Page 60 of Game On

“What do you mean?”

“You’re my dream girl.”

She laughed, but then the little sneak knocked me out and won the round. She turned and took a big sip of her beer, giving me a shy smile behind it. “Too busy sitting at home playing video games.”

“Rematch?”

She shook her head. “Pinball?”

“Hell yeah!”

We moved from game to game, some to play together, some to watch each other kick ass. Like right now, while I watched her take down a bunch of aliens in Space Invaders. Watching her play almost made me forget all the reasons I couldn’t make her mine. I had to remember that we were just two single parents desperate for a night out.

She groaned when her eight-bit spaceship blew up. “That’s some bullshit. Hey, are you hungry now?”

I rattled my empty beer bottle. “I could use a refill. Let’s eat.”

We ordered at the bar and found a table to sit at. I smirked at the fact we both ordered tacos. She daintily ate her al pastor tacos while I almost swallowed my chicken ones whole.

“Good tacos?” I asked, and took a swig of my beer. This beer was good; I’d have to pick up more from this brewery later.

She raised her hand and waved it back and forth like a scale. “They’re okay.”

“Just okay?”

“It’s a fine pub version of tacos, but the other place was better.”

“I’ll have to remember for next time.”

She took a drink of her beer. “It’s been a fun evening. I almost forgot all the things weighing me down.”

I nodded in agreement. I had a good time with her, and I wanted to keep the night going. Now I understood why I was drawn toward her. I had known this woman for a long time.

“Thanks for taking care of everything so I didn’t have to cancel,” she said and looked down at the table.

I clenched my teeth together. Her ex seemed like such a douche. Of course I’d begged Veronica to take Rosie for the night. Lily needed another night out as bad as I did.

I curled my hand around my beer bottle as I wondered what else that douchebag had done to Lily. If I found out he ever laid a hand on her…

I wrenched away when I felt her hand on my arm. Her eyes searched my own, and I realized I must have been stuck in my head for far too long.

“Logan. Are you okay?” she asked in a low voice.

I nodded. “Sorry. Lost in thought.”

She pulled her hand away, but she didn’t try to get me to open up. I let it slip about my dad being in jail, but I never told her the reason. Chicks didn’t want to know about my awful childhood. It wasn’t something you brought up in pleasant conversation, especially not on a date.

“About what?” she asked.

I sighed and ran a hand through my beard. “I hate your ex.”

A smile tugged at her lips. “Me too.”

“I hate that he keeps leaving you in a lurch.”

She nodded. “I don’t want Rosie to grow up without a dad. He said he had a work thing, but I don’t believe him. I found out he was cheating on me because he lied about a work convention. When I saw the receipts, I realized what a fool I had been. I didn’t see that he was exactly like my dad. My mom loves to rub that into my face.”

“She just wants to protect you.”