The Game by Vi Keeland by Vi Keeland

“Oh my God.”

“Another time, my mother took me shopping for back-to-school shoes, but I didn’t like anything, until I found a pair in a box sitting alone on the floor. I tried them on and loved them and begged my mom to let me wear them out of the store. I got as far as the cashier when someone came running after me. They’d been trying on shoes and put their old shoes in the box, which is what I had on my feet. It might sound like an innocent mistake, so I should add that the shoes were really dirty and the person who ran after me trying to get their shoes back was a girl.”

I laughed. “That’s hysterical.” He has to be drunk.

“Also, growing up, we lived next door to an older couple, Dave and Marie. They’d lived there for at least ten years, and I’d always called Dave, Dave. My parents had a little party before I went away to college, and some of the neighbors were invited. At the end of the night, Dave walked up and shook my hand and wished me luck. Then he told me his name was Anthony, not Dave.”

“So you’d called him the wrong name for all those years?”

Christian smiled. “Yep. And to this day, I don’t believe his name is actually Anthony, even though my smarter, older brother dragged me over to the mailbox the next day and showed me a piece of mail addressed to Anthony to prove it.”

A man’s voice came from behind me. “Oh, this can’t be good.” I turned toward the sound only to find…Christian. My head snapped back toward the man I’d been speaking to. He grinned from ear to ear.

“Oh my, there are two of you?”

Second Christian walked around me and stood next to first Christian. He nodded. “This is my twin brother, Jake. And whatever he’s told you so far is definitely not true.”

Oh wow. “So you didn’t kiss your cousin’s boob?”

Christian hung his head and shook it back and forth. “You’re such a dick, Jake. That happened like ten years ago. You’re still telling that story? Don’t you have any new material?”

Jake chuckled and extended his hand. “Jake Knox. Nice to meet you, Bella. Sorry. I couldn’t resist the opportunity when it was handed right to me.”

I laughed as I placed my hand in his. “Were all the stories true?”

“All the stories?” Christian said. “You mean there was more than one?”

“Pipe down.” Jake slapped his brother on the shoulder. “I didn’t even tell her about the love letter you wrote to Mrs. Swanson in sixth grade, the one she was never supposed to find. You know, where you told her what you think about every time you eat a watermelon.”

“And she never would have found it if you didn’t hand it to her, jackass.”

Jake looked to me. “The school made him read a book on the right and wrong way to talk to girls. I think it was written in the sixties and was called When Boy Woos Girl.”

I covered my mouth as I cracked up.

Christian put his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Are we done now?”

“God, I hope not,” I said. “I’m really enjoying Jake’s stories.”

“Yeah, well…I have a few of my own if he doesn’t shut the hell up.” Christian narrowed his eyes at his brother, but it was clear he wasn’t really mad.

I got the sense this type of screwing with each other was a regular occurrence. “You play for Oklahoma, so you have a bye this week, right, Jake?”

He looked impressed. “I do. Surprised my brother and dragged him shopping. It’s top secret, but I bought my girlfriend a ring today. Planning on popping the question soon.”

“Oh wow! Congratulations. That must’ve been a fun day.”

He groaned. “Fun, but expensive as hell.”

“Well, good luck with it.” I looked between Christian and Jake. “I’ll get out of your way and let you two catch up.”

Christian spoke to his brother. “Just give me a minute. I’m going to walk Bella to the elevator.”

Jake tipped an imaginary hat to me. “Pleasure meeting you, Bella. I hope I see you again soon.”

“You, too, Jake. Have a good night.” I turned away and then thought of something. “Are you staying for the game tomorrow?” I looked back to ask.

“I am.”

“I’m not sure where you’re sitting, but I have the visiting team’s owner’s suite, if you’d like to watch the game there.”

Jake’s eyes lit up. “Hell yeah. Thanks.”

“Are you staying here at the hotel?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I nodded. “I’ll make sure we get a pass for you and leave it with reception.”

Jake grinned at his brother. “Think of all the stories I can tell her during a three-hour game.”

“Oh, Jesus.” Christian shook his head and put his hand on my back, guiding me to walk ahead. “I’ll be back, jackass.”

Christian and I walked side by side to the elevator. “You didn’t have to do that,” he said. “Invite him to the box, I mean.”

“I’m happy to have him.”

“No, I mean you didn’t have to do that.”

I chuckled. “Your brother is very funny. I had no idea it wasn’t you while he was telling me all those stories. To be honest, I thought maybe you were a little drunk.”