Page 78 of Next in Line
“We love all wheels!” Miles says, standing up and walking over to the next table to ask if he can borrow a chair. They nod their agreement, and he twirls the seat around, placing it right on the end, smack dab between Miles and Sterling.
“I’m afraid we haven’t met,” Sam says, holding his hand out to Sterling.
Sterling takes Sam’s hand in his and shakes it firmly. “I’m Sterling, Maggie’s boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend!” Sam exclaims, his brows raised in surprise as he continues shaking. “You’re the football player boyfriend we’ve all heard so much about? Wow, nice to meet you at last.”
Sterling smiles awkwardly at Sam as the two shake hands for much longer than is necessary. “And you are?” Sterling asks finally.
Miles claps his hand on Sam’s back. “This is my best friend, Sam. He owns Tire Depot here in town—where I work,” he replies.
Sterling lifts his brows. “You’re a business owner?”
Sam nods thoughtfully. “Very recently, yes.”
Sterling nods but doesn’t say anything. Instead, he takes a drink of his margarita and eyes Sam like a rooster who’s agitated by the presence of another rooster.
Sam smacks his hand on the table. “So what’d I miss?” he asks.
“Sterling was just telling us how much he hates Colorado,” Kate deadpans, then tips her margarita to her lips to polish off the last drink. Her eyes appear slightly glazed, and I’m certain the tequila is currently doing the talking.
Sterling shifts in his chair. “I didn’t say I hate Colorado. I just said I would never want to live here.”
“That’s a shame,” Sam replies, shaking his head. “There’s so much here to do for the adventuring types. You’re pretty adventurous, aren’t you, Sterling?”
Sterling nods and stretches his arm around me again.
Sam’s eyes fixate on where Sterling’s hand lands on my shoulder. “I could tell that about you. You have the confidence of someone who takes a lot of risks. What’s the craziest thing you’ve done recently?” he asks.
Sterling chuckles softly. “You mean besides avoid tackles from three-hundred-pound linemen?”
Miles nods his appreciation of that response—the sweet, oblivious puppy dog he always is.
“Linemen is just work, though,” Sam says, propping his elbows on the table. “I’m asking what you do for personal adventure. Something that feeds your soul.”
Sterling stares down at the table, his brow crinkling as he attempts to come up with an answer. “I’m afraid nothing comes to mind.”
Sam’s face bends in confusion. “Nothing? You’re from the East Coast, right? Have you ever done some deep sea fishing or water sports? You know…thebasics.”
Sterling shakes his head, clearly not picking up what Sam’s putting down.
“Huh,” Sam retorts, scratching his jaw. “What about bungee jumping or white water rafting?”
“Nah, man. I haven’t done those.”
“Rock climbing?”
Sterling shakes his head again.
“Paintball? Surely, you’ve done paintball. Hell, even twelve-year-old boys do paintball!”
Sterling’s eyes light up. “I’ve done laser tag with my buddies at this indoor facility in my hometown. It gets pretty intense.”
Sam’s lips turn down as he tries to suppress his amusement. “Sounds badass.”
Sterling shifts in his seat, clearly catching on that Sam is messing with him. He narrows his eyes. “What about you?” he asks.
“What do I do for fun?” Sam asks, pointing at his chest with wide, innocent eyes. “Well, in Boulder, it’s endless adventures even in the winter. I snowboard. I climb frozen waterfalls. Hell, there are even these ice-covered farm silos that you can scale now that are pretty thrilling. But my true love is ice fishing. I do that any chance I get.”
