Page 44 of Must Be Love - Irresistible Bachelors

AJ laughs. “I thought it would be fun! I don’t turn on all the lights and stuff every time I come down here. Only for special occasions.”

Jealousy stirs in my stomach. Does AJ bring women down here often? I’m not under the impression that I’m the only woman he has ever been with, but I don’t want a recycled date.

AJ taps another button on his remote, and loud music starts playing through the speakers spread out around the basement. He turns the volume down a bit so that we can still hear the music, but we can talk over it, too.

“The surround sound was an important addition,” AJ adds. “You don’t get the full party bowling experience without it.”

“I like the atmosphere,” I admit.

I’ve always been a fan of things like this. I feel like the music and lights take a lot of the pressure off. It also gives us something to talk about.

“I love this song.”

“Me, too,” AJ agrees. “It’s one of my favorites. I made the playlist, so if you like this one, you’ll probably like most of the others as well.”

“There’s another thing we have in common!”

He grins. “I’ve always said that the number one most important thing in any relationship is a similar taste in music.”

“What about food?”

“I don’t know. You can always make multiple dishes to overcome a lack of food compatibility. When we’re on a long drive, though, and we’re listening to music? It’s important we like the same stuff. Otherwise, one of us would be miserable the entire time.”

“As long as you agree that music is a must on a long drive. My friend, Nicole, loves listening to talk radio and podcasts when we’re on trips. I have to bring headphones to drown them out, or I’ll be bored to death.”

“Oh, man, that’s the worst. I wouldn’t survive a car ride without music. Even when I’m just driving for ten minutes to the grocery store, I have to be listening to music.”

“I’m the same way! Well, I don’t drive much, but when I’m in the car…”

“I get it. I didn’t used to drive much, either. Before I bought this house, I lived in Manhattan, so I didn’t need to. I only had the car to go visit my mom on Long Island, before she moved to Florida.”

I nod. “The only time I ever drive is on business trips when I need a rental. I don’t like being behind the wheel much, to be honest. Too stressful.”

“You get used to it, the more you do it.”

“I believe you.”

AJ takes the moment of silence to grab a ball from the rack. He hands it over to me to test.

“This should work for you,” he says. “It’s pretty light.”

I put my fingers in the way I remember doing the last time I went bowling. Three years ago, I went with Nicole and some other friends to celebrate our college graduation, but I haven’t been since. I don’t even remember if I was good or bad. I was definitely a little drunk.

“Oh wait,” AJ says, taking the ball from me. “I almost forgot the shoes!”

“Wait, you have bowling shoes here?”

He smiles. “I have a few pairs in various sizes, just in case. What size do you wear?”

“8.”

“Perfect!” he grabs a pair from behind a counter. “These should fit you.”

I put on the shoes, which are surprisingly comfortable. They’re nothing like the ones I remember wearing at the actual bowling alley.

“They’ve never been worn before, so you don’t have to worry about catching any diseases, like with real bowling shoes.”

I laugh. “That’s reassuring.”

“Okay, now you’re ready. Why don’t you go first?”

AJ hits a few buttons on a touch screen monitor near the ball return. The setup looks just like a real bowling alley, except there’s only one lane.

I walk up to the lane and throw my ball. It teeters down the center of the lane before curving right into the gutter.

“Dammit!” I yell. “I’m not very good at this.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’ll get better with practice.”

AJ takes his shot. His walk up is a lot more graceful than mine. He kicks his leg out to the side as he releases the ball right down the center. His doesn’t curve. All ten pins go down.

“You’re good!”

“I have experience,” he says.

“Come on, admit it. You’re an ace.”

He blushes slightly. “I told you, I like bowling.”

I knew he liked it, but I didn’t realize that translated into being amazing at it. The next five balls he throws are all strikes or spares. As we go, he teaches me the terminology.

I manage to knock down a few pins on each turn, but at least one of my throws goes into the gutter every time.

“Don’t think about it too much,” AJ says. “We’re just here to have fun.”

“I am having fun,” I admit. “Even though I’m terrible.”

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