As the evening went on, we got rowdier, and I was glad when Luke mentioned that both MJ and Dean had gone to his mom’s for the night.
“Okay,” Mike announced when it was Niko’s turn again, handing the tablet to him. “We’re tied six to six. We’ve got to make it happen, dudes.”
“We’re ready. Niko, you’ve got this,” Luke said, his steely game face set.
Niko nodded, his gaze sliding to me. Those little stolen glances had happened often throughout the evening. I would smile whenever he looked embarrassed to have been caught, which confused me. I didn’t know who this “other” woman was who had his interest, but for tonight, I would enjoy his attention.
When I looked at the tablet, the answer was Blake Lively. The guys looked at each other as if they had this in the bag.
“Oh boy. Okay, Niko, you’ll have to pay attention,” Mike said. He hit the timer, and immediately they started barking out clues.
“Ryan Reynold’s wife. Deadpool guy.”
“She’s an actress.”
“He doesn’t know those references,” Mike shouted out, pulling his hair, trying to figure out what to say next.
“Oh, she made that surf movie with the shark,” they yelled over each other, but poor Niko was clueless.
“Blonde hair, light eyes. Blue, maybe green?” Mike said, jumping up. “She’s beautiful and has freckles.”
Niko’s eyes were now set on mine, and a smile slowly grew across his gorgeous face.
Mike started yelling at him to skip, but Niko’s attention was locked in. Finally, Mike shoved him, breaking our eye contact and moving them to the next answer.
When they couldn’t pull out the win, the three of them moaned and whined like children, making the girls laugh and do a crazy victory dance. Niko and I laughed, still lost ineach other’s gaze as the girls danced and the boys argued, too distracted to notice us.
When they finally calmed down, we moved to the kitchen to refill our drinks. Luke, Miles, and Mike were still growling about the loss.
“Too bad it didn’t say Leyla. With those clues, he would’ve gotten it,” Luke grumbled, making my heart rate surge with understanding. Blonde hair, light eyes, freckles, surfing reference.
Niko started coughing, then took a sip of water when he heard Luke.
“Oh, my gosh. That’s so true. I hadn’t put that together,” Vicky giggled. “What a coincidence.”
I could see Miles give his wife a warning look, which only made her purse her lips in amusement.
While my attention was on her, Sofia slipped in with a mortifying statement. “So, Niko, we need to know some more about you. You know, personal stuff.Funstuff.”
I swear, they were like a pack of velociraptors. One made a diversion while the other attacked unnoticed.
Niko looked like a deer in headlights.
“There wasn’t time to get to know you when you came over for dinner last time,” Sofia said, acting nonchalant by gathering up empty platters.
“Niko is full of all kinds of facts and interests,” Mike said before putting a cube of asiago cheese in his mouth.
Niko side-eyed him, but Mike just winked in response.
“What, um, what would you like to know?” Niko asked, looking at Sofia like was facing a firing squad. He wasn’t far off.
“Just facts about you so we can get to know you better. We were all glad to hear that you and Leyla finally kissed and made up,” she cooed. Vicky had to turn around to hide her laughter, but Mike burst out laughing, the sound rattling the windows.
Poor Niko looked mortified as his eyes went between my ridiculous friend and me. I had to step in and save him.
“Niko, you’ve got to excuse my friend. Her jokes don’t always translate correctly,” I said with disdain. “She didn’t mean that literally.”
He nodded and smiled. “I understand.”
