Page 39 of The Encounter
He squeezed her thigh. “Not to be rude, Maddie, but you’re terrible at this.”
She didn’t look at him, but cast her face down so he couldn’t make out her features. “I had plans to go with my parents the week after they died.”
Jace’s stomach plummeted.
Shit.
He scooted closer to Maddie. “Shit, Maddie. I’m so sorry. I never would have suggested this if I knew it would bring up bad memories.”
Her body shaking only made him more concerned. He took her hand and squeezed it. “Please don’t cry.”
But then it dawned on him. She wasn’t crying. She was laughing. At him.
She looked up and the laughter she had tried to contain bubbled out of her. “You’re so gullible. I said I hadn’t been bowling since I was a kid. I’m just terrible at it.”
He stared at her, blinking. The woman just used her dead parents in a joke, and he wasn’t sure how to respond.
She punched his arm again. “I was just teasing, Jace.”
He took a deep breath and sat back in his chair. “Okay.”
“Oh, come on. I can’t use my tragic past as a joke?”
His silence dragged on, and she leaned closer to him.
“It was just a joke, Jace. I’m sorry if I upset you.”
Jace cracked a smile, and she dramatically rolled her eyes and sighed loudly.
“What? Two can’t play at this game?” he asked.
“You suck.”
He leaned in close to her ear. “Actually, I’m pretty sure you’re the one who sucks. Very well, might I add.”
Kayla walked over just as Maddie’s face flamed bright red. “Jace, your turn.”
He winked at Maddie and walked off.
Jace bowled another strike, and their game ended shortly after. Maddie rang in dead last, with only twenty-three points.
As they all put their balls away and turned in their shoes, Jace caught someone watching them from a few lanes down: Samantha Barnes, a local journalist and woman he used to be friendly with. She smirked at him and watched as they left the bowling alley.
If he knew anything about Samantha, it was that she was going to report on this.
13
“Who is Jace Locke’s new squeeze? I spotted him at the bowling alley last night with a new woman on his arm. I’m sure we’ll get another glimpse of her soon. It’s the first time in a while that we’ve seen Locke with someone new.” - Samantha Barnes, Celebrity Status
Jace unlockedthe door to the bar and let himself inside. It was quiet, and no one was due to arrive for another hour. He needed to get some paperwork taken care of for an upcoming charity ball he threw annually for the children’s hospital in December. Most of the plans for the event had been finalized, but decisions still had to be made regarding several items and the expenses continued to pour in as they executed plans.
He made his way back to his office and let himself in. The stack of papers he had planned to finish earlier in the week still sat untouched on his desk. Maddie had been on his mind nonstop, and made it hard for him to focus. Before he knew it, two hours had passed, and he had focused on work the entire time. He picked up his phone and immediately typed out a message to Maddie.
I had a great time last night. We should go bowling again sometime so you can show me your A game.
He added a winking emoticon before hitting send.
She immediately replied,You’re trouble.Her laughing emoticon told him she wasn’t upset.
