The stakes are set.
Nate flips the fourth card, a ten of hearts, and a ripple of tension sweeps through the room. Mike dismissively scoffs as he folds, leaving the rest of us to face Cain’s confident raise.
Cain’s expression is a mask of calm composure as he raises the stakes. My gaze flickers to him.
Meeting my gaze with a knowing look, Cain lifts his glass to his lips, the amber liquid swirling within as he takes a measured sip of whisky. His eyes hold mine for a moment before his attention returns to the game at hand.
With a flick of his wrist, Nate reveals the fifth and final card: two of clubs. He and Rae fold, leaving Cain and me to face off in a battle.
Cain’s scrutinizing gaze bore into me, his eyes squinting in contemplation as he assesses the situation. With one final check, I reveal my hand. The modest pair of cards lay bare for all to see. Cain turns over his own cards, revealing a pair of aces; a curse escapes my lips in a moment of realization.
“Fuck,” I mutter, the weight of defeat settling over me as Cain’s hand clenches the victory.
“If I beat you in this next game, can I have a good grade?” Rae asks Mike. Her tone is laced with a touch of humor.
Mike’s response is swift and blunt, his laughter punctuating his words as he dismisses her request. “No,” he replies with a scoff, the finality of his answer underscoring their playful banter.
Their exchange adds a lighthearted energy to the game. With a shared chuckle and a playful roll of her eyes, Rae settles back into her seat, ready to take on the challenge before her. Our friendly rivalry grows as the cards are dealt and the game unfolds.
“Do you guys have any friends I can date?” Rae chuckles, asking the guys and then taking a sip of wine.
Nate laughs and says, “My only true friends are at this table and we are devoted to our girl, Tessie.” He then leans into me.
Rae smiles at me and takes another sip of her wine.
“Look,” she begins, her words slightly slurring from the effects of the wine. “Because I’m a little drunk, and you’re fucking my best friend, I’m going to be honest.”
Cain lets out a groan, a mixture of amusement and trepidation, while Mike raises an eyebrow, his lips turn into a half-smile.
“Oh, god,” Cain mumbles under his breath, earning a playful swat from Nate.
Rae ignores Cain’s exasperation, her gaze fixed on Mike with playful intensity. “Mike, I think you’re such a grumpy fucker at college,” she utters, punctuating her statement with a giggle.
Mike’s expression softens and he folds his arms across his chest, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
Nate, always quick with a witty remark, couldn’t resist chiming in. “If you think he’s grumpy, just wait until you’re around Cain long enough,” he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he shoots Cain a teasing grin. Cain rolls his eyes good-naturedly.
We play another hand of poker.
The cards slide smoothly across the table. With a practiced flick of my wrist, I reveal my hand, a triumphant grin creeping onto my face. “Oh, would you look at that,” I drawl, my voice dripping with confidence, “three of a kind.”
When those words leave my mouth, it reminds me I have three of a kind: Cain, Mike, and Nate.
A ripple of reaction sweeps through the room. Cain shoots me a knowing wink, acknowledging the satisfying turn of fortune.
“Well done,” he whispers in my ear.
I lean back in my chair, relishing the sweet taste of victory.
The room fills with friendly banter and occasional laughter. Rae’s preoccupation with her phone did not go unnoticed.
“Everything ok, Rae?” I question gently.
Her smile, though warm, holds a hint of distraction as she glances up from her phone. “Yeah,” she reassures me, briefly returning to the screen before focusing back on me. “I think I’m going to head to bed. That wine got to me,” she adds with a light chuckle, rising from her chair.
Standing up alongside her, I offer a supportive nod. “I’ll show you the room, we need to have a girly chat.”
“Night, guys,” Rae says.
The trio nod their heads and say goodnight.
The soft glow of the bedside lamp casts a warm, intimate ambiance in Rae’s bedroom. With our heads propping up on pillows, Rae reclines comfortably while I stretch out at the foot of her bed, our gazes fixed on the expanse of the ceiling above. Conversation flows effortlessly between us, weaving through topics both lighthearted and profound. As the minutes melt into hours, the comfort of our friendship envelopes us like a familiar embrace.
“I love them,” I murmur.
“Really?” Rae’s voice holds a hint of curiosity, her eyes glinting with interest.
“Yup,” I affirmed, a soft smile tugging at the corners of my lips.
The question hung in the air, heavy with contemplation. “Can you love three men the same?”
“I do. I love them equally,”
Rae’s response is a mixture of awe and wistfulness. “You are so lucky to find them. I can’t even find one, let alone three,” she huffs, a hint of playful frustration in her tone.
“You will find someone, Rae.” She tosses the small pillow into the air and catches it again.
