Home Plate (Easton U Pirates 2)

It was also something I would’ve never realized if Kellan hadn’t suggested his fucked-up idea to Coach. So maybe I did owe the little shit, after all.

14

Girard

I’d just rounded the counter after supplying bowling shoes to a large family—and stopped in my tracks. Unless I was seeing things, Maclain had just walked through the doorway, alone. What in the world?

And gauging by the way he was looking around him, even he wasn’t sure why he’d come to the bowling alley. Apparently, this hadn’t been a solid decision, but he’d done it anyway.

Still stunned, I forced my legs to eat up the distance between us. “What brings you out tonight?”

When Maclain hesitated, I almost asked if he was okay, but I resisted. He was not a fan of being put on the spot or any sort of coddling, at least not in public. He’d mentioned dinner with his father earlier on campus, so I couldn’t help speculating if that somehow factored in.

Sometimes a change of scenery helped whatever ailed you.

“I suddenly had the urge to play pinball,” he said, his cheeks dotting pink.

“Bored, then?” I asked, and he chuckled, which made me feel a bit more at ease.

Gemma strolled up then, and I was a bit disappointed I didn’t have more time to find out the real motivation for his visit. “Couldn’t resist our fountain soda?”

It was the exact right thing to say—Gemma did have her moments—because he rewarded us with a full grin. “Fountain soda naturally goes with pinball, right?”

“Or air hockey?” she asked, glancing longingly over her shoulder. She always wanted to play, maybe because it kept her busy, and I got it. Our family life revolved around the bowling alley, and when she wasn’t seeing friends or involved in school activities, she was working, same as me. “I’ll play you.”

Maclain looked at me as if for permission, likely questioning if she was on the clock or had other duties to perform. I glanced over at Mom behind the snack counter, and she winked at me in a knowing way, which made me feel a bit strange. But she couldn’t possibly know how jittery I was feeling since Maclain had stepped foot inside our place of business. It didn’t help that he was wearing a pair of dark-wash jeans I’d admired on him before, with a button-down shirt rolled at the forearms. Definitely something he didn’t wear on the regular, and probably only because he’d met his dad for dinner. It was sweet, actually, that he would dress for the occasion.

“I have to help out a group in lane two, but Gemma can get you set up with quarters for all the machines—and of course, some company.” I threw him an eye-roll. “Unless you’d rather be—”

“Sounds good,” he said. So he did want the company, or he was just being polite, which Maclain seemed to do more around my family, I’d noticed. And okay, even the coaches. Maybe adults he respected? He was only a dick to the rest of us, then. Got it.

I shook my head as I strode toward the family who’d asked for help and showed the mom how to punch their names in the automated system.

Why did it make me feel lighter on my feet that he’d chosen to come here for the company?

Stop thinking too hard about it. Maybe everyone else had been busy. Besides, he seemed to enjoy himself last time, so why not? We did have plenty to do around here.

Once I made sure Mom was all set behind the snack counter and that Dad didn’t need me in the office, where he was eyeballs-deep in a spreadsheet, I walked over to watch Gemma and Maclain play air hockey.

“No fair. The game is rigged in your favor,” he mock-complained when she beat him again. Gemma cracked up. She was definitely enjoying herself.

“How about I let you beat me at foosball, and then we play winner takes all at pinball?”

That lit a fire in his eyes. “You won’t have to let me win. This time I’m ready for you.”

I chuckled as he followed me to the foosball table, and after I beat him twice, I let him slide the third time.

“I saw that. You let him win,” Gemma whispered.

“Shush. Go see if Mom needs help.” Besides, I was pretty sure Maclain knew as well, but he didn’t call me on it. He seemed…more settled than when he’d first walked in.

We played side by side at the pinball machines, and every time our elbows accidentally brushed, my stomach felt all mushy. Christ, this crush was getting worse. And after that jerk-off session, it was all I could think about anymore.

“So you had dinner with your dad?” I asked without making eye contact.

“How did you—”

“I overheard you telling Hollister.” I sneaked a glance. “Besides, you’re dressed nicer.”