Page 16 of The Friend Zone
They were both competitive and being the defending champs fueled adrenaline in their veins.
They sat across from each other, and after the dealer distributed the cards, Dana examined hers and looked at Omar.
“How many you want to bid?” he asked.
“I have four and a possible,” she said.
He nodded, a grin spreading across his face. “I have four.”
“Nine,” they said in unison.
Not only were they competitive, they were so in tune, they practically read each other’s mind.
The game started, cards dropping quickly in the center of the table because of the ten-second rule. Omar and Dana ended up with the nine books as expected, but the last one was a bit of a fluke. Dana looked at the cards and shook her head, and when her ten of diamonds walked, the players and the spectators hooted and hollered.
“Goddammit!” said her opponent to the right.
She and Omar cackled and high-fived over the table and then prepped for the next game.
Over the course of the night, two teams were eliminated, leaving Dana and Omar and two brothers—Mario and Jayson. Earlier, the brothers won their game with a flourish, with Mario standing up from the table and slamming down the winning card. They were as cocky as Dana and Omar, but she was certain they could beat them.
The final game began with a lot of tension. Dana and Omar eyed each other across the table, carefully bidding each hand as a small crowd of spectators encircled them to watch the final match up. The game was close and essentially came down to the final play, when each team held one card in their hands.
Dana said a silent prayer and played her card, a nine of diamonds. Mario put down a ten of hearts and looked at his brother with hopeful eyes. Omar placed a four of spades on the stack, and Dana inhaled sharply, careful not to smile but crossing her fingers under the table. Could they win again? She sure hoped so. It all depended on the card in Jayson’s hand. She glanced at him and caught the fleeting look of disappointment on his face. Her foot bounced excitedly under the table, and she held her breath.
When Jayson tossed the Ace of diamonds on the table, their audience erupted into a mixture of cheers and groans.
Dana jumped to her feet and screamed, “Yes!” Hands in the air, she danced in a circle while doing a body roll. “We won… we won…” she sang.
Deon shook his head in disgust. “Y’all be cheating, man.”
Omar put him in a headlock. “I’ll take the cash and the trophy before we leave, thank you very much.”
He looked at Dana and grinned.
She grinned back and gave him a fist bump.
* * *
Omar and Danastrolled to her front door.
“Deon hates us now,” he said.
“I know. Did you hear his crazy self when he said he was going to ban us from coming to his game night?”
“I heard him,” Omar laughed.
At the door, Dana held the gold trophy above her head and then slowly lowered it to her lips. Omar chuckled at her theatrics.
Hugging the trophy to her chest, she said, “You played well tonight, partner. I’m three hundred dollars richer than when I left the house earlier.” Her eyes were glowing.
“How about we go out to celebrate tomorrow night? My treat.” Whenever he spent time with Dana, he never wanted the night to end, and dinner tomorrow night was one way to extend their time together.
“I can’t. I have plans. Raincheck?”
“Sure. What are you and your girls getting into tomorrow night?”
“Actually, I don’t have plans with them. Remember the guy I told you I met at the bookstore? We’re going out tomorrow night.”
