Page 61 of Win Big

The woman catches my eye and returns my smile, then takes the card and pen back from Wyatt. “Thank you so much! He’s going to love this!”

“Does he play hockey?”

Gah. More feels. He doesn’t have to be so sweet to her, but he is.

“He does! He wants to play for the Condors someday. Maybe he will! Thank you. Enjoy your lunch.”

She disappears with a wave.

Now other people in the restaurant are looking at us. Maybe they wonder who Wyatt is, or maybe they recognize him, but nobody else comes over, though I sense their interest as we finish eating.

“I’d better get back to work,” I say, my salad done.

“I thought thiswaswork for you.” He says it mildly, not snidely.

“It is.”

He jerks back as if he’s been stabbed, slapping a hand to his chest. “Ouch.”

“Oh, all right. It was . . .”

“Fun?” he suggests helpfully.

“Maybe a little.”

It was more than fun. It was... exciting. Frustrating. Energizing.

He seems to have that effect on me.

But we’re not having sex.

WYATT

“Hilarious.” I shake my head, looking at my phone.

My buddies, who are partying it up in Tahoe, have seen the blog pics of me and the sex shop dude.

New boyfriend?

Jabber texts me.

Something you want to tell us?

Bergie asks, followed by,

It’s okay, we aren’t judging.

Jimmy texts,

Wish you’d trusted us enough to tell us. Hate finding out this way.

“Ha-ha.”

I text them back

Glad there’s no judgment.

Let them ponder on that.

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