Page 8 of I'd Never Date my Best Friend's Brother

My thoughts are interrupted by the oven timer. I roll my shoulders, releasing the tension as I grab the oven mitts. I inhale deeply as I open the oven and smile. The cheese puffs look amazing. I put the tray on top of the stove and grab another platter. Once I move everything over, I head back out to the table.

When I walk into the room, it’s just as Jess is saying Jamie’s and my names. My mouth hangs open, and my eyes widen. I look up to find Jamie with a small smile directed at me, and my heart drums against my rib cage.

“Teams,” he says. “We’re on the same team.” I snap my mouth shut, nod my head, and continue to the table, where I put the platter down. Before turning to face everyone, I fix a smile on my face and pray that it reaches my eyes.

“Oh, okay,” I say in a tone that I hope comes across as nonchalant. “What are we playing?”

“Charades,” Jess says excitedly, her eyes dancing. “You know how much you love Charades!” I narrow my eyes at her and clench my jaw. She knows I hate Charades. Charades is up there with Pictionary as my least favorite game. Sean is the actor, Liam is the artist, and I am the baker.

I usually lose when playing against them. I may not be as competitive as Jess, but she knows that I still hate feeling like the underdog.

“Yay,” I push out in a small voice, throwing my hands up in the air. “My favorite.” I glare at her, and everyone in the room laughs, including Jamie.

I turn my gaze to him, and he shrugs. The smile on his face has me narrowing my eyes and glaring harder, and he laughs again.

The nerve of that man. He moves across the country for work, doesn’t call or text, and tells me that he’s missed me every day since he’s been gone. Then he has the gall to laugh at me?!

I turn my glare back to Jessica. “You’re going down.” I all but sneer at her. The laughter that erupts from the room just feeds the fire.

“Uh-oh,” Sean mocks. “Evie’s mad.”

If this were a cartoon, steam would be blowing from my ears. I head over to the table and get myself some punch, hoping that Jessica added a little adult beverage to it. I need something to loosen the tension in my entire body. I fill a cup and finish it all in one swallow. I can taste just a bit of alcohol. I sigh in relief and refill my glass.

“Let’s go.” I turn toward the room where everyone is staring at me with their brows pulled together. I try to smile, but even to me, it feels forced.

I better pull myself together or there are going to be questions thrown my way that I don’t want to answer.

I take a deep breath and head over toward everyone, and when I look again, they all have the same glitter to their eyes. All except Jamie. When I meet Jamie’s gaze I see uncertainty.

My lips pull up at the corner a smidge. That’s right, Jamie, you should be afraid!

I walk straight up to him and put my finger on his chest. Immediately, a zing flits through my body, and I pull my finger away like I’ve been burned. “If you let me down, I swear I will never talk to you again.” I stare into his eyes while pointing.

I see him put his hand where my finger was, and his eyes suddenly turn serious. There’s an earnestness to them.

“I won’t let you down,” he says for the room to hear. Then, leaning in, he whispers, “Again.”

My wide eyes lock with his, and the warmth I see there has me swallowing hard. I turn away from him only to see everyone intently watching the exchange. The only one not wearing a smile is Penny.

Penny is looking around from person to person with a blank expression. Liam puts his arm around her shoulders, pulls her close, and whispers something in her ear.

“OH.” She turns to him with wide eyes before looking over to Jamie and me with a smile. I feel heat crawl up my face and push my body into the seat behind me. I take another sip of my drink and pretend like everything is normal.

I take a deep breath. When I look up again it’s to see everyone in the same position, staring at me. “Are we going to play or what?” I ask, annoyed at this entire night so far.

The entire room bursts into laughter, and I suddenly hate them all. Jess and Sean head to grab paper, pens, and bowls while everyone else heads to the snack table to grab something to eat before settling in their seats.

Jamie, however, comes over and sits next to me. The glare I send his way has him raise his hands up in surrender, a smirk on his face. “You know you’re adorable when you're angry, right?” I turn to stare at him with wide eyes and my mouth hanging open.

Did he just really say that to me?

“What?” I whisper.

“You’re adora—”

“Okay, everyone, settle in!” Jessica yells as she puts a bowl in front of each team. Sean is close behind with the paper and pens. “The theme we are using tonight is obviously Christmas.”

Everyone claps, and I watch as each team talks amongst themselves. They start to pick words to write on the paper and put in their bowls, and the other team members will have to act out for their teammates to guess.

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