"Come on, Lim, you really think bowling is a good date idea?" asked Melendez incredulously.
"You got any other ideas?" asked Lim curiously, "You've specifically stated we need to make sure we don't get into a rut of 'dinner and a movie' and 'Netflix and chill' dates," she straddled his lap and began to kiss him.
"But bowling?" asked Melendez.
"It's something different, it gives us a chance to compete against each other, which is something you've loved doing since the moment we met, it'll keep us entertained, and maybe, just maybe, the change of pace will be more…thrilling," she ran her pointer finger along his collar bone.
Melendez kissed her and asked, "How is it that you know exactly what gets to me?"
"It's my little secret," she smirked at him, "Maybe we can grab an early dinner before we go to the bowling alley."
Melendez nodded and said, "How about we make this interesting? We bowl and the winner gets to choose the position and toys for…you know, tonight," Melendez batted his eyebrows playfully.
Lim snickered and said, "Well, since your special talent is turning everything into a competition between us, I'd say you have yourself a deal, Dr. Melendez," she shook his hand and smirked.
"Okay, what's up with that smirk on your face?" asked Melendez, gesturing to her facial expression.
Lim stood and said, "You'll see."
After their early dinner, the couple arrived at the bowling alley, Melendez gabbing about his med school days when he bowled with his classmates, "I'll have you know that I was the best bowler out of the entire group from Duke," he boasted proudly.
"Mmhm," nodded Lim as she paid for the rental shoes, "Did you want anything else to eat?"
"We just ate a half-hour ago," Melendez raised an eyebrow, "But those tacos looked good."
"That's what I thought," Lim smiled and kissed him, "Any drinks with it?"
"Just a Coke for me," he said.
Lim nodded and went to get in line at the snack bar, though she couldn't help but think that the boy who was a couple customers in front of her and the voice was familiar when he ordered two hot dogs and two sodas. Lim approached the counter and said, "Four tacos, one medium Coke, and a medium Sprite," she placed the order and went over to the pick-up area. Her eyes couldn't help but follow the one boy whom she seemed to recognize. And then she realized where she knew him from: the St. Bonaventure emergency room! Sure enough, Kellan Park was at one of the lanes at the other end of the alley with Park, "Dammit," Lim whispered to herself.
"Order for Audrey!" one of the counter people called.
Lim grabbed the tray with the food and drinks and found Melendez warming up his bowling arm, though when she sat down at one of the chairs, he couldn't help but notice the look on her face, "What's wrong, Aud? You look like you've seen a ghost," he chuckled.
"Park is here with his kid. I thought I recognized him when he was in front of me in line and then I realized I know him from the quarantine. He was stuck in the ER with me," said Lim, doing her best to hide.
Melendez glanced over toward the other side of the room and immediately recognized their resident, "So?" he asked.
"Shouldn't we eat and then go find another bowling alley?" asked Lim, taking a bite of her taco.
"Why? We can't pretend we're here as friends instead of as a couple?" asked Melendez.
Lim sighed, "Fine. But no kissing, no handholding, no pet names…"
"No pet names is already on your list of rules," he reminded her jokingly.
"Fine," Lim snapped at him, "Let's just bowl."
"Okay, I'll start then," said Melendez, though he promptly threw a gutter ball on his first try. Lim snickered a little and Melendez pointed a finger at her, "Hey, it's been a while since I've been bowling. That was my warm-up throw," he chastised jokingly. His next throw, he knocked down only two pins.
"Was that also a warm-up throw, doctor?" Lim teased.
"Well, Dr. Lim, show me how it's done if you're so confident in yourself," said Melendez. When Lim immediately threw a strike, Melendez took a deep breath and said, "Okay, that was a lucky throw."
Lim threw another strike and turned around to face him, "Was that a lucky throw too?" she asked.
"Well, the first frame was my warm-up frame. Now it's time to get serious," he said. As the evening wore on and Lim threw more strikes and spares while Melendez was lucky if he knocked over about five pins, he quickly realized that the secret Lim had been hiding from him was that she was somehow an expert bowler. At the end of the night, Lim's score was 150 while Melendez had barely cracked 25 points. Lim proudly and arrogantly strutted over to him, "How did you? When did you? Where did you?" he stuttered.
"Well, I guess I get to choose everything tonight, Oh Great Bowler Neil," Lim smiled triumphantly.
"Seriously, I can't even go bowling with you without getting beat?" asked Melendez incredulously. Lim chuckled and Melendez continued, "So this is why you suggested bowling?" asked Melendez knowingly.
"I promise our next date you can pick something you're good at," said Lim, "Now we better head home."
They were just about to leave the bowling alley when they heard a voice behind them, "Dr. Melendez, Dr. Lim?"
They both stopped dead in their tracks and sharply turned, "Dr. Park," Melendez answered politely.
"I didn't know you both bowled together?" said Park.
"Oh yeah, we bowl together all the time, just as friends," Melendez lied.
"Yeah, it's not like this was a date or anything; we just got tired of always drinking bourbon together," Lim embellished.
They were both hoping Park bought the lie, though he hesitated to speak for a few moments. When he started speaking again, they both breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, I promised Mia I wouldn't keep Kellan out too late, so I better go find him. I'll see you both at work on Monday."
"You too, Dr. Park," said Lim. Melendez and Lim looked at each other and started laughing a little.
"Well, that was a close one," said Melendez as they got ready for the night.
"Yeah, it was," admitted Lim.
Melendez came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, "But I have to admit, almost getting caught was kind of thrilling. Almost like I was a teenager again."
Lim groaned and turned to face him, "It was thrilling. But let's try not to let it happen again," she ran her hands under his pajama shirt and began to caress his abdomen, "Now if I remember correctly, we had a bet going that I won fair and square."
Melendez groaned as well and laid his forehead against hers, "I do have one request for tonight."
"And what's that, Dr. Melendez?"
"Make it memorable," he whispered in her ear.