“I need to know what I’m getting myself into with you.” We stared at each other in some sort of standoff before we both gave in and started laughing.
“Ask me anything you need to know. I’m an open book. I guess we should’ve done this last night when we talked,” I said, still holding eye contact.
She nodded and looked away, making me desperate to regain her full attention.
“Just need to know the basics. We can lean on ‘it’s new’ if we get in a bind with your Grammy and any questions about us.”
“Good thinking. Okay, I’m thirty-five, a medical researcher scientist, just became a Senior Product Researcher for a company that makes holistic products, and I love to surf. Oh, and I do woodworking as a hobby. My parents are full-time missionaries in Africa, I think I mentioned, and Grammy is the most important person in my life. Hmm, what else? And my closest friends are in that room.” When I pointed toward the house, my eyebrows pinched together.
Following my gaze, Ren turned to see all six of my friends, noses pressed to the glass door, watching us. The women waved like lunatics, like they were on a game show and had just won an appliance. Well, except for Vicky, who pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at me. Miles, Niko, and Luke pulled their wives away when they realized they’d been caught.
“I have no excuse for those maniacs. None,” I growled.
Ren was snickering into her hand when I looked at her. “I think they’re wonderful. My life is all about work. I have a few work acquaintances, but nothing like the friendship I have with Vicky. I miss her so much.”
She sighed and turned to face me. “Anyway, I’m twenty-nine, an interior designer, although I specialize in renovations, which is a little different from what Vicky does. No hobbies. But if Ihada life, I’d love going to the beach, museums, and galleries. Love nights like tonight with a group of friends that you can be yourself with. I don’t have that either, so this is nice.” Her voice got quieter as she finished, and my heart ached to wrap her up in a hug.
“I’m sorry you don’t get to do those things.” I bent my head to look her in the eyes. “If you’re as good at Catan as you say you are, I’ll share my nutty friends with you.” She smiled and held out her hand. When I looked down, I noticed her long fingers adorned with a few simple rings. Taking her hand in mine, it felt like an electrical current flowed from her hand to mine. I could hear Grandpa whispering from heaven. I shook her hand a few times, wishing we could stay like that all night.
When she leaned closer and whispered in my ear, I thought for sure I’d faint. “You’ve got a deal, Data Boy. Prepare to be impressed.”
She regrettably pulled back and slid her hand from mine. I gazed into her eyes to see if she felt the same thing I did, but saw no change in her demeanor.
But as I waved her in front of me to head inside, the hand that touched mine flexed for just a moment, and I wondered what that meant.
“Are you kidding me?”Vicky yelled. “I can’t believe I’m stuck again.”
“At least you got wheat. I’m never that lucky,” Sofia answered with a deep frown, concentrating on the board.
We had been playing for hours, getting rowdier as the night went on. To everyone else’s horror, Ren and I were winning. Again.
She elbowed me lightly and leaned toward me. “Told ya we’d wipe the floor with them.”
This woman was amazing. There was more than one time that I had to hurry and get my head in the game because I was watching her. Her facial expressions and hilarious Italian sayings kept me distracted. She easily became like one of us, as if she’d been in our group for years.
“You were right. We make a great team. How did you know that Miles was going to make that move?” I asked, taking a sip of my tea.
“Easy. He and Vicky have this language that I caught on to after the first game. I can read people well. Their tells are too obvious to ignore.” Her eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“You’re a shark,” I teased. It was getting hard to keep my eyes off her. Several times, one of the others caught me staring and gave me a knowing look.
Vicky must’ve heard our conversation because she interjected, “Shark is exactly how I’d describe my bestie. She has single-handedly brought in almost a million euros to the design firm she works for in Tuscany. Ren knows how to give challenging customers the white-glove treatment while convincing the toughest vendors to bend to her will when she really wants something. She’s won more awards than can fit in her house, and she doesn’t back down to anyone.”
Impressed, I said, “I think I’m getting the reason why you’re so good at this game.”
Vicky laughed and Ren shrugged her shoulders like what had been described wasn’t a big deal. When the group went back to arguing over wheat, Ren leaned into me.
“By the way. You smell nice,” she said while setting up her pieces on the board as if she hadn’t just made my heart stop. I couldn’t even answer her except to give her a wobbly smile. It wasn’t exactly flirtatious, having said it almost like a fact she didn’t bother to deny.
I guess Max with expensive cologne wasn’t so bad after all.
“Anyone want to trade? I’ve got sheep for days,” Luke said, looking over the board. “Man, we’ve got no luck tonight.” Sofia kissed him soundly, and his mood brightened quickly.
As Ren made her next move, Niko yelled, “Aw, come on. You promised you wouldn’t block me again.” We all laughed because he hated to lose at this game. It wasn’t easy for him to be this comfortable in a group, but they had opened their hearts and arms to Niko and me so selflessly that he was able to relax and let go. Leyla rubbed his neck, making him smile, keeping him from getting too upset.
At midnight, we were all done. Well, everyone else was done with Ren and me dominating the board. With exaggerated high-fives and obnoxious gestures, rubbing it in our friends’ faces, we were told to get out.
“I don’t think I’ve laughed that much in months,” Ren said. “Thank you, guys, for letting me be a part of this tonight.” She was so happy that it made my heart ache. She hugged the girls as we all said our goodbyes.
