The Christmas He Loved Her (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 2)
Page 42
She swallowed and met Luke’s eyes, pasting another fake smile to her face. “Good.”
His gaze lingered a little too long. His eyes were a little too intense.
God, it was hot in here.
Raine tugged at her soft pink turtleneck and glanced at Jake—which was the wrong thing to do, because he was looking between the two of them, and she could see him mind working. He knew something was up.
“I’m glad,” Luke replied, but when he opened his mouth to continue, Raine didn’t give him a chance.
“So, you’re here to turkey bowl?” Her voice was overly bright and she was well aware that Jake was looking at her strangely. The panic in her gut spread out and she started to babble.
“Wow, what a crowd. The committee must be really happy.
“Shoot, isn’t that your girlfriend over there?
“No? Oh, sorry, I didn’t know you guys broke up.
“So, you’re here to bowl?”
Luke glanced from Raine to Jake and he slowly nodded. “Uh, yeah, Backhouse cornered me into it, but we’re look
ing for a third member for our team.”
“Backhouse?” That got Jake’s attention, thank God, and he turned to look over her shoulder at the ice.
“Yep.” Luke nodded and then paused, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Why don’t you join us, Edwards? We’re up next.”
Jake started to shake his head, but then Matt Backhouse sidled up alongside the ice and grinned at them through the glass. “Hey, Raine.”
“Hi.” Her mind went blank until Jake coughed sharply and she thought he said…
Skirt.
She glared at Jake.
“Matt,” she continued. A good-looking guy, he was of average build, with curly blond hair and blue eyes the color of a robin’s egg. But Jake was right. He was entirely too nice. He was the kind of guy who always opened the door, said please and thank you, and didn’t know how to swear properly.
Everyone knew that feck wasn’t a swearword.
Skirt.
He was boring.
Skirt.
And hell-bent on pleasing.
Skirt.
And he always agreed. Hell, Yes was his middle name.
Skirt. Skirt. And skirt.
No wonder his wife had left him. What kind of relationship thrived when there was no friction?
“Raine, do you want to be our third?” Matt grinned from ear to ear. “We’re up next, but Kenny Davidson isn’t here yet.”
Jake grabbed a beer offered to him by Luke and stepped forward. “That’s all right, Backhouse. I’m in.”