Page 139 of Game Plan

The guys started discussing something that had gone down on campus during Thanksgiving, and it felt like they’d all known one another for more than five minutes.

“To us.” Jules raised her glass, and Amber and I clinked it. “To new friends who, thank God, aren’t single.”

“Cheers,” Amber and I replied at the same time.

Jules elbowed me. “Mel, I think Mason is a better match for you than Jett.”

I grinned, unable to help myself. “I think so too.”

“I agree,” Amber added. “You guys are so cute together.”

A bit later, we moved to the living room and laid the food out on the old chest-turned-coffee-table and sat on the floor around it.

“What are we playing?” Shawn asked.

“We were thinking Draw It, Guess It first,” Amber explained, serving herself a generous portion of Kung Pao chicken and licking her fingers after she picked up a piece she’d dropped on the table.

“Studs against chicks?” he asked.

Rutherford refilled our wineglasses. “Couples for now, but we can do lads against lasses for charades. Does that work with you guys?” His eyes traveled between Jules and Shawn.

They both nodded.

“Get ready to lose, fuckers,” Mason said in a teasing tone.

Shawn snorted. “You have no chance, quarterback.”

My boyfriend’s face lit up. He’d always loved a challenge. “Bring it on, newbie.”

Shawn chuckled, and their hands met across the table in a firm handshake.

Jules leaned closer, grinning like a fool. “I can already tell tonight will be so much fun.”

I mirrored her expression. “Oh yes. I think we’ve just created a new tradition.”

She raised her glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

And so did I.

“Melinda, table six is ready,” George called as I reached the bar to grab my next order.

“On it.”

Lola’s was bustling with people tonight, and the contagious energy rubbed off on me. We had hosted an open mic night earlier, which meant I hadn’t had a second to myself. I wasn’t complaining, because the tips were generous and the customers cheerful. I wanted to surprise Mason on his belated birthday celebration, so a little extra money would be useful. We had postponed it to next Saturday after I’d switched my shift with another server so I would have the full weekend off.

I weaved through the patrons toward table six only to face a bunch of jocks, including Evan Nichols, Mason’s teammate, who had acted like a dickhead every time we’d bumped into each other so far this semester.

I firmed my back and tried to raise walls around me when he glared my way. Right now, he looked more annoyed than threatening. Nothing like the guy who’d cornered me in the hallway to warn me about keeping my mouth shut not so long ago.

I plastered the fakest smile I could manage on my lips and walked toward the party of seven. “Hey, guys. Welcome to Lola’s. Can I start you with anything to drink?”

A guy on my right wolf-whistled, but Nichols shut him up with a murderous gaze. “She’s Pierce’s chick, man. If you care about your dick, stay away. Flirting with her will get you into trouble, believe me.”

I couldn’t tell if he actually had come to my defense or if he was bitching about Mason and me in a not-so-subtle way.

He turned to address me. “And you, ma jolie, listen carefully. I don’t say it often, but I much prefer when you keep that dirty mouth of yours shut. Understood?”

I sighed. I had no intention to play any bully games with him tonight.