Well, let’s get right to it. Now wasn’t a good time to admit the whole thing was an act. I mean, I had this gut feeling Reece and Brielle’s dad wasn’t going to think it was cool.
“Yes, sir.”Wise answer, Mason, wise answer.
Mr. Walters eyed me. “I don’t appreciate the fact that you didn’t bother to introduce yourself to me before asking my daughter out.”
I had no clue what to say.
Yeah, like, I would’ve liked to be introduced to your daughter before I found out we were dating, too.
Nope. That wouldn’t work.
“I—Sorry, sir.”
Mr. Walters leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. “Reece says you’re from Minnesota.”
“Yes, sir.” I kept reminding myself of the extra credit project and my grades. This was all worth it if I made the team and kept up my GPA.
“My sister, Elle, said Brielle told her you were from North Carolina.”
Right. Brielle’s AI boyfriend scheme. I kept forgetting that I had somehow brought him to life. I couldn’t lie to Mr. Walters. “I’m from Minnesota.”
“So where’d Brielle get the idea of North Carolina?”
“I—don’t know.”
Mr. Walters’s eyebrow went up.
“Sir,” I added.
“Reece says you play baseball?”
“Catcher.”
The other eyebrow joined the first one.
“Sir.”
“And you’re going to try out for the team?”
“That’s my plan, sir.” This was so painful.
“Brielle really loves baseball.” Mr. Walters reached over and plucked a dead leaf off of some green plant that sat on a table in the entryway. He crunched the dead leaf in his hand. “It’s the one thing I can connect with her on. Books, not so much. All those romance novels give a girl an unrealistic perception of how relationships work.” A stern gaze followed.
I think I was supposed to get something from what he’d said—I just didn’t know what. So, I nodded, not really understanding what he was talking about.
“Before you two go out on anydates,” he said the word like it was a really bad word, “I’d like you to hang out here. Have some pizza with us tonight. Play some games.”
“Games?”
“Sure. Uno. Euchre. You play Euchre, don’t you?”
“No, sir,” I shook my head.
He clapped his hand over my shoulder and squeezed. Mr. Walters also smiled, but it was one of thosetry-mesmiles. I didn’t want to, so I just nodded. “Yeah. Euchre. Uno. Either one sounds good.”
I guess I wasn’t going out with Brielle for dinner tonight. The fifty bucks from her Aunt Elle was going to burn a hole in my pocket. An evening with the Walters family? I mean. Hanging with Reece downstairs using the baseball equipment would be awesome, but playing card games? With Brielle’s dad eyeing me like I was a potential terrorist?
I heard footsteps coming, and then Reece ducked his head around the corner. He was grinning like an idiot who thought this whole thing was hilarious. “Yo, pizza’s ready.” And then he was gone.
