Page 19 of Gamers' Omega

“Me too.”

I finished with the drinks and ran them out to where the guys were already setting up the game of the week—which was an obvious favorite of theirs. The box had worn corners and traces of finger smudges from being handled so often.

“The normal?” I asked as I passed Ian a lemon-lime soda.

“Of course!” Tony chirped.

“Have to check,” I teased. “One day I won’t ask and you’ll want a Hawaiian instead.”

Tony and Ian both made faces, while Beck and Freddie laughed.

“Beck and I totally would,” Freddie replied. “We both love Hawaiian pizza. But when we’re all splitting, this is the one that everyone can agree on.”

“It’s a good choice,” I chuckled. “It took me a few months to build up to the green chile, but I’m a fan now.”

“Can’t go back once you develop a taste for it, that’s for sure.”

I glanced around to make sure that nobody needed me, then motioned at the game. “What’s that one? It looks well-loved.”

Tony grinned. “You ever playedClue?”

“Yeah?”

He chuckled. “Well, this is the opposite. Instead of trying to solve a murder, you’re trying to be the murderer. But everybody want to be the one to off the guy, so the game is also about making sure nobody else can do it.”

I laughed. “Sounds fun!”

“It is,” Beck agreed. “Wanna play tomorrow night?”

“It’s not too soon?”

“Never,” Freddie laughed. “As you pointed out: it’s well-loved. We’re always up for it.”

“Sounds good then.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Ian stated. “You should bring over a change of clothes, that way you have something if you forget an overnight bag.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want anything in the way if you have somebody else over.”

Tony snickered. “You’re fine. You’ve spent more time in that room the past two months than it had been used at all in the past several years.”

I blinked. “Really? But it’s only been…” I counted on my fingers to make sure I remembered correctly. There had been the night of the snowstorm in January, then the unexpected night in early February. After that they’d asked me to just stay the nights I gamed with them. “Five times,” I finished.

“Exactly,” Ian laughed. “The room’s practically yours. Might as well have some extra clothes.”

“I’ll think about it,” I offered after a couple of seconds.

Beck smiled. “It’s really no bother if you leave a few things for yourself. But no pressure if you’re not comfortable with it.”

I grinned. “Let me put in that order.”

“Sounds good,” Freddie replied.

“Anything else while you wait?” I asked.

Freddie shook his head. “I think we’re good.”

“Ok,” I chirped. “I’ll check back in a few minutes. Enjoy your game.”