I glance down at Nick’s hand and then up at Dan. Nick’s action did not go unnoticed, and I can’t help but smile because I know exactly what Nick is doing. Dan’s lip snarls a bit, and I have to admit, it feels good to see Dan jealous. Mia notices, too, and she leans back to cross her arms.
“No,” I say. “It’s Bria’s birthday. I’m not going to let them ruin our dinner.”
He watches me and brings his other hand over to rest on my other hand, so we’re sitting across from each other holding hands. I see Dan straighten up and clear his throat out of the corner of my eye, and Nick smiles at me.
“He’s so jealous,” he says, a glint in his eyes. I see his eyes flick over to Dan, and he turns back to me. “Oh, yeah. This is killing him.” He looks giddy.
Before I can respond, I see Dan and Mia get up.
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap.
“Oh god,” I whisper under my breath. I can’t handle a confrontation right now.
“Evi?” Dan says, coming over to stand next to our table. Bria looks up, and my face becomes the color of a tomato, I’m sure of it. Lucky for me, Bria loses interest and continues to draw, humming to herself.
I turn my face up to them and force a smile. I’m pretty sure it looks more like a grimace.
“Hello, Dan. Mia,” I say politely.
“What are you doing here?” Dan asks. Wow. He has some balls.
“Um, I’m eating, just like you and her.”
Her.
She doesn’t deserve to be called by her name.
Especially not from me. But I am tempted to call her by my new nickname for her—Slutty Mia.
I see Nick smile broadly at my snarky reply as he sips his water.
Mia looks so uncomfortable. She’s clutching her stomach—which, I realize, has a very small bump.
Oh. My. God.
She’s wearing a tight red dress. She looks fat. I know she’s probably pregnant, but I can’t help but love that she looks fat.
Dan cocks his eyebrow at Nick.
“Who’s this?”
“Nick Wilder,” Nick says loudly.
“Oh,” says Dan. I don’t think he was expecting Nick to speak. “I’m Dan Wal—”
“I know who you are,” Nick retorts quickly. His voice booms menacingly.
I have to keep myself from laughing out loud at Dan’s reaction. The blood drains from his face, and he looks to me for an explanation. I just shrug my shoulders and smile.
I can’t believe I used to think I was in love with this guy. He’s not even that good looking. I mean, right now he looks like shit—he’s lost weight, he has dark circles under his eyes, and he’s extremely jittery. He doesn’t really look like someone who is happy in life. I secretly hope it’s because of Mia’s pregnancy.
“Who is this guy, Evi?” Dan asks, completely ignoring Nick now.
“Why do you care?” I glare at him. I want to punch him. “By the way, congrats on the engagement and the baby,” I say. My eyes go over to Mia’s stomach. She cradles it defensively.
“I... I’m not pregnant,” she says through gritted teeth.
Nick chokes on his water and covers his face with his hands, but I can tell from his shaking body that he’s laughing.
“Oh...” I say, and I look away. “Sorry, I just assumed because of the shotgun wedding.”
“Yeah, well, when you love someone as much as I love Mia, why wait?” Dan hisses. His eyes flick between Nick and I. “For a long time, the only thing in our way was you.”
I know he only says it to hurt me. Obviously, he’s not okay with the image that Nick and I are projecting. He’s trying to injure me with his words. But damn, it hurts. It hurts so much.
I bite on my bottom lip and look down to keep from crying.
Mia giggles quietly.
I can’t even look at Nick right now. I know my face is beet red, and I glance at Bria, who is luckily still blissfully ignorant and humming to herself.
“Let’s go,” Mia whispers to Dan, and I see her tug at his hand.
“Bye,” I say quietly. I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
“Have fun playing stepmom,” Dan says callously, and I gasp.
Oh, I could so punch him right now.
“Leave,” Nick says, his eyes boring into Dan’s. “Now.”