Page 60 of The Quit List
“Were you good at it?”
I laugh. “Horrible. But he was even more horrible. We had such a laugh about it.”
“I don’t buy it. He was probably letting you win.”
Once again, Jax is insanely intuitive—I had a feeling that Ian was letting me win a couple times last night. “Well, that’s kinda sweet, right? Gentlemanly?”
Jax’s lips form into a smile. “I wouldn’t have let you win.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you,” I say archly. And I really wouldn’t. With Jax, I would have had to push myself. Get competitive. Fight for it. Like I did during board game night with Luke and Mindy last week.
It sounds… fun. We should go mini golfing together sometime. Friends do that, right?
“Come on, Holly, I know you don’t want the pity W. It’s sexist. You wanna win fair and square, or lose fair and square. Well, unless you’re playing Catan. You were like a freaking bloodhound during that game. Ruthless.”
Glad of the subject change away from Ian, I laugh. “When I find my man, I’m going to have to ease them into meeting Game Night Holly.”
“Nah, if they can’t handle her, they’re not a keeper.”
I turn away so he doesn’t see the blush spread over my face. Truth is, I had way more fun than I probably should’ve had that night with Jax, Mindy, and Luke. We ended up playing best of three, and the last match came down to Luke and me, locked in a head-to-head. I swear Jax was building roads to get in the way of my path, just for the hell of it. Just to test me, make me sweat.
Though of course, it was hard to pay attention to winning when the laughter and conversation flowed so easily, Mindy and Luke snuggled close together on the couch, Jax with an arm draped loosely on the back of my chair.
It was cozy. Maybe too cozy.
The last couple of weeks put me back on track with my goals. I dove right back onto Spark with the intention to keep up my dates as I work on my quit list with Jax. And I have to admit, I’ve had a lot more fun. Even if a large part of that fun has been calling Jax after dates (especially after the bad ones) and laughing about them.
“I’m sure Ian could handle Game Night Holly,” I say to the window, and it fogs up with my breath.
I draw a doodle heart in the fog, then hurriedly wipe it away.
Because I’m not so sure I’m right.
In my mind, kayaking didn’t sound all that bad.
I was nervous, sure. I always get nervous for new things.
But on the drive to Sweetwater Creek State Park, I kind of pictured doing some leisurely laps in a tandem kayak together—gliding around on still, glassy water, and then sitting at the beach in the sunshine and eating a picnic.
I didn’t consider the fact that Wolf Man was the one taking me on this adventure. Because here I am, wading into less than calm water with the bottom of my dress bunched into one hand, my pretty new shoes abandoned on the shore behind me. I’m walking slowly and steadily and trying not to think too hard about the fact that my bare feet are currently squelching into mud on the lake floor with every step, and there’s only one seat in that stupid boat—which I’m pretty sure is meant for me.
I hike my dress up further around my thighs, then turn to look at Jax, who’s walking just behind me. It’s a small comfort to know that he’s close enough to catch me if a sudden freak current were to try and sweep me away.
Well… I hope he’d save me first and not the kayak.
“What now?”
He pats a hand on the red boat. “Get in.”
I blink at him, then at the boat. “How?!”
“By using your legs.”
“I hate you,” I tell him.
He laughs. “Don’t worry, Hollywood, you got this. I won’t let you fall.”
I don’t know why, but I believe him. I hike my dress up even more and gingerly place one foot into the kayak. I notice Jax grasping onto the sides of the kayak to keep it steady, and I try to do the same.
