Page 25 of Last Love

I really gotta knock that shit off.

Get out there.

Enjoy something.

Fuck, anything at this point.

I don’t wanna look back on my life when I’m eighty-nine and realize my best days were spent behind a keyboard reviewing annual evaluations for employees.

“We’re going bowling tonight,” he casually announces, encouraging my gaze to gravitate back to the screen. “That is if I don’t have to cancel due to a delivery delay.”

Quickly, I insist, “No matter where the delivery is you don’t have to cancel your plans. You’ve still got plenty of time to paint them around your regular tasks.” I cut him a mirth-filled glance. “You work like a magician for crying out loud. You’re basically the Houdini of painting.”

He lightly chuckles and shoots me a cocky smirk. “I like that. The Houdini of painting.”

“Tracking says…,” my finger hits the scrolls, “that shipping is now arriving tomorrow instead.” My gaze shifts back to easily one of my favorite employees, not to mention just people in general. He really is just too sweet and charming for his own good. “Enjoy bowling with a guilt free conscious, Mr. McCoy.”

He beams bright as he starts to get up yet abruptly stops. “You like bowling, boss lady?”

“Uh…,” a small cringe crosses my face, “honestly can’t remember the last time I went. College, maybe?”

“You should come,” he warmly encourages. “Jo would love to have you – she likes you more than the other chicks going –, and I would love to come to work tomorrow and be able to brag to the entire staff how I kicked my boss’s a-s-s at bowling.”

His comment makes me shake my head with a smirk.

“Come on,” he pushes with so much joy in his voice, resisting gets significantly harder. “It’ll be fun! We’ll have a couple beers. Play a couple frames. I’ll bank a couple bragging rights…”

“Is this the pitch you gave your roommate?”

“Nah. His was more incentive based. Beat me in a game, and I’ll buy all the groceries for the next two weeks.”

“All the groceries?” I playfully poke. “Am I paying you too much?”

Merrick laughs loudly prior to shaking his head. “Nah, you pay me just the right amount. Some of the side hustle painting on the other hand…”

The waggling of his eyebrows gets me joining him in laughter.

“See you at seven?”

Katherine’s earlier social demand bounces around my brain alongside his haunting tale and my unanswered past unexpectedly reaching out for me. Rather than walk back into its arms or become a hermit too terrified to figure out how to make friends or go on dates or even order from a new takeout restaurant I’ve never heard of, I suck in a deep breath and lean into the invitation. “Where?”

“Pick a Lane.” More mirth appears in his expression as he finally stands. “It’s a new car themed bowling alley they just opened off of Chester Blvd.”

“I’ll Google it.”

Merrick begins a slow back up towards the door on an arrogant smirk. “Hope you’re prepared to lose, boss.”

“Hope you’re prepared to call me Presley especially while I’m winning.”

We share a round of laughs once more prior to him exiting.

The instant the door shuts, I release a loud frame shaking sigh.

Okay.

I can do this.

I want to do this.

Hanging around Jovi and Merrick and their friends for a couple hours won’t be so bad.

And who knows.

Maybe his roommate is attractive like him, and we end up doing a little flirting.

Or a lot of flirting.

Or at the very least both learn it’s okay to make new friends.

**

Walking into the bar area of Pick a Lane, which is an eighteen and up only bowling alley, I immediately spot Jovi who’s happily parked in Merrick’s lap, laughing with all of her body. He has one arm tucked tightly around his girlfriend as if afraid to let her out of his immediate reach while he gazes up at her like she not only hung the sun but gifted it to him too. From a single glance, it’s easy to see, his whole world revolves around the female.

She’s where his entire existence starts and stops.

Why he exists at all.

Watching them together – even at a distance – is equally intoxicating and intimidating.

Their relationship is something I miss having.

And honestly, something I’m scared I’ll never have again.

“Hey, boss lady,” Merrick immediately greets upon my arrival at the table they’re currently occupying.

“Hey!” Jovi enthusiastically waves with her free hand.

Her boyfriend offers me a small grin. “You’re earlier than expected.”

“I decided to cut the workday a little short. Change out of boss lady clothes and into Presley ones.” A playful wave is gestured towards my jeans and fitted heather gray t-shirt. “What do we think? Am I dressed to kick your ass or are the sandals a little too much?”

Jovi laughs loudly again while extending me an open palm for a high-five. “And this is one of the reasons why I love being around your boss.”

“Because she talks shit?”

“Because she’s not afraid to talk shit to you,” his girlfriend corrects. “Unlike your fan club that’ll be here in t-minus too fucking soon.”

There’s no stopping my mouth from rounding out in a surprised o-shape.

Merrick meets my stare to showcase his amusement. “She’s a little tipsy. Can you tell?”

“He’s a little jealous that he’s not, can you tell?”

He swiftly responds to her statement. “Snarky.”

“Sassy.”

“Feisty.”

Jo tosses a saucy stare over her tank top bearing shoulder. “Frisky.”

There’s an unmistakable groan given right before he licks his lips. “Impatient.”

Feeling like I’m intruding on a warmup moment to a porn shoot, I brace myself to make an excuse to bail when Jovi continues her welcome. “First off, the killer side French braid that you’re rocking is everything.”

“YouTube.”

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