The Game Changer The Final Score - By L.M. Trio Page 0,55
building on my bike and spot Mya having a cigarette. Hard to mistake her with the blue streaks in her hair.
“Hey, Mya.”
“Hey, yourself,” she responds, hardly acknowledging me.
“Are you ready to go?” I ask nervously.
“I’m sure you’re just thrilled to have me tag along,” she retorts sarcastically.
“It’s fine with me. Is it just you and me?” I try to crack a joke.
Ringlets of smoke escape her dark red lips as she gives me a once over and flicks the butt of her cigarette at my feet while hitting the buzzer to her apartment. This should go real well. “Jess, Prince Charming just rode up.” She gives me a wink, and to my surprise, a smile.
“That’s a long shot,” I say sarcastically.
“I’ll be right down,” JJ’s voice cracks as it comes through the speaker.
She’s nervous. Hell, so am I.
“Thanks for the other night… you know, telling me where to find her,” I say, hoping to ease the tension.
“I did it for her… not you.”
“I know that. Thanks anyway.” She’s tough, but I admire her loyalty to JJ.
This is probably going to be a disaster. Thankfully, JJ is down quickly, looking more beautiful than ever. Her hair is pulled back into a simple ponytail and she’s wearing a t-shirt and jeans. For some reason, I always found this to be her sexiest look. Not that she’s not totally hot when she’s dressed up, but I always love the way she looks every day, just being herself.
“Hey, JJ,” I say casually as she walks towards us, not wanting to make a big deal of her being here with me.
“Hi, Luke.” She smiles.
We walk several blocks until we reach the ice cream parlor, I make sure to keep the conversation light. I can’t believe I’m standing this close to her again, though. I take in every part of her as I walk a step behind; watching the way her hair bounces when she walks, the small glint of a smile when someone says something that amuses her. Her eyes have somewhat of a glow, even though she seems shy and guarded around me. It’s the same for me, I don’t want to do or say anything that will make her want to leave.
Thankfully, Mya eases up on me as we talk. I like the way they are with each other, JJ laughs with her. We choose a booth. Mya and JJ automatically slide in across from each other. I catch JJ’s face and I know she realizes her mistake, but it’s too late for her to switch sides without making it obvious.
I hesitate for a second, not sure which side I should sit on. Do I sit with her or Mya? I can’t believe I’m actually standing here debating this. I try to act casual as I slide in next to JJ. My leg accidentally brushes against hers. Goose bumps prickle my skin and shockwaves flow throughout my body. I wonder if she feels the same. From the corner of my eye, I feel her glance at me. I stare intently at the menu, pretending not to notice. Thankfully, the waitress walks over to take our order.
I order the biggest sundae on the menu, hoping to drag the night out as long as possible. From traveling with the team the last few months, I have plenty of funny stories to keep the conversation flowing. JJ laughs and Mya asks a ton of questions. I’m careful to talk about current things and not bring up stories from our past.
Surprisingly, Mya and I hit it off. She’s really funny and I genuinely like her. Mikey’s name pops into the conversation and Mya makes a crude comment referring to the night they spent together.
“I heard all about it,” I say, laughing with her while JJ turns as red as an apple and reprimands her for being so blunt.
“Don’t encourage her,” JJ says sarcastically to me while shaking her head in disbelief.
Mya and I continue the bantering with each other. JJ is watching us closely, taking it all in. She doesn’t say much, but I can tell she’s enjoying herself. She’s relaxed and seems happy, which in turn, makes me happy. I can feel her watching me when she doesn’t think I’m paying attention. We end up sitting and talking long after we finish our ice cream.
Finally, the employees begin to clean up around us and we have