Luck
Hearing the thud of the ball, its smooth surface grinding against the wooden boards, Rachel clasped her hands together. Hoping, praying, anything that would do her a favour. Her wish came true; the ball had detoured to the side before it was even halfway.
She watched as the black sphere fell with a heavy clunk into the gutter, rolling past the ten pins that were still standing. The look on his face was priceless.
Dejected, he spun back around, shoulders slumping. Eddie was nearly as competitive as her. 'Nearly' being the choice word. She was a sore loser but it turned out, she needn't worry. He was terrible at bowling.
Rachel instinctively held out her arms to beckon him back, yet before he'd even got to her, she'd put them down. Her hands rested on her thighs as she half bent over, unable to stop laughing. Perhaps it was the company that made her so happy or perhaps it was the fact that she was the clear winner for the evening. Probably both.
She had been somewhat anxious to find herself alone with Eddie; clearly Phil wasn't thinking about them at all when he cancelled their fun-filled evening, only a quick text message to say he wasn't coming. Yet, this had been a chance for them to redeem their friendship. Salvage whatever pieces were left. As always, her prayers had been answered.
Their natural chemistry hadn't once wavered, nor had her chances of winning. Turns out, Eddie wasn't as good a bowler as he'd promised to be. There was clear regret in his eyes as he returned to her, knowing he'd made a fool of himself. Yet, part of him didn't care. She was laughing, wasn't she?
It seemed the evening was a godsend; Rachel must have been a saint in another life. An evening out, no teenagers, a winning game of bowling, and now, she found her arms wrapped around Eddie's neck, their lips otherwise occupied. For the best, she supposed. The trash talk was getting a little out of hand.