“I don’t want her sitting with random fans, so I was hoping Aubrey’d come. I’ve got a new babysitter, and I’m not sure if I like her yet.”
“You want me to grill her?” I ask.
“Amongst other things. Sara’s been asking when she’ll see you again for the last twelve days. I’ve been counting.”
My lips pull up into a smile. “I miss her. When’s the game?”
“We’re playing at home for the next three days, but I could only snag the row for Saturday.”
“Send me the info, and I’ll make it work,” I promise, already mentally sorting through my upcoming schedule.
Jett’s eyes soften as he nods, his appreciation teetering on overwhelming. “Thank you.”
Before I can tell him his thanks are unnecessary, the doorbell rings.
“And that’ll be dinner. I’ll be back,” Kellan announces as he stands and tucks his chair in.
Once he’s gone, Wes announces he has to use the washroom, and Jett steps out to check in on his new babysitter. Beck’s too busy on his phone to pay Finn and me any attention when Finn leans toward me, his front warm against my back.
“Are you still good for tonight?”
“For our ‘date’?” I ask, using finger quotations.
“Unless you’ve got other plans, yes.”
I lean away from him so that I can turn my head, our eyes meeting. “Yes, I’m good. Are you? I’m not the one who has to play tomorrow.”
“I told you I’d help, Bree. And you have court tomorrow, so don’t make this all about me.”
Ignoring that, I say, “I’m still not sure how this date is going to work. It’s not like I can just forget who you are.”
“Ye of so little faith. Stop analyzing everything for one night and just let me try. If it doesn’t work, we’ll do something different next time.”
Still not fully buying into the idea, I nod, forcing myself to do what he’s asking. If there’s anyone I trust to at least try to help me, it’s Finn. Besides, it’s not like I have much choice with the days moving so quickly.
It’s this or nothing, even if I have a feeling that this is a truly terrible idea.
9
It takesa whole three seconds for Aubrey to realize where I’ve brought her.
The bright, neon colours of the flashing minigolf course lights ahead of us make her expression so sour it’s like she’s sucking on a lemon. Add the children running past us with giggles and cheers, and she’s one wrong word away from going off like a brick of C4. I grin and take her hand, pulling her up to the check-in shed.
“You’re not being serious, Finn,” she says tightly.
“Oh, but I am. This is exactly the type of place you’d go with a guy who didn’t know you well.”
“Yeah, that’s not selling it.”
She tries to tug her hand out of mine, but I thread our fingers and squeeze, refusing to let go. When she whips her head back to glare at me, I make obnoxious kissing noises.
“Oh, come on, sweet cheeks. Give me a chance. Let big daddy show you a good time.”
Eyes squeezed shut, she makes a silent retching motion. “If the point of this is to make me more open, you’re crashing and burning already.”
“Fine, fine.” I sigh, forcing myself to sober up. “Remember when you said you trusted me?”
“Unfortunately.”
