AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re a real trooper for coming over today. Thank you.” I lean close enough to her that our arms are touching.
She changes the subject. “What are you making for supper? Because it had better be something good.”
“I’ll make whatever you want,” I tell her. “Even if that means going to the store to buy something other than the steaks I have in the refrigerator.”
“What if I want to order out?”
“I’ll bring in crab cakes from Maryland. I’ll drive to Chicago for your favorite pizza.”
“Impressive,” she says. “But would you take me to the diner for a patty melt?”
“I would. I’d even take you bowling afterward if you wanted.”
Her gaze narrows. “You may live to regret that offer. I’m a fantastic bowler.”
“I’m so good I could have gone pro,” I brag. “In fact, if we had one more person, we could play doubles. Winner decides their prize.”
In response, Melissa pulls her phone out of her pocket and places a call. I don’t know who she’s talking to, but she asks, “Want to go bowling with me, Sammy, and Jamie tonight? Someone is getting cocky and is claiming he’s the best there is.”
Then she looks at me and asks, “Six o’clock?”
I nod in approval while she says, “I think we should ask for a trip to Paris if we win.”
As she hangs up, I tell her, “Prizes within reason.”
Her gaze narrows. “Trying to back out of our bet already?”
“No, but even a master can make an occasional mistake.”
“Master?” She throws back her head and laughs. It’s such a stunning sight I feel a physical reaction to it—kind of like when you drive over a dip in the road and your stomach bottoms out.
Sammy walks back onto the patio wearing a new sundress. She has a towel wrapped around her head. Melissa tells her, “Your dad is taking us to the diner for supper and then we’re going bowling. Paige is going to meet us there.”
“Really? Cool. Can we go early? I’m still kind of hungry, and I’m craving french fries.”
“Cravings are part of being a woman,” Melissa assures her.
“I thought that was only for pregnant women.”
Melissa shakes her head. “Nope. There’s an abundance of scientific evidence to support a woman’s need for fried food during her time of month.”
I clear my throat, hoping they’ll move off this subject. Menstrual cycles are mysterious danger zones for men, and no matter how long we’ve known about them, we are never any closer to understanding them. Pointing at Sammy, I tell her, “Go do whatever you need to do and when you’re ready, we’ll take this show on the road.”
After she skips back inside, I ask Melissa, “Want to go for a quick walk down by the pier while we wait?”
“I don’t know. We seem to get into trouble when we go for walks together.” Her tone is playful, but there’s an undertone of trepidation.
“What if I promise to keep my hands to myself?”
“Your hands haven’t been the trouble.”
“What if I promise to keep my lips to myself?”
Her posture slumps slightly. “Maybe.”
“Please?” I ask. I need to be outside of my four walls and there’s nothing like staring out onto a body of water to realign myself.
She stands up and makes a move toward the house, which catapults me to my feet. I follow her inside and call down the hall to Sammy, “Meet us outside. Melissa and I are going to walk down by the pier.” Her response is muffled but I know she heard me.
