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Though she’d been bowling better than Janessa throughout the game, Blake still didn’t hold out much hope for Charli getting a strike.
Her turn was right after Janessa’s strike, and unfortunately for her, she didn’t get her strike and was definitely not happy. Charli’s mood did not improve when both he and Will each managed to do what she had failed at.
When Blake joined Charli at the chairs, she sighed. “Janessa, since Blake’s my partner, can his strike count as mine?”
Blake chuckled, but then pinched his lips together when Charli turned to glare at him. No one seemed to be taking Charli’s upset too seriously, but Blake could see that their flippancy was really bugging her.
He wasn’t a fan of set-up dates himself, so he could understand why Charli was upset about it. Her siblings’ determination to send her on this date seemed over the top, however. Blake knew he was missing something.
When the game was over, Charli still hadn’t gotten her strike, but they had come out on top. She tried to use that to cancel the strike, but Janessa wasn’t having it.
“You are so manipulative,” Charli told her. “Doing whatever you can to get your own way.”
“Only in order to help you out.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“Your single status says otherwise.”
“Okay, you two,” Jay said, stepping in to wrap an arm around the shoulders of each of his arguing sisters. “Fight this out at home.”
Charli glared at both of her siblings. “I know what you two are doing, and it’s not going to work.”
“Time will tell,” Jay said.
With that, Charli stalked over to where Layla was bowling with the other kids and dropped down on a seat next to Kayleigh. Blake watched her for a moment, before looking back at the others.
“Do I want to know?” he asked.
Jay chuckled. “Probably. Are you interested in going on a date?”
Blake was momentarily struck speechless, but not for long. “Depends on the circumstances.”
Jay nodded. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“So, do we get a prize for coming in first?” Blake asked.
“Yep.” Janessa grinned at him. “You two have won dinner at the restaurant of your choice.”
“Ah. Do we have to go together?”
Janessa frowned at him as she crossed her arms. “You don’t want to go for dinner with Charli?”
“I’m fine with that,” he assured her. “I’m just not sure Charli feels the same way.”
“She doesn’t,” Janessa agreed readily enough. “But I think she’ll come around.”
“Let the two of us talk about it and let you know.”
“I can deal with that.”
Blake had no idea what they were hoping to accomplish, and he was pretty sure Charli wasn’t on board with the plan. He still didn’t think they were aware of what had transpired between them twelve years ago.
If he’d been in their position, and he’d learned that a guy had been secretly dating his sister, had slept with her, and then disappeared, he wouldn’t be trying to set them up. And he most definitely wouldn’t be inviting the guy to their family gatherings.
Whatever the Halverson siblings were concocting with regards to him and Charli, it most definitely was being done in ignorance of the relationship they’d once had.
Blake didn’t know exactly how to handle things. If Charli would agree to talk to him, maybe together they could figure out what to do. And maybe—if he was lucky—she’d agree that they should just go on the date.
