Page 18 of Play For Keeps

Everly: I promise I won’t die.

Jake: Be careful, Everly.

Everly: I always am.

I shove my phone back into my pocket, and that stupid grin from before is back. This girl makes me feel crazy things and I have no idea what to do about it.

It’s after eleven o’clock and I’ve been standing outside of Catch 21 for almost an hour, waiting for Everly to get off her shift.

I didn’t tell her I was coming—hell, I didn’t even know I was going to stand here for this long. I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to Everly. All I do know is that I want to see her.

I was out with the guys drinking—they were doing most of the drinking, I just had a couple of beers. I was too worried about Everly getting home safely after her shift. The next thing I knew, I was making excuses for leaving early and heading over to Catch 21.

The restaurant door swings open, and this time it is Everly. My pulse quickens and I smile as I take her in.

She’s dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a crop top, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She has a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She spots me, and her lips part in surprise.

“Jake?” she asks, walking towards me. “What are you doing here?”

“I was out with the guys… and, well… I wanted to make sure you got home okay.”

I hate that she walks home at night. I mean, I get that Reed Point is a small, relatively safe, affluent town, but it’s dark and bad things can happen anywhere. Everly may be tough, but she can’t weigh more than 110 pounds.

Narrowing her eyes at me, Everly folds her arms across her chest. My eyes track the movement down to her incredible tits before returning to meet her glare. I get lucky when she doesn’t call me out on it. “I told you I’m not helpless. I’ll be fine, Jake. I walk home after night shifts all the time.”

She seems irritated, but if she thinks she has a choice in the matter, she is dead wrong. “Not tonight you’re not.”

Everly’s head tips to one side as she looks at me, no doubt trying to determine how serious I am about this. I can see the gears working in her brain. If she thinks I’m going to budge, she’s dead wrong. I see a flash of frustration in her pretty, moss-green eyes. “You’re not the boss of me, Jake.”

“No, I’m not, but I’m still going to walk you home.”

“You’re going to walk me home?”

Judging from the surprise in her voice, the reality of this is just now sinking in. The anger seems to pass, and for the first time since I’ve met Everly, she looks vulnerable. A knot forms in my throat as I wonder how this girl was treated in the past. Walking her home is hardly a big deal. Besides, it’ll give me some peace of mind. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep otherwise.

“Yup, all the way. Now, are you finished arguing with me? Can we go?”

Her lips tip up in a smile, and I feel my heart pound in my chest. She even looks beautiful when she’s busting my balls.

“This one time, Jake,” she warns. “I mean it.” I take her bag from her shoulder, noticing again the heady scent of her perfume.

“How was work?” I ask, slinging her bag over my shoulder. I let Everly lead the way, and we stroll down the dimly lit sidewalk. It’s a clear night, and the moon is large and bright overhead.

“It was fine, but it’s going to be good to get to bed. I’m up at seven tomorrow morning with Birdie to get her to school,” Everly says, and I notice for the first time that she looks tired.

“Ouch.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve been a zombie since taking this job.”

“Have you thought about trying out a different job? One that doesn’t involve late nights.”

“That’s the plan, but I haven’t been able to find anything that pays me as well. The tips add up to more than half my paycheck.”

She has a point. Catch 21 is Reed Point’s swankiest spot. The people who dine there have money, and they love to spend it. But it must be hard working nights when she could be at home with Birdie. An idea comes to mind, but I hesitate, sure she’ll shoot me down.

“How are you with computers?” I ask her anyways.

She looks at me sideways. “Why do you ask?”

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