“Oh, is that right? What game do you play?”
She looked up at her dad, then at me. “Paw Patrol is my favorite.” A bright smile spread across her face as she bounced on her feet.
“That’s so cool.”
“Yup, maybe we can play one day.”
The line had moved, so the three of us moved forward. I didn’t think there would be that many people there, and it made me a little anxious, but Onyx and his daughter kept me occupied.
“I’m sure Dr. Foster has things to do,” Onyx said as he put his hand on Turquoise’s shoulder.
“It’s okay.” I looked at Onyx.
It was a good thing they were next because things had suddenly gotten awkward. Neither of us knew what to say.
By the time they were finished with their transaction, Turquoise seemed to have forgotten about what she had asked me. She was excited about the new My Little Pony game she got.
I walked up to the counter and got my game. I prepaid, so it only took a second.
I was surprised to see Onyx and Turquoise standing on the side. I figured they might have been waiting for something else, so I smiled when I got near them and kept on walking until Onyx called my name.
“Maverick.”
Instantly, my stomach fluttered.
“Yes.”
“If you aren’t doing anything, would you like to get some ice cream with us?”
I looked down at Turquoise as she smiled at me and bounced up and down. There was no way I could say no. I wouldn’t anyway, because it would give me a chance to get to know Onyx, to see if this little crush was worth it or not.
“I’d love to.” I glanced down at Turquoise.
He smiled while Turquoise clapped, then skipped out of the store. Onyx chuckled, then we followed behind her while butterflies swarmed my stomach. I had to tell myself not to overthink anything. Maybe he just did it for his daughter. Deep down, I hoped that wasn’t the case.
What werethe chances of running into Maverick’s pretty ass not once, but twice in the same day? I had no idea she was a doctor, but how would I if I never had an actual conversation with her? I liked that she asked Turquoise about her symptoms instead of acting like she wasn’t there. My baby was young, but she knew the things she felt. She couldn’t answer every question, but I filled in when she needed me to.
Celiac disease wasn’t something I was familiar with, but I would do some research once I got Turquoise settled for the night. She seemed interested in Maverick because she had never asked a woman to come to our house to play. I could tell Maverick wasn’t sure how to respond, so I stepped in. I wanted her to say yeah, but I didn’t know if she had a man or not.
“A gamer, huh? I would have never guessed it,” I said as the three of us walked to the ice cream parlor inside the food court.
“Do gamers have certain looks?” Maverick looked at me and smirked.
“I mean, I guess not.” I rubbed the back of my neck with my free hand. I held Turquoise’s hand with the other.
I wasn’t sure why Maverick had me a little nervous, but I was. Maybe it was because it had been a while since I was genuinely interested in someone, and she gave off a vibe that she didn’t want her time wasted.
“I was an only child, so I had to find ways to occupy myself. I also have a cousin who develops video games, and I have been his tester for years. Have you heard of Cyrus Foster?”
I stopped walking for a second and looked at her. “Yeah. Wait, that’s your cousin?”
“Yes.”
“That’s what’s up.” I continued walking when Turquoise pulled my hand. We’d arrived at the ice cream shop, and luckily, there was no one in line.
Cyrus Foster was one of the top video game developers in the world.
The three of us stepped up to the counter and placed our orders. I prayed the ice cream didn’t affect my baby’s stomach.
