But when we are? Everyone else is in danger.
“Is there a prize?” I ask.
“To be determined,” he replies. “But we can take the pride if there isn’t. None of these people know what we can do.”
“All right, you’ve got me.” I put my hands up. “I’ll go to this game night. But one mention of weddings and we’re out. I’m so done with romance talk right now.”
“Done.” He stands and goes for the sliding door, but pauses before heading inside. “Sorry about the shower thing. Is it forgotten?”
I can stillsee the round curve of his backside, but I nod anyway. “So forgotten that I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
He laughs. “Good. The last thing we want is for things to get awkward, berry.”
When he’s gone, I stare at the place he just occupied and tell myself that Iwon’tlet anything else awkward happen for the rest of the night. I don’t want anything else to be weird between us.
Because I can’t deal with the consequences.
The very momentwe walk into the room, Aaron stands. “There’s our last married couple!” he calls when he sees us.
Nate and I freeze as we both process what he’s said. “Did he just call usmarried?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“Give me a second,” he says before going to Aaron. I should stay behind. After all, I don’t want anything to do with the M-word. But I also need to know what the hell is going on.
“Hey, man.” Anyone else would think Nate is being his usual, friendly self, but I can see the tense line of his shoulders. “Uh, I don’t know how to say this?—”
“Don’t tell me you and your better half got into a fight. I know you weren’t together earlier, but I didn’t want to assume.”
Nate only grows more tense. “Listen, I didn’t know ... We’re not—I don’t think we should be here.”
“Why not? Do you have something against a classic game?” Aaron laughs. “I bet you guys will do fine. Maybe not as good as Trixie and me, but you’ll try.”
I haven’t talked to Aaron much, but the second he says I won’t be as good as his wife, something flares to life inside of me.
Suddenly, being called married to Nate is the smallest of my problems.
“But we’re?—”
“Where do we sit?” I ask kindly.
Nate’s eyes snap to me so quickly I’m surprised he doesn’t get whiplash. “What are you doing?”
“That’s the spirit!” Aaron replies. “You can sit at the table next to us. Good luck. The competition is fierce.”
I give him a fake smile before sitting.
“Maisie,” Nate says immediately. “We need to correct them. And you said?—”
“I don’t care what I said.Not as good as him and Trixie?Yeah, I’m proving them wrong.”
“You’re willing to let them think we’re married to win a game?”
“You aren’t?”
Nate’s mouth presses together and he slowly sits. “You know I am. But you said no wedding talk.”
“So don’t talk about weddings,” I say simply.
“I can do that.” He leans in. “So what game are we playing?”
