“Were you flirting with Roger, Ellie?” Jake asked his girlfriend as she entered the kitchen.
“Of course not, why would you think that?”
“You spent a long time with him, refreshing his drink. You were lingering. What were you talking about?”
“He’s your friend, ask him.”
“He was telling you something. You were both laughing.” Jake put his hands on her shoulders. “You were flirting.”
“Don’t be that way, Jake. It makes you look so needy. Obsessive.”
Jake appeared before Roger, who was now in very high spirits. “You were flirting with my girlfriend,” stated Jake. Roger noticed the grim look on his friend’s face, a driven look he got whenever he was competing for something important.
“You take things too seriously.”
In a low, threatening voice, Jake continued. “What were you talking about?” He paused. “I saw you with her. You have Stacie. Stay away from Ellie.” Jake rolled his shoulders menacingly, stretching to his full height. He was three inches taller than his friend.
“What were we talking about?” Roger asked as Stacie sauntered over to join them.” She put an arm around Roger’s waist. “What were we talking about?” They stepped away from Jake, Roger leading Stacie by the hand.
“An announcement, everybody,” the two stepped into the center of the room as the crowd quieted down. “Stacie and I are getting married… and you’re all invited.”
Jake watched the couple kiss. The party applauded and shouted congratulations. He looked at the ground, then raised his sheepish eyes to the couple. “That’s what we were talking about, Jake.”
With a mischevious twinkling in her eye, Stacie added, “After he told her, Ellie had laughed and said, “I wish my guy would have the guts to ask me.””
