Page 36 of Family Bonds: Carson & Laine

“That was my thought,” she said. “Plus my father is on my case too. He worries.”

“I think our parents never stop worrying,” he said.

“My father can get carried away, but I get it. I’m his only child.”

And the only one he was able to have by the sounds of it. Carson could understand that.

She put the tokens in the machine and started to play. Sometimes he wondered if she wished she didn’t say some things about her father or her parents. He supposed he could understand that. It seemed to have been an odd situation.

She’d mentioned that people judged or thought her upbringing was crazy.

There were just things she didn’t say that led him to believe there was more going on. But he’d give her time to say them. No reason to push.

No reason to rush as he’d told himself more and more this week than ever before.

Damn Brynn for messing with him so long ago that he’d doubted everything about women since her.

He watched as Laine started to rack up the score high and then the ball flew by her and she missed it.

She pulled the lever back and put another ball into play.

She was laughing with her hips swaying back and forth, her body moving and switching it up as she leaned into the game.

For someone that never played it before she was getting into this wholeheartedly.

When her last ball was in play, the score was pretty impressive.

It finally went past her. “My turn,” he said. “Not sure I can top that score.”

He moved closer and inhaled the scent lingering on her body. Citrus and floral together. Had to be products in her hair or on her skin. It wasn’t perfume at all.

His game didn’t last nearly as long as hers and some kids were waiting behind them, eying the machine. He’d be polite and let them in.

“How about we go over there and do some racing side by side?” she said. “It’s empty.”

“We can do that,” he said. She must have realized what he did and wanted the kids to have their space.

When they were in their seats and the tokens in, she said, “I feel as if the kids are all watching us.”

“They are just jealous,” he said. “They want to be adults and still play like this.”

She giggled. “Good thought to have.”

They watched the countdown on the game and when it got to one, both of them hit the gas and started to steer.

He passed her on the track, she passed him. He hit her rear bumper and sent her flying into the guardrails. “Oops,” he said. “Sorry about that.”

“Imagine the X-rays you’d be taking of me if that was in real life.”

“In real life I’d handle you with care,” he said as he cranked the wheel fast.

“Maybe a girl doesn’t always like to be handled with care,” she said. There was that damn humor in her voice.

She sideswiped him on the track and started to laugh.

“I’ll remember that too,” he said.

Two minutes later, their game was done and they were the last two cars to finish in the race but laughed the whole time.

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