Page 16 of Change Your Play

“Why would you find out?” Cleo laughed more out of surprise than anything else. “Miles?”

“Thirty minutes out. We better get going,” I answered instead. “Do you have everything you need? Do you want to stop at a coffee shop before we get there?”

“Why would you find out who tried to ask me out?”

“Because they should know better. If they’re yelling at me for staring at you throughout practice, they know you’re mine. And they need to know to keep their hands to themselves.” I could feel her eyes on me. “Trust me, Cleo. You deserve better than some KYU dipshit with three girlfriends across state lines and a short-lived career in the NFL.”

Cleo’s voice was soft. “You barely know me.”

“That’s fine. I know what you deserve. It’s an easy thing to pick up about you.”

“What do you mean?”

I shifted the car in reverse and cranked up the speed once we hit the highway. Closer to the city, the speed traps spring up, but once we crossed into the backcountry, I could really test my car’s engine. I took one last look at the beautiful girl next to me before I focused on the road.

“You deserve someone that’ll take care of you the way you take care of everybody else,” I said, pressing down on the accelerator.

6

Cleo

Not What I’m Used To

“You drive like somebody escaping prison.” I laughed.

“I don’t want to use what little time we have on the road.”

I took a long look at the man in the driver’s seat. He was the most relaxed I’d ever seen him, and that was saying something. His hand languished over the steering wheel like we were taking a Sunday drive, not flying down the highway, engine roaring to let everybody else know about our recent prison break.

Miles finally eased the car to the speed limit and I shook my head. “How has nobody taken your license yet?”

“That’s why I can’t go to Marrs.” He chuckled. “Houston’s a sprawling city. I’d get caught for sure.”

The few street lamps overhead illuminated our drive, but no matter how many questions I pestered Miles with, he wouldn’t budge and tell me where we were going.

Finally, we sat outside of our destination. I cocked my head to the side.

“Hear me out,” he murmured.

I shook my head, trying not to let the surprise show. “Wow. It’s just…not what I was expecting.”

We left KYU’s campus and drove thirty wild minutes to the most colorful building in the distance. I never would’ve guessed it. I’d seen the arcade and go-kart centers back in Houston - I’d just never been to one. Miles strode over to the side of the car and opened my door before I could beat him to it.

“You’re a legacy girl,” he explained. “I’m sure you’ve been to great restaurants on any other date. I didn’t want this to be every other date. So I’m trying something new. Let me know if it works.”

An easy smile crossed my lips. “That’s very…sweet.”

“Thank you.”

Miles grinned the kind of grin that lit up his face like nothing else. Wow, that man was a looker. I only stopped gawking at him when I looked closer at the arcade.

“Miles, I think we have a problem.”

“What’s the problem?”

“Um, look at the windows.” I gestured around the parking lot, completely devoid of life. “I think this place is closed. We can find somewhere else to go. Trust me, this is basically what I do for a living.”

“Nope.” Miles offered his arm to me. “I bought it out for tonight.”

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