Chapter 16 Lia
Lia
The neon lights of the bowling alley buzz with the excitement in my veins.
I park my car toward the front and already see Eli waving me down from the awning that hangs over the alley’s entrance. It’s Friday night, and I’ve been looking forward to this all week.
Bowling is my safe space. It’s the one thing I do that’s just for me. And now, I’m about to share that with three Alphas that have become a part of my daily life.
It’s refreshing being around people that don’t define me by my ARS.
Honeysuckle Grove has become a refreshing place to be.
I check my reflection in the little pull-down mirror in my car for a split second, wiping at a smudge of lip gloss in the corner of my mouth. The faint smell of fried food and resin from the lanes hits me the instant I step out of my car.
The other scent that hits me is him.
Eli.
“Hey, hey, hey!” he says as he jogs over, his usual bright smile in place. “You made it!”
He comes in for a hug, and I surprise myself when I take it. His arms are long and arm, and I find that my head plants itself nicely against his chest.
“Where’s the little one tonight?” I ask, wondering if Amber’s joining.
“Grandparent sleepover,” he says, his arms keeping me tucked against him. “Both sets have her tonight. They’re all at my parents’ place.”
I’m not ready to step out of his grasp yet. “Does that happen often? Grandparent sleepovers?”
“Just about every weekend.”
His hug is… nice. His hand works its way up and down my spine, calming the shiver I feel ricocheting through my muscles. My pre-heat has been rough today. I was worried I’d have to cancel. But that tea from Dr. Quinn and those vitamins, plus my hot showers, are keeping me as planted as I can be.
“Hey now,” Knox’s voice chimes in from behind us, “I want me one of those. Come here, Sunshine.”
Knox’s scent wraps around me like a glove as I pull away from Eli and find myself trapped in his embrace. Where Eli’s arms are long and lean, Knox has strong arms from all of the handyman work he does.
His muscles press against my back, stoking a heat in my gut that makes my toes curl in my tennis shoes. My Omega side is greedy and my nostrils flare, just to draw in a little more of his scent while I’m practically buried in his chest.
Then I feel Knox’s hand wandering to my side before his fingertips move quickly over the dip in my waist.
“Knox!” I squeal as he tickles me. “Hey! No fair! Knock it off!”
I try to tickle him back, but it’s no use. Ugh. I’m so jealous of people that aren’t ticklish. Eli’s hands join the fray, and soon I’m trapped between two luscious Alphas who seem to want to find every excuse they can to get their hands on me.
It’s jarring, not being afraid of their touches.
I finally swat away their ticklish touches before another familiar scent curls around my senses. Grapes and pine, with the woody scent of aged oak barrels.
I look around and find Walker already approaching us.
“Hey,” I say with a soft smile.
He just walks up, smoothing my ponytail off my shoulder. His eyes roam over me, like he’s trying to take a snapshot for his memory. His intent stare makes me blush before he leans in and presses a soft kiss to my cheek.
My stomach does a somersault.
“Ready to get your ass handed to you, beautiful?” he asks.
I grin up at him, flushed cheeks and all. “Hope you told your head chef what you’ve gotten her into. I run a tight ship when it comes to my pastries.”
Walker chuckles. “Come on, guys. Bowling’s on me tonight.”
We all head inside, the lane lights casting multicolored streaks across the floor. The black lights are on, illuminating posters on the walls that glow with the unnatural lighting. The sounds of pins clattering, balls rolling, and laughter hit me in waves, and I immediately feel at home.
This is my element right here. Friendly competition. Laughter. Messy hair and loud noises with just enough mayhem to make everything feel alive.
I can’t wait to kick Walker’s ass.
We snag our lane and get into our shoes before picking out our balls.
Knox is adamant about carrying my ball for me and placing it in the feeder.
Walker is hiking my feet into his lap, insisting that he put my bowling shoes on for me.
Such a silly Alpha, that one, acting like I can’t even put on my own shoes.
Eli works the bowler console, typing in all of our names.
I smile when I see that he’s entered mine in as “Alley Cat.”
I smile at all of them, really. They’re honestly not so bad.
Not like my last pack, anyway.
I shove the thought of those idiots out of my mind. We were young, and dumb, and stupid, and full of hormones. We had no business doing what we had done. Sure, living with my Alpha Rejection Syndrome has permanently altered some aspects of my life. But it doesn’t have to alter this.
It doesn’t have to take away my ability enjoy things.
“Knox, you’re up first,” Eli says as he stands from the console chair.
Knox cracks his knuckles and stands to get his ball. “All right, Sunshine. Try not to cheat on us, will you?”
I balk. “Hey! I never cheat at bowling. I don’t have to.”
“Good,” he says as he tosses me a wink.
Before sending his ball down the aisle and straight into the gutter.
“What?” Knox exclaims. “No way. There’s no way I was that off-center.”
My head falls back with laughter. “Sucks to suck. Eli, your turn.”
I can’t help but to watch his ass as he stands and tries to get his stance right.
I can tell that Eli doesn’t bowl much. He probably only just started because his daughter wanted to give it a try, and that makes me melt a little inside.
It takes a special man to do something he’s not good at just to make someone else smile.
Man, he’s got a nice ass.
“Oooo,” Knox says as he claps his hand. “Gutter ball. Just like me.”
“Shut it,” Eli grumbles, even though he winks at me.
Blushing, I stand and wipe my sweaty hands against my jeans. “All right. My turn.”
“Try not to miss!” Walker calls out as I grab my bowling ball and take my stance.
I stick my tongue out at him over my shoulder before I draw in a deep breath.
I line myself up with the lane. I place my feet exactly where they need to be: shoulder width apart, with my lead foot just ever so slightly ahead. I draw in a deep breath and look past the strobing lights and bright colors along the walls.
Before I take four steps and send my ball down the aisle.
“Strike!” I exclaim when all of the pins tumble down. I turn around and hold my arms out. “See, gentlemen? That’s how it’s done.”
Eli gives me a set of high fives. Knox stands and gives me a hug. But it’s Walker who stands and unbuttons the cuffs at his wrists.
Before he rolls his sleeves up to his elbows.
Revealing a set of forearm veins that make me salivate.
I watch as Walker lines himself up. He takes a moment with the ball poised in front of him, and for a moment, he reminds me of one of those Greek statues.
A man carved out of stone beneath those suit pants and that button-front shirt.
His leather belt, glistening with the lights flashing all around us.
I bet he’s nothing but chiseled muscle beneath those clothes.
Then Walker takes a step. Another. Three gigantic steps before he seats himself low and follows through with his arm. He’s got good form, I’ll give him that. I watch as the ball soars down the middle, not deviating by an inch.
“That’s a strike,” I say just before the ball hits the pins.
And they all go tumbling down, one after another.
“Oh-ho-ho, man,” Knox says as he gets up for his turn again. “It’s going to be a good night tonight, everyone.”
“Anyone want some fries?” Eli asks as he gets up.
“I’ll take some, sure,” I say, looking up at him.
He smiles down at me. “Walker? You want anything?”
“Maybe a slice of that pizza, if Bea’s got any that are hot and ready.”
“Oh, hell yeah,” Knox says as he turns away from his shot, the ball moving down the aisle to only knock down two pins. “A slice of pizza for me, too.”
Eli points at him. “Two slices of pizza and a bunch of fries, coming up. I’ll get us a pitcher of Coke, too.”
The rounds continue and pins fly. Shoes squeak against the polished floor and I swear, Knox keeps us laughing until my stomach hurts. Eli comes back with food, and we take breaks in between sets, munching and chatting about everything and nothing.
Walker is his quiet self, keeping up with me, strike for strike. Every time I look over at him, his eyes are already on me, and heat curls in my belly every time our gazes connect.
Things feel comfortable with the three of them. I don’t hate that.
“Nice curve, Alley Cat,” Eli says after my fifth strike.
“Thanks, handsome,” I fire back before my mouth checks itself.
Eli blushes, and it makes me smile. I like that I can affect him that way.
“Well, well, well,” Knox says as our first frame is tallied up. “Looks like Walker and Sunshine here are tied.”
“That won’t do,” Walker says as he stands. “Tie-breaker game?”
“Best of three sounds good to me,” I say with a smile. “Let’s do this.”
Eli and Knox play the second game with us, and Walker stays with me every single frame.
Every time I score a strike, so does he.
The one time I end up with a spare, he does the same thing.
It’s almost like he’s taunting me. It’s like a teasing dance where he’s simply showing me he can keep up no matter what I throw at him.
But then game number three comes around.
Eli holds up his hands in mock surrender. “All right, I’m sitting this one out. I want to see how this pans out.”
Knox flops down next to him. “You and me, both, my guy. I want to see who’s gonna pull ahead in this third game.”
“Oh, it’s most definitely going to be me,” I say as I turn to Walker. “But you’re going first.”
Knox and Eli let out a string of “ooohs” before Walker simply shakes his head. “Ladies first. Always.”
I smile. “And this lady says, you first.”