Page 43

Bowling

Declan

“There are definitely scorpions in Kansas City.”

I looked at my dad and wasn’t sure whether to laugh or mock him because at this point, I didn’t need his confirmation. Obviously there were scorpions in Kansas City because Abi and I had seen one up close and personal.

“That was definitely a surprise I didn’t expect to enjoy on your birthday,” I admitted.

“I’m really impressed by your idea to suck that thing up,” Roman said. “Good thinking.”

Abi popped up beside me and held a basket of fries in front of my face.

“I thought we were going to share fries,” I said, though not really hungry.

“You did say that,” she said, “but I don’t like to share my fries so I got you your own.”

“Is that right?” I said, obsessed with the teasing glint in her eye.

Obsessed with everything about her, actually. If I’d been into her before the scorpion, I was over-the-top, out-of-my-head into her now.

I would’ve been happy never leaving that room. I’d actually begged her to let me call in sick to the birthday party, but she wouldn’t hear of it.

“Yeah, but if you can’t finish yours, let me know and I’m sure I can help,” she said with a grin.

“You have quite the appetite, Mariano,” I said.

“What is that?” my dad asked.

“Fries…?” I said, unsure of his confusion.

“No, you just called her Mariano,” he said, his eyes narrowed in confusion. “What’s that all about?”

Oh, shit. I scratched my chin, looking for a way out. I’d gotten so used to calling her that that I didn’t even notice when it happened anymore.

“It’s a quote from a show we like,” Abi said, smiling like it was a cute story. “Have you ever seen Gilmore Girls ?”

“Can’t say that I have,” my father said, and it made me laugh, the idea of my dad watching Gilmore Girls .

“Well, Dex hadn’t either, but now he loves it. Anyway, Jess Mariano is one of the characters. And he really loves french fries.”

I looked down at her and quietly said, “Does he?”

“I have no idea,” she muttered around a laugh, her eyes dancing, “But he’s smart, so probably yes.”

“Okay, time to bowl,” my mother said, putting an end to a conversation that could’ve blown our cover.

Everyone except for my parents looked stunned to be wearing community bowling shoes and like they didn’t quite know what to do with themselves. The whole business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back thing was going on with these designer outfits that were now paired with bowling shoes.

“Ready for a beatdown?” Abi teased, and every time I looked at her, I felt utterly transfixed.

Even if we hadn’t just had mind-blowing sex in our hotel room, the sight of her in my faded favorite sweatshirt and jeans, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail and glasses on her nose, made me feel like I was in love already.

She was fucking adorable, and hilarious, and suddenly I didn’t really care about anything else, much less winning a game of bowling.

“Don’t be cocky, Green,” I said anyway, giving her a look. “You’ve got no shot of beating me.”

“What do you think a nerdy asthmatic kid did with her Saturday mornings?” she asked with her eyebrows raised. “I played in a bowling league. The Saturday Strikers kicked ass and you’re about to see evidence of such.”

“?‘Evidence of such,’?” I said, shaking my head. “Maybe we should make a bet on who’s going to win.”

“Enough with all your little bets and deals,” she said, shaking her head.

“Yeah, I suppose it’s not necessary now, right?” I said quietly, leaning down because I wanted to bury my nose in her hair. “What more could I possibly want?”

I heard her suck in a breath, like she was surprised by my words, but Abi couldn’t let me have that.

She looked up at me with a smile and said, “To beat me at bowling.”