Page 43 of The Game

Annie’s eyes shone. “Oh God. I can’t believe I’m going to say this. Yes. The worst they can say is no.”

An hour later, I circled the warehouse for the fourth time, waiting on my friend who was inside. She’d texted to say that she was waiting outside an office. I remembered doing that, and my nerves. But I’d heard nothing since.

“Come on,” I said to Bess.

My puppy licked my ankle. I stooped to stroke her velvet-soft fur.

A click had me spinning around on the spot, then Annie hopped out of the warehouse door. She held a hand up to block the sun then spied me and jogged over. We met her halfway.

Annie was buzzing, her hand shaking. “I can’t believe it. I just can’t…”

“Shade said yes, right?”

Her frantic gaze shot to mine. “He did! I told him all my faults first. I even lifted my top to show him my belly, though he said it was unnecessary. He said that they try to match the potential pairings up as best as they can. For example, if a woman is completely against having more children, and half the men really want a baby, they probably wouldn’t put them in the same game. Same with me. I said I didn’t want a twenty-year-old catching me, so he said I’d be in the game with older gentlemen. I had no idea they arranged it like that.”

“Me neither. Out of interest, what did you say to the baby thing?”

Her lips tugged outwards. “I’d love more kids. I’d fill the house with them, if I could. Do you know what’s even stranger? While I was waiting to go in, my ex-mother-in-law emailed me to demand that they be allowed to take the kids away for three weeks over the school holidays. I think she thought I’d put up a fight, and while it’s going to be a wrench not seeing my babies for that long, the timing is perfect.”

“You would be childfree exactly when Shade had a game slot for you?”

Her nod was agitated. “Exactly. Could there be a better sign that this is my path to happiness?”

There couldn’t.

In the weeks that followed, we went into full preparation mode.

Annie threw herself into a fitness schedule so she’d be in peak physical form. We jogged together twice a week, and she came to ours to use Malachi’s home gym, seeking his help in strengthening her body, and enjoying his healthy and delicious meals.

By the time at mid-August came around, my excitement levels had reached fever pitch.

After my last patient left on Friday afternoon, I high-tailed it in a taxi from the hospital to Annie’s, my heart thumping hard. When I arrived, a serene version of my friend opened the door.

The place was spotless, her children gone earlier in the day, and Annie led me out to sit in the shade on her veranda, a jug of fresh lemonade waiting.

I eyed her. “Why aren’t you freaking out?”

“I’ve done everything I can. The house is clean, the toys are all put away, I have enough food in the fridge and cupboards to last a week if my person decides to stay here. Equally, I’m happy to go to his and my home will be fine.”

Her gaze distanced for a moment, settling across the garden on a blooming flower bed, and she twisted a strand of blonde curls around her finger. She’d spent a small fortune on hair and beauty in recent weeks, bringing herself back from being the neat suburban mum and more like the friend I’d met in med school. She’d found herself again. I loved that for her.

“I think that’s the reason I’m so calm. I know this is going to happen. I don’t know who he is or what he looks like. I don’t even know his name. Only that he exists, and he’ll be working as hard as I am to fall in love. Isn’t that…everything?”

My panic on her behalf dissipated. I took her hand and held it. “Completely. That’s what we sign up for. No testing each other once you’re out. No withholding affection. You say you love each other and you make yourself mean it. The sex helps a lot in that respect.”

She smiled. “I can’t wait. I’m ready.”

So she was. We finished our drinks as the sun set, then she got changed into a little black dress, no underwear, and just a small bag with her keys and phone that she’d leave with Shade.

Malachi picked us up and drove us into town.

As expected, the hot summer evening had brought a crowd to the warehouse, bigger than the one I’d seen on my night. Neon pink signs glowed and music thudded.

Annie stared out the window then took a breath. “Thank you both for being there for me. See you on the other side.”

Without another word, she exited the car and walked to her destiny.

We watched her go, then Malachi made a low sound of need and slid his car seat back. He reached for me, hauling me to his lap.

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