I shake my head. “There’s no way. That would be too much of a coincidence. Come on, what are the odds we match up on a dating app one week before we run into you at our game.”
“The same odds that I’d show up at both of your games, and end up on the KissCam.” She bites her bottom lip as she rereads our conversation. “I’ve always said we were written in the stars, Stephen. I think there’s a real possibility that this is him.”
Longing and anticipation twist my heart in a vice.
“Only one way to find out.” Presley nudges me with her elbow. “Message this guy. See if he’ll show you a picture of his face.”
“I know you believe in all that zodiac mumbo-jumbo, but it’s not real. It’s not him, Pres.”
It can’t be.
“There’s no harm in asking.” She bounces on her heels. “Come on. I’m dying to know.”
“Aunt Presley!” Alyssa comes waddling over with Giuliana on her back. “We’re hungry. Can we get some pizza?”
“Sure.” Presley side-eyes me, and lowers her voice as she whispers, “Chicken shit.”
“I thoughtyou said lying was bad.”
“This isn’t lying. I call itstrategic persuasion.” I arch a brow at my niece. “And it’s for a good reason, not for sneaking candy into your room.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “That was one time.”
“Won’t they be worried though?” Avery asks. “Stephen is already worried enough about Alex. Won’t this make him scared?”
I heave a long sigh. “I thought about that, but you’re not going to be hurt—you’re just going missing for a couple of hours.”
“What if they want to come check his room for clues?” Alyssa asks.
Avery rolls his eyes. “What clues would they be looking for?”
I smooth my hand over her soft hair. “I really shouldn’t let you watch all those crime shows.”
“Too late now.” She shrugs. “Okay, so, you’re going to call them and tell them that you can’t find Avery. Then what?”
“They’ll want to split up and look all over town for him. Then after an hour or so, I’ll call them and tell them that I found him, and to come over. This will get them both here at the same time, and they’ll have to talk it out.” I grimace. “And hopefully, they’re not both mad at me.”
“For the record, I think this is a terrible idea,” Avery says.
Alyssa bounces in her chair. “This is so fun! It’s like we’re spies on an undercover mission.”
“All spy missions are undercover.”
“Whatever.” Alyssa slides my phone closer to me across the table. “Call them now.”
I fill my lungs with a brave breath, and scroll through my contacts. “Your phone is off, right, Ave?”
He nods. “It’s off.”
“Good. They need to think your phone died.”
I click on Stephen’s name, and hold the phone to my ear.
Here goes nothing.
“Hey, pretty girl. How was work?”
“Hey, is Avery with you by any chance?”
