Page 23 of Fun Together (Make Romance #1)

Faye

Game night is going to be a disaster.

First, I am wearing the most uncomfortable jeans known to man. They are what I call “standing-up pants”—the second I sit down, it feels like my body is being cut in half. They do amazing things for my figure, but there’s only so far I’m willing to go in the name of vanity.

Second, Chris has barely acknowledged my presence, too busy talking to only Dani.

He’s been slowly inching closer to her all night, but I can’t really blame him for this.

After talking to her when she arrived, I discovered that not only is she pretty, but she’s smart and funny, too.

I think I might even have a little crush on her.

Third, Cameron is on his way because I managed to accidentally invite him over when he texted me earlier today.

“This is going to be fun,” Rett says, eating from a bag of chips while perched on a barstool in the kitchen overlooking the living room, like she’s watching an episode of The Bachelorette .

I snatch the bag out of her hand. “These are for all of my guests.” I pour the chips into a large bowl I managed to fish out of the cabinet.

“By the way, where is bachelor number three?”

Oh yeah, and fourth, Eli isn’t here yet. When he’s around, I’m more at ease in situations like this. If he were here right now, I could look over at him, and he’d give me a look that says, This isn’t so bad. At least there’s alcohol.

“Guess he’s running late.” I check my phone for a text from him, but he hasn’t texted me since last night asking if it was okay if Dani came.

I was shocked when she showed up without him, assuming he meant he was bringing her as a date.

“Come on, let’s go join them so we’re not being creeps in the kitchen. ”

“I told you, I’m not playing games.”

“You don’t have to play games. Just come sit over here.” I give her a look that I hope communicates, I need you .

She hops off the stool and wipes chip crumbs off her palms on her pants. “Fine.”

I only have a love seat to sit on, which Chris and Dani have already claimed, so I awkwardly take a seat on the floor, feeling like I have a paper towel tube wrapped around my waist.

Dani smiles at us after Rett and I join them. “What are we playing tonight?” she asks.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of options.” I gesture to the ancient Monopoly game I’ve had since I was a kid, and the Boggle that I’m pretty sure is missing a few pieces.

“You should have told me to bring something,” Chris says, turning to Dani. “What’s your favorite game?”

“Umm . . . don’t really have one.”

“I might have a deck of cards somewhere if we want to play a card game,” I say.

“Let’s play strip poker,” Rett says suggestively.

Both Chris and Dani look nervous at this idea. “She’s joking,” I tell them.

Rett shrugs.

A quick knock at the door interrupts us, and Eli comes in with Cameron right behind him.

“Sorry I’m late,” Eli says, looking apologetic.

“Same,” Cameron says. “Band practice went late.”

“You’re just in time. We were just getting ready to play strip poker,” Rett says.

“No, we weren’t,” I say, glaring at her. “Everyone, this is Cameron.”

Cameron and Eli join us in the living room after depositing the beer they brought in the fridge.

Cameron takes a spot next to Rett. “Hi, I’m Cameron.”

“I know,” Rett says, deadpan.

“And your name is?”

“Rett.”

“I like that name. Is it?—”

Rett holds her hand up. “Yes, it’s a nickname. No, I won’t tell you what it’s short for.”

My eyes go straight to Eli, who is trying not to laugh.

We ultimately decide to play Monopoly in teams. Chris jumps at the chance to play with Dani.

Cameron asks if Rett would like to be his partner.

She looks over me, asking me if it’s okay with her eyes.

I shrug my permission, and she agrees to be his teammate as long as he’s fine with making all the decisions.

Eli moves to sit next to me on the floor. “Looks like it’s you and me. What piece should we choose?”

It’s a little disappointing that Chris and Cameron didn’t even glance in my direction when we were determining teams. Who the fuck did I wear these jeans for? “Hmm? Oh, I don’t really care. You pick.”

He picks up the top hat piece and mimics doffing the cap to me. “Ladies first.”

I roll my eyes and try not to smile at his attempt to make me laugh. I wonder if I was a little too obvious about my disappointment. I roll the dice and try to put on a happy face.

We make it about forty-five minutes before everyone loses interest and starts talking amongst themselves. I get up to go to the kitchen to pretend I need another glass of wine, and motion for Eli to follow me.

“What’s your take on this situation?” I gesture to the living room, where Cameron has cornered Rett and Chris has continued in what seems to be a relentless pursuit of Dani.

“Do you have any cookies?” He opens and closes a few cabinet doors, scavenging for sweets.

“Cookies are what you’re worried about right now?”

“I just really could go for something sweet.”

I give him a look that I hope conveys that sweet treats aren’t my concern at the moment.

“I think we need to save Dani.”

He ignores this this asks, “What about Rett?”

I hear Rett say to Cameron, “So do they do the lobotomies on the beach or . . .” and I know she’s fine. She’s completely in her element, fucking with him like that. “She can handle it.”

“Looks like Dani can take care of herself.” He points to where she’s stood up from the couch, making her way over to us.

“I think I need to head out,” she says. “Got a big day tomorrow.”

I give her a hug. “It was nice meeting you. Thank you so much for coming.”

Eli gives her a hug, too. “Want me to walk you out?”

“No, I’m good. Parked right out front.”

I still can’t figure out what’s going on with Eli and Dani. I haven’t had a chance to get any details from him. But they didn’t arrive together, and now he’s not even walking her to her car.

Chris looks around, like he’s trying to decide who to talk to now. I guess this is my chance to go over and talk to him, but that prospect sounds exhausting at this point.

I catch Rett’s eye, and she must see something on my face that makes her spring into action. She gets up and when Cameron moves to stand, she turns to him and says, “No, you stay.” Cameron shrugs and takes Dani’s spot on the couch next to Chris.

“Did you just command him to stay?” Eli asks, laughing.

She sighs. “Too bad he doesn’t know the command for ‘be quiet.’ I can’t listen to him talk for another two seconds.” She jabs a thumb in my direction. “What’s wrong with her?”

He looks down at me. “I think she’s disappointed.”

“I’m right here, you know.”

“Well, the night isn’t over yet,” Rett says, giving me a very intense look that insinuates something I can’t figure out. “I need to go, though. Eli, will you make sure she’s okay?”

“I’m fine!” I just want to put on comfy clothes and wash my face.

On her way out, Rett gives Cameron a final command to leave, and Chris follows shortly after. I give them half-hearted goodbyes as the door shuts behind them.

Eli stays to help me clean up. We clean in silence for a few minutes before he asks, “Are you disappointed?”

“Kind of,” I admit.

“Do you actually like either of them?”

Does that even matter at this point? I would have accepted just a whisper of validation for bringing out the vintage Levis out for this occasion.

“I want to like one of them.”

“I don’t think either of them is right for you.”

“Why not?”

“Well Chris is a good guy, but he’s too shy for you.”

“You’re the one who introduced me to him. You said he was nice. And then he just wanted to talk to Dani all night.”

“He is nice, but I think you two are too alike. He was probably talking to Dani because she’s more outgoing.” He whistles to the tune of “Californication” while bringing the chip bowl in from the living room. “And Cameron is just full of himself.”

“What’s the deal with Dani? Why didn’t you two come together?”

He scratches his beard. “We agreed to meet here, but I was running late, looking at an apartment.” He picks up a couple of beer cans from the coffee table. “Also, Dani and I aren’t . . . a thing.”

“What do you mean?”

He tosses the cans into the recycling bin.

“On our first date she told me she’s already seeing someone.

But she’s cool and we get along as friends.

I invited her tonight when you told me Cameron was coming, and I didn’t want to be the odd man out.

” He doesn’t sound disappointed, but there’s some kind of underlying sadness in his tone.

I wash the chip bowl out in the sink. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out with her. Romantically, I mean.”

“Are you okay?” he asks, grabbing the dish towel and taking the bowl from me to dry it.

“Oh yeah. I guess I was kind of forcing it the whole night.” I laugh humorlessly. I am much more disappointed than I let on because there’s no need to burden Eli with my insecurities right now. It sucks having the first two guys you pursue post-breakup end up not working out.

“For what it’s worth, I think you can do better.”

We finish cleaning up and he walks over to where the IKEA box is leaned against the wall. “Hey, you bought a dresser.”

“Yeah, I’ve had it for a while. Just haven’t felt like putting it together.”

“You want some help?”

“You mean right now?”

“Sure, why not?” Sure, why not? His favorite question.

“No, you don’t have to help with that.”

Everything hits me all at once about tonight. The stupid fun list leading me to have the lamest “party” ever. My stupid uncomfortable pants. Rett not understanding that things like this aren’t easy for me. And then there’s Eli, always trying to help. “I can put it together myself.”

“Why won’t you let me help?”

“Because you’ve done too much. I can’t pay you back.”

“There’s no payback required.” He rubs his hands down his face. “It’s not that complicated.”

This is when I realize something. Eli is annoyed.

He never makes snide comments like that.

I hate to admit that I am almost excited by this side of him—he’s usually so chill, it’s almost inhuman.

Maybe things not working out with Dani really is bothering him.

Maybe he needs to do this so he can feel like something can come out of this night. Which is maybe what I need, too.

“If you insist.” I grab a knife to open the box and hand it to him.

“It won’t take us long,” he says, running the knife through the tape. “Do you have real tools, or will we have to use these things?” He holds up the plastic baggie full of screws and tools that come with the package.

“Do I look like I own real tools? Oh wait! I have a hammer!”

“Never mind, we can make this work.” He pulls pieces out of the box and starts laying them out on the floor.He holds up the instruction booklet but doesn’t even look at it before tossing it to the side.

“I’m going to change. Be right back.”

I put on some bike shorts and my biggest, softest T-shirt, and I already feel ten times better.

After taking my contacts out and washing my face, I feel like an entirely new woman.

When I come back out, Eli is laying out the pieces on the floor.

He glances up when I walk over, pausing to look at me for a second before sighing and continuing to spread out the pieces.

He doesn’t seem to be enjoying this at all.

“Are you sure you want to be doing this now? You seem . . . frustrated.”