Page 70 of I'd Never Date my Brother's Best Friend

I lead Jessica to the table where we play and sit beside her. “Do you like this place?”

She nods. “I see why you come here,” she whispers. “They’re like kids.”

I laugh, agreeing with her. “You should see when they’re arguing over who gets to eat the last slice of pizza or other mundane things. It’s so interesting to watch. I—”

“They’re such a cute couple, aren’t they?” I recognize Alisha’s whisper.

Another thing about the older people is that they are all half deaf and their whisper is like a stage whisper. She probably thinks we can’t hear her. Jessica bites back a laugh.

“Sean says they aren’t dating,” Hannah counters. “Maybe they’re just friends.”

“They aren’t just friends,” Alisha insists. “I wasn’t born yesterday. Don’t you see the way they look at each other?”

Jessica’s face is red from trying hard not to laugh, and it’s even harder for me because, in a way, they’re right. To Jessica, I might be just a friend. But to me, she’s so much more. I guess Alisha truly wasn’t born yesterday.

“Well, you’re right,” Hannah agrees. “They look good together. Oh, to be young and in love.”

“Lower your voice,” Alisha scolds. “Don’t let them hear you.”

“It’s a little late, Alisha.” I glance back at them. “You weren’t doing an excellent job at whispering.”

The two women look bashful for a moment before crossing over to us. “We’re sorry, dear,” Hannah tells Jessica. “Sometimes, Alisha doesn’t like to mind her business.”

Alisha gasps. “Hannah!”

“What?” Hannah shrugs just as Steve returns to the table with the bingo caller, Gertrude. Everyone sits at the table as Gertrude passes the scorecards and bingo chips.

“You good?” I lean over to Jessica.

She winks and leans so close to me that I am surrounded by her scent. It’s vanilla. “Give it all you’ve got, big boy.”

Her words go straight into my bloodstream, sending tingles down my spine. Wow this girl is beautiful and she has no clue how she affects me. Without another thought she goes back to arranging her score cards and waiting for instructions.

I take a deep breath as Gertrude verbally reviews the instructions for Jessica before starting the game. Usually, I don’t exert myself while playing, but today I am. When Jessica is with me at the table, I better sit up. Bingo is more a game of luck and chance than skill, but that doesn’t mean I’ll simply relax and let Jessica win.

It’s a shock to everyone at the table when, in a very short time, Jessica shouts, “Bingo!”

“What?” Steve leans over to her side of the table and scans her scorecard. “Heck! Gertrude’s voice was too low,” he complained. “So many times she called a combination, and I couldn’t even hear her.”

“Steve!” Everyone laughs.

Jessica nudges me, and when I turn to her, she’s smiling. “When will you admit I’m better than you, Sean?”

“Never.” Unable to resist, I lean down and kiss her cheek, then immediately turn back to everyone sitting around the table. “Gertrude, let’s prepare for another round!”

Chapter 27

Jessica

“Congratulations, Jess!” Winnie laughs. “This is great!”

“Yes.”

Winnie pauses. “You don’t sound too excited. What’s wrong?”

“What?” I ask, putting the phone on speaker so I can leave it on the counter while I check the fridge for breakfast. “I’m excited. You know how hard it is to prepare a manuscript. Of course, I’m excited to finish it without missing my deadline.”

“Hmm.” Winnie sighs. “But this isn’t the first manuscript you’re completing, and I know how excited you always are. I can tell something is wrong.”

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