“Um….” I scratched my head before dropping down onto the couch. “Not much. What’s going on here?” I pointed to the two of them, and Mia giggled.
“Oh nothing much. Just hanging out.” She stood up quickly. “So are you two ready to get your ass beat at some poker? Oh, maybe we should play strip poker.” She turned around as she headed into the kitchen, wiggling her eyebrows, and I swear, Nate got the biggest damn smile on his face that I had ever seen.
“Yeah, I think I’ll pass.”
Nate’s fist popped out as I walked past him, slamming into my shoulder, and I smirked as I dropped down into a chair at the kitchen table. “Sorry dude, that’s gonna have to wait until after I leave.”
We started up a game of poker, and I was surprised to see that Mia actually knew how to play. After a few hands, she had about half of the chips neatly stacked in front of her. That girl was pretty good at bluffing.
“I fold.” I threw my cards down, and got up to raid the fridge. Nate’s place was a true bachelor’s pad. There was hardly ever anything in the cabinets, but there were always dirty dishes stacked on the counters, along with pop cans and beer bottles. Every time I came over, I felt half-tempted to clean up all of the shit, but I probably wouldn’t even get a thank you. Instead, he’d probably tease me about hiring me as his maid. Whatever. Messes irritated me, unless they were Della’s, those I could handle.
I managed to find a leftover box of pizza in the fridge, and after closely inspecting it to make sure there was no mold, I put a couple of slices on a paper plate and took them back to the table with me.
Mia reached over to snatch a mushroom, popping it into her mouth. “So, have you gotten rid of that girl yet?”
I didn’t bother answering her. I had to watch what I said around her because I was afraid she would leak it back to Della. It was possible Mia was still playing me, so I didn’t quite trust her again. But, clearly, it looked like she was moving on with Nate if the way they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other was any indication. I kind of felt like I needed to leave, so I could give them some alone time.
“Your silence speaks volumes,” she said sarcastically while eating the crust that she stole from me. “Well, I have a plan. The girls and I are going out tomorrow night.”
“Really?” I asked, dumbfounded by the fact that Della was willingly hanging out with Mia.
“Yup. We’re having a girls’ night, but I’m sure Della wouldn’t mind if you just happen to show up, especially if she’s liquored up a little bit. That girl doesn’t handle her alcohol very well.”
“I don’t need Della to be drunk to get her, Mia.”
“Oh, really?” She raised her eyebrows, motioning her hands around. “Then where is she exactly?”
I grunted in response, grabbing up the deck of cards to shuffle them so I could distract myself.
“My point exactly. So, what do you say? Want to meet up with us tomorrow night?”
“I’m down,” Nate piped in and Mia patted his shoulder.
“Great, you two can come together.”
“Can’t.” I shook my head and began dealing out the cards. “I already have plans.”
“Oh, really? With that girl?”
“Listen, I’m doing it as a favor and then I’m breaking things off with her. Then I can get Della back.”
Mia picked up her cards, smiling smugly as she set them back down. “Well, hopefully you have a nice night out. Where are you going?”
“Nope, no way in hell am I telling you that.”
“Um…okay.” She gave me a weird look, before picking up another card. I knew better than to believe she was just trying to make conversation or something. Mia was trying to play me, to figure out where I was going. There was no way I would let that happen. The last thing I needed was Della showing up somewhere, and seeing me with Blaire. That would be a fucking catastrophe.
We finished that round of cards, and Mia got up, whispering something in Nate’s ear before she waved at me. “Well, I’m heading home early. Need to rest up for the big girls’ night. I’ll see you boys later.” That was beyond weird. Mia was normally the last to leave anywhere, and I was sure that she was going to hang around so her and Nate could have some alone time. Judging by the disappointed expression on his face when she walked out the front door, he was thinking the same thing.
I stayed at Nate’s for a while longer after Mia left. We gave up on the card game since it really wasn’t fun with only two people, and instead turned on the Xbox. I really couldn’t even remember the last time I played any video games, and honestly, it was a little boring. I had no clue how Nate stayed up all night playing sometimes.
“Well, I’m gonna get going.”
“Really, J? Is it because I’m kicking your ass?” He grinned without removing his eyes from the screen, and I slid my shoes back on.