Page 43 of Derailed
She grins back at him and I have to look away. The adoration in her eyes for an ass like him is too much. He doesn’t deserve her. I walk back to the living room and set the drinks on the coffeetable.
“Fuck, yeah.” Trent nods with approval and puts his phone down to accept abeer.
Austin’s back is to us as he shuffles a few boxes around in the closet. “Oh, snap! I haven’t played this since I was a kid.” He pulls out a box, shaking it around so the contents knock around inside.LIFE. Howfitting.
“What we playing?” Coy says as he and Jess take a seat on thesofa.
“Shall we?” Austin drops the box on the center of the coffee table and picks up the bottle of whiskey. Not bothering to get a glass, he spins off the top and tilts it back for a long swallow. He holds up the bottle with a grin. “The Game ofLife.”
Jess pulls the game box forward and lifts the top, already working to set the pieces inorder.
Coy scoffs and shakes his head. “I play life every day. It’s called being a fuckingadult.”
Trent grabs the whiskey bottle from Austin, using his shirt to wipe the top. “I’m not sure you still know how to do that, Austin.” His jab earns laughter from usall.
“Fine. Let’s play,” Coy grumbles. “It’s kind of lame. I thought we were talkingcards.”
“I know! We can make it into a drinking game!” Austin beams, grabbing the set of colored tiles out of the box. “Then everyone’s happy. How fucking brilliant isthat?”
“If you land on payday, you have to drink.” Trentlaughs.
“Hell yeah, and let’s make it interesting. Every payday you spin.” Austin raises his brows and twists the spinner until it stops on the five. “That’s how many youdrink.”
“What if it lands on a ten?” Jess asks, her tone more thanworried.
“Then you finish the cup.” Coy stands from the sofa. “We’re gonna need cups. And morebeers.”
“Count me in.” Trent stands. “I’ll help you.” He and Coy head to thekitchen.
“Ready.” Jess grins and rubs her hands together with the most relaxed smile I’ve ever seen her wear. “What color do you want tobe?”
I wait for her to meet my stare. “Pick forme.”
“Really?” She lifts her brow as though she doesn’t believe I’d lether.
“Really.”
“Okay. You get pink.” She’s teasing. Maybe testing, but what she doesn’t know is that I don’t care what color my fictional ride is, especially with that playful smile on herface.
“I love pink.” The second the words leave my lips she looks away, a blush creeping up her neck and onto her cheeks. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way, but I do enjoy being the cause for the heat on herface.
“Don’t we all, brother!” Austin cackles, reminding me that I need to watch myself tonight. He holds up his hand for afive.
I reluctantly meet his hand with a slap, not because I want to, but because Coy and Trent return. Jess is not mine. I can’t say shit like that around her with Coy in the room. God only knows what he might do. My stomach churns with unease that steals any prior excitement I had for tonight’sgame.
About an hour in and way too many drinks later, a few truths areclear.
Austin’s still a dumbass when he’sdrunk.
Coy’s competitive, even when dealing in fake money and plasticcars.
Trent’s fine motor skills are surprisingly intact after half a bottle ofwhiskey.
Jess still looks beautiful, even when she’s playing a board game; I don’t think she’s stopped smilingonce.
I’m in love with that smile, and I suck atThe Game ofLIFE.
“Oh, yeah!” Jess gives a fist pump and snatches one of the children after reading her card aloud. “I’m beating all y’all’s asses! That makes four children for me, and the same father, no less.” She waggles her brows and it’s so darn cute we all laugh. Well, almost all ofus.
