Page 64 of Burn Falls

I looked at Marcy and Martin as they sat back down at the dining room table across from us. I didn’t want to be rude.

“Go. Please,” Marcy said. “It’s been fun, but I should get the girls ready for bed. It’s almost past their bedtimes, Millie’s especially.”

The girls were still in the living room, engrossed in another movie and probably trying to be quiet so they didn’t remind their parents that it was after their bedtimes.

“And I have work tomorrow too,” Martin said.

“Do you want to come? Athan is there,” I asked Draven.

“Sure, but I have to warn you that I’ve been playing darts for years.”

“Good, you can be on my team.” We started to stand. “Speaking of Athan, I was surprised he didn’t want to stay for dinner.”

“He didn’t know about it.” Draven winked. “Said he was taking Valencia out.”

After I said my goodbyes, Draven drove us to meet up with Valencia and Athan. They were at the back wall of the sports bar playing darts against two guys.

“Who’s winning?” I asked, coming up behind Valencia.

She turned and threw herself at me, hugging me tightly. “You came!”

“I texted that I would.”

“I didn’t get it. We’ve been kicking these guy’s asses at darts.” She hooked her thumb in the direction of the guys I didn’t know.

“You want a drink, sweets?” Draven asked.

“OBB neat,” I replied with a smile.

“Switching to whiskey?” He grinned back.

I shrugged. “Now that it’s available.”

“I’ll make sure Martin has it at his house the next time you come over.”

“The next time?” I asked, thinking that I was going back to Alaska in less than a week and I wasn’t sure when I’d be back.

“Trust me. Marcy will nag me until you come back. Even for a weekend.”

Draven bent and pressed his lips to mine just as Athan hit a bullseye and V cheered next to me.

“We play winner,” Draven stated to Athan as we broke apart.

“Couple versus couple?” Athan asked.

“Yeah.” Draven walked toward the bar, and I turned to V.

“You two are a couple?” I nudged my head toward Athan.

She shrugged. “We’re just having fun.”

I grinned. “Good.”

Draven returned with a round of OBB for the four of us, and after Athan and V beat the guys—well, more Athan than Valencia—we started to play a round. Athan and Draven were neck and neck, usually hitting bullseyes, or at least the green center circle. Valencia and I—not so much. Draven and I ended up taking the game, and the two men replaced Athan and V.

“You want to make this interesting?” one of the guys asked.

“What do you have in mind?”