Page 20 of The Wrong Game

“I am,” I said, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Thank you, for coming here with me. I think thispractice roundwas exactly what I needed.”

The corner of Zach’s mouth pulled up in a grin, revealing that dimple on his cheek. “Hey, it’smewho’s honored here.”

“Although, I do feel a little gipped in this deal.”

He cocked a brow. “How so?”

“Well, we haven’t really done muchpracticing,if you know what I mean. Like… we’ve just been watching the game.”

“Isn’t that what you invited me here to do?”

“No. I mean,technicallyyes, but you said it was a practice round for this whole…” I waved my hand. “This wholethingBelle has schemed up. And, if we’re being honest, you’ve watchedmemore than the field.”

“Can you blame me?”

I flushed, shaking my head with a smile. “Are you going to help me, or did I waste my first ticket here?”

He laughed then, propping his arms up on the backs of the chairs. One of them was around me with that movement, and my pulse picked up speed with his bicep so close. “What are your concerns?”

“I don’t know,” I confessed, looking at my hands in my lap. “I mean, I don’t even know what you do on a date now. Like, do we hold hands? That seems weird for a football game.”

“If it seems weird, don’t do it.”

“Do we kiss?”

“If you want to.”

Zach’s eyes sparked at that, and my cheeks tinged more.

“I just, I don’t know. I need to have a plan, but I don’t even know where to start. Like, do I make a list of things he should do or say, and if he meets the qualifications, then I kiss him after the game and ask him back to my place?” My brain seemed to like that, because I was already nodding before Zach even answered. “Oh, yes. I feel like there should be a list. Like,must drink beer and know the lyrics to ‘Bear Down.’Oh, andmust like hot dogs.”

I winked at him with that last line, and Zach laughed.

“Why do you have to have a list, and a plan?” he asked, taking a swig of his beer. He held up his hand to one of the guys passing by with fresh ones, pulling out twenty bucks to grab us two more before he turned back to me. “I mean, why not just enjoy the game together, have fun, and see how you’re feeling? Just go with the flow. You know what I mean?”

“Go with the flow,” I deadpanned. “God, if you knew me, you’d realize how ridiculous that proposition is.”

“Well, Idon’tknow you. Not yet. And neither will these other guys. And, isn’t that the fun part?” Zach shrugged, handing me a fresh beer. “You can be whoever you want, especially if it’s only a one-night thing. Just have fun with it.”

“Are you suggesting I lie?”

“No,” he answered quickly, bringing the aluminum bottle to his lips. Then, he shrugged. “But, I’m not saying youcan’tlie. If it’s fun. If it’s what you want to do.”

Carlo’s eyes flashed in my mind like a car wreck, those blue eyes I’d thought could never stare into mine while his lips told me anything other than the truth.

But he’d lied to me so easily, for so long, without me having a single clue.

I wondered if he did it just because he wanted to.

Just because it was fun.

“I don’t want to lie,” I said a little harsher than I intended. “Liars are on the top of two of my lists.” I held up one finger. “Things I Never Want to Be,” I said, then I popped up the second finger. “And People I Never Want in My Life.”

“Okay,” he said, watching me curiously with hands up in surrender. “No lying. Got it. But still, I think you should just relax and try to have fun. No lists. No plans. Just… live.”

I blinked at him.

“You’re looking at me like I just spoke to you in Chinese.”