Page 63 of Coveted By Cupid

“Awe. Come on, Muscles,” Cupid whines, doing damage control. “I didn’t mean anything I said with malice.”

She spins back to him with her hands on her hips. “Then think before you speak, you blockhead. I’m saying for the record. If you say something dumb to Vanessa, I’m not rescuing your sorry ass when she decides to headbutt your thick noggin. You’d have it coming. ”

Unable to help myself, I laugh from the bedroom doorway, covering my mouth too late.

Three heads swivel in my direction, eyes wide from being caught gossiping.

“How much did she hear? Did she hear what Cupid’s planning?” Oaks whispers too loudly to his wife.

Marlene elbows him in the side to get him to shut up, only she elbows him a little too hard, making Oaks let out an audible oof.

Cupid recovers the quickest, schooling his features into a tight smile and waving me over to the dining room. “Butterfly, come meet the fam.”

“Butterfly, huh?” Oaks scratches his beard, pondering the name choice before his face lights up with a big, goofy smile. “Oh, that’s perfect. She’s like our very own Muhammad Ali.”

I cock my head as I cross the room toward the group, not understanding.

Oaks puts his fists up, pretending he’s going to box me when I approach them. “Float like a butterfly…”

“Careful,” I said, pointing at the goose-egg in the center of my forehead. “I sting like a bee.”

“Yeah, you do!” Oaks laughs, holding his hand up for a high-five. It’s well over my head.

Marlene brings his arm down to my height, rolling her eyes at her husband.

He laughs at his mistake. “My bad.”

I laugh too, giving him a high-five.

“I’m Oaks,” he says with a toothy smile before motioning at his wife. “This here is my better half—Marlene. She goes by Muscles in the crew.”

Marlene gives me a little wave, her smile friendly. “Hi, gurl! Not sure if you remember, but we met you yesterday.”

I shake my head sadly. “Sorry, I recall little of last night after Cupid…well, saved me. But it’s nice to meet you,” I say to the couple. “And thank you for packing everything.”

“No problem. And it’s understandable you can’t remember a ton from last night—you went through some heavy shit. Though don’t give Cupid full credit. You held your own until he arrived,” Marlene says reassuringly.

“Yeah, there’s no way Cupid’s soft head could’ve been used as a battering ram,” Oaks teases, grabbing my shoulder and shaking me gently.

We all laugh, the awkwardness of introductions melting away into easy conversation.

“So,” I ask the group, folding my hands in front of me, “what were y’all chatting about before I joined the party?”

“Nothing that can’t wait,” Cupid says all too quickly, not meeting my eyes as he pulls a chair out for me. “You need to eat before those pain pills you took earlier upset your stomach.”

Marlene raises her eyebrow at Cupid with a disapproving pucker of her lips, and Oaks’s goofy smile turns mischievous as he stares at his friend, like he can’t wait for the action to happen.

Knowing something is amiss, I take a seat at the table. I let Cupid push in my chair before asking my biker, “What is it you want to give me?”

Oaks snickers under his breath, helping Marlene into her seat across from me before sitting next to her. “This is going to be fun,” Oaks murmurs to Marlene.

She shushes him, her eyes on me and Cupid, interested in what’s about to unfold.

Cupid ignores my question, picking up a plate of onion rings and placing a few on my plate. “Gotta eat while it’s still hot—bar food isn’t as appetizing when it gets cold.”

Dishes are passed around the table, with Cupid putting way more food on my plate than I need. The food is tasty and filling, way better than the bar food I’ve eaten around campus. The three friends chatter while I mostly listen, contributing to the conversation when I feel comfortable.

I notice Oaks doesn’t eat much, pushing his food around on his plate. When he eats, he takes dainty bites. It seems odd that such a big man wouldn’t be eating a ton. I’d expect him to clear the table, let alone finish his plate.