Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Kenzie

“Maybe I should start dating again,” I say as Jace turns off the truck. “I was going to wait, but maybe I’ll get out there again like you’re going to do.”

He turns to me. “You mean date, or get into another relationship?”

“Date. I’m like you. I’m not ready for another relationship.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why?”

“Because guys are assholes. They’ll try to use you.”

“For what? Sex?”

“Yeah, which is the last thing you need.”

“Who says I don’t need sex?”

He clears his throat. “I didn’t mean you don’t need it. I just—forget it. It’s none of my business.”

“I’m not opposed to casual dating. In fact, maybe that’s what I need. Ever since you brought it up, I’ve been thinking it might be good to date around. Keep my options open.”

“Let’s go,” he says, getting out of the truck.

I guess we’re done talking. He seemed uncomfortable when I said I might start dating, or maybe it’s just the topic of dating in general. Maybe it makes him think of his ex.

We go in the laser tag place.

“Two please,” Jace says to the guy at the counter.

“I need to see IDs. It’s 21 and over night.”

We get out our licenses and show the guy.

“It’s ten for ten minutes or thirty for a half hour.”

Jace looks at me. “Half hour?”

“Can we do less? Thirty dollars is kind of a lot for me.”

“Don’t worry about it. I got it.” He hands the guy the money.

“It’s right through that door,” the guy says, pointing to it. “Have fun.”

We step away from the counter. “Jace, I can’t let you pay. It’s too much.”

“I have a job. And besides, I’ll be returning the earrings I got Nikki for our anniversary. They were three hundred so I’m coming out ahead.”

“Still, it’s too much. Can I at least give you a ten?”

He stops in front of me. “I’m paying for it, okay? It was my idea, and if I wasn’t here with you tonight, I’d be sitting in my room, thinking about Nikki and feeling like shit.”

“I thought you said you weren’t going to do that.”

“I would if I had nothing else to do. I needed someone to get me out of the house. Someone who understands what I’m going through.” He grabs my hand. “C’mon, let’s go. I’ll show you what to do.”

I like the feel of his hand around mine. He has big hands. He’s a big guy, at least six foot five. I know nothing can happen between us, but I have to admit, I’m attracted to Jace. I was the moment I saw him, which surprised me because he looks nothing like Liam.

Liam’s five foot eight with reddish blond hair that he wears in a buzz cut. He’s covered in freckles, which I thought was cute when we met, but I don’t now. In fact, I don’t think he’s attractive at all now that I know the real Liam. I still love him. Even though he hurt me, I can’t just turn off my feelings for him, but any attraction I felt for him is gone.

But Jace? I’m definitely attracted to Jace. He’s really hot. Dark hair, deep brown eyes, and a hard, muscular body that I keep staring at and wanting to touch. Never in a million years did I think I’d be interested in some other guy after being dumped by my boyfriend. I thought it would take months before I’d be interested in a guy again, but here I am, lusting after my roommate.

Jace stops and lets go of my hand as we enter a room that has another check-in counter with a guy that looks like he’s still in high school. Behind him is a rack of red and blue vests.

“Receipt?” the guy says. Jace shows him our receipt, then the guy grabs two vests and hands them to us. He reaches under the counter and brings out two plastic guns. “Just go through those doors.”

“You guys sell beer?” Jace asks.

“Not yet. Still waiting on our liquor license.” He slides a laminated map toward us across the counter. “This is the arena.” He points to the top of the map. “This is where you’ll enter. Once the game starts, you can go anywhere in the arena. You can work together or separately. You earn points tagging people so try to get as many people as you can.”

I lean down to get a closer look at the map. It reminds me of a corn maze the way it winds through the room.

“Any questions?” the guy asks.

“How do you use the gun?” I ask.

“I can show you,” Jace says.

“There’s a practice area over there.” The guy points behind us where there’s a mannequin set up wearing a red vest. “Next game starts in five minutes.”

“Got it. Thanks.” Jace says. We head toward the mannequin and Jace points to a line on the floor. “Stand here.”

I stand by the line and Jace stands beside me. He’s so much taller than Liam. I’m not used to being around a guy this tall. And he’s a lot bigger than Liam, wider and more muscular.

“See the lights on the vest?” Jace says. “Just aim at those and shoot. Like this.” He raises his gun and shoots at the mannequin, hitting its chest and lighting up the vest.

“Okay,” he says. “You try.”

I raise the gun and shoot but nothing happens.

“Is your gun on? Jace asks.

“I’m not sure,” I say, trying to find an ‘on’ button.

“Here.” He pushes a button under the gun. “Now try.”

Aiming at the vest, I shoot but nothing happens. I try again and still nothing.

“I think I need more practice,” I say.

“Mind if I show you?” Jace asks.

“Go ahead.”

He stands behind me, so close I can smell his cologne. It’s really good cologne, better than Liam used to wear. One time I bought him a different kind, a kind I liked, but he refused to even try it.

“Hold it like this.” Jace reaches around me, his arms covering mine as he lifts the gun up. “See how high I have it? I think you had it too low.”

“Oh.” My heart’s pumping harder, liking the feel of Jace more than I should. I just broke up with my boyfriend. I shouldn’t even be thinking about being with someone else, but my heart seems to disagree.

“Take a shot,” Jace says.

I shoot and hit the shoulder of the vest. It lights up.

“You got it!” Jace backs away and I already miss the feel of his big strong arms around me.

What am I thinking? I just met this guy. And he’s my roommate! He can’t be anything more.

Maybe I’m just missing Liam, and missing how it felt to have his arms around me. Before I caught him with that girl, I couldn’t wait to race into his arms and feel him holding me tight. I’d been looking forward to that for three weeks, which is when I’d seen him last. It seemed like forever to me, but I’m sure Liam didn’t even notice how long it’d been. I bet he didn’t even miss me. Why would he? He had someone else.

“Kenzie?” I hear Jace say.

My gun is lowered to my side and I look up and see Jace in front of me.

“You okay?” he asks, sounding concerned.

“Yeah.” I force out a smile. “Guess I was distracted.” I turn back to check the clock on the wall. “Is it time yet?”

“A couple more minutes.” Jace puts his hand on my shoulder. “Hey.”

I turn back to him. “Yeah?”

His hand drops from my shoulder. “It’s not just you. I feel the same way.”

“What way?”

“You don’t have to pretend with me. I’m going through this too.”

“What do you mean?”

“Thinking about my ex. Replaying what happened. Wishing I hadn’t come home early and caught her, even though I needed to see it for myself to know it was true.”

I nod. That’s exactly how I’m feeling. I wish I hadn’t come to town early and found Liam, but I also know it was for the best. He was cheating on me. He didn’t love me. It needed to end.

“Being here is hard for me,” Jace says. “I’m sure it’s hard for you too. But if they’re out having fun, why shouldn’t we?”

“You think Liam took her out tonight?”

“Yeah, and I’m sure Carter took Nikki to the party. But it doesn’t matter. The point is, wherever they are, whatever they’re doing, they’re not mourning the loss of us. They’re with other people now. They’ve moved on. And we need to do the same.”

Thinking about Liam being out tonight, with her , makes me sick to my stomach. I was hoping Liam was home crying over the end of our relationship, but Jace is right. Our exes aren’t spending tonight sitting at home, thinking about us. They’ve moved on.

“I’m not ready yet,” I say, wiping away a tear before it falls.

“I know.” He pulls into a hug. “Me either.”

My arms go around him and I hug him back. Our bodies are touching, molded together, but it’s not sexual. It’s comforting. Two people hurting, trying to get through this, and helping each other.

After a few moments, I hear Jace talking. “You know the best thing to do after your heart’s been broken?”

I pull back to look at him. “What?”

He smiles. “Go shoot some shit.”

I laugh. “That actually does sound good.”

“You ready to do this?”

“More than ready.”

“Let’s go.”

We go to the arena entrance and through the door. Other people are in there, a group of guys and another couple. There’s a large digital clock above the starting area that’s counting down. It hits zero and a voice announces that we can start.

I take off and hear Jace behind me. “Kenzie, wait!”

“What?” I turn around, aim my gun, and shoot him.

“What the hell?” he says, laughing. “You shot me!”

“Isn’t that the point?” I say, also laughing. I’m already liking this game and we just started.

He comes up to me. “I was going to ask if you want to be a team.”

“Don’t we earn points individually?”

“Yeah, but we’ll earn more if we work as a team, meaning we stay together and keep an eye out for enemies.”

“Enemies?” I laugh.

“Your opponents are your enemies. Like them.” He looks over at a guy and girl who look like they’re on a first date. The girl looks bored, like the date isn’t going well. Her gun is held at her side and her expression says she has no interest in the game.

“Get down,” Jace says.

I duck and he shoots the guy, hitting him right in the chest. The guy shoots back but misses Jace.

“This way.” Jace grabs my hand, then runs down a trail that’s hidden behind some fake trees.

It’s really dark. The whole place is dark. My eyes haven’t adjusted yet.

“That was close,” Jace says, letting go of my hand. I really like it when he holds my hand. It wraps all the way around mine and his strong grip makes me feel safe.

I laugh. “You act like these are real guns.”

“It’s part of the game. You have to act like you’re under attack. That guy almost hit you.”

“I could’ve got him, but you wouldn’t let me.”

“Sorry. It’s the caveman in me,” he kids. “Gotta protect my woman.”

I look at him, smiling. “Your woman?”

“That’s not what I meant,” he rushes to say. “I meant it like—”

“You don’t have to explain. I know what you meant.”

He meant he’s protective of his girl, and even though I’m not his girl, he still didn’t want me getting hurt. Jace is a nice guy. Maybe it’s too early to decide that, but from what I’ve seen so far, he’s a good guy.

“Shit,” Jace says, looking down at his vest. It’s lit up. Someone hit him.

“Over there,” I say, pointing to a guy hiding in the fake bush just ahead of us. The guy stands up and I aim and hit him. “Got him!”

The guy takes off.

“That was awesome!” Jace goes to give me a high five, but I’m focused on a guy hiding behind a tree, his gun aimed at Jace.

“Jace, move!” I yell as I aim at Tree Guy. Jace ducks while I shoot. Tree Guy’s vest lights up. “I got him!”

“You sure you haven’t done this before?” Jace asks, rising to standing.

“Not before today.”

“You’re a fast learner.” He smiles at me. “You having fun?”

“Yeah, I really like this.” I realize I’m smiling too.

I’m really glad Jace suggested this. I’m smiling and having fun, which I didn’t think was possible after the day I’ve had.

“Keep going,” Jace says, nudging me forward. “Let’s get to that rock. We’ll hide behind it.”

The rock is just up ahead. I follow the trail to it then duck behind it.

“Now what?” I ask.

“Keep an eye out for enemies. Shoot whoever you see.”

“But that’ll give us away. They’ll know where we’re hiding.”

“Then we’ll find a new spot.” He lifts his gun and shoots.

“Where’d that come from?” a guy says.

Jace laughs. “Watch this.” He shoots again.

“What the hell?” the guy says.

“He can’t tell it’s you?” I whisper to Jace.

“It’s too dark. He can’t tell where it’s coming from.”

“Is he still there?”

“No, he turned around. But here comes another one. You want him?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s all yours.”

I lift up just enough to shoot the guy. I miss and the guy shoots back.

“He saw me!” I whisper.

“Go!” Jace whispers back.

“Where?”

“Follow me.” He takes off, hunching down, trying to hide behind the fake greenery as we follow the trail. We round a corner and run into three guys. They all shoot at us so we shoot back. Vests are lighting up all over the place and I lose track of who’s shooting who, which is making me laugh so hard my aim is off. I don’t even know if I’m hitting anyone.

Jace grabs my hand and turns around, running the other way. He stops suddenly and pulls me into a corner of the trail.

“We were ambushed,” Jace says, breathing hard.

“Sorry. It’s my fault.”

“Why is it your fault? I was the one leading us.”

“Yeah, but I’m the one who took that shot when we were behind the rock and gave us away.”

“It wasn’t your fault. That guy probably saw us before you even took a shot at him. That was a great shot, by the way.” He smiles at me. “You’re an awesome partner.”

“Thanks.” I raise my gun as I survey the area, which I can’t really see because this corner we’re in is really dark. So dark that if I were on a date, it’d be a great kissing spot.

But I’m not on a date. I’m on a… I don’t really know what you’d call tonight. A night out with my new friend? New roommate?

“Kenzie,” I hear Jace say.

“Yeah?” I look over at him.

He leans down to me and I’m sure—positive—he’s going to kiss me. And wrong or not, I want him to do it. There’s seriously strong chemistry between us. I felt it when I met him, and I feel it now.

I close my eyes and wait for the kiss. I feel his breath over my lips.

“There’s a guy right behind you,” he whispers.

My eyes pop open. Jace is still in front me, his face next to mine, in the perfect kissing position, but he’s looking behind me, focused on whoever’s about to shoot at us.

“What should I do?” I whisper back.

“Stay still. If he sees us, I’ll shoot him.”

We silently wait. The guy slowly walks past us but doesn’t notice we’re there. I don’t think he even noticed the corner we’re in. Was he really a threat, or did Jace just pretend he was after deciding not to kiss me? Because I swear, he was moments away from kissing me. He even had that look, the one that says he’s going for it unless I tell him otherwise.

Or maybe I’m delusional and just thought he was going to kiss me because I wanted him to. Because I like him, and like how he makes me feel.

Just hours ago, I was a crying mess, and now I’m laughing and having a great time. And it’s all because of Jace.