Page 49 of Tempt

The way she looked up at me this morning, blank-faced…

Evidently, I didn’t realize how drunk she was last night, which makes the way I acted even more inexcusable.

But I did learn one thing.

She wants me as much as I want her.

“Dad, look!”

I force myself to focus on my kid, beaming, and the decades-old machine in front of him.

New high score.The words blink up from the pinball machine.

“That’s awesome.”

I chastise myself for being distracted.

Everything I’m doing is for Andy. Now that we have an entire day together, I’m spacing out over an attraction.

Okay, an obsession.

“Step aside. I’ll show you how it’s done.”

I flex my fingers, more to make him laugh. “Did I tell you I used to play every week at this arcade? I blew my allowance every week for a year.”

“You must have been bad if you had to spend that much money to play.”

I reach over to mess up his hair. “More like you get more allowance than I did.”

He laughs, looking entirely free and happy.

I feed a quarter into the slot and get ready for the ball to drop.

The next minute, I’m dialed in. Everything is reduced to the silver ball and its trajectories.

I’m controlling the paddles, flicking just in time to keep the thing aloft and out of the slot at the bottom that means sudden death.

It’s bliss. I forgot how much fun this was.

Andy gasps when it comes close.

“This place is the best. You never brought me before. We haven’t played games in a long time.”

He’s right.

There’s a lot we haven’t done in a long time.

“I bet Kat’s good at pinball. She loves to play games. Snakes and Ladders. Twister…”

Heat forms low in my gut at the reminder of that night.

“You like Kat a lot.”

“She’s the best.”

My phone rings, and the number on the display makes my abs tighten. I pass Andy another quarter as I step away to answer.

“Daniel. How are you?”

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