Page 90 of Marrying Off My Husband

I withdrew two more bowls and filled them with a generous helping of ice cream. With spoons in hand, I returned to Eve, finding her searching for my game on her laptop.

“Really, you don’t have to play it.”

She accepted the ice cream and slid the laptop to the side. “I’d like to try it.”

I shifted in my seat, my heart pounding ridiculously fast. “I’m afraid you’ll hate it.”

“I’m sure I won’t,” she answered, licking her spoon clean of ice cream. “But you may need to help me a little.

I eased into the cushions, the tension in my shoulders relaxing a little. “Oh, you think you deserve special treatment, huh?”

She chuckled at me. “Maybe a little. After all, I am sick.”

“Very good point,” I answered as I grabbed her television remote. “Do you have a smart television?”

“Yep,” she answered with a nod. “Thank goodness, because I stream everything.”

“Me too.” I grinned at her as I headed to the App Store to download my game using a secret code that allowed me to get it for free.

“Did you just cheat and download that for free?” she asked.

“I did,” I answered as I rose. “And I want to make sure you get the full experience. Just a sec.”

I hurried from her apartment to my car. I always had a few game controllers lying around in my trunk for…well, I’d never actually had anyone ask me to play Mystic Realms with me, but there was always a first time for everything.

I grabbed them from my trunk and rejoined Eve on the couch, passing one off to her.

“Wow, fancy. I hope I know which buttons to press.”

“I’ll show you,” I said, clicking through the first few screens.

“Hey, I didn’t get to read that.”

I gave her a dismissive wave. “You don’t need to. I promise. I mean, as much as I’d love to say all of this dialogue is imperative to your understanding of the game, it’s not. Now…first thing we need to do is create your avatar.”

“What about you?”

I loaded my own avatar by signing in. A small virtual “me” appeared on the screen. He looked like me only better–with more handsome features and six-pack abs under his hoodie.

“Oh, there you are,” she said as options appeared for her to build her character on the screen. “Uh, let’s see. I just need a ponytail and a t-shirt.”

“There are lots of options there. Louise said I needed to add more female-friendly clothing, so the latest update added dresses and shoes, sunglasses, purses…you name it.”

She giggled as she selected a plain pair of black pants, t-shirt, and sneakers. “I don’t need all of those things. I’m not very good at that anyway. I just want to play.”

“Oh, okay,” I said with a nod. “Usually, Lou doesn’t get past this part. By the time she settles on an outfit, she says she’s lost interest in the game.”

After another spoonful of ice cream, Eve laughed again. “That’s funny. I actually want to play the game part.”

Pride swelled in me at the words as we dropped into the world near my house.

“So, is this where everyone starts?”

“No,” I answered. “This is my house. Most people can’t find it, but since you’re special, you can.”

She smiled before her character wandered around the outside. I explained to her how to open my door and go inside. A few seconds later, she managed to open it, and we headed inside.

My eyes slid sideways to gauge her reaction to my place. She seemed to approve.

---