Free The Safe Bet (The Game Changers #3) by Shealy James Page A

question.
    “Or anyone,” I confirmed quietly.
    He sucked in a deep breath and let it out. “Come on. Let’s feed you. You can even get dessert if you want.”
    I gave him a look that said, “Are you crazy?” making him throw his head back and laugh out loud. “I see sugar is still your favorite.”
    “The only reason I eat anything else is so I can have more sweets.”
    His laughter didn’t fade as he followed me out of the store. I locked up, then turned to him. It was then that I noticed how nice he looked in black pants and a blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Blue was a good color on him, and seeing him dressed like this made me realize he was a grown up now. When did we grow up? I still felt like a kid most of the time. I looked down at my casual tea dress and matching Converse shoes and squirmed a bit. I suddenly felt embarrassed by my immaturity.
    “You okay?” he asked.
    I ignored his question because I didn’t know the answer. “Where to?”
    “There’s a place right down here that I heard is pretty good.” He pointed to Restaurant Guy’s place, and I frowned. I didn’t want to show up at Restaurant Guy’s with Brock. I didn’t want to go there with anyone. Restaurant Guy was still the highlight of my day. No need to ruin it.
    “Or not,” Brock added when he saw my face. “You know this area better than I do.”
    I smiled. “I have just the spot.”
    I led him down the boardwalk past the parking lot to a place that I usually avoided. It was a family-owned joint decorated with antiques from all over the US. They served fresh seafood and the best crab soup I had ever tasted. It reminded me of this dive Brock and I used to go whenever we went to the beach for cheap seafood. He was the reason I never ate at the place, but since I would be sitting across the table from him, I figured no sense in skipping out on the delicious crab soup tonight. I’d had it once before and always wanted to come back for it, but the atmosphere brought back too many memories. I settled for avoiding the place instead. But since I was here…
    “This looks just like—”
    “I know,” I interrupted. “I figured you’d like it. The crab soup is the best in the world. Really. They should advertise it as such.”
    He was awestruck taking everything in. “It’s uncanny how similar it is. Are you sure it isn’t the same owners?”
    A young girl seated us, then took our drink order before scurrying away.
    “A guy named Darryl and his wife Barbara own this place. She reads erotic romances, and he likes to read books on how to fix things even though Barbara refuses to let him ‘handyman’ in her house. Her words.”
    “You know these people?”
    When the waitress returned with our drinks, she took our order for the soup and a platter Brock thought looked good for us to share. I didn’t mind him ordering for us. Even after all this time he still knew what I liked—but I couldn’t think about that right then.
    “I know almost everyone who works around here. This is a pretty small town.”
    “Yeah, I know. I like it. Good surf, nice people. I was lucky to find a job here.”
    “How did you? Specifically, how did you end up working with Jordan?”
    “Truth?”
    I nodded. “It’s too much of a coincidence for you to simply land there, so yes, I would like the truth.”
    “Okay, but you have to promise to stick around after I tell you, so we can have some of the world’s best soup.”
    “Fine.”
    “And you have to give me something in return.”
    “What?”
    “A truth of your own.”
    I sunk back in my chair and asked, “What do you want to know?” I had an idea, but you never could never be sure with Brock.
    “Just agree, then we’ll truth it up.”
    The waitress delivered the soup and the platter all at the same time, and I took a moment to think while she set it in front on us. Did I want to know how he came to work with Jordan? Couldn’t I just ask Jordan? He hadn’t told me anything so