Page 53 of Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Gio: Shhh… I’m a patient man.
Austin: Tell you what—if I show up, it’ll be entirely on my own terms.
Gio: Deal. As long as those terms include you being there. And you sit your sweet little ass in that special seat.
I tap my fingers against the steering wheel, waiting for her reply. The message is delivered, the “read” receipt taunting me like I’m in the net and missed an easy save.
I could sit here all night if it meant winning this little back-and-forth with Austin. She’s stubborn as hell, but I know she’s got a weak spot for me somewhere in there.
The phone buzzes in my hand.
Austin: You don’t give up, do you?
I grin. Victory is mine.
Gio: Nope.
My thumbs hover over the keyboard. Should I add something flirty? Dirty. Something to make her blush?
No.
Not yet.
Don’t want to freak her the fuck out and scare her away.
Austin: I feel like this deal heavily favors you. Where’s my incentive?
Gio: I told you. You can have WHATEVER you want…
The three dots appear. Then vanish. Appear again. She’s typing, erasing, and typing again.
I grin at the thought of her overthinking this.
Austin: Whatever I want, huh?
Gio: Yup. Name it.
She likes this game as much as I do.
Austin: I’ll have to think this through to make it worth my while, since I’ll be doing all ofthe work.
Gio: YOU'RE doing all the work?! What about me, I’m busting my balls down on the ice! That seat is cushy!
Austin: Technically, yes. But being your lucky charm is A LOT OF PRESSURE. What if I’m there and you still lose next week??
Gio: We won’t.
Austin: You don’t know that.
Gio: I’m also not willing to risk finding out.
Gio: So tell me what you want.
10
austin
Icannot force myself to wear a MONTAGALO jersey.
