Perfect Love Story (Love 1)

“Fuck,” he says as he walks away to the bathroom. I head back over to the group.

“So,” I say, sitting next to Hailey. “Who is going to go first?”

I stretch my arms out on both sides. Darla jumps to her feet.

“I’ll go first,” she says as she gives Brody a kiss, and I look over to see Crystal socializing with the other nurses.

“So are we going to discuss what we just saw?” Hailey leans in to me, her shoulder fitting against me perfectly. “Did you know?”

I look over at her, seeing the sparkle in her eye. “No, did you?” I ask her quietly with a smile. She shakes her head.

“Hailey,” Brody says loudly, and she jumps away from me. “Your turn.”

She taps my legs as she gets up. “Be right back.” Going to the balls, she grabs a pink ball and looks over at the other lane. I’ve seen the guy at the clinic a couple of times. He tells her something, and she throws her head back and laughs. She watches him bowl, and then he comes over as if tell her what to do, and she does and knocks down eight pins. She squeals and then walks back over and high fives him.

“Who the fuck is that?” I ask Gabe as I point at the guy.

“Don’t fucking touch my pediatrician. He just started. He’s the best around,” Gabe says as he looks over at the rest of his staff, seeing Crystal talk to someone I’ve never seen before.

His teeth clench as I slap his back. “Relax, dude, it’s nothing.” I look up and see it’s my turn, so I walk up to Hailey and her friend. “Hey, nice to meet you, I’m Walker.”

I put my hand out as I put my other hand on Hailey’s back while the guy reaches forward. “I’m Alan. Do you work at the clinic?”

I laugh as I pull my hand back. “Nope. I own Walker Construction next door.”

“Oh,” he says, pointing, “you guys are building my house.”

“Really?” I say, not surprised. “Well, let me know if you need anything. If you’ll excuse me, it’s my turn.” I turn to Hailey. “I think Crystal was looking for you.” I point back at the seats to see Crystal is actually there.

“Well, see you later, Alan.” Hailey smiles and walks back while I grab a ball and bowl a strike. “Look at you, professional bowler and all,” she says as she drinks a glass of beer.

“I’m a man of many talents,” I tell her as Crystal pretends to vomit in her mouth.

“Really? So besides bowling and being a pretty cool dad, what other talents do you have?” She crosses her hands over her chest as she smiles, and I want to bury my hand in her hair and kiss that smile off her lips.

“I can cook a mean steak,” I tell her as I put my hands in my back pockets before I do something she isn’t ready for.

“Is that so?” She laughs as she has another drink of beer. “You’ll have to show me one day,” she says as Crystal shrieks and jumps up down after getting a strike. She points to Gabe and flips him the bird.

“Soft, my ass,” she says as she comes back and sits next to him. “I believe it’s your turn. Loser buys the winner lunch for a week.” She smiles as he glares at her. “Should I just give you my orders now?”

“It isn’t over till the tenth frame, doll face,” Gabe tells her.

“Ewww, did you just call me doll face?” Her face in a grimace. “I mean, it’s better than pain in my ass.” She shrugs.

“You are a pain in my ass. For once, I’d like to have a day when you don’t second-guess everything I do,” he says as he looks back to grab his ball and she yells.

“For once, I’d like to go to work with a doctor who I don’t have to second-guess. If you want, I can transfer to pediatrics. Alan likes me,” she tells him as she leans back and smiles at Alan who waves. I look at Gabe and think he’s going to throw the bowling ball at him. “Let’s see what you can do, Doctor,” Crystal says as he bowls a strike and turns around with his hands over his head.

“You two do realize that this is ten frames, and we just did only one,” Brody says as he grabs Darla to sit on his lap.

“Please. I’ve got him beat; he’s a princess,” Crystal says as she gulps down some beer.

“Princess?” Gabe says as he laughs. “You cried when I picked up a frog and showed it to you.”

Crystal slams down her hands. “That fucker was going to jump at me.” She storms up. “I want to change teams.”

We all laugh at them. “Too late,” he says as he looks at the screen. “Darla, you’re up.” Crystal glares at him as I sit down and watch. Hailey looks around, and when she sees me sitting down, she comes over.