He took a long pull from his beer bottle. Without looking at me, he asked, “About?”
“You.”
Maddox shot me a sideways glance. “What about me?”
“And… dinner.” I glanced back at my family and noticed Courtney watching us with interest. I couldn’t be sure, but it looked like she was smirking. She was definitely texting someone. And then she…Did this heffa just snap a pic of us?
He dropped his head and tapped a finger against the bar. “I’m not really a stalker.”
I laughed. “Do you feel like one?”
“I’ll admit that I’ve been completely focused on you and this…” He placed his hand on top of mine, stroking my thumb with his. “Whateverthisis between us. Real talk, I haven’t felt normal in a long time. And the simple act of sitting next to you makes me feel like I’ll make it out of this holiday hell intact.”
A moment later I was still staring at our hands and how right they looked together. He’d articulated everything I’d already been thinking. His words settled something in me, confirmed what I’d been fighting hard to ignore. I didn’t want to get into how he knew I’d be at the bowling alley, but I suspected he had some help from my little matchmakers.
“Honestly, I’m glad you’re here,” I confessed. “Maddox, I can’t promise that I’ll want to talk to you tomorrow, but in this moment, I want to have dinner with you.”
He smirked. “Tonight?”
“I’m hungry.”In more ways than one. I stood and held out my hand. “Before we leave, though, I promised my family one last game. Want to join us?”
Slipping his hand in mine, he stood. “Lead the way.”
Eight frames of more gutter balls later, I’d finally hit seven pins on my first try. I jumped up, fists in the air. “Yay!” I gave Maddox a high-five.
He grinned. “Good job.”
“Thanks. I might score more than fifty this game.”
“Finally, Girly-girl!” my father shouted.
LJ rolled his eyes. “It would’ve been better if you’d got a, oh I don’t… A strike?”
I glared at him. “Don’t hate.” I picked up the ball again. Maddox might be good for my bowling game. After all, I couldn’t let him see me flounder too much. I aimed the ball, took a deep breath, and rolled it down the lane. I made a dramatic motion with my hands, almost willing the ball away from the gutter. Behind me, I heard the claps and felt the eyes on me. But that damn ball hated me because, right at the last minute, it curved and missed the pins.
“Aw,” Courtney said, approaching the ball return. “That’s unfortunate, sis.” She smacked my shoulder. “At least you tried your best.”
I muttered a curse. “Shut up.”
She leaned closer. “Cheer up,” she whispered. “You got Ho Ho Hottie over there ready to kiss it and make it better.”
I cracked up, shoving her away from me. “You get on my damn nerves.”
I took a seat next to Maddox. He held up a hand and I smacked his palm. “Good try,” he told me. “But you should really practice more.”
Nudging him with my shoulder, I said, “Says the man who has a two-twenty going into the ninth frame.”
“I bowled on a league for years,” he explained. “Maybe I’ll sign up again next year.”
“How fun,” I muttered, sarcasm dripping from my tone.
Maddox took his turn and, once again, bowled a strike.Show off.
My father walked over to me. “Now this guy I like.”
I peered up at my dad. “Really? Because he can bowl?”
Dad shook his head. “No. Because you haven’t stopped smiling since he joined us.”
