Page 83 of Just One Season
“Maybe just trust yourself. Kiss him, sleep with him, whatever. Just don’t let yourself fall in love or anything.” Raleigh laughs, as if that’s not exactly what I’m afraid of happening.
“Raleigh Durham. How on earth do I do that?”
“Just think of him as a hookup. Sure, you like him, but pretend you’re using him for sex. He won’t mind, trust me.” Raleigh laughs. “Not that I’m the expert on casual relationships.”
“You’ve been married two times, so I’d agree that you have a hard time keeping it casual.” I chuckle.
Could I do that? Trick myself into not falling for him by focusing only on the physical connection between us?
Ten minutes of a pep talk from Raleigh later, I’m settling at a table with some of the other staffers and poking at a turkey sandwich.
“Listen up!” Coach Jackson shouts from the middle of the large room. “My delightful admin Laurie will be sending out the laser tag team assignments for this afternoon.”
A table of players hoots and cheers.
“We’ll be mixing the teams with players and staffers, just to keep it fair.”
“Just say we’re the weakest links,” the accounting woman grumbles. We all laugh. We might’ve kicked hockey player butt in the escape room, but a physical competition is another story altogether.
“There will be four teams of eight people each. Every team will have a color. The objective of the game is to be the team with the last player standing. If you get hit three times by another team, you’re dead. You’re out. Your laser gun will no longer work, and you must exit the field.”
“What do we get if we win?” Lachlan calls out.
“Good question from our resident Aussie.” Coach points at Lachlan. “Each player on the winning team gets a $500 bottle of champagne.” Cheers erupt from the room, as if these boys can’t afford to buy their own damn champagne. “Meet in the laser tag room in one hour to gear up.”
My phone pings, along with everyone else’s. I’m on the red team with the accounting woman and six players.
Including Kellen.
I snort and the social media manager gives me a look.
“What?” she asks.
I shrug and shake my head. “Nothing. Just thinking of how bad my aim is. Or, I’m assuming it is, since I’ve never picked up a gun or a laser gun or anything similar.”
“Me neither,” she groans.
An hour later, we meet in the laser tag room and hotel employees help everyone get geared up with sensors and guns.
“Hey.”
I spin around to face Kellen, sensor vest on his wide frame and laser gun slung across a shoulder, looking annoyingly hot and tough. I bet I look like a kid in a Halloween costume.
“Hi.” My cheeks heat as every detail of last night flies through my mind, as well as my conversation with Raleigh that has me convinced to take things further with him.
“Having fun today?” His eyes twinkle.
“I’m going to be terrible at this game. I’m sorry you’re saddled with me.”
Kellen grins. “I’ll protect you.” He leans forward and nudges my shoulder with his elbow, bending down to reach my height.
“I don’t need protecting, moose.”
He raises his eyebrows.
“They have moose here in Wyoming, who would’ve thought? And bison. And grizzly bears.” I shudder.
“So I shouldn’t protect you?”
