Page 86 of The Night We Met

For all my bravado, I shy a wave at them. “Hi.”

“Kamryn, this is Jason, Mac, and Tommy.” They all acknowledge Mason when he says their names.

“You look really familiar,” Tommy ponders. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“I don’t know.” I reply, giving Mason an odd look.

“Tommy, what are you talking about?” Mason asks.

“Are you a local?” Tommy ignores Mason and goes straight back to me.

“What are with the questions for her?” Mac asks him.

“I’m sorry. It’s just…you -- your name sounds really familiar.”

Oh so this is what he’s getting at. “Have you been to New York during Fashion Week?”

Tommy claps his hands together in recognition. “That’s it! You’re Kamryn Rawlins. Of Ryn & Co.”

“Guilty.”

“Oh man, my wife is gonna freak. She loves your line.”

“Why couldn’t you have just asked her, instead of giving her the third degree?”

“I had to make sure I wasn’t going crazy,” Tommy defends.

“Newsflash Tommy…you’re already crazy,” Mac says in a loud whisper.

“So how did you two meet?” Jason pipes up and asks.

“College.” Mason responds quickly without getting into all the nitty gritty of our relationship. “Let’s play some pool. Y’all can get to know her that way.”

“You know how to play Kamryn?” Mac asks.

“I may have played a time or two,” I respond coyly as I hand my clutch to Jax and walk over to grab a pool stick and wink at Mason.

He’s holding in a silent chuckle. On some of our last minute dates, we would go to the student center and play pool. I beat him every time.

“Do you wanna break or rack?” Mac asks. Looks like I’m playing against him.

I mull it over just for fun. “I think I’ll break. And no calling the pocket. That just makes you seem like a tool.”

“As you wish,” Mac says as he racks up the pool balls.

“I might be bad at this,” I feign innocence and say as I get in my pool ready position. I really might be as it’s been so long since I’ve last played a game.

“I won’t judge you,” Mac declares with the overconfidence of an athlete that he might have this game in the bag.

Looking up at Mason and the girls who are all holding in their laughter. I focus back on the pool balls in front ofme. I set up my hand and place the cue stick in the crease, I take three fake pumps, and then on the fourth time forward I put all my mite into breaking up the balls. I crack it perfectly, sinking two stripes. When I look at Mac he’s utterly confused.

“You played me,” He chokes out when he finally finds his voice.

I walk around the table to find my best shot. When I see one that I can bounce off the edge I set up there.

“I guess you will never know.” I sink two more and then miss on my third. I take a sip of Mason’s drink and then settle between his legs.

“It’s not nice to fool people.” Mac says as he pouts and tries to find a spot.

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