Page 65 of Call My Bluff
Olivia:The owl looks great! He’ll definitely win something in the art show next month.
Noah:Good.
Olivia:You should try to come!
Noah:I’ll see what I can do. :-)
Sunday, March 11
Olivia:All Lexie can talk about is watching Jake play intramural baseball, and she wants me to keep her company. She says practice starts tomorrow. Any chance you can comehang out, too?
Noah:Not in the stands, but you can cheer for me if you want.
Olivia:Oh, are you playing?
Noah:Of course!
Olivia:Well, good. I’ll have somebody to heckle.
Noah:Do your worst! I’ll keep an ear out.
Noah dropped his phone on his blanket and rolled off the bed before heading down the hall. “Jake!” he yelled, but there were no sounds from the floor above. He crossed the living room and tried again. “Jacob Tanner!”
There was a loud thunk, and a second later Jake opened the door at the top of the stairs wearing nothing but boxer shorts. His hair stuck up in all directions, and it was obvious he’d been asleep only moments before. “Is the house onfire?” he snapped, but Noah ignored him.
“Hey, are you still recruiting for your baseball team? I want to play third base.”
Jake blinked several times, gaping down at him. “That’swhat you’re yelling about? Have you lost yourmind?!”
“Just answer the question. Do you need another guy or not?”
Silence reigned, and then Jake heaved a loud sigh. “You can play if you want to. Practice starts tomorrow at seven.”
“Perfect, thanks,” Noah answered. Then he started back to his own room without waiting for more information.
“Hey!” Jake shouted down the stairs. “Get your girl problem under control!”
Noah chuckled and kept walking. That was exactly what he was trying to do.
“Are you kidding,Campbell? That was horrendous!” Olivia bellowed, both hands cupped around her mouth.
Noah looked up from the infield where he’d just missed a throw from second base and glared at her from beneath the bill of his hat. Olivia grinned and settled back against the uncomfortable metal bleachers where she and Lexie were watching the men’s team practice.
“You’re so mean to him,” Lexie remarked.
Olivia shrugged. “He asked for it. Next time, I’m gonna wear a shirt with Conner’s last name on the back just to drive him crazy.”
Lexie chuckled and shaded her eyes from the sun as Jake stepped up to home plate. He took a few practice swings. “You can do it, Jacob!” she shouted, and then she turned to Olivia with a smug smile. “See?That’show you be a good girlfriend.”
Olivia elbowed her in the side. “I’m nottryingto be a good girlfriend because Noah and I aren’tactuallydating, remember?”
Lexie smirked and raised one eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”
“Yes, of course I’m sure! I think I would know if we were.”
Olivia’s friend huffed in an unconvinced sort of way. “But you spend a lot of time texting, right?”
“Yeah, but—”
