Prank Date [✔]

Part 33

I threw down my napkin. I wanted to throw it into Nikki's face but restrained myself. Making even more of a spectacle wouldn't help.

"Great." I stared at the door of the ladies' room that had just closed behind Jennie, then pivoted to glare at Nikki. "You're as diplomatic as a sledgehammer."

"Me?" Nikki dropped into Jennie's chair. "What did I do?"

I ground my teeth. "That toaster oven comment wasn't funny."

"Oh, come on. People said the same thing when I first slept with you."

"That's different." I rose to go after Jennie and make sure she was okay.

Nikki refolded the napkin Jennie had dumped on the table. "Why?"

I put both hands on the table and leaned forward to tower over Nikki. "Because we didn't ..." I stopped myself from telling Nikki I hadn't slept with Jennie yet.

In the past, telling my friends about my sex life hadn't been a big deal, but with Jennie, it felt like a private, almost sacred thing that I didn't want to share with anyone else.

"Because comments like that make Jennie feel like she's a notch on my bed post. Just one of many. And she's not." I added.

Nikki stared at me. Her fingers tightened around the napkin. "And I was?"

"No." I stopped myself from reaching across the table to cover Nikki's hand with my own. I didn't want to send mixed messages. "Please don't think that. It just wasn't working between us. I'm sorry. I know you hoped we'd get back together."

With her free hand, Nikki scratched at a tiny sauce stain on the tablecloth. "Can't blame a girl for trying."

"I'm not blaming you for that. But you being a bitch to Jennie ... that's got to stop. Right now."

She snatched her hand away from under mine. "I'm not—"

"Yes, you are." I glanced toward the ladies' room again. "From the moment you met Jennie, you've been teasing and needling her." I leaned down to make sure Nikki caught each and every one of my words. "You're my friend, but if you don't cut out this kind of behavior, you'll make me choose between Jennie and you. And believe me, you won't like my choice."

For a moment, even the clinking of glasses and the conversation of other guests seemed to stop.

I bit my lip. I felt bad about hurting Nikki, but it needed to be said. I had left too many things between us unresolved after our breakup the year before.

A bitter snort from Nikki interrupted the silence between us. She folded her arms across her chest. "Why didn't you ever fight for our relationship like this?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. Not that again. I didn't have the patience to deal with this now. I wanted to go after Jennie.

"Jesus, Nikki, why don't you finally get over it? We were together for all of three months, and we fought like cats and dogs for half of that time."