Read Online Death by Tea by Alex Erickson - Free Book Online Page A

lane. What are you thinking, Krissy, I reprimanded myself as I approached the line. The guy was hot, but I was already sorta, not quite taken by Paul Dalton.
    There’s nothing wrong with looking.
    I snuck one more quick glance to find him finishing up his shot—a strike, of course. He turned my way and grinned as if he’d known I’d been watching, causing me to just about drop my own ball as I spun to look away.
    Suddenly, I didn’t want to look like a fool and mess this up. I eyed the pins at the far end of the lane as I adjusted my grip on the ball. They stood there, mocking me with their innocent appearance. The lane, I noted, sloped toward the gutters with only a thin strip of flatness in the middle. I aimed for that as I started forward, and let fly.
    The ball didn’t bounce this time. It hit the floor and crept slowly down the lane. About halfway down, it started drifting to the left again.
    â€œNo, no, no. Come on,” I muttered as it neared the pins. “Don’t make me look like an idiot.”
    The ball didn’t cooperate. It nudged the far back pin, which wobbled but didn’t go down.
    â€œAlmost!” Vicki called cheerfully. “You’ll get it next time.”
    Mortified, I trudged back to the ball return, picked up my ball, and then carried it back to the line. I knew I was still being watched, but at this point I just wanted to be done. I lined up my shot, tossed the ball toward the center, and watched as it guttered out a good foot from the pins.
    Vicki, oblivious to my embarrassment, leapt up. “Isn’t this fun?” she asked, going to her ball.
    â€œYeah,” I said, not feeling it at all. I glanced toward lane one to find the other two men there, changing their shoes. It appeared they were done and leaving. Thank God for small favors. At least now I could stop embarrassing myself in front of a cute guy.
    â€œYou should aim to the right.” The voice came from behind me.
    I yelped and spun to find the man with dark hair standing behind my seat. He was leaning, arms straight, hands pressed against the back of my chair, as he smiled down at me.
    â€œExcuse me?” I asked, heart hammering. Why did everyone always have to sneak up on me?
    â€œWhen you throw,” he said. “You cause a natural spin on the ball that sends it to the left. If you aimed to the right of center more, you’d have a better shot at hitting the pins.”
    Oh, God, kill me now. My face felt hot as I forced a smile. “Thanks,” I said. “This is my first time in a really long time.”
    He chuckled. “I can tell. But that’s okay. You should see me when we go golfing. I might as well dress for fishing with as often as my ball hits the water.” He straightened and held out a hand. “Will Foster.”
    â€œKrissy Hancock,” I said, shaking his hand. I noted he was now wearing that watch I’d assumed he had. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    â€œThe pleasure is mine.” His eyes flickered toward Vicki and then back to me. “If you ever want some more practice, I’d be happy to show you,” he said. “I’m not as good as Darrin and Carl over there, but I can hold my own.”
    I assumed Darrin and Carl were his two buddies but didn’t ask. I was too busy trying to determine if he was doing what I thought he was doing. Could a cute guy actually be flirting with me? It seemed ludicrous.
    â€œI, uh . . .” My vocabulary suddenly took a break and left me sitting there like a dope, mouth opening and closing while I thought of something to say.
    Will laughed and glanced toward his friends. They were busy with their own conversation, pretending not to watch what he was doing. “It’s okay if you don’t want to,” he said. “I know this is kind of sudden.” Was that a ring of red creeping up his neck?
    Oh, my God! He is flirting with me!
    â€œI don’t