Page 20 of Homebody
“Oh, uh, yeah. No. I’m stripes. You’re solids. I, uh, missed just before so it’s your turn.” She hadn’t missed and it wasn’this turn but she was shaking too hard to take a shot right now anyway.
In the grand scheme of things, that little white lie was the least of the lying she’d done and would be doing in this scenario.
Hopefully, Dean would run the table and then have to break for the next game and she wouldn’t have to do anything but try not to faint from the stress of this whole night. The lies. His eyes. All of it.
He tipped his head in response with the pool cue gripped in hands that looked strong and capable. “Sounds good.”
Dean lined up his shot as Tessa tried to ignore the many eyes trained upon them. Ruby, Red, the Sinclairs, not to mention quite a few of the patrons seated around them.
She couldn’t blame them all for staring. Dean with his chiseled features, and equally chiseled body, was a thing of beauty. She’d be watching him too even if she wasn’t being paid to do so.
That was saying something. Lately if it wasn’t related to her thesis she paid no attention at all—that included men and her non-existent social life.
But there was no doubt, she wasn’t cut out for this kind of public scrutiny. Her nerves couldn’t take it. She felt the flop sweat dampening her armpits in spite of the deodorant she’d applied, twice, before leaving tonight.
Her mouth went dry. Her stomach fluttered.
There was a reason she’d chosen the field of research. Behind the scenes. That was where she was most comfortable. Not this…this circus performance she’d been talked into.
The warmth of his hand on her lower back startled her. She whipped her head around to find Dean standing close. Very close.
“Sorry. Can I get in there?” he asked lifting his chin to indicate the pool table.
She realized she was standing in front of the cue ball, right where he’d have to be to take the next shot. “Oh. Of course. My bad.”
“No worries. Just a friendly game. Right?” He smiled.
“Right.” She forced a smile in return.
Just a friendly game. Little did Dean know that this whole night—him, her,them—was one big game. And the game masters were all right here watching her play it.
“You’re up.” He tipped his head toward the table. “Just in time too. My beer’s here.” He grinned again as he leaned toward his parents’ table and snatched the glass up to take a big swallow.
She was too busy watching him to remember to take a shot. He came back and laid a hand on her waist, standing next to her to evaluate the situation before them.
Giving her waist a little squeeze, he glanced down at her as he said, “If I were you, I’d go for the corner pocket. You don’t want to sink that eight-ball by mistake.”
“Uh, right. Definitely don’t want to do that.” Her short, forced laugh sounded too loud, too high pitched, and as nervous as she felt.
Sinking the eight-ball would end this horror show and that’s exactly what she would like to do. But now he’d given her advice, she couldn’t ignore it. She took the shot he suggested and somehow managed to make it in spite of her nerves.
As she was trying to make sense of what was left on the table while her mind was on Dean and his suddenly being so handsy, he moved closer and said, “Hey.”
Swallowing hard, she turned to face him. “Hey.” It came out sounding more like a question but it was the best she could do.
“I wanna apologize. And I want to come clean and be honest with you,” he said leaning low and close.
“Oh—okay.”
Uh oh.Honest? That wasn’t on the table for tonight. At least not for her. And him being so made her feel even worse about her own lies.
Did he know?
He must know. That she was a liar and a horrible person. That she’d accepted money from his mother. That she was play-acting this whole thing?—
“I saw my ex walk in and…” He shook his head. “It’s been a long day already and I just can’t deal with her right now. I know her and I know if she thought I was here with you she’d leave me alone. That’s why I’ve been all over you. And it was truly inappropriate. I’m really sorry. I feel like absolute shit about it.”
“Oh!” She let out a genuine laugh of relief. “No. No, it’s fine. I completely understand.”
