Read The Other Game: A Dean Carter Novel (The Perfect Game #4) for Free Online

can’t believe she said yes,” he said as he finished getting dressed.
    “Bullshit,” I said, calling his bluff. “You said you weren’t going to let her say no.”
    “I know,” he said with a shrug, and averted his eyes. “But now that she’s said yes, what if she hates me and never lets me see her again?”
    I snorted. “She won’t.”
    “How can you be so sure?”
    “Because you’re actually taking a girl out on a date, Jack. In public. At dinnertime. I haven’t seen you do anything like that in years.”
    It was true. Jack hooked up with girls all the time, but this wasn’t a hookup. This, whatever it was, wasn’t his usual MO. Everything about this was different, not to mention the fact that he actually seemed nervous. Girls didn’t make my brother nervous, but for some reason, this one did.
    When he pulled a paper bag from his dresser and rolled it up to stuff it into his pocket, I squinted at him. “What the hell is that?”
    He smiled. “Quarters.”
    “Quarters?”
    “The first time I met her at that party, she told me it cost fifty cents every time I touched her.”
    “So?”
    “So this right here”—he shook the paper bag at me, and it jingled—“is a shitload of quarters . . . for a shitload of touching.”
    I shook my head, both impressed with his resourcefulness and half shocked with his gal. “Nice.”
    “She’ll love it, right?”
    “Who wouldn’t?”
    Jack looked at himself in the mirror one last time before turning to me. “How do I look?”
    “Hot,” I said in a high-pitched voice, trying to hold a serious expression.
    “You’re no help. Keep your phone on in case something happens and I need you,” he said as he stepped into the hallway.
    “First of all, why would I turn it off? And second, why the hell would you possibly need me?”
    He shrugged. “I have no idea, just tell me okay.”
    “Okay,” I said, hoping to calm his jitters. “Have fun. And use your manners,” I told him with a laugh, and he flipped me off. “That’s not them!”
    Once Jack left, I pulled out my phone to text Melissa. I figured since both of us would be alone tonight, we could be alone together.
     
    Dean : Want to study tonight?
    Melissa : On one condition.
    Dean : ?
    Melissa : You bring me a cherry Slurpee from 7-Eleven.
    Dean : Seriously?
    Melissa : Do I sound like I’m kidding?
    Dean : Why cherry?
    Melissa : Because I’m craving it and you’re on your way here and it’s on your way and pleeease? I’ll make you brownies.
    Dean : Deal.
    Melissa : Sucker.
     
    I smiled at her last text as another one followed with her address.
    Pumped up, I headed for the living room to ask if I could borrow the Honda. Gramps was there as usual in his favorite chair, watching TV.
    When I asked, he said, “Of course. Where are you going?”
    “Remember that girl I pointed out to you at the game the other day?”
    “Isn’t that who Jack is out with tonight?” His eyes narrowed as he peered at me over his glasses.
    “Not the blonde, the other one. They’re roommates,” I explained.
    He scratched his chin before nodding. “Okay.”
    “We have a class together, and we’re going to study.”
    “Study, huh? Is that what they’re calling it now?” He huffed out a laugh.
    “Seriously. We’re just studying.”
    Gramps gave me a small frown and turned back to the TV. “Sounds boring. Be safe.”
    “Thanks, Gramps. I will.”
    “Don’t be late, Dean,” Gran called out from the kitchen.
    “I’ll be home before Jack,” I yelled back.
    That was most likely the truth. The only way I’d be home after Jack was if he did something stupid and pissed Cassie off. For some reason, she didn’t seem to have a high tolerance level for his shit.
    • • •
    With a giant cherry Slurpee in one hand and my notebook in the other, I kicked on Melissa’s apartment door and waited for her to answer.
    She threw it open and squealed when she saw me. Before I could get too excited at her enthusiastic