Page 36 of Love on Deck

“You’re going down, Fletcher,” Levi said, looking at his board. His attention was on the balls being called, but he didn’t seem to want to drop the matter of the town. “You coming home for Tucker’s party?”

Jack’s hand tightened on my arm.

“Who’s Tucker?” I asked.

Annie’s head whipped toward me so fast her blonde hair swung. “Jack’s brother. You mean he’s told you nothing of his family, either?”

“New relationship?” I claimed. “We haven’t gotten that far yet.”

“But y’all can travel to Florida and board a ship already. You feel safe enough to do that with a man you hardly know?”

“We don’t hardly know one another,” Jack said, a bite to his voice that made me sit up a little taller. “You know Kevin Dougherty?”

“Your friend from college?” Annie asked.

“Right. He’s marrying Lauren’s sister. We’ve known each other for years. Just not well.”

“Doesn’t he come from old Texas money?” Annie asked, marking off another Bingo number while Erin continued to call them out. “Why are they getting married on a cruise?”

“It’s more of an elopement.”

Annie lifted her face, her eyes sparkling.

“It’s top secret,” Jack said in a distinctly warning tone.

“My lips are as sealed as a new puppy’s eyes.”

Great imagery.

“B-6,” Erin called. “Who has B-6?”

“Me!” Annie screamed, marking it off. “If she says G-52, I’ll win.”

“You still working for that doctor in Dallas, Jackson?” Levi asked.

Jack shifted. “Medical equipment company, yeah. You still drilling teeth in Arcadia?”

“Only when the cows don’t need me,” he said.

That was something I hadn’t heard of before. “You’re an animal dentist?”

Levi looked at me like I painted spots on my face and moo’d.

“He has cows on his farm,” Jack explained. “And he’s a dentist for humans on the side.”

“G-56,” Erin called. “Who is taking that hundred dollars? Anyone close?”

Screams went up around the room.

Annie frowned. “That one was close for me.”

My board was anything but. It was randomly spotted with nothing resembling a Bingo at all. Jack pulled his arm out from behind me, coloring in the last circle that had been called.

My back felt a chill where his arm had been. It wanted him there still. Purely for the sake of warmth in this highly air conditioned room and for no other reason at all. Not how comfortable it was to be wrapped up by him. After my minor anxiety attack earlier, it felt nice to be held together, even if it was only for the sake of his cousin.

“You need to bring her out to Arcadia,” Annie said, clearly talking to Jack. “Come to Tucker’s journeyman party. You know everyone will love to see yo—Ah!” She screamed, daubing a square after Erin announced it. “BINGO!!!” Annie jumped up and down, screaming her win. She ran to the stage as the cruise director beckoned her forward to check her card.

I clapped, then turned to find Jack frowning. I bumped his shoulder with mine. “Disappointed? There are two more games on this sheet. You still have a chance of winning one of them.”

---