Page 96 of A Game Of Love

“Yeah,” I say softly. “They are.”

Shortly after all the adults finished eating, they excused themselves and went into the house, leaving Bee, Bella, the guys, and myself outside.

“I’ll have to come to one of your games,” Bella pipes up, interrupting Bishop and Toby’s conversion.

She’s looking at my boyfriend with hearts in her eyes, and it’s taking everything in me not to take my fork and stab her with it.

After I helped Ari with supper, we all came out into the backyard, where there was enough room for us all.

Jonas arrived not long before the food was done and helped bring everything into the back with the guys.

We’ve been sitting down and having a nice supper. All except the very obvious flirtations Bella keeps trying to use on my man.

Everything from trying to find any reason to talk to him to making googly eyes at him. I hate it. I hate her. I want her to leave. Or at least leave Toby alone.

And because, of course, Toby is a gentleman, he’s polite to her, trying his best to answer her questions without being too friendly. Not that he wants to.

If my hand grips his thigh any harder every time she brings her attention his way, this man will have nail prints embedded into his skin.

“Ah, yeah.” He nods. “That would be cool.” He goes to turn his attention back to Bishop when she speaks again.

“You know, I don’t really know how to skate. Maybe you could give me a few lessons,” she asks in a sickeningly sweet voice.

I can feel Bee’s eyes on me, silently pleading with me not to lose my shit. If I do, it would bring up questions that none of us want to answer right now.

But I can’t just keep sitting here and listening to this. Part of me wants to smack Toby for not shutting her down completely, so there’s no indication she has a chance.

“What are you talking about?” Bishop asks, looking at his cousin, confused. “You know how to skate. We all went last year.”

Bella shoots Bishop a glaring look. “Not very well,” she grinds out.

“You know, with school and hockey, I don’t really have much free time. And any free time I have, it’s spent with Lilly and Bishop.”

Bella’s face falls a little. Me? I’m fucking beaming on the inside. Would it be too much to puff out my chest and say,‘Take that, Bella’?

Okay, yeah, maybe a little. Doesn’t mean I don’t feel like doing it.

“You know, every second Sunday, I give lessons to the kids down at the rec center. You’re welcome to join us. I’d be more than happy to teach you how to skate better.”

Bella looks at me, nostrils flaring just a little bit. I can see the irritation rolling off her in waves.

“That's a good idea.” Toby places his hand over the one that’s got a death grip on his thigh. “Lilly is a wonderful teacher.”

“I’ll consider that.” Bella forces a polite smile.

Toby goes back to talking to Bishop. The hand over mine curls, lacing his fingers with mine, sending me a silent reminder that he’s mine, only mine, settling the jealous rage inside me.

A little while later, the parents come out, and we sit around the fire like we did the last time I was over.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell Bishop, putting my hand on his shoulder.

“You okay?” he asks, looking up at me with a concerned look.

I nod and smile. “Just need to pee.”

He grins. “Need help?”

“Gross.” I laugh, shaking my head and heading into the house.

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