Sixes & Sevens (Seven Hearts Book 1) (15 page)

“No, but I’ve seen it in movies. I’m not sure I’ll be any good at it…but I’ll give it a try,” Jaycee said, wanting to be a good sport.

“Great! The arcade won’t open for a couple of hours, so there’s plenty of time. I suggest you take a long soak in the tub, and then put on something you can really move in. Like those yoga pants we bought, and a loose-fitting tee. Technically you’re not supposed to run in the arena, but no one actually follows those rules. They’re more to protect the arcade if someone gets hurt, and tries to sue. So, you want something breathable, but not constricting. Don’t worry about being cold, they have lockers we can store our coats in,” he explained.

“Okay, I think I remember some clothes that would work.” Jaycee turned to watch Jonathan stand to leave the room. “Do you need to get to work?”

“Yeah, I need to get showered and head out. I’ll see you tonight though. Evenings will always be family time. You’re one of us now, sweetie,” Jonathan told her. Jaycee rose from her chair to throw her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

“In case I don’t catch you before you leave… Have a good day, Jonathan.” Holding him tightly, Jaycee spoke into his neck. Jonathan imagined every day like this, having her say good-bye to him when he left for work, and welcoming him home at the end of a long day. A man could get used to this. Garrett was the next to rise. He needed to get a quick shower, and head out to the construction site. While getting up early in the winter didn’t help fight the temperatures, it did help him make the best use of the daylight. He pulled Jaycee from Jonathan’s embrace, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I want to say good-bye too, sweet girl.” Garrett hugged her tight, avoiding Jonathan’s comically exaggerated glare.

“Will you be home late?” Jaycee looked between the two men, addressing her question to both.

“I might be; we’ll end the day when the work gets done. We’ve been behind with the weather this season. You can’t pour concrete when the ground is frozen, can’t do much of anything really. It’s pushed us past our projected completion date, unless we put in some overtime.”

“Will you still be able to take a day off to spend with me?” she asked, concerned.

“Don’t worry, my day is Sunday. My old man’s too religious to make us work on the Lord’s day. We’ll still have our day together.” Garrett gave her a final squeeze before setting her away from him. “I’m gonna head up.” Garrett disappeared up the stairs, with Jonathan one long-legged step behind.

“And then there were four,” Alec said with no little amount of humor.

“Do I need to bring anything else for laser tag? How much does it cost?” Jaycee asked.

“I’ll pay; after all, it is our first date. You won’t need anything but your gorgeous self. I’ll take care of the rest.” Alec kissed her on her forehead.

“So what are the rest of you going to do today?” She addressed the others.

“I teach self-defense Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week from eight to nine in the morning. As soon as one of the showers kicks off, I need to get ready to go myself. I’ve got some paperwork to do later, and bills to pay. I’m also planning on stopping by your dorm to talk to Jason and Sara,” explained Lee.

“I have to go make an appearance at my agency. Could take all day with the way my agent prattles on,” Marc provided.

“I’m planning on being a bum today. My brain feels overloaded, and classes haven’t even started yet. I’ll probably play
COD
for a while…I still need to do some research for a code I’m working on, but I’ll see how long I can put it off,” Sean told her as he rose from the table.

“
COD
?” She was confused by the abbreviation.

“
Call of Duty
. It’s a popular video game,” Sean informed her.

“Oh. Sorry, I’m not very knowledgeable about that stuff.” Jaycee apologized.

“It’s cool. I can give you some exposure on my day, if you want. Not all of my games are violent,” he offered.

“Sure. I’ll give it a try,” Jaycee responded. Lee leaned in, gave Jaycee a hug, and marched up the stairs to the bathroom he shared with Garrett. Marc slowly trailed behind him.

“Down to two. One more, and my day officially starts,” Alec teased Sean.

“Just for that I’m tempted to linger down here all day…but I won’t.” Sean shot a sly smile at Jaycee. “Have a good day, pretty girl, and beat his butt. It’s good to deflate his ego on occasion.” Sean collected his hug, taking a moment to breathe her in. She always smelled so delightful. He wandered upstairs, leaving Alec and Jaycee in the dining room alone.

“Looks like the guys saved the downstairs bath for you this morning. You can go ahead and take a bath if you want. There’s only three bathrooms total, so I’ve got to wait on one of the showers anyway; take your time, pretty girl.” Alec wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “After all, I plan on giving you a great workout today.” He spoke suggestively.

“Oh really?” Jaycee squeaked, though she had picked up on his teasing tone.

“Of course! Laser tag is awesome exercise.” Alec winked at her, and playfully kissed her nose. Alec watched her wander into the downstairs bathroom, before heading upstairs to gather his clothes, and wait on a shower.

January 6, 2016 — Riverton Arcade

The arcade Alec picked was more than Jaycee had been envisioning. Instead of a tiny shack with rows of archaic video games, Jaycee entered a flashy building with bright lights and sounds coming from every direction. At the back there was a bowling alley, to the right side was a huge laser tag facility, and to the far left was a fast food restaurant. The center housed every game Jaycee could imagine. While they still had a few of the iconic games like
Pac-Man
, there were tons of new games too. They even had air hockey and pool tables. There were games that required you to shoot coins into targets, there was Skee-Ball, and shooting games as well.

Before Jaycee could do a full spin to take in her surroundings, Alec pulled her to a wall off to one side. There were rows upon rows of large lockers. Pulling a quarter from his pocket, he deposited it into the coin slot to open the locker door. Shoving his coat inside, he reached for Jaycee’s coat and purse. Once they were safely locked up, he couldn’t help taking a pause to admire her outfit. Jaycee wore her new dark purple yoga pants, with a stretchy black tank top, and black-and-purple sneakers. Without wearing any white, she would disappear into the playing field. He’d told her his strategy before they’d left, prompting her to adjust her clothing selections. White clothing tended to glow under the arena’s black lights. Even her socks were picked to hide her appearance in the dark arena—while white—they were no-shows.

Being a former military man, and a laser tag enthusiast, Alec chose to wear all black. The kid behind the cash register recognized him on sight. After exchanging a fist bump, Alec paid for a card loaded with points to use all around the arcade. Laser tag, bowling, and arcade games could all be purchased with one swipe. The points were weighted based on the type and length of game play. Jaycee couldn’t get a look at the amount Alec was placing on the card, as he’d leaned over the display to block her view. She supposed it was his money, so long as he didn’t go broke trying to entertain her.

“All right, Jaycee, we’re all set. We’ll head through this door, and into the arena. There are several others playing with us, so we can choose to be on the same team or opposite teams. Which would you rather?” He opened the door, and gestured for her to go first. The room beyond was pitch black with only black lights illuminating the sides of the room.

“Um, I guess we could play against each other. I won’t win, but at least I won’t cause you to lose.” She smiled at her self-deprecating joke.

“If that’s the way you want to play it. But I think we should raise the stakes,” he said on a whim.

“What do you mean?” Jaycee asked.

“There should be spoils for the victor. Makes the winning more fun,” Alec teased.

“Hmm…sounds to me like you just want a freebie.” Jaycee laughed.

“Maybe. You never know who might be on your team. You could beat me. What would you want if you won?” Helping her suit up in her vest, Alec waited till she was finished, before going to the opposite wall to select his own vest and gun combo.

“Well, if we’re on teams, it really isn’t fair. What if the first person to score a hit gets the prize instead?” she suggested.

“I’m in, but you still have to name the stakes. Or should I?” Alec made a show of rubbing his chin in thought. “Loser has to run naked through the house tonight.”

“What? Um…” Jaycee blushed, unsure of whether she could agree to such high stakes. She would die of embarrassment if she lost, and had to expose herself to the guys. On the other hand, if she could find a way to make Alec lose…it might be funny to see him run the house in his birthday suit. Casting her good judgment aside, she spoke. “You’re on.” They shook on it, as the other team members filed into the armory and grabbed their gear. They had to watch an informational video on how to use the equipment, and what the safety rules were. It was boring to Alec, but Jaycee was grateful. She didn’t want to make a mistake on her first go and get them kicked out.

The players were allowed to file into the arena and disperse before the clock started, and the laser guns would activate. Jaycee made sure to head in the opposite direction of Alec, but when she noticed he wasn’t paying attention, she doubled back to follow him. Making sure not to get too close, Jaycee kept behind half walls, and crawled through tunnels to avoid detection. The countdown clock started, ten…nine…eight…Jaycee decided on a tactic. She would surprise Alec, and grab the first point before he knew she was there. Seven…six…five…Alec crouched behind a barrel against the far wall. Jaycee hid slightly behind him to the left. She crouched behind a wall with a porthole, for her to keep an eye on him. Four…three…two…one! As Jaycee turned to creep around the wall she smashed into someone. It was Alec! How had he moved so fast? Had he known she was there?? Their limbs became entangled as they hit, and they both started to fall. Using his body to cushion her, Alec maneuvered beneath her, so his body would take the impact.

Their eyes met, and their breath mingled as they laid on the floor. Jaycee’s heart raced as she stared into Alec’s blue eyes. Her chest pressed into his, and she could feel his heartbeat race in time with hers. Muscles flexed beneath her, as he fought to remain still.

“Are you hurt?” He was concerned their fall had bruised her.

“No…I’m…fine,” she said, managing to breathe.

“Good.” Alec’s head leaned slightly closer to hers, their lips a hair’s breath away from touching. This was it, this was the moment.

Jaycee pushed back with all her strength and leveled her blaster at Alec’s chest. Score! First blood, Jaycee had done it! Alec’s eyes were like two pools of whirling water. He couldn’t believe she’d distracted him with her body to get the shot. It was genius! It was cunning, and it was certainly dirty pool. If that’s how she wanted to play it. Game on! Alec pushed his back off the floor, and used the momentum to gain his footing.

“Oh, it’s on like Donkey Kong now, sweet cheeks!” Alec chuckled as he chased after Jaycee. She squealed, and ran to the second floor. With his military training she couldn’t beat him head on, but maybe if she could find a defendable spot, she could hunker down, and wait him out. With her smaller size, if she hunched over, she could hide some of her sensors. She passed other players, and attempted to shoot the red ones—she was on the blue team. Apparently, she was not a great shot. Most of the time she missed the target. Trying to find a better hiding spot, Jaycee headed back to the first level. Over in the back corner, she found a partial wall, and put her back into the V, facing the arena’s wall. That covered her backside. She slid down the wall till she was crouched with her arms resting on her knees. Now only her shoulder and gun sensors could be triggered. Pulling her gun toward her chest, she hoped to cover the light emanating from the top of it.

“Gotcha!” Alec could be heard on the upper level, taking down several kids who had tried to tail him, after she’d taken the first shot. The littler kids often tried to follow you till your vest reactivated, and attempt to fire the first shot. They didn’t stand a chance against Alec. He used every move he’d learned through martial arts, and the military to dodge, feign, and just plain outmaneuver his foes. It helped that he often found time to spar with Lee, whose training was much more advanced than his own.

A few minutes later, Jaycee heard a couple of kids headed her direction. She raised her weapon, and waited. Peeking around the corner, she made sure to keep her body at an angle so they wouldn’t have a clear shot at her vest. She’d learned to keep her gun down until she was ready to shoot. If she stuck it out too far, they could shoot the sensors on its barrel, and she’d be down for another ten seconds. The countdown clock roared to life. If she could wait it out, she might get off without Alec having scored a single shot to her vest.

Just as the thought had crossed her mind, she felt the hairs raise on the back of her neck. A ledge high above her angled down, and allowed a careful shooter to sneak up on an unsuspecting victim. Her vest flared to life, and she lit up like a Christmas tree. Damn it! She’d been so close! The final tone sounded, and the exit signs flared to life. Her team had lost the battle, but she’d won the real war. Alec, not her, would be making a nude run, flashing his goodies to all and sundry. She couldn’t help but wonder what the other guys would think. Hopefully, they wouldn’t think she was crazy for having agreed to the challenge in the first place. Not that it mattered, she had won.

Apparently, Jaycee had a small competitive side she’d never tapped into before. When she saw Alec headed toward the door, she couldn’t help but puff up her chest and add a little swagger to her walk.

“I got you, little minx,” Alec boasted.

“True, but I got you first. And that’s the only one that counts.” Jaycee couldn’t help laughing at his cringe.

“Surely, a nice girl like you wouldn’t hold a guy to such a promise…” He half-heartedly tried to guilt trip her into letting him out of their deal.

“Nice girl? Hmm…nice girl Jaycee must have left the building when the game started,” she teased.

“Oh really? Then who are you now, the Jaycinator?” Pulling her under his arm, he tucked her into his side and ruffled her hair. She squirmed and squawked, but he held tight. “Give up yet? Ready to be a nice girl again?” Realizing Jaycee wasn’t ready to forfeit, he decided to up the ante. Tickling her sides with one hand, Alec held her steady with the other.

“Okay! Okay! You win! You win! Let me go!” Her hair was a mess, her shirt was askew, and she looked like she’d been rolling in sweat, but she laughed all the same. This was the most fun she’d had since her dad had been taken. Maybe ever. Righting her hair, she followed Alec into the brightly lit game room. Jaycee fought to express her gramercy. “I really appreciate you bringing me here, Alec. I didn’t know chasing you in the dark would be so much fun.” She teased.

“Really? Cause I’ve been dreaming about having you alone in the dark.” Alec fought to keep the laughter out of his voice. Sometimes his lines were too cheesy even for him to swallow. This one, however, was relatively true. He’d been dreaming about spending the night with Jaycee since they’d met. In fact, he hadn’t so much as looked at another woman since. Alec hadn’t dated much, despite what the gossipmongers said. No, the gossip formed because he liked to flirt and tease. Plenty of women found him attractive, and he liked to be around people. Often others saw only what they wanted to see, and made up wild stories about him. It had never mattered before. His family knew the truth, and he refused to let other people’s jealousy get him down…but now? He worried Jaycee would get the wrong idea about him.

“Well, I guess your dreams will have to sustain you for now,” she returned. Only, Alec caught the implied meaning. For now? Had she intended it that way? Probably not, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. Too much testosterone was raging through his body after the thrill of chasing enemies and Jaycee, through the urban jungle of the arena. He needed a moment to clear his head.

“I’m gonna hit the head. I’ll meet you right back out here,” Alec said, motioning to the floor at his feet, in case she got any ideas of wandering off. While it was unlikely anyone would come looking for her here, it still wasn’t safe for her to be alone for long. No one paid Jaycee any mind, so she couldn’t help taking two large steps to her left, just to see if Alec would notice when he returned. He did.

“You just had to move, huh?” Alec took a menacing step toward Jaycee and for a moment she forgot this was Alec her charming guy. He stalked toward her and threw her over his shoulder, beginning to spin. Jaycee laughed out loud as the room danced in swirling lights and sounds. Until her stomach turned over.

“You might want to put me down!” She thumped on his shirt. “Your shirt won’t look so pretty if I hurl on it.” Suddenly she was on her feet again, but the room took a minute to stop spinning.

“Maybe next time you’ll follow directions,” Alec teased. “But seriously, you good? You’re looking a bit pale.” Sticking his face in hers, he placed a hand on her head. “No temperature.”

“I’m just a bit nauseous from the spinning. I’ll grab a drink from the water fountain.” Jaycee turned around, and pressed the button, cold crisp water flooded her mouth. Ah, so much better. She tried to take small sips, so she wouldn’t further aggravate her now protesting tummy. Laser tag would be out of the question for a while.

“I think we should find a calm game to play next. Do they have solitaire?” she joked.

“No,” Alec laughed, “but they do have Skee-Ball. Think you can handle that, champ?”

“Yeah, that’s more my speed right now.” Hobbling to the Skee-Ball machines, Jaycee waited for Alec to swipe his card through both their machines before playing. He won by a landslide, but that wasn’t a surprise. She couldn’t throw, in fact, whatever she aimed at she was least likely to hit. Running, she was okay at. Even playing volleyball or badminton, she didn’t completely stink, but any sport requiring more finesse…she sucked. When Alec had told her they would each get a day to decide what to do with her, she’d expected him to choose hockey. She’d never learned to skate, but playing roller hockey in physical education hadn’t been horrible. If she’d had any friends to play it with, she might have enjoyed it.

The rest of the day they spent taking turns choosing a game for them to play. Jaycee had won several rounds of air hockey, mostly because Alec got so interested in attacking her goal, he’d forget to guard his own. He had knocked a few in for her himself, causing Jaycee to howl in glee. It was starting to feel so natural, having fun with the guys. It was like she’d known them her whole life, but only now realized it. If she was dreaming, she didn’t want the dream to ever end. Six men worried about her every need, her every desire. Feeling excited was such a foreign feeling for her. The last few years, she hadn’t had much to look forward to. While the last few days had been eventful—an understatement, of course—they had also been magical. Lucky…she felt lucky.