Page 14 of Play For Keeps

“Hear me out,” Tuck says, wiping his hands with a napkin. “You know where she works, yeah? So, you go in for dinner, make sure you’re sitting in her section and when you leave, you give her a big, fat tip and leave her a note.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Okay, Tuck. Humor me… what should I write in this note?”

“I can’t wait to hear this,” Holden laughs, tapping his hands against the table like a drumroll. “Let’s go.”

“It’s simple, dummies. You tell her you can’t stop thinking about her, and then you ask her out on a date.”

“So, are there boxes on this note? Is she supposed to check yes or no like she’s a fucking middle schooler?” Holden asks. “Man, girls our age do not want notes. They want you to tell them every filthy way you can make them come. You are the wrong person to be giving our boy advice.”

“Don’t be so sure about that,” Tuck says, dipping his deep-fried pickle in ketchup. “I bet I get more ass than any of you.”

“Well, you’re definitely getting more ass than Matthews, I’ll give you that. We all are. Hell, I bet that guy is,” Grayson says, nodding at a man across the room who looks to be around 80 years old.

“Why do you gotta be a dick?” I grumble. “Can I just eat in peace? I’m starving.”

“What’s going on with you and Aubrey?” Beckett asks Holden, and I’m happy about the change of topic. Holden has been dating Aubrey for months now, which is kind of surprising. In all the years I’ve known him, this is the first time I’ve seen him be serious about a girl. Aubrey seems nice enough, but if you ask me, she’s not as into the relationship as Holden is. I get the feeling she’s in it for a good time, not necessarily a long time. But Holden seems happy with her, so what do I know?

“We’re solid,” he tells Beckett. “Aubrey is great.”

“Sounds like you’re falling in love,” Grayson says, taking a sip of his Coke.

I hold back a laugh. Grayson wouldn’t know a damn thing about falling in love. Not that I should talk. None of us have much experience with relationships. Of the five of us sitting at this table, only Beckett seems to have figured it out—he married his wife Jules last year and couldn’t be happier.

As for me, my only real relationship was with a girl named Jade. We were together for two years before she dumped me and moved to a different country. So yeah, not exactly an expert when it comes to love.

“Calm the fuck down,” Holden protests. “No one is falling in love. She’s a cool chick. We’re taking things slow.”

“Bullshit. You’ve practically moved in with her,” Tucker says. “I think you’ve slept at the house maybe once in the last three weeks. Whether you’re ready to admit it or not, you’re fucking whipped over the girl.”

Tuck would know. He and Holden have been roommates for years, living in a place on Haven Harbor next door to my Gran’s house. Out of all of us, the two of them are the closest, probably because they are the most alike. You wouldn’t know it by looking at them—Holden is a pretty-boy, all-American type, while Tucker has an edgier look with his tattoos and longer hair. But they’re both always up for a good time, they’re both baseball fanatics and they both like to play the field. Literally and figuratively.

“I like living with her more than I like living with your ass, that’s all,” Holden deadpans, tossing his napkin on his empty plate. “She’s not a slob.”

Tuck shrugs. “Sure, buddy. If that’s what you need to tell yourself.”

We pay our bills and head outside, and I take the opportunity to check my phone again, hoping there might be a text from Everly. There’s not. It’s driving me crazy that we haven’t talked. Do I send her another message? I don’t want to push her or come off like some crazy stalker, but at the same time I need her to know I’m interested.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I fire off another text to the girl I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. Suddenly, Tuck appears beside me, looking over my shoulder.

“Ever hear of fucking privacy?” I ask, trying to shield my phone from him.

“Everly,” he coos. “Is that her? Beach girl?”

“Would you mind your own business?” I tell him, tucking my phone back in my pocket.

“It is beach girl! You making plans with her? Is that why your grumpy ass was in such a rush to get out of here?”

“I’m not fucking grumpy. And it’s none of your business. Leave it.”

“Wait. I thought you said she turned you down?”

“She did.” I clear my throat. “But I convinced her we could be friends.”

I can tell by the look on Tucker’s face that he’s loving it. His eyes widen and his mouth forms the shape of an “O.” Then the fucker laughs. “Friends? Oh, shit.”

“Yup, something like that.”

SIX

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