Page 37 of The Encounter
Kailynn smiled brightly. “Much.”
Jace smiled as the two of them ribbed each other and shook Chase’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you both.”
“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Chase said.
“Now that everyone’s here, let’s break out that board game!” Kayla said, throwing a fist into the air.
Maddie shook her head and left the room briefly before returning with Monopoly in her hand. Kailynn immediately glared and turned her gaze to Chase, who threw his hands up.
“Was this your doing?” Kailynn said, shoving a finger into Chase’s chest, who was attempting to back away.
“I have done nothing but show up with you, babe.”
Jace looked between them and everyone else, who all wore the same expression of confusion that he suspected was on his own face.
“What’s going on?” Maddie asked.
Kailynn whirled around and crossed her arms, fixing a glare on the board game in Maddie’s hands.
“I donotplay that game.”
Kayla laughed. “Care to elaborate?”
“No.”
All eyes swung to Chase, who stood behind Kailynn out of her sight. He drew a line across his throat and shook his head quickly.
Maddie frowned. “Um. Okay. I don’t have any other games.”
“Are you sure we can’t play Monopoly?” Kayla asked. “Maybe make an exception for this unexplainable anger you have going on?”
Kailynn turned her glare to Kayla, who only smiled innocently.
“We’re sure!” Chase said, begging Kayla with his eyes not to egg Kailynn on even more.
Kayla only smiled brightly and opened her mouth to say more, but Robert set a hand on her arm and shook his head. She frowned and went back to stirring the contents of the bowl, which appeared to be some sort of dip.
Jace looked around at everyone. “We could go bowling,” he suggested.
All eyes swung to him, and Maddie’s eyes lit up. “That sounds like fun! I haven’t been bowling since I was a kid.”
“So much for this dip!” Kayla exclaimed, tossing her hands into the air.
“Oh please. Put it in the fridge, and we’ll demolish it later,” Maddie said.
Kayla shrugged and scooped a large blob of dip out of the bowl with a chip and put it into her mouth before covering the bowl in plastic wrap and setting it in the refrigerator.
Everyone agreed to meet at the bowling alley and climbed into various cars. Kailynn and Chase opted to drive separately so they could head home afterward, while Maddie, Jace, Robert, and Kayla piled into Kayla’s car.
When they were on the road, Robert spoke up. “Anyone have any idea what the whole Monopoly thing was about?”
All eyes swung to Maddie. “Don’t look at me. I’ve never seen Kailynn get all weird like that.”
“She’s never mentioned her hate for Monopoly?”
“It’s not like we discuss board games at work.”
“Now I need to know why she hates it. You must find out,” Kayla said.
