Page 70 of Finish Line

She glances over at me. “Who says I’m going to lose?”

“Want to make a bet.”

“Okay, if I win, you have to do everything I say for one day.”

“And if I win…” I tap my chin, thinking. “You have to tell the rest of the guys I’m the best boyfriend.”

She throws her head back and laughs.

“You’re on.” She turns toward the screen in front of us.

We’re in a spaceship and have to shoot down boulders and pirates. When the game ends, I think I did well until I see her score.

My mouth falls open. “How did you double my points?”

“Flying the spaceship is just like driving.” She smirks. “You need to have hand-eye coordination.”

“I do have hand-eye coordination. I play games all the time. Best out of three?”

“Okay.”

I win the next game by a hair. “Yes! I beat you.”

“Tiebreaker.” She hits the button to start the game.

Her score is ahead of me. I reach over and pull her steering wheel, and it makes her plane go off course.

“Ahh, Mav, that’s cheating.” She chuckles.

Our time is almost up, and once again, she’s beating me. I yawn and put my left hand out, pushing her in her arm and making her fly off course again.

At the end, I glance at her score, then mine, then throw my arms up. “I win!”

“You cheated, Maverick Knight.” She tries to keep a straight face but cracks a smile.

“I didn’t cheat. I yawned. It’s not my fault that the seats are so close together.”

She rolls her eyes and climbs out of the game chair.

We play a few other games, but something nags at me.

“Hey, Shelby. Something’s missing.” I glance down at her standing beside me, the same look on her face that I have on mine.

“Our friends,” she says.

“So, you think so, too?”

She smiles and nods.

I kiss her forehead and call Nick.

He tells me he’ll round up everyone and be here in less than an hour.

“They’re on their way. I’ll tell the manager. Why don’t you order an appetizer and some drinks for us, and when I come back, we’ll wait for them?”

She nods, already heading toward the bar area. “Sounds great.”

After talking to the manager, I find Shelby at a large table. She ordered potato skins and loaded nachos with drinks.

---