Page 42 of Something Blue

Andy turned to see Sadie tucked in the car-driving arcade game. Facing the screen, he couldn’t see her face. He went around the curtained side and sat next to her on the seat.

“Do you know how long I’ve looked for you?” he asked, turning to look at her face. “If you wanted to play arcade games—”

He stopped short when he saw her tear-stained face. Anger rushed through him, and he gripped the sides of the seat to keep from clawing at the air. “What did that punk do to you?”

Sadie sniffled and hid her face in her hands. “Nothing.”

“Yeah, right.” He laughed, but there was no mirth in his voice. “You wouldn’t be here alone, crying, if everything was okay.”

Sniffling, she dug her face into her knees. He couldn’t watch anymore without doing something. He slipped an arm around her waist and slid her closer. With his free hand, he pulled the curtain closed behind them and then rested his chin on her head. Without any more prompting, she buried her face in his chest and sobbed.

He brought his other hand up and rested it against her head, softly stroking her hair. Subconsciously, he twirled a few of her curls, smiling in the dark enclosure. He’d missed her curly hair. He rested his head against hers and breathed the moment in. The more time he spent with her, the more he knew this was not a fake relationship. He’d known when he’d wagered their deal. She’d caught his eye from day one, and now it crushed him that she was hurting.

After a few minutes, her sobbing calmed. “I miss my mom,” she said in a hushed voice.

“Want to talk about it?”

She shook her head. “Not right now.”

“Are you hungry?” The tenderness in his voice surprised him. How could she not know how he felt? He was too obvious by default. This girl had totally tangled herself in his life.

“Mmm,” she murmured.

He ran his fingers through her hair once more before reluctantly standing up. “Should we go then?”

She nodded and reached for his hand as he led her out of the game room. Tingles crawled up his arms, tickling his shoulder. He rolled his shoulders back, and instantly she dropped his hand.

“Sorry,” he said. “I was—”

“No, it’s better if I don’t get too attached.”

Andy jerked to a stop. Sadie slammed into his back, but he barely noticed. He was too busy repeating her words in his mind. “Attached? You don’t want to get attached to me?”

Her eyes grew wide. “Well, I mean, not really.”

His heart plummeted to his stomach. “You don’t like me?”

She licked her lips, then chewed on her bottom lip instead of responding.

He shoved both hands in his pockets and took a step away from her. “Is this about Chase?”

Her eyes flashed with anger. “I don’t want to talk about him. You were okay with this arrangement until now. What changed?”

“Because I didn’t count on liking you.” He blurted the words so fast and loud, there was no turning back.

Her angry scowl turned into a befuddled stupor. She fisted her hands to her hips. “You like me? Yeah, right? You and your dad—”

He sighed and stepped closer, holding her shoulders at arm’s length. “Who honestly tells their parents how they feel? They would start talking about houses and grandkids and who knows what else.”

Her face flushed with color, and her tone softened a bit. “So, you’re not joking?”

“No. The more time I spend with you, the more time I want to spend with you. I hate it when you’re hurting. I’m jealous when Chase is in the room or even mentioned around me. You’ve wrapped yourself around my heart like bacon on a cream-cheese jalapeño popper, and I can’t just be a jalapeño anymore.”

“What does that even mean?” she said, laughing into her hand.

“I honestly don’t know. Since I’ve met you, I’ve been doing things I’ve never dreamed of doing. If you feel the same way, why not give us a shot?” His heart thumped like the Jumanji drum as he paused to study her face. “It’s worth a try, right? People already think we’re together.”

She blinked rapidly, but didn’t say anything, which he took as a good sign.

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