She knocked down a grand total of four pins. She cheered and came back to the food, downing half a cup of beer quickly followed by some hair-twirling and a giddy laugh.

I raised my eyebrows and gave Nate a look to see if we were seeing the same thing. He shrugged his shoulders at me as he shoved another nacho in his mouth.

It was Kent’s turn. After his ball busted through all the pins, he turned around and winked cockily at me.

I half smiled, my teeth biting the straw on my cup. "Oh it’s on, Mr. Lytle," I said softly. He probably didn't even hear me but the threat was there.

Chapter Nine

"My turn." Nate stood up and jogged to the lane. He grabbed a gold ball and lined up, he was super serious. He took his time and finally threw the ball down the lane. It looked like it was going well and then it went into the gutter.

"Booo!" I yelled.

While Nate waited for his ball to came back he grabbed the two pink balls and held them low, "Blue, er, pink balls!"

Jen whistled loudly. He chuckled, picking up the rest of the pins for a spare.

It was back around to me and when I got up to take my turn, Kent yelled, "Gutter ball!"

I looked at him over my shoulder and smiled. There hadn’t been much to do all summer long in the small town my grandma lived in, except bowl and dance. I picked up my pink ball and chucked it down the lane. Another strike. I smiled triumphantly as I made my way back to the table. I winked at Kent and promptly stuck out my tongue as Kent did the same. I sat down next to Nate and fed him a nacho.

I rolled my eyes at Jen who sauntered up to get her ball and let her hips sway. Before I could turn away Jen picked up her ball and then dropped it. She giggled and bent over to pick it up. I felt bile rising in my throat. The jeans she was wearing were so tight I was amazed she could even get down that low.

I glanced at Nate out of the corner of my eye, he was watching but quickly looked away when he realized what she was up to. He smiled at me and opened his mouth for another nacho. I smiled, approving of his ability to resist Jen’s backside, and fed him one as a reward.

I looked up at the scoreboard and saw that Jen had managed a strike. “Great job, babe!” Kent smiled proudly as he stood up. Jen leaned in and gave him a kiss, pulling back with his bottom lip between her teeth.