Chapter 18
Anthony stareddown the glossy lane to the white pins beneath the lights. He channeled all the frustration raging through him, then rushed in to unleash the ball. The sixteen-pounder let out a low growl as it spun over the polished wood like a panther in pursuit. In one fast explosion, the pins scattered, creating a deceiving show; once the dust cleared, the ball sinking into the machine’s gullet, two pins remained—the pin far on the left and the opposite pin at the farright.
“You threw it too hard,” Benny said before tipping back a bottle ofbeer.
“Yeah,” Seth shook his head. “You’re going to have to ease up on that ball if you want to catchup.”
“Go easy on him, guys,” Trent said. “He hasn’t had a guys’ night in a while. He’ll get his grooveback.”
Anthony spotted the gray ball as it shot from the retriever and back onto the rack. He reached down, secured it in his grip, and tried very hard not to think about what an ex-boyfriend would want from his ex-girlfriend who’d not only moved on with her life, but did so in an entirely differentstate.
He stepped up to an imaginary line and glared at the pins. Should he go for the left and hope to knock out the right with the spinning pin? He could try. He focused hard, swung back, and set his eyes on the left. No, maybe the one on the right. But it was too late; the ball was already on its way, barreling dead center down thelane.
Nothing but air. Notgood.
The guys groaned in the background. Benny tapped him on the back and pressed a cold bottle into his hand. “Here,” he said. “Looks like you needthis.”
The truth was, Anthony didn’t know what he needed. “Thanks.” He shuffled back to the bench and sank into the chair besideSeth.
“You all right, man?” Sethasked.
Anthony nodded. “Yeah, I just … have to get my mind off Kira right now. Her stupid ex flew into town, and she’s meeting up with himtonight.”
“Whoa,” Seth said. “That doesn’t sound good atall.”
“I know. Apparently the ex brought his girlfriend with him, and they both want to talk toher.”
“That just got weird,” Logan said under hisbreath.
“Tell me about it.” The situation was putting him to the test; he couldn’t deny it. “The funny thing is,” Anthony said, “Kira told me I could come if Iwanted.”
Seth’s eyes doubled in size. “You’re kidding me. Why aren’t you there?” The guys’ loud reaction gained attention from theothers.
“Why ain’t he where?” Benny, who’d just tossed a gutter ball, strodecloser.
Anthony looked over to see if Seth wanted to explain, before opting to do it himself. “Kira called me when she and her sister got back from the airport, but added that she had gotten anunpleasant surprise. Her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend flew in with her sister, and they’re staying at the bed andbreakfast.”
Trent perked up. “Want me to have someone put sand in theirsheets?”
Benny smacked him in the stomach. “Jessie would never let you dothat.”
Trent sneered. “It was ajoke. When have I ever done a thing likethat?”
“Let him finish,” Seth said. “This is better than one of those dysfunctional talkshows.”
Anthony rolled his eyes. “These two seriously wronged Kira a few years ago by stealing some images she shot at a fashion show in Milan, and when Kira tried to sue them, they dragged her family’s name through the mud. It was devastating. According to her sister, they want to make it right.” He glanced away from the group, set his gaze on a lane where an entire set of pins got knocked down by the sweeping cleanup bar. The messy heap was shoved out of sight, and then a shiny new set took its place. Ten white pins standing tall. The others forgotten like yesterday’snews.
“You’re leaving out the best part,” Seth griped. “Kira said he could be there when they talked, and instead he’s here withus.”
A few quiet groans and hums sounded over the guys. Anthony picked the married men of the bunch to set his focus on; they knew women better than the rest ofthem.
Benny shook his head. “Shoulda gone. If a woman says you cangosomewhere but then gives you a choice, the correct choice goes as follows.” He passed his beer to Seth and got both hands involved. “Ifshe’sgoing to the place she said you can go, then she wants you to go,too.”
“Yep,” a few mumbled in thebackground.
“But,” Benny continued, “if sheisn’tgoing to the place she says you can go, then she secretly wants you tostay. There. With her.” Benny looked at Trent for backup while snatching his bottle back fromSeth.
Trent tipped his head from one side to the next, lips tight as he weighed Benny’s words. “That’s aboutright.”
“Great,” Anthony said. “Guess I screwedup.”
“No no no, don’t worry.” Benny motioned for Seth to move, then hunkered into his seat, throwing an arm around him and leaning in. “Weallmake those mistakes. How do you think we know this stuff? Not because theytellus. But because theytrainus. Yousee?”
No. No, he didnotsee. “Yeah,” he said with a nod. “Thanks.”
Benny tipped his drink toward him. “Anytime.”
