Page 50 of Love is a Game
He did better in the next few rounds, but not well enough to beat Julie and Webb. Kimura was gracious about it but Andrew bowed out of the next game. He didn’t like being responsible for another person’s loss. He was tired of the banter anyway.
He looked around the crowded yard. Everywhere he looked he saw people talking and laughing together. In the middle of it all, he stood alone, feeling agitated. He wasn’t sure what he was even doing there. He had only said he’d come because he assumed Sadie would be there. If he had known she was leaving town for the weekend, he would have made some excuse to stay home. Not that there was much to do there either.
He couldn’t keep standing there by himself. There was a cooler of drinks next to the grill where Tyson was cooking, so he made his way over there and grabbed a beer.
“Has your wife ever considered a career as a psychic?” he asked, opening the bottle.
A laugh burst out of Tyson. “Yeah, Julie doesn’t miss a thing. She can always tell just by watching me walk up the driveway exactly what kind of day I’ve had.”
Andrew watched her greeting some newcomers as he took a sip of his drink. “That’s quite a gift.”
“Have you ever seen one of her portraits?” Tyson asked.
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, if she ever offers to do one of you, accept at your own risk. She’ll capture a side of you you didn’t even know was there. It’s spooky.” Tyson shivered.
Andrew laughed, not sure how serious the warning was. A Frisbee flew past them, and Kimura ran across the yard after it, shouting loudly as he leaped into the air to make the catch. A couple of women nearby swooned. Andrew took another long swig of his drink.
“So,” he began, trying to sound casual, “who was Julie hoping to set Sadie up with?”
“What? Oh.” Tyson chuckled and elbowed Andrew in the ribs. “I was joking, man.”
“Oh, right.” He chuckled, too, embarrassed by how relieved he felt.
Tyson leaned closer and said quietly, “We would never do that to you, buddy. We’re both rooting for you.”
Andrew worked his jaw. He shook his head at Tyson, but the big man’s grin was contagious. “I appreciate the support, but Sadie’s not going to be around much longer so there isn’t much point in rooting for anyone.”
“Who better than a hometown boy to convince her to stay?” Tyson winked.
“I really don’t think that’s going to happen,” Andrew said doubtfully. “Especially not this hometown boy.”
Tyson tutted as he flipped over a burger. “Come on, Price. Sounds like you’re just making up excuses.”
“Reasonable objections,” Andrew countered. He heard Sadie’s voice in his head: How lawyerly.
“Call it whatever you want—an excuse is an excuse. Coach Graff always told us ‘Losers make excuses; winners find a way.’ So which one are you?”
Andrew sighed heavily and crossed his arms. “You know, I was just trying to keep you company while you cooked.”
Tyson laughed again. “All right,” he conceded, moving the hot dogs to a platter. “I won’t say anything else about it. All I know is that Sadie sure looked embarrassed when I walked in on you two the other night.”
Andrew considered this. He had felt something between them, but he couldn’t be sure. It was possible she’d gotten caught up in the moment at the library. It was late and they were both tired. If he were to invite her on a real date, though, something outside of the library, he would have a better idea of how she felt about him. He would know if it was worth trying again to make a move.
He ran a hand through his hair and made a face before asking, “Do you think you could give me her number?”
Tyson smacked him hard on the back. “That’s my boy!”
Chapter Seventeen
“With the national park on one side and the beach on the other, I believe this location is perfectly suited to our needs. Especially as the building is already standing. As I said, its size makes it an ideal venue for events such as family reunions and weddings, which would attract local business as well as drawing from the tourist market of the peninsula. I think it presents a real opportunity, and Maddox should take advantage of it before someone else does.” Sadie breathed a silent sigh of relief as she finished her prepared remarks.
The presentation had gone smoothly. There were more people in the conference room than she had expected but she hadn’t let it shake her. Archer insisted on coming for moral support, although she suspected he just wanted to get out of the office for an hour, and there were more than a dozen representatives from the acquisitions department. She didn’t recognize most of them, but there was one face that made her very nervous; Genevieve Miller.
She’d come from Maddox headquarters, sent to be the interim executive director of the coastal collection while the company was getting it off the ground. They hadn’t ever met in person, but Sadie had seen her picture in plenty of company newsletters. Genevieve was probably the most senior executive in the entire Seattle office. If Sadie could get on her good side, it could change everything for her.
After a few questions, Genevieve lifted a finger in the air as she looked through her notes. “What do we know about this man who owns it? I’m always wary of purchasing a family property. Sentimentality can cause a negotiation to go downhill real fast.”