over me in all his delicious handsomeness. In his other hand, he holds the Tupperware container of gifted pastries, but his attention is all on me.
“You getting a round of drinks?”
“Yep.” I smile up at him, and the expression only feels five percent forced. “Want one?”
“I’ll come with you.”
