Page 35 of Third Strike Smitten

Bishop cackles. “Lying ass. Tell her what it really is.”

“It really is Field of Dreams, dumbass. You know…’If you build it they will come’…and shoeless Joe Jackson...Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones. It’s a classic. What’s not to like?”

“Fair, but it’s absolutely not your favorite movie and you know it.” Hop laughs again and I swear to God I want to pound my brother into the ground right about now. Sometimes I hate that I can’t have any secrets when he’s around.

Isla crosses her arms over her chest. “Why do I get the feeling your favorite movie is something like Mean Girls or Clueless.”

“Or High School Musical,” Layton snickers.

I reach over the aisle and point my finger in his face. “Hey. Can you play basketball and sing like Zac Efron at the same time? No. No, you can’t. So, let’s not disrespect the pretty boy with the sick voice, alright?”

Bishop leans forward, a wicked smirk on his face as he tells everyone around us, “Though let’s be honest, when our high school performed that musical back in the day, Kill was the star of the show and knew every word.”

“You are the biggest ass-butt of all time, you know that?”

He laughs. “I know bro.” His playful eyes practically light up. “I’m inconceivable.”

Isla gasps next to me. “Oh my gosh! Killian Haynes, is The Princess Bride your favorite movie?”

It’s so fucking good.

The sword fights.

The true love.

The comedic timing.

Ah, what’s not to love?

Isla's eyebrows shoot up when I don’t answer her right away. "It is, isn’t it? Come on. Be honest."

"What? It's a classic," I defend myself with a careless shrug. "Great sword fights, witty dialogue, romance that doesn't make me want to gouge my eyes out."

"Romance?" She teases. "I didn't take you for a romantic, Haynes."

"I’m not. But if I was, it would be because I have layers," I say, giving her my best smolder. "Like an onion."

"Or an ogre," she counters.

I grin. "You know what? I'll take that as a compliment. Shrek's the man as well."

She laughs, and the sound does something weird to my chest. "Still waiting for your favorite movie," I remind her.

She leans against the drink cart, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "The Goonies."

"Seriously?" I can't help but smile. "The Goonies?"

“Yeah. It was one of my dad’s favorites. We watched it all the time." She straightens up, pushing the cart forward. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other passengers to attend to."

I catch the scent of strawberries again, and I have to fight the urge to reach out and touch her. “As you wish.”

She smiles as she moves past me and I settle back in my seat, a strange warmth spreading through my chest.

Bishop leans forward, his voice low. "Dude, what are you doing?"

"Nothing. Why?”

“That…” he says, gesturing ahead of us toward Isla. “Is not nothing.”