I Don't Date Dragons

Chapter 9

It was Friday night and Tiblisi was getting ready in Mo's estate. She had all her necessary weapons to make herself look great all lined up. Comfortable summer dress, strappy sandals, courtesey of Mo and her mascara. She wasn't much of a make up gal, her parents raised her to be fearful of anything she put on her skin less it was carcinogenic. She wore deotarant though because she knew poker would bring out the competitive nature in her. She was excited to see Jack again but nervous to meet his friends. She knew this was a crucial part of reeling him in successfully. Or a better way to look at it was to make him think he was reeling her in successfully.  She needed for his friends to like her.

When Mo's doorbell rang at 7 pm, Tiblisi almost jumped out of her skin. She had had a Cosmo to smooth her nerves beforehand. If Mo had been around she would have insisted on champagne and frankly Tiblisi was sick of the substance. She considered talking to Mo about her issue with champagne and her lassie-faire attitude towards drinking in general, but thought better not bite the hand that feeds. Especially considering in these last few weeks she's really needed the liquid courage. Another problem that needed to be handled at a later date.

She opened the door wide and greeted Jack. He was dressed unassumingly in a polo shirt and beige corduroys. "You look spectacular" he almost said it under his breath, but she overheard it even still. She grabbed her purse on the chair by the entrance and was blushing by the time she answered in a flurry "I've often found the secret to a man's heart is through a summer dress. And I'm happy to say it looks like its working" She smiled a wide smile, surprised by her own bluntness at being caught off guard. There was something about Jack that made her feel totally at ease. Maybe it was the cosmo helping things along, but it was definitely an effect he had on her. A safe, warm easy feeling or vibe that just flowed out of her while he was around. 

"I'm nervous to meet your friends" she admitted in the car ride over. She was chilly in the car so crossed her arms over her chest to keep in the heat. He noticed she was cold and pulled out a sweater off his backseat. "Warm up, the temperatures around here really do drop at night." His sweater smelt like him, completely intoxicatingly great. Like frosty mint and juniper or some other spice. 

"Where are we anyway, I feel we've been talking the whole time, what district of Orleans is this?"

"This is Gloucester, Sal lives just two streets away on the right." They were in a pretty residential area, but Tiblisi guessed there were restaurants and bars and coffee shops not far from here. 

They huddled into Sal's warm apartment quickly from the cold night air. It was only September but there was a chill in the air. Sal's apartment, for a bachelor was neat and tidy. Not a throw pillow out of sight. He welcomed them openly "Hey guys, hey Tiblisi glad you could make it. Can I get you guys anything to drink?" 

Jack answered first, taking control "Keith's please, and she'll have a champagne" he winked at Tiblisi. Then Tiblisi actively cringed. "You know what, I love that you thought of me and thanks for having it on hand, but I'll think I'll have a Keith's as well if that's okay Sal?" 

"Two Keith's coming up" Sal smiled and went to the kitchen that was just off to the side of the apartment. "Come on in" They walked through the entranceway and were welcomed by Edmond, who already had a Keith's on the table. Tiblisi was glad she fit in. They all nodded politely while Jack took Tiblisi's sweater and placed it over her chair before moving the chair back, indicating for her to sit down and relax. 

Sal came in holding two bottles of Keith's. "For you and the lady" he smiled taking his seat near the window and poker chips. Let the night begin. It started for Tiblisi haphazardly. They were making small talk with each other and she sort of felt like to belong she would have to be quiet, not drink too much and nod at the appropriate time. She wouldn't say she wasn't having fun but then again she was counting down the minutes when she could be alone with Jack again. But then, something amazing happened, she started winning at poker, a game she wasn't familiar with, but all of a sudden, maybe from her detective work and reading people all those years, she was actually able to gather some of those much needed chips her way. This would help her gain respect from the guys. Maybe even buy herself some air time, where she could chatter a bit. They had been talking about mundane guy shit all night. She wanted to add a little flair to the evening. When she won the lot of the chips for a third time in a row, she got a little cocky. She smiled over to Jack "you know what they say lucky in cards, lucky in love" she wasn't holding back anymore, she leaned across to Jack and kissed him smack jaw on the lips. He was taken aback but didn't show it. Edmond all the while was leaning in and inspecting her. He would of never in a million years admitted it to his friends but what he was thinking was that he wanted Tiblisi all for his own.