Page 32 of Betting on the Best Friend
“She’ll be glad to know she’s got you doing her PR,” Ruby says.
Mike’s expression grows even more focused, like Ruby’s face is the only thing that exists right this second. “Tell her I’m riding hard for her.”
Sydney clears her throat. “I haven’t been bowling much, and I’m not sure what ball I need. Can you help me, Ruby?”
Sydney is a superhero.
“You bet,” Ruby says.
“We’ll go set up the lane,” I offer. “Sound good, Mike?”
“Sure, man.”
That comes out with normal energy. Okay . . .
He acts like any average dude I’d meet out socially while we’re putting in everyone’s names for the screen. We chat about the alley’s playlist and who he’s doing sound for later at the club where he works.
When Ruby and Sydney join us, I smile at them. “This is super weak, but I realized I don’t know your last name so I put you as YDN. Hope that’s okay?”
“I’ve always hated the S. Works for me.”
Ruby looks at her screen name and says nothing. RUB.
“WM,” Sydney says, reading off Mike’s initials. “What’s the W for?”
“Wannabe Man,” he says.
“A Pixie Luna song,” I clarify for Sydney.
“Ah.” Her voice is muted.
Can’t blame her. What do you even say to that? This is so over the top that I wonder again if the girls—or at least Sami—are pranking Ruby with these dates. Ruby’s eyes send me a look halfway between amusement and a plea for help.
“Hope everyone brought their C game,” I say, grabbing a bowling ball from the automatic return. “That’s the only way I have a shot of not humiliating myself. Sydney, whatever happens next, I’m definitely doing it to put you at ease.”
Sydney looks at Ruby. “Is he hustling me?”
Ruby shakes her head. “Sadly, no. I’ve never bowled with anyone worse.”
My first ball avoids both the gutter and all the pins. The second one goes wide in the opposite direction and knocks down the back right pin.
“One point. Good job,” Ruby says.
“She means it,” I tell Sydney. “That’s a good start for me.”
Sydney goes next and gets a spare. She joins me on the seats while Ruby takes her turn. “I’m not going to suck on purpose to make you feel better.”
Mike is sitting in the seats opposite us watching Ruby, so I tease Sydney in a low voice. “Not even if we were dating for real?”
“Nope,” Sydney says. “I’m a pretty good bowler. I was acting earlier to bail out Ruby.”
“That’s an odd date, huh?” I say as Mike gives an indifferent clap when Ruby knocks down eight pins.
“So is this one.”
I grin. “Fair.”
Mike, it turns out, is a good bowler. He wins with a score of 170, and says, “Guess what that makes all of you?” He pulls up his shirt sleeve to flex and reveal a fresh tattoo of a luna moth with “Collateral Damage” written below it.
