Page 74 of Overtime
“Welcome to the Bolts and Strikes rivalry.” She laughs and shoos the guys with her hand. “Go commandeer the boards while we strategize.”
Mark scrunches up his face. “Why does a darts game need strategizing? All you need to do is shoot and hit the bullseye.”
“And this is why you lose games. Because you all refuse to think,” Christine volleys back, sticking out her tongue.
For the first time all night, Aran’s eyes meet mine across the table, only to roll as if in annoyance. But there’s a tiny smile playing on his lips, and when I look at them, my skin breaks into goose bumps.
“Strikes, let’s huddle,” Ryan commands, and I’m thankful for the distraction.
I swivel in my high-top chair to face Amber, Christine, and the ringleader.
Amber tucks her short bob behind her ears and gives a feral grin. “What’s the plan, Captain? And does it involve making grown men cry? Because I’m in the mood for that.”
“Oh, yes.” Ryan rubs her hands together. “Okay, Christine, you pair up with the nice side of the double-A battery.”
Christine nods with the kind of seriousness I’d expect if this were a hockey game, but I ask, “The what?”
They all glance at me. Ryan’s face splits into a grin. “Right, I forget you’re new. Archie and Aran are the double-A battery.Rumor has it they were the last two standing during bootcamp freshman year.”
“Rumor also has it that they can keep going and going at other things, if you catch my drift.” Amber laughs, because the second I catch her drift, my whole body turns into a blinking red light.
“Shush, don’t corrupt our sweet Maddie,” Christine says, putting her hands on my ears.
“Anyway. Amber,” Ryan says, pointing at the other girl. “Since you’re out for blood tonight, pair up with the mean side of the double-A battery and crush him.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Amber shouts and smashes a fist against her palm.
Ryan motions between us. “As for you and me, we get the MJ combo. Which one do you want?”
“Oh, they’ll be easy to beat.” Christine smirks. “I’ve seen them play darts before, and let’s just say that half of the holes in the wall are theirs.”
I turn to glance over my shoulder. It doesn’t even shock me anymore that the only one who appears crystal clear in my vision is Aran. He’s leaning against the pool table, arms crossed, listening as Jamal says something. Beyond the game area, Lori, Tiff, Rebs, plus a couple of other girls, eye him like hawks.
Well, not Lori. She’s glaring at me.
Yikes.
“Um, Jamal,” I say, only because it’s the first name that comes to me.
“Perfect. I’ll take Mark and wipe the floor with him quickly.” Ryan puts her arms around me and Amber, and one by one, the rest of us do the same. “Christine, what do you think are your odds?”
“About fifty-fifty. I’m good, but Archie’s also good.” She clears her throat dramatically. “I may also flirt a little. See if that distracts him. Is that okay, Maddie?”
“Whoa, why are you asking me?”
She smiles with uncertainty. “Well, it’s just that I saw the two of you sitting pretty close, and I thought… Ryan, maybe Maddie and I should swap.”
“No, no, no.” I shake my head. “Archie and I aren’t like that.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, go at him.”
Ryan gives me one of those looks where she’s trying to read my mind, but finally shifts her attention away. “Amber, Aran is a wildcard. I’ve never seen him play darts, but expect trouble.”
Amber snorts. “Sounds about right. He’s trouble personified.”
Don’t I know it.
