Page 44 of How We Loved

Ben walks to get his own ball, and I do the same just so I can stand next to him when I say, “Be nice.”

Ben turns to me with his arms out to the sides. “I’m totally being nice. I just want to win.”

He leans down and kisses my cheek before moving on to the next line of balls to find which one he wants.

Trevor walks up behind me. “Why is he always touching you? Have you guys ever been a thing?”

I place my hand on his chest to reassure him. “I promise, it’s not like that. This is just how we’ve always been. He’s like a cuddly dog to me and nothing more.”

“Yeah, but now, you’re my girlfriend, so he needs to learn to keep his hands to himself.”

I rub my lips together in thought, knowing he has a point. “I’ll talk to him.”

Trevor nods and goes to sit next to Dalton to talk about his truck.

I take the opportunity to whisper to Ben, “Hey, maybe we should cool it on the hugs and your kisses on my cheeks. I have a boyfriend now.”

Ben’s jaw tics as he takes in a long inhale, and then he just nods in agreement and walks away.

A spread of food is delivered to our table that Dalton must have ordered when he was signing us up.

I get up to make a plate for Trevor and me to share.

When I set it in front of us, he looks bewildered. “Where did the food come from?”

“Dalton must have ordered it.” I shrug like it’s no big deal.

“He just randomly ordered all this food, and we can eat it?”

I grin at him. “Yeah, I made us a plate to share, but we can always get more.” I point to where it all is sitting. “There’s plenty, I’m sure.”

Trevor raises his eyebrows, not hiding his surprise, and grabs for one of the sliders, taking a bite before getting up to bowl his turn.

We bowl a few frames, and I love seeing just how good Trevor is at the game. He said it’s been a while, but you would never know it, as he gets multiple strikes in a row. When Ben gets up to high-five him on a difficult spare shot, I’m filled with joy that they are getting along.

I, on the other hand, am not holding the team up by any means, but thankfully, Natalie is pretty good, so we’re actually ahead by a few points.

When it’s Dalton’s turn, we all laugh as Natalie goes up behind him, wrapping her arms around his stomach, whispering God knows what into his ear to try to distract him. When his ball goes straight into the gutter, we all laugh harder.

“You don’t play fair.” He points at Natalie, then adjusts his pants.

Whatever she said must have really got him going.

Natalie tries to act innocent. “All is fair in love and war, baby.”

He traps her on the seat with his arms on either side of her and gives her a long, deep kiss.

Ben slaps his ass to move him out of the way. “Get a room. None of us want to see that.”

Natalie breaks out in a fit of laughs as Dalton says, “Don’t be jealous you have no one to whisper in your ear.”

Ben looks straight at me, but unfortunately, Trevor notices too.

We bowl a few more frames, and then Trevor places his hand on my knee. “I’ll be right back,” he says as he gets up—to head to the restroom, I presume.

When I watch Ben trying to be sly and follow him after only a few seconds of him being gone, I sigh, roll my eyes, and get up to bowl my turn, hoping they do talk and Ben gets over not liking him sooner than later.

When Trevor returns, he doesn’t say anything about Ben trying to talk to him, which makes me wonder if Ben didn’t follow him after all. Ben comes back a few minutes later and goes straight to bowl his frame, then kicks it with Dalton and Marcus the rest of the time.

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