A Kiss At Midnight (Delilah and Caelum) novel Chapter 72

Chapter 72

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I watched in amusement as Kaia and Elias continued arguing on their way back from the lane. She had managed to knock down eight pins on her first throw and so had he.

Apparently, that was enough to spark yet another debate between the two of them.

“My throw was cleaner,” Kaia insisted, carrying her bowling ball back to the rack.

He scoffed. “Cleaner? Yours looked like it was having an identity crisis halfway down the lane.”

“It still knocked down eight.”

“So did mine.”

“Mine had style.”

“Yours got lucky.”

She stopped walking and turned to him. “Lucky?”

“Yeah.”

“You say that like your throw wasn’t one bad bounce away from ending up in the gutter.”

“It didn’t, though.”

“Neither did mine.”

“But mine looked cooler,” she rolled her eyes so hard I was surprised they didn’t disappear into the back of her head.

I laughed before pointing toward the lane, “As entertaining as this is, It’s Caelum’s turn. You two should probably sit down before you start a full-blown courtroom trial over whose eight pins were prettier.”

Kaia huffed. “I’m still right.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Elias replied with a smug grin.

She shot him one final glare and he answered with an annoyingly satisfied smile, then the two of them finally made their way back to the seating area.

I shook my head, still smiling, before turning toward Caelum and he hadn’t moved. he sat quietly, his gaze fixed on the lane ahead, his fingers loosely wrapped around the bowling ball resting on his lap.

He looked thoughtful, maybe even a little nervous. Jace noticed it too. “If you don’t know how to bowl,” he said casually, “you can always sit this one out, no one’s gonna judge you.”

Before Caelum could answer, I spoke first, “I’m sure he’s got it,” I looked over at him with an encouraging smile, “Right?”

Caelum’s attention shifted to me, for the briefest second, I could’ve sworn his jaw tightened. It was gone almost as quickly as I’d noticed it

Did I say something wrong?

Before I could dwell on it, he stood, calmly lifting a bowling ball from the rack, he walked toward the lane without another word frowning slightly. I followed after him.

When I caught up I leaned in just enough for only him to hear. “Hey.”

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11:55 Thu, Jul 23 –

Chapter 72

He didn’t jump nor flinch causing me to raise a brow.

Seriously?

“I was going to show you how to..”

“I’ve got it.” He cut me off gently then faced the lane again.

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The ball swung back, forward before releasing it. Neither of us followed the ball,, Instead he turned his head toward me and I looked back at him.

For a moment, everything else seemed to fade into the background, his emerald eyes held mine steadily, there was something different about the way he was looking at me. Calm and almost… challenging.

I wasn’t even sure why I couldn’t look away, neither of us said a word.

“NO WAY!” Kaia’s voice shattered the silence and my head whipped toward the lane.

The bowling ball had rolled perfectly down the center, every single pin had been wiped clean from the lane.

Strike

I stared at the scoreboard before looking back at Caelum, still staring in disbelief before letting out a short laugh. “Okay. what exactly can’t you do?”

One corner of his mouth lifted. “I can think of a few things.”

“Oh?”

He leaned forward just enough for only me to hear. “I’m still terrible at understanding… certain lessons,” there was just enough meaning behind his words for me to know exactly what he was referring to.

A smirk tugged at my lips., “Good thing you’ve got me to help you out then,” I reached over, giving his chest a light tap with the back of my hand before stepping around him, “try not to forget that”

Without waiting for a reply, I grabbed another bowling ball and walked to the lane. Get it together, Delilah.

My heart was beating much faster than I’d have liked to admit, probably because we’d been standing far too close to each other. Or maybe because he’d looked at me like…

Nope

Not going there

I rolled my shoulders, pretending everything was perfectly normal before swinging the ball forward. It thundered down the lane and nine pins toppled over.

One stubborn pin remained standing. I clicked my tongue. “So close.”

Turning back toward the seating area, my eyes landed on Jace. He was looking between Caelum and me, a slight furrow settled between his brows, as though trying to piece together a puzzle that refused to make sense.

His brain was definitely spiraling again, I laughed, calling out to him before he could overthink whatever was going through his head

“Jace His attention snapped to me. “Your turn.”

The thoughtful look disappeared almost instantly and a familiar grin stretched across his face.

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17:55 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 72

“Finally, time for the professional to show you amateurs how it’s done.”

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He grabbed his bowling ball with exaggerated confidence and strode toward the lane as though he were about to compete in the championships.

I wandered back toward the seating area, rubbing my hands over my bare arms, a small shiver ran through me the moment I sat down, should’ve brought a jacket.

The air conditioning in the bowling alley hadn’t seemed that cold when we first walked in, but after an hour of moving around, it suddenly felt a whole lot chillier.

Out on the lane. Jace released his ball, It rolled straight down the center and every pin scattered.

“Strike!” Elias called as he turned around with a grin, throwing both hands into the air.

“I’d like to thank my fans.”

“You don’t have any.” Kaia called back.

“I’ve got at least one.”

“No.”

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