Look, it ain’t about showin’ off in front of Gilly’s friends – or the sieve sitting opposite of us that she was previously setup on a surprise date with – so much as notembarrassingher.
Again.
Friendsgiving is a pretty big deal.
Not only is it a tradition they do every year, it’s the first time I’ve actually gotten tomeether friends.
Between raising Bronny and hockey back in play, matching schedules with theirs isn’t easy.
Or at least that’s what she’s said.
I have no reason to doubt her.
Even if a little voice in my head won’t stop humming “Little Lies” by Fleetwood Mac.
The woman I love adoringly plants her hand on my tan, plaid, slim fit pants bearing thigh and announces, “As long as you keep the questions in the music category, the chance of that happening is like vinyl record slim.”
“We talkin’ single, ep, or album, Gillybean?” I flirtatiously inquire as I drop my mirth-filled gaze down to hers.
“Those are different sizes?” curiously asks Buchanan Edwards, the aforementioned light beige faced blind date bender.
“How do you not know that?” Lionel, Aly’s husband, playfully pokes. “I know they’ve got music in Doctenn.”
“They actually have one of the best orchestras in the world,” leaves me in an absentminded mumble. “They’re constantly buttin’ heads with Amsterdam; although, Ipersonallythink there’s no competition. The Royal Concertgebouw is better. Especially live. Sticks down.”
The gasp out of Alexis, Buchanan’s date, is loud enough to shake the plush stool me and my girlfriend are occupying. “You’ve been to New Zealand?! I’m so jelly!”
“Netherlands,” I cordially correct prior to adding, “but yeah. I’ve been all around the world for work.”
Allerick Vishwakumar, a music producer that’s currently dating Kira’s sister Ciara – who is actually my age and has been eye banging me all evening – curiously leans forward, question about what I do clearly on the tip of his tongue when the woman beside me intervenes, “Next card.”
Kira places down the one she’s holding, randomly dives into the box to fish out another, and announces, “Culinary.”
“Ohmygod say less,” Ciara enthusiastically proclaims. “This is so ours.”
“Which country drinks the most coffee per capita in the world?”
Gilly and I both shoot our hand up in tandem prompting us to chortle.
“Oooo,” coos Kira. “A team answer. Impressive.” Additional humor hopping into her expression is attached to her declaring, “Since you lifted your hands together you have toanswertogether.” One beat passes. “Go!”
“Finland,” we retort as requested.
“That’s correct,” she snickers, naturally leading to us doing the same.
“Why do youbothknow that?” grunts Allerick in obvious amusement.
“We drinka lotof coffee,” Gilly shyly answers on a loving foot tap. “It’s kinda our thing.”
“One of our things.” I wink to her.
“One of our languages.”
“Probably our second bes’.”
“Music being first?”
“Of course.”
