I pushed that thought aside and hurried outside. I spotted Amanda and Jenna on the street in front of the passenger side of an idling Honda Civic. Amanda gestured for the other girl to get into the car; then she shut the door before turning toward the house. I met her on the sidewalk with my hands stuffed in my pockets.
“Is she okay?” I asked.
“She’ll be fine after she gets through the mega hangover coming her way in the morning. I wonder if those two were on something. One minute they were all over each other and the next…” Amanda pursed her red lips and sighed. “Honestly, they made me glad I’m single again.”
“Hmm.” I wasn’t going to engage in any conversation about her breakup with Derek. I tried to think of a polar segue and came up blank.
“Are you seeing anyone?” she asked.
“No,” I replied.
I was relieved when I caught sight of Mitch and Rory moving down the pathway in my periphery. Mitch gave me a subtle nod of acknowledgment I clung to like a lifeline. I read it as a “Thanks for helping,” and “I’ll be there in a sec,” instead of the good-bye it might have been. I watched Rory head toward a waiting Prius and breathed a silent sigh of relief when Mitch didn’t hop in with him.
Amanda turned to see what I was looking at and shook her head in wonder. “I had no idea they were a couple until tonight. Did you?”
“No, but I just met them. I mean…I just met Rory and Jenna. I know Mitch,” I said awkwardly.
“Hmm. People aren’t always what they seem. Rory, Gabe…” She gestured toward the handsome water polo player heading down the sidewalk. “I heard he’s gay too.”
“Gabe? I don’t think so.” Of course, I didn’t know anything about the guy except that he was a new addition to Derek’s water polo team. I wasn’t sure why she’d bring that up or—
“You’re cute, Evan,” Amanda purred, running a manicured fingernail down the row of buttons on my shirt.
Fuck. This was exactly what I’d hoped to avoid. The seductive cadence in her voice freaked me out. Could this night get any stranger?
I gently removed her hand. “Look, Amanda, I’m not—”
She set a finger on my lips and shook her head. She was so close now; I could smell her perfume and see the glint of desire in her blue eyes. Amanda was a sexy woman by anyone’s standards. She had long blonde hair, a flawless sense of style, and an edginess that appealed to most guys. But I didn’t trust her or particularly like her, and I’d always thought the feeling was mutual. In June, when Derek told me they broke up, I’d been secretly relieved for his sake. Just like Mitch and Rory, Derek didn’t belong with Amanda.
“Shh. I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. I have a friend who’s been trying to meet you for a while.”
“Huh?” Okay. That was unexpected.
“Her name is Nicole,” she continued quickly when she spotted Mitch walking toward us. “She goes to Chilton with you and maybe—”
“Well, that’s a relief! Is Jenna on her way home too?” Mitch asked, bumping my elbow.
“She is,” Amanda replied before turning to me. “I’ll see you inside, Ev. I want to make sure I give you Nicole’s number.”
Mitch and I stared after Amanda as she moved toward the house, then looked at each other with matching wide-eyed expressions before cracking up.
But I still had to ask, “What the hell was that all about?”
“If you mean Rory, it’s complicated.”
“I bet. Let me see if I can put it together.” I furrowed my brow and tapped my finger on my chin thoughtfully. “Your jealous ex was trying to make you jealous?”
“Seems like it,” he said tiredly before adding, “Kind of like what Amanda was doing with you and Derek.”
“She actually just told me wants to set me up with a friend of hers, who I’m pretty sure I already know. In fact, I’m missing her party to be at this one.”
“It seems so convoluted. You’d think these stupid games would get old by now. We’re all in our twenties. Why do some of us still act like such idiots?”
I had no answer for that one, so I left it alone. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-three. You?”
“Same.”
Silence.
“Were you with that guy?” I asked, unable to keep the confusion from my voice.
“Yeah. For a year. We broke up for the last time two months ago. It looks like Jenna is my replacement,” he said matter-of-factly. “And now Rory thinks you’re his replacement. That was funny. Thanks for jumping in to defend me. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.” I bit my bottom lip before continuing. “What did you see in him? He just doesn’t look like your type.”
“What’s my type?” Mitch asked with a laugh.