“Come on, you can have dinner with an old friend. Bring him along.” He grinned at Kate. “Tell him I’m willing to share if he is.”
Kate laughed dryly. “I’m not yours to share, buddy. Seriously, how many beers have you had?” Had Derek always been an asshole and she hadn’t noticed, or was this the alcohol talking?
He should have paid more attention to her incredulous—and irritated—expression, but instead he smiled and held up his empty glass. “Not nearly enough.”
Kate wished she hadn’t come and was glad when Derek left to go to the bathroom at the start of halftime. Her phone buzzed.
Ian: Having fun?
Kate: No. I’m irritated, wet, uncomfortable, and cold.
Ian: I’m confused by your words considering you’re at an indoor basketball game with friends.
Kate: I’m trapped at the end of the row so I can’t talk to anyone, and Derek spilled beer down my back.
Ian: Derek?
Kate: The token drunk guy in our group, or at least he will be by the end of the evening if he doesn’t slow down. He’s being an ass.
Derek came back, holding a giant beer. He scowled when he noticed Kate typing on her phone. That didn’t stop him from putting his arm on the back of her chair again.
Ian: Is he bothering you?
Kate: It’s nothing I can’t handle. But if you’re watching the game on TV and they happen to flash a picture of us on the Jumbotron, it was not my idea for him to rest his arm across the back of my chair. Also, he’s miffed that you scooped me up when I was single. How dare you!
Ian: Please elaborate.
Kate: I told him about you, but he’s still acting like he has a shot with me. He said he’s willing to share if you are.
Kate was surprised when there wasn’t an immediate response from Ian. He didn’t strike her as the jealous type, but his extreme confidence made her think he might have something to say about Derek’s behavior.
She was looking right at the Jumbotron when the first message appeared on the screen.
KATE IS MINE
She sat bolt upright and looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, watching as Derek took a big drink of his beer and squinted at the screen. Turning away from him slightly, she pulled out her phone.
Kate: Oh my God. You did NOT hack the Jumbotron.
Ian: You know, I believe I did.
BEAUTIFUL KATE BELONGS TO ME
People in the crowd had begun to point at the Jumbotron.
Lisa leaned toward Kate. “Didn’t you say your new boyfriend’s name was Ian?”
“Well, yes,” Kate said, noticing that Derek was listening in. “But those are both pretty common names.”
“You can pay to have a message put on the Jumbotron,” Lisa said. “I read something about it in the program.”
Kate shook her head. “Trust me, it’s not him.”
Kate: I’m never leaving you at home without a sitter again.
COME HOME KATE I MISS YOU
The announcers joined in on the fun. “I don’t know who Kate is, but she’s a lucky girl.”
More pointing, more cheering.
Heads turned as people tried to pinpoint “Kate’s” location.
“Kate, if you’re in the stands,” the announcer said, “stand up and wave your arms so we can get a shot of you.” A cameraman panned the crowd, and a live video feed of the fans was now appearing on the Jumbotron.
“Are you sure, Kate?” Lisa asked again. “Maybe he did it to surprise you?”
“Bit of a lame surprise, if you ask me,” Derek said. Which no one had.
Kate: Derek just said the messages were “lame.” And he still has his arm around the back of my chair.
STOP TOUCHING KATE
THIS MEANS YOU DEREK
ESPECIALLY YOU
AND I DON’T SHARE
EVER
“Look!” Lisa said, pointing at the screen. The crowd was no longer paying any attention to the halftime show. They were too busy watching the Jumbotron to see what would happen next.
Kate stifled her laughter, sinking lower in her seat and trying to appear as unobtrusive as possible so as not to attract the attention of the cameraman filming the crowd.