Page 69 of Stick Side
“Maybe,” Cassidy admitted, “but it’s a good way to pass the time and get to know people.”
“Is it, though?” Melody laughed. “And just what, pray tell, will you learn by having me answer this question?”
Cassidy turned around in his seat to better look at her. Ben felt his hackles rise at the tender look his teammate was directing toward Melody.
Ben gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, but forced himself to let it go and keep his eyes on the road.
“You should know this one,” Cassidy chastised without any real heat. “It tells me whether you’re the type of person whowould rather be embarrassed or the type of person who would rather save face and embarrass someone else.”
“I would totally rather be the lone person laughing,” Shawna volunteered. Ben couldn’t tell if she was being serious or deliberately baiting his teammate.
“Of courseyouwould, you shark,” Cassidy responded. “But I’m betting Melody would rather be the one to fart and be laughed at.”
“That’s true,” Melody affirmed.
“There you go. The game proves itself once again.” Cassidy’s tone held notes of self-satisfaction.
Ben glanced in his rearview mirror to see Melody twisting her lips in thought. “Maybe yes and maybe no,” she observed, “but what the heck did you gain by learning that I would rather fight one horse-sized duck than one hundred duck-sized horses?”
Ben drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, curious to hear Cassidy’s answer. Ben might not love the borderline territorial interest Cassidy had been showing Melody lately, but he couldn’t deny that Cassidy was a cool guy. Ben could well imagine them being friends—provided Cassidy could accept his relationship with Melody.
From the sounds of it, Cassidy had had over a year to make a play for Melody. He’d had an opening, but that window had closed. And it would remain closed if Ben had anything to say about it. Hopefully, Cassidy would let go of the possessiveness he’s been directing toward Melody. For all their sakes.
“You mean, what did I gain aside from entertainment value?” Cassidy volleyed back in defense of his game.
Melody snorted.
Cassidy chuckled. “I learned that you’re a serious badass who I want to have by my side if I ever need to fight off a mutant duck.”
Ben couldn’t help but smile as he once more took a quick glance into his rearview mirror to see Melody rolling her eyes.
“Eric, have I told you lately that you’re a little bit nutty?” she joked.
“’Crazy’ and ‘deluded’ are good words, too,” Shawna contributed.
“Bite me,” Cassidy wisecracked.
“You wish,” Shawna sassed back.
Ben smiled to himself as Shawna and Cassidy continued to bicker. Shawna was winning the verbal battle, but he doubted Cassidy would agree with his assessment.
Ben was just glad Cassidy was no longer shooting amorous eyes Melody’s way.
Melody spoke into a lull in Shawna and Cassidy’s quest to out-cheek the other. “It seems like we’ve entered all-out farm country. Are we getting close?”
“We are,” Ben responded as they pulled past the limits of the town proper. A sense of contentment enveloped him as he drove the last few miles toward home.
“What was it like to grow up on a farm?” Melody asked with curiosity.
Ben felt a warm tug in his chest. Yet another thing he liked about Melody was her genuine interest in his life and the things that mattered to him.
“I had my share of farm chores to do over the years,” he explained, “but I think it’s fair to say that it was pretty idyllic.”
“Idyllic how?” Her voice was sweet and inquisitive.
Ben’s eyes briefly met hers when he glanced in the mirror. He liked the way she was watching him as they spoke. For safety’s sake, he had to keep his eyes on the road, but he enjoyed the intimacy the touch of her eyes lent to their conversation.
“Mount Carroll has a lot of small-town appeal,” Ben explained. “It’s close enough to Chicago for a day trip, but it’s its own tight-knit community. Mount Carroll has a lot of beautiful old buildings and historical allure, but it isn’t stuck in thepast. I grew up learning about sustainable farming and artisan craftsmanship, going to Broadway-style productions put on by the local theater company, and enjoying a great music scene.”
