Page 35 of Ice Me Out

“Lay it on me,” Christiansen volunteered while I gently kicked Vera under the table several times to get her attention.

“Okay, so I’ve been talking to this guy. He’s absolutely amazing and checks off all my boxes. We’d been talking non-stop, and we linked up for a date. He shut down part of the restaurant for me, which was the most romantic thing a man had ever done. We went back to his place, and the rest of the night was unforgettable. I leave this morning, and an hour later, he tells me he has to think about us.”

“He’s playing you,” Christiansen blurted.

I’m not!

“He used you,” Morgan mentioned.

I didn’t!

“He’s just going to waste your time. You should forget about him,” Rossi added.

I won’t!

“You gave it up too easily, and he doesn’t respect you,” Chandler sighed into his beer.

I do respect her!

“He is a bum,” Boris chided.

“I’m inclined to agree with my teammates, wifey. But there’s nothing complicated about your situation. You’re a free agent, baby.”

Vera smiled again, showing off all her dazzling pearly whites.

“A free agent. I like that. What do you think, Sweet Hart?” she said, turning to me.

She’s torturing me. She’s literally fucking torturing me.

Instead of responding, I fidgeted with my earring and focused on not blowing our cover.

“Is your teammate alright?” she asked Marlon. “He looks like he’s about to set it off in this bar.”

Marlon shot me a dirty look and mouthed for me to cut it out.

“Nothing. Just ignore him. Why don’t you join us for drinks?”

She tucked a curly braid behind her ear and apologized.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t. I’m meeting my study group for drinks.”

“Study group? Are you a student?” he inquired.

“I am. I go to SU,” she boasted proudly.

“Fashion major?” Christiansen guessed wrongfully, earning a glare from her.

“Biochemistry,” she spat.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, looking away shamefully.

“I study Biochemistry in Russia.”

Her facial expression brightened at hearing from another intellect, but Marlon interrupted before she could engage Boris in conversation.

“You should join us,” Marlon insisted, pulling out a stool for her.

“Thanks for the offer, hubby, but I’m gonna pass. My study group would be pissed if I ditched them.”