Page 37 of A Play For The Heart
Her forest green eyes dart to my hand, then to my face. She smiles shyly at me, then looks back at the table. Not saying a single word. The lack of a response has me suddenly worrying that I made a mistake by doing that. I couldn’t even help it. One second, I’m thinking about touching her hair, and the next thing I know my hand is moving by its own volition. My lack of control over my limbs is almost as concerning as how out of control my feelings for Sawyer are. I scan the table and my eyes connect with Maren’s, which are narrowed on me. Studying our interaction. I go to look away, but she gestures her head towards the bar. She slams the rest of her beer, then turns towards Nathalie and Deon.
“I need to use the bathroom and get another beer. Can I get out?”
They both shuffle out of the booth, and she disappears to the bathroom. A few minutes later, she walks out of the restroom and heads towards the bar. She looks at me, then glances back to the bar. Understanding the cues, I stand.
“I’m going to get another drink, does anyone want anything?”
I get everyone’s order, then head toward Maren. I move to stand next to her, and she cuts right to the chase.
“I see what you’re doing, Parker,” she states simply.
Not one to beat around the bush. Reminds me of Deon.
My pulse quickens and my hands begin to go clammy at her statement. Does she see what I’m doing with Sawyer? Does she know something? I take a deep breath before I blurt out questions that I may not want answers for. I attempt to deflect by answering her question with my own.
“What exactly am I doing?” I ask innocently. I quickly turn to the bartender, signaling for the same drinks. They give me a nod, and I look back at Maren.
“Flirting with Sawyer.”
Oh shit. She knows. It can’t be that obvious that I’m flirting. I’m doing my best to be subtle. If Maren knows, then Sawyer must know, too. Is that why she was acting weird? Does she know but doesn’t know how to break it to me that she isn’t into me? Maren must read my mind because she continues.
“Don’t panic, buddy,” She pats my chest, “Sawyer has no idea, but I see it. I have a radar and my radar is saying you’re into her.”
I fumble for words.A radar?I have no idea how she caught that from the two times we’ve met, but I have to say I’m both terrified and impressed. I stare at her, my jaw nearly on the floor. Aware of my inability to function, Maren carries on the conversation and nearly gives me a heart attack from shock with the words that come out of her mouth.
“I think she has feelings for you too. At least, she does now. My radar can’t detect whether the feelings were there before I met her.”
“Uh. What?” I choke out. I’m not sure I could form any words other than that.
The bartender returns with a new round of drinks. Maren grabs her beer and two other drinks, then heads back to the table, not saying another word about the absolute bomb she just dropped on me.Come back, I nearly scream. She can’t just walk away like that. I take a moment, then grab the remaining drinks and chase her down.
“Maren,” I hiss, right before she sits down next to Nathalie. I slip in beside Sawyer and pass around drinks.
Clearly, Maren is no longer divulging what she knows or what her ‘radar’ is telling her. Jack quickly glances at me, widens his eyes, and then smirks. I have no idea what that means.
Slowly, I shift closer to her, my thigh pressing against hers in the booth. Her muscles stiffen up at the contact, then relax, her leg fully pressed against mine beneath the table. I release the breath I was holding and turn back towards the table, attempting to act normal.
The simple touch has my neurons firing on all cylinders.
Conversation and alcohol flow and we sit, chatting about everything and nothing in the dimly lit booth. Maren and Jack argue about sports. An event that could turn into an Olympic sport. Sawyer and Nathalie share stories about some of the kids at the after-school program, and we discuss the upcoming game. Deon watches us all with an intense curiosity that’s slightly unnerving and far too perceptive. At one point, Maren and Jack agree on something, which annoys Maren to no end.
“So…” Jack starts, looking between Sawyer and me, his eyes glittering with mischief. I’m suddenly very afraid. “You and Henry have been friends for years?”
I narrow my eyes on Jack when Sawyer answers.
“Yeah, about three years.”
“So, you have embarrassing stories about Henry that you can share with the group then…” Jack has the attention of the entire table. They all look at Sawyer expectantly.
Sawyer glances up at me and without a single word, I already know what she's going to say. The story is horrifying, and I would prefer to never have to relive the moment. I drop my head and Sawyer giggles, turning back to the table.
“Well, senior year, I got a call from Henry at two in the morning. I was obviously freaked out and I thought something had happened. He had told me he was going to the bars with some of his teammates and I hadn’t expected to hear from him until he rose from the dead and needed hangover bagels.”
“Hangover bagels are the best,” I confirm. Nothing like a bagel and cream cheese to really absorb the alcohol.
“Yeah, well I get the call and Henry is still drunk, rambling about how he can’t get into the building. So, I run downstairs to swipe him into the building and he’s half naked. No pants. Just his shirt.”
Jack booms in laughter. “Oh my god, like Winnie the Pooh.”
