Page 36 of Love Is Ale You Need

A crackle and hiss fill the air, cutting through the silence. “Excuse me? You can’t do that here.”

FOURTEEN

BUCKET LIST

Rylee

I freeze. My heart jumps to my throat. Is someone else in here with us? Carefully, I refrain from making any noise as I stealthily survey the arena, my eyes scanning every corner without moving my head.

More crackling sounds through the loudspeaker before the young male attendant says, “Rule number six. No person-to-person contact. We have to ask you to leave.”

The florescent over head lights flicker to life.

Warmth spreads across my chest and up to my cheeks. Trey pulls away slightly and holds his hands up, palms out. I drop my forehead to his chest and my shoulders shake from laughter. It's like that time as a teenager when I got caught making out with my boyfriend by his parents. I glance up, squinting my eyes as they adjust to the harsh lighting. “See. You can’t just veto rules.”

He shrugs, then grips my hips to help me down. I run my hands down my thighs to smooth the fabric of my dress, putting it back into place. Trey grabs our laser guns and we quietly exit the arena.

A wide grin covers Trey’s face. Not an ounce of embarrassment from being caught. Me, on the other hand, I shield my face, unable to meet anyone’s eyes. Trey sets the plastic guns on the counter, then proceeds to help me remove my vest.

Trey rests an elbow on the counter and leans in. “So, you must have cameras in there since you caught us. Any chance you can make me a copy of the tape?”

“I don’t think so.” I grip his bicep, tearing him away from the counter and drag him toward the exit.

Halfway to the door, Trey turns around. “If either of you had a girl like her alone in the arena, you know you’d do the same thing.” He wraps an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into him, and we stroll toward the door.

I playfully backhand his stomach. “Did you really have to say that?”

“Something for them to aspire to.”

“To be like you?”

“Nah. To take the most beautiful woman on a date.”

Heat spreads across my cheeks for a different reason. He tugs me closer, and I go willingly, wrapping my arm around his waist.

A cool breeze hits us as we step out onto the sidewalk, and I snuggle deeper into his side.

“Here. Take my jacket.” He pulls away, rolling his shoulders until the fabric slides down his arms.

“I’m fine snuggled next to you.”

“You can have the jacket and a snuggle.” Trey wraps his warm jacket over my shoulders and pulls me into the crook of his arm again.

I sigh, soaking up the warmth. “Well, I have to say that’s a first. I’ve never been kicked out of laser tag before. I guess I can cross that off my bucket list.”

“What else do you have on that list? I’d be happy to help you cross off anything else.” His hand lazily runs up and down my arm.

A laugh bubbles out. “I’ve had more excitement than I can handle for one night.”

“Since you scored the last point, I’ll let you pick our last activity.”

I glance around as lamp posts create a warm glow over The Lakewalk. The bright moon shimmers and dances across Lake Superior as waves lap at the rocky shore.

“Let’s see what’s going on over there.” I point down The Lakewalk where a patio is lit up with Edison lights and two firepits.

Upon arriving at the brick patio, the cozy warmth from the nearby firepits immediately greets us, and we spot a couple of unoccupied seats. A server introduces herself, and we order two glasses of wine.

“I’m kinda surprised at how well thought out your date is. I never expected this,” I wave my hand over the romantic ambiance of the patio, “would be a date you put together.”

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