“I’ll tell the guys I can’t find anyone. She’d never help me now.”
“Sure, she will. But she’llthinkshe’s helpingme.”
He looked up and searched her eyes to try and figure out where the catch was. There didn’t seem to be one. “What do you mean?”
Mia winked a brown eye at him. “I’ve got the ten bucks in my purse. Let me pay her part of the entrance fee, and you can teach her the game if she doesn’t already know it.” She hopped up off the couch and walked towards her door.
Confused, Matt rose to follow her. “I don’t understand.”
She dug in her purse, then handed him cash, which he slipped into his pocket. “Come on. Rosie’s off today, so let’s go visit her.”
Matt tried to ignore the pounding in his chest while they climbed the stairs to Rosie’s apartment on the third floor. “Why are you helping me?”
Mia shrugged. “I’m a hopeless romantic. And of the entire squad, Rosie dates the least.” She paused and turned around at the top of the stairs. “She’s always doing things for everyone else, she deserves to have someone take care of her for a change.”
When they were halfway down the hall, Matt grabbed her arm. “Please don’t tell Olivia,” he begged.
Mia mimed locking her lips and throwing away the key. “She won’t hear a word from me. Now let’s go, Romeo.” Then she was dragging him toward Rosie’s apartment, where a delicious aroma wafted in the air.
Rosie pulled her chocolate chip muffins out of the oven to cool. She had a busy week ahead of her and had wanted to make something for her breakfasts that weren’t store-bought biscuits. These were almost as easy to eat in the car if necessary, and far more satisfying.
Mia’s distinctive knock sounded on her door, startling her. Had she told Mia she was making something? Rosie shook her head. Maybe Mia just had a sixth sense about her favorite muffins.
“Mia, do you have a camera in here, or do your Spidey-senses tingle when I’m baking?” Rosie asked when she opened the door. Mia smirked. Rosie gulped when she realized she hadn’t come alone. Matt was standing behind her, looking extremely uncomfortable.
“Just lucky, I guess.” Her blonde friend shrugged, then turned serious. “I have a huge favor to ask you.”
“C-come on in,” Rosie waved them inside. Her t-shirt was dusted with flour, and she knew she looked a mess. She hadn’t been expecting company. “Can I get you guys a drink?”
“Water would be great.”
“Matt?”
She could have sworn she saw Mia kick him under the table. “W-water, if you don’t mind. Please.”
Rosie grabbed two glasses from the cupboard and proceeded to fill them from her filter pitcher in the fridge. “What did you need from me, Mia?”
“Well, I kinda promised Matt I’d play in this video game tournament.”
Rosie returned to the dining area with the glasses. “Okay?”
“And it turns out I’m absolutelyawfulatStar Warsgames.”
“You’re kidding. You’re the gamer queen!”
“Yeah well, seems I can’t get into the material well enough to play the game. And I hate to bring the whole team down in the tournament. But he needs to find a fourth player, or they’ll have to forfeit the whole thing. So, I thoughtyoushould play, because you love all things sci-fi! You can quote Yoda and all of that!”
“I doubt quoting Yoda has anything to do with a video game. Which one is it?” She directed her question to Matt. Mia wasn’t wrong; Rosie would have an advantage she didn’t, even if she wasn’t a gamer.
“Battlefront II. Have you played it?” Matt looked — hopeful?
“No, I don’t play many video games.” She didn’t have the inclination, or the time, really.
Mia leaned dramatically over the table. “Help me, Rosemarie McGann. You’re my only hope.”
Rosie snorted as she fought back a laugh. She couldn’t say no to Mia. “When’s the tournament? How much time are we talking?”
“Two weeks from Saturday.”
