Page 21 of Their Favorite Game

After a while, Rex stood up and brushed the grass off his pants. "Thanks for sitting with me, Mal."

"Anytime, Rex," I replied, standing up as well.

"I'll see you at the lake house, right?"

I hesitated. "I'm not sure. I have to work."

"Don't do that." He grabbed my hands.

"Do what?" I chewed my lip.

"Make excuses. You should come. It'll be fun, I promise." He gave me a small smile.

I nodded, feeling a little more convinced. "Okay, I'll see about getting the time off."

Rex's smile widened. "Great. See you there."

As he walked away, I couldn't help but be a little relieved. Going with the group wouldn't be so bad. And maybe, just maybe, it would be the distraction I needed from the weight of the anniversary looming over me.

I returned to my car and drove to work, feeling a little lighter than before. Maybe everything would work out okay in the end.

As I got out of the car, I rehearsed, asking for the weekend off. It was short notice, and Barb would probably say no. But I had to try. I straightened my shoulders and walked into the restaurant.

"Hey, Mal. You're early," Barb said, looking up from her paperwork.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about something," I said, trying to sound confident.

Barb raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."

"I was wondering if there was any way I could get this weekend off," I said, my voice hopeful.

Barb sighed. "Mal, did you even look at the schedule?"

"No, I'm sure we are short-handed, but please," I pleaded with her.

Barb looked at me for a long moment, then smiled. "Did you really think I would schedule you this weekend of all weekends? Did you not wonder why you were on the schedule so much this week?"

"Huh?"

"Good thing you are going into doing hair because you are no rocket scientist." She set her glasses on her desk. "I was good friends with your mom. So I didn't put you on this weekend. As an extra bonus, I gave your sidekick the weekend off as well."

I smiled in relief. "Thank you, Barb. Thank you, thank you."

"Try and live a little this weekend. Don't hold up in your room reading." She went back to her paperwork.

CHAPTER9

Mal

I couldn't believemy luck. Barb had given me the weekend off, and I was free to spend time with the guys. I couldn't wait to escape the city and spend some time in the fresh air.

As I drove home, I couldn't stop the butterflies in my stomach. I would be with Jake, Matty, and Rex for the entire weekend. My mind drifted to the other day with them. Would we really all play truth or dare, or would I have to choose between them? Ugh, how self-centered was I? It wasn't like they would stand there and say, 'Hey, Mal, take your pick.'

When I got home, I started packing my bag. I didn't need much, just a change of clothes, toiletries, and three or four books. I was never really one for outdoor activities, so I knew I would need some entertainment. So, I picked out my favorite books and quickly tossed them in my bag.

As I was packing, I heard a knock on the door. I wasn't expecting anyone, so I cautiously approached the front door.

When I opened it, it surprised me to see Jake standing there with his hands in his pockets.

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