Page 44 of Hard to Get

“We can talk about your stats any time you want,” I say in a flirty tone.

“Stop. You’re so hot when you talk nerdy to me.”

“I guess I shouldn’t mention my math tattoo.”

His eyes widen and the corners of his mouth lift. “Seriously? You have a math tattoo? Show me.”

“I can’t show you here.”

“Jesus.” He scrubs a hand down over his face. “Are you trying to kill me?”

I laugh softly. “Maybe just a little torture.”

“You’re succeeding. We should go. Except I’m not sure how I’m going to ride my bike home now.”

“Think about the Fibonacci sequence.”

“The what now?”

“Hmm, maybe not. How about… think of dog vomit.”

He chokes just as our server approaches.

I smile up at her. “Could we get the bill, please?”

Still coughing, Jayden pulls out his phone. “I got this.”

“You paid last time.”

“I’ll pay every time.”

Every time? I want to give him a hard time about making assumptions again but, to be honest, I kind of like that he said that.

As we stand to leave, the two boys who’d been eyeing Jayden earlier approach a little bashfully.

“Could we get your autograph, Mr. Wood?” one boy says.

Jayden smiles. “Yeah, sure.”

They both have Orcas hats and a pen, and Jayden signs them for them. “You guys play hockey?”

“Yeah,” they both answer.

One boy says, “I want to be a goalie.”

“Cool. That’s an important position.”

“You’re our favourite player,” the other boy says.

“Our mom likes you, too,” his brother adds.

I hide my smile as Jayden rubs a hand over his mouth. “That’s great,” he says. “Do you come to games?”

“Sometimes, yeah. But Dad says we can’t spend that much money to go watch the Orcas lose all the time.”

Jayden winces. “Well, hopefully, we start winning more.”

He chats with them for another minute, then we leave the restaurant.