"It’s not possible. Not possible." I survey the scoreboard. JJ leads with 120 points. Isaac is on his heels with 100, and me? I’m at 80—I blame it on being distracted by the sight of JJ’s butt. Of course, he’s fit and I’ve seen his ass without clothes and felt how firm and unyielding it is. But seeing it clad in jeans is an entirely new level of eyegasm, honestly.
I lean forward on the bench with my arms balanced on my knees. "You lied to me," I say through gritted teeth.
"I’ve never lied to you," JJ says in a voice that drips with sincerity.
Oh no, I’m not falling for that.
"You said you weren’t good at bowling."
"I never said that."
"You implied it."
"Nope. I didn’t."
"There you go, lying again. Can you even hear yourself?" I scowl without taking my gaze off Isaac. Feet apart, stance relaxed, knees bent slightly, he’s holding the ball at waist length with his non-bowling hand supporting it from the bottom.
"I said I wasn’t sure it was a good idea," JJ drawls.
"You implied you weren’t good at bowling."
"That’s what you took the implied meaning to be."
"You could have corrected me. You could have told me you were a bowling monster."
"I have news for you," he murmurs.
Just then, Isaac moves forward until he reaches the foul line and releases the ball. It rolls down the lane, curves midway, and hurtles dead center toward the middle of the pin set. All nine pins topple over.
"Yes!" He punches the air, pivots, and does a little victory dance. He walks over to hold his palm out to me. If he thinks I’m going to high five him, he’s mistaken.
"You could have told me," I glower at him.
He lowers his arm, a look of confusion on his face. "Told you what?"
"That you and your dad are likeThe Big Lebowski?"
"The Big what?" Isaac asks.
"The Big Lebowski. The movie with Jeff Bridges in which he’s mistaken for a millionaire by the same name and enlists his bowling buddies for help in tracking down the millionaire’s missing wife?" JJ supplies helpfully.
I jerk my head in his direction.
"If you think you can get into my good graces by repeating the IMDB synopsis ofThe Big Lebowski,you’re sadly mistaken," I spit out.
"Just trying to help," JJ murmurs.
"Well, don’t." I snap at the same time Isaac’s frown deepens.
"IMDB? What’s that?"
JJ opens his mouth to answer, and I shoot my hand up in the air. "Don’t even bother." I jump to my feet, turn, and walk away.
"Where are you going?" JJ calls out.
"Lena, the game’s not over." Isaac’s voice reaches me.
"It’s over as far as I’m concerned."