Page 78 of 10 Things I Hate About Mistletoe

“I made Noel a mixed CD,” Nick said, flipping a quarter into a shot glass.

“That’s so nineties,” Pike joked.

“Maybe,” Nick said, pointing a thumb at his chest. “But it worked.”

“What does Delilah like?” Clark asked.

“Her corgi, Leia,” Anthony blurted.

Pike grinned. “We could kidnap it and make her think it’s lost.”

Sam chucked a balled-up napkin at Pike. “You are a sick man.”

Anthony shook his head, the world spinning a bit. “I’m not doing that.”

“Fine, no dognapping.” Pike threw the paper ball at Anthony. “What else do you got?”

“What about a favorite song?” Nick chimed in.

“Oh! Her name. That song that has her name … ” It took Anthony a moment to remember it through the cloud of alcohol and then he belted out, “Hey there Delilah—”

“That’s better than a boom box!” Pike exclaimed, shooting to his feet with his glass held high. “We shall march to her house and romance her with the power of song.”

“How do you ever get laid, Fish?” Noel asked, leaning over to give her husband a kiss.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Nick asked.

“Picking up Ricki up for book club.” She stood up straight, pulling her phone from her pocket to glance at the screen. “She gets done with her bartending shift at six.”

“Since when are you in a book club?” Anthony asked.

“As of today.” Noel placed her hand on the back of Nick’s chair and grinned wickedly. “I figured with you boys out plotting and scheming, I’d join the girls and see what kind of trouble we can get into.”

Pike scoffed. “Trouble at a book club? Book clubs are for sipping wine and gossiping.”

“How do you know?” Sam asked.

“My mom used to host one every Tuesday. I snuck out of my room and listened in once. I was traumatized.”

“Sounds like fun,” Noel said, giving Ricki a hug when she joined her. “See you later, boys. Behave.”

“Never,” Pike crowed, and the other men echoed him, except Anthony who stared at the screen of his phone. He’d changed his background to a picture of Delilah with her head on his shoulder, laughing at something he’d said.

“Ah hell,” Pike said.

“What?”

“Trip, Brodie, and the goon squad just walked through the door.”

Anthony looked up and saw Brodie making a beeline toward him. “Russo, I heard you and Pike are in charge of the winter games?”

“Yeah? What about it?”

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m going to enjoy kicking your ass.”

“Ha,” Pike said, pointing at the group of men. “You couldn’t kick a can if it was right in front of you.”

“You want to wager on that?” Trip asked.