Page 13 of Sanctuary

She turned to me, her eyes wide with surprise. “What are we doing here? Is this one of the family’s holdings?”

“No,” I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. “I, uh... I overheard you saying you missed playing bingo. So, I thought maybe we could give it a try.”

A slow smile spread across her face, lighting up her eyes in a way that made my heart skip a beat. “Aww, that’s sweet of you.”

I nodded, feeling a warmth spread through my chest at her reaction. “Yeah, well... I thought it might be fun.”

Her lips parted in a sleepy smile as she raised brow. “Do you even know how to play bingo?”

I laughed, rubbing the stubble on my jaw. “Not a clue. But I’m willing to give it a go for you. But you have got to be exhausted. We can do this another time if you want?”

She pulled on her door handle and as she climbed out of the car, she looked over her shoulder and said, “And miss the nachos and cheese? Not a chance.”

Chapter 7

Mia

The bingo caller was announcing the games as we walked into the hall. Quickly we purchased our cards and dabbers and found a seat just as she was calling out the first number.

“Hurry,” I said laughing, as I started dabbing my cards for B9.

“Wait,” Connor looked over his cards. “There’s more than one box on a strip?!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his bewildered expression. “Oh, you poor thing. You really have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, do you?”

He grinned sheepishly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Not a clue. But I’m a quick learner.”

As I guided him through the basics of bingo, I found myself relaxing for the first time in days. The familiar rhythm of the game, the excited murmurs of the other players, and Connor’s endearing attempts to keep up, all combined to create a bubble of normalcy that I desperately needed.

“I-22,” the caller announced, her voice crackling over the ancient PA system.

“Ha!” Connor exclaimed, triumphantly dabbing his card. “I’ve got that one!”

I leaned over to check his work, our shoulders brushing. “Good job. You’re getting the hang of it.”

As the evening wore on, Connor’s initial confusion gave way to genuine enthusiasm. He leaned forward in his seat, eyes darting between his cards and the flashing number board, dauber poised and ready. I couldn’t help but smile at his intense concentration, his tongue peeking out slightly as he searched for each new number.

“B-4,” the caller announced, her voice a monotonous drone that somehow still managed to convey excitement.

“Before what?” Connor whispered, looking confused.

I giggled, pointing to his card. “No, B-4. Look, you’ve got it right there.”

He grinned guiltily as he marked the number. “I knew that. I was just testing you.”

As the game progressed, I found myself stealing glances at him more often than I cared to admit. There was something endearing about watching this man fumble his way through a simple game of bingo. It made him seem more... human.

Finally, when the caller announced a brief intermission he stretched, his shirt riding up slightly to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of toned abs. I quickly averted my eyes, reminding myself that this was all for show.

“I don’t know about you,” Connor said, standing up, “but I’m starving. How about we check out those nachos you were talking about?”

We made our way to the concession stand and waited our turn for our order to be taken. The smell of melted cheese and corn chips filled the air, making my mouth water.

“Two orders of nachos, please,” Connor said when we reached the front. “And, uh, extra cheese.”

As we waited for our order, Connor leaned against the counter, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “So, what do you say we make this a regular thing? You know, for the sake of our cover story.”

I raised an eyebrow, fighting back a smile. “A weekly bingo date? How romantic.”

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