“They’re all in there.” I nodded, scanning the table for something to wash down the salty, nutty taste that probably wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t known exactly what I’d just eaten. “You can smell my breath if you don’t believe me.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Lia scrunched up her nose, then gestured toward the refreshment table behind her. “Go grab something to get rid of the taste. I’ll run inside and get your prize.”
I was already moving when Romeo announced to the other teams, “We have a winner.”
A collective groan went up from the other tables. But despite disappointing most of our opponents, I caught Owenstaring at the pile of untouched crickets before him with a look of relief.
While Romeo announced that Miles, Amanda, Nora, and I were the winning team and would be awarded our prize as soon as his wife returned, I cracked open a can of Dr Pepper and took a long pull. Then another.
It helped, but it didn’t wipe out the aftertaste completely. So when I spotted a few extra “dirt and worms” pudding cups on the table, I swiped one without hesitation. Three bites in, I finally felt like myself again.
I just wouldn’t think about what was currently making its way to my stomach.
“You good now?” Nora asked when I made it back to the group, my half-eaten pudding in hand.
“Much better.” I studied her face. “What about you? Is your mouth okay?”
“Mostly,” she said. “The bread and milk helped. But I gotta say that my sinuses have never been so clear.”
“Go us for taking one for the team.” I chuckled and lifted my hand for a high five.
She met it easily.
“Whatever this prize is,” I added, “I think we deserve most of it.”
“Seriously,” she said. “I mean, I would’ve struggled with the shrimp, but…” She tipped her chin toward Miles. “Our macho football player friend stealing the pudding? How can he even call himself a real man after that?”
“Definitely not a gentleman, at the very least,” I said, lifting my own cup in agreement.
“I heard that,” Miles called over his shoulder. “And just so you know, I’m lactose intolerant, so I actually did take one for the team.”
“Oh really?” Nora asked, brows lifting.
“He says that…” I leaned closer, lowering my voice. “But I’m pretty sure I saw him take a lactose pill while you were fighting for your life with the pepper. So, he’ll be fine.”
“So basically, he just wanted an excuse to have dairy again.”
“Probably,” I said, shrugging.
“Well, since I’m not lactose intolerant…” She glanced back toward the table. “I think I’ll grab some pudding, too. Are there any more?”
“There were a couple left by the drinks.” I nodded toward the table on the patio.
She headed off, and my gaze followed long enough to notice how toned and tanned her legs looked in her shorts.
I blinked and looked away.
She’s your sister’s best friend and way too young for you. Definitely not someone you should be checking out like that.
“Okay,” Lia said when she came back outside, holding two envelopes in the air, a wide smile on her face. “Romeo and I thought it would be fun to give our winners a fun night out on the town. Hopefully, something a little out of the norm.”
She stepped closer, holding one envelope out to me and the other to Miles.
“Go ahead,” she said. “Open them up and see what you won.” Then, smiling at Amanda and me, she added, “Romeo and I will be happy to babysit your kids while you’re out, of course.”
I slid my finger under the flap and opened the envelope, pulling out a small stack of gift certificates.
“What did we win?” Amanda asked, leaning in over my shoulder.