I turn back around and see her fidgeting with the cuff of her sweater. “Do you want me to make you one?” I ask as I shake the margarita glass in my hand.
“No thanks. Think it’s best for me to pace myself.” She shrugs.
I head to the fridge and take out a water bottle, then hand it to her.
“Besides, I still have to survive the rest of the night in this house with you. I might get the upper hand if you drink more than I do for a change.” She winks and sips her water.
So, we’re back to teasing. Good.
I set my glass down on the kitchen island separating us. “And what is it exactly that you need the upper hand on, Amelia? Last I checked you’re the one who stole my bed from me, gave me an excruciating case of blue balls, and showed up to my vacation home a day early. If I were to go off history alone, I would think that you were actually preying on me tonight,” I goad.
Amelia blinks a few times, then grabs my margarita and takes a deep sip.
“I thought you said you didn’t want a margarita, babe.”
“I don’t, just needed a sip of yours,babe.” She snickers.
I turn back around to focus on the stove, but just like my pasta water I can feel Amelia boiling behind me. She didn’t think I would call her out on her antics, and now that it’s out there in the open for us to discuss, I bet she feels exposed. Before I can think of another way to taunt her, she begins.
“You know, it’s not really my fault.” She starts swiveling side to side on the stool. “I mean, for all the supermodel tail you get, I just assumed that little ol’ me would be safe from any attention from the big bad wolf. Who was I to be the wiser that your pecker could be set off so easily?” She pouts innocently.
Ok. Time to play.
“You’re a smart girl … I mean woman, Amelia. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know why I was really there at the club to pick you up. Or are we going to play the dumb, innocent, damsel in distress card again?” I mock.
Amelia stops moving instantly, and shoots me a death stare.
Uh oh. I hit a nerve.
“Dumb. Innocent. Damsel. In. Distress? Are you kidding me?!” she shouts.
Oh hell.
“First of all, I’m the woman who managed to kick my cheating fiancé in the balls after I walked in on him cheating on me with one of my coworkers. Oh! And mind you Nikki and Antonio were both at the scene of the crime and I managed to wrangle them in so they wouldn’t end up with felonies on their record.”
She’s fuming now. I may have fucked up, but there’s no stopping her now.
“Let’s see what else Evan … oh yeah, I immediately had to move into an overpriced studio apartment, after spending a good chunk of my money on a wedding that didn’t happen, put in extra hours at work so I could potentially score a promotion that would get me the hell out of the city, and manage to be there for my dad and brother while we all grieved for my mom.”
Fuck.
“But please tell me Evan, how your reasoning for busting into a club and practically kidnapping me is something I should be well aware of?” she yells sarcastically.
“I’m sorry. I overstepped,” I say, trying to back pedal.
“No, no. Now’s as good a time as any. Please enlighten me, why were you at the club to see someone you barely give two shits about?” she hisses.
Wait, what?
“Wait,barely gives two shits about, are you serious right now Amelia? Look, I get it, I fucked up a bit there, but you can’t possibly think that I don’t care about you,” I say as my knuckles turn white from clenching the edge of the kitchen island.
“Oh come on Evan, no need to keep up the façade. Aside from this past weekend and my mother’s funeral, you have never given me the time of day. I wouldn’t say you hate me, because hate would require some level of attention. No, you’re indifferent towards me, barely pay me any mind. For all I know you only see me as Antonio’s annoying little sister. I get it. It’s fine. But you don’t get to ignore me for most of my life, then come barreling in insisting on being the main attraction!” she roars.
I take a deep breath to steady my breathing. “Yes, you’re right. I have no right, but I can explain. And your thoughts on my feelings for you couldn’t be farther from the tru—”
“No! I’m done with this little game. You tell me. Right now. Why did you go to the club? Why do you keep showing up and taunting me? Why, after all these years of knowing each other, are we playing this little game now Evan?” she demands.
This is going downhill fast.
