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Declan and Micah arrive ten minutes before the DoorDash driver shows up with real food. Max ordered burgers with all the fixings and enough french fries and onion rings to feed twenty people. Not that we don't attempt to devour it all as we gather around the poker table, tossing quarters into the pot. Poking fun at each other while we bluff our way through shitty hands.
Laugh as we reminisce about thegood ole daysas Max calls them. When we were all single.
He avoids eye contact with me as he says it. Because we both know it's been a long time since he's been single. In fact, I'm pretty sure they have an anniversary coming up soon. Three years as of the week after Thanksgiving.
It's not of their first date. Or the day they decided to start sleeping together.
Nope.
This would be the anniversary of their first blow-up fight.
It's easier for me to remember that day because that's also the day I confirmed with my own eyes they were together. I watched from fifty feet away as she screamed and waved her hands around, her hair blowing in her face. Max stood there and took it, waiting for her to stop yelling with his hands clenched at his sides. I took a step toward them when I felt him snap.
He reached for her, pressed his mouth to hers, and kissed her to silence her. She melted into his arms at first, pressing up on her toes to deepen the kiss.
Then she pulled away and slapped him, stormed into the nearest building on campus, and flipped him off before she disappeared inside.
I couldn't help but laugh. She was a firecracker. Max had met his match. He wouldn't be able to tame her, but the look on his face told me he accepted the challenge.
When I slapped him on the shoulder, he startled. His eyes went wide with fear, darting between where I stood and the door she disappeared behind. With the nod of my head, I confirmed his worst fear. I expected him to ask me to pretend I hadn't seen anything. To keep my mouth shut. When he didn't, I realized exactly how much he liked her. How drawn to her he was.
I watched as their relationship developed over the next eight months. They dated, fought, broke up, got back together ... rinse and repeat. But they are perfect for each other. I can't imagine him with anyone else.
I never questioned why he didn't tell the others about her. Why he kept his relationship a secret. I always assumed he would when he was ready to. When they stop going back and forth. And maybe when that happens, they will. Because it's been the same roller coaster ride since that day. Up and down. Together and apart. Yet, as far as I know, neither of them have dated anyone else.
And I'm doing the same thing. I know these guys will support me, especially after they see how happy Mya makes me.
It makes me want to open my mouth and scream my truth over Declan's laughter at Kane's look of horror.
My gaze falls to the table. Declan's thrown down a royal flush on top of Kane's full house. Two of the best hands we've seen all night.
Keeping my announcement to myself, I slip my phone from my pocket and shoot Mya a text under the table.
ME: When are we telling people? I have the sudden urge to shout it from the rooftops.
Her reply is instant.
MYA: What are we telling them exactly? That we have hot, crazy sex.
ME: That we're together, dove. Where did that come from?
MYA: Never mind.
ME: Tell me.
Crickets. I check my phone every five minutes for the rest of the night, and she never replies. My heart is racing by the time Julian drops me back at our apartment so he can go pick up Piper from Lo's place. Since all the guys got together tonight, so did the girls.
Except my girl.
Who said she was spending the night with Cleo.
ME: I'm home. Are you still coming over so we can talk?
MYA: No.
ME: Why?
MYA: I think I need some time to think about things.
